gazseniors mc041614

2 Gazette SENIORS | April 2014 Gazette.Net

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Gazette.Net April 2014 | Gazette SENIORS 3

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Anna Joyce

Kate Marsanico

Karen Finucan ClarksonEllen R. CohenScott HarrisArlene KaridisJim Mahaffie

Dennis Wilston

Anna Joyce

John Schmitz

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].

ON THE COVER: ISTOCKPHOTO/KERTLISINSET PHOTO: HARVEY AND ELLEN COHEN, COURTESY OF HARVEY COHEN

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Contributing Writers

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Creative Director

Prepress Manager

Special Sections Coordinator

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Pickleball is a “combination oftennis, badminton and table ten-nis,” said Helen White, the USAPickleball Association’s ambassadorfor Northern Virginia and the Na-tional Senior Games’ reigning silvermedalist in women’s 60-plus singles.“We use a wiffle ball, which doesn’tbounce as high, fast or hard. Thepaddle—like a table tennis paddle,only elongated—makes hand-eyecoordination easier.”

While the pickleball net is lowto the ground similar to tennis,the court is smaller than a regula-tion tennis court. Locally, gamesare played in gyms or on modifiedtennis courts. At Leisure World inSilver Spring, residents play out-doors year round, provided the tem-perature is above 40 degrees. “Wewanted to play on the indoor tenniscourts,” said Donna Leonard, “butthe surface wasn’t right and the ball

wouldn’t bounce on it.” Leonard ishoping that when the fitness centerat LeisureWorld is expanded, therewill be space somewhere for dedi-cated indoor courts.The smaller court size is one

reason pickleball is ideal for olderadults. “My knees are shot and Ihad to give up tennis five or six yearsago, but I can move two steps to

SIGN ME UP

PLAYINGPICKLEBALLu Why Seniors Relish this GameSTORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

Organized sports were never SusieWeber’s thing—until she discovered pickleball. “Anyone can doit; you don’t have to be great to enjoy it.The bot-tom line is to have fun,” said the 91-year-oldVienna,Va., resident.Twice a week for the past 16 years,Weber

has joined more than a dozen other seniors at the local community cen-ter for several games of this increasingly popular paddle sport, savoring theassociated social, emotional and physical benefits. “Sometimes you’re tiredor down before you start, but you always feel better by the time you quit.”

—dobot-ienna,Weberunity cen-savoring thees you’re tiredme you quit.”

ISTOCKPHOTO/BHPIX

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT:

At the Vienna Community Center, David Sandidge(left) of Vienna, Va., prepares to return a shot ashis doubles partner Ron Rothberg of Annandale,Va., stands ready to help.Hal Corby (left) of Vienna and Helen White, USAPickleball Association ambassador for NorthernVirginia, are ready for the shot from their doubleopponents.Left to right: Rothberg and Corby acknowledge agame well played against White and Sandidge.See PICKLE, 28


SIGN ME UP

BY ARLENE KARIDIS

Aprogram called Coming ofAge (COA) is getting localseniors out of their homesearly in the day and keep-ing them socially, physically

and emotionally engaged.The goal is tosee that they continue living fully andindependently in the community, whilemaking friends.“We have about 1,200 seniors on our

mailing list and half of them are veryactive, coming regularly to our various[social, recreational and educational] pro-grams,” said Beth K. Shapiro, a licensedclinical social worker and community liai-son for the Jewish Social Service Agency,who is involved with COA.Among the most popular programs,

said Shapiro, is Food ’n Fun, where se-niors have lunch at a different local res-taurant each month.After they have eaten, they remain at

the table for some friendly competition.“We play games like ‘WhoWants to be

a Millionaire?’ Or we have a seated scav-enger hunt or trivia geography game.Theidea is that when we form teams, peoplehave a reason to talk to each other andmake new friends,” said Shapiro.“Our participants are active, vibrant

people who are living life, and you forgetthey are older.They are huddling aroundthe table chattering and laughing.Theyreally get into team play, and they pickeach other up,” she said.Anothermonthly COAprogram called

Day at the Ring is held at Ring House, anindependent living residence in Rockville.There is a full agenda, including lunch;entertainment, such as a magic act or livemusic; seated exercises, including stretch-ing with rubber bands and raising ballsabove the head; and discussions.Shapiro leads those discussions at

Ring House. “I try to pull participants

into conversations beyond, ‘How’s theweather?’ I might ask, ‘Where are youfrom originally?’ From there, the conver-sation takes off.Wemight talk about spe-cific issues, like transportation concernsor whether the minimum wage shouldbe raised.We talk about making friends,”she said.

At 62, Iris Hepburn, a Silver Springresident, is one of the youngest regular at-tendees of COA.While participants rangein age from their 60s to 90s, most are intheir 80s and 90s.Hepburn had been taking her father’s

girlfriend to COA events.When the girl-friend passed away, Hepburn decidedthat she enjoyed the people so much thatshe would keep going—as a participantherself. “The people who come out areinspiring, and I like listening to their sto-ries and hearing about their backgrounds.And it’s nice getting to see the same peo-ple and share experiences,” she said.The program at Ring House is among

her favorites.“You get a taste of retirementliving while getting a full, homemade mealaround a beautiful table for $5.“After the meal, you go downstairs

to an elegant show room with great pro-grams like ballroom dancers. And they’regood.They remind me of ‘Dancing withthe Stars,’” she said.Evelyn Sturza, who is in her 80s, lives

at Leisure World in Silver Spring. Shecalled COA a potpourri of everything se-niors love. “We get great movies and toptheater shows.We go to museums andhistorical places.We’ve done swing danc-ing,” said Sturza, who no longer drivesbut rides with her friends. Beyond thesefriendships, she has become close to thestaff, too. “They make you feel at home,like you are part of a family.They get upand dance and sing with us,” she said.One of her favorite events was a show

featuring an entertainer who sang like

Frank Sinatra. “He was kissing the ladieson the forehead, and the women ate it up.They were putting their hands on theirhearts and moving them around to showhow their hearts were going pitter-patter.His wife was part of the act and kissingthe men and playing up to them.Theyloved it,” Sturza said.

Ted Kram, a 78-year-old Rockvilleresident, was collecting mail for his moth-er-in-law and saw that she had received aflyer about COA. A few of the offeringslooked like activities he himself mightlike, so he called to find out more. Hehas been a “regular” for a year now, hesaid. “I spend a lot of time home alone

COMING OF AGEu Local Program Brings Seniors Together

COURTESY OF COA SENIOR ADULT PROGRAM

Ted Kram and wife Roz Kram at “An Affair to Remember,”held at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington


COURTESY OF COA SENIOR ADULT PROGRAM

Iris Hepburn at Day at the Ring,a monthly event held at Ring House

in Rockville

because my wife goes to work. So this isnice because it gets me out of the houseamong other people,” he said, adding hehas run into other program participantshe already knew and enjoys meeting upwith them through COA.“It’s a great chance to get out, learn

and be stimulated,” said Kram, whosewife has since become involved withCOA—mainly the excursions to muse-ums and theaters.“The excursions are day trips by bus

and always have a cultural aspect,” saidShapiro, adding that if seniors need aride to get to the destination where thebus picks them up, COA is sometimesable to arrange for transportation, as isalso the case with helping them get toevents where no bus ride is provided.The buses are wheelchair acces-

sible. COA staff makes sure participantsare accommodated in other ways theymight also need, said Shapiro. “If we

pick a new restaurant, [the staff] makes avisit first tomake sure there are elevatorsand that, overall, the location is seniorfriendly, with bathrooms near where wewill be gathering and places for walkers.”There are no membership fees. In-

dividual program fees accommodatepersonal budgets, enabling participantsto choose based on their finances. Feesrange from $5 for lunch and entertain-ment programs, like Day at the Ring, to$45 for tickets and transportation to atheatrical performance.

COA is a partnership of fourorganizations: JewishSocial ServiceAgen-cy (JSSA); Jewish Community Center ofGreaterWashington; Premier Homecare;and Jewish Council for theAging.Through this partnership, COA of-

fers more than social and recreationalprograms; the organization addressesother needs of a maturing population.

“We can ease participants’ access topartner agency’s services, such as socialwork support, in-home help, transpor-tation needs and socialization,” saidTalWiddes, chief operating officer, JSSA.“In the general community, it can be

difficult to identify these types of sup-ports, and services are often fragmented.However, with COA, since older adultshave regular interactions with the socialworker and program staff, they get toknow them and often develop support-ive relationships. Some call this a ‘pro-fessional friendship,’ saidWiddes.COA has older adults who not only

come regularly, but who also meet ontheir own between events. “They havebecome good friends.They take care ofeach other and look out for each other,”Shapiro said.

Contact: Beth K. Shapiro 301-816-2665; [email protected]; www.jssa.org

OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE ACTIVE, VIBRANT PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING LIFE, AND YOU FORGETTHEY ARE OLDER ... THEY REALLY GET INTO TEAM PLAY, AND THEY PICK EACH OTHER UP.”

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SIGN ME UP

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

It’sWednesday morning, and an eclecticgroup of local seniors is gathering at theLongwood Community Recreation Cen-ter in Brookeville.They’re each preparedwith an issue or topic that interests them,

a little background on the subject and a discus-sion question for the rest of the group.They wait,mostly patiently, as volunteer moderator DavidWayne Rowland, 80, of Silver Spring, calls oneach to raise their topic.

The gathering is called Just MyTwo Cents, and it hasbecome a popular event at Longwood.The group meetseveryWednesday from 10 a.m. to noon.With Rowlandas moderator, they’ve discussed China, minimum wagehikes, theTrayvon Martin shooting in Florida and manymore issues and controversies.“It’s mainly headlines from the media, but it’s really

anything anyone wants to talk about,” said Rowland. “Itseems to be catching on.We usually have anywhere from12 to 20 people and pretty lively discussions.”Evelyn Schwartz of Olney is 76, and is one of the pio-

neer ladies in the group.She hadbeen going toLongwoodfor several years for the recreation programs. “When theprogram started as a men’s group, I objected,” she said.“Women should have a chance to attend.There’s just notthat many programs where we can participate and exer-cise our minds like this.” She recently enjoyed a Februarydiscussion on the future of Ukraine. “It’s interesting tosee people’s views on anything and everything.”Rowland said anyone is welcome, that the mix of peo-

ple is nice and there’s a good balance of women andmen,conservatives and liberals, and people with professionalbackgrounds. “We have a few Ph.D. scientists retiredfrom NIH. Another member was very successful in thegarment industry.We have retired schoolteachers.”“It’s all pretty civil and cordial. Sometimes I have to

remind them they’re supposed to raise their hand,” hesaid.As he is often called upon to speak on various topicsat senior centers in the county, Rowland said becomingthe group’s moderator was natural for him.

The program began at Holiday ParkMulti-Service Senior Center in Wheaton,where it is an ongoing event called Behind theHeadlines onMondays from 10 to 11:30 a.m.The Longwood version began a year ago asan all-men’s group and was then called RealStand-Up Guys. Soon, women joined and itbecame known asToday in the News. Look-ing for a catchier name, the center ultimatelydubbed it Just MyTwo Cents.Ray Greene, 64, is from the Olney area,

too, and is retired from theNational Institutesof Health. He belongs to both the Mondaygroup at Holiday Park and theWednesday

group at Longwood. One recent topic raisedfor discussion was the legalization of mari-juana. “It’s an exchange of ideas, and you canunderstand where other people are comingfrom with their own experience.You get bothsides of the story.”“We advertise ‘light refreshments,’ but

that basically means I bring the donuts!” saidRowland.The program is free for Montgom-ery County residents.

Longwood Community Recreation Center19300 Georgia Ave., Brookeville

240-777-6920

David WayneRowlandmoderatesthe discussiongroup Just MyTwo Cents, arole he saidcomes natu-rally to himas he is a

regular publicspeaker atsenior centersthroughoutthe area.

JUST MYJoin the debate on hot topics at the Longwood Community Recreation Center

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID WAYNE ROWLAND; PENNIES: STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK


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BY SHARONNAYLOR

There may be goldon your bookshelves. Ifyou’ve inherited booksfrom relatives, there maybe within your collec-tion a number of booksthat could fetch a prettypenny at auction. Forinstance, an 1831 copyof Mary Shelley’s “Fran-kenstein” with illustra-tions and in decent con-dition is estimated to beworth between $10,000and $15,000 at auction.Antiquarian booksellersare always on the look-out for those rare gems,first editions and notabletitles, and they may payseveral hundred to sev-eral thousand dollarsfor that one book that’sbeen on your bookshelffor years. And don’tforget more recent titlesfrom the 1950s throughthe 1970s. Those couldbring in $100 or so if the books are in great condition.“Great condition” is the key phrase when it comes to book

value.To garner top dollar, a bookmust be like new,not yellowedfrom age or cigarette smoke, not mildewed, not water-damaged,not written in. A prize book in poor condition might be worth-less, and book dealers usually turn down aged, damaged booksthey know they can’t resell. Granted, few people vacuum sealedtheir books long ago to keep them crisp and new-looking, butbooks that lived in moisture- and smoke-free homes tended to

retain a newer appear-ance and fare well on theresale market.Right now, you’re

probably looking at yourbookshelves and wonder-ing what you have andhow much money youcan make. If you’re at allallergic to dust, slip on aprotective mask so thatthis hunting expeditiondoesn’t leave you sneez-ing and stuffy all day.Pullout your books to lookfor first editions, specialcollector’s editions andany books you suspecthave potential value.Next, it’s time to

begin the fun project ofresearching estimatedvalues. Esther Lom-bardi, About.com guideto classic literature, sug-gested trying the web-sites BookFinder.comand AbeBooks.com.Type in your book titles,and those sites will showyou the valuations of

those titles if they have them in their system.Write down thevalues you find for your books, but don’t get too excited yet.Book buyers at independent stores and antiquarian booksellerswill likely pay a bit less so that they can make a profit.If you find rare books in your collection, go to a book appraiser

who can evaluate the condition of your books, look up values andtell you about trends in the market. Find an appraiser throughthe Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (abaa.org)or Booksappraised.com, and ask your local librarians for sugges-

LIVING

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tions, as well.They often know the bestlocal appraisers and can direct you.You are likely to get the most cash

from a local independent bookstorethat sells used books and has been inbusiness for some time, according toVintage-Books.com. Local sellers surviveby stocking fresh supplies of valuablebooks in their stores, so they’ll bemotivat-ed to buy from you. And working with alocal dealer will also save you postage fees.But remember that old books aren’t nec-essarily rare books, so keep your expecta-tions in check. One gem out of 50 booksis a good day.Look for dust jackets (the paper cover

on a hardcover book),which are essentialfor a 20th-century book to be consideredacceptable. And the jacket must be inperfect condition, as must the book itself.That jacket can comprise as much as 95percent of a 20th-century book’s value,according to Vintage-Books.com. Lookfor well-known names. In 2011, a firstedition with dust jacket copy of “TenderIs the Night” by F. Scott Fitzgerald hadan estimated value of $6,000 to $8,000.Without the dust jacket, the value woulddrop to around $300.And an insider secret about book

value: If the book was published in Lon-

don and in NewYork, the location whereit was first released is considered the truefirst edition and will be more valuable.Mistakes in a book’s printing also makeit more valuable. “The Adventures ofHuckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain hashad more than seven errors that wereeventually corrected during the print-ing processes. If your copy contains allor most of the original errors, it could beworth more than $10,000, according toVintage-Books.com. Other copies with afew mistakes are usually worth between$500 and $1,000. “These ‘issue points’can be found in online references to bib-liographical information gathered on eachbook,” according toVintage-Books.com.An author’s signature on the book

can raise the value as well. Even withouta dust jacket, a signed copy of F. ScottFitzgerald’s “Tender Is the Night” couldbe worth about $8,000, according toVintage-Books.com.While it may seem easier to just list

your books on eBay to get quick cash,you wouldn’t want to see your book onthe morning news as purchased for $20and sold at auction for $2,000. So stickwith the professionals to give yourself thebest chances for a windfall.

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LIVING

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

Open Monday through Thursday,and on Saturdays, too, the Marga-ret Schweinhaut Senior Center is abusy destination for seniors in Sil-

ver Spring, and beyond.“We have between 5,000and 7,000 people a month come through here,”said Kaye Dennison, 71.From Mount Rainier, she’s a program coor-

dinator at the center, and also leads volunteers.Karen Maxin of Rockville, another program co-ordinator, handles rentals and financial choresfor the center, “but we all jump in and do what’sneeded to make the Margaret Schweinhaut Cen-ter run smoothly,” she said.Both agree that center is a special place. “It’s

the people,” saidDennison.“They’re so apprecia-tive of the least little thing. It’s a pleasure to cometo work.They lift your spirits, and I enjoy comingto work every day.”The center was named after a former Mary-

land state senator and champion of senior citizencauses who died in 1997.The center includes an

auditorium, full stage, arts and crafts room, a li-brary, card and game room, and a large and verypopular billiards room.“Many of the guys stay inthe poolroom all day.We have six tables,TuesdayandThursday leagues, and the guys have lunchtogether. There are lots of good friendships,”said Maxin.Larry Myers, 67, of Silver Spring, is a regular

in the poolroom. He thinks the center is a goodplace to visit because “it promotes good feelingsand friendship for us older folks who would nototherwise have a good place to go to each day.”Another poolroom regular isWally Brockway, 80,of College Park. He also appreciates nurse LeniBarry, who is at the center onWednesdays. Hesaid he shares a special bond with her since shediagnosed a serious health problem for him.Pool is just one of many popular activities.

Dennison said that the Senior Fit exercise class,which meets every day in the auditorium, usuallyhas more than 100 seniors who attend. Ceram-ics is another popular activity.There are regularbridge games, bingo, art classes, ballroom danc-ing, movies, health and finance classes, support

MARGARET SCHWEINHAUTSENIOR CENTER

‘THEY LIFT YOUR SPIRITS’

ABOVE: Nurse Leni Barry takes Maureen Mink’s blood pres-sure. From Suburban Hospital, the nurse works here everyWednesday, addressing particular concerns of visitors.

TOP: Ceramics class is one of the more popular programs.It’s led by Sandra Patterson, far right.


groups…thelistgoeson.Toget themonth-ly newsletter, the Schweinhaut SeniorCenter at Forest Glen Happenings, call240-777-8085.PatTimmerman is 76 and from Silver

Spring. She loves to volunteer at the frontdesk and greet people. She likes the taichi program and exercising in the weightroom each week. “It’s a busy home awayfrom home, with interaction with oth-ers, activities to keep you fit and skills tostimulate your brain, lectures to keep youinformed and lots of good music to keepme moving.”Peggy O’Brien, 80, also from Silver

Spring, said that every time she enters theMargaret Schweinhaut Senior Center sheknows she will enjoy herself, and espe-cially appreciates the staff and the publicparking at the front door.The center is a rental facility as well,

and is the local meeting place for Encore

Chorale, which is a choral program forolder adults, Spanish classes sponsoredby Montgomery College, an antiquesand collectibles club that meets twoMondays a month, a book discussiongroup, a Shakespeare group, a coin andstamp collector group, a trout club andalso weekend events like wedding show-ers and birthdays.Maxin said the center can accommo-

date groups of up to about 200.

Margaret Schweinhaut Senior CenterOpen Monday–Thursday

8:15 a.m.–4 p.m.,Saturday 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Closed Friday and Sunday1000 Forest Glen Road

Silver Spring 20901240-777-8085

montgomerycountymd.gov/senior

Poolroom regular Vince Marinucci lines up a shot. Billiards is verypopular at the center, with six tables available and regular

Tuesday and Thursday leagues.

Selena Jennings, left, and Shirley Stewart wait at the MargaretSchweinhaut Senior Center for a bus.

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LIVING

BY ELLEN R. COHEN

While many seniors becometired of homemaintenanceissues, they still want to re-main socially active, even

if they require assistance with day-to-dayliving tasks.At Aspenwood Senior Living Commu-

nity in Silver Spring, an Independent Liv-ing Plus program is staffed by its own teamof certified health care professionals and aregistered nurse. “Independent Living Plushelps residents bridge the gap between inde-pendent and assisted living,” said Jonathan

Ellis, executive director. “Residents remainin their independent living apartment andchoose fromamenuofpersonalized supportoptions, such as assistance with medicationadministration and management (includ-ing diabetes management), assistance withshowering, regularly scheduled safety visits,laundry andmore.”“At Aspenwood since the beginning of

October 2013, my mom, Irene, is in Inde-pendentPlusLiving,”saidDennisChupella,“so she gets help with medications and goesto dinner in the dining room.”He said he andhis brother choseAspen-

wood for her, and they are both impressed

with its ambience. “The building is brightand nicely furnished, and there are freshflowers.” Irene is busy every day. She enjoysbingo, participates in a singing group, likesthe movies and other entertainment andjoins weekend excursions out of the build-ing. “The activity schedule is so chock fullthat if residents want to take advantage ofit, they can constantly be out socializing,”Dennis Chupella said.

Since 1989, Aspenwood Senior LivingCommunity has provided independent andassisted living services to seniors; for thelast 11 years it has been run by Five Star

Senior Living.The community is housedin one newly renovated building. Its 132rental apartments—85 independent liv-ing and 47 assisted living—offer one- andtwo-bedroom units with some options: onebedroom,one bedroomwith den, one bed-room with sunroom or two bedrooms andtwo baths. “There is no buy-in, but there isa one-time community fee,” said Ellis.“Our physical therapy department, also

part of Five Star, has a resistant-currenttherapy pool with a 1-mile-per-hour cur-rent that can be generated,” he added.While most residents moved here from

only 2 to 4 miles away, others came from

ASPENWOOD SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY

EMPOWEREDindependent and assisted living for seniors of all ages

This one-bedroomapartment has asunroom off ofits living room.The communityoffers 132 rentalapartments—85independent livingand 47 assistedliving—featuringone or two bed-rooms with someoptions: one bed-room, one bedroomwith den, one bed-room with sunroomor two bedroomsand two baths.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASPENWOOD SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY


longer distances to be closer to family.“Thereisnoage requirement,”saidEllis.“Theyoung-est resident currently is 65.The oldest was102 until recently, when a resident of 104moved in.While there are some couples,mostresidents are single females.” The communityis pet friendly.A few residents have cats; smalldogs require special permission.Rent for independent living residents

includes one meal per day—any meal, notnecessarily dinner. Other meals may be pur-chased, asmay an all-day dining program.Independent living apartments all have

kitchens, housekeeping service every twoweeks, and free washers and dryers in thebuilding. Every resident receives a safety pen-dant, and wall-mounted alerts in each bath-room provide an emergency call responsesystem.Residents may join any activities andenjoy complimentary scheduled transporta-tion to doctors’ appointments, shopping, etc.Assistedlivingresidentsreceivethreemeals

dailyplus snacks,aswell asweeklyhousekeep-ing services.While these residents donot needskilled nursing care, they may require some

Both residents and their guests have access to Aspenwood's computer center.See ASPENWOOD, 30

1912459


BY ELLEN R. COHEN

The night before we flew toSpain in June 2007, I wentthrough my wallet, elimi-nating unnecessary items.That was not easy, because

I always carry whatever I could possiblyneed—ever—in my too-heavy purse. Ifilled a zippered section with the mostimportant items: passports (mine and myhusband’s), money ($400), leftover trav-eler’s checks ($300) and paperwork fromtheir purchase, four blank checks, and mydriver’s license, military dependent IDcard, Medicare card, medical insurancecard, and a MasterCard, Visa and twodebit cards—mine and my husband’s—for the ATMs.My husbandHarvey had his ID cards,

his MasterCard (same number as mine),and a few dollars.Why was I carrying allthe important stuff? During 46 years ofmarriage, we have learned that the oneknown to lose things should not carryvaluables.Therefore, the one who doesn’tlose things gets to carry everything. Ilearned later that this was a big mistake.Enjoying a sunny morning in Barce-

lona, Spain, with our good friends Moand Cindy, we decided that this first va-cation day should begin with a city bustour.After a good overview and a glass ofcava (Spanish sparkling wine) at a smalltaverna, we sat on a bench, enjoying thestreet scene.When Harvey got up to lookat something on the path ahead of him, Ipicked up the camera he had left behind,slung it over my left shoulder, and movedquickly to catch up with him.That shoul-der was now carrying my purse as well ashis heavy camera.Walking two-by-two, the four of us

continued along a pleasant path througha park. Harvey’s camera had now movedto the front of my body while my purse

had shifted to the rear. I walked along,happily enjoying the pleasant weather andSpanish environment.When we arrived at our next desti-

nation and the men began to purchasecable car tickets, I was ready to relieve myshoulder of the heavy camera and purse.

Suddenly, I realized I had a big problem.“Why is my purse open?” I wondered.

Then, noticing the now-unzipped pocketwhere I had stashedmy valuables, I asked,“Why is this pocket open?” And then,“Where are all my things?” Gone waseverything except our passports. Money,

traveler’s checks, blank checks, my IDcards, credit cards and debit cards—allgone. I felt numb.“How could a thief unzip the main

zipper and then the second zipper on thesecurity pocket while I was totally un-aware of anything?” I wondered.

TRAVEL

How to Avoid Being

PICKPOCKETED ABROAD

E ven though the Cohens (left) were robbed on the first day of their trip toBarcelona, Spain, they managed to enjoy the rest of the vacation. Theywere fortunate enough to have had travel companions who were able to

temporarily place the Cohens' expenses on their credit card, the Cohens'daughter wired them some cash, and their son met them at the airport withbus fare so they could return home.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família wasdesigned by Antoni Gaudi in the 1800s. The Cohens enjoy a view of the cityfrom a cable car. The travelers take in a lively street scene.

PHOTOS BY HARVEY M. COHEN

u Lessons Learned TooLate in Barcelona


It seems like every guidebook toSpain warns about pickpockets, but Ihave always been proud of my ability totake basic precautions to deter thieves.I always hold onto my purse. Especiallydesigned for travel, its shoulder strap hassteel cables embedded in the material,many zippered pockets and even swivelclips that attach to outside zippers tomake opening them more difficult. Un-fortunately, I had not utilized that lastsecurity measure that morning.

Becoming travel wise takes a while,and the experts, who routinely deal withthese challenges, have many sugges-tions about how to do it. “Do not keepyour money and cards in a back pocketor handbag,” said Adrian Cox of CallFor Help, a business Cox and AnthonyBrown began in 2010 to assist English-speaking residents and visitors with prob-lems encountered in Spain. “Try to splitup valuables; leave some in the hotel safeor spread your cash among friends. If youare robbed, it will not be a total loss.”Cox, who left the British Consulate

Consular Section after 23 years assistingtourists who were victims of crime, said,“Handbags and back pockets are re-ally easy targets for pickpockets who willpress up against you or harrow you inthe street until you slip up and drop yourguard.They will use distractions such asfights, arguments, ask you where a tour-ist spot is on a map, or even trip you orfall down in front of you.”James Feess and his wife Susan creat-

ed their company,The Savvy Backpack-er, to be “an independent planning re-source for travelers wanting to backpackthrough Europe on a budget.” Accord-ing to Feess, the most popular foreigncities for pickpockets are Barcelona andMadrid in Spain; Rome and Florencein Italy; Paris, France; Athens, Greece;Prague, Czech Republic; Lisbon, Portu-

gal; London, England and Amsterdam,Netherlands—in other words, those thatattract the most tourists.Billy Norris, owner of DayMakers of

Santa Barbara, a company that designsshoulder bags, fanny packs, wallets andother travel accessories, builds in anti-theft features for travel security. “Be-cause purse straps can be cut, we build asteel cable into the strap for theft preven-tion,” said Norris.“If you walk near the curb, someone

on a motorcycle can grab your bag, sowear the bag away from the street. If youhave valuables in a pocket of the bag,wear that pocket adjacent to your body,”Norris said.He also stressed the need forbeing organized. “When you open yourbag, know where your stuff is and findwhat you need quickly.Then close yourbag immediately and secure it on yourperson. If you’re a senior, wear your bagacross your body and don’t travel alone.”Pacsafe products, such as slash-proof

wallets, fanny packs or under-clothingbags for passports and money, someusing RFID (radio frequency identifica-tion) technology, help eliminate fraudby thieves using card readers, said De-nise Gibson, a senior AAA travel agentin theTysons Corner,Vienna,Va., office.“RFID products stop people from usinga special card reader that gets numbersfrom your credit cards/passports whilethey are still in your purse or pocket.AAA and travel stores carry these prod-ucts,” she said.“In addition, travelers should ex-

change their credit cards for safer oneswith the new chip feature that utilizesa code entered into a machine readerwhen a credit card is used.” Currentlymore prevalent overseas, these cards areslowly being introduced here. “AAA hasaVisa card with the chip feature and theywill send a lost card replacement within24 hours,” said Gibson.Cox also counseled, “Don’t take out

a guidebook or street map on a mainstreet in a place that might attract pick-pockets. If you’re driving, keep valuablesaway from the visible areas of the car.Lock your doors and keep windows up,if possible. If you do become the vic-tim of petty crime, don’t confront thethieves, as they may become violent. Re-port the crime to the nearest police sta-tion or police officer and get a report foryour insurance company.”

CONSIDER USINGA DUMMY WALLET WITHA $1 BILL PLACED IN AVERY ACCESSIBLE AREAOF YOUR PURSE. THENKEEP OTHER FUNDSELSEWHERE.”

See PICKPOCKET, 26 1905563


INGEBORG WESTFALL, 69PoolesvilleI take trips to learn or experience what I haven’t before

or to uplift my spirit.When all those things are part of atrip, it becomes a good one, and it’s the best trip ever whenyears later it is still in my brain and makes me smile.Thetrip thatmost gaveme all these things was to theAmericanVisionary Art Museum in Baltimore. It celebrates art pro-duced by people who usually aren’t part of a folk traditionpassed down from various cultures.These visionaries arepeople doing things like making reproductions of ships intoothpicks.And it’s incredible.This person used hundredsof thousands of toothpicks.That’s dedication.There was a wood carving by a man who had never

carved anything before, and it was sort of a self-portraitof a person who suffered from tuberculosis. It was a verymoving piece that filled the whole room with enormoussorrow, and it gave me an incredible feeling.There was a painting by an American slave from the

South who recreated scenes of her life growing up, andwe can see some of the common days of a slave throughher work. She never had any training and did this art afterwhole days of work.Even though some of these pieces were depressing,

overall it was a transformative experience that I have neverhad in a more conventional museum. [Artists] expressedthemselves in a way that reached me. I could identify withthese people through their need to express themselves.Everyone has that need.

JOHN HONIG, 90BethesdaMy favorite trips are safaris in Africa with the wild ani-

mals.The last onewas among the best. It was to SouthAfri-ca, five years ago.You fly to this country and pick up vehicleswith a small group of people.You go out into the field, usu-ally early in the morning, and you look for wild animals toobserve. One of the most interesting experiences I remem-ber was when we found a pride of lions,which is a group ofthem.We watched from a long lens.The head lion took alook at us.He walked to our car, and we stopped breathingbecause he could have taken any of us.He lifted his leg andwent onour tires and thenwent back.Andwe could breatheagain. It is thrilling to be that close to the king of beasts.We also saw little lions, and they chased a leopard up

a tree, which was exciting, especially knowing they couldhave chased us instead.You get close to animals that live inthe wild.You start out not knowing what to expect, and youlearn.You can’t observe their true life like this in the zoo.You have to see them in the wild and in the context of allthe other animals.And this was what ismost exciting tome.

CHUCK KAUFFMAN, 80BethesdaLast April, my son-in-law celebrated his 50th birthday,

and eight of us from the family took a one-week cruise downto several stops in Greece andTurkey.Then we came backtoVenice and spent another week there. It was nice and longand great.

There was my wife, myself, my son-in-law’s mother,my daughter and son-in-law, and my grandkids. Our kidsand their children went to Murano, islands nearVenice,where they spent the day doing things like watching glassblowing.During some of their times together,my wife andmyself hung aroundVenice shopping, going to galleriesand operas.We ended up inVerona where we saw “Aida,”an opera, and we saw “Madame Butterfly” inVenice.Theoperas are outdoors in a beautiful Roman arena.Wewent to the Biennale inVenice,which is an art show

with exhibits in exotic venues.We went on gondolas with the grandkids.We took

them to a big square of shops inVenice, and the kids lovedchasing the pigeons, eating the gelato and running alongthe water.The overall trip was a wonderful grandparental experi-

ence, and cultural and gourmet experience. It was a blendof many wonderful things.

LOUISE LEE, 83Covenant Village, GermantownI went on a tour outWest that included the Grand

Canyon.And theGrandCanyonwas the icing on the cake.It was the hand of God.You think you have seen so manythings. But when you go to the canyon, you stand thereand are awestruck. People can describe the beauty andlargeness, the grandeur and the color. But only once youstand there and you look over the canyon and down in thecanyon can you begin to appreciate more fully the blessing

TRAVEL

EPIC ADVENTURESThe Gazette asked local seniors what their most memorable trip was. Here’s what they had to say:

INTERVIEWS BY ARLENE KARIDIS

COURTESY OF CHUCK KAUFFMAN

Chuck Kauffman and his wife Sandy visit Greece.COURTESY OF JOHN HONIG

John Honig enjoys his 90th birthday at the OldEurope restaurant in Georgetown in Washington, D.C.

PHOTO BY RANDE DAVIS, COURTESY OF INGEBORG WESTFALL

Ingeborg Westfall


of this earth—the colors and the different ways the rockswere formed.You see the river flowing and the sun shiningon the rocks giving it a beautiful hue.I came back having seen the beauties in the United

States ofAmerica.This includedYellowstone [National ParkinWyoming] too, and we saw the geyser and the wildlife, abuffalo and black bear.We saw bubbling up of the hot lava,and the rivers and waterfalls atYellowstone.The people I met along the way were part of the beau-

ty, too.We shared information: how we got there, why wecame,what life was like, where we were all from.There wasone lady from South Africa and two from the Netherlandsand another was fromArgentina.There was a family fromFinland.You learn people are alike everywhere, and whenyou meet on a one-to-one basis, you learn how nice peopleare—that color or nationalitymakes no difference.We cametogether as strangers but left as friends. I still correspondwith some of them at Christmas, and that trip was in 1991.

PAT HILMOE, 90Asbury Methodist Village, GaithersburgI went to Hawaii with my four daughters about five

years ago. It was organized by the travel committee of As-bury MethodistVillage. It was a long way from home, andseeing an entirely new world of islands in the middle of thePacific was fun, especially to see the islands from the air.Tosee them appear all of a sudden in the middle of the PacificOcean and to think people lived way out there and it was apart of theU.S.was amazing.You don’t think of this remote

place as being part of the United States.We landed and goton a cruise ship and went from island to island.One of my daughters rented a car, and we took off on

our own.We could do whatever we wanted, and we createdour own little sightseeing trip, which was informative andfun.We stopped at a little place andhad lunch.We saw inter-esting buildings and places like a pineapple plantation.Wewere treated to a very fine dinner outdoors at a hotel

where they did hula dancing and had a Hawaiian band. Itwas festive, and the weather was beautiful.We went downinto a cove, and we walked along the beach there.We did itbarefoot and wiggled our toes in the water.

The girls all worked, and one had small children.Butwejust took off, and it felt free.That I could go with my girlsmade it more special.

ROZ KRAM, 69RockvilleMy best trip was to Israel in 1984. I went to theWest-

ernWall in Jerusalem. I had a cousin who was ill, and Iwas putting a note in the wall asking for his recovery. Iwas standing there and wanted to say a blessing I knew,but I was so overwhelmed with the awe of the place andexperience that I couldn’t remember the words.I am Jewish and I had a profound sense of coming

home. It was a spiritual sense, not a physical sense, ofcoming home.We also visited Masada, [an ancient fortification on

top of an isolated rock cliff] outside of Jerusalem.There was a group of Jews living in Masada, and the

Romans tried to capture them.The Jewish people had anenclave and a whole world up there they lived in.But theywere running out of water and food and chose to die in asuicide mission rather than be enslaved.I thought I’d walk to the top of Masada.Wrong. I got

halfway and came back down and took the tram becauseI didn’t think I could walk the rest of the way.When I gotoff the tram, I realized I had another 100 steps to walk tothe top of the mountain. I was hot and dehydrated, but itwas a loving feeling to have other people who were theretaking care of me as I reached the summit.

COURTESY OF ROZ KRAM

Roz Kram (standing in back) visits Israel.

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BY KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

What goes in must come out.So says the Internal RevenueService. In the case of indi-vidual retirement accountsor employer-sponsored re-

tirement plans—401(k), 403(b) or 457(b)—itliterally pays to understand when and to whatextent you must tap those accounts. Otherwise,penalties may accrue.When it comes to utilizing retirement funds,

many factors come into play—tax and employ-ment status, pension and Social Security income,family, health and lifestyle. “As you near retire-ment, it’s important to calculate howmuch you’llneed towithdrawandwithwhat frequency so thatyour money will last throughout your lifetime,”saidTedDavis, a private wealth advisor and certi-fied financial planner withDavis andDevine, a fi-nancial advisory practice of Ameriprise FinancialServices Inc. in Fairfax,Va.Retirement plans, either individual or employ-

er-sponsored,are taxed inoneof twoways“and it’shelpful to understand the difference,” said Davis.Traditional IRAs and most 401(k), 403(b) and457(b) accounts are tax deferred.The idea is thatyou make contributions when you are in a highertax bracket and need the deduction and you takewithdrawals when you are in a lower tax bracketand need funds for retirement. “The moneygrows tax-deferred but distributions are taxed atwhatever your tax rate is when you withdraw.”There are tax-free retirement accounts. Roth

IRAs and some employer-sponsored plans arecomprised of after-tax dollars. As a result, whendistributions are taken, neither the principal norearnings are taxed, noted Clark Kendall, presi-dent and founder of and a certified financial plan-ner with Kendall CapitalManagement in Rockville.IRS rules governing withdrawals from the two types

of retirement plans differ.Generally, to tap aRoth IRAwith-out penalty, you must be at least 59½ years of age and theaccount must have been in existence for at least five years.You are not required to take a distribution from a Roth, nomatter what your age, and if you do withdraw, there is nominimum ormaximum.If you have a traditional IRA, you may begin taking dis-

tributions as early as age 59½ but you must start drawing

down funds from the account byApril 1 of the year follow-ing the year in which you turn 70½. Failure to do so couldresult in a 50 percent tax on the amount that should havebeen withdrawn.That is more than you would pay if youhad taken the required distribution. For example, if yourmandated withdrawal was $1,000 and you failed to makeit, you could incur a penalty of $500.That is $104 higherthan the tax you would pay if you were in the top—39.6percent—tax bracket and followed the rules.

IRS Publication 590 includes three tablesthat stipulate how much you must withdrawbased on age and life expectancy. Most retirees,according to Davis, use the Uniform LifetimeTable, which covers unmarried owners, marriedownerswhose spouses are notmore than 10 yearsyounger, and married owners whose spouses arenot the sole beneficiaries of the IRA.For example, a 71-year-old with $100,000

in an IRA is required to withdraw a minimumof $3,774 this year, as his life expectancy is 26.5years. A 72-year-old with the same amount inan IRA must withdraw at least $3,906, as he isexpected to live 25.6 years. “The required mini-mum distribution is recalculated at the end ofevery year,” said Kendall. “At 98, when you havea life expectancy of seven years, you’re requiredto take out one-seventh, or about 14 percent, ofwhat remains in your IRA.”Just because you have to withdraw the funds

doesn’t mean you have to spend them.Depend-ing on your situation, you may choose to investthem, said Kendall.Ascertaining whether the minimum is suffi-

cient to support your retirement needs requiresplanning. “I call it calculating your magic num-ber,” said Kendall, “and there are many variablesthat go into that.”“Longevity is a huge concern,” said Kendall.

Unless you are in poor health, “plan for a longretirement. A 65-year-old couple has a joint lifeexpectancy ofmore than 26 years and there’s a 50percent chance that one of the two will see a 91stbirthday.” Funds may need to cover not severalyears but several decades of retirement.

Determining how much cash you’ll needand when to withdraw it begins with an analysisof anticipated expenses. Start with essential ex-

penses, suggested Davis, such as mortgage, taxes, utili-ties, home maintenance, insurance, medical, clothing

and groceries. “There may be some expenses—a golf clubmembership ormaintaining a horse—that one person viewsas essential and another considers discretionary,” he said.“Then think about what you want to do in retirement—goon a cruise or live abroad….These are things that, if life getstough, can be delayed.”Lifestyle expenses are likely to be greater in the first de-

cade of retirement, noted Kendall. “It’s not unusual when

FINANCES

RETIREMENT ACCOUNTSu What you need to know about when and how to tap into them u

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people first retire to want to travel—to Italy or China—sothey spend more money during that time. Between 75 and85, they often become less focused on seeing the world andmore on seeing their grandchildren,” he said. By their late80s or early 90s, the focus shifts tomore sedentary activities.But, as lifestyle expenses decrease, medical expenses

often increase.There is, according to Kendall, a 30 percentchance that you will end up in a nursing home at a cost ofroughly$100,000ayear.Someof that expensemaybeoffsetby government programs and savings in essential expenses,such as housing, taxes and food.Because the life expectancyof those in a nursing homedrops precipitously,“I can,whendoing financial plans, say with 97 percent confidence that astay in a nursing home won’t go beyond five years,” he said.Consider howmuch of your retirement savings you can

afford to set aside for long-term care and for what lengthof time.Then, review “all sources of known income thatyou can count on,” said Davis.That includes nonqualifiedaccounts, such as those with banks and brokerages, pen-sions and Social Security. “Once you add up the guaran-teed sources of income and subtract expenses, you’ll have

a shortfall.That gap is what we want to address with retire-ment assets.”Ideally, said Kendall, to stretch retirement funds over a

lifetime, couples between the ages of 65 and 75 should belooking at no more than a 4 percent distribution rate. Asyour life expectancy and amount of retirement savings de-crease, the distribution rate rises. For those between 70 and80, “a distribution rate of 5 percent is probably okay,” saidKendall,“and from 75 to 85 they can do 7 to 8 percent.”Positioning retirement assets to provide an income

stream that addresses your monthly shortfall is important.“Typically, we look at retirement assets as being in one ofthree buckets,” said Davis. “The first is one year’s worth ofshortfall—say $50,000. It should be liquid, sitting in a safereliable cash account.”The second bucket “is short-term—investments you

plan to hold two to five years.The objective is to earn a bet-ter rate of return and use the interest to help replenish fundsyou’re drawing down from the first bucket,” said Davis.“Risk attitudes will come into play.”“The third is positioned for growth.That money can

be positioned in the market consistent with a client’s risktolerance: conservative, moderate or aggressive. Profits aremoved to the second bucket, which then replenishes fundsin the first,” said Davis.“It’s a sort of cascading effect.”

For those with traditional IRAs or employer-sponsoredplans, “we want to minimize the tax hit,” said Davis. “Sowhat’s the right order to withdraw money? First from non-qualified accounts and then from IRAs.”Funds remaining in a retirement account may be be-

queathed to a person or institution.To avoid complications,be certain you have completed a beneficiary designationform and filed it with the institution holding the accountrather thannaming the beneficiary in yourwill, saidKendall.While it is possible for individuals to navigate the finan-

cial aspects of retirement on their own, assistance from atax advisor and financial planner can go a long way towardinsuring that retirement funds are maximized. “At the endof the day, retirement should be hassle- and stress-free,” saidDavis.“You should enter it saying,‘Yes! It truly is everythingit’s cracked up to be.’”

LONGEVITY IS A HUGE CONCERN ... PLAN FOR A LONG RETIREMENT. A 65-YEAR-OLD COUPLE HAS A JOINT LIFE EXPECTANCYOF MORE THAN 26 YEARS AND THERE’S A 50 PERCENT CHANCE THAT ONE OF THE TWOWILL SEE A 91ST BIRTHDAY.”

1912132


BY TOM MARGENAUSYNDICATED COLUMNIST

Recently, several readers sentme yet another in the longline of damnable lies thatare being spread in cyber-space about Social Security.

The salacious email reads, in part:“Once again the government has shownit can’t do anything right. The SocialSecurity Administration reports that ithas hundreds of billions of dollars in un-spent funds sitting around in somethingcalled the ‘suspense file.’This is furtherproof that we can’t let the b------- inWashington raise our taxes by one nickeluntil they get rid of all the waste, fraudand mismanagement of the tax moneythey already collect from us!”The email goes on to accuse Presi-

dent Barack Obama of “instituting thecorrupt policies that led to all this waste.”

I will use this column to give you thefacts about the so-called suspense filethat the Social Security Administration(SSA) maintains.The suspense file, which has been

around since the 1930s (before PresidentObama was even born), doesn’t containeven one nickel in funds. It simply con-tains paper and electronic records of un-reportable income. Let me explain.When people work at a job, their em-

ployer withholds Social Security taxes(and matches that tax payment with anequal amount of money).Those with-held funds are sent directly to the U.S.Department of the Treasury—about$2.5 billion deposited to the Treasuryevery day in Social Security tax collec-tions.The government instantly spendsthat money for whatever the federal gov-ernment spends money on—everythingfrom veterans’ hospitals to NationalPark Service employee salaries to NASA

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rockets to air traffic control computers.At the same time, theTreasury Depart-ment deposits aTreasury note into theSocial Security trust funds for themoneyreceived. (Social Security hadmore than$1 trillion inTreasury notes in its fundsas of December.) Social Security checksare paid three times a month. So threetimes eachmonth, SSA redeems enoughTreasury bonds to cover the billions ofdollars worth of Social Security checksit is sending out that day.TheTreasuryDepartment credits the Social Securityfunds for those bonds—with interest.Social Security has been working thisway for about 80 years now.But none of this has anything to do

with the suspense file. So why did I bringit up?Well, you have to go back to thatemployer sending the tax collections totheTreasury. At the same time it sendsthe money to theTreasury Department,it sends a paper or electronic reportto SSA listing the names of all its em-ployees, their Social Security numbers(SSN) and the total earnings reportedto that person. So it is simply a reportthat goes to SSA.The agency takes these reports and

posts earnings to the Social Securityrecord for everyone listed on the em-ployer’s report.That is a big part of itsjob—tomaintain earnings records for allAmericans while they are working andto pay benefits based on those recordswhen they retire. More than 95 percentof the time, there is no problem.Theseearnings are posted to the proper record,and all is right with the world.But occasionally, there is a glitch.

The name and/or SSN reported by theemployer does not match the name and/or SSN in Social Security records. SSAmakes some attempts to resolve the prob-lem. It first applies tolerances to fix theissue. For example, if it sees wages re-ported for “Tom Margenau” and SocialSecurity records show “Thomas Mar-genau”—assuming all other informationmatches—it will make the logical assump-

tion that “TomMargenau” and “ThomasMargenau” are the same person.Or if it sees wages reported for

Thomas Margenau with SSN 123-45-6789 but Social Security records showhis SSN as being 123-45-6798, it willsimply presume—again, assuming allother information matches—that thelast digits were transposed in process-ing, and it will post the income to Mar-genau’s Social Security record.If these tolerances don’t work, it will

contact the employer to attempt to re-solve the discrepancy. Or it will attemptto contact individual employees.If these and other procedures don’t

work, then SSA doesn’t know whose re-cord should be posted with the properearnings, so then these reports go intothe suspense file. (Think of it as the re-ports being “suspended” until the dis-crepancy can be resolved.) Again, thereis no money in that file.The tax collec-tions were long ago deposited into theTreasury. It’s just the earnings reportthat is in suspense.Many of these discrepant reports are

eventually straightened out, properlyposted to the correct SSN record andremoved from the suspense file.However, because we are talking

about millions of paper reports comingin every day—over the nearly 80-yearhistory of the Social Security system—unresolved reports have built up to thetune of tens of millions of records repre-senting hundreds of billions of dollars inunreportable wages. (I can’t emphasizeenough: not billions of dollars in moneybut billions of dollars in reports of unre-portable wages.)Obviously, there are certain classes

of workers who contribute most to thesuspense file.The biggest one is kids—teenagers getting their first jobs at afast-food chain, for example—for whomSocial Security means almost nothing.They frequently give their employerfaulty data.Other big contributors to thesuspense file are new brides who changetheir names and report those new namesto their employers but forget to tell thegovernment; Social Security still has theold name.If you wonder whether some of your

earnings were properly reported to yourSocial Security record, it is a simplemat-ter to go to socialsecurity.gov and checkyour earnings files.

Tom Margenau’s weekly column,“Social Security andYou,” can be found atCreators.com.

-Creators.com

THERE IS NO MONEYIN THAT FILE. THE TAX

COLLECTIONSWERE LONGAGO DEPOSITED INTO THETREASURY. IT’S JUST THEEARNINGS REPORT THAT

IS IN SUSPENSE.

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FLUFlu is the short name for influenza. It can

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reasons. First, flu viruses change. Eachyear’s virus may be just a little different. Ifthe virus changes, the vaccine used in theflu shot is changed. Second, the protectionyou get from a flu shot lessens with time,especially in older people. It takes a whilefor the flu shot to begin protecting you,

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PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASEPneumococcal disease is a serious infec-

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by bacteria found in soil, dust and ma-nure. It enters the body through cuts inthe skin.Diphtheria is also caused by bacteria.

It can affect the tonsils, throat, nose orskin.A very serious illness, diphtheria canspread from person to person.Most people get their first shots for

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SHINGLESIf you had chickenpox when you were

young, the virus is still in your body.Whenyou are older, the virus may become ac-tive again, and you can develop shingles.Shingles causes a rash or blisters on thebody or face, and can be a very painfuldisease. Even when the rash disappears,the pain may remain. Now there is a shotfor people 50 or older that may preventshingles.Ask your doctor if you should getthis vaccine.

MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLAThe vaccine given to children to

prevent measles, mumps and rubella

has made these diseases rare. Measles,mumps and rubella are often more seri-ous in adults than in children. Even if youdon’t know if you’ve had the diseases orthe shot, you can still get the vaccine.

SIDE EFFECTS OF SHOTSCommon side effects for all of these

shots are mild and include pain, swell-ing and/or redness on the arm where theshot was administered. It’s a good ideato keep your own shot record listing thetypes and dates of your shots, as well asany side effects or problems.

TRAVELCheck with your doctor or local health

department about the shots that you needif you’re going to travel to other countries.Sometimes a series of shots is needed. It’sbest to get them early, at least two weeksbefore you leave.For more information, visit the Cen-

ters for Disease Control and Preventionwebsite at cdc.gov/travel, or call the infor-mation line for international travelers at800-232-4636.

-National Institute onAging

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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-11Montgomery 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 125Olney, MD 20835

Phone: 301-774-0232

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

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“Consider using a dummy wallet with a$1 bill placed in a very accessible area of yourpurse,” AAA’s Gibson suggested. “Then keepother funds elsewhere.” It’s most important tobemindful of your surroundings.“Stand tall andlook as if you know what you’re doing, even ifyou don’t. Don’t dress like a tourist (shorts,T-shirts and several cameras around your neck).Turn your rings around so the stones don’t showand don’t wear expensive jewelry,” she said.

Once home from Spain, it took me threeweeks to regain my identity. Presenting my pass-port, I got a new driver’s license. I applied forand received new ID cards. I notified the threenational credit-reporting agencies about possiblefraud, and a 90-day fraud alert was added to ouraccount.We would be notified if anyone askedfor our credit information.Additional lessons that I learned from this

experience:

• Each person on the trip should carry differ-ent credit cards.Call your bank immediately andcancel stolen cards.• Credit cards with PINs may be used in anATM machine, so there is usually no need tobring debit cards. If debit cards are carried, eachperson should carry his or her own.

• Don’t take blank checks out of the country.If lost, checking account numbers would haveto be changed, creating major problems withdebits that may automatically come outof a checking account.• Always utilize the spe-cial security featuresin a purse.• Photocopyfronts andbacks ofcredit/debit cardsso cardnumbers andcustomer servicetelephone numbers are read-ily available. I had that informationat home,which did us no good in Spain.Also, photocopy ID pages of passports,insurance cards and prescriptions.• Paperwork from traveler’s checks should notbe carried with the checks themselves. If we hadcarried them separately, we might have been ableto claim themissing checks even though they wereseveral years old.

Despite everything, it was a great trip.We’restill traveling, but we’re traveling a lot smarterthese days!

blank checks out of the country.ing account numbers would haved, creating major problems withmay automatically come outaccount.

lize the spe-features

vicembers are read-had that informationch did us no good in Spain.opy ID pages of passports,rds and prescriptions.

from traveler’s checks should notith the checks themselves. If we hadseparately, we might have been ablemissing checks even though they wereold.

everything, it was a great trip.We’reg, but we’re traveling a lot smarter

PICKPOCKET, continued from 17Cohen’s handbag thata pickpocket robbed isspecially designed fortravel, including swivelclips that attach tooutside zippersto make openingthem more difficult.However, she hadforgotten to use thatfeature that day.

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hit a pickleball,” said George Huson, aresident of Asbury Methodist Village inGaithersburg.“You don’t have to cover so much ter-

ritory,”saidLeisureWorld residentMarlysMoholt,whotookupthegameafter shoul-der surgeries forced her to give up tennis.“Pickleball is all underhanded, so evenpeople with shoulder problems can play.Really, anybody can play, provided theycan move around a bit.”Gus DeLeon began playing pickleball

in 2005 after his second hip replacement.“It’s good therapy—at least it has been forme,” said the Vienna resident. “Even asyour reactions begin to slow down, this isa game you can play and enjoy.”

Those who play pickleball do soprimarily for the exercise and compan-ionship, to judge from responses of se-niors at theVienna Community Centerand LeisureWorld. Pickleball providesa good workout, according to Leonard,but “I never feel exhausted or drainedwhen I’m done.”“It uses all parts of the body and re-

quires some agility—you’ve got to moveleft, right, up, down,” said Vienna resi-dent Frank Boyko, who rides his bike tothe community center three times a week

to play.The sport “isn’t just physical.Youhave to do some thinking, too. It chal-lenges you mentally.”Pickleball “makes you move,” said

Pam Robinson, an Oakton,Va., residentwho began playing about a year ago.“Once you can hit the ball, you can thinkabout strategy. There’s something newevery step along the way.”“I like the camaraderie,” said John

Tremaine, the resident who was in-strumental in getting pickleball off theground at LeisureWorld. “We don’t takeit so seriously, but we are competitive.And, we certainly get in a lot of laughs.Pickleball draws people back becausethey can exercise and have fun doing it.”“We have a very congenial group

here” inVienna, said Asako Coleman ofMcLean,Va.,who is in her second year asa pickleball player. “We have such fun.”“The group is diverse,” saidVienna res-

identThomasWarring, noting the “widevariety of ages and ethnic backgrounds.And, while there are some real differencesin skill levels,we all play together.”

Doubles, rather than singles, is theway the game is played in these Viennaand Silver Spring locations.Not only doesthat give people more court time, but italso heightens the social interaction, ac-cording to Leonard.

Pam Robinson of Oakton, Va., and Mary Flynn of Vienna, Va., (right) preparefor a serve during a game of pickleball at the Vienna Community Center.

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• Fully equipped electric kitchen w/ breakfast bar

• Individually controlled heating andA/C

•Washer & dryer in each unit

• On-site planned activities


Although pickleball was invented in1965, according toThe USA PickleballAssociation, the sport is unfamiliar tomany. Several local players, Tremaineand Huson among them, first learnedof the game while traveling. “It’s popu-lar in older adult communities in Ari-zona, Florida, California and Utah,” saidWhite. “People see it being played andthen bring it back home.”New players are welcome and most

programs have paddles to loan. Someprograms charge amembership or admis-sion fee, but many are free, saidWhite.Allyou need to get started is “a pair of courtshoes. As a trainer, I feel it’s important towear the right shoes for the right sport,”she said.With pickleball, “you can get bywith running shoes.”The sport is easy to learn and most

pickleball players willingly spend timewith novices, teaching them the basics.“I saw something about pickleball inthe newspaper about two years ago and,shortly after, saw it as ‘Jeopardy’ ques-tion,” said Ron Rothberg of Annandale,Va., who took the two occurrences as asign. “I just walked in one day—didn’tknow anyone—and they handed me apaddle. One of the players took me asideand got me started playing …. It is theonly competitive sport I play.”Jean Reavy traded her ping-pong

paddle for a pickleball paddle in 1995.“I would walk by the gym and see themplaying this strange game,” said theVien-na resident.“Week after week I’d peek in.One day, a pickleball player opened thedoor and invited me in. I said I was justwatching and she told me, ‘Come watchfrom inside.’ When I stepped in, she gaveme a paddle and got me started.”

While pickleball is primarily arecreational game, it is among thesports included in senior gamesin various regions and statesand at the national level.Several players at the Vi-enna Community Cen-ter have won medals at

the NorthernVirginia Senior Olympicsand Virginia Senior Games. Marylandmay add pickleball to its lineup, saidHuson, who serves as the MontgomeryCounty representative to the MarylandSenior Olympics commission. “What’sneeded is someone to promote the event…. On this year’s schedule, pickleball islisted as a sport but without a sponsor orlocation.”Men’s and women’s pickleballare included in the Eastern Shore SeniorGames at Salisbury University in Mary-land, to be held May 1 through 3.While medals are nice, those who

hold the awards claim they are not thereason people play pickleball. “Take alook around,” saidVienna resident DavidSandidge with a sweeping gesture. “Ev-eryone is smiling. People smile whenthey play pickleball….What more canyou ask for?”

from inside.’ When I stepped in, she gaveme a paddle and got me started.”

While pickleball is primarily arecreational game, it is among thesports included in senior gamesin various regions and statesand at the national level.Several players at the Vi-enna Community Cen-ter have won medals at

I SAW SOMETHINGABOUT PICKLEBALL IN THENEWSPAPER ABOUT TWOYEARS AGO AND, SHORT-LY AFTER, SAW IT AS‘JEOPARDY’ QUESTION,”SAID RON ROTHBERG OFANNANDALE, VA., WHOTOOK THE TWO OCCUR-RENCES AS A SIGN.

Asako Coleman ofMcLean, Va., a second-yearpickleball player, watches as heropponent is unable to return her shot.

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assistance with some areas of daily living.They have support and necessary serviceswhile continuing to be as independent andactive as possible. Short-term stays andrehabilitation services are also available.

Ann Arevalo’s mother, Marty Morgan,has lived atAspenwood for about 3½ years.Originally fromMichigan, and a longtimeCalifornia resident,Morgan is now in inde-pendent living atAspenwood to be closer toher family.Arevalo lives nearby, visits oftenand said the community is “just the rightsize, with enough residents so social activi-ties are fun.There are many activities goingon, but it’s small enough to be personal.”She praised the care and attention of

the staff. “I have nothing but good thingsto say.”Arevalo described Aspenwood’s meals

as “good quality, healthy food, nicely pre-sented…Mymomhas quite a sweet tooth.She loves desserts and enjoys activities thatinvolve music or food. If they have both,that’s perfect.”Dennis Chupella also toutedthe cuisine. “I have had many lunches anddinners at Aspenwood. It’s like going to arestaurant. My mom is eating better nowthan she has in awhile,”he said.

Residents all enjoy the musical enter-tainment and the outings in and aroundthe community.There are also Saturdaybus rides to many places, including peri-odic visits to Charlestown,W.Va., said Ellis.Exercise is popular as well.The stretch andtone class meets three times a week, some-one comes in to teachyoga,and thephysicaltherapy teamhas group exercise classes.Faith J.Nielsen,Ph.D., lauded the vari-

ety of daily activities offered atAspenwood,but particularly enjoys “the peace andquiet that I need in order to be creative.”An Aspenwood resident since January2013, she has had a diversified career inmicrobiology, biochemical research, posi-tions in state and federal government andresearch in alternative energy and radioac-tive material. An artist and author as wellas a scientist, Nielsen has published twobooks and is working on a third. Born andraised in the NewYork suburbs, she haslived in Connecticut,California andWash-ington, D.C. Now, “Aspenwood seems tobe the right place for me to be doing whatI’m doing,” she said.

Aspenwood Senior Living Community14400 Homecrest RoadSilver Spring 20906301-598-6424

aspenwoodseniorliving.com

ABOVE: This kitchen inone of Aspenwood’smore than 200apartments featuresupgraded options.

LEFT: The independentliving section of thecommunity offers alibrary.

ASPENWOOD, continued from 15

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gazseniors mc041614

Documents

gazette seniorsapril

netgazette seniors

table tennis paddle

pickleball net

onereason pickleball

regulation tennis court

smaller court size

gazettepost community