I N S I D E …

By Robert FriedmanCarolyn, who suffers from advanced de-

mentia and is bed-ridden at a local nursingfacility, says she would like to hear somehymns. Music therapist Jeannie Finneganstrums her guitar and sings “AmazingGrace.”

“Oh, so beautiful,” says Carolyn (not herreal name), wiping her eyes. She turns tothe wall. “Do you hear it? Do you hear thesinging?”

Finnegan is not sure to whom Carolyn isspeaking or what she is imagining. Nowshe plays “In the Garden,” and Carolyn issoon singing, “And He walks with me, andHe talks with me, and He tells me I am Hisown...”

Carolyn, who is in her late 80s, says,“They’re singing along with me. My chil-dren are 4 and 5, and they are singing withme. Isn’t that something?”

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Finnegan agrees.The session ends and Carolyn says of

her children, who have been brought toher consciousness by the hymn, “When Ilook at them, my faith is fulfilled.”

A healing touchFinnegan knows about the therapeutic

power of music, and how it triggers memo-ry and brings solace to the chronically andterminally ill.

Her visit to Carolyn was one of manyshe has made to nursing homes and sen-ior living communities around HowardCounty and adjoining areas. She plays herguitar and sings for the residents, espe-cially for those with memory loss.

“I believe music is uniquely therapeuticfor people with Alzheimer’s, dementia andother cognitive impairments and physicalchallenges,” said Finnegan, who lives inSykesville. “My mission and passion is toincrease awareness and education aboutthe power of music to evoke memories andpositive emotions.”

Finnegan created her company,Melodies & Memories, in 2011 and hassince immersed herself fully into her pas-sion and mission.

Finnegan has recorded and performedprofessionally as a musician with theChoral Arts Society of Washington, amongother groups. She has also worked foryears in Alzheimer’s and dementia care

and long-term care administration.Finnegan, 54, is also a certified dementia

practitioner. This means that Finnegan “hasreceived comprehensive knowledge in thearea of dementia care…and reflects a deeppersonal commitment... inspiring confidenceand dedication,” according to the NationalCouncil of Certified Dementia Practitioners.

“Music is able to engage those who canno longer be engaged by any other means,”Finnegan said in an interview. “I want to ed-ucate and encourage families, caregivingstaff, and literally everyone to get involvedin bringing meaningful music to those whocan no longer access it for themselves.”

Making a musical connectionFinnegan has learned the musical ways

to offer “comfort and connection,” andloves carrying out her life’s mission.

She said that during her initial visits tovarious senior communities and rooms ofthe residents she has become “a bit of aninvestigator.” She tries to find the type ofmusic that will connect to a “happy andmeaningful time” in the life of the listener.

“Sometimes I can get information bylooking for cues around the room,”Finnegan said. “If there is military memo-rabilia, I might try patriotic songs. If thereare religious artifacts, I could sing hymns.”

Music, she has found, helps seniorsconnect with pleasant memories, helpsthem communicate with family and

Music therapist Jeannie Finnegan performs for residents of nursing homes and sen-ior living communities. She finds music helps engage and comfort patients with de-mentia and other serious conditions. Studies show that music spurs memories, help-ing patients recall events and people in their lives.

See MUSIC THERAPY, page 27

Evoking memories with music

PH

OTO

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

JEA

NN

IE F

INN

EG

AN

More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard CountyVOL.5, NO.2

I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0

The Howard County F R E E

FEBRUARY 2015

TECHNOLOGY 4k How businesses track youk Manage health records online

FITNESS & HEALTH 8k Generic drugs go through the roofk Get the most from your produce

THE SENIOR CONNECTION 15k Newsletter for Howard County seniors

LAW & MONEY 19k Cheap oil’s risks and rewardsk The outlook for bonds in 2015

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY 31

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACONBITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

ARTS & STYLEColumbia Orchestra premieresa silent movie score; plus, newbooks look at aging mindfully

page 26

LEISURE & TRAVELEscape to Aruba’s varied is-land culture and terrain; plus,Europe’s low-cost airlines

page 23

In last month’s column, I started to layout some generally well-known facts inhopes they can facilitate animportant discussion that Ifeel Americans need to behaving with each other.

To summarize very briefly:Thanks to modern medicineand healthier lifestyles, weare living longer. While that’sa good thing for the mostpart, more and more olderAmericans are outliving theirsavings.

This problem is likely togrow, as many in the babyboomer and later generationshave put aside far too few resources to sup-port themselves in their later years.

Furthermore, our growing longevitywill add trillions of dollars to the cost of So-cial Security and Medicare — programsthat, as presently structured, are alreadyforecast to fail to meet long-term needs,even based on current life spans.

Now for some additional facts:For those who basically run out of sav-

ings and assets, Medicaid steps in to cover

essential medical and long-term care costs.This program is jointly funded by the feder-

al and state governments, inmost cases on a 50/50 split,though there are variations.

Medicaid is an entitlement,meaning a state cannot capparticipation at a certain num-ber. Everyone must be ac-cepted who qualifies undertheir state’s particular eligibil-ity rules. (These generally re-quire poverty-level incomeand assets or somethingclose).

With our longer lives,more expensive medical care,

and steady growth in cases of Alzheimer’sand other dementias (which can complete-ly incapacitate and last a decade or more),Medicaid expenditures are forecast to risesubstantially into the foreseeable future.

How will we pay for the unstoppable, un-cappable costs of our social and healthsafety nets in an era of rapidly rising needsand, at least at the moment, declining rev-enues?

In Maryland, for example, shortly be-

fore Governor O’Malley left office in Janu-ary, he announced that this fiscal year’sbudget would produce a $400 milliondeficit that needed to be plugged. Further-more, the budget being prepared for thecoming year indicates an additional deficitexpected to be $1.2 billion.

At the same time, Maryland’s new gov-ernor, Larry Hogan, campaigned on apromise to roll back many of the new taxesthat Gov. O’Malley instituted in an effort toeradicate what he called Maryland’s“structural deficit” when he first came intooffice in 2007.

According to figures from the U.S. Cen-sus Bureau, between 2007 and 2012 stateand local governments in Maryland alonespent over $6 billion more than theyraised in revenue. Throughout the coun-try as a whole, state expenses exceededrevenues over that period by more than$118 billion.

Growing population. Longer lives. Bur-geoning rates of disability and dementia.Additional destitute retirees. Mushroom-ing state and federal liabilities. InadequateSocial Security and Medicare funds.

This is where we’re heading.What can we do about it? Fortunately, we needn’t feel paralyzed.

There are many options to choose among— some good, some fair, some poor, someterrifying.

Here are a few examples of those op-tions. We should be having a national con-versation about them NOW. Some options for individuals and

families: Work longer, save more, investbetter, adopt healthier lifestyles, expectless, stick together and help each other out,encourage adult children to support olderparents, reduce end-of-life medical care,sign do-not-resuscitate orders/living wills.Some options for state and federal

governments: Take steps to boost theeconomy, improve tax collection, crackdown on waste and fraud in governmentprograms, incentivize healthier lifestyles,raise payroll taxes (for Social Security andMedicare), raise local taxes (which coverabout half of Medicaid costs), raise estatetaxes, reduce entitlement paymentsand/or their cost-of-living increases (forbetter-off recipients), limit usage of themost expensive healthcare treatments, capend-of-life care expenses, restrict or fur-ther tax transfers of wealth to youngergenerations (especially when done to qual-ify for Medicaid).

Clearly, some of these are more palat-able than others. I invite you to join theconversation and express your opinion, aswell as your willingness to support some ofthese options politically. These financial re-alities will affect you, your children, yourgrandchildren and many generations tocome.

Older adults, particularly those who arewell-off and well-prepared for retirement,may want to recognize their relative advan-tages and support proposals that cut backon their entitlements (yes, even theirearned benefits), in the interests of assist-ing those less fortunate (yes, includingthose who could have saved more thanthey did).

Our future is one of longer and betterlives, but comes with financial costs wemay not be able to bear equitably if wedon’t take at least some of these steps. Thesooner we act — and the wider a variety ofapproaches we use to ameliorate the con-sequences — the better it will be for all ofus and our progeny.

Facing facts, part II

FROM THEPUBLISHERBy Stuart P. Rosenthal

Letters to the editorReaders are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in

the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your

Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD

20915, or e-mail to barbara@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your

name, address and telephone number for verification.

2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

BeaconThe Howard County

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: info@thebeaconnewspapers.comSubmissions: The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial and advertising isthe 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 31 for classified advertising details.Please mail or email all submissions.

© Copyright 2015 The Beacon Newspapers, Inc.

The Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedi cated to in-form, serve, and en ter tain the citi zens of Howard County,Md. and is pri vate ly owned. Other editions serve GreaterBaltimore, Md., Greater Washington DC, and GreaterPalm 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 listedbelow.

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

• Vice President, Operations........Gordon Hasenei

• Director of Sales ................................Alan Spiegel

• Assistant Operations Manager ..........Roger King

• Managing Editor............................Barbara Ruben

• Graphic Designer ..............................Kyle Gregory

• Advertising Representatives ........Doug Hallock,

................................................ Steve Levin, Jill Joseph

• Editorial Assistant ........................Rebekah Sewell

MORNING BOOKS WITH COFFEEJoin in a book discussion about At Home in the World by JoyceMaynard. The group will meet on Monday, Jan. 26 at the East Co-

lumbia Branch Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia from 10 to 11 a.m. No reg-istration is required. For more information, call (410) 313-7700.

TRIVIA TIMEHave a great time playing group trivia on the last Friday of everymonth from 9:30 to 10:25 a.m. No preregistration is required and

this event is free. Meet in the lobby of the Bain Center, 5740 Ruth Keeton Way,Columbia. For more information, call (410) 313-7311 or email Cathy Vigus at cvi-gus@howardcountymd.gov.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 26

Jan. 30+

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon 3

4 F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

By Mae AndersonThink you’re in control? Think again. OKCupid, an online dating site, recently

became the latest company to admit that ithas manipulated customer data to see howusers of its service would react to one an-other. The New York-based Internet com-pany’s revelation followed news last Julythat Facebook let researchers changenews feeds to see how it would affectusers’ moods.

The fact is, big companies use cus-tomers as unwitting guinea pigs all thetime — online and in the real world.

OKCupid’s claim, that its research wasaimed at improving its services, is com-mon. But some find that manipulating situ-ations in order to study consumer behav-

ior without consent raises troubling priva-cy concerns.

“Every company is trying to influenceconsumers to purchase their product orfeel a particular way about their company,”said Kit Yarrow, consumer psychologist atGolden Gate University in San Francisco.“The question is, when is it manipulation,when consumers are in some waystricked, and when is it just influence?”

In a blog post, OKCupid founder Chris-tian Rudder detailed the experimentation:The company removed text or photos fromprofiles and in some cases told people theywere a 90 percent match with anotherdate-seeker instead of a 30 percent match.Rudder was unapologetic, and said the re-sults are being used to improve the sites’

algorithms. “If you use the Internet, you’re the sub-

ject of hundreds of experiments at anygiven time, on every site,” Rudder wrote.“That’s how websites work.”

Facebook’s disclosure last year set off afirestorm on social media services and inthe press. During one week in January2012, the company let researchers manipu-late 689,000 users’ news feeds to be eithermore positive or negative in order to studyhow the changes affected their moods.

But Internet companies aren’t the onlyones studying unsuspecting customers.

Retailers research as wellRetailers have been at it for decades.

Brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants

have long used data drawn from customerloyalty programs, satisfaction surveys andexit interviews, to figure out how to besttarget consumers.

For example, Darden, which operatesthe Olive Garden, analyzes customers’checks to see what types of dishes peopletend to combine. The restaurant chain alsoanalyzes how long customers wait for atable. Darden said the research, alongwith customer surveys, helps the companyimprove the customer experience.

“We collect all sorts of informationabout any interaction we have with gueststo understand who our customers are, andwho is visiting the restaurant,” said Chris

Companies stealthily study customers

InnovationsTechnology &

By Anne FlahertyYou’ve probably decided who gets the

house or that family heirloom up in the atticwhen you die. But what about your emailaccount and all those photos stored online?

Grieving relatives might want access forsentimental reasons, or to settle financial is-sues. But do you want someone readingyour exchanges on an online dating profile,or a spouse going through every email?

The Uniform Law Commission, whosemembers are appointed by state govern-ments to help standardize state laws, re-cently endorsed a plan that would giveloved ones access to — but not control of— the deceased’s digital accounts, unlessspecified otherwise in a will.

To become law in a state, the legislationwould have to be adopted by the legislature.If it did, a person’s online life could becomeas much a part of estate planning as decid-ing what to do with physical possessions.

“This is something most people don’tthink of until they are faced with it. Theyhave no idea what is about to be lost,” saidKaren Williams of Beaverton, Oregon,who sued Facebook for access to her 22-year-old son Loren’s account after he diedin a 2005 motorcycle accident.

Valuable assetsThe question of what to do with one’s

“digital assets” is as big as America’s elec-tronic footprint. A person’s online mus-

ings, photos and videos — such as a popu-lar cooking blog or a gaming avatar thathas acquired a certain status online — canbe worth considerable value to an estate.

Imagine the trove of digital files forsomeone of historical or popular note —say former President Bill Clinton or musi-cian Bob Dylan — and what those filesmight fetch on an auction block.

“Our email accounts are our filing cabi-nets these days,” said Suzanne BrownWalsh, an attorney who chaired the draft-ing committee on the proposed legisla-tion. But “if you need access to an emailaccount, in most states you wouldn’t getit.”

But privacy activists are skeptical of theproposal. Ginger McCall, associate direc-tor of the Electronic Privacy InformationCenter in Washington, said a judge’s ap-proval should be needed for access, to pro-tect the privacy of both the owners of ac-counts and the people who communicatewith them.

“The digital world is a different world”from offline, McCall said. “No one wouldkeep 10 years of every communicationthey ever had with dozens or even hun-dreds of other people under their bed.”

Passwords aren’t enoughMany people assume they can decide

what happens by sharing certain passwordswith a trusted family member, or even mak-

ing those passwords part of their will. But in addition to potentially exposing

passwords when a will becomes publicrecord, anti-hacking laws and most compa-nies’ “terms of service” agreements pro-hibit anyone from accessing an accountthat isn’t theirs. That means loved onestechnically are prohibited from loggingonto a dead person’s account.

Several tech providers have come upwith their own solutions. Facebook, for ex-ample, will “memorialize” accounts by al-lowing already confirmed friends to con-tinue to view photos and old posts.

Google, which runs Gmail, YouTubeand Picasa Web Albums, offers its own ver-sion: If people don’t log on after a while,their accounts can be deleted or sharedwith a designated person. Yahoo usersagree when signing up that their accountsexpire when they do.

But the courts aren’t convinced that acompany supplying the technology shouldget to decide what happens to a person’sdigital assets.

In 2005, a Michigan probate judge or-dered Yahoo to hand over the emails of aMarine killed in Iraq after his parents ar-gued that their son would have wanted toshare them. Likewise, a court eventuallygranted Williams, the Oregon mother, ac-cess to her son’s Facebook account, al-though she says the communications ap-peared to be redacted.

How new law would workEnter the Uniform Law Commission.

According to the proposal, the personalrepresentative of the deceased, such asthe executor of a will, would get access to— but not control of — a person’s digitalfiles so long as the deceased didn’t prohib-it it in the will. The law would trump ac-cess rules outlined by a company’s termsof service agreement, although the repre-sentative would still have to abide by otherrules, including copyright laws.

That means, for example, a widow couldread her deceased husband’s emails, butcouldn’t send emails from that account.And a person could access music or videodownloads, but not copy the files if doingso violated licensing agreements.

Williams said she supports letting peo-ple decide in their wills whether accountsshould be kept from family members.

“I could understand where some peopledon’t want to share everything,” she saidin a phone interview. “But to us, losing him(our son) unexpectedly, anything hetouched became so valuable to us.” And “ifwe were still in the era of keeping a shoe-box full of letters, that would have beenpart of the estate, and we wouldn’t havethought anything of it.”

To access Google’s inactive account man-ager: http://bit.ly/XuvgqD. Facebook’s pageon deleting or memorializing accounts is athttp://on.fb.me/1cyCi5e. — AP

What happens to online files after you go?See CUSTOMER DATA, page 6

By Eleanor LaiseDoctors and hospitals traditionally have

been the gatekeepers of patients’ medicalrecords. That’s changing as a growingnumber of digital tools place these recordsat consumers’ fingertips.

Patients can now view their medicalrecords, download them to a computer ormobile device, and organize key informa-tion such as allergies and drug side ef-

fects. They also can use these tools totransmit the data to doctors or caregivers.

One such tool already allows Medicarebeneficiaries, veterans and other groups toelectronically access their medical records.In September, the federal governmentlaunched a national campaign to raise con-sumer awareness of this “Blue Button”tool, developed in partnership with thehealthcare industry (See sidebar).

Tech companies, meanwhile, are racingto develop apps and online storage sys-tems. Apple, for example, announced lastJune that a new Health app would be partof its next operating system. The app’s fea-tures include an emergency medical cardlisting medical conditions, allergies andother key information.

Risks and benefitsBut as patients take charge of their

records — and become responsible forsafeguarding them — the “risks are veryreal,” said Joseph Lorenzo Hall, chief tech-nologist at the Center for Democracy andTechnology, which promotes online priva-cy. If a thief obtains your insurance infor-mation and seeks drugs or treatments

under your name, for example, he couldwreak havoc with your own medical careand credit report.

Still, health policy experts see the bene-fits outweighing the risks.

“When people have access to their ownpersonal health information, they’re in-clined to be more engaged in their care,”said Joyce Dubow, principal for health poli-cy and strategy at AARP.

Indeed, patients who manage their med-ical records electronically can help spotpotentially dangerous errors. For exam-ple, if one of your drugs is inadvertentlymissing from your record, you run the riskof a doctor prescribing a drug that could

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations 5

How to manage your health records online

Patients can start to access recordselectronically by looking for the BlueButton logo. Visit http://bluebuttoncon-nector.healthit.gov to search for hospi-tals, labs, pharmacies and insurers thatoffer access to records through BlueButton.

Medicare beneficiaries can create anaccount at www.mymedicare.gov to re-view records and select Blue Button todownload information.

Hume t r i x ’ s i B l u eBu t t on a pp(www.ibluebutton.com) helps usersmanage and share medical records di-

rectly from a smart phone. The app or-ganizes your information into sectionsfor medications, conditions, allergiesand immunizations.

When visiting a doctor who uses acompanion Humetrix app designed formedical professionals, patients can trans-mit records to the doctor’s iPad. Likewise,doctors can use the app to transmit visitsummaries, wound-care instructions, orother information to patients. The con-sumer app, which costs $9.99, is availablefor iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

— Eleanor Laise

Accessing recordswith Blue Button

See HEALTH RECORDS, page 6

� FREE INFORMATION � FREE INFORMATION � FREE INFORMATION �FR

EE

I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

�

F

RE

E I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

�

F

RE

E I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

�

F

RE

E I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

�FREE INFORMATION � FREE INFORMATION � FREE INFORMATION �

FR

EE

I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

�

F

RE

E I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

�

F

RE

E I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

�

F

RE

E I

NF

OR

MA

TI

ON

Name____________________________________________________ _____________

Address________________________________________________________________

City______________________________________State______Zip________________

Phone (day)________________________(evening)________________________

Please provide your e-mail address if you would like to receivemonthly links to the Beacon online and occasional notices

of events and programs of interest.

Email____________________________________________________ _____________

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this form to:The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915

or fax to (410) 248-9102.

Housing Communities� Brightview Senior Living (see ad on page 3)� Brooke Grove (see ad on page 32)� Charlestown (see ad on page 21)� Heartlands (see ad on page 20)� Homecrest House (see ad on page 10)� Ivy Manor Normandy (see ad on page 4)� Park View at Colonial Landing (see ad on page 27)� Park View at Columbia (see ad on page 27)� Park View at Ellicott City (see ad on page 27)� Park View at Emerson (see ad on page 27)� Shangri-La Senior Living (see ad on page 27)� Shriner Court (see ad on page 24)� Somerford Place (see ad on page 14)� Vantage House (see ad on page 9)

Health Study Volunteers� Fall Prevention Study (see ad on page 13)� Hip Fracture Study (see article on page 12)� Memory Study (see ad on page 12)

2/15 HC

FREE INFORMATIONFor free materials on housing communities

and health studies, just complete and clip thiscoupon and mail or fax it to the Beacon.

�

Chang, senior vice president of technologystrategy at Darden.

While Darden’s methods are consid-ered traditional, retailers are beginning touse more high tech ways to study con-sumer behavior, too.

Alex and Ani, a New York-based jewelryand accessories maker that runs its ownstores and also sells goods at departmentstores nationwide, works with technologycompany Prism Skylabs to use data takenfrom video footage to create so-called“heat maps.”

Using video they can track how cus-tomers flow through the store, and re-

arrange displays and move them to placeswhere customers linger.

That’s just one piece of data the jewelrycompany uses, said Ryan Bonifacino, vicepresident of digital strategy. Once the com-pany has the traffic patterns, they alsoevaluate timestamps on receipts and otherpoint-of-sale information in an effort to cre-ate a profile of what types of people areshopping in the store so they can cus-tomize products to them.

“It’s not about one individual cominginto a store. It’s about understanding thejourney” of customers as a group, Bonifa-cino said.

Tracking cell phone movementAnother example is Forest City, a Cleve-

land-based real estate developer, which op-erates malls around the country. The com-pany works with U.K. firm Path Intelli-gence to identify shopper patternsthrough mobile phone movements.

The system uses cellular data, wi-fi and

Bluetooth. Forest City emphasizes that itdoes not collect personal data or any datathat could be used to identify an individualshopper.

The company has used the data to deter-mine whether it should move an escalatorin one mall to make the flow of traffic moreefficient. Another time they were able totell a retailer whether they should changelocations or not.

“In the past, we would have used a gutfeeling or anecdotal evidence, more low-tech ways to determine whether or not weshould move the escalator,” said StephanieShriver-Engdahl, vice president digitalstrategy.

The use of “big data” and other ways tostudy consumers are likely to get morepervasive. The key to conducting studieswithout sparking outrage — both onlineand offline — is transparency, said market-ing expert Allen Adamson, managing di-rector of branding firm Landor Associates.

“Big data is everywhere, and peopleknow that and are willing to deal with it,”he said. “If you tell consumers this is whatyou’re doing to make sure you’re meetingtheir needs and be able to offer the rightmerchandise, they’re usually acceptingand understand.”

That’s true for Lucas Miller, 24, ofPhoenix, who wasn’t fazed when OKCupiddisclosed its experiments.

“In terms of tracking behavior, I’m farless worried about for-profit companiesdoing it than I am about the government,”he said.

— AP

6 Technology & Innovations | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

Customer dataFrom page 4

interact adversely with it.Much medical harm “can be prevented if

the patient or family caregiver has a look atthat information,” said Dr. Bettina Experton,chief executive officer of Humetrix, develop-er of an app that works with Blue Button.

An electronic “vault”Microsoft HealthVault (www.health-

vault.com) also helps organize and shareyour medical records while connectingwith health and fitness apps and devicessuch as blood pressure monitors. The freeservice stores records on secure servers,so users can access the information fromany device that has an Internet connection.

Both iBlueButton and HealthVault arehighly secure tools for managing electron-ic medical records, Hall said. But hewarns that the push toward electronicmedical records may spawn startup com-panies offering apps that are less secure.

Read the privacy policy before down-loading any app, paying particular atten-tion to whether the company might shareyour data with third parties or use it togenerate targeted advertisements — awarning sign that your information “canbe very promiscuously shared,” Hall said.

— Kiplinger’s Retirement Report© 2014, Kiplinger. All Rights Reserved.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Health recordsFrom page 5

BORROW EBOOKS FOR YOUR IPADThe Howard County Library System will teach you how to browse,borrow and download eBooks for your iPad. The session will be

held on Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Miller Branch Library, 9421Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. For more information, call (410) 313-1950.

WII CLUBHave fun bowling, playing tennis or playing baseball without evengoing outside. Improve your hand-eye coordination playing Wii onTuesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Bain Center, 5740 Ruth

Keeton Way, Columbia Md. For more information, call (410) 313-7311 or emailCathy Vigus at cvigus@howardcountymd.gov.

BEACON BYTES

Feb. 11

Ongoing

All about grandparenting

The website of the American Grandpar-enting Association is chock full of tips andinformation for grandparents. Brush up onthe hottest toys and parenting advice.Watch videos of celebrities, including TimDaly and Bruce Willis, talking about beinggrandparents. Join a forum with such read-er-posted topics as “My daughter-in-law ishaving an affair” and “Empty nest nolonger,” about adult children and grand-children moving back home.

www.grandparents.com

Windows on the world

Wonder what Times Square looks like atthis very moment? How about Jackson Hole,Wyo, or the neon-colored jelly fish swayingat the Monterrey Bay Aquarium in Califor-nia? EarthCam links to hundreds of live web-cams throughout the world to give you anup-to-the-minute view of what’s going on.

www.earthcam.com

Too cuteFrom a white baby bunny curled inside

a teacup, to a girl reading a book to aminiature pony at a library, Attack of theCute is, well, very, very cute. If you’relooking for a benign diversion or fodderfor Facebook, this is the site to find it.

http://attackofthecute.com

Meetup maniaDo you ever wish you had a group of

people to share an esoteric hobby with, ormaybe ones who enjoy the same foreignmovies as you do? Meetup may be the an-

swer. Just go to www.meetup.com and plugin your city and interests to find groupsplanning activities near you. Some groupsare age restricted, and there are manyspecifically for those in their 50s and older,or labeled “baby boomers.”

www.meetup.com

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Technology & Innovations 7

Beacon LinksBy Barbara Ruben

COMPUTER AND DEVICE WORKSHOPBring along your new or existing laptop or device and join tech-nology enthusiasts at the N. Laurel Senior Center for questions

and answers on how to navigate your device. The workshop takes place on FridayFeb. 20 from 11 to 11:45 a.m. The center is located at 9411 Whiskey BottomRd., Laurel. Call (410) 313-0380 to register for this free program.

GUIDED MEDITATION Experience meditation designed to increase a sense of peaceful-ness. Please bring a cushion or meditation pillow to the MillerBranch Library, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City on Tuesday, Feb.

3 from 7 to 8 p.m. For more information, call (410) 313-1950.

BEACON BYTES

Feb. 20

AROMA THERAPYLearn about thehealth benefits of

aromatherapy and essential oils atthe Elkridge Senior Center, 9401Frederick Rd., Ellicott City from10:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday Feb.10. Cost is $4 per person. For moreinformation, call (410) 313-5192 or(410) 313-4930.

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGWalk-in blood pres-

sure screening and monitoring will beavailable on Monday, Feb. 2 from 3:30to 5:30 p.m. at the HCLS GlenwoodBranch, 2350 Rt. 97, Cooksville. Thisevent is free and is offered by HowardCounty General Hospital.

LIVING WITH DIABETESLearn how to improve

your health whether you have justbeen diagnosed with diabetes or havebeen living with it for a while. Thenext session will be held onWednesday, Feb. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m.at the Wellness Center MedicalPavilion, Suite 100, 10710 CharterDr., Columbia. For more information orto register, call (443) 718-3000.

THERAPEUTIC AQUA ZUMBA FOR 55+

Enjoy a cardio dance-based workoutwith the added resistance of water.The cost is $48 for six weekly class-es. Classes start Jan. 27 from 6 to 7p.m. at the Cedar Lane School, 11630Scaggsville Rd., Fulton. For more infor-mation, call (410) 313-7311 or emailcvigus@howardcountymd.gov.

BEACON BYTES

Feb. 10

Feb. 2

Feb. 18

Feb. 3

Jan. 27+

By Matthew PerroneSome low-cost generic drugs that have

helped restrain healthcare costs fordecades are seeing unexpected pricespikes of up to 8,000 percent, prompting abacklash from patients, pharmacists andnow Washington lawmakers.

A Senate panel met in November toscrutinize the recent, unexpected trendamong generic medicines, which usuallycost 30 to 80 percent less than their brand-ed counterparts.

Experts said there are multiple, oftenunrelated, forces behind the price hikes,including drug ingredient shortages, in-dustry consolidation and production slow-downs due to manufacturing problems.

But the lawmakers convening the hear-ing said the federal government needs toplay a bigger role in restraining prices.

“If generic drug prices continue to rise,then we are going to have people all overthis country who are sick and need medi-cine and who simply will not be able to buythe medicine they need,” said VermontSen. Bernie Sanders, who chairs the Sen-ate Subcommittee on Primary Health andAging. Sanders is a political independent

who usually votes with the liberal wing ofthe Democratic party.

Bill for drug rebates Sanders introduced a bill that would re-

quire generic drug makers to pay rebatesto the federal Medicare and Medicaid pro-grams when prices of their medicationsoutpace inflation. Those payments are al-ready mandatory for branded drugs, buthave never applied to generics.

Sanders and House Rep. Rep. Elijah Cum-mings, D-Maryland, sent letters to the mak-ers of 10 generic drugs that have seen priceincreases of over 300 percent or more in re-cent months. The price for one of those, theantibiotic doxycycline hyclate, rose morethan 8,280 percent during a six-month peri-od from an average of $20 per bottle to$1,849 per bottle. (See “There are manyways to cut your drug costs” on page 9.)

The increases cited by the Senate sub-committee were calculated by the Health-care Supply Chain Association using theaverage prices of the drugs and otherprice data.

The Generic Pharmaceutical Associa-tion said in a statement that the 10 drugs

cited by lawmakers do not reflect thebroader U.S. market, which includes12,000 generic medications that have re-duced drug costs by billions.

But pharmaceutical experts testifyingsaid the price spikes reflect broader priceincreases for generics, which have tradi-tionally fallen over time.

An analysis of 280 common genericdrugs by Professor Stephen Schondelmey-er found that roughly a third recordedprices increases in 2013. The University ofMinnesota researcher said those numbersshow that generic price increases are notlimited to a few isolated cases.

“The markets are broken, and we needto do something to fix it,” he told the panel.“I think the government needs to step inand develop and monitor solutions.”

Dr. Aaron Kesselheim of Harvard Med-ical School recommended several newgovernment policies, including allowingthe Food and Drug Administration to ac-celerate the clearance of generic drugs forwhich there are few manufacturers.

He also said that federal officials shouldbe notified of all drug price increasesgreater than 100 percent. In previous

cases where drug shortages have led toprice spikes, FDA has approved emer-gency imports of extra supplies from for-eign sources.

The lower prices of generic drugs makethem the first choice for both patients andinsurers. Generic drugs account forroughly 85 percent of all medicines dis-pensed in the U.S., according to IMSHealth.

Typically, generic drug prices fall asmore companies begin offering competingversions of the same drug. But recent ex-amples suggest the market forces thathave kept generic prices low are not work-ing properly.

The average price of albuterol sulfate, acommon asthma treatment, shot from anaverage of $11 per bottle in October 2013to $434 per bottle in April 2014, an increaseof over 4,000 percent, according to theHealthcare Supply Chain Association’s cal-culations.

The hearing followed requests for con-gressional action by the National Communi-ty Pharmacists Association, which said in-dependent pharmacies are being squeezed

Soaring generic drug prices draw scrutiny

8 F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

WARMING UPStretch and do warm ups before exercise to prevent injuries

PRESERVING NUTRIENTSTry some of these ways to retain morevitamins in your fresh produce

RECENT HIP FRACTURE?A new study will send rehab experts toyour home to improve recovery

DOES GRANDPA KNOW BEST?Should a father step in to advise hisdaughter about his grandchild?

HealthFitness &

See GENERIC DRUGS, page 9

by the price hikes. In some cases, pharma-cists are losing money on drugs that arepurchased at new sky-high prices but arestill reimbursed at the older, lower rates bypharmacy benefit managers.

“Community pharmacies are put in theuntenable position of having to absorb thedifference between the large sums ofmoney that they spent to acquire thedrugs and the lower amounts that they arepaid,” said Rob Frankil, who testified onbehalf of the pharmacist group.

— AP

Generic drugsFrom page 8

By Dr. Howard LeWineQ: Recently, my doctor prescribed a

10-day course of doxycycline. I alwaysask for a generic since I need to payfull price.

I was shocked when the pharmacistsaid it would be almost $65. I tookthis medication three years ago and Ithink it cost me less than $8 then.How could that be?

A: The prices of certain generic drugshave skyrocketed. Doxycycline is one ofthem.

Reasons for the price hikes vary fromdrug to drug. The sharp increase for doxy-cycline was linked with shortages of rawmaterials needed to make the drug.

Only two or three generic drug makerswere able to continue to manufacture doxy-cycline. With less competition, those compa-nies hiked their prices. The higher priceswere passed on to the retail pharmacies andconsumers. In some cases, the prices went

from as low 7 cents per pill to over $3 per pill.The good news is that only a handful of

generic drugs have become extremely ex-pensive. You can almost always save bybuying a generic drug rather than a brandname. So, ask your doctor whether ageneric version of the same drug will workas well as the brand-name drug.

Here are some other ways to help savemoney on drugs. As your doctor starts towrite a prescription, ask:

Are there lifestyle changes I can maketo either avoid taking this drug or at leaststart at a lower dose?

If no generic is available, is there anoth-er option that costs less and works as wellas what you’re prescribing?

Can I split this pill in half? For many drugs,the higher dose doesn’t cost much more thanthe lower dose. By splitting a higher-doseversion in half, you can save a lot of money.

After you have a prescription, you cansave in other ways, too.

Shop around, especially if you don’thave a drug plan and need to pay retailprices. I called a couple of nationally-known pharmacies to ask about retail costfor 30 doxycycline pills. One quoted a costthree times higher than the other.

Consider buying a three-month supplyof drugs that you know you will take for along time. Examples include drugs forhigh blood pressure, diabetes and highcholesterol. You may save on insurance co-pays if you do this and order by mail.

Talk with your pharmacist about waysto save money. Given the thousands ofdrugs on the market today, your doctormay not know about all the options.Howard LeWine, M.D., is a practicing in-

ternist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital,Boston, and chief medical editor of internetpublishing at Harvard Health Publications,Harvard Medical School.)© 2015 President and Fellows of Har-

vard College. All Rights Reserved. Distrib-uted by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

There are many ways to cut your drug costs

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 9

“The only source of knowledge is experience.”

Experience the Vantage House lifestyle before making a final decision by joining our exclusive “Signature Club” today.

For more information or a complimentary membership, contact JordanJ@VantageHouse.org / 410-988-3957

– Albert Einstein

Q: How important is it to warm upand stretch before exercise?

A: Warming up before exercise is veryimportant for people of all ages to reduce thechance of soreness or injury, and to prepareyour cardiovascular system for exercise.Older adults and those who have been inac-tive should be especially sure to make timefor this vital element of physical activity.

You can do a slow and easy version ofwhatever type of exercise you’ll be doingas your warm-up, whether that meanswalking, swimming, dancing, tennis orworking with weights.

Pay special attention to warming upwhen exercising outdoors in cold weather.Even if your body as a whole feels warm,make sure the muscles in your arms and

legs, which may be exposed to the windand cold, have moved enough to feel warm.

According to the American College ofSports Medicine, muscles are more elasticand ready to be stretched when they arewarm, so warm up first and then stretch.

As one option to stretch the musclesyou’ll be using, simply move them throughthe full range of motion you’ll be using dur-ing your exercise.

Another option is called a static stretch;you gently stretch each muscle you’ll beusing to the point of feeling slight tight-ness, and then hold that position for 10 to30 seconds without bouncing.

In addition to the pre-exercise warm-upand stretch, the cool-down and after-exer-cise stretch are important. Take five to 10

minutes of low-intensity movement to helpyour body settle back down to its normalstate.

Then, while your musclesare loose, general stretchingwith focus on the muscles youjust used will decrease chancesof muscle soreness, and helpimprove and maintain the flexi-bility that makes all life activi-ties easier.

Try these flexibility exercisefrom the NIH SeniorHealthwebsite (http://bit.ly/flexibili-ty_exercises) that show 12major muscle areas that all ben-efit from stretching regularly,from neck and shoulders,through back, arms and eacharea of the legs.

Q: How do pumpkin, winter squashand sweet potatoes compare nutrition-ally? What are healthy ways to preparethem?

A: Pumpkin and winter squash (includ-ing acorn, butternut and hubbard) are inthe same plant family and their nutrient

content is similar. As withsweet potatoes, the deep or-ange color of pumpkin andwinter squash signals thatthey are very high in com-pounds called carotenoids.

In laboratory studies,carotenoids function as antioxi-dants and aid in controlling cellgrowth, which could meanthey help reduce cancer risk.Human studies link higher con-sumption of foods containingcarotenoids with lower risk ofsome cancers.

All three vegetables arealso packed with potassium, which seemsto promote good blood pressure control.All are good sources of vitamin C, too, with

Why warm up and stretch before exercise

NUTRITIONWISEBy Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDM

10 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

HISTORY OF PATAPSCO RIVER VALLEYLearn about this significant area and how it played an importantrole in Maryland’s development. Join a volunteer ranger from the

Patapsco Valley State Park on Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at theElkridge Senior Center, 9401 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City. Topics will include theElkridge Landing harbor, the Thomas Viaduct and more. For more information, call(410) 313-5192 or (410) 313-4930.

CREATING COLUMBIAJoin the Columbia Archives to explore the planning and implemen-tation of Jim Rouse’s planned community. Sessions will be held onMonday Feb. 2, 9 and 16 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Slayton House,

10400 Cross Fox Ln., Columbia. Each session will cover a different topic.Sessions are free, but registration is encouraged. To register or for more informa-tion, visit creatingcolumbia.eventbrite.com or call (410) 715-3103.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 24

See NUTRITION, page 13

Feb. 2+

By Clare Tone, R.D.Food preparation techniques such as

peeling, chopping and cooking make animpact on the nutritional value of fruitsand vegetables.

Follow these tips to preserve more nu-trients in your produce:1. Fresh is best, frozen is next.

Fresh, ripe produce in-season — with vir-tually no cooking required — will usually behighest in nutrients. But what about producein the middle of winter? U.S. Department ofAgriculture data indicates that freezing pro-duce immediately after harvesting retains 95to 100 percent of most vitamins and minerals,with the exception of vitamin C, which dimin-ishes by up to 30 percent in frozen produce.2. Be water wise.

According to the USDA, up to 50 percentof vitamin C, thiamin, vitamin B6 and folatecontent in food can be lost to the water it’scooked in. In order to retain water-solublenutrients, try to use cooking methods suchas steaming or stir-frying that use less water.Also reduce water used in steaming and boil-ing, and reuse cooking water in soups orsauces to capture escaped nutrients.3. Cut cooking times.

As a rule of thumb, the longer foods areexposed to heat, the more nutrients are lost.To reduce cooking times, cover the pot to re-tain heat and avoid evaporation; place veg-etables in already boiling water, and learn toenjoy vegetables with a crunchier texture.4. Make friends with your microwave.

Since it cuts cooking time and water use,the microwave is a nutrient-friendly kitchenappliance. A 2009 study published in theJournal of Food Science found microwavingpreserved higher antioxidant activity in amajority of 20 vegetables studied comparedto any other cooking method.5. Chop less.

Chopping foods into smaller pieces in-creases the surface area exposed to light,heat and water — three factors that de-grade nutrients.

One exception is garlic and other foodsin the allium family (onions, leeks, shal-lots). Chopping these foods and allowingthem to sit for 10 minutes before cookingincreases their active components.6. Preserve the peel.

Keeping peels on foods like potatoes,yams and carrots preserves more nutri-ents, which tend to concentrate just nearthe surface. In place of peeling, opt for agood vegetable brush and scrub vegeta-bles thoroughly.7. Use it all.

The next time you’re getting ready tothrow away those beet or carrot tops,think again. Many vegetables are entirelyedible and rich in nutrients, so using theentire plant, from root to stem, is a sureway to add nutrients to your day.8. Keep it cool.

Nutrient loss in many fruits and vegetablescan be decreased with cooler temperatures,high humidity and less air contact. Store pro-duce in airtight containers in the fridge.9. Cooking helps, sometimes.

Not all vegetables need to be eaten raw. Infact, cooking methods such as baking, mi-crowaving and stir-frying can increase theantioxidant activity of many vegetables, suchas celery, carrots and green beans, accord-ing to a 2009 Journal of Food Science study.10. Eat more produce.

No matter how we slice them, chopthem, cook them — or not — simply eat-ing more produce may be the best way tooptimize nutrient intake.

Nutrient synergy — how the total sumof nutrients in a food interact with eachother and respond to cooking methods —

helps explain why using a variety of cook-ing techniques and ingredients might bethe best policy for optimizing the nutrientquality of your produce.Reprinted with permission from Environ-

mental Nutrition, a monthly publication ofBelvoir Media Group, LLC. 800-829-5384.www.EnvironmentalNutrition.com.© 2014 Belvoir Media Group. Distrib-

uted by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

How to preserve the nutrients in produceHOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 11

Please patronize our advertisers.They keep the Beacon free!

(410) 442-0191A-1 Action Nursing Care, Inc.®Serving The Maryland Suburban Area Since 1978

(202) 333-0509 (DC)(301) 890-7575 (MD)

www.a1actionnursingcare.com

• Eye Care for All Ages • Specialists in Cataracts, Glaucoma, DiabeticRetinopathy and Macular Degeneration • Contact Lens Specialists

• LASIK - Laser Vision Correction • Plastic & Reconstructive Eye Surgery

Full In-House Optical DepartmentOutpatient No-Stitch Cataract Surgery • Laser Surgery

MEDICARE ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTEDLENARD H. HAMMER, M.D., F.A.C.S.GORDON LUI, M.D.SCOTT B. BECKER, M.D.MEDICARE EYE EXAMS

BRIAN J. WINTER, M.D.CRISTINA F. ROUILLER, O.D.

VANESSA LIMA, M.D.

410-997-99008860 Columbia 100 Parkway, Suite 101, Columbia, MD

By Carol SorgenHip fractures are fairly common among

older adults. In the United States alonethis year, approximately 350,000 people 65and older will break a hip. Despite im-provements in therapy, a hip fracture canstill result in decreases in the strength ofbone and muscle, making it difficult towalk and perform daily activities.

Physicians and physical therapists be-lieve that regular activity and exercise arebeneficial in reducing disability in older in-dividuals, yet the majority of older adultsdo not regularly exercise.

This is true even for older adults who

have suffered a hip fracture and completedthe prescribed rehabilitation program. Asa result of their lack of ongoing activity,significant disability often remains in olderpersons after a hip fracture.

Currently, the goal of post-fracture thera-py is for patients to be able to function inde-pendently in a safe household two to threemonths after surgery. One year after hipfracture, however, 20 percent of patientsneed help putting on pants, 50 percent needassistance to walk, and 90 percent need as-sistance to climb stairs. This means thatmany patients are functioning at a lowerlevel than they were before rehabilitation.

Seeking post-fracture volunteersThe University of Maryland, Baltimore,

is sponsoring a study to compare two 16-week supervised multi-part physical thera-py programs beginning up to five monthsafter hip fracture.

This randomized controlled multi-sitetrial will include 300 people age 60 andolder. Participants will join the study afterstandard rehabilitation is completed, ap-proximately 20 weeks after admission tothe hospital for hip fracture.

The goal of the study is to enable olderadults who have experienced a hip fractureto recover sufficiently to function at home

and in the community.The primary outcome the study will

measure will be the ability to walk 300 me-ters or more in six minutes 16 weeks afterbeing accepted into the study. This reflectsthe minimum distance a person needs tobe able to walk to carry out usual activities.

Additional outcomes the researchershope to measure include endurance, bal-ance, quadriceps muscle strength, lowerextremity function, fast-walking speed,ability to perform activities of daily living,quality of life, balance confidence, depres-

12 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

Health Studies PageTHE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Restoring independence after hip fracture

For more information, please call 410.494.0193

Enroll now in a clinical study at the NeurExpand Brain Center.A clinical study is underway to evaluate the effects of two dietary supplements, Fruitflow® (tomato extract) and Resveratrol (grape extract) on memory, blood flow, and fitness. Dr. Majid Fotuhi, Medical Director of the NeurExpand Brain Center is the Principal Investigator.

You may qualify to participate if you:

Call today to see if you are eligible.

SM

SM

www.NeurExpand.com

Do You ExperienceMemory Problems?

See HIP STUDY, page 13

DAY TRIP TO WASHINGTON

Explore the Nation’s Capital your own way on Wednesday, Jan. 28

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The bus will pick you up at the Bain Center, 5470 Ruth

Keeton Way, Columbia, Md., and the Normandy Shopping Center, Ellicott City,

Md., and drop you off on 4th St. between the East and West Buildings of the

National Gallery of Art. The cost is $45. For more information, visit www.howard-

countymd.gov/rap or call (410) 313-7275.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 28 HAITI SISTER CITY PLANNING COMMITTEE

The Columbia Association is seeking volunteers for a planning

committee to look into the possibility of developing a sister-city relationship

between Columbia and Cap-Haitien in Haiti. Volunteers should have an interest in

Haiti and be able to be active participants in monthly evening meetings. For more

information, call (410) 715-3162 or send an email to

Laura.Smit@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

sion symptoms, cognition, and nutritionalstatus.

Help comes to you at homeParticipants will be randomly assigned

to one of two arms of the study, identifiedas PULSE and PUSH.

PULSE participants will receive flexibili-ty exercises, active range of motion(AROM) for the upper and lower extremi-ties, breathing exercises, and transcuta-neous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).Over a 16-week period, participants will re-ceive 40 visits from a study physical thera-pist (three visits per week for the first eightweeks and two visits a week during the sec-ond eight weeks). Visits will take place inthe participant’s home.

During the AROM exercises, partici-pants will work to increase flexibility andrange of motion. Exercises include theneck, shoulders, arms, trunk, hips, kneesand ankles. During all AROM exercises,the participant focuses on deep breathingtechniques. The second part of the sessionuses TENS on lower extremity musclegroups to decrease pain, in order to allowgreater ease of mobility.

The PUSH program seeks to improvespecific requirements needed to walk andperform activities of daily living at home. Itaddresses endurance (with continuous up-right exercise for 20 minutes); function(by improving fast walking), standing froma chair and stair negotiation; muscle per-formance (by exercising to enhance lowerextremity strength); and balance (by per-forming unilateral activities and activitieswith decreased base of support).

As with the PULSE group, over a 16-week period, PUSH participants will re-ceive 40 visits from a study physical thera-pist at their home (three visits per weekfor the first eight weeks and two visits aweek during the second eight weeks).

All participants in both the PULSE andPUSH arms of the study will receive 2000 IUvitamin D3, 600 mg. calcium, and a multivita-

min daily for the duration of the 40-weekstudy. Nutritional counseling is also provided.Weight will be monitored every four weeks.

For more information, or to find out ifyou are eligible for the study, contactDenise Orwig, PhD, at (410) 706-2406 or dorwig@epi.umaryland.edu, or Lynn M Lewis, MA, at (410) 706-5144 orllewis@epi.umaryland.edu.

sweet potatoes containing the highestamounts.

Sweet potatoes are richer in natural sug-ars and starches than most vegetables, mak-ing them higher in calories. One-half cup ofsweet potatoes has about 90 calories com-pared to 30 to 40 calories in one-half cup ofpumpkin or winter squash.

Many recipes with these vegetables in-clude so much butter, margarine, sugar orsyrup, that they become quite high in calo-ries. However, those additions are not nec-essary to enjoy the vegetables’ wonderfulflavor.

For a quick-and-easy way to boost nutri-ents and color to your meal, add puréedfrozen or canned winter squash or pump-kin to soup, stew or even smoothies. (Justbe sure the canned pumpkin is pure, un-

salted pumpkin and not sweetened pump-kin pie mix.)

Cubes of fresh squash, pumpkin orsweet potatoes are delicious in stir-friesand stews, and mix well with many differ-ent flavor combinations.

All three choices are also terrific roastedin the oven, either alone or with other veg-etables, drizzled with just a bit of olive oil.You can cook them by steaming as well.The American Institute for Cancer Re-

search offers a Nutrition Hotline, 1-800-843-8114, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday throughFriday. This free service allows you to askquestions about diet, nutrition and cancer. Aregistered dietitian will return your call,usually within three business daysCourtesy 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.

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 13

NutritionFrom page 10

Hip studyFrom page 12

HISTORICAL SOCIETY LECTURE SERIESThe Howard County Historical Society Museum will host alunchtime lecture series from noon to 1 p.m. at 8328 Court Ave.,

Ellicott City. The next session will be on Friday, Feb. 6 and cover the topic “WorldWar I.” Tickets are free for HCHS members and $5 for non-members. For moreinformation, visit hcsmd.org.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 6+

WORKSHOP WITH COUNCILMAN WEINSTEINJon Weinstein will hold a community workshop on Thursday, Feb.

5 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to invite Ellicott City and Elkridge residents

to participate in formulating government policies. The workshop will be held at

the Oella Room at the Roger Carter Center, 3000 Milltowne Dr., Ellicott City. For

questions or to indicate that you plan to attend the workshop, email Gary Smith

at GLSmith@howardcountymd.gov or call (410) 313-2001.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 5

If interested call: 410-605-7179 & Mention code: LIFTat Baltimore VA/University of Maryland Gerontology Recruitment Line

*You must be at least 65 years old and in good health*Participants will be seen at the Baltimore VA Medical Center and

University of Maryland School of Medicine*You will attend approximately 41 visits for 1 to 4 hours each per visit

CALL TODAY!

Want to Prevent Falls in the Elderly?Seeking Men and Women to participate in a research study

at the University of Maryland &Veterans Affairs of Baltimore to better understand balance and the

prevention of falls in aging individuals.You will receive:

• Health evaluation• Balance, step, strength, and/or flexibility exercises

• Compensation for your time

By Helen Oxenberg, MSW, ACSWDear Solutions:

I don’t know whether my problem iswith my daughter or with my grandson.My daughter and my 4-year-old grand-son have to live with us for a while, andshe has him enrolled in every activitypossible. He has sports class dates, tu-toring dates, swimming dates, playdates and more.

Now he’s refusing to go to the swim-ming class, but my daughter insists heshould go. When he gets there, hewon’t go in the water. She thinks if hedoesn’t go, he’ll never get over hisfear. I think she should leave himalone. What do you think?

— Her Dad

Dear [Grand]Dad: It just goes to show –— you can lead a

child to water, but you can’t make himswim! I think your grandson is over-whelmed and may be too young for this in-tensive dating game. He could probablybenefit from a “do nothing” date.

Children’s imagination and creativity havea chance to develop when they have sometime to just invent their own play activitywithout adults telling them how. I would ad-vise your daughter to back off for a while. Hecan get in the swim later when he’s ready.Dear Solutions:

My wife died recently, and my nextdoor neighbor has been very kind. I’mretired and home all day and so isshe, but her husband is still working.

Because she’s been so kind to melistening to my need to talk and every-thing, I’ve gotten her a few small gifts.I’m beginning to get a bad feeling fromher husband, though.

He doesn’t say anything, but I cansort of feel his annoyance, and he’sacting very cold to me.

I’ve been giving his wife gifts becauseshe has such a warm heart. Do you thinkI should explain to him that I’m not afterhis wife? What am I doing wrong?

— TomDear Tom:

His cold shoulder must take precedenceover her warm heart! Cool it. It feels flatter-ing to you that she pays attention, and itfeels flattering to her that you give her gifts.But it obviously feels threatening to him.

What are you “doing wrong?” You’rearound all day, and he’s not. That’s enough.

Start looking elsewhere for singlewomen friends. I assure you there aremany who also have warm hearts and arewilling, even eager, to share.Dear Solutions:

My sister has five children. Four ofthem are doing very well — doctors, suc-cessful business people, good marriages,etc. One, the middle daughter, is strug-gling along. As my sister says, “nothingever works out right for her,” and that’s

all my sister concentrates on now. She keeps talking about it and is de-

pressed and gloomy all the time. Shedoesn’t know what to do about it, andI don’t know what to do about her.

I keep telling her to feel good abouthow well her other children are doing,but she doesn’t seem to get any joy outof that. I’m afraid she’ll make herselfsick. What do you think?

— EllieDear Ellie:

I think that a mother is only as happy asher unhappiest child. The first thing youcan do is express your understanding ofthat, because that’s where she’s at.

She doesn’t worry about her other chil-dren because she doesn’t think she has todo anything for them. But she thinks shedoes need to fix things for this one, andthat’s the problem.

She’s feeling powerless. Unless there’ssome practical way she can change thingsfor this daughter, she needs help to acceptthat she can’t fix things. She can only besupportive.

Perhaps she can help her daughter getprofessional help. She should also getsome counseling for herself. That wouldlet both her and you off the hook.© Helen Oxenberg, 2015. To inquire

about reprint rights, call (609) 655-3684.

Does granddad or mommy know best?14 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

FIVEEE STAR MEMORY CARE, BBRINNGINNNNGG BBACK THE joy in life

C A L L U S T O D AY T O D I S C O V E R O U R I N N O VAT I V E M E M O RY C A R E A N D J O I N U S

F O R A D E L I C I O U S M E A L .

822020 S Snowdwdwden R Rivi er Parkway • Columbia, MD 21045410-313-9744www.SomerfordPlaceColumbia.com© 2014 Five Star Quality Care, Inc.

SOMERFORD PLACEFrrroomm F ivvvvve StStarra D Dinninnngg,g to o our awwwarra d‐wwiwinnnnininnnng g BrBriddgge t o o o ReeR did scs oovoveery™y™lllifef sstylylylylyle, ourur memem mmmom ryry cacaareee b b riringngn ssbab cck l l l l l life’s sisimppmpleleessts joyoyo s.ssHeHeHH rerererere, our r rerrer sissidededentntn s s rrreddiiscsscs ovovovererrefafaff vvvvovov riitete disshehehehesss, a andnddd ; ; ;inininnd d d d suuccccccesesee s s s ataattmmmemm aaltitimme, wiwiiiththttt a a m m menene u u u u u inspspirirrededded b byyycccec leebrrb iti y chhheefe Brarad d MiMMiller, spspeeciaallevenentss, , and d d a a caring t t teaeam of e expxxpertsssby t theeh iir sididi e.e.

Bel Pre2601 Bel Pre Road

Silver Spring, MD 20906 301.598.6000

BridgePark 4017 Liberty Heights Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21207 410.542.5306

Ellicott City3000 N. Ridge Road

Ellicott City, MD 21043410.461.7577

Fayette Health1217 W. Fayette Street Baltimore, MD 21223 410.727.3947

Forestville7420 Marlboro Pike

Forestville, MD 20747 301.736.0240

Fort Washington12021 Livingston Road

Ft. Washington, MD 20744301.292.0300

Marley Neck7575 E. Howard Road

Glen Burnie, MD 21060410.768.8200

South River144 Washington Road Edgewater, MD 21037 410.956.5000

800.989.7337communicarehealth.com

Caring places. Healing spaces.

MEMBERS OF THE

Serving with Pride.

Specializing in Skilled Nursing and Subacute Rehabilitation

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon 15

NEWS and EVENTS from the Howard County Office on AgingTheSenior

ConnectionSenior

ConnectionDepartment of Citizen Services Volume 5, No. 2 • February 2015

Building a Fit Brain Series Begins in March

Dr. Majid Fotuhi, MD, Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert on memory and Alzheimer’s disease, will once again partner with the Howard County O�ce on Aging to o�er a series of presentations beginning in March, called “Building a Fit Brain.” Dr. Fotuhi is the founder of the NeurExpand Brain Center, a neurology practice that focuses on improving memory and cognitive function. He was early to recognize that there are factors in our lives that we can control to help reduce the risk of memory decline and possibly even Alzheimer’s.

�roughout the series of six free presentations, Dr. Fotuhi will discuss how making simple changes in your diet, lifestyle, and sleeping habits can make a lasting di�erence to your brain for years to come. Topics for the series include:

Role of Sleep March 5, 10 a.m • East Columbia 50+ Center

Role of Stress & MindfulnessMarch 12, 10 a.m. • North Laurel 50+ Center

Six Steps to a Better BrainMarch 13, 1 p.m. • Glenwood 50+ Center

Role of Brain GamesMarch 19, 1 p.m., Elkridge Senior Center

Role of ExerciseMarch 26, 10 a.m., Bain Center

June 11, 1 p.m., Ellicott City Senior Center

“O�ering programs like this is just one way our senior centers can help Howard County’s older adult population continue to remain vital and vibrant throughout the aging process,” said Barbara Scher, Senior Center Division Manager for the O�ce on Aging.

Last month’s Senior Connection included an

update on our planning e�orts to ensure that Howard County continues to be a great place to age far into the future. While we’re looking forward to releasing the report in the coming weeks, we are not waiting to begin thinking about what’s next!

One of the major opportunities for our O�ce on Aging is broadening the role of the 50+ and senior centers. �ey already provide a wide range of activities for all ages. �e upcoming opening of the Annex space in Ellicott City will o�er our "rst "tness center and a broader, more #exible, schedule of exercise classes along with expanded lifelong learning programs. �e design and development of a new center in Elkridge will give us the chance to take programming there to a new level, too.

We are looking at how we can use our network of centers to make more services easily accessible. We’ve already started working on the technology upgrades that will allow us to have our MAP sta� work from the centers, making it easy to have in- person consultations on community resources. And we want to explore the bene"ts of being on the broadband network – like having telemedicine available for visitors to the centers. We see limitless potential for the senior centers of the future!

It’s also clear that caregiver supports and support to age in community are going to become even more critical in the years ahead. We’re looking at how we can expand the services we already provide, and design innovative new approaches, to meet those growing needs.

One thing won’t be changing, though: the O�ce on Aging’s commitment to serving older adults and adults with disabilities, ensuring you have the resources you need to grow, thrive, and live with dignity. You can always count on that!

A Message from

Lois MikkilaDirector, Howard County Department of Citizen Service

The Senior Connection is published monthly by the Howard County Department of Citizen Services and the Office on Aging.

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Contact us, or join our subscriber list at seniorconnection@howardcountymd.gov

Howard County Office on Aging, 6751 Columbia Gateway Dr., Columbia, MD 21046410-313-6410 • www.howardcountyaging.org

Find us on www.Facebook.com/HoCoCitizen

Kim Higdon Henry, Senior Connection Editor kahenry@howardcountymd.gov • 410-313-6531

Advertising contained in the Beacon is not endorsed by the Howard County Office on Aging or by the publisher.

16 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

5 Tips to Make YOUR Tax Time Less TaxingHelpful advice for smoother sailing during tax preparation courtesy of the Howard County Office of Consumer Affairs

1) CHECK OUT YOUR PREPARER. All tax preparers, whether working individually or as part of a national tax preparation chain, must be licensed by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. Make sure your preparer is properly licensed by going to DLLR’s web site: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/pq/. In addition, ask preparers for their required Preparer Tax Identi!cation Numbers or PTINs before agreeing to pay for their services.

2) ASK ABOUT FEES. Some tax preparers do not fully disclose all their fees up front. To avoid surprises, ask for a list of all charges and potential fees before your taxes are prepared.

3) AVOID REFUND ANTICIPATION LOANS. Many tax preparers o"er to provide your refund immediately in the form of a refund “loan” (sometimes also called Refund Anticipation Check). If you take this option, however, fees and interest on that loan will be deducted from your refund. Instead, choose to get your refund directly deposited into your bank account. #e deposit is usually made in just a few days, and you will get the full amount of your refund.

4) FILE EARLY. Identity thieves try to steal money from the IRS by !ling returns using stolen social security numbers. #is also results in a lot of hassle and delayed refunds for tax payers. By !ling early, you can reduce the odds of becoming a victim.

5) GET HELP. If you made less than $53,000 in 2014 and need assistance with tax preparation and !ling, the Howard County non-pro!t, Making Change, o"ers free tax preparation services through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. Visit www.makingchangecenter.org, or call 410-880-5917 for details. You can also get assistance from the AARP Tax-Aide Program (see article, above or visit www.aarp.org/taxaide for more information).

For more information on this and other consumer topics, contact the Office of Consumer Affairs at 410-313-6420 (VOICE/RELAY) or visit www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer.

The Bain Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way,

Columbia, MD 21044

Howard County Paws4ComfortThis program fosters special bonds between pets, their owners and the County residents they visit. If you are interested in volunteering, or wish to attend a free evaluation for your pet, contact:

Ingrid Gleysteen at 410-313-7461 or igleysteen@howardcountymd.gov

Evaluations are held at the Bain Center 1ST WEDNESDAY of every month

FEBRUARY 4 and MARCH 4 are the next available appointment dates.

www.howardcountyaging.org

2015 AARP Foundation Tax-Aide SitesAARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in conjunction with the IRS, o"ers free assistance to low and moderate income taxpayers, with special attention to those 60 and older. Appointments are required; call to schedule yours today.

For a list of documents you need, visit www.aarp.org/taxaide

Bain Center 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia, MD 21044 410-313-7387FEBRUARY 2 thru APRIL 15 Mondays & Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (selected) Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (selected)

East Columbia 50+ Center 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045 410-313-7680FEBRUARY 18 and MARCH 4, 18 Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon (Snow Date: April 1)

Elkridge Senior Center 6540 Washington Blvd., Elkridge, MD 21075 410-313-5192FEBRUARY 4, 11, 25 and MARCH 11, 25 Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon (Snow Date: April 1)

Ellicott City Senior Center 9401 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, MD 21042 410-313-1400FEBRUARY 2 thru APRIL 15 Tuesdays, 5 to 9 p.m.

Glenwood 50+ Center 2400 Route 97, Cooksville, MD 21723 410-313-5440FEBRUARY 5 thru APRIL 15 Thursdays, 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

North Laurel 50+ Center 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel, MD 20723 410-313-0380FEBRUARY 3 thru APRIL 15 Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, 1 to 5 p.m.

APRIL 1-15 Thursdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Senior Connection

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon 17

To request accommodations to attend any of these events, call 410-313-5980 one week in advance.

Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon Blood Pressure Screenings • Ellicott City Senior CenterFebruary is Heart Month – stop in to for a free blood pressure check. Sponsored by Howard County General Hospital.

Fridays, Appointments begin at 9 a.m.Acupuncture with Dawn • Glenwood 50+CenterCome enjoy the relaxing and healing benefits of this ancient practice with Dawn Kulak (insurance accepted). Call 410-313-5440 to schedule.

Tuesday, February 3, 10 to 11:30 a.m.Medicare 101: What You Can Expect • Ellicott City Senior CenterLearn how Medicare Parts A (hospital), B (medical) and D (prescription drug) work, what the benefits are, and when you should make decisions related to your coverage. Sponsored by SHIP; register at 410-313-7391.

Tuesday, February 3, 10 a.m. to noon Estate Administration Workshop • Glenwood 50+CenterJoin the Register of Wills for an in depth discussion on estate planning in Maryland. Register at 410-313-5440.

Tuesday, February 3, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Opera Lovers & Lunch • Bain CenterDr. Sam Stern highlights Umberto Giordano’s opera about the French Revolution poet, Andre Chenier. $13; register at 410-313-7213 no later than January 27.

Monday, February 9, 1 to 2 p.m.Talkin’ Broadway: The American Songbook • North Laurel 50+ CenterFollow the evolution of Broadway’s rich history through discussions and live song presentations. Free; call 410-313-0380 to register.

Tuesday, February 10, 10 to 11:30 a.m.Medicare 102: Why Medicare Isn’t Enough • Ellicott City Senior CenterLearn about Medicare Part C (health plans) and how Medicare Supplement Policies (Medigap Plans) can help cover out of pocket expenses. Sponsored by SHIP; register at 410-313-7391.

Tuesday, February 10, 10:30 a.m. to noon Aromatherapy • Elkridge Senior CenterAromatherapy and essential oils can help with issues of pain and stress; join us to learn more and enjoy a lavender cream hand massage. $4/person; register at 410-313-5192.

Tuesday, February 10, 11 a.m. to noon Showstoppers and Chart Toppers • Bain CenterJoin Terry Marsh for a musical blend of Big Band standards, show tunes, swing and blues. Free; lunch reservations due by February 3.

February 2015 Calendar of EventsDon’t miss these exciting programs and services from the Howard County Office on Aging

Wednesday, February 11, noonValentine Tea East Columbia 50+ CenterSavory and sweet treats plus great conversation! $6 donation; register at 410-313-7680.

Thursday, February 12, Noon to 1 p.m.Lunar New Year Celebration • North Laurel 50+ CenterCelebrate the Year of the Goat with a Chinese meal, music and dance. $6/person. Register at 410-313-0380 for lunch no later than February 4.

Friday, February 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Motown Memories • North Laurel 50+ CenterEnjoy a special lunch and soulful tunes for Valentine’s Day. $3 plus lunch contribution. Call 410-313-0380 to reserve lunch by February 4.

Fridays, February 13 and 27Friday Afternoon at the Movies • Glenwood 50+CenterJoin us for a showing of And So It Goes (FEB 13) and This is Where I Leave You (FEB 27). Cost: $1 donation; register at 410-313-5440.

Tuesday, February 17, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.The Legends of the Black Hi-Story: Honoring Black History Month • Bain CenterStoryteller Bill Grimmette presents how to reframe, rename and reclaim the story. RSVP to 410-313-7213 for lunch no later than February 10.

Wednesday, February 18, 11 to 11:45 a.m.Travel Talk with Rick: Fjords of the World • North Laurel 50+ CenterExperience the beauty of Winter in Alaska, Chile, Antartica and Norway with captivating photos and travel opportunities. Details: 410-313-0380.

Thursday, February 19, 10:45 to 11:15 a.m.Heart Healthy Food Matters • Ellicott City Senior Center Nutrition Specialist Jodi Bargamian presents a taste of current trends in nutrition and how food choices impact health. Free; details 410-313-1400.

Friday, February 20, 12:30 p.m.How Much Salt Do Our Bodies Need? • Ellicott City Senior Center Rona Martiyan, R. LDN, will offer nutrition info at this lunch ‘n learn. Details, registration or to schedule a personal nutrition appt: 410-313-1400.

Monday, February 23, 11 a.m.Ask the Pharmacist • Ellicott City Senior CenterDiscuss you medication concerns in confidence with Don Hamilton, P.D., Consultant Pharmacist. Free; details 410-313-1400.

Monday, February 23, 6 p.m.Chinese New Year Celebration • East Columbia 50+ CenterCelebrate the Year of the Goat with demonstrations of Tai Chi, Qigong and Chinese painting, and refreshments. Free; register at 410-313-7680.

Tuesday, February 24, 12:30 to 2 p.m.History of Patapsco River Valley: Elkridge to Ellicott City Elkridge Senior CenterLearn how the Patapsco area played a major role in the development of Maryland. Free; register at 410-313-5192.

Wednesday, February 25, 9:30 a.m. to noonGelli Plate Printing • East Columbia 50+ CenterInstructor Sherry Pollack provides everything you need to create beautiful monoprints with acrylic paints. $30 includes all materials.

Wednesday, February 25, noonPoker & Pizza: Ladies Texas Hold ‘em • East Columbia 50+ CenterLearn to play this fun game of poker. No experience needed, but bring a sense of humor! Prizes awarded, too! $5; register at 410-313-7680.

20TH ANNUAL PENGUIN PACE 5KSunday, February 1, 20157:45 a.m. at The Bain Center, 5460 Ruth Keeton Way, Columbia 21044$35 Entry Fee includes registration, post race food/beverages and event shirt.

www.striders.net/events/penguin/2015

The Senior Connection

18 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

howardcountyagingmd.gov/aging

Contact: WENDY FARTHING wfarthing@howardcountymd.gov

410-313-3506

START LIVING WELL TODAY!DIABETES and other CHRONIC CONDITIONS CAN be managed with our 6-week Living Well program!

Living Well With Diabetes Glenwood 50+CenterSix Wednesdays, April 8 - May 13 9:30 AM - NOON | $28 includes all materials

Living Well: Take Charge of Your Health Medical Pavilion Wellness Center at Howard CountySix Fridays, April 10 - May 15 10:00 AM -12:30 PM | $28 includes all materials

Speakers Bring the Creative Arts to Life

It’s a wrap! �e �rst season of Enjoying the Creative Arts ended on a high note, at the performance of “It’s a Wonderful Life” at Howard Community College (HCC). Piloted last fall by the O"ce on Aging’s SeniorsTogether program, Enjoying the Creative Arts o#ered members a behind the scenes look at local productions, gallery exhibits and more.

Sue Kramer, Artistic Director of HCC's Arts Collective, arranged a post-performance discussion with the actors and directors of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Since both Sue's daughter, an actor in the play, and her mom participated, attendees were able to view the production through the eyes of three generations.

�e program’s �rst speaker, Suzanne Beal, Co-Producing Artistic Director of REP Stage at HCC, presented “Art in Our Lives.” Designed as a primer for the group to view art with a fresh perspective, she discussed the impact the arts can have on our lives. “Art encompasses much more than I realized,” said one participant.

Stephenie Frasher, a National Gallery of Arts docent, also shared her expertise and insights presenting “A Closer Look at Analyzing Artwork.” Participants especially enjoyed describing works of art to one another. “Telling the "backstory" of the art and artists helped me make a connection. It’s what I liked most about our conversation with Stephenie,” o#ered one participant.

For more information about the Enjoying the Creative Arts program, contact the Bain Center at 410-313-7213.

Making Your Home More Accessible Could Earn You a Tax Credit! THE HOWARD COUNTY LIVABLE HOMES TAX CREDIT

For more information, contact:HOWARD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

410-313-2062or MARYLAND ACCESS POINT at 410-313-5980

FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND APPLICATIONS, GO TO

www.howardcountymd.gov/livablehomes

Make improvements now to create a more accessible home for your future and save money!

When you install certain types of accessibility features in your primary County residence (ramps, stair glides, reinforced walls and grab bars) you could be eligible for credit against your county tax bill. Applications are processed through the Howard County Department of Finance in the order received until all program funds have been exhausted.

Don’t miss the 7th Annual WomenFest!

www.howardcountyaging.org/womenfest

A signature event designed to inspire women to live a more balanced, healthier and fulfilled life!

Saturday, April 25, 2015 10 am - 3 pm

Gary J. Arthur Community Center at Glenwood2400 Route 97, Cooksville, MD 21723

Build Your Healthy Tomorrow, Today! Featuring keynote speaker, Lynne Brick, president, Brick Bodies Fitness Services, Inc.Plus, workshops on self-defense, heart health, painting on canvas, financial wellness, and keeping relationships strong!

There’s something for everyone at WomenFest! Bring your mom, grandmothers, sisters, daughters, and friends for a day of fun and shopping featuring 90+ vendors, informative seminars, important health screenings, door prizes and more!

The Senior Connection

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon 19

A SMALL FORTUNESmall-cap stocks didn’t gain much in2014, but the improving economy andmore buyouts may boost them this year.American stocks are the preferred pick

WHICH FUNDS DO BEST?Much higher expenses reduce the returns of actively managed funds, helping index funds come out on topMoneyLaw &

By Jonathan FaheyThe price of oil has fallen by nearly half

in just six months, a surprising and steepplunge that has consumers cheering, pro-ducers howling, and economists wringingtheir hands over whether this is a good orbad thing.

The price of a barrel of oil is just under$55, down from a summer high of $107,and lower than at any time since the U.S.was still in recession in the spring of 2009.

So what’s going on? A global imbalanceof supply and demand that is ripplingacross the world economy, for better andworse.

Supplies go boomYears of high oil prices, interrupted

briefly by the recession, inspired drillersaround the world to scour the earth’s crustfor more oil.

They found it. Since 2008, oil companies in the U.S., for

example, have increased production by 70percent, or 3.5 million barrels of oil perday. To put that in perspective, that in-crease alone is more than the productionof any OPEC member other than SaudiArabia.

As U.S. production was ramping up, tur-moil in the Middle East and North Africareduced supplies from Libya, Iran and

elsewhere. A balance was struck: Increas-ing supplies from outside of OPEC andfrom Iraq’s recovering oil industry helpedmeet rising demand around the world asother OPEC supplies waivered.

But now those OPEC supplies lookmore certain despite continuing turmoil,and those non-OPEC supplies haveswamped the market.

OPEC estimated last month that theworld would need 28.9 million barrels ofits oil per day this year — the lowest inmore than a decade. At the same time,OPEC countries plan to produce 30 millionbarrels of oil per day next year. That sup-ply surplus is sending global prices lower.

Demand goes bustGlobal demand is still expected to grow

this year, but by far less than manythought last year. The economies of China,Japan and Western Europe — the top oilconsumers after the United States — allappear to be weakening. Oil demand fallswhen economic growth stalls.

The U.S. is still the world’s largest con-sumer, but more fuel-efficient cars andchanging demographics mean demand foroil and gasoline is not increasing. The Ener-gy Department predicts a slight decrease ingasoline demand this year even though theprice is expected to be sharply lower and

the economy is expected to grow.

Consumers are happyFor drivers, shippers, airlines and other

consumers of fuel, there’s nothing not tolike about the drop in oil prices.

The national average gasoline price hasfallen for 97 straight days to $2.30 a gallon,its lowest level since October of 2009, ac-cording to AAA. It’s $1.40 a gallon lessthan at its high last year, saving U.S.households more than $100 a month.

Diesel and jet fuel prices have alsoplunged, helping boost the profits andshare prices of airlines and shippers.

Heating oil is the cheapest it has been infour years, reducing home heating pricesjust in time for winter for many in the chillyNortheast.

Economists, producers worriedFalling fuel prices act like a tax cut and

help boost consumer spending, which inturn accounts for 70 percent of the U.S.economy.

But economists are growing concernedthat there are other, more troublesomeforces at play.

The depth of oil’s plunge could be a sig-nal that the global economy is strugglingeven more than economists think. A weakglobal economy could hurt the U.S. econo-

my by reducing exports, employment andspending, which together could outweighthe economic benefits of cheaper fuel.

For oil companies, oil-producing states,and oil-exporting countries, the oil pricecollapse is painful.

Oil companies generally keep produc-ing oil from wells they’ve already drilled,but lower prices sharply reduce revenueand force them to cut back spending onnew exploration projects. BP announcedlast month it would try to trim $1 billion inspending in 2015 in a move that analystssay could result in thousands of job cuts.

States that rely on taxes from energyproduction, such as Alaska, North Dakota,Oklahoma and Texas, will see lower rev-enues. Some have already had to trimbudgets.

Major oil exporters such as Iran, Iraq,Russia and Venezuela rely heavily on rev-enues from state-owned oil companies torun their governments and are strugglingunder major budget shortfalls.

For example, Bank of America esti-mates that every $1 drop in the globalprice of oil costs Venezuela $770 million inannual revenue. Current prices are now$47 below 2013’s average, putting thecountry on pace for a $36 billion reductionin revenue.

—AP

Why oil is so cheap; what it means for us

By Stan ChoeDon’t expect much from your bond mu-

tual fund this year. The bond market will likely produce

modest returns, if they’re positive at all, ac-cording to many bond-fund managers. It’sa matter of math: Bonds are offering verylow interest rates following a decades-longdrop in yields. That means they’re produc-ing less income.

It also means bonds have less protectionfrom rising interest rates. When ratesclimb, the price for existing bonds falls be-cause their yields suddenly look less at-tractive than those of newly issued bonds.

If bonds were yielding 8 or 10 percent,they could more easily make up for a de-cline in price with their interest payments.But a 10-year Treasury note offers a yield

of just 2.25 percent. Less income comingin means it takes a smaller price decline tosaddle bond investors with losses.

“We’re getting to the point where it’s re-ally dangerous,” said Bill Eigen, managerof the JPMorgan Strategic Income Oppor-tunities fund. He says he’s the most nerv-ous about the prospect of rising rates thathe’s been in his career.

Investors got a taste of what bond lossesfeel like in 2013, when the average interme-diate-term bond fund fell 1.4 percent due toa rise in rates. It was the biggest loss forthe bond market in nearly two decades.

Managers say that, at the very least, it’sbest to prepare for big swings in bond re-turns this year.

To be sure, many managers predictedbond losses a year ago, and they were

wrong. Interest rates unexpectedly fell,and last year the average intermediate-term bond fund returned nearly 5 percent.

But even the more optimistic bond fundmanagers say returns will likely be lowerin 2015. Virtually all economists expect theFederal Reserve to raise short-term inter-est rates this year, which would be the firstincrease since 2006. The central bank al-ready ended its bond-buying stimulus pro-gram, shuttering it in October.

“Given where bonds are, you should notbe thinking about a return like last year,”said Matt Freund, chief investment officerof USAA mutual funds. “It could happen,but I wouldn’t want to base my financialplan on it.”

Here are some questions set to shapethe bond market in 2015:

— Rates are rising, right?Nearly everyone is planning for the Fed

to raise rates this year because the econo-my may have finally caught enough mo-mentum. The unemployment rate hasn’tbeen this low since 2008, and the economyjust delivered its strongest back-to-backquarterly growth since 2003.

Many fund managers forecast the Fedwill begin raising rates in mid- to late-2015.It has kept the federal funds rate at a rangeof zero to 0.25 percent since 2008. — But maybe not too much?Even though the economy is improving,

it’s still fragile. That could lead the Fed tomove more slowly in raising interest ratesthan many investors expect, said USAA’s

What does 2015 hold in store for bonds?

See BONDS, page 20

Freund. Inflation also remains low, with the price

of oil close to a four-year low and the dollarat its strongest level in years. That givesthe Fed more leeway to take its time inraising rates.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury couldbe around 2.5 percent at the end of 2015, ac-cording to Joe Davis, Vanguard’s globalchief economist. That’s only a little higherthan its current yield, and Davis expects thetaxable bond market to return 2 to 3.5 per-

cent annually over the next several years. — Aren’t short-term bonds safe?Long-term bonds lock investors into

yields for a longer time period, so rate in-creases can hurt them more than short-term bonds. That’s pushed many investorsto pile into short-term funds, hoping to re-duce their risk.

The $22 billion that they put into short-term bond funds over the last year is 10times what they put into intermediate- andlong-term bond funds combined, accord-ing to Morningstar.

But short-term bond investors aren’tgetting a free lunch, said Karl Dasher, co-

head of fixed income at Schroders assetmanagement company. Yields are so lowthat they’re in danger of losses when theFed begins raising short-term rates.

Longer-term bonds may actually be in abetter position, Dasher believes. Long-term rates may not rise as much for sever-al reasons. Pension funds and other big in-stitutional investors will continue to buylong-term bonds to cover their liabilities,for example, and that demand should helpto support prices for longer-term bonds. — What about credit risk?Interest rates have been so low that in-

vestors searching for yield have reachedinto areas they may have avoided before.

Junk bonds, for example, are issued bycompanies with poor credit ratings. Theypay higher yields to attract investors, butthey’re riskier. Default rates have been lowrecently and are expected to remain so.

But prices for junk bonds can swingmore widely than others, and volatilitylooks set to rise with interest rates. The fearis that many of the newbies in the junk-bond market will rush to sell at once, whichcould cause even sharper price declines.

—AP

20 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

Multiple Calling OptionsFor anyone who has difficulty using a standard telephone

Captioned TelephoneDisplays every word your caller says, as you listen

Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) programFREE assistive equipment to qualified applicants

Does difficulty using the phone put your life on hold?Connect with Maryland Relay.

Get a FREE evaluation to find the solution that’s right for you. Call 800-552-7724 or 410-767-6960 (Voice/TTY) 443-453-5970 (Video Phone) or visit mdrelay.org to get started.

Sol Levinson & Bros. Sol Levinson & Bros. Sol Levinson & Bros. Sol Levinson & Bros. Funeral Services, PA 5560 Sterrett Place, Suite 204 Columbia, MD 21044 Restricted - Operating out of Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc., Pikesville, MD

NEW ARRANGEMENT CENTER Providing Funeral Services

in Howard County 410-730-7230

Pre-Planning Available howardcounty@sollevinson.com • www.sollevinson.com/howardcounty

BondsFrom page 19

UNITED SENIORS OF MARYLAND FORUMUnited Seniors of Maryland will hold its annual forum on Wednes-day, Jan. 28, at the President’s Conference Center, Main Floor

West Wing, Miller Senate Office Building, 11 Bladen St., in Annapolis. Meet andgreet with legislators at registration from 8 to 9 a.m. A leadership program runsfrom 9 to 11:15 a.m., followed by a caucus on senior issues from 11:15 a.m. to12:30 p.m., and a box lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are needed forthe event. Call Elizabeth at (410) 608-7966 or email ew@elizabethcoonbeya-gency.com to volunteer. The fee for attendees who are not volunteers is $15. Mailpayment in full to USM, P.O. Box 1094, Sparks, MD 21152.

FREE AARP TAX ASSISTANCEVolunteer accountants will help with basic tax returns for peoplewho qualify at Elkridge Senior Center, 9401 Frederick Rd., Ellicott

City on Wednesdays, Feb. 4, 11 and 25. To make an appointment or determine eli-gibility, call (410) 313-5192 or (410) 313-4930.

BEACON BITS

Jan. 28

Feb. +

By Stan Choe2014 felt like a hangover for owners of

small-cap stock funds. On several occa-sions, small-cap stocks dipped by morethan 7 percent in just a matter of weeks.

All told, they were close to flat for theyear, a letdown from 2013 when they surged37 percent. And the performance looks evenworse when compared with large-capstocks, which were up 11 percent in 2014.The last time small-caps had this bad a yearrelative to large-caps was when Google wasstill operating out of a garage in 1998.

The stall for small-cap stocks isn’t a bigsurprise. Many fund managers early lastyear called them overpriced followingtheir heady performance in 2013 andmuch of the decade before. Small-capsalso often lag the rest of the market whenthe economy moves out of the early stagesof recovery and begins to gain momen-tum.

But the underperformance has alsoraised optimism for some mutual-fundmanagers because it has made small-capsrelatively less expensive.

To be sure, no one argues that small-caps as a group are cheap, whether they’revalued based on their earnings or othermeasures. But managers point to severalfactors that could help small-caps in 2015.

Since hitting a bottom in mid-October,the Russell 2000 index of small-cap stockshas risen faster than the broader market.

Consider Drew Weitz, one of the man-agers of the Weitz Hickory fund, which fo-cuses on smaller companies with a marketvalue of less than $10 billion.

Weitz considers himself a value investor,and if he can’t find any attractively pricedstocks, he’s comfortable not buying any-thing. Bargains were so tough to find atthe end of 2013 that the Hickory fund had

more than 30 percent of its assets in cash,versus its norm of 10 to 20 percent.

Prices have since dropped enough tograb his attention. By the end of Septem-ber the fund was down to about 20 percentin cash. In the first two weeks of October,small-caps had another jagged drop, quick-ly losing nearly 5 percent. Weitz pouncedand bought more, including stock in Alli-son Transmission. He had been watchingthe maker of transmissions for trucks andother vehicles since last January, waitingfor it to get cheap enough to buy.

Allison Transmission now trades at 27.5times its earnings per share over the last12 months. In February its price-earningsratio was above 42.

Here are some other factors managerssay could help small-cap stocks: — Buy American Companies that do most of their busi-

ness at home appear to have the advantageheading into next year. That would favorsmall-cap stocks, which depend less onforeign sales than their bigger rivals.

The U.S. economy finally seems to havereached a higher gear. Employers haveadded more jobs than in any year since 1999,and economic growth just had its best back-to-back quarterly performance since 2003.

Other countries around the world,meanwhile, aren’t doing as well. Japan’seconomy is back in recession. Europe’s isgrowing, but only barely. China is trying tonavigate a slowdown in its growth.

Small-cap companies generally get about15 to 20 percent of their revenue fromabroad, said Christopher Beck, chief invest-ment officer of the small-cap value team atDelaware Investments. Large-cap compa-nies, meanwhile, get closer to 50 percent oftheir revenue from outside the U.S. — Stick with the dollar

Small-cap stocks offer greater protec-tion from not only weaker economiesabroad but also their weaker currencies.

Procter & Gamble, for example, sells itsrazors and detergent around the world. Itgets about 65 percent of its revenue fromoutside the United States.

Last quarter, it would have reported a 9percent rise in its core earnings per shareif currency values around the world hadstayed flat. But the dollar is close to itshighest level in years against the Japanese

yen and other currencies. That made eachyen of sales worth less in dollars than ayear earlier. Procter & Gamble reportedgrowth of only 2 percent last quarter. — Ride the rise in buyoutsCEOs are growing more confident, and

they’re more willing to make deals toboost growth. The total value of mergersand acquisitions this year is on track to bethe strongest since at least 2007.

What’s the outlook for small-cap stocks?HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 21

Don’t Let Nursing Home Costs Take Every Dime You’ve Worked For.

410.337.8900 | www.frankelderlaw.com | 1.888.338.0400Towson | Columbia | Easton

Medical Assistance Planning and Eligibility

Advance Medical Directives / Living Wills

Trusts / Estate Planning Administration

Wills / Powers of Attorney

Disability Planning / Special Needs Trusts

Guardianship

Frank, Frank& Scherr, LLC––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Elder Law, Estate & Special Needs Planning

There’s a better way to weather winter.

At Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville, winter is always warm and wonderful. You can relax and enjoy the season without a care.

No more winter maintenance. Our full-time maintenance team handles all the salting, shoveling, and weather-related repairs.

Activities galore! A heated indoor pool, fitness center, and dozens of other amenities are just steps from your door.

Predictable bills. Utilities and other household expenses are bundled into a single monthly fee that stays the same all year long, regardless of the weather.

Change the way you react to winter

Call 1-800-917-1085 today or visit EricksonLiving.com/winter for your free brochure.

FREEBROCHURE

10521013

Catonsville, MD

EricksonLiving.com

See SMALL-CAP STOCKS, page 22

By Elliot RaphaelsonNot all experts agree whether actively

managed funds can outperform indexfunds. Some do in the short term, but it iscertainly not easy to select actively man-aged funds that will outperform indexfunds in the long term.

An index fund manager buys all of thesecurities of a specific index, such as theS&P 500, or at least a representative sam-ple. The objective is to track the index’ per-formance as closely as possible.

Index funds are commonly described as“passively managed.” An actively managedfund, by contrast, is one in which the man-ager selects individual securities in an ef-fort to outperform specific indexes.

One of the most important factors toconsider is the annual cost associated withan actively managed fund you are consid-ering in comparison to the annual cost of

the indexed mutual fund or exchange-trad-ed fund (ETF) you are comparing it to.

Morningstar has done extensive re-search in this field and has pointed out thatthe annual cost of the fund is one of thebest predictors of long-term performance.

A tale of two fundsWhat follows is a comparison between

the Vanguard Total Stock Market IndexFund (VTSAX) and the Dodge & CoxStock Fund (DODGX).

The Dodge & Cox fund is in the top per-formance echelon for long-term valuefunds. Morningstar gives it a four-star rat-ing; in terms of trailing total returns, it’sranked No. 1 in three-year and 15-year re-turns. It has fairly consistently outper-formed the S&P 500. If you chose this asyour single managed stock fund, you cancongratulate yourself for being an astute

fund picker.The Vanguard Total Stock Fund is also

an excellent fund. It’s a standard indexfund of a large, well-known company. Ifyou buy it, you won’t exactly impress yourfriends for your originality (it has assetsmore than six times larger than the Dodge& Cox fund). However, you will be just aspleased by its performance.

Let’s compare.Dodge & Cox Stock Fund (DODGX)Expense Ratio: 0.52Trailing total returns (according to

Morningstar)1-year: 13.47 percent3-year: 24.93 percent5-year: 15.31 percent10-year: 7.48 percentVanguard Total Stock Market Index

Fund (VTSAX)Expense Ratio: 0.05

Trailing total returns (according toMorningstar)

1-year: 14.61 percent3-year: 21.32 percent5-year: 15.66 percent10-year: 8.32 percentAn investment of $10,000 made 10 years

ago would be worth $20,576.80 if youchose Dodge & Cox. It would be worth$22,233.13 if you chose the Vanguard fund.(Those figures are from Morningstar.)

Expenses make a differenceThere is no question that the Dodge &

Cox fund is an excellent fund and is wellmanaged. However, no actively managedfund can compete with index funds on acost basis.

Note the difference in expense ratios:0.52 for the Dodge & Cox fund vs. 0.05 forthe Vanguard fund. On a long-term basis, itbecomes very difficult for any well-man-aged active fund to outperform an indexfund in the same category.

Index funds also have one additional ad-vantage over actively managed funds —savings on income taxes. There will bemore “turnover” in actively managedfunds than there would be with indexfunds. For any investments other than re-tirement accounts, you will have more of atax liability with actively managed fundsbecause you will incur more capital gainstaxes.

In my opinion, most investors will bebetter off in the long-run by investing themajority of their common stock invest-ments in index funds. You can still diversi-fy within index funds, investing in small-cap, mid-cap, large-cap, value and othertypes of index funds. You can do this withboth mutual funds and ETFs, but youshould limit your investments to thosefunds with the lowest expense ratios.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questionsand comments at elliotraph@gmail.com.

© 2014 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC.

Do you need an actively managed fund?22 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

Buyouts can offer a quick way to jump-start revenue growth, something that’sbeen tough to deliver since the recession.Companies certainly have the financialstrength to make the purchases. They’resitting on a near-record amount of cash,and low interest rates make it cheap to bor-row.

A boost in buyouts should help small-cap stocks, which can make for attractivetargets, said Delaware Investments’ Beck.Last month, two of the companies in hisDelaware Small Cap Value fund an-nounced they were getting bought. Andsuch deals generally mean a quick surgein price: Susquehanna Bancsharesjumped 32.5 percent the day it said it wasbeing acquired by BB&T.

—AP

Small-cap stocksFrom page 21

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon 23

TravelLeisure &TravelLeisure &TravelLeisure &

Ryanair and EasyJet are Europe’slargest low-cost carriers. See story onpage 25.

By Victor BlockA gleaming white sand beach that rims

the azure sea is set off by an explosion ofscarlet, purple and other vivid colors oflush tropical foliage. Nearby, stretches ofrocks and pebbly soil interspersed withcactus comprise a very different terrain —bleak and desert-like.

The dramatic variety of landscapes thatgreets visitors to Aruba is echoed by theequal diversity of its attractions. Together,they make the island an inviting winterdestination for vacationers with a broadrange of interests.

Those seeking nothing more than a re-laxing sun-and-sand getaway have a choiceof magnificent white sand beaches that areamong the most beautiful in the Caribbean.Others interested in something with a Euro-pean flair will discover touches of it aroundthe island.

The continental influence dates back totimes when both Spain and, for a brief peri-od, Great Britain held sway over Aruba.The Dutch took the island over in 1636,and today it is an autonomous member ofthe Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Dutch touches Evidence of Aruba’s Dutch heritage can

be seen around every corner. Oranjestad, the capital and largest city

(the word translates to “orange town” inDutch), is named for King William vanOranje-Nassau, the first heir to the royalfamily House of Orange.

Many buildings sport pastel colored fa-cades and whimsical architectural touches

that have been described as SpanishMediterranean, with overtones of Dutchinfluence. Streets with names likeNieuweweg and Arendstraat would not beout of place in Amsterdam.

Adding to the cross-cultural blend is adistinctive landmark familiar to anyonewho has visited the island. Looking out ofplace in a landscape of palm trees and cac-tus is an authentic windmill that oncedrained water from low-lying areas of Hol-land. Built in 1804, the structure was dis-mantled, shipped to Aruba, and reassem-bled in its unlikely Caribbean setting,where it has housed several restaurantsand night clubs over the years.

Despite these inviting hints of the “oldcountry,” most people who visit Arubacome to enjoy its soft sand beaches over-looking crystal clear water. A magnificentseven-mile stretch of beaches backs up tothe high-rise hotels that rim the shelteredsouthwestern and western coastlines.

The windswept northern and easterncoasts, which are battered by the sea, havebeen left largely undeveloped. Eachstretch of shoreline, along with the arid is-land interior, has its own appeal.

Rugged limestone cliffs that run alongmuch of the northeastern coast mark oneboundary of Arikok National Park, an eco-logical preserve that sprawls over nearly 20percent of Aruba. Hiking trails criss-crossthe park, and those that lead through itsmore isolated areas offer opportunities tospot native parakeet, burrowing owls andother wildlife that makes it their home.

Intriguing chapters of Aruba’s history

come alive in this setting. Shallow cave for-mations recall a time when a branch ofArawak Indians inhabited the island.Brownish-red drawings that ornamentwalls and ceilings attest to their presence.

Reminders of Aruba’s agricultural pastin the park include a long-deserted adobefarm house, while abandoned mines recalla mini-gold rush that got underway in 1825and lasted for nearly a century.

Casinos and museums Speaking of gold, the 12 casinos on the

island have earned it the nickname “LasVegas of the Caribbean.” While most casi-nos are located in major resort hotels,there are two in Oranjestad.

The capital city also has other attrac-tions. The Dutch colonial architecture andpastel hues of many buildings, some dat-ing back to the late 18th century, impart aDisneyworld atmosphere.

The busy port teems with the comingand going of boats, and sidewalks withcrowds of sightseers and shoppers. Jewel-ry, designer fashions and perfumes arepopular buys, along with blue Delft ceram-ics and Dutch cheeses.

When not spending money on shoppingor gambling, visitors have a choice of sev-eral small but interesting museums. TheArchaeological Museum is housed in acluster of colorfully painted homes thatwere occupied by a local family for nearly130 years, beginning in 1870.

The exhibits inside showcase the histo-ry of Indians on Aruba. They range from

an ancient long house and native hut, to ar-tifacts dating back as far as 2500 BCE.

The Historical Museum of Aruba istucked away in Fort Zoutman. That fortifi-cation was built in 1796-1798 to protect theisland from pirates, and the town soonbegan to grow around it.

The museum has exhibits describingfarming, fishing and other aspects of is-land life, including interesting tidbitsabout villages that I explored. For exam-ple, I strolled through the small town ofNoord, which began as an Indian commu-nity, and the hamlet of Rancho, that was es-tablished around 1855 as a fishing village.

Visits to other communities also provid-ed introductions to what locals call “thereal Aruba.” San Nicolas is the secondlargest town after Oranjestad, but isworlds away in atmosphere. While it oncejumped to the beat of workers from thenow-abandoned oil refinery nearby, it’susually on the quiet side these days.

A mini-promenade along the main streetis lined by several shops and restaurants,but the biggest draw in town is Charlie’sBar. Beginning in the early 1940s, scubadivers who dropped by that establishmentattached their underwater finds to thewalls and ceiling, creating what eventuallyevolved into a bric-a-brac heaven.

Today, virtually every inch of availablespace is adorned by automobile licenseplates, paper money and business cardsfrom around the world, and other memora-

Aruba’s capital and largest city, Oranjestad, features casinos, museums and Dutchcolonial architecture.

PH

OTO

BY

LE

N K

AU

FM

AN

Aruba’s varied island culture and terrain

Aruba’s arid, desert-like terrain, where cacti abound, contrasts with its tropical beach-es, palm trees and turquoise water.

PH

OTO

BY

LE

N K

AU

FM

AN

See ARUBA, page 24

bilia too varied and numerous to list.

Ancient rock formationsVery different is the main claim to fame

of Paradera village, which is its locationclose to two natural sites that were sacredplaces to the Indians.

The Ayo and Casibari rock formationsconsist of huge boulders that rise up fromthe sandy desert terrain. Over time, prevail-ing winds have carved the rocks into unusu-al shapes which, with a little imagination on

the part of the viewer, resemble birds, drag-ons and other identifiable figures.

Steps have been carved into the rock atthe Casibari site, and those who climb tothe top are rewarded with a panoramicview over the island. Some of the stones atAyo still bear petroglyphs scratched andpainted onto the surface by Indian artists.

Those boulders rising from a flat, starklandscape provide a setting very differentfrom the white sand beaches of Aruba.The small, silent caves in Arikok NationalPark present an environment that con-trasts sharply with the clamor and commo-tion of the island’s casinos.

Yet these scenes and many more areamong the something-for-everyone varietythat makes Aruba an inviting destinationto explore and enjoy.

If you goRestaurant meals can be a bit more ex-

pensive here than on some other Caribbeanislands, but the over-sized portions servedby a number of eateries are large enough toshare. There also are early bird specialsand other meal deals that can stretch yourdining dollar.

At Fusion, a sophisticated piano bar adja-cent to Alhambra Casino, some of the hotand cold tapas ($6-$12) are ample enoughto be an entrée. Main courses include ribeye steak with French fries, and paella, thetypical Spanish seafood soup (each $19.50).For more information, call (297) 280-9994or email marritf@megaresorts.com.

A very different décor and cuisine areoffered at the Pelican Nest, a casual out-door café perched at the end of the pier infront of the Holiday Inn. One chef’s specialis the excellent ceviche ($7.75), which islarge enough to make a meal from. Amerger of shrimp and chicken salad ongreens is a land-sea entrée combination($16), and grilled fresh-caught fish isserved with French fries ($8.25). For moreinformation, call (297) 586-2259 or log ontowww.pelican-aruba.com.

The challenge when seeking a place tostay is narrowing down the numerous

choices. The studio apartment at theAruba Beach Club Resort validated the be-lief of my wife Fyllis and me that checkinginto a timeshare property can providegood value. It was surprisingly roomy, andthe kitchenette offered the option of eatingsome meals in.

The low-rise property lacks the hustle andbustle of much larger hotels, and sits on oneof the finest beaches on the island. Basicrates begin at a reasonable $200 a night for asuite that can accommodate four people, al-though taxes and other charges add to thetotal. For more information, call (297) 524-3000 or log onto www.arubabeachclub.net.

If you check into the Hyatt Regency Re-sort, Spa & Casino you may never want toleave (that is, until your money runs out).As the name indicates, it combines HyattRegency excellence with a top-flight spa,in-house casino and other amenities oneexpects from that hotel brand.

The landscaping alone is worth stop-ping by to see even if you’re staying else-where. Fields of flowers surround a mas-sive three-level swimming pool with a slideand waterfalls, all leading to the beautifulbeach. High-season rates start at $565 anight. (Low season starts April 20.) Formore information, call (888) 591-1234 orlog onto www.aruba.hyatt.com.

The lowest roundtrip fare in late Febru-ary is $411 on United Airlines from BWI.

For more information about Aruba, call(800) 862-7822 or log onto www.aruba.com.

24 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

ArubaFrom page 23

550 Shriner Court Union Bridge, MD 21791

410-775-2940www.qpmgmt.com

Are you an Active Seniorof Moderate Income?

Discover Great Senior Living at our Affordable CommunityConveniently located near the Union Bridge Community

Center. 24-hour emergency on-call maintenance.Affordable rent. Caring & dedicated staff.

Call or visit our web site to view this community.T/A Quantum Property Management

Rent starts at $485. Income restrictions apply.

By Ed PerkinsIf you’re heading to Europe next year,

and if you plan to move around a bit, youmay consider some intra-European flights.You will quickly find that Europe hostsmore than 100 low-cost airlines, somehuge, some tiny.

On my recent trip to England and Italy, Itested Europe’s two largest low-fare lines,and came away with some impressionsthat may be helpful to you.

EasyJet and Ryanair, the largest andsecond-largest European airlines in termsof annual intra-European passengers, oper-ate from bases spread around the conti-nent. You stand a good chance of flyingone or the other just about anywhere youwant to go.

Fares are capacity controlled, and if youbuy well enough in advance, they start outvery low.

Service is probably closer to Spirit andAllegiant than any other U.S. airlines. Thatis to say, seating is extremely tight, almosteverything is priced a la carte, and you payextra for buying with a credit card (Easy-Jet does not take American Express).

RyanairI flew Ryanair from London to Bari,

Italy, and EasyJet back to London a weeklater, about three hours each way:

My flight to Bari cost $107, including achecked bag and an assigned seat. AllRyanair flights are on 737s, meaning verynarrow seats; legroom, at 30-inch pitch, isa bit tighter than on large U.S. lines.

Ryanair’s main London base is at Stanst-ed Airport, which has no flights from theUnited States, but lots of European flights.You get to Stansted by an express rail serv-ice, which leaves every 15 minutes from Liv-erpool Street station at a cost of about $36.

Ryanair also has a few flights fromLuton, and a very few from Gatwick to Ire-land. Its main bases in France are Beau-vais (which it calls Paris/Beauvais) andMarseille. The main base in Germany isHahn (Frankfurt/Hahn).

In several cities, it uses nearby city air-ports rather than the main fields, such asBergamo for Milan, and access to/fromthe nominal primary city may be difficult.

EasyJetMy flight cost $183, including a

checked bag and an assigned seat. AllEasyJet flights are on A320s and 319s,with seats wider than Ryanair’s but, at 29-inch pitch, punishingly limited front-to-rear space.

EasyJet runs large London operationsfrom Gatwick and Luton, and limited oper-ations from Stansted and Southend.

Flights from Gatwick give EasyJet animmediate $20 price advantage overRyanair because of cheaper ($16) rail tick-ets to/from central London. Main bases onthe continent include Amsterdam, Berlin,Geneva, Milan/Malpensa, Paris/Orly andRome/Fumicino.

Although the flight crews always urgeyou to “enjoy your flight,” the only enjoy-ment on these lines is getting where youwant to go, expeditiously, with your bag-gage, and at a good price. There’s no wayyou can actually “enjoy” a few hours onthese cattle cars.

On Norwegian, Europe’s third-largestlow-fare line, I’ve flown only its long-haulservice. Local services are based mainly inScandinavia. It has been rated “best Euro-pean low fare line” in several surveys.

Unable to compete with the low-farelines, Air France and Lufthansa are estab-lishing their own low-fare subsidiaries.

Finding flights, trainsIf you’re considering an intra-European

flight, you have a good chance of findingwhat you need on either EasyJet orRyanair. Metasearch engines such as Tri-pAdvisor and Kayak show both lines.

But if you don’t find the flights you wantthere, log onto www.attitudetravel.com orwww.skyscanner.net.

For trips under 300 miles or so, also con-sider high-speed trains. These days, low-

est rail ticket prices often match lowest airprices.

But rail travel is much more comfortablethan flying, terminals are in city centers,you have no security hassles, and youavoid the cost of airport access. Whereschedules work out for you, taking a trainis almost always a better choice than flying.

S e n d e - m a i l t o E d P e r k i n s a teperkins@mind.net.

© 2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Flying around Europe on low-cost airlinesHOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel 25

By Kate PetersenWhen the Columbia Orchestra set out

to commission an orchestra piece for thefirst time, it had no idea it would turn into amultimedia experience.

“I was thinking he would write a stan-dard concert work,” said Music DirectorJason Love of composer Andrew EarleSimpson.

But Simpson decided to take this oppor-tunity to do something a little less ortho-dox and compose a score for the 1920Buster Keaton silent film One Week.

The score will debut at the ColumbiaOrchestra’s Jan. 31 concert, Cinematic In-spirations. The film will be shown at theconcert while the orchestra provides a liveaccompaniment of the new score.

Narrative piecesAll the pieces being performed in the

concert were ones Love had been hopingto perform in the near future, and he wasable to find a place for them in the upcom-ing concert with the unifying theme of thecinema.

“I tried to find pieces that were eithersomehow very cinematic and visual or at

least had a strong narrative story tothem,” said Love.

In addition to Simpson’s score forBuster Keaton’s One Week, the Januaryprogram will include Ferde Grofé’s“Grand Canyon Suite,” Modest Mus-sorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” andGioachino Rossini’s “William Tell Over-ture.”

“Night on Bald Mountain” is a piece theaudience may recognize from Disney’sFantasia, while the “William Tell Over-ture” found its popularity as the theme forThe Lone Ranger. Though less recogniza-ble, “Grand Canyon Suite” offers whatLove called a “tone painting” depictingvivid imagery and narrative.

The Columbia Orchestra is well knownfor its diversity within performances, put-ting both well-known and unfamiliarpieces on the same program. Just lastyear, the Columbia Orchestra won theAmerican Prize in Orchestral Program-ming.

Jan. 31’s concert is no exception. “It is agreat combination of what is very familiarand what is new and accessible,” saidLove.

Music and film in tandemAccessibility similarly played a major

role in Simpson’s new composition. “I love the way that there is this magical

three-way interaction between the screen,the performer and the audience,” Simpsonsaid. “It creates this experience that’s bet-ter than film or music would be on itsown.”

It was this type of unity that Simpson fo-cused on while composing for the silentfilm. Although his main goal is for the au-

dience to enjoy themselves, musicalthemes recur throughout the score thatthe audience can listen for. Since the scorewas written specifically for the film, themusic changes mood according to what ishappening in the story.

Simpson did note, “There’s no tragedy inthe film. It’s a comedy.” But with the newpiece comes new challenges, as a live orches-tra has to stay in time with the rolling film.

Orchestra premieres silent movie score

In its Jan. 31 concert, the Columbia Orchestra will screen Buster Keaton’s comedic1920 silent movie One Week as it performs the world premiere of a score tailoredfor the film. In the movie, Keaton and his bride (played by Sybil Seely) are given abuild-it-yourself house that supposedly can be assembled in one week. The score wascommissioned by the orchestra.

Arts & Style Daniel Klein traveled to Greece to writea book on growing older mindfully. Seestory on page 28.

26 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

See ORCHESTRA, page 29

D inner & Sho wTobysDinnerTheatre.com

RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY!

TOBY’S DINNER THEATRE OF COLUMBIA5900 Symphony Woods Road • CALL 410-730-8311

Based on availability. Due to the nature of theatre bookings, all shows, dates and times are subject to change.

We’re Creepy and we're Kooky atToby’s this February!

Last chance to buy a 2015 Season Subscription Booklet!

OpeningFebruary 6 - April 19

Taking the world’s musical theatre scene by storm with some of the

most beloved characters of all time. Wednesday Addams, the princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young

man from a ‘normal’ family. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they hosta dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’

boyfriend and his parents.

Beverly L. Heckrotte, P.A.Personalized Professional Dignified Affordable

• 24-hour service specializing in direct cremation

• Return of the urn and memorial merchandise to your home

• Serving Maryland and Washington, D.C.

• Serving Md. & Washington D.C. since 2000 without any increase in prices!

(301) 854-9038 or 1 (866) 728-4663 ( )call for your FREE information package

Visit us at www.GoingHomeCremation.com

toll free

Going Home Cremation Service

allows them to express their emotion. It can even decrease pain, anxiety and

depression, “and help improve the qualityof life, especially for those battling illnessor memory impairment.” Music of any genre — country, classi-

cal, religious, jazz, the blues — could bethe means to the deep and heartfelt memo-ries of the past, Finnegan said.Finnegan gives seminars and workshops

on the power of music on memory, and willoffer a course on the subject at HowardCounty Community College this spring.

Remarkable changesAndi Walsh, director of recreation and

engagement at Integrace Fairhaven, a re-tirement community in Sykesville, hasseen how weekly visits by Finnegan andother musicians have spurred emotion-filled, positive responses in the residents.“After these sessions, residents who sel-

dom speak are able to answer questionsand engage in conversations,” Walsh said.“Even residents who are in the later stagesof Alzheimer’s, and are totally dependenton us, they’re tapping their feet and clap-ping their hands.” Walsh remembers Finnegan singing a

hymn to an 87-year-old woman sufferinglate-stage Alzheimer’s. In the past, thewoman had spent many happy days on sail-

boats. During the singing of the hymn, thewoman suddenly said she heard the mastof the sailboat clinking and that shesmelled the salt of the sea, “She opened up; she was back on the

boat,” said Walsh. “The residents may notremember what they had for lunch, oreven whether they ate or not. But everyword of a certain song can be meaningfulto them,” she said.

Backed by researchThe music-memory connection has be-

come a serious subject for scientific re-search.

Psychology Today noted that “a series ofrecent studies have found that listening tomusic engages broad neural networks inthe brain, including those regions respon-sible for motor actions, emotions and cre-ativity.”Not only does music evoke meaningful

memories for sufferers of Alzheimer’s anddementia (as well as healthy people). A2013 study conducted by scientists at theUniversity of Newcastle in Australia foundthat music also helped severely brain-in-jured patients recall personal memories,the magazine pointed out.Live Science, a science news website,

wrote recently about a cognitive neurosci-entist at the University of California atDavis who said studies appear to show that“a piece of familiar music serves as asoundtrack for a mental movie that starts

playing in our heads.” The neuroscientist, Petr Janata, said that

the powerful recollections occur in the me-dial pre-frontal cortex part of the brain thatsits just behind the forehead The UC studythat found the connection went by thename, “The Neural Architecture of Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories.”Said Janata: “What’s cool about this is

that one of the main parts of the brainthat’s tracking the music is the same partthat’s responding overall to how autobio-graphically salient the music is.”The journal NeuroImage reported that

Finnish researchers mapped how musicaffected brain networks by using MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) to scan per-sons listening to an Argentinian tango. Among other things, the researchers

concluded that “music was more efficientat evoking autobiographical memories

than verbal prompts…across each life peri-od, and “may be beneficial in the rehabili-tation of autobiographical amnesia.” This appears to back up a 2010 study by

Boston University researchers who foundthat Alzheimer’s patients who completed aseries of memory tests “learned morelyrics when they were set to music ratherthan just spoken.”World-renowned neurologist Oliver

Sacks said in “Inside Alive,” a recent docu-mentary about music and memory, that“Music imprints itself on the brain deeperthan any other human experience. Musicevokes emotion. And emotion can bringwith it memory; it brings back the feelingof life when nothing else can.” Andi Walsh, of the Sykesville retirement

community, put her first-hand observa-tions this way: “Music is amazing. It canconnect so deeply to a person’s core.”

H OWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 27

APARTMENT HOMES FOR THOSE 62 AND BETTERNew YOUR LIFESTYLE BEGINS HERE

Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com

Call the community nearest you to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a personal tour or email parkviewliving@sheltergrp.com.

www.ParkViewSeniorLiving.com

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

Furnace Branch 410-761-4150

Severna Park 410-544-3411

BALTIMORE CITY

Ashland Terrace 410-276-6440

Coldspring 410-542-4400

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Catonsville 410-719-9464

Dundalk 410-288-5483

Fullerton 410-663-0665

Miramar Landing 410-391-8375

Randallstown 410-655-5673

Rosedale 410-866-1886

Taylor 410-663-0363

Towson 410-828-7185

Woodlawn 410-281-1120

EASTERN SHORE

Easton 410-770-3070

HARFORD COUNTY

Bel Air 410-893-0064

Box Hill 410-515-6115

HOWARD COUNTY

Colonial Landing 410-796-4399

Columbia 410-381-1118

Ellicott City 410-203-9501

Ellicott City II 410-203-2096

Emerson 301-483-3322

Snowden River 410-290-0384

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Bladensburg 301-699-9785

Laurel 301-490-1526

Laurel II 301-490-9730

= NEWLY RENOVATED

55 ANDBETTER!

ALL COMMUNITIES ARE SMOKE FREE

Music therapyFrom page 1

Contact us Today to Schedule a Tour or Visit us Next Saturday for our Open House!

410-744-8433www.ShangriLaSeniorLiving.com6348 Frederick Road, Catonsville

Services & Amenities: Most Affordable Memory Care Program in Catonsville Dedicated Memory Care Unit Short-Term Respite Care Available Social, Educational and Recreational Activities Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy In-House Delicious, Well-Balanced Meals & Snacks Gorgeous Scenic Views in Home-like Setting

!"#$%!&'$()&*+,-.//$+0

Previously known as Paradise Assisted Living

OPEN HOUSE

Every Sat.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

CANDLELIGHT CONCERTS

The Aizuri Quartet will be performing

with guest cellist Peter Wiley on

Saturday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. at the

Horowitz Performing Arts Center,

Smith Theatre, 10901 Little

Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia. The con-

cert will feature works by Haydn,

Debussy and Schubert. Tickets are

$32 for adults ($30 for seniors) and

$12 for students. For tickets or more

information, visit www.candlelight-

concerts.org or call (410) 997-2324.

JULIUS CAESARThe Rude

Mechanicals present

Julius Caesar at the Howard County

Center for the Arts, 8510 High Ridge

Rd., Ellicott City. Performances will

take place on Friday, Jan. 23 and

Saturday Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets

cost $15 for adults and $12 for stu-

dents/seniors. For more information,

visit www.rudemechanicals.com.

By Carol SorgenAuthor Daniel Klein had a wake-up call

when his dentist suggested he get im-plants as opposed to dentures. They wouldbe more convenient, more attractive andmore youthful. And who wouldn’t want toappear more youthful?

After giving it some thought, though, it ap-peared that Klein didn’t actually care aboutputting his best smile forward. Too muchtime and too much money, he concluded.

Not to mention, he was unsettled withthe thought of not coming to grips withwho he was at this stage of life — a man inhis early 70s, who had earned the right toenjoy that age before he arrived at “old”old age, when many decisions might notbe left to him at all.

To contemplate his new old age, Klein, asuccessful TV writer and bestselling au-thor, packed a suitcase of philosophy books

— many he hadn’t read since his days as aphilosophy major at Harvard — and re-turned to the Greek island of Hydra, wherehe had spent time a half-century before.

The result of his sojourn there is the en-tertaining and thought-provoking book,Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a GreekIsland in Search of a Fulfilled Life.

While on the island, Klein spent much ofhis time reading, especially the works ofEpicurus, born in 341 BCE on the Aegeanisland of Samos. Epicurus concerned him-self with the question of how to live thebest possible life,” especially consideringthat we only have one of them” (the Greekphilosopher didn’t believe in an afterlife).

Klein also spent his time visiting theother old men of the island, comparingtheir acceptance of growing older (or justplain old) with that of the youth culture inthe U.S., where Viagra, breast implants

and numerous other procedures, medica-tions, potions and lotions are available tohelp us stave off, if not the years, the ap-pearance of those years.

A philosophical journeyThough Klein subscribes to the theory

of Thomas Merton, who wrote, “take moretime, cover less ground,” he acknowledgesthat the question of “what is the best wayto be an old man” is open-ended.

Whereas Epicurus’s prescription forhappiness in old age is to free oneself from“the prison of everyday affairs and poli-tics,” Klein acknowledges that many oldmen and women in this country genuinelywant to remain involved in the affairs ofthe day, and even continue to work.

“To be true to oneself, a person needs tomake his own decisions about what bringshim happiness,” Klein writes, observing

that he himself, in writing this book, clear-ly thought he still had work to do beforereaching the next stage of old age.

Klein concludes by musing on the Bud-dhist principle of mindfulness, suggestingthat no matter what we choose to do inorder to live a good old age, we try to re-main mindful that we are indeed old...”thatthis is the last stage of life in which we canbe fully conscious, that our time in thisstage is limited and constantly diminish-ing, and that we have extraordinary oppor-

28 Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

New books look at growing old mindfully

SeeMINDFUL AGING, page 29

Author Daniel Klein wrote his book Travelswith Epicurus after visiting the Greek is-land of Hydra, where he talked with oldermen about their acceptance of aging.

PH

OTO

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

VIK

ING

Jan. 23+

BEACON BITS

Jan. 24

tunities in this stage that we never had be-fore and will never have again.”

The art of slowing downThough not designed as a companion

piece to Klein’s book, Pico Iyer’s The Art ofStillness: Adventures in Going Nowheremakes for an interesting and worthwhileaddition to the literature of letting go, evenif only for minutes a day.

A travel journalist, Iyer has crisscrossedthe globe too many times to count, and nowmakes his home in both California andJapan. At 58, he is more than 15 yearsyounger than Klein, but still is realizingthat the world continues to speed up just ashe might be ready to start slowing down.

For Iyer, that doesn’t mean not travelingor writing anymore, but it does mean mak-

ing time for a time-out...whether by goingon a retreat, meditating, or simply sittingstill in an airplane, immune to his mobile de-vices, in-flight entertainment, or even sleep-ing.

“It’s only by taking myself away fromclutter and distraction that I can begin tohear something out of earshot and recallthat listening is much more invigoratingthan giving voice to all the thoughts andprejudices that…keep me company twen-ty-four hours a day,” he writes.

“By going nowhere — by sitting still orletting my mind relax — I find that thethoughts that come to me unbidden are farfresher and more imaginative than theones I consciously seek out.”

For many of us, Iyer notes, it takescourage to step away when there is so muchto do in our daily lives, much of it urgent andnecessary. But one doesn’t have to go some-where to accomplish this, he observed.

“Nowhere has to become somewherewe visit in the corners of our lives by tak-ing a daily run or going fishing or just sit-ting quietly for 30 minutes every morning(a mere 3 percent of our waking hours),”he writes. “The point of gathering stillness

is not to enrich the sanctuary or mountain-top, but to bring that calm into the motion,the commotion of the world.”

Whatever age you’re at now, these twobooks can show you a path worth explor-ing.

“It is a high wire act,” Simpson said.“The trick is keeping varying people togeth-er with an unvarying film.” In other words,the conductor will have to keep one eye onthe orchestra and one eye on the screen.

“It’s a little bit like shooting a rocketship,” said Love, “If you’re just one degreeoff here on the surface, by the time you

get to space, it’s way off.” The experience will be unique for or-

chestra and audience alike. Some musicthat used to go along with silent films wasoften more generic, or not quite a matchfor the film. But Simpson’s score was tai-lor-made for the 20-minute One Week.

Simpson hopes to offer a complete expe-rience, with the idea that the film andmusic “go so well that you can’t really sep-arate them in your mind.”

A Keaton comedyBuster Keaton’s One Week depicts the

story of a pair of newlyweds. Their wed-ding present is a house they are supposedto be able to assemble in one week. Natu-rally, the audience can expect comedy toensue.

“You can imagine what could go wrongbuilding a house,” laughed Simpson. “It’sreally very entertaining from first to last.The film has a great ending. It has one of

the best endings in silent comedies. I’mnot going to spoil it for you.”

The Columbia Orchestra’s CinematicInspirations concert will take place Jan. 31at 7:30 p.m. at the Jim Rouse Theatre, 5460Trumpeter Rd., Columbia. Tickets cost$20 for adults ($16 for seniors), and $10 forstudents.

To purchase tickets or for more infor-mation, call (410) 465-8777 or visitcolumbiaorchestra.org.

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 29

A T O M A L P D D A YD Y N E L O O T A R E A NO S L O M O O R N A I L SB O Y W H O F R I E D W O L FE N S U S A S K I S

T H E T H R E E F A I R SC H A O S A C R Y N E EH A T E M A T T S P S S TE V E S O S O B R I T SF E D R I D I N G H O O D

E D E N E A R E A UT H R E E L I T T L E F I G SH A I F A N O S E A N N EE N T E R E G O S I F E RG E R M A N T L O W S

ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORDFROM PAGE 30

OrchestraFrom page 26

Mindful agingFrom page 28

Learn more by calling (410) 997-0610 or visit www.cogsmd.org

Inclement Weather: If Howard County Public Schools are delayed or closed our meeting will be cancelled.

PLaTinuM MeMberHoward County General Hospital – A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine

The Beacon Newspapers

GoLD MeMberSBeing There Senior Care, LLC • Howard County Office on Aging

SiLver MeMberSDeborah L. Herman, CPA • Oasis Senior Advisors

The Bob Lucido Team of Keller Williams Select Realtors

bronze MeMberSEarl Wilkinson, M.D. (ENT) • Gentiva Health Services • Homewatch Caregivers

PaTron MeMberSGenesis SelectCare • Home With You Senior Care, LLC • Let’s Move, LLC

Neighbor Ride, Inc. • Right At Home In-Home Care & Assistance

Thank you to our 2014 Executive Members

We’re a coalition of nonprofits, agencies, businesses and professionals who come together to advocate for and help older adults.

Coalition of Geriatric Services

February MeetingDate: Wednesday, February 25, 2015Time: 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Location: Slayton House, Wilde Lake Village Green10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia, MD 21044

Speaker: Mary McGrawTopic: The Village in Howard County

30 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 — HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON

Puzzle Page 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

Down1. Brick made of mud2. ESPN ranked him the hardest hitter in heavyweight history

3. Not written down anywhere4. Feline tagline5. Just about6. Body scrubber7. Impoverished8. Dress-up all fancy9. ___ blank10. Its not complete without U11. “You guys”, down South14. Divide into thirds16. Bank stamp21. Shades22. Those who just barely get by27. Garden tool28. Turn state’s evidence29. Good dirt30. Use a Barcalounger31. Distributes silverware32. Food Network show host33. One of the elites37. Tiny airplane38. Moronic39. Sunday football player41. Colt .45, for example42. Force to yawn44. ___ Madness (1930’s propaganda film)

45. Boards a train46. Least sickly50. Veep before Ford51. Readers of a guide52. Most common English word53. Punish, permanently54. Baptism or bris55. Roman-themed party attire56. Botch a fairy tale (in this puzzle)

Across1. Molecule part5. Place for a Swiss stake8. 6/6/4412. 1/100,000th of a newton13. Ransack15. “Sanity and happiness ___ impossible combination” (Mark

Twain)17. Scandinavian capital18. Drop anchor19. Manicurist’s canvas20. Callow canine cook23. Nixon’s start and end24. Olympic chant25. Competes in the Winter Olympics26. C, C+, and C-32. Pandemonium34. ___ for help35. Amal Clooney, ___ Alamuddin36. “___ leads to suffering” (Yoda)37. Quarterbacks Ryan, Schaub, andLeinart39. (hey, you)40. She was naked, but not ashamed41. Garden-variety42. Most actors in Harry Potter movies43. She ate the food, instead ofdelivering it47. Garden ideal48. Van Gogh’s gift49. It’s bottled in Cannes52. Ingredients in a fruit cupcake57. The largest city in northern Israel58. Bloodhound’s pride59. Interstellar actress, Hathaway60. Obey a door sign61. Fragile traits62. End of Jenn or Luc63. Foe of Howard Hughes64. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character in

A Bug’s Life65. Down times

HB2/15

Scrabble answers on p. 29.

Fairy Fails by Stephen Sherr

HOWARD COUNT Y B E A CON — F E B RUA R Y 2 0 1 5 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com 31

LICENSED, BONDED & EXPERIENCEDCNA and nursing student seeks full-timeovernight position caring for your loved ones. Icome with an extensive resume and stellar ref-erences. If interested, please call Jacqueline at301-787-3555.

PROBLEM WITH YOUR PC/MAC OR NET-WORK? Computer Systems Engineer will cometo you with help. Call: David G at 301-642-4526.

TAXES – ACCOUNTING, BOOKKEEPING,conscientious CPA, 37 years experience, reason-able rates, accepting additional business, per-sonal and eldercare clients and preparation ofbusiness plans. Call 410-653-3363.

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.

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).

LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN –FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational.Grammatical. Private lessons. ReasonableRates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

MILITARY ITEMS Collector seeks: helmets,weapons, knives, swords, bayonets, webgear,uniforms, inert ordnance, ETC. From 1875 to1960, US, German, Britain, Japan, France,Russian. Please call Fred 301-910-0783, Thankyou. Also Lionel Trains.

WE BUY OLD AND NEW JEWELRY, Coins,Silver and Gold, Paper Money Too. Watches,Clocks and Parts, Military Badges and PatchesOld and New. Call Greg, 717-658-7954.

BUYING JEWELRY, MILITARY – Cashpaid. Gold, silver, pocket watches, wrist watch-es. Old toys, sports, guns, knives, coins, collec-tor’s, etc. Tom, 240-476-3441.

OLD AND NEW WE BUY Sterling SilverFlatware, Tea Sets, Single Pieces of Silver,Large pieces of Silver Plates, Fountain Pens,Lighters, Tools, Cameras, Art Work. Toys FromTrains to Hotwheels to Star Wars. Call Greg,717-658-7954.

FINE ANTIQUES, PAINTINGS ANDQUALITY VINTAGE FURNISHINGS want-ed by a serious capable buyer. I am very well ed-ucated [law degree] knowledgeable [over 40years in the antique business] and have the fi-nances and wherewithal to handle virtuallyany situation. If you have a special item, collec-tion or important estate I would like to hearfrom you. I pay great prices for great things inall categories from oriental rugs to Tiffany ob-jects, from rare clocks to firearms, from silverand gold to classic cars. If it is wonderful, I aminterested. No phony promises or messy con-signments. References gladly furnished. Pleasecall Jake Lenihan, 301-279-8834. Thank you.

VINYL RECORDS WANTED from 1950through 1985. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm& Blues, Reggae and Disco. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or78s, Larger collections of at least 100 itemswanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

BUYING MILITARY MEMORABILIAWW2,WW1, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photos anditems associated with US, German, Japanese oritems of other Military History. DAVE, 240-464-0958.

CLASSIFIEDSThe Beacon prints classified advertising

under the fol low ing headings: Business &Employment Opportunities; Caregivers;Computer Services; Entertainment; ForSale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free;Health; Home/ Handy man Services; Mis-cellaneous; Personals; Per son al Services;Va ca tion Opportunities; and Want ed. Forsub mis sion guide lines and dead lines, seethe box on the right.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!The Beacon does not know ing ly ac cept

ob scene, of fen sive, harmful, or fraudulentadvertising. How ev er, we do not in ves ti -gate any ad ver tis ers or their prod ucts andcan 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 should al ways use cau tion andtheir best judg ment.

EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally ac-

cept ad ver tis ing in violation of federal, state,and local laws pro hib it ing dis crim i na tionbased on race, color, national origin, sex, fa mil -ial sta tus or handicap in connection with em-ployment or the sale or rental of real estate.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIEDDeadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’sissue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in

the event of a question.

Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept

credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, or place apersonal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.Business Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word. Note: Each real estate listing counts as one business text ad. Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

The Beacon, Baltimore Classified Dept. P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

For Sale

Home/Handyman Services

Personal Services

Wanted

Financial Services

Caregivers

Computer Services

Wanted Wanted

Thanks for reading the

Beacon!

Clinical research Studies

NeurExpand Brain Center . . . . .12UM Elderly Falls Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

eventsCOGS Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Financial Services Golden Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . .21

Funeral Services Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Homes, Inc. . . . . . . . . .24Going Home Cremations . . . . . .26Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. . . . . .20

Home Health CareA-1 Action Nursing Care . . . . . .11Homewatch Caregivers . . . . . . . .13Options for Senior America . . . . . . .9Right at Home of Central Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Housing Brightview Senior Living . . . . . . .3Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32Charlestown Independent Living/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . . .21Heartlands of Ellicott City . . . . .20Homecrest House . . . . . . . . . . . .10Ivy Manor Normandy . . . . . . . . . .4Park View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Shangri-La Assisted Living . . . .27Shriner Court/Quantum . . . . . . .24Somerford Place/5 Star Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Vantage House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Legal Services Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Medical/HealthAA-Eastern Mobility . . . . . . . . . .6Audiology First, LLC . . . . . . . . . .8Low Vision Specialists of Maryland & Virginia . . . . . . . .10Dr. Taylor & AssociatesVision and Learning . . . . . . . . .5I Hate Knee Pain . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Maryland Relay Dial 711 . . . . . .20Medical Eye Center . . . . . . . . . .11

PharmaciesCVS Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Ellicott City Pharmacy . . . . . . . .11Rite Aid Pharmacy . . . . . . . . . . .22

retailColumbia’s Village Centers . . . .24

Senior Services The Senior Connection . . . . . . . .15

Skilled nursing& rehabilitation

CommuniCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Theatre/entertainment

Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . .26

Tour & TravelDestinations Travel . . . . . . . . . . .25Eyre Tour & Travel . . . . . . . . . . .25Side by Side Travel . . . . . . . . . . .25

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE

Brooke Grove Retirement Village (BGRV) is pleased tolaunch its seventh year of Living Well Community

Seminars beginning in February. Designed to help participantsnavigate a variety of healthcare and personal challenges, thisyear’s series offers an impressive array of experts ready to offerinsight on topics that range from heart-healthy cooking togetting a good night’s sleep.

Each free, monthly presentation will be held from 7 to 8:15 p.m. in the terrace level conference room of BrookeGrove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and will be precededby a complimentary light supper at 6:30 p.m. They are open tothe public as well as to members of the BGRV family.

The seminar series will kick off on Wednesday, February 18,with a “Matters of the Heart: Heart-Healthy Cooking Demo.”It’s a new year, and it’s not always easy to stay committed to ahealthier lifestyle. Join Warman Home Care and Personal ChefNikki Haddad to learn how easy it is to keep your resolution byincorporating nutritious, delicious ingredients into your eatingplan for a healthier you in 2015.

You’ll “Take Control and Get a Good Night’s Sleep” with thehelp of Certified Professional Life Coach Suzanne Rosetti ofWork Life Destinations, LLC. During her Wednesday, March 18, presentation, she’ll explore the things that keep usfrom falling asleep and the simple lifestyle adjustments that can break negative sleep cycles.

Holistic Pharmacist Brian Sanderoff, director of the WellBeing Healing Center, will take the podium on Wednesday,April 15, to answer the question “What’s Your StressType?” Science has proven that every chronic disease canbe caused by, or negatively impacted upon, by daily stress.Discover the five major stress types and the specific toolsfor addressing each one that can put you on the path tobetter health.

During “Unlocking Your Inner Pharmacy: Pills and Skills” onWednesday, May 13, Certified Health Coach Spring George ofthe Dr. Sears Wellness Institute will discuss lifestyle choicesthat can help improve certain medical conditions, such asinflammation and high blood pressure. Skills do not

necessarily replace pills, but developing them will allow you totalk confidently and develop a partnership with your physician.

To attend any of these seminars, please RSVP to Director ofMarketing Toni Davis at 301-388-7209 or tdavis@bgf.org bythe Monday prior to each seminar.

2015 Community Seminar Series OffersInsight on Living Well

For more information about Brooke Grove, call301-260-2320

18131 Slade School Road • Sandy Spring, MD 20860

www.bgf.org

32 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 — H O WA R D C O U N T Y B E A C O N