of life! - indiana gazetteepaper.indianagazette.com/docs/sections/110713.senior... · 2011. 8....

PLUS: INTO THE 80’S PILOT KEEPS FLYIN’ HIGH

IN YOUR COURTBILLIE JEAN KING SERVES UP HEALTH TIPS

SENIOR CLASS TRIP: NO AGE LIMITS!Ju

ly 1

3, 2

011

Spe

cial

sup

plem

ent t

o

LIFEStylelove your

Time oftheIt’s

Your Life!I SPY SPY GIRLSCONNECT IN NURSING HOME

This column was late, submit-ted well after the deadline, muchto my editor’s chagrin.

The fact that you are reading itat all attests to changes in news-paper technology. It was typed ata computer, edited at a computer,paginated at a computer, type-setand processed by computers andprinted on a modern offset press.

Little of thistechnologyeven existedwhen I gotstarted 40 yearsago.

Changes inhow a newspa-per is printedmirror thesweeping tech-nologicalchanges thathave buffetedsociety duringmy 65 years. Iremember thejoy of gettingmy first transis-tor radio whilein high schoolin the early’60s. I hadspotted themade-in-Japan

receiver in a store window andjust had to get my hands on it. Ex-cept for the crystal radio that Ihad built earlier from a kit (andcould never get to work), everyother radio I was familiar withwas a full-size, plug-in model.Here was a smallish, handheld,battery-powered unit seeminglyable to pull in signals right out ofthe air. Now I could carry musiceverywhere. (Boomboxes andiPods, obviously, were still far inthe future.) Television, too, waschanging in those years from thejittery black-and-white images Ifirst watched to bigger screensand even color. (Despite intenselobbying from my siblings andme, my dad initially resisted themove to color, maintaining thatthe color looked fake and the setswere too expensive. He eventuallygave in when the old black-and-white set died. I don’t know whathe would have thought of high-definition and seemingly unlimit-ed cable and satellite channels.)

My fascination with gadgetrystarted to blossom in the mid ’70swhen I got a CB radio. (“Hey,good buddy. This is Pied Piper.You got your ears on?”) Thatshort-lived interest led to themore technologically sophisticat-ed hobby of amateur “ham” radio,which in turn introduced me to

the world of computers. Hamsenthusiastically embraced com-puters, linking them to their ra-dios to open up whole newmodes of communication. Butwhat happened to me happenedto a lot of hams: The computersbecame an end in themselves. Al-though the ham radio hobby con-tinues to thrive today, manyyoung people who would havebecome hams in the past insteadbecame computer geeks, whoprefer social media and smart-phones over chasing down fad-ing, noisy shortwave signals.

My son may be a case in point.A self-described geek, he works asa computer programmer and in-formation technology projectmanager. He tells his friends thathe got his start in the field playinggames on the old Commodore 64computer I bought in the mid-’80s to use as part of my hamradio station. Even as a youngster,he took easily to the technicalside of computing as the familywent through various iterationsof ever-faster machines. I recallmy trepidation as I agreed to lethim as a teenager replace thehard drive in our desktop com-puter. (“Please don’t break it.”)Nowadays, the roles haveswitched. If I have a problem, Icall him. He even built my cur-rent computer.

All of which brings me to mypoint. I consider myself some-what of a technophile. I workevery day with computers, andmuch of my leisure time is spentwith computers or some relatedtechnology. But I can’t keep up —even with the youngest ones.

Among my favorite toys rightnow is a smartphone — the origi-nal Motorola Droid, virtually apocket computer. Like their par-ents before them, my grandchil-dren love to play video games,and my 4-year-old grandson isparticularly adept. On a recentvacation, he asked to play the lat-est version of “Angry Birds” on myphone and quickly amassed topscores on all the levels that hadfrustrated his granddad. (“Buyyour own phone, kid!”)

As I grow older and technologycontinues to explode, I havecome to realize that trying tokeep up with the latest and great-est is fruitless. I still check the adsand websites to see what’s new,but even if I could afford it, Icould never begin to understandand use all of it. Probably the bestadvice for me: Stay on good termswith your tech-savvy kids — andtheir kids.

‘Simple Pleasures’ good for the soul

2 — Indiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011

By CARL [email protected]

BLAIRSVILLE — While drivingalong Skyline Drive on a trip toNorth Carolina, Jan and Jim Alt-man made a stop at a little store offthe highway.

It was here their curiosity wasaroused when they saw a moun-tain dulcimer for sale.

Amateur musicians, Jan playedthe guitar and concertina and Jim,you might say, fiddled around withthe upright bass.

Well, the purchase of that Ap-palachian-type, four-string, CivilWar-era instrument sparked theformation of a musical group theycall “Simple Pleasures,” and that’sexactly what they bring to audi-ences wherever they perform.

“When we can put a smile onsomeone’s face and make themhappy, it makes us happy,” Jan Alt-man said with a grin.

Blairsville residents, both Jan, 60,and Jim, 70, are former employees

of Torrance State Hospital. It wason Jan’s retirement trip to NorthCarolina seven years ago they dis-covered the dulcimer.

“I just love it,” she said, “and we

can play just about anything yourequest in the way of traditional,country, old gospel, Civil War andpolka music.”

Gadgets never grow old

MIKEPETERSEN

Mike Petersen,of Creekside, iseditorial pageeditor for TheIndianaGazette.

Submitted photo

JIM ALTMAN, Darlene Sable of Aging Services, and Jan Altman recentlyentertained.

Continued on Page 3

PAGE 4■ It’s a celebration as manylocal senior centers celebratetheir anniversaries.

PAGE 5■ Boomer basics for anactive lifestyle.

PAGE 6■ When to get help forpainful joints.

PAGE 8■ Travel tips for a safe andhappy vacation.

PAGE 10■ Spy girls! Two spies findthemselves in a retirementcommunity.

‘Simple Pleasures’ good for the soulIndiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011 — 3

15-16 Creation Museum$207pp dbl - $184 pp quad

19 Meadows Casino $30 ($15 bonus) 21 “The Sound of Music”

in Pittsburgh $7522 Gateway Clipper Rivers Casino

Cruise $64 (lunch,cruise,&casino bonus)

3 “Joseph” at Sight & Sound Theatre $98 adult

5 Progressive Wine Tour $1049 Rivers Casino $29 ($15 free play

$5 food bonus)10 Gateway Clipper Summer Breeze

Cruise $60 (dinner, entertainment &cruise)13 Baltimore Inner Harbor $64 without

Aquarium $92 w/Aquarium adult18 Hollywood Casino near

Harrisburg $40 (bonus TBA)

20 Pittsburgh Pirates/Cincinnati Reds Game $58(FreeClemente jersey & fireworks)

23 Pittsburgh Strip District Shopping $30

27 Pro Football Hall of Fame, Classic Car Museum & MilitaryAviationMuseum $90

11-15 Wildwood, NJ $364 pp dbl25-Oct.1 Branson 9 Shows, many meals and

more! $1,073 pp dbl

3-4 Seneca Niagara Casino/NiagaraFalls $146 pp dbl ( $50 free play/ $20food bonus)

9-15 Golden Isles of Georgia $629 pp dbl 17-18 Seneca AlleganyCasino/

Salamanca,NY $127 pp dbl ($50 free play/$20 food bonus)

30-Nov. 6 Tennessee Tour $1,168 pp dbl(Nashville, Gatlinburg & Dollywood)

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

Check out our many other tours at www.repinetravel.com814-948-7910 OR 866-4REPINE (473-7463)

2412 Spruce Road, Cherry Tree, PA 15724

2012 Tours- Rhine Getaway, Eastern Caribbean, Hawaiian CruiseGo With Repine Travel- All tours escorted!!! Experienced, Insured & Licensed- PUC # A- 699971

, LLC

Promoting and preserving independence and healthy living for older adults

today - tomorrow - always.

If your family would like to hire someone tocare for a loved one, please contact theSenior Employment Coordinator at(724) 349-4500 or 1-800-442-8016.

The Senior Employment Program ofAging Services, Inc. will refer to our community,dependable, mature, and reliable companions andcaregivers who will also prepare meals, or do lighthouse-keeping.

Need help caring for yourselfor a loved one? We can help.

814-938-3554Toll free: 866-733-3418Serving Indiana and Jefferson Counties

Licensed by the PA Dept. of Health

Caring for people at home since 1987.Certified Provider for the PA Dept. of Aging

www.helpmatesinc.com

724-349-4200 • www.gattirx.com701 Philadelphia Street, Downtown Indiana

M-F 9am-7pm; Sat. 9am-3pm

Knowing youby name forover 80 years!

We offer you the same service you’ve come to expect since the1930’s. From free delivery to flu,pneumonia, and shingles shots, we’re the pharmacy for you!

We accept and assist withall Medicare Part D plans.

The Know You By Name Pharmacy.

Friend Us On Facebook

In fact, she joked with her contagious-ly cheerful personality that she hasdone everything but the “kitchen sink”with that instrument. Hard rock, how-ever, is not in their repertoire.

The name of their group was discov-ered while visiting the village of Smicks-burg, where they spotted a plaque in anAmish cheese store that just said “Sim-ple Pleasures.”

They knew immediately that was per-fect for their group.

Terry Greene, of Indiana, is the othermember of their musical trio. He playsthe mandolin and violin, and is also aprofessional bagpiper. Terry’s father,Ralph, was the other member of thegroup until 2½ years ago.

“Terry is the new kid on the block. Weall play by ear, which proves you arenever too old to learn something new in

life,” laughed Jan.Initially, Jan took her dulcimer and

joined the Chestnut Ridge Dulcimergroup from Latrobe.

She then played with the Remnants,also from Latrobe.

From there she joined the BlairsvilleRiverside Players, a group, she said,“that played a lot of old-time music andpolkas.”

For the last several years, SimplePleasures has been a hit at senior cen-ters throughout Indiana County, andeven in the Johnstown area, at churchevents, local wineries, undergroundrailroad and historical societies, andeven for Blairsville Diamond Days. Re-cently they did a fundrasier for the BlackLick Library.

But admittedly, playing at adult daycare centers ranks as their favorite.

“It just amazes me,” she stated, “they

have dementia, Alzheimer’s … and westart playing.

They sit up, start tapping their fingersor their feet and you can see their eyesstart to sparkle.

“We really enjoy playing for them. Halfof these people don’t even know theirown names ... they are someone’s moth-er or father, it is so sad.

It is so wonderful to see them get in-volved in the music.”

That’s the reason about 85 percent ofthe events they play are just for fun andthere is no fee involved. Although, sheadded, “some places do take up a free-will offering.”

She added, “We love audience partici-pation. We don’t sing but if they want to,it’s OK with us.”

“Music is a soul soother. It makes youforget about your problems.

“God did us a favor giving us music.”

Continued from Page 2

JEFFREY STOUFFER/Gazette

TERRY GREENE and Jan Altman played with the “SimplePleasures” band during Canal Days.


Marion Center Bank

1-800-556-6262 (toll free)Member FDIC

EQUAL HOUSINGLENDER

We’ll help keep the glitterin your golden years.

We offer services geared exclusively for seniors to take thefinancial worry out of retirement.• No monthly service fees if you are ago 60 or older

(selected accounts only).• A savings plan just right for you…always receive a

positive return on your investments!• Traditional and Roth IRA’s• The “Good Life” Club…offering you many financial

and money saving benefits and a popular travel club

• Dial-A-Bank (for 24 hour account info. and transfers)

• Other products and services to meet ALL your financial needs

1924 Oakland Ave., Indiana • 724-463-7443

Attention FunLovers55 andOverHere is a super way to get out and

enjoy a great time withother fun, active adults.

• AARP Bowls Mondays andWednesdays 12 Noon

• All AARP Seniors WelcomeBowl for Fun Fitness Friendship - Help Keep America Moving

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆MMOOHHAAWWKK LLAANNEESS$250Daytime Seniors

Monday-Fridaybefore 5pm

per game

It’s a celebration for many senior centers this yearBy NICOLE ROSER

[email protected]

It’s the year for celebration atthree local Aging Services Inc. sen-ior centers.

Providing Indiana County seniorcitizens with opportunities to en-hance social, physical and mentalskills, Aging Services Inc. is dedi-cated to offering seniors excitingactivities in a friendly environ-ment. Centers celebrating an-niversaries this year are the Chest-nut Hills Social Center, located inBlairsville; the Mahoning Hills So-cial Center, located in Punx-sutawney; and the Homer-CenterSocial Center, located at St. Mary’sHoly Protection ByzantineCatholic Church in Homer City.

Marking its 10th anniversary inMay, the Chestnut Hills SocialCenter welcomed the community

to an open house celebration heldon May 26. The day consisted ofspeeches, door prizes, a 50/50

drawing and luncheon. “This was an opportunity for

people throughout Blairsville and

Burrell Township to look at thecenter and see what the activitiesare,” Jim McQuown, the agency’sexecutive director, said.

The Mahoning Hills center is cel-ebrating its silver anniversary thisyear. The facility will open its doorsto the community from 11 a.m. to1 p.m. July 21. Activities will beheld throughout the day, includingentertainment provided by PastorPaul Thompson, followed by ameal at noon, cake cutting anddoor prizes. Also, representativesfrom the offices of state Rep. SamSmith and state Sen. Don Whitewill be present. Those planning toattend are requested to make mealregistrations by June 20.

“We would love for people tostop in and see what the centerdoes,” Mary Beth Wilson, managerof the Mahoning Hills center, said.“I think it’s a nice thing to remind

people we are here and have beenfor 25 years.”

Wilson said she would love forseniors to take advantage of whatthe center has to offer. She de-scribed the center as being friend-ly, cheerful and attractive.

“We would love to have anyone,”she said.

Lastly, the Homer-Center sitewill be celebrating its fifth anniver-sary in October. Details will be re-leased at a later date.

McQuown said attending thecelebrations is a great opportunityfor anyone interested in becominga regular member to see what thecenters have to offer. He said theirgoal is for each one to offer social-ization, a nutrition program andactivities for area seniors.

“We want each center to be con-sidered as valued and as part of thecommunity,” McQuown said.

Submitted photoCELEBRATING at the Mahoning Hills Senior Center were Arlene Mack, center aide; Donna Keslar, third center manager; Mary Beth Wilson, present center manager; and Theresa Serian, first center manager.

WALLY PUTT, CRBBroker

DONNA PUTT, CRBAssociate Broker

Have questions about your real estateneeds or real estate services?

Call us … we can help!

724-465-5606www.puttre.com

Today’s baby boomers are grow-ing older gracefully. And althoughmore than 10,000 boomers eachday will turn 65, most are not let-ting their age stop them frommaintaining active and healthylifestyles.

Here are a few ways to ensurethat you (or the ones you love) stayhealthy, active and safe:

■ Maintain regular healthscreenings and immunizations.While it is important to have regu-lar checkups with your family doc-tor, it’s equally important to moni-tor vitals more frequently. Luckily,most local pharmacies offer freeblood pressure and cholesterolchecks, as well as seasonal flushots.

■ Fight against falls. Falls are themost common cause of hospitalvisits for those older than 65, ac-cording to the Home Safety Coun-cil. To help prevent falls in thebathroom — while maintainingstylish decor in your home — addnew grab bars with integrated ac-cessories. These unique productscombine functional accessories,such as a shelf, towel bar and toiletpaper holder, with the safety of agrab bar.

■ Travel safety. Once you’ve up-dated your own bathroom withsafety features, be sure that you aresurrounded with these safety de-vices when you’re visiting others oron vacation. Products such as thesuction balance assist bar offer asuction design that easily attachesdirectly to smooth, flat surfaces fora firm, secure grip in danger zones— and easily unlocks from the wallfor convenient transport whentraveling.

■ Ensure help is a call away. Cell-phones are not just for social uses,they are a valuable emergency re-sponse tool — and they don’t haveto come with a pricey monthly bill.In fact, plans are available for aslow as $10 per month without acontract to AARP members.

■ Cease bad habits. Smokers willdie 14 years sooner than non-smokers, reports the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention.No matter if you’ve been smokingfor years or decades, your bodywill be better off if you kick thehabit.

■ Instill healthy habits. Beinghealthy doesn’t have to involvemajor lifestyle changes. For exam-ple, swap high-fat or high-calorieversions of your favorite foodswith lower-fat, lower-calorie ver-sions. Or, stock your fridge withhealthy fruits and vegetables forsnacks. These small diet changes

can make big differences in youroverall health.

■ Boost your activity levels. Thisdoesn’t mean running a marathon,but it does mean getting your bodymoving. Walking, playing golf orany other enjoyable activity thatboosts your heart rate is a step inthe right direction.

■ Keep your mind moving. Cog-nitive performance levels dropearlier in countries that haveyounger retirement age, accordingto a study published by the RANDCenter for the Study of Aging andthe University of Michigan. But ifyou’re no longer in the workforcedon’t fear. Just be sure to keep yourbrain busy by engaging in activi-ties that combine social, physicaland intellectual stimulation.

— Courtesy of ARAcontent and Moen

Indiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011 — 5

Easy and affordable tips for an active lifestyle

ARAcontent photos

ONCE YOU’VE updated your own bathroom with safety features, be sure you are surrounded with them whenyou travel.

✃ ✃

2 FREE TICKETS*

Your Hometown PharmacySALTSBURG PHARMACY

237 Washington St., Saltsburg724-639-9022

To The 37th Annual Star StuddedCountry Music Show

SUNDAY, JULY 31 ~ 6 PMFeaturing

JOHN MICHAEL MONTGOMERYIndiana County Fairgrounds (Mack Park)

Presented By FOP Rhododendron Lodge #33 *No Purchase Necessary.

*Bring this form to Saltsburg Pharmacy for your chance to win!

Name

Phone

✃

✃2212 Anthony Run Road • Indiana, PA 15701 724-465-4343Owners: John S. Williams, Administrator & Lyneae May Williams, PT

• Full-Time Activities Director • Alzheimer’s Care • Nursing Staff• Physical Therapist On Staff • Doctor On-Call • Short Term & Long Term Stays

Call For A Personalized Tour

Tyson FarmTyson FarmTyson FarmTyson FarmTyson FarmTyson Farm ...A Manufactured Home Community!

Indiana, PA 724-349-7300

- Our community is quiet and neighborlyand only minutes away from shoppingand doctors offices.Jerry & Margie Boucher- Resident Managers (8 yr. resident)

Here’s what our residents say -“We have lived at Tyson Farm for 28 years and weare very satisfied.”

- Paul & Dolores Robertson (28 yr. resident)

“Everyone is friendly and we look out for one another.”- Dick & Ginny Adamson (6 yr. resident)

“I enjoy living at Tyson Farm.”- Mazie Windows (10 yr. resident)

“I sold my home to downsize and moved to TysonFarm.”

- Max Querry (6 yr. resident)

Pictured above: Residents of Tyson Farm

If your arm goes numb and yourspeech is slurred, you know youneed to seek immediate medicalattention. When you nick yourselfshaving, you know you can dealwith it yourself. But for the vastnumber of maladies in between, itcan be difficult to know when to goto the doctor and when to dealwith it on your own.

One of the most difficult situa-tions in which you need to makethe “home care vs. professionalcare” decision may be when some-thing affects your joints. The jointsdo some important work for thehuman body, and figuring outwhen things will get better on theirown and when you may have amore serious problem is not easy.

WHEN TO SEEK HELPWilliam Ungureit, clinical direc-

tor of the physician assistant train-ing program at South University inTampa, Fla., says there are someimportant signs that will tell youwhen to seek professional care.

“If the joint is warm to the touchand swollen, seek immediatehelp,” Ungureit says. “Those aresigns of a possible infection, some-thing that won’t get better on itsown.”

Likewise, if you know that thejoint pain is the result of an injurysuch as a fall, put an ice pack onthe injury and seek help rightaway. This type of injury will usual-ly be accompanied by swelling andthe inability to bear weight.

Otherwise, painful joints oftencan be treated at home with over-the-counter pain relievers such asibuprofen or naproxen sodium.And what about ice and heat?

“Cold therapy (ice) can be usedfor chronic injuries, such as painafter running,” says Ungureit.“Heat therapy is recommended forinjuries that have no inflammationor swelling. Heat is ideal for sore,stiff, nagging muscle or joint pain.”

If you decide to treat the pain athome, you still need to see yourprimary care physician if the painlasts more than two weeks. Yourphysician may offer prescriptionpain relievers or other treatment.

CHRONIC JOINT PAINTreatment for chronic joint pain

may be more involved, Ungureitsays. “Non-inflammatory jointpain usually signifies osteoarthri-tis, which is caused by trauma tothe joint or degeneration of thejoint tissue in weight-bearingjoints.”

That means the knee, hip andspinal joints.

According to the U.S. Bone andJoint Initiative, a movement sanc-tioned by the World Health Organ-ization, one in five Americans hassome form of arthritis. And con-trary to the perception that arthri-tis is a disease of the elderly, morethan half of those with arthritis areunder the age of 65.

There is no cure for osteoarthri-tis, but it can be managed withpain killers, physical therapy,steroid injections such as corti-sone, or other injections to help lu-bricate the joint.

As a last resort, surgery to realignor completely replace a joint maybe an option.

Complete joint replacement isnow available for the knee, shoul-der, hip and ankle.

When to get help for those painful joints6 — Indiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Looking to keep more of your income and cut your taxes?Then tax-free municipal bonds* may be for you.*Bonds may be subject to state, local or the alternative minimum tax.

Call or visit your local financial advisor today.

100 South 7th St.Indiana, PA 15701724-349-9088

Bernie ParkerFinancial Advisor

www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC

YOU RIGHTFULLY EARNED IT.NOW RIGHTFULLY KEEP IT.

383 Mountain View Drive Hillsdale, PA 15746 ph: 814-743-6613 fx: 814-743-5556

www.hillsdalenursingandrehab.com

Hillsdale Nursing and Rehabilitation Center L.P. d/b/a Hillsdale Nursing And Rehabilitation Center. We Subscribe to a non-discriminatory policy.

• Hospice Care • Long Term Nursing Care• Physical, Occupational,

And Speech Therapy• Post Acute Care • Respite Care

• Short Term Rehab Care • Stroke Recovery• Alzheimer’s/Dementia CareMedicare, Medicaid and Most Insurances Accepted

JOIN US EVERY 3RD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH FOR AN EVENING OF ENTERTAINMENT ...DINNER IS SERVED AT 6 P.M. AND BINGO BEGINS AT 6:30 P.M.

(NO COST TO PLAY!)

OUR ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUPMEETS THE 4TH WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 2 P.M.

At Aqua Glass®, we realize that some of our customers might havespecial needs or require special care, while other simply want toprepare for a time later in their lives when physical changes mayoccur. To meet those needs, we offer our line of Special Care®bathing fixtures that come fully equipped with grab bars and seatingto meet all those requirements.

Rear 1050 Phila. St., IndianaM-F, 9-5; SAT. 9-12724-463-3587

1-800-442-6976

The Bath Boutique

ARAcontent

IF YOUR knee is warm to thetouch, seek help.

Hearing loss affects more than 30million Americans — and it’s notjust a problem for the elderly. Be-cause hearing has a profound ef-fect on quality of life, it’s importantto know how to recognize hearingloss, and what can be done aboutit.

SIGNS OF HEARING LOSSDo you: ■ Have trouble hearing over the

telephone? ■ Find it hard to follow conver-

sations when two or more peopleare talking?

■ Often ask people to repeatwhat they are saying?

■ Need to turn up the TV volumeso loud that others complain?

■ Have a problem hearing be-cause of background noise?

■ Think that others seem tomumble?

■ Can’t understand whenwomen and children speak to you?

Then it’s time to see your doctorand ask about referrals to an oto-laryngologist (a specialist who caninvestigate the cause of hearingloss) or an audiologist (a specialistwho will measure hearing loss).

Many people think that theirphysician will tell them duringtheir physicals if they have a hear-ing problem.

But in reality, only about 14 per-cent of physicians routinely screenfor hearing loss.

That’s why it’s important to talkwith your healthcare provider andget screened if you exhibit hearingloss signs.

BETTER LIVING WITH HEARING LOSS

It’s an unpleasant reality — agingcan take a toll on hearing. Accord-ing to the National Institute onDeafness and Other Communica-tion Disorders (NIDCD), 1 in 3people older than 60 — and half ofthose older than 85 — have hear-ing loss.

Hearing problems can make itdifficult to respond to warnings,understand and follow doctor’s ad-vice, and even to hear doorbellsand alarms.

The good news is that there aremany assistive technologies thatcan make living with hearing losseasier.

■ Hearing aids of many stylesand capabilities, some of whichare hardly visible and others whichcan even sync up with other elec-tronic devices.

■ Amplified telephones or tele-phone caption services help facili-tate outside communication.

■ Personal infrared and FM sys-tems make it easier to hear the tel-evision, movies, meetings and reli-gious services.

■ Computerized speech recog-nition software lets a computerchange a spoken message into areadable text document.

■ Closed-captioned TV (CCTV)shows spoken dialogue andsounds in a text display. All TVsnow sold with screens of at least 13inches must have built-in caption-ing.

You can learn more about hear-ing loss at The Better Hearing In-stitute www.betterhearing.org,and the Hearing Loss Associationof America www.hearingloss.org.

ALL THE BETTER TO HEAR YOU WITH

There are a surprising number of

people who could benefit fromhearing aids that don’t wear them.But those that do wear them reporta significant improvement in qual-ity of life.

A survey by the Better HearingInstitute found that, of the hearingaid wearers that responded:

■ 71 percent reported more ef-fective communications.

■ 56 percent had a better sociallife.

■ 55 percent reported better re-lationships at home.

■ 56 percent had better relation-ships in the workplace.

■ 48 percent had improved emo-tional health.

Today’s hearing aids are not thebig, clunky ones you may remem-ber.

There are sizes and styles to fitevery lifestyle, and many are win-

ning awards for their design.■ Completely-in-the-Canal

(CIC) hearing aids fit into the earcanal and are virtually invisible.

■ Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearingaids are much sleeker, smaller andmore discreet than their predeces-sors.

■ Open-Fit BTEs are nearly in-visible behind the ear and use athin plastic tube or a thin wire toamplify sound into the ear canal.

HEARING AID FAQ ■ Are hearing aid batteries inter-

changeable among manufactur-ers?

Battery dimensions are stan-dardized across all brands. All sizesare the same — just look for thecolor standard to find your batterysize.


In-house repair lab - done locally within 1-2 days.Freedom Blue/Security Blue Provider

2340 Warren Rd., Ste.103Indiana, PA

724-349-1221

141 S. Jefferson St.Kittanning, PA

724-548-4801

95 N. Gilpin St.Punxsutawney, PA814-938-6445

Beltone will perform comprehensive hearing consultations FREE of charge to allcallers. Please call immediately to schedule your evaluation. Candidates selected will

be asked to evaluate the latest nearly invisible hearing aid technology for 30 days.

1 Year Supply of Batteries FREE In-Office Maintenance for the life of the

Hearing Aid. Offer valid on True 17 MSRP

$400 OFF ONE HEARING AID

$800 OFF A COMPLETE SET

OR

YOU MAY RECEIVE

PROFESSIONAL HEARING AID SERVICE

www.beltone.com/phas • 50 years family owned & operated

42 PEOPLEto try NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY in Hearing Aids

REWARD Receive TREMENDOUSSAVINGS for participating!CALLIMMEDIATELY!

Appointmentsare Limited!

Hear! Hear! Living better with hearing loss

Continued on Page 8

Family Features

MANY who don’t have hearing aidscould benefit from them.

Do you want to free up your life todo the things you’ve always wantedto do, but never had the time?

Single Family Home SitesStarting at $214,700

Wolf Run HomeownersHAVE the time!

• NO SHOVELING!• NO YARD WORK!

Sound Good? “Then join Indiana’sPremier, Maintenance-Free LivingCommunity! The Villas at Wolf RunCrossing, conveniently located off422 W. behind the YMCA.”

Indiana’s FirstPrivate GatedCommunity• Energy Efficient• Quality

Construction• Outstanding

Value


You’re a unique individual, so why settle for a cookie cutter checking account? Our Prime Timers’ Club rewards you with a special program of benefits just for people over 50.

At 1ST SUMMIT BANK we know you want a choice, so we offer:

Enjoy the added advantage of convenient ATM locations,VISA Check Cards, 1ST SUMMIT Online, FREE Bill Pay*and Telebanc telephone banking! And you get our unmatched personal service at all our Community Offices.

Call 724-349-3255 today for more information.1825 Oakland Avenue

www.1stsummit.com

• No Frills CheckingA Basic Account forSimple Needs

• Club/Club GoldEarn Interest andGet Extra Services

• Regular CheckingA Solid Everyday Account with Flexibility

• Prime Timer’s ClubSpecial Benefits for People 50 and Over

• Web CheckingElectronic Banking for Busy People

It’s Freedom of ChoiceChecking as Individual as You Are

*$5.95 will be charged if no bill is paid during the month.

Living with hearing loss■ Should I open the door on my

hearing aid when it’s not in use? Yes — it is a good idea to open

the battery door on your hearingaid when you are not using it. Thisreduces battery drain and mayallow air in to remove any mois-ture buildup.

■ How should I store my batter-ies for best hearing aid batterylife?

To get maximum hearing aidbattery life, keep batteries at roomtemperature. Heat can shortenhearing aid battery life and adamp location like the refrigeratoris not recommended. Also, nevercarry loose batteries in your pock-et or purse.

Contact with metal items likekeys or coins can short-circuit the

battery. Learn more about gettingthe most out of hearing aids andhearing aid batteries at www.en-ergizer.com.

ASK BEFORE YOU BUYBefore buying hearing aids, the

hearing experts at NIDCD say youshould ask a few questions:

■ What features would be mostuseful to me?

■ Does the audiologist performreal ear measures to verify theperformance of the hearing aids?

■ What is the total cost of thehearing aids? Do the benefits ofnewer technologies outweigh thehigher costs?

■ Is there a trial period to testthe hearing aids? (Most manufac-turers allow a 30- to 60-day trialperiod during which aids can bereturned for a refund.)

What fees are nonrefundable ifthe aids are returned after the trialperiod?

■ How long is the warranty? Canit be extended? Does the warrantycover future maintenance and re-pairs?

■ Can the audiologist make ad-justments and provide servicingand minor repairs? Will loaneraids be provided when repairs areneeded?

■ What instruction does the au-diologist provide?

Not all insurance will coverhearing aids, but AARP memberscan save 20 percent on hearingaids and hearing care through theAARP Hearing Care Program pro-vided by HearUSA. Visit www.aarphealthcare.com for details.

— Courtesy of Family Featuresand Energizer


Statistics are proving that age 70really is the new 50. According tothe U.S. Travel Association, maturetravelers ages 65 or older repre-sented 21 percent of all leisuretravelers in 2010. From taking atrip with their grandchildrenacross country, to living outdreams in far, exotic destinations,today’s seniors are choosing toenjoy their golden years traveling.

Staying safe and being preparedwhen traveling is more importantthan ever for this age group. Hereare some special considerationsfor senior travelers looking for ahassle-free travel experience.

PACK CAREFULLYWhen packing for a trip, it’s im-

portant to be prepared. Somepacking essentials include a com-fortable pair of shoes, a hat andsunglasses to protect the face,clothing that you can wear in lay-ers and any necessary personalitems. Multi-purpose items, suchas a scarf, which can also be usedas a makeshift beach blanket, arealways smart to pack and limit theweight of your suitcase. If you aretaking an extended vacation, in-quire about laundry options closeto where you’ll be staying.

Senior travel tips for a hassle-free vacation

Continued on Page 9

ARAcontent

WHEN ORGANIZING a trip be sure to plan for the unexpected and compilecontact information before you leave.

1001911-2011is celebrating 100 years of family ownership.

If your family or farm has been in business for 100 years or more,

we would like to honor you when we commemoratea century of serving Indiana County.

Contact Jason Levan, News Editor at 724-465-5555


Station Square North, Suite 9 • Punxsutawney, PA • (814) 938-2300270 Philadelphia St.

Indiana, PA (724) 463-EARS (3277)

A spectrum of full-service care for all your speech and hearing needs

* Hearing Aid Dispensing and Repairs

* Hearing Testing * Speech Therapy

* Provider For Most Insurances* Satisfaction Guaranteed

Thomas D. Todd, M.S., FAAALicensed Audiologist

CONFUSED ABOUT HEARING AIDS?Call Us!

1380 Route 286 East, Building 2, Office #223, Indiana, PA 15701724-465-9224 • anewnursing.com

This Is The Time Of Your Life!Maintain your independence with the help

of our home health services.

The Choice Is Yours For HomeHealth Services

Ask For Us By Name!

Accepting Insurances: Medicare • Highmark • UPMCUMWA • Unison • Plus Many Others

How to be prepared to live to 90Tips forsenior

travelersVISIT YOUR DOCTOR

As a senior, your health is veryimportant and no one ever wantsto get sick or injured on vacation.Schedule a checkup with yourdoctor before any major trip to dis-cuss the activities you plan to do,and get written prescriptions forany medications you may need.Keep your prescriptions in theiroriginal containers so that theycan be identified properly. If youplan to travel out of the country,contact the Center for DiseaseControl and Prevention for re-quired immunizations.

GET PROTECTIONWhether traveling 50 miles or

5,000, prepare for the unexpectedby purchasing a membership froma travel and medical assistancecompany before you leave. Seniortravelers ages 77 to 85 can pur-chase a special mature member-ship, which includes services likeemergency medical transportationto the hospital of their choice,transportation home, worldwidephysician referrals, a 24-hournurse helpline and emergencytravel assistance. The membershipalso includes pre-travel destina-tion and health information, lost-luggage assistance, worldwidelegal assistance and even coversthe cost of transporting grandchil-dren or a traveling companionhome if you need to stay in thehospital.

PLAN CAREFULLYWhen planning your trip, stay or-

ganized and compile any contactinformation and travel reserva-tions to keep in a folder to ensureyou don’t have any problems. Youmight also include emergencynumbers and family contact infor-mation in this folder as well.Whether driving or flying, it’ssmart to gather maps ahead oftime so you don’t get lost. If you aretraveling out of the country, makesure your passport is up to dateseveral months ahead of time asgetting a new passport takes timeto process.

With a little planning, seniorscan travel without worry and enjoythe best of their golden years ex-ploring the world.

— Courtesy of ARAcontent


While living to the age of 90was once a rare feat, it is becom-ing increasingly common.

You may be surprised to learnthat the fastest growing demo-graphic in the country is peopleover the age of 85.

According to the latest life in-surance mortality tables, 38 per-cent of men and half of womenage 65 today can expect to liveto the age of 90 or beyond.

Being able to live a long andfull life is good news, of course.But you will have to plan well tobe sure that you don’t run out ofincome when you may need itthe most.

Here are some suggestionsfrom Dr. Robert Pokorski, thechief medical strategist for aleading insurance company, forplanning a retirement that may

include a 90th birthday celebra-tion:

■ Consider buying a life insur-ance policy with an optionallongevity rider.

While the main purpose of lifeinsurance is to provide incometo your heirs when you die, pay-ing extra for a longevity riderwill allow you to begin receivinginstallments of your own deathbenefit when you turn 90 andmeet the rider’s eligibility re-quirements. You are then free touse it to simply enjoy life or tohelp ensure you don’t outliveyour retirement savings.

A $500,000 policy works likethis: When you reach the age of90, you can elect to receive aguaranteed minimum with-drawal benefit of up to 1 percentof the death benefit of your life

insurance policy. In this exam-ple, you may receive monthlypayments of as much as $5,000per month for eight years.

Even if you eventually with-draw the entire death benefit, aguaranteed residual death ben-efit will be provided, subject tothe terms of the rider.

Your heirs will still receive 10percent of the benefit — in thiscase, $50,000.

■ Consider purchasing an an-nuity to cover many of yourfixed expenses later in life.

Making conservative invest-ments like this can help ensurethat you’ll have a reliable sourceof income to cover such necessi-ties as rent or mortgage pay-ments, utilities, prescriptions,groceries, insurance and trans-

ARAcontent

LIVING to the age of 90 and beyond isbecoming more common. Continued on Page 17

Joy Realty

FULL SERVICE REAL ESTATE OFFICE

Joyce OverdorffRealtor®/Broker

724-422-3750

Jaci ReeferRealtor®

724-840-2426

Don AltemusRealtor®

814-243-2104

[email protected]

THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING A HOME?GIVE US A CALL, WE CAN HELP YOU,

AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

Phone 724-349-69001163 Grant St., Ste. 104, Indiana, PA 15701

Rebecca Wincek Bateson, ODMichael Yuhas, OD

The doctors most referred to by friends and family.

30% OFF ALL FRAMESFOR THOSE 60 & OLDER

WE ACCEPT MEDICARE

678 Phila. St., Indiana 724.349.8000

INDIANA EYE CARE

Qualified Optometrists Certified Technicians

Best Selection of Frames & StylesThey’re what we offer everyday!

Sight is PreciousDon’t Take Yours

For Granted!

Spies find each other in retirement community10 — Indiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011

1354 Oakland Ave., Indiana 724-349-2830

“We Care About Care”MEDICAL SUPPLY

The Finest Quality Diabetic

Footwear PERIOD!

more Styles

more Colors

more Comfort

Dr. Comfort shoes are created

from the world’s finest leathers

and are specifically designed

for the diabetic foot.

Our trained

professionals are

available for custom

fittings in your home.

By IAN SHAPIRAThe Washington Post

LAKE RIDGE, Va. — To her, itlooked like a harmless piece ofcoal, about the size of her fist. Sheremembers passing it to a Chinesesecret agent. She remembers laterlearning about the train, thebridge, the explosion. Sometimesshe thinks she has suppressedmany wartime memories, buteven after almost 70 years, theycan creep back.

Betty McIntosh, 96, says that ispart of being a spy: the doubtsabout whether you did the rightthing, and hearing about thosewho died because of what you did,and whether you had alternatives.But it was a war.

Her friend Doris Bohrer wouldunderstand, but even so, McIntosh

still hasn’t divulged everythingabout every World War II mission.Even though it turns out thatBohrer, 88, was an operative in thewar, too: OSS, then CIA, just likeMcIntosh. To most other residentsof the retirement community inNorthern Virginia, these two ele-gant, well-coiffed widows, Bettyand Doris to everyone, are just partof the anonymous parade of agedmen and women who play mixedbridge, talk about the brand-newheart and vascular center downthe road, the day’s menu at thedining hall, and their pets.

What a curious resolution to itall: that although their paths nevercrossed during their undercovercareers, McIntosh and Bohrerwould find each other here, neigh-bors on the same street in theWestminster at Lake Ridge seniors’

village in Prince William County.Two women who wear the wed-ding rings of their dead husbands.Two women who laugh like girlswhen they reminisce, who arenearly inseparable. McIntosh saysshe calls Bohrer almost everymorning, just to make sure she’sstill alive. Bohrer can still drive andruns errands for her friend, who is,after all, eight years older and findsit less easy to get around.

“How’s it doing today, Betty?”Bohrer asked one recent weekday,stepping inside McIntosh’s livingroom, where paintings by a Japan-ese prisoner of war hang on thewall. Bohrer was bringing somemedication for McIntosh, who hadjust had two teeth pulled.

“You’ve got the temperature set-ting in here at ‘off.’ You need it on‘cool,’” Bohrer instructed McIn-

tosh. “I’ve done that. Easy to do.”She adjusted the thermostat.

“What would I do without you,dear?” McIntosh said.

It was the early 1940s whenBohrer and McIntosh fell into jobsat the Office of Strategic Services,the nation’s first intelligenceagency, created by PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt and led byWilliam “Wild Bill” Donovan, aWall Street lawyer and World War Iveteran. They were among therarest of operatives, women work-ing overseas during World War II.

In China, McIntosh, a “blackpropaganda” specialist, whippedup fake news stories to underminethe morale of the enemy — includ-ing an effort to convince theJapanese emperor’s soldiers thattheir wives were procreating withother men back home. Stationed

in Italy, Bohrer analyzed aerialphotographs of Germany, helpingselect sites to air drop and rescueOSS officers behind enemy lines.

Bohrer, a Montgomery BlairHigh School graduate whoyearned to fly airplanes, wanted todefend the country from anotherPearl Harbor attack. So in 1942,she took the civil service exam.

She passed. The first call camefrom the OSS, and to this day,Bohrer does not know why. Thejob: typist. She took it. At first shetyped up intelligence reports. In1943, her superiors promoted her.

Working in an office known asthe “Q Building” in Foggy Bottom,Bohrer analyzed aerial photos ofEurope and created sophisticatedrelief maps of Sicily using balsawood. At the age of 20, she was

Continued on Page 11

A community based affiliate of the Visiting Nurse Association of Indiana County

Licensed by PA Dept. of Health

724-463-1102www.vnaindianacounty.com

VNA Extended Care offers private care services thatenable individuals to remain as independent aspossible. All services are supervised by an RN andprovided by professionals and paraprofessionalsthat are insured, bonded and professionally trained.You can choose the services that meet your needsand resources.

Personal Care • Meal planning/prepShopping/errands • Companions

Basic household assistance • Nursing careRespite for the family

Geriatric Care Management ServicesAssistance with activities of daily living (ADL’s)

You can make a personalizedplan to support your healthand living situation at home.

helping plot the Allied invasion onthe Italian front and eventuallywound up stationed on the coun-try’s Adriatic coast.

“It was an interesting way to lookat the world. It was almost as goodas flying. You’re looking over peo-ple’s shoulders,” she reflects today.“Maybe I am nosy.”

At the same time, elsewhere inthe Q Building, McIntoshlaunched her OSS tenure.

McIntosh, then in her late 20s,had been a newspaper and wireservice reporter in Hawaii andWashington. She grew up in Hon-olulu, attended the PunahouSchool (where a future U.S. presi-dent, Barack Obama, would oneday be a student) and was the god-daughter of Washington Senatorsbaseball legend Walter “Big Train”Johnson. (Her father, William Peet,was a well-known sports editor forthe Washington Herald.)

She knew Japanese. She wanteda job overseas. She and other re-porters in the Scripps Howard bu-reau in Washington were growingjealous of their colleague ErniePyle, whose war dispatches madehim an American folk hero.

One day in 1943, while she wascovering an event at the Depart-ment of Agriculture — reportingon an exhibit showcasing newsleeping bags lined with chicken-feathers — an OSS official ap-proached her.

Are you interested in a secretoverseas assignment for the gov-ernment? he asked.

Why yes, she was, she replied.Soon the reporter eager for foreigntravel was casting off her press cre-dentials and filling out paperworkin the mysterious Q Building.

McIntosh learned to shoot a .32-caliber pistol at an OSS training fa-cility in Bethesda that is now Con-gressional Country Club. She tookan oath never to reveal theagency’s secrets. If anyone askedwhat she did, she was to tell themshe was a file clerk.

In reality, McIntosh was a propa-gandist who worked for one of theOSS’s quirkier branches: MoraleOperations. Its operatives wouldlive overseas and concoct fake butauthentic-sounding rumors, newsstories and radio reports to makethe enemy citizenry think theirtroops were losing and that theyshould give up.

“The man who got me hired saidthe work would be quite interest-ing and promised I wouldn’t bedisappointed,” McIntosh said. “Hewas right.”

Just past noon, the women meetat the Westminster dining hall,which Bohrer jokingly calls “theBig House,” but it’s hardly institu-tional. They sit at a white-clothedtable, where a waitress takes theirorders. Bohrer gets the barbecuesandwich. McIntosh likes themahi-mahi. The room is filledmostly with women.

“I am fascinated with what youdid,” McIntosh began. “What’s thestory about the bombs?”

“No! Grenades!” Bohrer said.Bohrer recalled how, during her

OSS posting in northern Italy withan Air Force division, she played aprank on several servicemen whohad been mocking her for somereason or another. To get back atthem, she dropped a disabledgrenade onto their mess hall table.

“They cleared the tables andwent out the windows,” she said,before cocking her head side to

side and quipping about her fellowsenior citizens: “They’re not asagile. And they wouldn’t evenknow a grenade if they saw one.”

After the meal, they headed toBohrer’s sunny two-bedroom cot-tage. Bohrer picked through an oldtrunk of OSS documents, and let-ters from a former suitor and herfather. Her memory of some mis-sions returned instantly: She usedaerial photographs to gather intel-ligence on the Nazis’ movementsand what they were building.

“That’s how we knew where theconcentration camps were locat-ed, but we were too late,” she said.“We kept wondering where all thetrains were going. The Germanswere also building rocket and elec-tronics factories. We watched whatwent in, what went out.”

One stapled package of paperswas titled “Operation Wowser: Theparticipation of heavy bombers infinal victory in Italy.” A tiny yel-lowed envelope contained fourblack-and-white photos of thebloodied corpse of Italian dictatorBenito Mussolini.

“It was of interest to us for somereason,” she said, sounding frus-trated. “I can’t remember why Ikept it. It must be of some signifi-cance.”

McIntosh, sitting in a corner, wascurious about something else.

She eyed Bohrer’s trunk and said,“Where are all the love letters?”

The two of them started crackingup. “I’ve got nothing juicy,” Bohrersaid.

Being one of “Donovan’s Girls” —and everyone called them girlsthen — required a certain inde-pendence and willpower to suc-ceed in such a male-dominatedwork culture.

“We were neglected. We had noprivacy. Down the hall, there was abathroom with no running water,”Bohrer said of her OSS days. “Wecouldn’t bathe or do our hair well.The guys all had their own rooms.”

McIntosh nodded. “There werehardly any women in Morale Op-erations,” she said.

“That’s too bad. Women aregood. They’re more devious,”Bohrer said.

The two never met at the OSSheadquarters in Washington, butthey both remembered its cafete-ria. The slow-moving fans. Mealsfor 50 cents. Fresh pies.

“It was so hot, you thought youwere going to die,” Bohrer said.“We were probably in the cafeterialine together.”

“But you didn’t really mix withpeople,” McIntosh said. “You

wouldn’t know what to talk about. Icouldn’t talk to you about MoraleOperations. And I wouldn’t under-stand your maps.”

Once McIntosh graduated fromOSS training, she set off for India.In a 1947 memoir, “UndercoverGirl,” she recounted her exploitsand those of other “morally tough,physically attractive spies,” as a re-viewer in the New York Post put it.The reviewer added: “This is prob-ably the most revealing picture offemale nature since Clare BootheLuce wrote ‘The Women.’”

That era remains fresh in hermind. One of her first missionswas to forge and distribute a realis-tic Japanese government order toits soldiers in Burma. The directivepermitted soldiers to surrenderand demand fair treatment if they

Spies find each other in retirement communityIndiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011 — 11

680 LIONS HEALTH CAMP RD., INDIANA, PAPHONE: 724-463-8705 • FAX: 724-463-8773

www.sceneryhillmanor.com

Indiana’s Five Star Rated Facility By CMS

Scenery Hill ManorSkilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Facility

Short Stay Rehabilitation

STOP FOR A TOUR TODAY!

PHYSICAL THERAPY • OCCUPATIONAL THERAPYSPEECH THERAPY • WOUND CARE MANAGEMENT

PAIN MANAGEMENT • IV THERAPYORTHOPEDIC REHABILITATION STROKE MANAGEMENT

At Scenery Hill Manor, Skilled Physical, Occupational, and SpeechTherapists foster independence by motivating and assisting patients

in recovering as quickly and completely as possible from such eventsas joint replacement surgery, injuries, strokes or illness.



WE CAN HELP!!

• Is it becoming a financial burden to keep your home going?• Now that the kids are grown and on their own, do you really

need that big of a house?• Do you have a house-full of items that you no longer need or want?

Total Auction Services can advise you on how we can bring you a financial gain bymarketing your home and personal assets you no longer need.

STEVEN D. REINOEHLAuctioneer - Realtor - Appraiser

Indiana Office: (724) 349-2798Cherry Tree Office: (724) 254-4514

Indiana, PA 15701

www.totalauctionservices.comA Professional Full Service

Auction Companyhelping families and

individuals settle estates

THINKING OF DOWNSIZING?WE'RE HERE TO HELP

Proudly Delivering Professional, Reliable & Compassionate Care

CITIZENS' MEDICALTRANSPORT SERVICEA transport division of Citizens' Ambulance Service

Phone: 724-349-5527Pager: 724-464-5454P.O. Box 237Indiana, PA 15701

www.citizensambulance.org

TRIPS TO MEDICAL & DENTAL APPOINTMENTS■ Hospital Discharges ■ Medical Testing & Therapy ■ Wheelchair & Walk-On

Services Available

were outnumbered or caught, andrescinded the prevailing order thatthey should fight to their deaths.

McIntosh typed up the forgeryand had a Japanese POW write theorder in calligraphy to bolster itsverisimilitude. Then she passed itto a Morale Operations team,which handed it to a Burmese OSSagent.

The agent killed a Japanesecourier, McIntosh said, and stuffedthe order in the dead man’s knap-sack.

“Then the Burmese agent wentto the Japanese and said, ‘Get yourman.’ And the Japanese wentthrough his knapsack and foundthe new order,” McIntosh said,smiling. “At the end of the war innorthern Burma, there were lots ofsurrenders.”

Soon, McIntosh was hurtling to-ward China with the future famouschef Julia Child in a flight so turbu-lent she believed they both weregoing to die. Once they landed,McIntosh carried on the same tac-tics, but one mission seemed moreunusual than most.

It is a story she’s kept mostly toherself, had not told Bohrer, andnever disclosed in “UndercoverGirl” or her other book, a 1998work on the agency’s female offi-cers, “Sisterhood of Spies.”

It is a story she was orderednever to reveal: the time she un-wittingly participated in a plot tokill Japanese soldiers with an ex-plosive.

After the war ended in 1945,President Harry Truman disband-ed the OSS. McIntosh and Bohrerboth heard about the formation ofthe Central Intelligence Agencyand wound up getting hired there

— Bohrer in the 1940s and McIn-tosh in the 1950s. Both stayed untilthe 1970s.

To this day, the CIA is the singlesubject the women do not discusspublicly or with each other in greatdetail, fearing that disclosurescould endanger people they onceworked with.

Bohrer worked in the CIA’sFrankfurt station, writing intelli-gence reports based on her office’sinterviews with German scientistswho had been kidnapped by theSoviets during the war.

Later she returned to Washing-ton, serving as the agency’s deputychief of counterintelligence, train-ing CIA staffers about the Russianand German intelligence services.Her husband, Charles Bohrer,whom she met shortly after thewar, became the CIA’s director ofmedical services.

McIntosh’s time in the CIA ismore of a mystery; she was swornto never disclose the work she didthere.

McIntosh outlived three hus-bands. Her first, Alexander Mac-Donald, was an OSS agent sta-tioned in Burma, and the distancetriggered an amicable divorce;later, she married Richard Heppner, a former senior OSS officialwho went on to work at the Penta-gon. He died of a heart attack in hisoffice. In the 1960s, on a CIA as-signment in Japan, she met FredMcIntosh, an Air Force pilot, andthey soon married.

The couple retired and moved toLeesburg. Fred died five years ago.And soon McIntosh, after 45 yearsof marriage, needed a more man-ageable place to live by herself. In2007, she reached out to a CIAfriend, Murray Minster, a widower

who was living at the Westminster.He recommended the communityto McIntosh because it allows pets,and its cottages offer a sense of in-dependence.

Meanwhile, after her retirementfrom the agency, Bohrer became areal estate agent. By 2009, her hus-band had died, and she sold theirAlexandria home. She, too was agood friend of Minster, and shealso followed his strong recom-mendation that she move to theWestminster.

Neither the women nor Minstercan recall the exact moment thetwo met at the retirement commu-nity.

The friendship was forged overscattered meals in the dining hall,at the local Chinese joint, or whilethey shopped for pet food (Bohrerhas a champion standard poodle,Aria, and McIntosh a cat, Nekosan— “Mr. Cat” in Japanese.)

“Once they moved in here, I gotthem together, and then came allthe questions,” recalled Minster, aformer CIA operations officer whoworked at the agency for 32 years.“It’s just one of life’s 45 billion coin-cidences, I guess.”

In McIntosh’s cottage one late af-ternoon, the talk turned to the am-bivalences that so many soldiersbring back from war.

“Betty, did you worry about theJapanese? Did you feel guilty aboutsomething you had done to kill theJapanese?”

McIntosh glanced out to herdeck, where hungry geese hadgathered and were pecking at thewindow. “Writing the Morale Op-erations material was fun, in away,” she said, before drifting intosilence.

There was something left unsaid,

but something she felt the need tounburden herself of. At a differenttime, alone, McIntosh admitted tofeeling the most conflicted aboutdelivering what she thought was achunk of coal to a Chinese OSS op-erative at a railway yard near thecity of Kunming, in the country’ssouth. Shortly after the OSS dis-solved, she began dating Heppner,the former high-ranking OSS offi-cial who would later become hersecond husband.

“I told him, ‘The only mysteryfrom my time in China is why I de-livered the coal,’” McIntosh re-called. “He said, ‘I’ll tell you why.’”

The “coal” was one of the OSS’smore famous gadgets, called“Black Joe,” and was packed withdynamite, she learned. The Chi-nese operative took the bomb and

boarded a train full of Japanesesoldiers. Then the agent waited forthe train to head toward a bridgeover a lake.

“And then the agent threw thecoal into the engine, jumped out,and as the train crossed the bridge,the train exploded,” McIntoshsaid.

Most of the soldiers were killed,she said.

“I felt very badly. I felt that withthis one piece of coal that I was re-sponsible for killing all these men,”she said. Then she reconsidered:“Well, not really. I was just the onewho handed it to the guy who didthe job.”

Then the old spy went silentagain, and stared ahead for a fewmoments, waiting for her friend toarrive.


Spies find each other in retirement communityContinued from Page 11

Secure, Convenient & AffordableFor adults 62 years of age and older!

• 85 studio and one bedroom apartments• Full kitchen and bath• Individually controlled heat and air cond.• Exceptional fire and other safety features• In-house mail delivery and pickup• Indiana County Transit Authority bus service DAILY!• Section 8 Subsidized housing by HUD

For Information Contact The Clairvaux Commons OfficePlease include the following information:

Name, Address, Zip, Phone No., Birthdate& Social Security Number

ClairvauxCommons100 Clairvaux Drive, Indiana, PA 15701

PH. (724) 349-2920

1011 Water StIndiana, PA 15701

Watch our educational video on hearing at www.indianaaudiology.com

724.471.3204

a wide range of professional health services in thecomfortable, familiar environment of one’s own home.Supporting and encouraging your family and friends,Heritage Home Health Agency can make yourtransition from hospital to home independency, asmooth, comfortable, and emotionally satisfying one.

Serving Indiana, Jefferson, Cambria, Westmoreland, Clearfieldand Armstrong counties in Pennsylvania.

MED. DIR.: Eric Heasley, M.D. Medicare, BC/BS - All Major Insurances Accepted

1480 Indian Springs Road, Indiana, PA

724.465.0440

HOME HEALTH AGENCY

Connie Zagurskie, Agency Administrator

Heritage Home Health Agency Offers~

Est. Sept. 2004

By EMILY GROVESNorwich Bulletin

PRESTON, Conn. — Fred Her-bert said his greatest flying accom-plishment is that he’s still doing it.

At 82, Herbert’s 51 years of flyingis no small feat.

The Preston resident passed hisbiennial review with the FederalAviation Administration on June21, and as long as he continues topass his medical evaluation — he’sdue next in October — he’ll be a li-censed pilot until June 2013.

According to the FAA, there were627,588 active pilot certificates inthe United States in 2010. Of thatnumber, 4,702 pilots were 80 orolder.

Of the 139,100 pilots with a com-mercial license in 2010, Herbert isone of only 1,593 in his age group,according to the FAA.

“Charles Lindbergh said flyinghas everything. It has freedom,beauty, science and adventure,”Herbert said recently as he walkeddown the runway at Danielson Air-port. “And at my age, it makes mefeel young.”

But inside the Piper Warrior II herents, Herbert showed that takingto the skies, especially with pas-sengers, is a responsibility he takesseriously.

After instructions on seat beltsand emergency procedures, Her-bert worked his way through achecklist of gauges and switches.He leaned out the window andyelled, “clear” before starting theengine.

With all the pre-flight checkscompleted, Herbert lifted the radioto his mouth.

“Danielson Airport Cherokee-oh-five-bravo, departing row 31Danielson,” he said.

And with that, he pushed the en-gine to full throttle. Within min-utes, the plane had climbed to analtitude of 2,000 feet and was trav-eling 100 knots.

Heat and condensation from theground caused some bumpy spotsas Herbert flew from Danielson toNorwich. Through the slightlyhazy skies, he pointed out land-marks and towns below during theround trip.

Herbert said he took his firstplane ride as a teenager. He’d rid-den his bicycle about six miles toan airport in Maryland and asked apilot to take him up. When thepilot told him he was only travel-ing one-way, Herbert replied he’dhitchhike the seven miles back.From then on, he was hooked.

He started taking lessons in thelate 1940s, but because of time and

money, didn’t receive his licenseuntil May 1960.

He was commissioned into theU.S. Air Force with the rank of cap-tain as a civilian field service su-pervisor and served from 1956-65.

Herbert flew missions for theCivil Air Patrol for more than 20years, assisting with counter-nar-cotics missions by flying andsearching for marijuana gardens.He said he’s also flown somerecord flights to mark anniver-saries of Civil Air Patrol. He’s flownin more than 20 different types ofplanes.

In October, the FAA awardedHerbert the Wright Brothers Mas-ter Pilot Award for 50 years offlight.

He’s gone more than 51 yearswithout an accident, though hesaid he’s had his share of dicey sit-uations. From poor visibility to en-

gine failures and electricity issues,he has had to make a few emer-gency landings.

He owned a plane with fourother people until last year, but

sold his share and now rents aplane at Danielson Airport.

He said he’s not sure it’s worthbuying another plane at his age,but he probably will because he

enjoys flying to Florida.“I feel much safer flying to Flori-

da than driving on I-95,” Herbertsaid.

Herbert wears corrective lenses,and with them, he said his vision iswithin FAA requirements. He isevaluated regularly by an FAA-cer-tified medical examiner.

“I’ll fly as long as I pass the re-quirements,” Herbert said. “Itkeeps me alert. To do it, you’ve gotknow the weather, you’ve got knowthe airspace and you have to knowthe airplane.”

After a smooth ride to Norwichand back, Herbert let out a smallcheer as he landed.

He taxied the plane into its park-ing spot. He deplaned and securedthe wings.

“Now that is an excellent parkingjob,” he said, laughing. “Right ontarget.”


Share Life’s Joys

with Gifts

of Faith

May the Lord Bless You!

May You Be a Blessing to

Many Others!



Many Others!



Many Others!



Many Others!



Many Others!



Many Others!

✦ MUSIC BOXES ✦ CARDS/GIFTS

✦ WALL ART ✦ BOOKS

✦ JEWELRY ✦ DVDS/MUSIC

✦ BIBLES

✦ GRADUATION✦ WEDDING

✦ BABY ✦ ANNIVERSARY

✦ BIRTHDAY✦ FRIENDSHIP

YOUR SOURCE FOR CHRISTIAN PRODUCTS

THAT FEED THE SOUL


THAT FEED THE SOUL


THAT FEED THE SOUL


THAT FEED THE SOUL

OPEN: MONDAY-SATURDAY 9AM-7PM

Johnstown - 1238 Scalp Avenue Near Valley Dairy • 814-266-7459

CHRISTIAN BOOK STORE & OFFICE SUPPLY







Conn. man has been piloting for 51 years

Associated Press

FRED HERBERT has been flying with a license since 1960.

Providing for your life...your way.

THE COMMUNITIES ATINDIAN HAVEN

1675 SALTSBURG AVE., INDIANAConveniently Located At

The Rose Ave. Ext.

www.indianhaven.com

724-465-3900

Where We Really Care About You

• Short Term Rehabilitation with Private Suites

• Specialization in knee and hip surgery recovery

• Skilled Nursing Services • Physical, Speech &

Occupational Therapy • Beautiful Courtyard areas

to enjoy• Van Transportation• Free Television and Cable Service• Weekly Selective Menus satisfy all

your dietary needs• Secured Memory Impaired Unit• Admissions 24 Hours Daily-

7 Days A Week

Simplified computers may be best for seniors14 — Indiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011

A Senior Choice, Inc. Facility

BEACONRIDGESkilled Nursing &Rehabilitation Facility1515 Wayne Avenue, Indiana, PA 15701

724-349-5300TDD# 724-349-4811www.beaconridge.net

Not only a great place for therapy but a great place to visit!

THE SAVVY SENIOR

QUESTION: Do you know of anyhome computers that are specifi-cally designed for senior citizens? Iwould like to get a computer formy 73-year-old mother, but she’snot computer-savvy at all. —Looking Around

DEAR LOOKING: There are actuallyseveral computers on the markettoday that are designed specifical-ly for older boomers and seniorswho want, and need, things sim-plified. Here are some top optionsto check out.

■ Telikin. For seniors that havelittle or no computer experiencethe new Telikin “touch-screen”computer is a wonderful option.Ready to go right out of the box,this innovative computer comespre-loaded with simplified soft-

ware that makes accessing theweb, email, games, video chat,

photo sharing, news, weather andmore, just a touch of the screen

away. And since it runs on Linuxsoftware instead of the standardWindows or Mac OS, it’s a virus-free computer too. The Telikincomes with a sleek 18.6-inch LCDtouchscreen (a 20-inch touch-screen will be available soon), 320-gigabyte hard drive, built-in speak-ers, webcam, microphone, wiredkeyboard and mouse, and pro-vides a unique “tech buddy” fea-ture that can help seniors get com-puter assistance when needed.Priced at $700, (the 20-inch modelwill retail for $995) Telikin comeswith a 60-day trial period, 1-yearwarranty and free support for thefirst 60 days. Visit telikin.com orcall (800) 230-3881 to learn more.

It’s also worth noting that Telikinhas a partnership with firstSTREET(www.firststreetonline.com, 800-704-1209), a senior product direct

marketing company which is alsoselling this computer rebranded asthe “WOW! Computer for Seniors.”

■ Senior PCs. Sold through En-ablemart (www.enablemart.com,888-640-1999), Senior PCs areHewlett-Packard computers thatalso come completely set up andready to use, but depending onyour mom’s needs, you’ll have sev-eral options to choose from. Ifyou’re looking for simplified “goof-proof” operation, the Autopilotdesktop is the best model. This PCcomes equipped with QualiWorldsoftware that provides one-clicksolutions for tasks like letter writ-ing, preparing a document, surfingthe Internet, sending and readinge-mails and much more. The Au-topilot also comes with OnTimeRxmedication and appointment re-

Metro Creative Graphics

THERE ARE several computers on the market that are perfect for seniors.


By MELISSA MURPHYAP Sports Writer

NEW YORK — Billie Jean King isback playing tennis in CentralPark with gusto after double-kneereplacement surgery. And at 67,she’s encouraging all ages — espe-cially baby boomers — to exerciseand stay fit.

But she also says it’s OK to for-give yourself if you can’t match theworkouts you did when you wereyoung.

King, who inspired a generationof women and men to pick up aracket in the 1970s, didn’t play ten-nis for nearly two years before get-ting new knees.

She needed about a year of reha-bilitation, working out for 2½hours, five days a week to regainthe strength and range of motionto get back on the court.

When the pain was intense, sheimagined “a bright, sunny day inmy head. And I pictured hittingthe first tennis ball again.”

King realized that goal last yearat Wimbledon, four months aftersurgery.

She sneaked onto Court 16 andhit a few shots with friend RozFairbank while her partner, IlanaKloss, snapped pictures.

This year, King celebrates the50th anniversary of her first Wim-bledon doubles victory.

She went on to win a record 20Wimbledon titles in singles, dou-bles and mixed, and during thetournament that wrapped up July3 she was photographed sittingbehind Prince William and KateMiddleton in the Royal Box.

To stay in shape these days, the39-time Grand Slam winner heads

to the neighborhood gym andpublic tennis courts. She doesn’tuse a personal trainer because shetravels so much, hitting the hotelgym instead.

She recently traveled in a two-week span to Philadelphia, back toNew York, then to Washington,D.C., while promoting her WorldTeam Tennis league, which fea-tures Serena and Venus Williams,52-year-old John McEnroe andother stars in nine cities.

Here King shares her insights onworking out, the proper mentalapproach and diet. Her advice forboomers? Increase the frequency,lower the intensity and listen toyour body.

Q: What is your exercise routine?A: My age group should do a

half-hour, five days a week. Whatthat means is I’m walking, doingthe bike, lifting weights or playingtennis. I love it when Ilana and I goto Central Park and play tennis. It’s

fantastic. I go to Equinox to dolower and upper body stuff. Do alot for my back — I need to bedoing a lot for my core. I do the legpresses, the leg curls, abductorand adductor. I have a bike athome, so worse comes to worst,that’s my backup. I’ll turn on theTV and pedal.

Q: This was your eighth knee sur-gery. What was life like before thedouble-knee replacement?

A: I got to the point I couldn’teven walk two blocks. I had myfirst operation at 23 when I wasNo. 1 in the world, and it’s beendownhill ever since in terms offunction. I used to take a taxi (twoblocks) to get to my workout. Mylife was closing in on me. It keptgetting less and less, and then itwas really getting disheartening.Now I’m pain-free, if I want to play

tennis or take a walk in the park.I’m going through this mindsetchange now. It’s amazing. My firstknee-jerk reaction is “Oh, I can’t —oh, yes I can do that.” I can go upand down stairs. I wouldn’t be ableto do that a year ago.

Q: How has your thinking andapproach to fitness and exercisechanged over the years?

A: The most important thing isfrequency. You don’t have to do asmuch as you think. Like walking30 minutes, five times a week isgood. I would never increase morethan 10 percent at a time. Peoplewill do 20 minutes on the bike andthe next day they’ll do 40. Nah-uh.If you’re out of shape, don’t dothat. Figure out ways to keep yourmotivation. On days I’m not moti-vated, I will say, “OK, just get on

Billie Jean King serves up fitness tipsIndiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011 — 15

1001911-2011is celebrating 100 years of family ownership.

If your family or farm has been in business for 100 years or more,

we would like to honor you when we commemoratea century of serving Indiana County.

Contact Jason Levan, News Editor at 724-465-5555

AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.AGING SERVICES, INC.“Offering Exercise for the MIND & BODY”

Exercise Class Water Aerobics

Walking Nutrition Education

Computer ClassGames • Crafts

Health & WellnessSpeakers

Free Monthly Blood Pressure Screenings

~ Social Center Locations ~

*Chestnut Hills and Saltsburg open one evening per weekPromoting and Preserving Independence and Healthy Living for Older Adults Today – Tomorrow – Always

HOMER CENTERHoly Protection of

Mary Byzantine Church (Open Thursdays Only)

1-800-442-8016

ARMAGHArmagh Fire Hall

(Open Tues. Only)1-800-442-8016

AULTMANAultman Fire Hall(Open Wed. Only)

1-800-442-8016

INDIANA1001 Oak Street

Indiana, PA724-465-2697

TWO LICK450 Franklin Street

Clymer, PA724-254-9820

SALTSBURG*212 Point StreetSaltsburg, PA724-639-9055

CHESTNUT HILLS*26 Heybert Drive

Blairsville, PA724-459-5251

MAHONING HILLS19298 Rt. 119 Hwy. North

Punxsutawney, PA724-286-3099

minding software, HOYLE Cross-word and Sudoku puzzles, a high-contrast keyboard, mouse, 17-inchmonitor, speakers and a colorprinter all for $1,125. They alsooffer this same Autopilot comput-er in a laptop edition for $1,165.

For seniors with low vision, theirVision Plus model may be a betterfit. This computer comes pre-con-figured with everything you needto see your PC, including state-of-the-art screen magnification soft-ware, a high-visibility keyboard,and an all-in-one printer/scannerfor scanning in books, mail andother reading materials for magni-fication. It also comes with On-TimeRx medication reminder soft-ware, HOYLE Crossword and Su-doku puzzles, a 17-inch monitor,mouse and external speakers. Theprice: $1,255 for the Vision Plusdesktop, or $1,895 for the laptopedition.

■ Kiwi PC. If you’re looking forsomething more affordable, thenew Linux-powered Kiwi PC forseniors is another option to con-sider. Priced at just $380, this user-friendly computer provides a sim-plified navigation system, withoversized tool bar, large icons andtext that makes it easier to see anduse. Other features include a cus-tomizable “Me Menu” that pro-vides quick and easy access to fre-quently visited websites, e-mailand programs straight from thedesktop, a color-coded keyboard,19-inch monitor, and a toll-freephone support line that’s available24/7. See www.kiwipc.com.

Simplifiedcomputers



BILLIE JEAN KING... tennis star

411-1/2 W. Mahoning St.Punxsutawney, PA 15767814-938-6020www.mulberry-square.com

“More than the care you expect, the care you deserve!”

Do you require a shortterm stay following surgery?Experience skilled rehabilitationin a friendly, caring environment.Mulberry Square Offers ...Physical, Occupational& Speech Therapies.

Call Jen Poltrack, Admissions Director, to schedule your tour.

814-938-6020

the bike or walk for five minutes,and if you want to stop, fine.”

I give myself permission. I’veonly once in my whole lifetimestopped, when I realized I was sick.Every other time I end up doing atleast 25-30 minutes. So then it’sdone for the day, it’s great. I wouldgo without exercising if I wasn’tcareful.

Q: What are your eating habitslike these days?

A: I try to cut down on carbs. I’molder, my metabolic rate probablyis not as fast. I figure I’m burningthree calories a minute on thebike. I’m not as intense as I used tobe, so that makes a difference. It

suppresses your appetite to goslowly on the bike or walk and golonger. I was playing senior tennis(after retirement) for a while butthen I gained a huge amount ofweight. Then I went on Nutrisys-tem, that really helped me lose. Ilost 35 pounds. Then I got too thinwith the knee stuff, and now I’m alittle overweight. So it’s hard for meto get to where I want to all thetime. I struggle.

Q: You were a bit of a perfection-ist on the court. Do you forgiveyourself for the limitations of ageor stress about it?

A: It’s a blessing for me to walkon the court. Then I go “OK, I justwant to hit one ball that feels like it

used to.” You just make smallergoals, you make different goals.Coming back from this knee re-placement, I had to really think indegrees, literally (in terms of kneebend). It’s important to play moretennis, but play half an hour to 45minutes instead of trying to playan hour and half. Instead of doingmarathons, do a 10K. Listen toyour body, what’s going on withyour joints, your muscles. I knowboomers are into fitness, and tak-ing good care of themselves. Andnow they’re at the age they stillwant to be active. (They say) “Iwant to still play tennis and do thisand keep running.” They’re prettydemanding. Which is good, be-cause that’s why we’re living aslong as we are.

Q: What’s your role as a memberof the President’s Council on Fit-ness, Sports & Nutrition?

A: It’s amazing being on thiscouncil. There’s Michelle Kwan,Grant Hill, Chris Paul and doctors.Our job is to get the word out. Youcan’t believe the findings with ex-ercise and taking tests at school orreading or math tests. They go wayup. If they’re going to take an SAT,they have the kids work out for 20minutes and they take it immedi-ately because the circulation isgoing, the brain’s got more oxygen.They do much better on tests. Nowwe have the scientific stuff behindit. I knew it before, because I knewhow I felt.

But now we have the scientificstuff to back it up.


GET THE IDEA?... and LIFE goes ON!

www.bethanyplacepa.com 724-349-0400 Daria T. Varner, President

Bet

han

y P

lace

P

erso

nal

Car

e •

1305

Way

ne A

ve.,

Indi

ana LET BETHANY PLACE ...

VACATION TIME ... Bring your senior to vacation with us while you are away.Daily & weekly rates available.

✔ make your bed;✔ wash your dishes;✔ sweep your floor;✔ cook your meals;✔ pay the electric bills;✔ welcome your friends;✔ do your laundry;✔ mow the grass; ✔ handle personal matters;✔ etc., etc.

Are you 50 or over? Do you know someone who is?

724-463-4730 ext. 120

Apply now even if you’re not quite ready to move – be assured thatquality housing will be there when you need it!

Housing Authority of Indiana Co.104 Philadelphia St., Indiana

housingauthority-indianacounty.com

APARTMENTS AVAILABLE

AFFORDABLE RENTS AND CONVENIENT LOCATIONS!

50 & Over Apartment Communities• Morewood Towers in Blairsville• The Square on Philly on 2nd Street in Indiana

55 & Over Apartment Communities• Schoolhouse Square located in historic Saltsburg• Parkway Apartments nestled in Homer City• The Courtyard on Warren Road in Indiana

We have family communities throughout Indiana County, too!

Billie Jean King serves up fitness tips for boomers

Remodeling tips


Make room for family: Whetherfinishing basements or updatingbathrooms, Americans are mak-ing home improvements to ac-commodate more family mem-bers moving into their homes.

A combination of hard timesand an aging population in-creased the number of U.S.households with multiple gener-ations living under one roof, ac-cording to AARP. In 2010, 7.1 mil-lion U.S. households — or 6.1percent of homes — were multi-generational. Compare that to2000, when just 5 million house-holds were multigenerational.

REMODELING TIPSConsidering remodeling?

Check out the hottest small-pro-ject remodeling trends for 2011,from the National Association ofthe Remodeling Industry (NARI).As you’re planning, incorporateuniversal design principles tohelp make your home safer and

more functional.■ Bathroom renovations. Up-

dating bathrooms? Add slip-resis-tant surfaces to minimize poten-tial falls in bathtubs and showers.Walk-in showers and safety barsare also smart choices.

Paint is an easy upgrade. Ac-cording to Buzzle.com, one greatbathroom paint idea is to usebrighter colors like lime green,citrus yellow, butterscotch yellowor cream to create the illusion ofspace and make a small bath-room look larger.

■ Necessary repairs. As theyupdate their homes, consumersare fixing problems, like replacingbroken hardware and glass onwindows and doors. For safety’ssake, make sure your windowsand doors are not jammed, paint-ed or nailed shut. If they are, itcould be time to replace them.

■ Patio and outdoor rooms.Staying home more? Spending


ARAcontent

OPENING UProoms, suchas bathrooms,can make iteasier tomove aboutyour home.


Remodeling tipsmore time in the yard? Creating anew patio area off a kitchen or din-ing room can add space for enter-taining. Install energy-efficientsliding or hinged patio doors tohelp save energy and create beau-tiful views.

■ Hiring a skilled contractor.Today’s consumers are more dili-gent about choosing the right con-tractor for the specific job theyneed done, NARI reports. Ask forreferrals for a reputable licensed,bonded, insured contractor andcheck credentials.

■ Opening up rooms. As you re-model, consider removing interiorwalls to create extra space in high-traffic areas like kitchens or bath-rooms. Add 36-inch doors to makeit easier to move about your home.

■ Adding bronze. Choose bronzefinishes like oil-rubbed bronze,

when replacing missing or brokenhardware on windows or doors.Bronze is also popular in bed-rooms, home offices and kitchens.

Replace small knobs or roundpulls on doors, drawers or cabinetswith levers and larger pulls that areeasier for arthritic hands to oper-ate.

■ Go green and save. Now’s thetime to replace your home’s draftysingle-paned windows with moreenergy-efficient wood, vinyl orfiberglass windows.

You may be able to claim a U.S.energy-efficiency tax credit from$200 to $500 on certain EnergyStar-qualified windows and doorsinstalled in 2011.

Whether you’re making room foryour parents or welcoming home acollege graduate, home remodel-ing is a sensible investment intoday’s economy.


How to be prepared to live to 90portation. Any other retirementsavings you have can be used tocover the cost of travel and enter-tainment or to pay for unforeseenexpenses.

■ Postpone retirement. Whileyou might consider putting off re-tirement to be a bad thing, youmay decide to continue workingin order to increase your monthlySocial Security benefit.

Delaying Social Security fromage 62 to 67 will increase theamount you will receive eachmonth by 30 percent. Postponingretirement will also increase anypension benefits you will receivein the future. You could even usethe time to try working in a newfield that has always appealed toyou.

■ Plan for a health emergency.Nobody likes to think about be-

coming ill, but planning forhealth-care emergencies is a partof smart retirement planning, es-pecially when you consider thatthe Centers for Disease Controland Prevention estimates that 70percent of retirees will need to

pay for chronic care sometimeduring their lives.

Some insurance companiesoffer an accelerated benefits riderto life insurance policies.

If you become chronically illand meet the claim criteria, youcan use the money you receivefrom the death benefit any wayyou like.

You can, for example, use it topay a family member to take careof you.

Turning 90 is a milestone worthcelebrating.

With good planning, you couldlive a long and comfortable lifewithout worrying too much aboutyour finances.

Consumers who want to learnmore about The Hartford’s life in-surance policies can call 1-877-439-0772 or visit www.hartfordinvestor.com/livingbenefits.


The donation for each butterfly is $25.00with orders due by July 20, 2011.

For more information or to purchase a butterflycall 724-463-8711 or 1-800-272-7943or visit www.vnaindianacounty.com.

Everyone is welcome.You do not need to sponsor a butterfly to attend.

Please join VNA Family Hospice

for our

Hope Takes Flight Butterfly Release

in honor and memory of your loved ones

Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 2pmYMCA of Indiana County,

Ben Franklin Road, Indiana, PA

What are those old treasures worth?18 — Indiana Gazette Senior Supplement, Wednesday, July 13, 2011

By HELAINE FENDELMAN and JOE ROSSON

Scripps Howard News Service

QUESTION: I would like to knowthe history and value of my old bu-reau. It has descended in my fami-ly, and has a hinged strip on theside that locks all six drawers. —E.P., Bedford, N.H.

DEAR E.P.: Some collectors callchests of drawers such as this one“side-locking chests,” but otherscall them “Wellington chests,”after Arthur Wellesley, first du

of life! - indiana gazetteepaper.indianagazette.com/docs/sections/110713.senior... · 2011. 8....

Documents