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2 Fairfax County Times SENIORS | October 2014 FairfaxTimes.com

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Fairfax County Times

SENIORSEditor

Graphic Designer

Contributing Writers

Corporate Advertising Director

Advertising Director

Tiffany Arnold

Anna Joyce

Karen Finucan ClarksonEllen R. CohenScott HarrisJim MahaffieKate McDermott

Dennis Wilston

Marta Wallace

PUBLISHED BY THE FAIRFAX COUNTY TIMES/POST COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC1920 ASSOCIATION DRIVE, SUITE 500, RESTON, VA 20191

Fairfax County Times Seniors is produced by Post Community Media’s SpecialSections and Advertising departments. It does not involve the company’s newsrooms.

ON THE COVER: COUPLE: ISTOCK.COM/MONKEYBUSINESS IMAGES; MAHJONG: ISTOCK.COM/EDHOR

Do you know someone in Fairfax County 50 or older with aninteresting story to tell? Do you know of an organization that provides

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FairfaxTimes.com October 2014 | Fairfax County Times SENIORS 3

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SIGN ME UP

STORY AND PHOTOSBY KAREN FINUCAN

CLARKSON

A fter several years oflugging around mah-jong sets so his wifeand others could play,

Duane Perry finally learned thegame in 2012.“I didn’t know whatI was missing,” said the Fairfaxresident. “I really enjoy the gamenow. It helps keep me mentallysharp. It’s a little bit of strategy, alittle bit of luck and a lot of fun.”

While mahjong is played bypeople of all ages, many come tothe game later in life. Such is thecase for a group of Bethesda, Md.,women that meets mostTuesdaysfor a light lunch and several games.Five years ago, not one of themknew how to play the tile game. “We were determined tolearn,” said Lynda Slayen, “but didn’t know anyone whocould teach us.We finally found a class at the JCC [JewishCommunity Center of GreaterWashington] in Rockville,Md.After six weeks, we were playing on our own.”

Mahjong, which originated in China, is a rummy-like game played with tiles rather than cards.The 152 tilesinclude three suits—bamboos, characters and dots—withnumbers running from one to nine.There also are winds,dragons, flowers and jokers.The idea is to fashion the tilesinto one of about 50 possible combinations or hands inorder to win.The game calls for four players, though thereis a three-player version.

Introduced in this country in the 1920s, the game wasaltered by players in an attempt to simplify the rules.Beforelong,every group had its own tile combinations.That led toconfusion, according to the National Mah Jongg League,which was founded in 1937 to standardize the Americanversion of the game. Each year, the league issues a new

card that updates the rules andchanges the hands in order tokeep the game fresh.

“It’s important to get famil-iar with the card,” said JerroldBudiansky of Fairfax. “Onceyou get your tiles, you need toquickly evaluate the possiblehands. It is a challenge, butthat’s part of what makes thegame so interesting.”

Seated around a card table,with a tile stand and mahjongcard in front of each player,four members of the Bethesdagroup chat amicably as theyturn tiles face down in the cen-ter. They begin by building awall—19 sets of two tiles—infront of each stand. No oneseems to count.After five yearsof play, it has become secondnature. A roll of the dice deter-mines where the first, or east,wall will be split so that play-ers can begin selecting tiles.An intricate passing routine—named after a dance called the

Charleston—ensues. Finally, with 13 tiles in front of eachplayer and 14 in front of one other, the game begins.

“I look for patterns,” saidTrish Jarrell of Bethesda. “Igroup by suit first and then look to see if I have a run,either four of a kind or a 1, 2, 3, 4—like a straight in cards.”Then she turns to the mahjong card to determine the bestpossible hands.

One after another, each player chooses a tile, either im-mediately discarding it or keeping it, and discarding anoth-er tile in her hand.The slap of discarded tiles reverberatesthrough the room, which helps keep players focused. Eachdiscarded tile is immediately up for grabs. But if a playerwants it, she must expose a part of her hand.

And there’s the rub.“Onceanopponentputs tilesup,youcan figure out what hand she is playing,” said Perry of Fair-fax.“So, the idea is that you don’t give her what she needs.”

Mahjong typically takes 20–30 minutes. Noviceplayers often need an hour to complete a game, while thosewho compete in tournaments routinely finish in 15 min-

MAHJONGmerriment

uChinese game oftiles builds bonds,friendships

Lynda Slayen of Bethesda, Md., is among agroup of local women that meets most weeks toplay mahjong over a light lunch. At top right is

a dish she made that represents the game.


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utes, said Marion Jacknow, who teachesmahjong atTemple Rodef Shalom in FallsChurch.

Most mahjong groups meet for twoor three hours, which allows for severalgames.“If the players are experienced andthere’s not a lot of kibitzing going on, youcan be done in 15 minutes,” said Budian-sky, who plays at both the Jewish Com-munity Center of Northern Virginia andTemple Rodef Shalom. But, because so-cializing is integral to the experience, threegames an hour is more typical, he said.

“We all decided early on that we weregoing to talk,” said Beth Rosenheim, whohosted the Bethesda women’s group inearly September, “and if it messed upplay, we’d be forgiving.What we wantedwas a social group.”

While some mahjong groups playfor money, many collect a token fee—justa few dollars—that is either donated tocharity or used to benefit the group as awhole. “Last year,Temple Rodef Shalom

raised $4,200 from mahjong for char-ity,” said Jacknow. “It’s a win-win.” TheBethesda group collects $2 from eachmember in attendance each time it plays.Once there’s enough money in the pot,the women treat themselves to dinner, en-hancing the social experience.

“Mahjong is such a great game on somany different levels,” said Jacknow. “Notonly is it great fun, but it constantly chal-lenges you. And, it gives you a mentalbreak. For a couple of hours, you can takeyour mind off of everything else that isgoing on your life and just have some fun.”

Mahjong, whichoriginated in China,is a rummy-like gameplayed with tiles ratherthan cards.

RIGHT: (CLOCKWISE FROMTOP LEFT) Lynda Slayen,Trish Jarrell and NinaFenton of Bethesda,Md., and Judy Brookesof Cabin John, Md.,gather for a game.

“Last year, TempleRodef Shalom

raised $4,200 frommahjong for charity.

IT'S A WIN-WIN.”– Marion Jacknow


BY KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

B efore the first vote is cast in hisSilver Spring, Md., precinct onNov. 4, Bill Waller will have putin a full day’s work. Between

training, setting up the night before anda 5 a.m.-morning-of run to Dunkin’ Do-nuts to buy breakfast for his poll work-ers,Waller will be ready for the 16-hourday ahead. “Voting is our civic duty, butit doesn’t work without volunteers,” saidWaller, the chief election judge at KempMill Elementary School.

Because the polls open earlier in Vir-ginia than Maryland, Chen D.Yang willwake at 4 a.m. “At 5 o’clock, I’ll sweareveryone in, and an hour later we’ll wel-come the first voters,” saidYang, chief elec-tion officer at Herndon Middle School.“There’s so much riding on you as an elec-tion officer.You need to be able to answervoters’ questions, respond to issues withequipment, and ensure observers followthe rules in order to uphold the integrity ofthe election process.”

It was the contested presidential elec-tion of 2000—“the one with the hangingchads,” said Reginia G. Benjamin—thatpiqued her interest in becoming an elec-tion officer. “It made me realize that I’dtaken for granted that the process here inVirginia is functional and made me won-der what happens behind the scenes. So, Isigned up for the next election,” said Ben-jamin, a Fairfax resident. “I see it as a wayto contribute to the community.”

Marilyn Emery, chief election judgeat Temple Emanuel in Kensington, Md.,views it similarly. “It’s a great way to giveback and be part of a process that toomany take for granted,” she said. “And, it

gives me a chance to catch up with neigh-bors, some of whom I only see every yearor two.”

Tom Rupp has worked the polls atRolling Valley Elementary School inSpringfield for the past six years. “It’s likea family reunion,” Rupp said. “I’ve metsome wonderful people and I enjoy hear-ing what they and their families have beenup to.” Rupp, aWest Springfield resident,

said he strives to make the voting experi-ence as pleasurable as possible, especiallywhen lines are long.“My day can start andend in darkness, but I try to ensure there’ssome sunshine in between,” he said.

Once the polls close—at 7 p.m. inVir-ginia and 8 p.m. in Maryland—there arestill several hours of work ahead. “Youhave to disassemble everything and re-store the building to its pre-election condi-

tion,” saidWaller.“There’s a whole closingroutine and, once that’s done, you needto transmit results.That can take time be-cause so many polling places are trying toreport at once.The night isn’t over until allthe ballots have been taken to the board ofelections.”

Depending on the position, electionsofficials are paid between $75 and $200in Montgomery County, Md., and $175

SIGN ME UP

Ensuring the Integrity of3

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in Fairfax County. “We are warned notto divide our pay by the number of hoursworked,” said Benjamin, noting that itcould come to less than minimum wage.“No one does this job for the money.”

“My recompense may be small andsubject to tax, but my rewards are manyand tax-free,” said Rupp.Those rewardscome in the form of a thank you, spokenby a voter leaving the polls, and a smilewhen Rupp hands out an“I voted” sticker.

What poll workers find disappoint-ing is low voter turnout. “It’s depressingto sit there all day in a precinct of 2,500voters and have just 400 come through,”saidWaller.

“I do get discouraged that not morepeople vote,” said Emery. “We are unbe-lievably lucky and privileged to live in asociety with this kind of process. Givingtwo days of my time every two years is theleast I can do to make it work.”

“My day canstart and endin darkness,but I try to

ensureTHERE’S SOME

SUNSHINEin between.”

– Tom Rupp

STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK


LIVING

BY ELLEN R. COHEN

N early seven years ago, Fairfax Nurs-ing Center founder Robert BainumestablishedTheWoodlands Retire-ment Community on the same site

asThe Gardens at Fair Oaks.Today, all proper-ties are part of a network of retirement commu-nities for people who live in and around Fair-fax. Residents atTheWoodlands have priorityaccess toThe Gardens for assisted living. If theyneed nursing care, they have priority at FairfaxNursing Home, 2 miles away.

“I like the fact thatTheWoodlands is familyowned and I don’t have to deal with a corporateentity,” said Rita Naughton, who has lived inthe community for two years. “Maintenance is

incredible, the location is ideal, and I like know-ing that the assisted and nursing facilities arenearby. I have sons in Oakton and Fairfax, sothis is convenient.”

Originally from Chicago, Naughton was areal estate broker for 31 years before retiring.“Not that many people last so long in that pro-fession,” Naughton said. Now a widow, Naugh-ton had been married to a naval officer and lived5 miles from The Woodlands. She said she’s acontented resident who likes crossword puzzles,movies, games and crafts. “I didn’t consider liv-ing anywhere else except atTheWoodlands.”

TheWoodlands was established for people62 and older who live independently and enjoya full range of activities. All residents live in

one, four-story building with three elevators.“We have approximately 140 people here,”said Marketing Director Ellen Limburg, whodescribed The Woodlands as “a small, cozy,boutique retirement community.” Couplesmake up 33 percent of the population; theremaining residents are singles, according toLimburg.The oldest resident was a 97-year-old woman.

While there are 102 apartments in thebuilding, the 15 different apartment stylesrange from 830 square feet to almost 1,900square feet. Residents can make selections thatbest suit their needs. All but nine of the apart-ments have a balcony or patio.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WOODLANDS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

“EVERYONE HERECARES ABOUTEVERYONE ELSE.You don’t feel likeyou’re living with abunch of strangers.”– Bobbie Dizenfeld

BOUTIQUE RETIREMENTThe Woodlands Fosters a Small, Cozy, Community Atmosphere


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Residents have a full-size washer anddryer and fully equipped kitchens in theirapartments. “Everyone is entitled to onemeal per calendar day,” said Limburg, add-ing that the meal could be lunch or dinner.Every Sunday, residents can enjoy the verypopular brunch.

Residents have a “life lease” on theirapartments, she said, which involves anup-front, 90-percent-refundable entrancefee prior to occupancy—returned whenthe apartment is vacated, refurbished andremarketed—in addition to a monthly ser-vice fee. “We also have a limited number ofapartments with a one-year lease that can berenewed from year to year, but those have asomewhat higher monthly fee than the en-trance fee,” said Limburg.

Most residents come from Fairfax,Annandale, Vienna and other nearby loca-tions, according to Limburg. The full-timesocial director and full-time fitness directoron staff organize a range of well-attended ac-tivities. Residents enjoy the Sunday brunchesand evening movies. Card and board games,

See WOODLANDS, 22 The Woodlands offers 15 apartment styles ranging from 830 square feet to almost 1,900 square feet.


LIVING

BY JOHN BYRD

ATan age when manyseniors are down-shifting, Al Dob-

son and his wife, Joan Da-vanzo, are enjoying life at fullthrottle—running a thrivingbusiness, entertaining regu-larly, even adding custom-designed play spaces to analready sizable house on a 2-acre lot inVienna.

“Finding reliable peopleto work with has always beenthe key to getting the mostout of life” said Dobson, 70,who started a health care con-sulting firm seven years agoand still finds time for exten-

sive travel, as well his favoritesport: auto racing.

“If you’re going to man-age a lot of challenges simul-taneously, you’ve got to haverelationships you can counton,” he said. “This has beentrue in business, but also ap-plies to my home life.”

Case in point, last year thealways-active couple decidedthey each had a pet home im-provement project in mind:a spacious, first-level garageto house Dobson’s Ducatimotorcycle and his Corvette,which he only uses for rac-ing; and for Davanzo, a lovelysunroom with floor-to-ceilingwindow walls.

“As we talked it out, weboth realized that we were ex-tending our commitment tothe house at an age when manyof our peers are simply down-sizing,” Dobson said. “Thiswas a clarifying self-discovery.”

David Foster—the con-tractor Davanzo and Dobsonhired for their expansion—said it isn’t surprising for oldercouples to seek extensive reno-vation projects. In fact, 75 per-cent of Foster’s current clientsare older than 55.

“We’re seeing more se-niors converting their long-term residence into their per-sonal dream house,” said Fos-ter, who has operated Foster

Couple Makes the Most ofLong-Term Residence with

His-and-Her Additions

FULL-THROTTLE

REMODEL

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOME FRONTS NEWS

Joan Davanzo, 60, of Vienna, said she had her heartset on a year-round sunroom with a panoramic viewof the home’s lovely wooded setting. Lorton-basedremodeler David Foster developed a plan that gaveDavanzo and her husband, Al Dobson, 70, the his-and-her additions they were looking for.


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Remodeling Solutions Inc. in Lorton formore than 35 years. “There’s a segment ofolder [homeowners] who’ve decided thatthey’re going to stick with their home intoretirement, and they want to make changesthat will allow them enjoy it more fully.”

Of course, what they also want is a posi-tive remodeling experience.

“The first group of contractors wespoke to told us that that we couldn’t getthe amount of glass in the sunroom we hadbeen looking for,” said Davanzo, 60. “The[Fairfax County] code calling for wind-re-sistant glass would really reduce our viewto the yard, but the view was the main fea-ture I wanted.”

Dobson said Foster’s experience waspalpable during their first conversation.“He started sketching out a site plan im-mediately,” Dobson said. “He also had agrasp of technical considerations the oth-ers apparently didn’t.”

The garage, which would house Dob-son’s collectible vehicles, needed a foot-print of some 400 square feet; the sun-room, one level up, would be plenty spa-

Motor sports enthusiast Al Dobson, 70, of Vienna, said his home was missing a dedicated spaceto store his motor sports vehicles. Now he has one with designer touches.See FULL-THROTTLE, 19


TRAVEL

STORY BY ELLEN R. COHENPHOTOS BY HARVEY M. COHEN

When we received an invitationto a cousin’s bat mitzvah inCalifornia, our whole family

agreed we should go.This was a long tripfor a weekend, so we considered extendingour itinerary.

“We should travel while we can be-cause as we get older, we may not be ableto go,” said my husband, Harvey Cohen,whose “bucket list” keeps growing. “If wego to California, we’re halfway to Hawaii.

We’ve never been to Hawaii.” It was notlong before we were making airline reser-vations.After volunteering to be in chargeof research and schedules, our adult chil-dren spent many hours finding activitieswe would all enjoy.

Leaving San Francisco on Aug. 10,we would return home on Aug. 21. Ourentire group would spend four nights inthe Waikiki region of Honolulu, whichis on the island of Oahu, and two nightsin the northern area of Oahu before ourson’s family left to get their twins off tocollege.We would then continue to Maui

with our daughter’s family, spending fournights there before traveling home.

The wide age gaps in our group of10 presented challenges, but we foundmany activities for people in their 70sand late 40s, and for teens and kids. Noteveryone did everything, but we all lovedHawaii’s spectacular scenery, gorgeousweather and island ambience.This groupfrom Maryland, NewYork and Connecti-cut shared many new experiences andagreed that after two weeks together, notevery family could still get along so well.

When we landed in Honolulu, we weremet by a woman who said, “Aloha,” andplaced leis around our necks. A lei is aHawaiian necklace of flowers that signifieswelcome. Our daughter-in-law Shari hadarranged this treat, and we all felt likeVIPs.

After checking into our hotel, we allheaded out for a hike to Diamond HeadState Monument, which encompassesa 760-foot-high volcanic crater. Appar-ently, 19th century sailors confused thevolcanic crystals they saw here with dia-monds, hence the name. The weatherwas hot, and the walk included a 99-step

AM H A L O

Three Generations Find Family Fun in Hawaii

On the USS Missouri. LEFT TO RIGHT: Jonah Hotchkiss,Emma Hotchkiss, Ellen Cohen, Marcia Cohen, Shari Brasner,Samantha Cohen, Jeff Cohen, Zachary Cohen, Mark Hotchkiss


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stairway that led to a steep trail to thecrater’s rim, where visitors could enjoya panoramic view of Waikiki. Harveyand I were probably the oldest hikersthat day, but we made it to the top ofthe crater in two-and-a-half hours, hotand tired, but feeling like we had ac-complished something.

We learned a great deal about theevents of Dec. 7, 1941 when we visitedPearl Harbor. Our grandkids were espe-cially impressed by the solemnity of thesite and the number of tourists visitingfrom far away.We watched a documen-tary about the USS Arizona and saw thefragment of the ship where 1,177 peoplekilled on it during the attack were en-tombed.We later visited the USS Mis-

souri, the battleship where GeneralDouglas MacArthur and Japanese For-eign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, withother high-ranking U.S. and Japaneseofficials, signed armistice documentsduring the surrender ceremony endingWWII on Sept. 2, 1945.

Later that afternoon, we all hiked toManoa Falls, making our way along the1.6-mile trail, which runs along a streamthrough gorgeous rain forest foliage to aspectacular, very high waterfall. Every-one enjoyed the beauties of nature, butI must confess that without my son Jeff’sstrong arm for me to hold on to, I couldnot have continued on the scenic, but

Jonah Hotchkiss up on his board...Everyone took surfing lessonssave for Grandma and Pop Pop.

FRONT TO BACK: Jeff Cohen, Ellen Cohen, Samantha Cohen hike to DiamondHead State Monument. Apparently, 19th century sailors confused the

volcanic crystals they saw here with diamonds, hence the name.

See HAWAII, 17


he concept of mo-bile dentistry isnot new. Dental-equipped vanshave been servingpatients at seniorliving facilities,schools and daycare centers fordecades. But those

who work with the geriatric populationsay that vans, while providing a valuableservice, are not ideal for patients whooften suffer from significant mobility andcognitive issues.

Kelly G. Harms is the executive direc-tor of Brightview Fallsgrove, an assistedliving and dementia care facility in Rock-ville, Md. She recognizes the importanceof oral care for her residents, but said shehas never considered the use of a mobiledental van at her facility. “It is not alwaysthe best experience for our residents,” shesaid. “The vans can be loud because ofthe generators and that can be hard forpatients with dementia and cognitive im-pairments.”

So Harms has teamed up with GerryM. Dubin, D.M.D., to bring dental care

to her residents’ bedsides.Dubin’s company, DistrictMobile Dental, provides full-service, on-site dental care forolder patients in their homesor in the senior living com-munities in which they reside.The service eliminates manyof the obstacles associatedwith a trip to the dentist’s of-fice—or the dental van.Thoseobstacles are often as basic asnavigating steps, especiallyfor those who rely on canes,walkers or wheelchairs. “Evenfor those who are in indepen-dent living, getting aroundbecomes hard,” Dubin said.

And for those with cognitive issues,even the slightest change in their sur-roundings can be upsetting. CarolynFalk’s husband, James Falk, is a residentof the Hermitage in Alexandria, and suf-fers from dementia. “I knew his teeth hadbeen neglected, but I really dreaded tak-ing him out,” she said. So when she sawa flyer announcing that District MobileDental was coming to the Hermitage,

Carolyn Falk jumped at thechance to take advantage of it.“I was impressed by the waythe equipment was set up,” shesaid.“All of a sudden there wasa dental chair in his room.”

That meant James Falk’s“trip” to the dentist required notravel at all. “My husband wasvery tired after (the treatment)and said he wanted to take anap,” Carolyn Falk recalled.“SoI said, ‘OK. Walk over to yourbed and take a nap.’”

Hester Bausback, direc-tor of nursing at Arbor Place,an assisted living residence inRockville for those with Al-zheimer’s disease and other

memory impairments, understands thechallenges caregivers like Carolyn Falkface. “For families, especially those ofpatients with dementia, it is so hard forthem to take their loved ones anywherebecause (the patients) get agitated andconfused,” she said. “Dr. Dubin comesin with everything possible, and residentscan stay in their wheelchairs if necessary.Families just love it.”

“Dental care in the elderly has prettymuch been ignored,” Dubin said, notingthat most seniors don’t have dental insur-ance and cannot afford regular dental vis-its. But the overall health consequences ofdental neglect can be deadly, he stressed.Studies have linked poor oral hygiene toa higher risk of diabetes and heart dis-ease. And Dubin pointed to an AmericanGeriatrics Society report that found thatroughly one in 10 deaths from pneumo-nia in nursing homes could be preventedby improving oral care.

“We are really trying to emphasizecomprehensive dental care for the geriat-ric population,” he said, noting that evenin healthy seniors, chronic conditionssuch as arthritis can make it more difficultto maintain healthy dental habits, such asregular brushing and flossing. That canexacerbate decay or lead to abscesses orother infections that could travel to otherparts of the body.The result, Dubin said,is that patients often suffer needlessly.“Right now a lot of what we do is emer-gency care,” he said.

Seniors’ dental issues are also the prod-uct of “several iterations of dental care,”said Michael C. Griffiths, D.D.S. Griffithshas been practicing dentistry in theWash-ington, D.C., area for more than 35 yearsand is the first to admit that technologyand treatments have improved dramati-cally over the years, but many seniors’mouths reflect rudimentary care—or nocare at all. “We tend to see a lot of miss-ing teeth in seniors because during theirlifetimes, extractions were the best kindof dental care they could get,” he said.

And it doesn’t help that many ofthese patients are now dealing with awhole host of medical conditions that canactually cause dental problems. “Manyof these patients have multiple, chronic,complex conditions, such as diabetes andhypertension, and are taking multiplemedications ... ” Griffiths said. “Some ofthose medications, such as those used totreat high blood pressure, can make pa-tients more susceptible to gum disease.”

Like Dubin, Griffiths can care for geri-atric patients in the facilities in which theylive or in their own homes. Using specialdental tools, these “traveling” dentists canperform everything from routine cleaningsto more advanced treatments such as den-ture fittings, crowns and fillings.The equip-ment Dubin uses is so mobile that he canestablish an on-site dental office in just min-

HEALTH

“I wasimpressed bythe way theequipmentwas set up.ALL OF ASUDDEN

THERE WASA DENTAL

CHAIR IN HISROOM.”– Carolyn Falk

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COURTESY OF SAMANTHA STAR STRAF

Gerry M. Dubin, D.M.D., provides dental services for Lila Skaer at herresidence at the Hermitage in Alexandria.

utes.The equipment can be assembled tostand alone or can be affixed to patients’chairs or beds if need be.Hand tools, suchas the drill, feature lights that eliminatethe need for a large overhead lamp. EvenDubin’s eyeglasses have a built-in light.

But those who work with the seniorpopulation say having the right equip-ment is only part of the solution. “Dr.Dubin is a very dynamic person, but he isvery gentle with our residents,” Bausbacksaid. “Some people are good at dealingwith children. What I find is that Dr.Dubin and his staff are not afraid to dealwith people with dementia.”

Griffiths said geriatric patients deservean extra dose of dignity with their care.He wants to make sure that their dentalproblems won’t stop them from attend-ing the next family wedding or militaryreunion. “The last thing you want to dois decrease their socialization capabilities,”he said. Providing comprehensive care tosenior patients is critical to ensuring theyremain healthy and active and are thriving,he added.

Dubin agrees. He has been passionateabout the importance of geriatric dentalcare since he first began practicing den-tistry 30 years ago. He volunteered hisservices to the older residents of the He-

brew Home of Greater Washington andeventually became the facility’s directorof dental services. Although he decidedto step down from that role after severalyears so he could focus on his privatepractice, he continues to advocate forbetter oral care for seniors, somethinghe stresses to students at the Universityof Maryland School of Dentistry, wherehe is a member of the dean’s faculty.

Given the onslaught of aging babyboomers,futuredentistswillassuredlyhavean abundant client base.And today’s den-tal students who are,or have watched theirparents serve as, caregivers to older familymembers will certainly have a greater ap-preciation for the needs of senior patients.

ForSamanthaStarStraf,whooverseesthe care of her 96-year-old grandmother,Lila Skaer, having an on-site dental visitin her grandmother’s home makes lifeeasier for both of them. “I knew that mygrandmother hadn’t been to the dentistfor many years and that she had on-and-off tooth pain,” Straf said. “But for me totake her to the dentist, I have to take anentire half day off.Now I just have to takeoff two hours. I can go to the Hermitage(to be with her) and I don’t have to trans-port her in my car. And it is much lessstressful for her.”


BY JIM MAHAFFIE

y father recently had a series offalls, resulting in doctor visits and,finally, hip surgery. He’s workingclosely with a physical therapist,not only to help him with his new

hip, but also to help him prevent other falls.As it turns out, this is a very familiar story. One in

three people older than 65 have a fall each year, withdifferent degrees of severity. Of those, about one-thirdsuffer a serious injury, said Miriam Kelty, who runs aNeighbors Assisting Neighbors program in Bethesda,Md.A former associate director of the National Instituteon Aging at the National Institutes of Health, Kelty saidstaying physically active, maintaining good eyesight andhearing, and checking medications and home modifica-tions all play a role in fall risks and prevention. “Physi-cians often do not advise their older patients about fallsprevention,” she said.“Another thing you can do to pre-vent falls is to raise the topic with your primary care doc-tor and with other health care providers and encouragethem to keep up to date on falls prevention strategies andprograms.”

“All falls are scary,” said Crissy Nunley, a nurse withthe Senior+ Program at Herndon Senior Center in Fair-fax County. “I hear stories all the time, and as soon as Igot here I could see falls were a big problem.” Senior+is sponsored by Easter Seals in conjunction with FairfaxCounty. It works with seniors to do mobility assessmentsand offers classes such as tai chi, chair aerobics and fallprevention education.

“People have to know that part of this is in their ownhands and under their own control,” said Ruth Junkin,director of the Herndon Senior Center.“Whatever youcan do, you need to keep moving and you will helpprevent a fall. Use it or lose it.”

MOVING TOWARD PREVENTION:EXERCISE HELPS

Nunley said that staying active and doing ex-ercise were critical.“Even if you have balance is-sues you can do chair exercise classes,”she said.Chair exercise classes are conducted almostevery day at the Herndon Senior Centerand other centers around the area. “Yoga,Pilates, tai chi, Fit 4 Life, aerobics, weight-lifting … just because they’re not called ‘fallprevention’ doesn’t mean they don’t help,”said Nunley.

The Herndon Senior Center has expe-rienced nurses and physical therapists whocan assess your gait and balance and makerecommendations and adjustments to help

mobility. Doctors and pharmacists can look at medica-tions for side effects and interactions that may cause ver-tigo, said Nunley. “We do regular blood pressure checksand vision checks because irregularities cause dizzinessthat can lead to falls.”

“I also remind folks to get up slowly and stand a fewseconds before walking to allow their blood pressure toadjust, and to make sure their walkers are locked firstwhen they go to stand or sit,” said Nunley.“And having asturdy, supportive shoe with rubber soles to prevent slip-ping is key, especially in the summer when it’s easy to puton sandals and flip flops.”

Pat Karlsson Backe, a balance and mobility mas-ter instructor for FallProof, teaches fall prevention andperforms fall-risk assessments in homes around theWashington, D.C., region.

She said older adults tend to shuffle their feet morethan younger people,which can lead to falls. In her class-es, attendees are up on their toes and heels to walk, try-ing to eliminate the shuffle issue. Backe works on corestrength, extending the spine and turning and twistingside to side—but doing it safely.

DESIGN FOR BETTER MOBILITYFor a lot less money than remodeling a home, you

can incorporate elements of universal design. Mea-sures designed to lessen fall risks include installation ofgrab bars in showers, nonslip floors, a shower seat andelevated toilet seat, railings on staircases and along halls,and improved lighting.

Backe said people fall the most in places where thereare throw rugs. “Catching feet on carpet is a big prob-lem,” Backe said. She also suggested eliminating trip-ping hazards. “Get rid of junk on the floor, children’stoys and pet toys,” she said. Other hazards include pets,cords, plants and loose shoes.

Furniture can be placed where you can hold ontoit as you pass, Backe said. She also suggested taking aclose look at the height of your bed and making sureit’s not too high or too low.

Do you improve the person or the home? “The obvi-ous answer is both,” said Beth Baker,Takoma Park,Md.,resident and author of “With a Little Help from OurFriends—Creating Community as We Grow Older.”Her mother had issues with falling. “She fell repeatedlywhile living in a split-level house in Bethesda after 45years.Then she moved to Asbury [MethodistVillage inGaithersburg, Md.] and lived independently.” But thefalls continued. “She ended up in a wheelchair becauseshe was so afraid of falling,” Baker said. “It had a pro-found effect on her life.”

Baker and her husband are in their 60s and live in abungalow, where they’re making the master bedroomand bath completely accessible on the main floor.

HEALTH

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Yoga, Pilatesand tai chiare amongthe exercisesthat can helpreduce riskof falls.

“I remind folks toGET UP SLOWLY

and stand a few seconds beforewalking to allow their blood

pressure to adjust ...”– Crissy Nunley

JUPITERIMAGES/STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK


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steep and rocky, terrain. I kept thinkingthat I would really not like to fall andbreak a hip at this point in the trip.

Surfing lessons for everyone butGrandma and Pop Pop were on theagenda for our next day at WaikikiBeach.The excellent instructors got ev-eryone up on their boards several times.Harvey and I took photos and enjoyedlooking through our telephoto lenses.The group thought surfing was greatuntil my grandson Zachary, 18, hit arock and cut his foot, and my daughterMarcia fell off her board and sprained afinger. Surfing can be hazardous, as wefound out when we went in search of abandage for Zach’s foot and spoke withthe instructor. He said when people renta board and go out without instruction,they risk getting hurt. He then pointedto a young man lying on the beach priorto being taken to the hospital.

Harvey and I especially enjoyed theU.S. Army Museum at Fort DeRussyMilitary Reservation in Oahu, wherewe watched an excellent documentaryabout Nisei Americans, children of Japa-nese immigrants born in the U.S. whofought for the U.S. inWWII and helpedliberate Nazi death camps.We enjoyedhearing comments from people wholived through that era and watching sub-sequent ceremonies of thanks.

A luau is a must for those who visitHawaii. This family-style buffet dinnerserved under the stars blends traditionalfoods like roast pig and poi (a taro rootdish)withPolynesianentertainment:huladancing, Hawaiian singing and Samoan

fire-knife dances. Our daughter found awebsite with Hawaiian shirts and dressesat sale prices, and our children orderedthem for us all, so we could wear authen-tic Hawaiian clothing when we went tothe Paradise Cove Luau in Kapolei.

Our children had researched the Poly-nesian Cultural Center, a Polynesian-themed park in Laie, on the northernshore of Oahu. It features eight simulatedtropical villages with performers whodemonstrate various arts and crafts fromthe island cultures of Hawaii,Fiji, Samoa,Tahiti,Tonga and other Polynesian areas.

When our son’s family went homefrom Oahu, the rest of us flew to Maui,a more restful island where visitors canenjoy the beauties of sun, surf, beach andnature. After checking into our hotel, theafternoon activity was a visit to HaleakalNational Park, site of a dormant 10,000-foot volcano.Hairpin curveson the road—which went from near sea level to 10,023feet in 38 miles—presented a driving chal-lenge for visitors as the road ascendedthrough several climate and vegetationzones. There was interesting foliage alongthe way, particularly the silver swords, rareHawaiian plants that grow only at high el-evations. It was cold,windy and rocky,andwe were glad we brought fleece jackets.

The day before leaving Hawaii, wedrove on the Hana Highway, a winding,twisting coast road from Paia to Hana.This 42-mile road has more than 617hairpin curves and more than 56 one-lanebridges. It’s slow going.Visitors stop peri-odically to see ocean-front views, magnifi-cent foliage and spectacular waterfalls,andto hike and swim along the way.We electedto go just halfway, but we understood whyso many travelers wish to take this drive.

HAWAII, continued from 13

Playing in a stream off the road to Hana, Maui LEFT TO RIGHT (FRONT):Harvey Cohen, Marcia Cohen, Emma Hotchkiss (BACK): Jonah Hotchkiss


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BY SCOTT HARRIS

AS technology mi-grates from thetop of the desk tothe palm of thehand, all sorts of

tasks and tools are becoming easier to findand to carry out. Seniors who are goingmobile are finding they have a world of newoptions for how they go about their dailylives, from the way they talk to family mem-bers to the way they find a good hotel.

Data released in April by the Pew Re-search Center, a nonpartisan Washingtonthink tank, found that 59 percent of seniorsgo online at some point in the course ofa year. What’s more, 27 percent of olderadults own a tablet, an e-book reader orboth. Only 18 percent of seniors use smart-phones (compared with the national rateof 55 percent), but that rate is up from 11percent in 2011.

“There’s as much of a rapid increase inuse of these technologies in older peopleas there is among the young,” said RobertGold, chairman of the Department of Epi-demiology and Biostatistics at University ofMaryland’s School of Public Health in Col-lege Park, Md.

Smartphone and tablet users can cus-tomize their phones by downloading dif-

ferent applications—“apps” for short—thatperform specific functions, from finding arestaurant to managing medications. Mostapps are available free or for a small fee.

With well over 1 million apps in Apple’sApp Store alone, the possibilities are limitedonly by the imagination—and by a user’swillingness and ability to capitalize.Thoughsome segments of the older populationhave been slow to adopt new technologies,tablets and smartphones are proving to bemore approachable than computers.

“We get a lot of people who just re-ceived a laptop and are not sure how toturn it on, but we are also getting morepeople who are ready to do more with aniPad,” said Robin Blackman, a senior tech-nology program specialist with the JewishCouncil for the Aging, a Rockville, Md.-based organization that offers educationand various other services to older adultsacross the national capital region.

Here are 10 apps that experts said justabout any senior could benefit from:

10 Pandora. According to JuliaLoughran, a JCA volunteer who

teaches a course in Fairfax County on smart-phones and tablets, this free music app helpsconnect seniors to the music they grew upwith, tunes that might not be on the radioanymore.That can mean a lot to people.

9 Yelp. This free app gives the powerto the customer. Users can find out

what real people are saying about restau-rants, shops and other businesses, andcontribute their own opinions if theywish.

8 TripAdvisor. “Seniors travel a lot,”Loughran said. “They don’t want to

be taken advantage of, and they want tofind a good deal.” LikeYelp,TripAdvisoroffers ratings of hotels, airlines and othertravel-related business and services basedon the feedback of fellow travelers.

7 Skype. The free app allows peoplein different locations not only to talk,

but also to see each other via video chat.Those calls to the grandkids just got a lotmore exciting.

6 Luminosity. This and other apps likeit offer brain games that do more than

entertain. Some early research shows thesegames can improve memory and other cog-nitive functions.

5 Kindle. This reading app brings mil-lions of books to a smartphone or tablet

screen.The tablet,with its larger screen andlarger type, may be particularly valuable toseniors.

4 Amazon. Seniors with reduced mo-bility can find it harder to get out and

buy the things they need or want. Amazonbrings it all to you. Shop for pretty muchanything—from glasses to potato chips—from the comfort of your favorite chair andwith the simple touch of a screen.

3 Google Maps. Never get lost again.Most phones these days have GPS,

which means their location can be trackedby satellite (though this capability can beturned off when not in use to help protectprivacy). Google Maps and similar appsformulate driving or walking directions inreal time and adjust them in the event of adetour—intentional or otherwise.

2 Facebook.With more than 1 billionactive users, chances are good that just

aboutanyonewillbeable to findfamiliar facesand keep in closer touch with loved ones.

1 MedCoach.This app and others likeit help seniors keep track of their medi-

cations, including reminders about whento take specific meds. According to Gold,that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “There’sa greater capacity now to monitor thingslike blood pressure,” Gold said. “And itcan allow clinicians to monitor differentbehaviors.”

“We are also getting more people whoare ready to do more with an iPad.”

“There’s asmuch of arapid increase in use ofthese technologies inolder people as there isamong the young.”

“They don’t want to be taken advantageof, and they want to find a good deal.”

“There’s a greater capacitynow to monitor things likeblood pressure. And it canallow clinicians to monitordifferent behaviors.”

If you’re goingto manage a lotof challengessimultaneously,YOU’VE GOT TO HAVERELATIONSHIPS YOUCAN COUNT ON. Thishas been true in business,but also applies to myhome life.”– Al Dobson

cious at slightly over 200 square feet.Foster’s “stacked” pyramidal designnot only satisfied the couple’s use re-quirements, but it also left growingroom for a grove of mature trees bor-dering the property’s perimeter.

The plan was partly predicatedon lowering the lot’s existing gradeby 5 feet, enough to carve out afoundation for the garage and createdriveway access.

The foundation itself was inte-gral to an engineering solution thatcould meet Fairfax County buildingrequirements and accommodate thevolume of glass the couple sought forthe sunroom. Though not visible tothe naked eye, the infrastructure al-lowed designers to extend windows towithin a few feet of the floor and mereinches from the corner of the room.“The design gives us a really stunningview in all directions,” Davanzo said.

The new space can also be com-fortably occupied throughout theyear. “All the windows are low-e, ar-gon-filled, double pane—state of the

art thermal resistance,” Foster said.To reinforce the comforting insu-

lation, the contractor applied ther-mally resistant spray foam behindthe wall surfaces and even drilledholes in the steel columns too for anadded infusion.

“It’s all about creating a tightstructure,” Foster said. “That’s whatkeeps outside temperatures out.”

The sunroom feature Davanzosaid she appreciates most this time ofyear is how fluidly it opens to early au-tumn’s breezes. All the windows arecasement-style and can be indepen-dently adjusted to let in cross breezes.Overhead, two ventilating skylightsopen electronically and independently.The skylights are equipped with elec-tric blinds and rain sensors.

The room’s interior design scheme,which Davanzo developed with Foster,reflected some of the couple’s favoritememories.The golden duotone teak-wood floor—comprised of a framedrectangular perimeter with diagonalslats—was a pattern the couple cameupon during their travels in Italy.

The tongue-and-groove ceiling and

warm, sea-foam green wall color har-kened back to childhood adventures inthe country.

“This is where I spend most of mytime when I’m at home,”Davanzo said.

Dobson’s favorite hangout is his new“man cave” garage, which houses theCorvette, the Italian motorcycle and asound system that plays choice soundsof the 1950s and ’60s. A racing enthu-siast who participates in time trials atSummit Point, W. Va., Dobson saidhe wanted a room that spoke to hispassion for motor sports. Underfoot,PVC tiles in an iconic checkerboardpattern set the tone for a private re-treat decorated with ’60s movie post-ers and other period memorabilia.

“It’s a really peaceful spot to justrelax,” Dobson said.“That’s what thisprocess was always for, so I’m glad wepursued it.”

Foster Remodeling Solutionsperiodically offers workshops on

home remodeling topics.For information, call 703-550-1371

or visit fosterremodeling.com.


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FULL-THROTTLE, continued from 11

e goingage a lotengesneously

“


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1930225

A Community Built Around You

14400 Woodmere Court Centreville, VA 20120

703-802-9501

Senior Apartment Community

Enjoy All That Life Has To OfferAt Forest Glen we combine the comfortsof home with the retirement lifestyle

you have always wanted.

Sit back, relax and let us take care of the details.

• Desirable Centreville Location• Walk to Shops, Banks and Restaurants

•Maintenance-Free Living• Move In Specials on Select Units

• Free Gas Heat• Emergency Response System• Active Social Calendar• Adults 62+ or Disabled

BY SHARON NAYLOR

Y our mother’s engagementring. Your extra car. Yourworkshop full of priceywoodworking tools that youdon’t use anymore.You may

have a list, or just an idea, of which of yourkids and grandkids you’d like to leave thesevaluable items to after you pass away. Andyou probably want to avoid the commonproblem of family members fighting overinheritances.

Even the most mild-mannered people,perhaps fueled by their grief, can behaveirrationally or get greedy when it comes toinheritances.You don’t want your familyto end up fighting in court, battling overthat ring, car and drill, fracturing the fam-ily and wasting money on legal fees. Andyou certainly don’t want them angry withyou after you’re gone, feeling that you’vefavored one child over another.

Some seniors are anxious enoughabout the inheritance of their belongingsto create a plan in advance, gifting theirkids and grandkids with a number of itemsso that their offspring can enjoy them now,and so the seniors can see their kids andgrandkids enjoying those beloved items.“I’d love to see my granddaughter wearmy mother’s engagement ring,” said AnneDaniels, a retiree. “What good is it doingin my safe?”

The joy of seeing kids and grandkidswearing and enjoying jewelry can make ittotally worth the decision to give them theitems they otherwise would have receivedvia a letter, after you’re gone, when they

are sad. “I wouldn’t want that ring to be asymbol of sadness for my granddaughter,”Daniels said.

Many grandparents enjoy the momentof giving a grandchild the keys to theirextra car or giving their kids their RV for across-country trip.

And then, of course, there are financialconsiderations. The car or RV could besold by your kids to help finance the startof a business, to put a down payment on ahome in a safer community or to help payfor your grandchild’s college tuition.

Before you start making calls to yourkids and grandkids to offer them yourpossessions, talk to your accountant andtax advisers.While you may resent UncleSam’s place in line for the value of yourbelongings, there are strict tax rules aboutgifts given to relatives.Ask your tax adviserfor the current value limit on tax-free giftsso that you stay within the letter of the law.

Tax values of pre-inheritance gifts aredifferent from inheritance taxes and es-tate taxes, which are configured after yourdeath.These are tax values applied to per-sonal gifts, and you will need professionaltax advice to assess and document each ofthese gifts before you bestow them.

Tax issues aside, think about your kids’and grandkids’ connections to the itemsyou’d like to leave them to help you de-cide who gets what. If your daughter wasespecially close to your mother, she maybe the most logical choice to inherit yourmother’s engagement ring. Have it profes-sionally assessed for its value, and recordthat value in your daughter’s “column” onyour gift records.Your son, then, may get a

FINANCES

BEQUEATHNOWShould You Give Kids and GrandkidsInheritance Items Before You Die?


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gift or gifts of equal financial value, if thatis how you’d like to divide your presents.

Once you’ve decided who gets whichpre-inheritance gift, and once the valuesare recorded and assessed by your tax pro-fessionals for your safety, you may enjoyplanning the presentation of these gifts toyour loved ones.

Will you put a big red bow on the car?Give your daughter the ring in your moth-er’s jewelry box? Before you decide on thepresentation, consider that your kids andgrandkids may be taken aback by the deliv-ery. It is, after all, difficult for them to eventhink about the day when you’re no longeralive, and they might see your gift presen-tations as a sign that you’re gravely ill—orperhaps depressed.

To avoid shocking them, discuss withthem ahead of time that you’ve been think-ing about giving them some of your pre-cious possessions so that you can enjoywitnessing them enjoying these items.Expect some questions and concern, butonce you assure them you’re feeling justfine, you all can look forward to your ges-tures of generosity. Maybe you’ll give outthese items as holiday presents.

Once your gifts are given, it’s a goodtime to talk with your children about yourwishes for after your death, how you’d likethem to handle your estate and how you’dlike them to let you know if there are other

items they feel strongly about. “Once theygot comfortable with this macabre conver-sation,” said retiree George McArdle, “weactually had fun talking about and record-ing who would like to inherit what, andmy sons surprised me by the things theyconsidered most valuable to them. Likemy fishing poles and crabbing gear,not mywristwatches.”

If two of your kids express interest in,say, a painting, talk together to decide nowwho will inherit it, and put it in writing sothat your loved ones don’t wind up wast-ing their post-tax inheritance money hiringlawyers to get that $50 painting or thosefishing poles.

Invite your kids to create their own per-sonal estate plans, as well, so that their kidsare protected in case of the worst. It’s notfun talking about death, but clear commu-nication now can help avoid clashes later.

– Creators.com

RING: CREATORS.COM; CAR: PHOTOS.COM/THINKSTOCK

Put it in writing so thatyour loved ones don’twind up wasting theirpost-tax inheritance

money hiring lawyersto get that $50 paintingor those fishing poles.


1930084

musical presentations and classes on a va-riety of subjects are always very popular.Favorite fitness activities include openswim, stretching, aerobics other exercises.

Transportation is available “on re-quest” for residents who wish to be takento appointments of various kinds.Thereis no charge for destinations within a 10-mile radius, said Limburg.

Art Meiners, 79, moved from Burkeafter his wife passed away in 2011. He haslived atTheWoodlands for two-and-a-halfyears. Originally from Kansas City, Mo., heretired from the Navy after 21 years. Untillast year, Meiners taught management atMarymount University’s business school inArlington, which he had done for 27 years.

Meiners said he likes the exercise pro-gram atTheWoodlands and enjoys work-ing out at the gym, swimming and walk-ing around the lake. He also enjoys theMonday Night Men’s Poker Group, theWednesday and Saturday Bridge Club,and the nightly movies with popcorn.“You stay busy,” said Meiners, who hastwo daughters and a son in the area. “Ev-eryone is retired and around the same age.There are many activities.”

Pets that weigh 40 pounds or lessare permitted at The Woodlands. Lindaand James McAllan, originally from theFalls Church area, have lived in the com-munity since March. Relative newcomers,they researched a number of area retire-ment communities before deciding onTheWoodlands, which they called “perfect.”

Their daughter lives minutes away, andthey like the fact that this is a small com-munity, locally owned and managed.“Our dog, 5-year-old Riley, a Shih Tzu,is a happy member of the family who hasgiven pleasure to many residents here,”said James McAllan, 87, who retired fromthe Army Reserves in 1980.

Linda McAllan, 76, retired from theInternal Revenue Service in the early1990s. She and her husband said theyenjoy The Woodlands’ musical presenta-tions and the “friendly, interesting peo-ple” in this community.

Bobbie Dizenfeld, 87, has lived atThe Woodlands since it opened in 2008.Originally from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Di-zenfeld came to Fairfax with her husbandin 1963. They worked for the federalgovernment before retiring. “We wereimpressed by the wonderful care we gotand the fact that the Bainum family caresabout people,” she said.

Dizenfeld’s husband passed away fouryears ago, but she said she doesn’t feel likeshe’s alone. “The Woodlands is like a bigfamily,” said Dizenfeld. “Everyone herecares about everyone else.You don’t feellike you’re living with a bunch of strangers.”

The Woodlands Retirement Community4320 Forest Hill DriveFairfax, VA 22030703-667-9800

thewoodlandsccrc.com

WOODLANDS, continued from 9

Nearly seven years ago, Fairfax Nursing Center founder Robert Bainumestablished The Woodlands Retirement Community.


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