gazseniors 102214

2 Gazette SENIORS | October 2014 Gazette.Net

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Gazette.Net October 2014 | Gazette SENIORS 3

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Tiffany Arnold

Anna Joyce

Karen Finucan ClarksonEllen R. CohenScott HarrisArlene KaridisJim MahaffieKate McDermott

Dennis Wilston

Anna Joyce

Celeste Polster

Ellen Pankake

Ashby Rice

GAZETTE

SENIORS

PUBLISHED BY THE GAZETTE/POST COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC9030 COMPRINT COURT, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20877 | GAZETTE.NET

Gazette Seniors is produced by The Gazette’s Special Sections and Advertising departments.It does not involve The Gazette’s newsrooms. Contact us at [email protected].

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Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - Friday, October 31, 2014

Free electronic hearing tests will be given from Wednesday, October 22ndthrough Friday, October 31st at select locations.

Tests have been arranged for anyone who suspects they are losing theirhearing. Such persons generally say they can hear but cannot understandwords. Testing with the latest computerized equipment will indicate if you canbe helped.

Everyone, especially adults over 55, should have an electronic hearingtest at least once a year. If there is a hearing problem, hearing tests may revealthat newly developed methods of correction will help, even for those who havebeen told in the past that a hearing aid would not help them.

If you suspect you have hearing loss, call for a free hearing testappointment. Our licensed specialists are trained in the latest auditory testingmethods and will be the first ones to tell you if you don’t need a hearing aid. Ifyou do have hearing loss, we will explain your results and provide you with alist of options.

Call today for an appointmentBethesda, MD301-493-5599

Wildwood Medical Center10401 Old Georgetown Rd,

Suite 102

Silver Spring, MD301-933-0557

Connecticut BelairMedical Park

3915 Ferrara Drive

Frederick, MD301-663-3141

Guilford Professional Ctr5950 Frederick Crossing Ln.

Suite 100

Gaithersburg, MD301-869-3278

Sears Hearing Centerby Beltone

Lakeforest Mall701 Russell Ave

Free Hearing Testsset for

Area Residents Age 55+


BY KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

B efore the first vote is cast in his Sil-ver Spring precinct on Nov. 4, BillWaller will have put in a full day’swork. Between training, setting up

the night before and a 5 a.m.-morning-ofrun to Dunkin’ Donuts to buy breakfast forhis poll workers,Waller will be ready for the16-hour day ahead. “Voting is our civic duty,but it doesn’t work without volunteers,” saidWaller, the chief election judge at Kemp MillElementary School.

Because the polls open earlier in Virginiathan Maryland, Chen D.Yang will wake at 4a.m. “At 5 o’clock, I’ll swear everyone in, andan hour later we’ll welcome the first voters,”said Yang, chief election officer at HerndonMiddle School. “There’s so much riding onyou as an election officer.You need to be ableto answer voters’ questions, respond to issueswith equipment, and ensure observers followthe rules in order to uphold the integrity of theelection process.”

It was the contested presidential electionof 2000—“the one with the hanging chads,”said Reginia G. Benjamin—that piqued herinterest in becoming an election officer. “Itmade me realize that I’d taken for granted thatthe process here in Virginia is functional andmade me wonder what happens behind thescenes. So, I signed up for the next election,”said Benjamin, a Fairfax,Va., resident. “I seeit as a way to contribute to the community.”

Marilyn Emery, chief election judge atTemple Emanuel in Kensington, views it sim-ilarly.“It’s a great way to give back and be partof a process that too many take for granted,”she said. “And, it gives me a chance to catchup with neighbors, some of whom I only seeevery year or two.”

Tom Rupp has worked the polls at Roll-ing Valley Elementary School in Springfield,Va., for the past six years. “It’s like a family re-union,” Rupp said. “I’ve met some wonderfulpeople and I enjoy hearing what they and theirfamilies have been up to.”Rupp, aWest Spring-

field resident, said he strives to make the votingexperience as pleasurable as possible, especiallywhen lines are long.“My day can start and endin darkness, but I try to ensure there’s somesunshine in between,” he said.

Once the polls close—at 7 p.m. inVirginiaand 8 p.m. in Maryland—there are still sev-eral hours of work ahead. “You have to dis-assemble everything and restore the buildingto its pre-election condition,” said Waller.“There’s a whole closing routine and, oncethat’s done, you need to transmit results.That can take time because so many pollingplaces are trying to report at once.The nightisn’t over until all the ballots have been takento the board of elections.”

Depending on the position, elections offi-cials are paid between $75 and $200 in Mont-gomery County, and $175 in Fairfax County.

“We are warned not to divide our pay by thenumber of hours worked,” said Benjamin, not-ing that it could come to less than minimumwage. “No one does this job for the money.”

“My recompense may be small and sub-ject to tax, but my rewards are many and tax-free,” said Rupp.Those rewards come in theform of a thank you, spoken by a voter leavingthe polls, and a smile when Rupp hands outan “I voted” sticker.

What poll workers find disappointing is lowvoter turnout. “It’s depressing to sit there allday in a precinct of 2,500 voters and have just400 come through,” saidWaller.

“I do get discouraged that not more peoplevote,” said Emery. “We are unbelievably luckyand privileged to live in a society with this kindof process. Giving two days of my time everytwo years is the least I can do to make it work.”

SIGN ME UP

Ensuring the Integrity of3

ISTOCK.COM/FSTOP123

ELECTIONS

“My day canstart and end

in darkness, butI try to ensureTHERE’S SOME

SUNSHINEin between.”

– Tom Rupp


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 knowwhat I was missing,” said the Fair-fax, Va., resident. “I really enjoythe game now. It helps keep mementally sharp. It’s a little bit ofstrategy, a little bit of luck and alot of fun.”

While mahjong is played bypeople of all ages, many cometo the game later in life. Such isthe case for a group of Bethesdawomen that meets mostTuesdaysfor a light lunch and several gamesof mahjong. Five years ago, not one of them knew how toplay the tile game. “We were determined to learn,” saidLynda Slayton, “but didn’t know anyone who could teachus.We finally found a class at the JCC [Jewish Commu-nity Center of GreaterWashington] in Rockville. After sixweeks, 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. Be-fore long, every group had its own tile combinations.Thatled to confusion, according to the National Mah JonggLeague, which was founded in 1937 to standardize the

American version of the game.Each year, the league issues anew card that updates the rulesand changes the hands in orderto keep 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 playerscan begin selecting tiles. An

intricate passing routine—named after a dance called theCharleston—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

MAHJONGmerriment

uChinese game oftiles builds bonds,friendships

Lynda Slayton of Bethesda is among a groupof local women that meets most weeks to playmahjong over a light lunch. At top right is a

dish she made that represents the game.


those who compete in tournaments rou-tinely finish in 15 minutes, said MarionJacknow, who teaches mahjong atTempleRodef Shalom in Falls Church,Va.

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 NorthernVirginia 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 a

whole. “Last year,Temple Rodef Shalomraised $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: (CLOCKWISEFROM TOP LEFT) LyndaSlayton, Trish Jarrelland Nina Fenton ofBethesda and JudyBrookes of Cabin Johngather for a game.

“Last year, TempleRodef Shalom

raised $4,200 frommahjong for charity.

IT'S A WIN-WIN.”– Marion Jacknow


LIVING

BY ARLENE KARIDIS

P eggy Adams was recently widowed, liv-ing alone, and eager to start a new lifechapter as she moved into Ingleside atKing Farm when the Rockville retire-

ment community opened in March 2009.“I like people. I need people, and I made

friends fast,” said Adams, 86. “We wouldsit around the dinner table or get together atlunch, and we got to know each other.”

Perched within the city’s King Farm com-munity, Ingleside at King Farm houses 245independent living units, 32 assisted livingapartments and 45 units for comprehensivecare (skilled nursing).

“We all know everyone by name, evenfamily members,” said MarilynThomas Leist,Ingleside’s executive director.

When you walk into the building, you willfind a sitting area where residents read or waitto be picked up by a bus—whether for errandsin the community or, perhaps, for an event atStrathmore in North Bethesda.

“You will be greeted by a volunteer coordi-nator almost anytime you walk in. And thereis a concierge at the front desk to direct you,”Leist said.

Adams has continued to meld into hercommunity over the past five years. She saidher independent living arrangement was theperfect way to stay connected.

A SOCIAL NETWORK

u Ingleside at King Farm Fosters Engaged Lifestyles“I LIKEPEOPLE.

I NEEDPEOPLE,

AND IMADE

FRIENDSFAST.”

– Peggy Adams

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INGLESIDE AT KING FARM

Ingleside at King Farm is part of the King Farm neighborhood that featureswalking and biking trails for residents. LEFT: Residents enjoying coffee

on the dining patio of the Marketplace Café.


1912134

“I am involved in a lot both here and inthe community, where I volunteer at a nearbychurch,” she said. “Now I am helping coordi-nate our bazaar.”Adams was referring to an up-coming event in Ingleside’s multipurpose room.Last year, the bazaar drew residents as well aslarge crowds from outside the community.

Adams said another way she reaches out isby making visits to Ingleside’s assisted living sec-tion.“I go up there to chat with residents and dotheir nails,or make popcorn and watch movies,”she said.

Leist said having different living arrange-ments in the same building has been convenient.“If a resident of independent living’s loved oneis in comprehensive care or assisted living, theyare just an elevator ride away from him or her,”Leist said.

Ingleside has a 24/7 concierge service thatresponds to residents when they need support.In independent living, this concierge service is aLifeline system that residents can call for assis-tance. For comprehensive care and assisted liv-ing residents, round-the-clock support includesfull-time nursing staff.

Ingleside also offers plenty of opportunitiesto socialize. Included in residents’ fees are most

The front plaza of Ingleside at King FarmSee INGLESIDE, 23


UPCOUNTY SENIOR CENTER

LIVING

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

T he Gaithersburg Upcounty Senior Center hassomething for everyone. “We’re definitely not aone-size-fits-all,” said GraceWhipple, communityfacility manager. “There’s always a lot going on.

Lots of people come for the classes and trips, or lecturesand learning.Others come for the socialization.And somepeople just like to hang out and enjoy all the activity andmovement and talking around them.”

Originally a hotel, the Gaithersburg Upcounty SeniorCenter was founded in 1991 and shares space with Dia-mond Square Apartments. “There’s a really active, newgeneration of older adults, and we’re working hard to meettheir needs,” saidWhipple.

Past excursions include trips to Catoctin Colorfest inThurmont, and SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier in Gaithers-burg, where the group learned all about truffles and themaking of chocolate.There was also a group trip to theStar-Spangled Spectacular in Baltimore for the 200th an-niversary of Francis Scott Key’s writing of the nationalanthem.Whipple said popular trips also included seeing“Dirty Dancing” atThe NationalTheatre and shows atArena Stage in downtownWashington, D.C.

The senior center also has a loosely formed club calledThe Galloping Gourmets, whose members go to interest-ing restaurants for lunches. “I enjoy coming to the seniorcenter,” said BurnettaWashington, 80, of Gaithersburg.“It keeps me happy and the other seniors are very enjoy-able. I just have a good time and love coming.”

There are driving classes, computer help and a seniorchorus. Games range from billiards and bridge to ping-

Something forEVERYONE

Fitness classes are enormously popular at the Upcounty Senior Center. Taught by nationally certified instructors, classes cost $1 per session,and include Core & More, Stretch & Strengthen, low- or no-impact aerobics, Bone Builders and HIIT (High-intensity Interval Training).

PHO

TOS

COU

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FTH

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OF

GA

ITHERSBU

RG

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAIME WINDON

TOP: Senior center exercise class regularMina Petrone of Gaithersburg shows off

her muscles. ABOVE: Jerry and VictoriaTraficanti of Gaithersburg take the senior

center bus on one of many day tripsplanned throughout the year. RIGHT: ChefSia is the caterer who provides lunch for

the center's daily lunch program.


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pong and poker.Sports programs includebowling, aerobics and weight training.There are groups that meet for crochet,embroidery, knitting and quilting. Othersmeet for ballroom dancing, watercolorpainting and a book club.

“The senior center is a fabulous placefor all my needs, whether it’s exercising,trips, lectures or just great fellowship,”said Dan Fried, 74, a certified public ac-countant from Rockville.

Whipple said trips and fitness classesare the most popular programs.

“We have something for every level,from very low-impact exercise to [high-intensity interval training], which com-bines running and strength,” Whipplesaid. Senior center members have usedhigh-intensity interval training, what’scommonly referred to as HIIT, to trainfor the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K raceand to qualify for the Maryland SeniorOlympics, according toWhipple.

“The senior center is the most won-derful place to exercise and socialize withotherpeoplemyage,”saidKathyBennett,

70, of Germantown. “I have belonged tothe center for over 18 years and have en-joyed all the activities offered here.”

Support groups also meet at the cen-ter.There’s senior information and assis-tance available, including insurance coun-seling, and there’s also a social worker.Through Suburban Hospital’s HeartWellprogram, a grant provides for an on-sitenurse who conducts monthly blood pres-sure screenings and holds talks abouthealth education and senior issues.

“This is the best thing I have done formyself,” said Phyllis Fix, 81, of Gaithers-burg. “I have met wonderful friends andmany acquaintances.”

Gaithersburg Upcounty Senior Center80A Bureau Drive

Gaithersburg 20878-1430301-258-6380

[email protected]/Gaithersburg

SeniorCenter

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAIME WINDON

THE GAITHERSBURGUPCOUNTY SENIORCENTER is ownedand managedby the City ofGaithersburg.Annual mem-berships, whichare required,cost $40 for res-idents and $120for nonresidents.Sign up at thefront desk orthrough the city.

LEFT: Phyllis Fix, 81,of Gaithersburg,said playing cardsis one of manyactivities she enjoysat the GaithersburgUpcounty SeniorCenter. “This is thebest thing I havedone for myself.”


CHERISHED CHILDHOODMEMORIES

Gazette Seniors asked local folks about their favorite story from their youth. Here’s what they had to say:AS TOLD TO KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

LIVING

SYLVIA BERKOWITZ, 93Ring House, Rockville

When I was maybe 9 or 10 years old, I would watchmy father make pickles. We lived in an apartment inYonkers, N.Y., but it had a porch. My father would buycucumbers and put them in a barrel with a picklingmixture, then cover it with a board and a big stone. Iused to come home from school and sit on the porchand eat them. One day, he came home unexpectedlyand saw me sitting there with a pickle in my hand.“Sylvia, what are you doing?” he asked. I told him Iwas eating pickles. “Those are still cucumbers.They’renot pickled yet.” It didn’t matter.They were good. I’venever made pickles. But, funny thing, my brother did.His father-in-law had a pickle factory and passed it onto him.What a coincidence.

LINDA CHALETZKY, 67Bethesda

My parents didn’t have much money when I was lit-tle.We lived in a shotgun apartment in Roxbury, Mass. Iwas the only child and the apple of my father’s eye. Hewas a nonverbal guy, but openly affectionate and expres-sive in his love. One day, my father, a blue-collar workerwho loved to have a good time, took me to Paragon Park,an amusement park in the Boston area.We went with-out my mother, and he bought me everything I wanted.Although he wasn’t a gambler, we played a few chancegames. I was thrilled when he won a cage with two para-keets in it. He played again and won.We left the park withfour cages and eight parakeets. As we carried them to thecar, we laughed and laughed and laughed. I was so happyto have spent the day with him.

ABRAM FAJER, 88Asbury Methodist Village, Gaithersburg

My first year of elementary school I had a teacher—her name was Augusta—who would walk me and severalother children home from school each day. I was learningPortuguese, as I’d come to Brazil from Poland in 1932.Because of the Depression, my father had gone to Brazilyears earlier.When he’d saved enough, he sent tickets forme and my mother to travel by train to Marseilles andthen boat to Brazil. On that train, I had my first banana;fruit was not common in Poland. In Brazil, I learned Por-tuguese quickly with Augusta’s help. She would call at-tention to and correct me when I used bad words. “Oh,Abram,” she’d say, “we don’t use those words.” I stayedin Brazil until I graduated medical school in 1951. I stilluse the language I learned there as a boy.

COURTESY OF RING HOUSE

Sylvia BerkowitzCOURTESY OF LINDA CHALETZKY

Linda ChaletzkyCOURTESY OF ASBURY METHODIST VILLAGE

Abram Fajer


1906314

DAN SEALY, 62Bethesda

It is my grandfather’s smile and his use of the Chicka-saw language that have stayed with me. Esau David Sealy,known as Sap to his kin, was full-blood Chickasaw, bornin Indian Territory in about 1880, before it was called

Oklahoma. He had a limp, a glass eye and a constantsmile. Grandpa came to our house on Sundays, some-times listening to boxing matches on the radio with mydad. He loved to fish and I enjoyed going with him to thecreek bank, where he taught me to thread a worm on ahook and make a pole out of a hickory branch. Grandpawould fish and sing … and smile.Today, that smile is athread from my dreams back to elders I never knew. Ido believe their blood runs through my veins and makesme smile every time I walk outside and see the sky, trees,ocean, wildlife, family and friends.

BESS SHLESINGER, 93Ring House, Rockville

I grew up in a produce store.There’s a picture of me,before I turned 5, sitting on a case of celery. We livedin a hamlet called Hurleyville in upstate NewYork. My

mother, who came to the U.S. at 14 from what is nowthe Ukraine, was widowed at 30. She started the businessto support her three children. Mother got to know truckgardeners, who then provided her with fresh produce to

COURTESY OF DAN SEALY

Dan Sealy with his grandfather, Esau David SealyCOURTESY OF RING HOUSE

Bess Shlesinger

Today, that smile is a thread from mydreams back to elders I never knew.

I DO BELIEVE THEIR BLOODRUNS THROUGH MY VEINSand makes me smile every time I walkoutside and see the sky, trees, ocean,

wildlife, family and friends.

See Q&A, 23


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


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 and Samantha Cohen hike toDiamond Head State Monument. Apparently, 19th century sailors confused

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

See HAWAII, 25

1934237


TRAVEL

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

IN1314, Robert theBruce and EdwardII, king of England,met on the fieldsof Bannockburn inStirling, Scotland

for an epic battle June 23–24 that changedthe path of the country’s history forever. ThisJune, 700 years later, more than 300 re-enac-tors gathered in medieval encampments, clanvillages and stages to memorialize the event.

Ten thousand Scots and tourists werethere. Dave and Eileen Brooks were there,too.The couple, naturally from the Bannock-burn neighborhood of Bethesda, had a won-derful time and made many stops along theirway to Stirling—spending time in London,and exploring Hadrian’sWall, Edinburgh andthe Lake District.

“Part of fun was the group that we stum-bled upon there,” said Dave Brooks. “Theywere on a lengthy tour of the Highlands, andwe spent four days with them in Stirling.Theywere all steeped in Scottish festivals and his-tory, wearing kilts and very lively.” The groupadopted Dave and Eileen Brooks, taking themto see bands and teaching them more aboutScotland’s history and lore.

Memorialized by poet Robert Burns andthe movie “Braveheart,” the Battle of Ban-nockburn was where Robert the Bruce’sarmy of highlanders routed the huge army ofKing Edward II. Dave and Eileen Brooks livein Bethesda’s Bannockburn neighborhood,which is tucked in the hillsides of the PotomacRiver, above MacArthur Boulevard. Withstreet names likeAyr,Halbert and Brigadoon,the neighborhood has a lot of pride in its Scot-tish namesake. Dave Brooks, a history buff,has collected “bits and pieces” of informationabout Bannockburn over the years. Both heand his wife are retired and have lived in theneighborhood most of their lives.They raisedtheir two boys there.

For their excursion, Dave and EileenBrooks packed rain gear and warm clothes,but they hardly needed them.“Near cloudlessskies all the time.That was totally unexpected,”said Dave Brooks. Also unexpected was howeasy itwas todriveonhighwaysandback roadsfrom London 450 miles north to Stirling. “Ifelt very comfortable driving, even on the nar-row roads,” said Dave Brooks. “Drivers thereare so disciplined, and really heed the lanes.They never pass on the wrong side.That wasunbelievable.And they keep their speed down,probably because of all the cameras.”

On the way to Sterling, the couple stoppedSCRO

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID AND EILEEN BROOKS

Re-enactors replicate the“schiltron,” a medievalbattle formation that routedthe English cavalry at theBattle of Bannockburn,which changed the courseof Scotland’s history.


at children’s author BeatrixPotter’s cottage in the LakeDistrict of England. “It wascharming and set up just aswhen she wrote and illus-trated her books there,” saidEileen Brooks. “I bought acouple of the beautiful booksfor my nieces and nephews.”

The festival and re-enact-ments blended history andculture, proving to be a blastparticipants and attendeesalike. “Most Scots will tellyou that ‘Braveheart’ was nothistorically accurate,” saidDave Brooks. “But the movie helped build aware-ness of Scotland’s history.” There was one elementin “Braveheart” that was quite accurate, and it wasdepicted in the re-enactment:The English cavalrywas a fierce weapon, but when the king sent themagainst the Scots, the Highlanders used a forma-tion of long lances called a “schiltron” to stop thehorses and riders in their tracks.

Battle re-enactments were held three timesa day on a large field, and an announcer elicitedenergetic responses from the crowd, the couple

said. “The re-enactors werefun,” Eileen Brooks said.“They did it seriously, butalso a little tongue-in-cheek.It really engaged everyone.”A crowd favorite was there-enactment of the one-on-one battle between an Eng-lish knight and Robert theBruce, who won by cleavingthe knight’s skull—a key mo-ment in the battle. “It alsoincluded people playing therag-tag group of untrainedScots called ‘the small folk’whose entrance onto the

battlefield made it a wild rout,” said Dave Brooks.The re-enactment area included tradesmen,

craftsmen, authors, food makers and bagpipebands. Music was nonstop on the main stage, andthere were various lectures, kids’ activities, a gene-alogy center and more.

“Lines for the re-enactment and food werelong,” said Dave Brooks. “And on Sunday, theyran out of beer. But, as the guy in front of me said,noting all the wine and liquor that was left, ‘Thisisn’t exactly a disaster.’”

In period costume, participantshonored the historic conflict onthe fields of Bannockburn inScotland, the two-day battle

in 1314 that inspired the film“Braveheart.”

Dave and Eileen Brooks, residents of the Bannockburnneighborhood in Bethesda, visited Stirling, Scotland, for

the 700th anniversary commemoration of the battlethat gave their neighborhood its name.

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HEALTH

he concept of mobiledentistry is not new.Dental-equipped vanshave been serving pa-tients at senior livingfacilities, schools andday care centers for de-cades. But those whowork with the geriat-

ric population say that vans, while providinga valuable service, are not ideal for patientswho often suffer from significant mobility andcognitive issues.

Kelly G. Harms is the executive directorof Brightview Fallsgrove, an assisted livingand dementia care facility in Rockville. Sherecognizes the importance of oral care for herresidents, but said she has never consideredthe use of a mobile dental van at her facility.“It is not always the best experience for ourresidents,” she said. “The vans can be loudbecause of the generators and that can behard for patients with dementia and cognitiveimpairments.”

So Harms has teamed up with Gerry M.Dubin, D.M.D., to bring dental care to herresidents’ bedsides. Dubin’s company, Dis-trict Mobile Dental, provides full-service,on-site dental care for older patients in theirhomes or in the senior living communitiesin which they reside.The service eliminatesmany of the obstacles associated with a tripto the dentist’s office—or the dental van.Those obstacles are often as basic as navi-gating steps, especially for those who relyon canes, walkers or wheelchairs. “Even forthose who are in independent living, get-ting around becomes hard,” Dubin said.

And for those with cognitive issues, eventhe slightest change in their surroundingscan be upsetting. Carolyn Falk’s husband,James Falk, is a resident of the Hermitage inAlexandria,Va., and suffers from dementia.“I knew his teeth had been neglected, but Ireally dreaded taking him out,” she said. Sowhen she saw a flyer announcing that DistrictMobile Dental was coming to the Hermitage,

Carolyn Falk jumped at the chance to takeadvantage of it. “I was impressed by the waythe equipment was set up,” she said. “All of asudden there was a dental chair in his room.”

Thatmeant JamesFalk’s“trip”to thedentistrequired no travel at all. “My husband was verytired after (the treatment) and said he wanted totake a nap,” Carolyn Falk recalled. “So I said,‘OK.Walk over to your bed and take a nap.’”

Hester Bausback, director of nursing atArbor Place, an assisted living residence inRockville for those with Alzheimer’s diseaseand other memory impairments, understandsthe challenges caregivers like Carolyn Falkface.“For families, especially those of patientswith dementia, it is so hard for them to taketheir loved ones anywhere because (the pa-tients) get agitated and confused,” she said.“Dr. Dubin comes in with everything pos-sible, and residents can stay in their wheel-chairs if necessary. Families just love it.”

“Dental care in the elderly has prettymuch been ignored,” Dubin said, noting that

BY KATE MCDERMOTT

ABLESTOCK.COM/THINKSTOCK

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

THERE WASA DENTAL

CHAIR IN HISROOM.”– Carolyn Falk

T


most seniors don’t have dental insuranceand cannot afford regular dental visits.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 Ameri-can Geriatrics Society report that foundthat roughly one in 10 deaths frompneumonia in nursing homes could beprevented by improving oral care.

“We are really trying to emphasizecomprehensive dental care for the ge-riatric population,” he said, noting thateven in healthy seniors, chronic condi-tions such as arthritis can make it moredifficult to maintain healthy dental hab-its, such as regular brushing and floss-ing.That can exacerbate decay or lead toabscesses or other infections that couldtravel to other parts of the body. Theresult, Dubin said, is that patients oftensuffer needlessly. “Right now a lot ofwhat we do is emergency care,” he said.

Seniors’ dental issues are also theproduct of “several iterations of dental

care,” said Michael C. Griffiths, D.D.S.Griffiths has been practicing dentistry intheWashington, D.C., area for more than35 years and is the first to admit that tech-nology and treatments have improveddramatically over the years, but many se-niors’ mouths reflect rudimentary care—or no care at all. “We tend to see a lot ofmissing teeth in seniors because duringtheir lifetimes, extractions were the bestkindofdentalcare theycouldget,”hesaid.

And it doesn’t help that many ofthese patients are now dealing with awhole host of medical conditions thatcan actually cause dental problems.“Many of these patients have multiple,chronic, complex conditions, such as di-abetes and hypertension, and are takingmultiple medications ... ” Griffiths said.“Some of those medications, such asthose used to treat high blood pressure,can make patients more susceptible togum disease.”

COURTESY OF SAMANTHA STAR STRAF

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

See DENTISTS, 21 1934239


HEALTH

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

y father recently had a series of falls, resultingin doctor visits and, finally, hip surgery. He’sworking closely with a physical therapist, notonly to help him with his new hip, but also tohelp him prevent other falls.

As it turns out, this is a very familiarstory. One in three people older than

65 have a fall each year, with different degrees of severity. Ofthose, about one-third suffer a serious injury, said MiriamKelty, who runs a Neighbors Assisting Neighbors programin Bethesda.A former associate director of the National In-stitute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health, Keltysaid staying physically active, maintaining good eyesightand hearing, and checking medications and home modi-fications all play a role in fall risks and prevention. “Physi-cians often do not advise their older patients about falls pre-vention,” she said.“Another thing you can do to prevent fallsis to raise the topic with your primary care doctor and withother health care providers and encourage them to keep upto date on falls prevention strategies and programs.”

“All falls are scary,” said Crissy Nunley, a nurse withthe Senior+ Program at Herndon Senior Center in Fair-fax County,Va. “I hear stories all the time, and as soonas I got here I could see falls were a big problem.” Se-nior+ is sponsored by Easter Seals in conjunction withFairfax County. It works with seniors to do mobilityassessments and offers classes such as tai chi, chairaerobics and fall prevention education.

“People have to know that part of this is intheir own hands and under their own control,”said Ruth Junkin, director of the Herndon Se-nior Center. “Whatever you can do, you needto keep moving and you will help prevent afall. Use it or lose it.”

MOVING TOWARD PREVENTION:EXERCISE HELPS

Nunley said that staying active anddoing exercise were critical. “Even if youhave balance issues you can do chair ex-ercise classes,” she said. Chair exerciseclasses are conducted almost everyday at the Herndon Senior Centerand other centers around the area.

“Yoga, Pilates, tai chi, Fit 4 Life, aerobics, weightlifting … just becausethey’re not called ‘fall prevention’ doesn’t mean they don’t help,”said Nunley.

The Herndon Senior Center has experienced nurses and physi-cal therapists who can assess your gait and balance and make rec-ommendations and adjustments to help mobility. Doctors and phar-macists can look at medications for side effects and interactions that

may cause vertigo, said Nunley. “We do regular blood pressurechecks and vision checks because irregularities cause dizzi-

ness that can lead to falls.”“I also remind folks to get up slowly and stand a few

seconds before walking to allow their blood pressureto adjust, and to make sure their walkers are lockedfirst when they go to stand or sit,” said Nunley. “Andhaving a sturdy, supportive shoe with rubber soles to

prevent slipping is key, especially in the summer whenit’s easy to put on 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 feetmore than younger people, which can lead to falls.In her classes, attendees are up on their toes andheels to walk, trying to eliminate the shuffle issue.Backe works on core strength, extending the spineand turning and twisting side to side—but doingit safely.

DESIGN FOR BETTER MOBILITYFor a lot less money than remodeling a

home, you can incorporate elements of uni-versal design. Measures designed to lessenfall risks include installation of grab bars inshowers, nonslip floors, a shower seat andelevated toilet seat, railings on staircasesand along halls, and improved lighting.

Backe said people fall the most inplaces where there are throw rugs.“Catching feet on carpet is a bigproblem,” Backe said. She also sug-gested eliminating tripping haz-ards. “Get rid of junk on the floor,children’s toys and pet toys,” shesaid.Other hazards include pets,cords, plants and loose shoes.

MAHAFFIE

cently had a series of falls, resultingvisits and, finally, hip surgery. He’slosely with a physical therapist, not

elp him with his new hip, but also toprevent other falls.urns out, this is a very familiare in three people older thannt degrees of severity. Ofous injury, said Miriamng Neighbors programtor of the National In-tutes of Health, Keltytaining good eyesightons and home modi-

nd prevention. “Physi-patients about falls pre-u can do to prevent fallsy care doctor and withurage them to keep upand programs.”Nunley, a nurse withnior Center in Fair-time, and as soon

big problem.” Se-conjunction withs to do mobilityas tai chi, chairn.of this is in

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“Yoga, Pilates, tai chi, Fit 4 Life, aerobics,they’re not called ‘fall prevention’ doesaid Nunley.

The Herndon Senior Center has excal therapists who can assess your gaitommendations and adjustments to helpmacists can look at medications for side

may cause vertigo, said Nunley. “Wchecks and vision checks becau

ness that can lead to falls.”“I also remind folks to g

seconds before walking tto adjust, and to make sfirst when they go to stanhaving a sturdy, support

prevent slipping is key, espit’s easy to put on sandals

Pat Karlsson Backe, ater instructor for FallProoperforms fall-risk assessmWashington, D.C., region

She said older adultmore than younger peoIn her classes, attendeheels to walk, trying tBacke works on coreand turning and twiit safely.

DESIGN FOR BFor a lot les

home, you canversal design.fall risks inclushowers, nonelevated toiand along

Backeplaces w“Catchproblemgestedards.childsaico

PREVENTING FALLSHow to Lessen the Risk of a Leading Cause of Injury in Older Adults

M

JUPITERIMAGES/STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK

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


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 clean-ings to more advanced treatments such asdenture fittings, crowns and fillings.Theequipment Dubin uses is so mobile that hecan establish an on-site dental office in justminutes.The equipment can be assembledto stand 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 heis very gentle with our residents,” Baus-back said.“Some people are good at deal-ing with 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 his

services 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, something hestresses to students at the University ofMaryland School of Dentistry, where heis a member of the dean’s faculty.

Given the onslaught of aging babyboomers,futuredentistswill assuredlyhavean 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.

ForSamanthaStar Straf,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.”

DENTISTS, continued from 19

Furniture can be placed where youcan hold onto it as you pass, Backe said.She also suggested taking a close look atthe height of your bed and making sureit’s not too high or too low.

Do you improve the person or thehome? “The obvious answer is both,” saidBeth Baker, Takoma Park resident andauthor of “With a Little Help from OurFriends—Creating Community as WeGrow Older.”Her mother had issues withfalling. “She fell repeatedly while livingin a split-level house in Bethesda after 45years.Then she moved to Asbury [Meth-odist Village in Gaithersburg] and livedindependently.” But the falls continued.“She ended up in a wheelchair because shewas so afraid of falling,”Baker said.“It hada profound effect on her life.”

Baker and her husband are in their60s and live in a bungalow, where they’remaking the master bedroom and bathcompletely accessible on the main floor.“Just being proactive,” she said. “Themore you can be intentional about youraging, the better off you’ll be.”

“I remind folks toGET UP SLOWLY

and stand a few secondsbefore walking to allow

their blood pressureto adjust ...”

– Crissy Nunley

“What I find is thatDr. Dubin and his staff are

not afraid to deal withPEOPLE WITHDEMENTIA.”

– Hester Bausback

1932299

Our therapists are trained in thetreatment of orthopedic, neurological,and musculo-skeletal dysfunctions aswell as in wellness and prevention.

Orthopedic• Fractures• Joint Pain & Replacements• Tendonitis• Bursitis• Rotator Cuff Impingement• Muscle and Ligament Injuries• Spinal Dysfunction• Foot Disorders

Musculo-Skeletal• Arthritis• Chronic Pain, Myofascial Pain• Postural Related Dysfunction• OsteoporosisWellness and Prevention• Fall Prevention• Balance Training• Strength and Conditioning• Vertigo• Gait Assessments

Montgomery Village, MarylandHours: M-F 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sat. 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.19201 Montgomery Village Avenue, Suite A-11

Montgomery Village, MD 20886Phone: 301-948-2414

Olney, MarylandHours: M-F 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sat. 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.18111 Prince Philip Drive, Suite 125

Olney, MD 20835Phone: 301-774-0232

Walk Away From The Pain...Walk Away From The Pain...www.rockphysicaltherapy.com


Mostolderpeopledon’tneeda complete multivitaminsupplement. But if youdon’t think you are mak-ing the best food choices,

look for one sold as a complete vitaminand mineral supplement. It should be wellbalanced and contain 100 percent of mostrecommended vitamins and minerals.

VITAMINSVitamins help your body grow and

work the way it should.There are 13 vita-mins—C, A, D, E, K, and the B vitamins(thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenicacid, biotin, B6, B12 and folate).Vitaminshelp you resist infections,keep your nerveshealthy, aid your body with getting energyfrom food and help blood clot properly.

Vitamins and minerals are measuredin a variety of ways.The most commonare: mg–milligram; mc–microgram; andIU–international unit. Micrograms areused to measure very small amounts; thereare 1,000 micrograms in a milligram.Thesize of an international unit varies depend-ing on the vitamin or drug it measures.

Vitamin DIf you are between 50 and 70,you need

at least 600 IU, but not more than 4,000IU. If you are 70 or older, you need at least800 IU, but not more than 4,000 IU.Youcan get vitamin D from fatty fish, fish liveroils, fortified milk and milk products, andfortified cereals.

Vitamin B6Men need 1.7 mg and women need 1.5

mg daily.You can get it from fortified ce-reals, whole grains, organ meats like liverand fortified soy-based meat substitutes.

Vitamin B12You need 2.4 mcg daily. Some people

older than 50 have trouble absorbing B12found naturally in foods, so make sure youget enough of the supplement form of thisvitamin, which can be found in fortifiedcereals, meat, fish, poultry and milk.

FolateYou need 400 mcg each day.Folic acid

is the form used to fortify grain productsor added to dietary supplements.You canget folate from dark-green leafy vegetableslike spinach, beans and peas, fruit like or-anges, (and orange juice) and folic acidfrom fortified flour and cereals.

MINERALSMinerals also help your body function.

Some minerals, like iodine and fluoride,areonly needed in very small quantities. Oth-ers, such as calcium, magnesium and po-tassium, are needed in larger amounts.Aswith vitamins, if you eat a varied diet, youwill probably get enough of most minerals.

CalciumCalcium is a mineral that is impor-

tant for strong bones and teeth, so thereare special recommendations for olderpeople who are at risk for bone loss.Youcan get calcium from milk and milk prod-ucts (remember to choose fat-free orlow-fat whenever possible), some formsof tofu, dark-green leafy vegetables likecollard greens and kale, soybeans, cannedsardines and salmon with bones, and cal-cium-fortified foods.

Women 51 or older and men 71 orolder need 1,200 mg daily. Men 51 to 70need 1,000. If you’re 51 or older, don’ttake more than 2,000 mg in a day.

HEALTH

Vitamins and Minerals Seniors Need

STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK

1933078

1932640


of the roughly 400 activities offered eachmonth, such as day trips to the F. ScottFitzgeraldTheatre in Rockville or to res-taurants.

There are many features at Inglesidethat make it feel like home. Just past thelobby is theatrium,wherepeopleplaycardsand other games, or gather after dinner totalk before returning to their apartments.

To the right of this social spot is a resi-dent-run library,where people go to meet,read or find a book.

Ingleside also has several dining areas,each with its own style.The informal mar-ketplace is a cafeteria-style venue wherepeople can get a quick meal or watchTV.There is a bistro that is a little more dressedup. Dressier yet is the formal dining room,with high ceilings, sheer and flowingdrapes, and elegant floral wallpaper.

Adams said she enjoys Ingleside’s in-door pool, fitness room—Ingleside’s fit-ness center has a personal trainer—andmovies shown out on the lawn.

Other amenities include a salon,whereresidents can indulge in massages and gettheir nails or hair done, and the multipur-

pose room, which is used for large exer-cise groups, parties, concerts and residentmeetings.There’s also a daily meal, house-keeping, garage parking and scheduledtransportation to locations within 5 milesof Ingleside.

As a pastor, Rev. Jim Macdonell, 82,said he has been to all the retirement com-munities in this area. “I thought Inglesideoffered the most,” he said. “It’s bright,cheerful and spacious, but not too big totake care of.”

Macdonell and his wife, Nancy Mac-donell, share a two-bedroom apartmentin Ingleside’s independent living section.“We have a balcony you can walk out onfrom the master bedroom or living room,and we eat breakfast there every morningwhile we look out on the woods,” he said.

Jim Macdonell is Ingleside’s cartoon-ist, drawing residents’ caricatures for thenewsletter. He said he sees drawing notonly as a creative outlet, but also as a wayto meet neighbors.

“We try and eat dinner with differentpeople every night,” he said. “I do it tolearn about them so I can do their cari-cature, but at the same time we becomefriends.We are very happy here.”

INGLESIDE, continued from 9

sell to hotels in Sullivan County. I learnedhow and where our food was grown. But,it was a flower garden—one owned by aneighbor who saw this young child hang-ing around the produce store—that mademe passionate about the land. I’d visit hergarden, full of cosmos and pansies, sev-eral times a week. Later, as mother witha backyard garden, I shared that passionwith my own three boys.

HARRIET SHAPIRO, 86Ingleside at King Farm, Rockville

Because my father was a geneticist,he could work almost anywhere. So, formany years we drove across the country,

from Pasadena [Calif.] to Cape Cod,[Mass.] where we spent the summer.This was before there were interstatesand radio. Our goal was to visit everystate in the Union—there were only 48then—and I guess we did.

We’d drive about 300 miles a day for10 days.My parents would switch off driv-ing every hour and we’d jump out of thecar and run around it as fast as we couldbefore jumping back in. My father andone of the children sat in the front. Mymother sat in the back between the othertwo children so we wouldn’t go after eachother.We’d sing and play games, such astrying to find license plates from differentstates. I cherished that concentrated inter-action with my parents.

Q&A, continued from 13

SodiumIn most Americans’ diets, the mineral

sodium comes primarily from salt (so-dium chloride), although it is found natu-rally in some foods, and is added to oth-ers during processing, often in the formof salt.We all need some sodium, but toomuch over time can contribute to raisingyour blood pressure or put you at risk forheart disease, stroke or kidney disease.

People 51 or older should reduceintake to 1,500 mg daily—about three-fourths of a teaspoon. That includes so-

dium added during manufacturing orcooking, as well as what’s added at thetable. Look for grocery products marked“low sodium,”“unsalted,”“no salt added,”“sodium free”or“salt free.”

To limit sodium, try using less saltwhen cooking, and don’t add salt be-fore you take the first bite. Eating morevegetables and fruit also helps—they arenaturally low in sodium and provide morepotassium.

– National Institute on Aging


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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 Universityof Maryland’s School of Public Health inCollege Park.

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-basedorganization that offers education and var-ious other services to older adults acrossthe 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.”


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 a hospital.

Harvey and I especially liked 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 15

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

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Connect-A-Ride is a service funded primarily by Montgomery County andoperated by the Jewish Council for the Aging® (JCA®) for adults age 50 andolder and adults with disabilities in Montgomery County. JCA is a communitypartner with The Jewish Federation of GreaterWashington and a beneficiaryof the UnitedWay and Combined Federal Campaign.


FINANCES

BY SHARON NAYLOR

Y our mother’s engagementring. Your extra car. Yourworkshop full of pricy wood-working tools that you don’tuse anymore.You may have a

list,or just an idea,of which of your kids andgrandkids you’d like to leave these valuableitems to after you pass away.And you prob-ably want to avoid the common problem offamily members fighting over inheritances.

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 family toend up fighting in court, battling over thatring, car and drill, fracturing the family andwasting money on legal fees. And you cer-tainly don’t want them angry with you afteryou’re gone, feeling that you’ve favored onechild over another.

Some seniors are anxious enough aboutthe inheritance of their belongings to cre-ate a plan in advance, gifting their kids andgrandkids with a number of items so thattheir offspring can enjoy them now, and sothe seniors can see their kids and grandkidsenjoying those beloved items. “I’d love tosee my granddaughter wear my mother’sengagement ring,” said Anne Daniels, a re-tiree.“What good is it doing in 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 theyare 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 their extracar or giving their kids their RV for a cross-country trip.

And then, of course, there are financialconsiderations.The car or RV could be soldby your kids to help finance the start of a

business, to put a down payment on a homein a safer community or to help pay for yourgrandchild’s college tuition.

Before you start making calls to yourkids and grandkids to offer them your pos-sessions, talk to your accountant and taxadvisers.While you may resent Uncle Sam’splace in line for the value of your belong-ings, there are strict tax rules about giftsgiven to relatives. Ask your tax adviser forthe current value limit on tax-free gifts sothat 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 decidewho gets what. If your daughter was espe-cially close to your mother, she may be the

most logical choice to inherit your mother’sengagement ring. Have it professionally as-sessed for its value, and record that value inyour daughter’s “column” on your gift re-cords.Your son, then, may get a gift or giftsof equal financial value, if that is how you’dlike to divide your presents.

Once you’ve decided who gets whichpre-inheritance gift, and once the values arerecorded and assessed by your tax profes-sionals for your safety, you may enjoy plan-ning the presentation of these gifts to yourloved 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 with

them ahead of time that you’ve been think-ing about giving them some of your pre-cious possessions so that you can enjoy wit-nessing them enjoying these items. Expectsome questions and concern, but once youassure them you’re feeling just fine, you allcan look forward to your gestures of gener-osity. Maybe you’ll give out these items asholiday 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 otheritems 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

BEQUEATH NOWShould You Give Your Kids and Grandkids Inheritance Items Before You Die?

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.


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