lancaster county 50plus senior news july 2014

Registered horticultural therapist Paula Swearingen, seated, often treats seniorsand people with mobility issues using a ground garden or raised garden table,

such as these offered by certified square-foot gardening instructor Joe Manotti, standing.

By Megan Joyce

In horticulture therapy, a very tangible activity is used to create intangiblehealing.

Much more than simply planting flowers, horticulture therapy is “theengagement of a participant in horticultural activities facilitated by a trainedtherapist to achieve specific and documented treatment goals,” according tothe American Horticultural Therapy Association.

Increasingly, this type of therapy is a highly effective practice for bothseniors and adults with mobility challenges.

Physically, the therapy strengthens muscles and boosts coordination,balance, and endurance. And when it comes to those improved intangibles,horticultural therapy has been shown to increase memory, cognitive abilities,task initiation, language skills, and socialization.

Paula Swearingen, M.Ed. and owner of Floral Touch HorticulturalTherapy and Floral Design, based in Lancaster, is a registered horticulturaltherapist who has seen the evidence firsthand.

“Like most horticultural therapists, I came into this vocation as asecondary career path,” she said.

Swearingen spent 17 years as a mental health and special educationprofessional, working with children, youth, and adults with variousdisabilities.

please see GREEN-THUMB page 14

Horticultural Therapy Helps SeniorsGrow Well-Being

Green-Thumb

Therapy

Lancaster County Edition July 2014 Vol. 20 No. 7

Special Focus:

Celebrating Life

page 10

How Reverse Mortgages

Work in 2014

page 8

Inside:

2 July 2014 50plus SeniorNews • www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Veterans’ expoand Job Fair

H

H

They served us —now let us serve them!

Reserve your space today!

To become a sponsor or exhibitor,please contact your account representative,

call (717) 285-1350, or email [email protected]

November 14, 20149 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Eden Resort • 222 Eden Road, Lancaster

The Expo brings federal, state, and local agencies togetherwith area businesses to provide information and resources toveterans and their families.

The Job Fair brings veterans and spouses who need jobstogether with employers who can benefit from this richsource of talent to aid their organizations.

At the ExpoVeterans Benefits & ServicesCommunity ServicesThank-a-Vet ParticipantsMedical/Nonmedical ResourcesProducts and Services AvailableSupport/Assistance Programs

At the Job FairEmployersJob CounselingWorkshops/SeminarsResume Writing AssistanceEducation/Training Services

Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available

www.veteransexpo.com

2 events — 1 location

Luke Wise grew up in Ephrata, Pa.,in a family of six boys and six girls.All the boys but Wise went in the

Army. His oldest brother served in the

artillery in World War II, and at Fort Sillhe trained under Marine artillery officers.

So he gave his kid brother some sageadvice that Luke never forgot: “If you evergo into the military, choose the Marines.”So when Wise was 21, that’s exactly whathe did.

The Korean War wason, so after his basictraining at Parris Island,S.C., he shipped out toKorea. There, he was tohave an experience thatevery Marine might havedreamed about. He was tohear, “Wise, the generalwants to talk to you.”

The general was thelegendary Marine “Chesty”Puller, who had earned anunheard-of five NavyCrosses for valor incombat—although he wasbest known for hiscomment, “We’ve been looking for theenemy for some time now. We’ve finallyfound him. We’re surrounded. Thatsimplifies things.”

Now, “Chesty” wanted to see Sgt. LukeWise.

“The only thing that came to mind,”Wise says, “is, ‘What could he possiblywant to talk to me about?’”

He was about to find out. “Sergeant,” the general said, “they tell

me your IQ is off the charts … and thatyou have a photographic memory. I have ahazardous assignment that I won’t orderyou take, but I’m sure hoping you’llvolunteer for it.”

He then explained that they neededsomeone to make repeated forays behindenemy lines and report details ofammunition dumps the enemy had spreadout over several miles (and one even acrossthe Yalu River in Manchuria).

What did Wise say? “What do you think I said? You think I

could stand in front of a man like ‘Chesty’Puller, who had specifically asked for me,and tell him, ‘No, General, I think Iwould really rather not’?”

So then, how many missions did herun, and what were they like?

“Well, there were 15 of them in all,and they were all pretty hairy. They alwaysmeant moving only at night, because theNorth Korean troops were everywhere. Iwas forbidden to make notes …everything had to be memorized. I was tozero-in on the ammunition dumps thatour air observers could see but could notcome close enough to target on.

“When I got back frommissions, the general hadme use my code name, ‘Sgt.Dutch,’ and send the exactcoordinates for bestbombing to the carrier, USSOriskany (“The Mighty O”).Her aircraft would then flythe missions to flatten thoseammo dumps. We couldoften see the dumps eruptin terrific blasts.”

Wise had to extend histour to finish the job, andhe says, “When it was over,Gen. Puller asked me whatkind of assignment I’d likenext, saying, ‘You name it,

and you’ve got it.’ I figured I ought to gofor it, so I said, ‘Sir, I’d like to chauffeurfor an admiral.’

“And the next thing I knew, I wasassigned to the USS Pocono, the flagshipfor the Commander, Amphibious Force,Atlantic Fleet. Sure enough, I was theadmiral’s chauffeur and in charge of theship’s orderlies.”

One more thing about Gen. Puller:Wise later got a personal letter from thegeneral, thanking and commending himfor the work he did in his clandestinemissions.

Aboard the Pocono, Wise toured theCaribbean, with stops at many exoticports, from Jamaica to Trinidad. And yes,he was the admiral’s chauffeur wheneverthe admiral was ashore.

Wise left active duty in July 1954 butstayed in the Reserve until 1959 as a staffsergeant. He then returned to Ephrata andworked in construction and cabinetrybefore retiring in 1999.

In retirement, he had one almostunbelievable “small world” experience.

Marine General ‘Chesty’Puller Made Him an Offer

He Couldn’t RefuseRobert D. Wilcox

Salute to a Veteran

Sgt. Luke Wise uponhis return to the U.S.

in 1953.

please see WISE page 7

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews • July 2014 3

Steinmetz Coins & Currency, Inc.350 Centerville Road, Lancaster(717) 299-1211

Advanced Denture Center39 E. Main Street, Ephrata(717) 721-3004

Dental Health Associates951 Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster(717) 394-9231

Lancaster Denture Center951 Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster(717) 394-3773

Smoketown Family Dentistry2433C Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown(717) 291-6035

Central PA Poison Center(800) 521-6110

Office of Aging(717) 299-7979 or (800) 801-3070

Lancaster County Office of Aging(717) 299-7979

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre510 Centerville Road, Lancaster(717) 898-1900

Internal Revenue Service(717) 291-1994

Richard H. Heisey Funeral Home216 S. Broad St., Lititz(717) 626-2464

Regional Gastroenterology Associates ofLancaster (RGAL)2104 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster694 Good Drive, Suite 23, Lancaster4140 Oregon Pike, Ephrata(717) 544-3400

Alzheimer’s Association(717) 651-5020

American Cancer Society(717) 397-3744

American Diabetes Association(888) DIABETES

American Heart Association(717) 393-0725

American Lung Association(717) 397-5203 or (800) LungUSA

American Red Cross(717) 299-5561

Arthritis Foundation(717) 397-6271

Building You, LLC804 New Holland Ave., Lancaster(888) 769-3992

Consumer Information(888) 878-3256

CONTACT Helpline(717) 652-4400

Disease and Health Risk(888) 232-3228

Domestic Violence(800) 799-7233

Flu or Influenza(888) 232-3228

Hearing and Ear Care Center, LLC806 W. Main St., Mount Joy(717) 653-6300

Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hardof Hearing(800) 233-3008 V/TTY

Alliance Home Help(717) 587-1998

Senior Helpers1060 S. State St., Suite E, Ephrata(717) 738-0588

Visiting Angels Living Assistance ServicesServing Lancaster and surroundingcounties(717) 393-3450

Eastwood Village Homes, LLC102 Summers Drive, Lancaster(717) 397-3138

Manor House Apartments1415 Spencer Ave., Lancaster(717) 393-0465

Medicare(800) 633-4227

CVS/pharmacywww.cvs.com

Wiley’s PharmacyLocations in Lancaster, Millersville,Quarryville, and Strasburg(717) 898-8804

May•Grant Obstetrics & GynecologyWomen & Babies Hospital with otherlocations in Brownstown, Columbia,Elizabethtown, Willow Street, and Intercourse(717) 397-8177

Strasburg Health Associates(717) 687-7541

Prudential Homesale Services GroupRocky Welkowitz(717) 393-0100

A Life Transition Service(717) 799-0648

TLC Ladies(717) 228-8764

Transition Solutions for SeniorsRocky Welkowitz(717) 615-6507

Wells Contemplative Solutions255 Butler Ave., Suite 301-B, Lancaster(717) 208-3633

Passport Information(877) 487-2778

Lebanon VA Medical Center1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon(717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771

RSVP of Capital Region, Inc.(717) 847-1539

RSVP Lancaster County(717) 847-1539

RSVP Lebanon County(717) 454-8956

RSVP York County(443) 619-3842

Building You, LLC804 New Holland Ave., Lancaster(888) 769-3992

Women’s Services

Volunteer Opportunities

Veterans Services

Travel

Spirituality

Senior Move Management

Real Estate

Physicians — OB/GYN

Pharmacies

Insurance

Housing

Home Care Services

Hearing Services

Health & Medical Services

Gastroenterology

Funeral Directors

Financial Services

Entertainment

Employment

Emergency Numbers

Dental Services

Coins & Currency

Resource DirectoryThis Resource Directory recognizes advertisers

who have made an extended commitmentto your health and well-being.

Not an all-inclusive list ofadvertisers in your area.


50plus Senior News is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc.and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirementcommunities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets

serving the senior community.On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish

advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters

are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance ofadvertisements for products or services does not constitute anendorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will notbe responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within fivedays of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reviseor reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may bereproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc.

We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information notin compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State lawsor other local laws.

Winner

Member of

Awards

Corporate Office:3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512

Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360Chester County:610.675.6240

Cumberland County/Dauphin County:717.770.0140

Berks County/Lancaster County/Lebanon County/York County:

717.285.1350E-mail address:

[email protected] address:

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PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHERDonna K. Anderson

EDITORIALVICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR

Christianne RuppEDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS

Megan Joyce

ART DEPARTMENTPROJECT COORDINATOR

Renee McWilliamsPRODUCTION ARTIST

Janys Cuffe

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Sherry BolingerAngie McComsey Jacoby

Amy KiefferRanee Shaub Miller

Sue RughACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES

Christina CardamoneAnne Hill

SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR

Eileen CulpEVENTS MANAGER

Kimberly Shaffer

CIRCULATIONPROJECT COORDINATOR

Loren Gochnauer

ADMINISTRATIONBUSINESS MANAGER

Elizabeth Duvall

I plan on visiting mygrandparents’ ancestralvillage of Belpaese in

Sicily this fall. I’d like to contactrelatives who may still be livingthere.

I know my grandparents’ nameson both my paternal and maternalside and their approximate birthdates. They emigrated to the U.S.as young adults around 1900.How should I proceed? – K. Lee Sapi, Buffalo, N.Y.

A: I have found that when folksplan to find “relatives” in the “oldcountry” they tend toconcentrate on relativeswith only twosurnames: their father’sand their mother’s.

That may be becausewe feel “closer” torelatives who havefamiliar surnames. Butif one’s grandparents allleft siblings behind,barring duplication,they would have fourdifferent surnames:your paternalgrandfather’s (the sameas yours); your paternalgrandmother’s; your maternalgrandfather’s; and your maternalgrandmother’s.

So if you look for relatives onlywith your surname, you may leaveout three-quarters of any relativesyou may have there.

If each of your grandparents leftsiblings behind, the children ofthose siblings would be yourparents’ first cousins, and theirchildren would be your secondcousins.

But your grandparents’ siblingsmay have included females. If thosewomen married, their children,your parents’ first cousins, wouldhave surnames different from thefour familiar ones discussed above,and marriages by the females of thenext generation would create evenmore variation.

All of those second cousinswould be as closely related to you,regardless whether their surnamesare different from yours and eachother’s.

Start by finding out if and whereyour ancestral town’s records exist.There may be civil records of birth,marriage, and death, as well as localchurch records of baptisms,marriages, and deaths. They couldbe on Mormon microfilm, on theMormon website FamilySearch(www.familysearch.org) or other freesites, or on the paid siteAncestry.com.

If none of those venues has therecords you seek, you may have tohire a researcher in Sicily to locatethem, if you wish to developenough information before yourvisit.

Then locate your grandparents’Atti di Nascita, or birth records.Sicilian civil records of birth areavailable for the year 1910 andearlier, back to about 1820, in the“Napoleonic format.”

They give a wealth ofinformation including: the name ofthe person presenting the baby forregistration(usually the father); hisage, occupation, and address; thetime and date of the birth; themother’s name; and the names,ages, and occupations of twowitnesses to the registration.

Additional information mayinclude the names of the fathers of

the parents of the newborn and thesignature of the father of the child.

Small towns could have severalpeople of about the same age withsimilar or even identical names, soyou need to be sure that the birthrecords you find are really yourgrandparents’. A list of your parentsand their siblings, by order of age,can help. The names of yourparents, aunts, and uncles shouldbe reflected in the names of yourgrandparents’ parents.

Once you’ve found yourgrandparents’ birth records, you canconfirm your great-grandparents’

names. Now search thebirth records for nearbyyears to identify yourgrandparents’ siblings.Often, birth records areinscribed, years later,with notes that tellwhen and whom thechild married. In thecase of girls, this givestheir husband’ssurnames.

Now put all thatinformation in order, asa list or table thatshows your family tree,

including not only your directancestors, but also their siblings,nieces, and nephews whose namesyou have found and any “new”surnames you’ve uncovered.

When you get to Belpaese, you’llfind that the locals are warm,friendly, and eager to speak withAmericans. That’s when you pullout your family tree! Hopefullyyour new friends will recognizetheir own ancestors’ names andrealize that they’re actually yourrelatives!

Coniglio is the author of a novellainspired by his Sicilian research entitledThe Lady of the Wheel, available inpaperback at amzn.to/racalmuto or in ane-book at bit.ly/LadyOfTheWheelKindle.For more information, check out hiswebpage at bit.ly/AFCGen or email himat [email protected].

Finding Relatives

in the ‘Old Country’

The Search for Our Ancestry

Angelo Coniglio

Q:


Therapeutic CCompanion GGardening““CCoonnnneeccttiinngg ppeeooppllee aanndd ppllaannttss ttoo ccuullttiivvaattee lliiffee..””

Paula Swearingen, M.Ed., HTR, Registered Horticultural Therapist

(717) 598-0347 www.floraltouch.net

Certified horticultural therapist gardens alongsidegardeners who have disabilities or physical limitations

to nurture mind, body, and spirit.c

Serving individuals and caregivers residing withinan hour from Lancaster, Pa. Free initial consultation toassess the needs of the individual and the garden space.

Locally RN Owned& Nationally Known

VisitingAngels.com

Bathing and Dressing AssistanceMedication Reminders • ErrandsShopping • Light Housekeeping

Meal Preparation Friendly Companionship

Flexible Hourly CareRespite Care for Families

Specializing in dementia carefor adults and their families

50plus Senior News – It’s what's new and

relevant to you!

Pick up your free copy today!

50plus Senior News is available at

Jane’s Café in Darrenkamp’s

Elizabethtown • Mount Joy • Willow Street

Serving

Lancaster

County for

20 Years!

Lap-loving and affectionateLucky just can’t seem to getenough of human affection. Sheloves to be in your lap, will climbup your chest to nuzzle your face,and even gives “hugs”!

This 7-year-old lady wassurrendered to the shelter whenher owners needed to move, andmore than anything, Lucky wantsto be a member of a loving familyonce again.

Lucky’s loving personality will thrive in a home with older children oradults where she can enjoy all your attention as an only pet. She is already

spayed and litter-box trained. If you are seeking a companion who will make you feel truly

special and adored, come meet friendly Lucky and let her climbstraight into your heart and home! Lucky ID No.9648854

For more information, please contact theHumane League of Lancaster County at (717)393-6551.

Humane League Pet of the Month

Lucky

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In today’s healthcare environment,you need your own advocate.

Anne L. Miller RN, BSN, MHAPrivate Patient Advocate

What can a private advocate do for you or your loved one?

We provide RN bedside-monitoring in hospitals and nursing homesto keep you safe from hospital-acquired infections and errors.

We can accompany you to your physician appointments to askquestions about your treatment options.

We research clinical trials and review your medical records andhospital bills.

We will present all of your options, not just those offered by yourdoctor or hospital.

Our only goal is creating the best outcome for you—not creatingprofits for a provider or facility.

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We will focus on you and only you.Let us help give you peace of mind.


There’s a place just off our familyroom that I like to call myworkshop. Workshop is a

misnomer, however. There’s hardly roomto move in there, let alone do work.

It’s become a place where I go only tolook for tools when something in thehouse breaks, leaks, or falls apart.Sometimes I even think about makingstuff—until I turn the lights on.

I look there because I know I put toolsin there at one time or another. I just don’tremember which ones or where. I storetools in other places, too (whichexacerbates my problem), but the shop isthe principal place for the essentialimplements that I need to maintain ourhome.

Halloween decorations and paint cans(filled to various levels with paint anddried paint scum) are out in the open on ashelf toward the back of the workshop.

I haven’t used either in years, but at

least they are easy to find. I don’t knowwhy Halloween decorations are in there. Icertainly didn’t make them. And the paintcolors are outdated.

Easily finding things that are no longerof any use to me indicates anotherproblem, as of yet undefined. Hoarding?

But specific tools, when I am in urgentneed of them, are hard to find. Not alltools, mind you, are hard to find; large,cumbersome tools are difficult tomisplace, after all. There’s a 10-inch tablesaw right about in the center of the shop.It acts as an anchor and is a symbol of thepossibilities and potential of what couldsomeday be a viable workshop.

To get to it, I must step over a chainsaw, a circular saw, a jigsaw, and a router.All these power tools are in their original,molded-plastic cases, which enhances thesize of each obstruction. Therefore, theyoffer a challenge when trying to climbover them.

The Way I See It

Mike Clark

My Workshop


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WISE from page 2

He was shopping oneday at the GreenDragon Market inEphrata, wearing hisMarine Corps cap.

A man stopped himand said, “We sureneeded you Marines inKorea.” When Wiseasked him how he knewabout that, the guy said,“I was flying off theOriskany, bombingthe ammo dumpsthat you guyspinpointed for us.”

When Wise askedhim if he couldremember the codename of the spotterwho gave him theinfo, the guy said,“I’ll never forget it.His code name was‘Sgt. Dutch.’”

To which Wise said, “Well … I’m Sgt.Dutch.”

Wise laughs and says, “You shouldhave seen that guy’s jaw drop. He

couldn’t believe hewould ever actually runinto Sgt. Dutch. And atthe Green Dragon, of allplaces. Turned out hewas from Florida, justpassing through. Whatwere the chances of that?Maybe one in a billion.”

Wise now lives inretirement with his wife,Collette, in a

comfortableretirementcommunity inEphrata. But hekeeps a collection ofMarine Corps capsthat he wears …always glad for thechance to meetother vets withwhom he swapsstories of thoseterrible—but

wonderful—days in the Marines.

Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber inEurope in World War II.

The USS Oriskany, whose planes destroyedthe North Korean bomb dumps.

Sgt. Wise and his tent in Korea.

The router, by the way, is brand new; Iforgot I had it. I also forget why I boughtit.

I would like to move everything asidewhile walking to my table saw and theworkbench beyond, but pushing theseungainly objects to and fro just jamsthem more tightly against other articlesthat should not be on a workshop floor.These power tools can only be stored inthe spaces in which they sit. I pick themup, and I set them down.

Hand tools are not always so visible,however. And therein lies the gist of mytroubles.

Any relatively flat surface in thevicinity of a job I’m doing is a potentialstorage spot for a small hand tool. It isalso a convenient spot to deposit woodscraps, bent nails, stripped screws, andother, larger tools. It happens oftenenough that a significant supply ofimportant hand tools can end upconcealed under mounds of things thatshould have been discarded long ago.

Oh, the tools and gadgets that I’vetaken the time and care to hang on mylarge, brown peg-board are fairly neat andin order. I attribute that to the fact that Iseldom use those things. They consist ofscrewdrivers, chisels, nut-drivers, pliers,wrenches, hand saws, hand drills, leftoverplumbing supplies, and miscellaneousdoodads that are all the wrong sizes andtypes for the tasks that I need to tend.

I must have needed them at one time.

I mean, why else would they be there?I have often searched an inordinately

long time for a tool that I know I have.And in my frustration, I give up looking.Then I go to the hardware store and buya new tool. It saves me a lot of time, andthe tool I need is usually inexpensive. Thehours I waste looking could be spentrepairing, I always say.

In the latest episode, my garbagedisposal jammed. You’ll have to ask mywife why, though. Fine, it could havehappened to anyone (as she says). So Iwent down to my workshop to fetch aquarter-inch Allen wrench to jog theflywheel back and forth, which usuallyclears the jam.

I searched until I found an array ofAllen wrenches lying scattershot in aplace far from where they should havebeen. There was no quarter-inch wrenchin the pile, although I know I have one—somewhere. In the meantime, I went tothe hardware store to get a new one.

Someday I’ll clean out and organizemy workshop. And when I do, I’ll morethan likely find two of everything.

I’m going to plan a yard sale.

Mike Clark writes a regular column for TheGlobe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington,Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree inorganizational behavior/applied psychologyfrom Albright College. Mike lives outsideColumbia, Pa., and can be contacted [email protected].


LANCASTER COUNTYEMPLOYERS NEED YOU!!

For more job listings, call theLancaster County Office of Aging

at (717) 299-7979or visit

www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco_aging

Lancaster County Office of Aging150 N. Queen Street, Suite 415

Lancaster, PA

GUEST SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE – PTCounty hotel/motel is seeking a dependable, well-organized person who enjoys providing top-notchcustomer service. Must be detail oriented and able to work all shifts, holidays, and weekends. Post-offerdrug screen and background check required.

Lancaster County Office of Aging offers a volunteer opportunity that doesn't even require you to leave yourhome. Volunteer phone pals call agency consumers who may not get out of the home very often or have verylimited socialization experiences.

Phone pal volunteers are assigned to call an agency consumer a few times a week for the purpose ofincreasing the older person's socialization opportunities. Those phone calls can brighten the day of ahomebound person.

The frequency and length of the calls depends on the volunteer and the consumer and how much they enjoycommunicating by phone.

If you are interested in providing socialization for someone with phone calls, contact Bev Via at (717) 299-7979 or by emailing [email protected] for more information.

ASSEMBLERS – FTElectronics business needs

assemblers with an understandingof production drawings and related

instructions. Must have amechanical aptitude, basic mathskills, a detail orientation, and

strong reading, comprehension, andretention skills. Training available.

SN060043.02

MERCHANDISE ASSOCIATE – PTRetail soft-goods outlet seeking

persons to assist with merchandisepresentation, processing,

markdowns, cashiering, customerservice, and layaway. Must have a

professional appearance, goodcommunication skills, and be able

to stand for long periods.SN060009.04

E.O.E.

VIEW OUR JOB LISTWe list other jobs on the Web at

www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco_aging. To learn more about

applying for the 55+ Job Bankand these jobs, call theEmployment Unit at

(717) 299-7979.SN-GEN.03

SN060031.01Age 55 or over? Unemployed? The 55+ Job Bank is one ofthree services offered by Employment Unit at the Office ofAging.

Jobs are matched with those looking for work. Based on anevaluation of your skills and abilities, we can match you with aposition needed by a local employer. Some employers arespecifically looking for older workers because of the reliabilityand experience they bring to the workplace. There is a mix offull-time and part-time jobs covering all shifts, requiringvarying levels of skill and experience, and offering a wide rangeof salaries.

The other services available through the Office of Aging arethe Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)and the regularly scheduled Job Search Workshops.

— Volunteer Opportunities —

JobOpportunities

Dear Savvy Senior,What can you tell me about reverse

mortgages? I was considering one last year,but now I hear they are more difficult toget. – Ready to Reverse

Dear Ready,That’s correct. Tighter rules on reverse

mortgages that have recently gone intoeffect have made them harder to get,especially for seniors with heavy debtproblems.

The reason the Federal HousingAdministration (FHA) made thesechanges was to strengthen the product,which has suffered from a strugglinghousing market and a growing numberof defaults by borrowers.

Here’s a rundown of how reversemortgages now work in 2014.

Overview: The basics are still the

same. A reversemortgage is a loanthat allows seniorhomeowners toborrow money againstthe equity in theirhouse.

The loan doesn’thave to be repaid untilthe homeowner dies,sells the house, ormoves out for at least12 months.

It’s also importantto know that with areverse mortgage, you,not the bank, own thehouse, so you’re stillresponsible for property taxes, insurance,and repairs.

Eligibility: To be eligible for a reversemortgage, you must be at least 62 years

old, own yourown home (orowe only a smallbalance), andcurrently be livingthere.

You will alsoneed to undergo afinancialassessment todeterminewhether you canafford to make allthe necessary taxand insurancepayments over theprojected life ofthe loan.

Lenders will look at your sources ofincome, your assets, and your credithistory. Depending on your financialsituation, you may be required to putpart of your loan into an escrow account

to pay future bills. If the financial assessment finds that

you cannot pay your insurance and taxesand have enough cash left to live on, youwill be denied.

Loans: Nearly all reverse mortgagesoffered today are home equity conversionmortgages (HECM), which are FHAinsured and offered through privatemortgage lenders and banks.

HECMs also have home-value limitsthat vary by county but cannot exceed$625,500. See the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Development online(hud.gov/ll/code/llslcrit.cfm) for a list ofHUD-approved lenders.

Loan amounts: The amount you getthrough a reverse mortgage depends onyour age, your home’s value, and theprevailing interest rates.

Generally, the older you are, the more

How Reverse Mortgages Work in 2014

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller


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your house is worth, and the lower theinterest rates are, the more you canborrow. A 70-year-old, for example,with a home worth $300,000 couldborrow around $170,000 with a fixed-rate HECM.

To calculate how much you canborrow, visit the National ReverseMortgage Lenders Association’s website(www.reversemortgage.org).

Loan costs: Reverse mortgages havea number of upfront fees, including a 2percent lender origination fee for thefirst $200,000 of the home’s value and1 percent of the remaining value, witha cap of $6,000.

There is also a 0.5 percent initialmortgage insurance premium fee,along with an appraisal fee, closingcosts, and other miscellaneousexpenses. Most fees can be deductedfor the loan amount to reduce yourout-of-pocket cost at closing.

In addition, you’ll also have to payan annual mortgage insurancepremium of 1.25 percent of the loanamount.

Payment options: You can receivethe money in a lump sum, a line ofcredit, regular monthly checks, or acombination of these.

But in most cases, you cannotwithdraw more than 60 percent of theloan during the first year. If you do,you’ll pay a 2.5 percent upfrontinsurance premium fee.

Counseling: All borrowers arerequired to get face-to-face ortelephone counseling through a HUD-approved independent counselingagency before taking out a reversemortgage. Some agencies are awardedgrants that enable them to offercounseling for free, but most chargearound $125 to $250.

To locate a counseling agency nearyou, visit HUD’s Home EquityConversion Mortgages for Seniorswebpage (hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hecm/hecmhome.cfm) or call (800) 569-4287.

Jim Miller is a regular contributor to theNBC Today show and author of The SavvySenior Book. www.savvysenior.org

Labor Dept. Awards $3.2Min Grants to Improve

Services for Older Workers

The U.S. Department of Laborrecently announced a one-timedemonstration grant award of$3,224,509 to 14 community serviceorganizations to improve services to low-income older workers through the SeniorCommunity Service EmploymentProgram.

“Older workers areessential to the fabricof our nation, but itcan be difficult formany of theseAmericans to accessgood jobs,” said PortiaWu, assistant secretaryof labor foremployment andtraining.

“The federal grantswe’re announcing … will help theseindividuals overcome challenges in re-entering the workforce and attainingeconomic stability.”

The grantees awarded will developprograms focused on the following threepriorities: improving unsubsidized jobplacements through increased employer

engagement, enhancing services toSCSEP participants throughdevelopment or improvement ofpartnerships, and expanding trainingoptions for SCSEP participants.

Grant recipients included AARP Inc.,Experience Works, Goodwill Industries,National Able Network, and the

National Caucus andCenter on Black Aged,among others.

The SCSEP(http://www.doleta.gov/seniors) providespart-time, communityservice-based jobtraining for low-income,unemployed individuals55 and older.

SCSEP participantsgain work experience in a variety ofcommunity service activities at nonprofitand public facilities, including schools,hospitals, daycare centers, and seniorcenters.

Participants also have access toemployment assistance through AmericanJob Centers (http://jobcenter.usa.gov).

“The federal grants

will help older

workers overcome

challenges in

re-entering the

workforce

“


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By Lori M. Myers

We planned our careers, ourchildren’s lives (much to their chagrin),and our travels. But thinking aboutplanning for own death makes usuneasy. We know we should preplan, getit down on paper, and make it official.It’s important. But why?

First, it removes the burden of doingso from our loved ones. A death can bean emotional time without the addedstress of organizing and paying for thosefinal arrangements while in the midst ofgrief. It’s even worse if the death is asudden one, leaving loved onesunprepared and confused. They mayrush to pay for a cemetery plot or gravewithout careful thought.

Second, it ensures our own specificwishes will be carried out. Preplanningallows us to have the funeral reflect whowe are and what we want.

Do you want to be cremated orburied? If cremated, how should theremains be scattered and where? Who

should keep them? If buried, where do you want your

final resting place to be? What sort of memorial service do

you want? Do you wish somethingsimple with only close family inattendance? Or is more of a largecelebration something you feelcomfortable with? Are there favoritesongs or readings you wish to share withthose who are present? Are there photosyou want displayed as mourners enterthe service?

Depending on one’s religious beliefs,some funerals have to be conductedwithin 24-48 hours. Others have a littlebit more time.

Funeral preplanning saves a familymuch time agonizing over what they“think” your wishes could be as well ashow to pay and who will pay. Accordingto the Federal Trade Commission’sconsumer information, you may wish tomake decisions about your arrangementsin advance but not pay for them inadvance.

If you decide to take this route, keepin mind that over time, prices willfluctuate and businesses may close orchange ownership. It’s a good idea, theysay, to review and revise your decisionsevery few years, and to make sure youcommunicate any and all plans andchanges of those plans to your family.

Any preferences should be put inwriting and copies given to familymembers and your attorney, with onecopy in a place where it can be easilyfound. Avoid putting the only copy ofyour preferences in a safe-deposit box inthe event arrangements have to be madeon a weekend or holiday before the boxcan be opened.

According to the Federal TradeCommission, if you do prepay some orall of the funeral expenses, it’s importantto consider the following:

• What are you paying for? Are youbuying only merchandise, like a casketand vault, or are you purchasingfuneral services as well?

• What happens to the money you’veprepaid? States have differentrequirements for handling funds paidfor prearranged funeral services.

• What happens to the interest incomeon money that is prepaid and put intoa trust account?

• Are you protected if the firm you dealtwith goes out of business?

• Can you cancel the contract and get afull refund if you change your mind?

• What happens if you move to adifferent area or die while away fromhome? Some prepaid funeral plans canbe transferred, but it could be at anadded cost.

Whatever planning you do, let yourfamily know the details. Let them knowwhere the documents are filed, whetheror not you have prepaid. You may alsowish to consult an attorney on the bestway to ensure that your wishes arefollowed.

Funeral Preplanning – Emotional and Financial Security for Loved Ones

Celebrating LL ii ff ee


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Celebrating LL ii ff eeBy Lori M. Myers

How does each of us grieve? It alldepends.

Let’s look at these scenarios: amother loses her child in an accident, ahusband loses his wife to cancer, asibling is suddenly without the other, ora beloved community leader dies withwork unfinished.

Some cry, others express anger, andstill others hold feelings inside of them.Why is it that society “expects” thoseleft behind to grieve in the exact sameway? Why do we assume that grief isone size fits all?

It isn’t. Eachperson who mournsthe passing of a lovedone reacts in differentways. There arereasons for this. Justas each of us isdifferent inpersonality, theprocess of grieving fora loved one can alsomanifest itself in varied forms.

For example, each individual is aproduct of past experiences. One onlyhas to examine a person’s childhood todetermine how one might handle adeath in the future. Were there otherlosses in the past? How were they dealtwith?

As children, we take the lead of ourparents or other family members whomwe might consider role models. Wewatch them, mimic them, and payattention to the signals they give us. Ifthey show strength and resilience, thenperhaps we will too. If they fall to piecesor experience long-term depression, wemay do the same.

If they view death and dying as partof a circle of life, then we might growup with a similar belief and conductourselves accordingly. Did they talkabout the death or were they in denialand silent? All of these behaviors affectchildren who see and hear and take it

to heart.Cultural influences are another factor

that determines how someone willgrieve. Some funerals are somber affairs;others are joyous with dancing andmusic. How one’s culture and religionview death and dying is a big factor inwhat we feel is an acceptable,comfortable way to grieve.

Something else that might determinethe extent of one’s outward grief is therelationship one had with the deceased.Was it a close and loving relationship orwas it a contentious one filled withresentment? How much stress and/or

guilt wereassociated with thatperson and howmuch did youdepend on themfor your ownhappiness?

The depth offeeling and hencethe outward signsof grief will changefrom person to

person. If we feel that the deceased hadlived a good life and achieved most orall of what they set out to do, we mayfeel a sense of satisfaction and happinessof a life well lived.

Are we thankful for the time we hadwith them or are we inconsolablebecause we yearned for more or regretsomething that was unsaid or undone?

The circumstances that caused thedeath are another dynamic that affectshow we grieve. Was it old age? Was itan accident or a child with a disease?We may grieve more if we feel that thedeath could have been prevented. Wemay grieve a little less or differently ifthe death was out of anyone’s control.

Grieving is as unique as one’sfingerprints or the snowflakes that fallfrom the sky. No matter how onegrieves, remember that all needcomfort, a phone call, a visit, a covereddish to share. It’s a process — each intheir own way.

Personalized Grief

“Why is it that

society “expects”

those left behind

to grieve in the

exact same way?

“

Never Miss Another Issue!Subscribe online at

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com


Lancaster County

Calendar of EventsCocalico Senior Association – (717) 336-7489July 3, 10 a.m. – Fourth of July Party July 10, 11 a.m. – Lunch OutingJuly 24, 8:30 a.m. – Hot Breakfast

Columbia Senior Center – (717) 684-4850July 3, 9:15 a.m. – Bingo with Joe from HospiceJuly 10, 10:15 a.m. – Computer Class: Working with

EmailJuly 21, 10:15 a.m. – Beach Party Music with Dan Martin

Elizabethtown Area Senior Center – (717) 367-7984 Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. – Walking

in the GymThursdays, 9:30 a.m. – Sewing Circle and ConversationFridays, 10 a.m. – Bible Study

Lancaster House North Happy Hearts Club SeniorCenter – (717) 299-1278Tuesdays, 1 p.m. – Varied ActivitiesThursdays, noon – Pinochle

Lancaster Neighborhood Senior Center – (717) 299-3943July 3, 9:30 a.m. – Crafts with NoraJuly 9 – Mystery Trip: Sightseeing and ShoppingJuly 24, 9:30 a.m. – Learning Spanish/English

Lancaster Rec. Senior Center – (717) 392-2115, ext. 147July 9, 10:30 a.m. – Facials and Makeup by Mary Kay

CosmeticsJuly 16, 10:30 a.m. – Estate Planning PresentationJuly 24, 10 a.m. – Haircuts and Manicures

Lititz Senior Center – (717) 626-2800July 16, 10 a.m. – Diabetic 101 ProgramJuly 17, 10:15 a.m. – Music and Dancing with Lost &

FoundJuly 24, 10 a.m. – Mental Health Presentation

Luis Munoz Marin Senior Center – (717) 295-7989July 3, 9 a.m. – Fourth of July Celebration

Next Gen Senior Center – (717) 786-4770July 2, 10:30 a.m. – Flood Safety and Thunderstorms

ProgramJuly 7, 10 a.m. – Lancaster Parks Program: Summer BirdsJuly 25, 10 a.m. – Virtual Trip

Rodney Park Happy Hearts Club Senior Center –(717) 393-7786 Tuesdays, noon – Pinochle Wednesdays, 1 p.m. – Varied Activities Thursdays, noon – Bingo

Please call or visit the centers’ websites for additional activities.

Community Programs Free and open to the public

Support Groups Free and open to the public

July 2, 7 to 8:15 p.m.Alzheimer’s Caregivers SupportGroupWillow Lakes Outpatient Center212 Willow Valley Lakes DriveWillow Street(717) 464-9365

July 14, 10 to 11 a.m.Alzheimer’s Caregivers SupportGroupGarden Spot VillageConcord Room433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland(717) [email protected]

July 17, noonBrain Tumor Support GroupLancaster General Health CampusWellness Center2100 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster(717) 626-2894

July 23, 6 to 8 p.m.Epilepsy Foundation of EasternPennsylvania Support GroupLancaster General HospitalStager Room 5555 N. Duke St., Lancaster(800) 887-7165, ext. 104

July 28, 2 to 3 p.m.Parkinson’s Support GroupGarden Spot VillageConcord Room433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland(717) [email protected]

Monday– Saturday throughOct. 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Mascot Roller Mills and ResslerFamily Home Tours443 W. Newport Road, Ronks(717) [email protected]

July 3 and 11, 7 p.m.Yankee Doodle DandyGarden Spot Village Chapel433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland(717) 355-6000

July 7, 6 p.m.Red Rose Singles MeetingHoss’s Steak & Sea House100 W. Airport Road, Lititz(717) 406-6098

July 13, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Pennsylvania Music ExpoContinental Inn2285 Lincoln Highway East,Lancaster(717) 898-1246www.recordcollectors.org

July 18, 6 to 9 p.m.Music FridaysDowntown Lancaster (717) 341-0028

Senior Center Activities

Library Programs

Lititz Public Library, 651 Kissel Hill Road, Lititz, (717) 626-2255July 10, 7 p.m. – “Gettysburg in Sight and Sound” Multimedia PresentationJuly 12, 11:30 a.m. – Outdoor Lunchtime Concert: The MyopicsJuly 15, noon – Reel Talk for Everyone: Last Tango in Paris (1972)

Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation

Pre-registration is required for these programs. All activities are held at the Environmental Center in CentralPark unless otherwise noted. To register or to find out more about these activities or any additional scheduledactivities, call (717) 295-2055 or visit www.lancastercountyparks.org.

July 18, 6 to 10 p.m.; July 19, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education ClassJuly 18 or 19, 9 to 10 p.m. – Astronomy Series and Star Watch, Lancaster County Central Park

Environmental Center

What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop!Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring

in Lancaster County! Email preferred to: [email protected]

Let help you get the word out! (717) 285-1350

If you have an eventyou would like to include,

please email information to [email protected] for

consideration.

When NASA honored JuneLockhart last October, itwould have been quite fitting

to borrow the above lyrics from apopular Simon and Garfunkel song tosalute the 89-year-old actress.

Best remembered by sci-fi fans for herrole of TV space mom MaureenRobinson in the ’60s series Lost in Space,Lockhart told me recently that theNASA recognition was a highlight ofher long career, which includes a TonyAward, an Emmy nomination, and acouple of stars on the Hollywood Walkof Fame.

“I was presented with the ExceptionalPublic Achievement Medal for my workwith the space agency,” she explained.“I’ve been to two space shuttle launchesand worked with NASA since the1970s, addressing their employees andtraveling on NASA’s behalf to promotethe agency.

“So I’m absolutely thrilled by thisrecognition,” she said. “No other actresshas received this honor.”

One of her memorable experiencesoccurred during a space shuttle missionin 1992.

“I called NASA one day and spokewith astronaut Ken Reightler and toldhim I had a good wake-up song for themto use,” recalled Lockhart.

She was referring to “The World isWaiting for the Sunrise,” a catchy ’50shit by Les Paul and Mary Ford. The songheld special significance because thelyrics were written by her father, belovedcharacter actor Gene Lockhart.

“So I went to mission control inHouston, and at around 2 a.m. theyplayed the song for the crew of theColumbia mission,” she explained.“Then a voice from space came over thespeaker: ‘Some of us up here want toknow what Lassie’s mother is doing inmission control at 2 o’clock in themorning!’”

Lassie, one of TV’s longest-runningshows (1954-1973), was Lockhart’s otherbig hit in which she dispensed maternalwisdom, this time for six seasons as afarm mom. Later, she morphed frommatriarch to medic as Dr. Janet Craig forthree seasons on Petticoat Junction.

“Petticoat Junction was a delight to dowith wonderful scripts,” said Lockhart.

“It was great playing comedy after Lost inSpace, which was more dramatic, andLassie, which didn’t have many laughs.”

On the big screen, 12-year-oldLockhart made her debut in the 1938holiday classic A Christmas Carol,alongside both her parents, Gene andKathleen Lockhart, who played theCratchits.

While she went on to costar withgreats such as Gary Cooper in SergeantYork and Judy Garland in Meet Me in St.Louis, A Christmas Carol is special since itwas the only time she appeared with herparents in a motion picture.

But it was memorable for otherreasons, too.

“My daughter, Junie, andgranddaughter, Christianna, have neverlet me forget that the first words I everspoke in movies were: ‘I know, I know–sausages!’” said Lockhart, referring to heron-screen guess for the contents of a foodpackage Mr. Cratchit brings home. “Weall shriek with laugher when we watch itnow.”

In addition to being an advocate forNASA and many other causes, Lockhartcontinues to work and co-starred in thecomedy spoof Zombie Hamlet, which hadits world premiere at the 2012 PalmBeach International Film Festival and was

released on DVD in December 2013. In 2013, she appeared in the

interactive movie series Tex Murphy, agaming platform that combinesanimation with full-motion video of realactors.

“That was a new experience, and Ireally enjoyed it. And in December, Ialso celebrated my 80th year as a paidperformer in the business! I made mydebut at the age of 8 in Peter Ibbetson atthe Metropolitan Opera House.”

While actors are used to receivingaccolades for career milestones, Lockhartadmits to still being quite overwhelmedby the NASA recognition and is, shesays, “over the moon about it!”

Congratulations, Mrs. Robinson!

Thomas’ features and columns have appearedin more than 300 magazines and newspapers,and he is the author of Raised by the Stars,published by McFarland. He can be reachedat his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com


Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card:

Sharon Gettel

Congratulations!

Who Has the Best Bites inCentral PA?

50plus Senior News readers have spoken!

Here are the Lancaster County dining favorites for 2014!

Breakfast:

George’s Kendig Square Restaurant

Lunch:Isaac’s Famous

Grilled Sandwiches

Dinner:

Symposium

Ethnic Cuisine:Hong Kong Garden

Celebrating:

The Brasserie

Bakery:

Achenbach’s Pastry Shop

Coffeehouse:

Square One Coffee

Fast Food:

McDonald’s

Seafood:

Red Lobster

Steak:

Stockyard Inn

Outdoor Dining:

T.J. Rockwell’s

Romantic Setting:

The Greenfield Restaurant & Bar

Smorgasbord/Buffet:

Shady Maple Smorgasboard

Caterer:

Hess’s Barbecue Catering

Here’s to You, Mrs. Robinson

Tinseltown Talks

Nick Thomas

The1960 cast of Lassie. Pictured areJune Lockhart, Hugh Reilly, Jon Provost,

and Lassie.Publicity photo of Guy Williams and

June Lockhart promoting their roles onthe television series Lost in Space.

National Symphony Orchestra ConductorEmil de Cou, right, listens to Lockhartintroduce a set of space-themed musicduring the “Salute to Apollo” ceremony atthe Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

“As the new millennium approached,it became more important to me tocreate a more balanced life—one where Icould experience joy and pleasure whilestill serving others.”

More than a decade ago, Swearingenresigned her job as an assistant directorof special education in a public schooldistrict, sold her house, and started fromscratch working as a landscape gardenerat a local retirement community.

After completing coursework andinterning under the direction of ahorticultural therapist, Swearingenearned a certificate in horticulturaltherapy from Temple University,effectively combining her background inhuman services with her love of plantsand flowers.

The therapeutic benefits of gardensand gardening have been documentedfor centuries, but it was Dr. BenjaminRush, the “father of Americanpsychiatry” and a signer of theDeclaration of Independence, who firstrecorded the positive effects the therapyhad on patients with mental illness in the1800s.

In the mid-20th century, horticulturaltherapy was used to aid the rehabilitationof hospitalized war veterans, expanding

the practice beyond the confines ofmental-illness treatment.

“Seniors often find themselves facingloss of all types,” Swearingen said. “Theymay often findthat they areoffered feweropportunities tocontribute tothe happeningswithin theirfamily, theirchurches, ortheircommunities.”

Swearingencited theexample of apastor’s wifenamed Janewho hadcreated theflowerarrangementsfor her church for 40 years. After herhusband died, she moved to a skillednursing care community and her healthdeteriorated.

She also became withdrawn andclinically depressed, refusing to leave herroom for months until she gradually

began participating in flower-arrangingprograms.

“Eventually, she proudly found herdesigns on display in the main lobby. She

becamerecognized bythe entirecommunity forher beautifulcreations,”Swearingenrecalled. “Sheimprovedemotionallyand physicallyto the pointthat she wasable to leave theskilled carecommunity andmove in withher family.”

Swearingenalso recounted

her experience with three men whoregularly grew and harvested vegetablesfor the local food bank, raising manypounds of food for their community“despite having ailments such ascongestive heart failure, dementia, andlimited mobility,” she said.

“They grew all of their vegetables inraised garden beds, harvesting from thecomfort and stability of their chairs.”

Raised garden beds are the specialtyand passion of Joe Manotti, certifiedsquare-foot gardening instructor for YourGarden Solution. These gardens consistof soil enclosed by a square frame,usually made of wood, which is raisedabove the surrounding soil.

Raised garden beds are available intwo types: a ground garden is raisedabout 8 inches off the ground, and agarden table stands on legs 3 feet high, aperfect height for those unable to bendover to garden.

Manotti was inspired to offer raisedgarden beds after his aging father, alifelong gardener, had not gardened in 15years due health issues and limitedmobility.

“Two years ago, we built him a gardentable, and this has enabled him to dowhat he had done almost all of his life,and that was to grow his ownvegetables,” Manotti said. “We thought,if he needed this, so did a lot of otherpeople.”

Your Garden Solution’s garden tablesare created by local Amish craftsmen outof Douglas fir, sassafras, and cedarwoods. Manotti recommends atechnique called square-foot gardening,where the 4-foot by 4-foot garden bed is

filled with 6 inches of soil andsubdivided into 16 square-foot sections.

Each square foot grows differentvegetables or flowers, enabling a gardenerto grow a lot of plants in a small space. Asquare-foot garden bed typically yieldsmany more vegetables than traditionalrow gardening and with fewer weeds.

“The average person quits gardeningafter 2.5 years. Why? Because of themaintenance involved, such as weeding,”Manotti said. “Raised beds eliminatemuch of the maintenance since the soil[we offer] is formulated to provide plantswith the optimal growing environment.”

Manotti said that garden tables cangrow most vegetables, with the exceptionof some deep-rooted plants like potatoesor garlic, which need more than 6 inchesof soil.

Raised garden beds—both groundgardens and garden tables—have becomeimportant elements of horticulturaltherapy, enabling horticultural therapiststo bring the practice to patients withphysical limitations.

“Seniors and those with limitedmobility love the garden tables! It enablesthem to enjoy gardening again,” Manottisaid.

Manotti shared the story of a CentralPennsylvania woman with severe arthritisin one knee that prohibited her fromkneeling to tend to a vegetable garden.

As a result, she had not had a gardenfor many years and missed it greatly—until her son told her about square-footgardening and purchased her a gardentable, which quickly yielded so manyvegetables she was able to share themwith others.

Swearingen noted that horticulturetherapy is often used as a complement totraditional therapeutic treatments.Therapists, she said, are trained tosupport participants who have physicallimitations through the use of adaptivetools and proper body mechanics.

“Horticultural therapy is unique inthat it involves tangible outcomes thatare valued by the participant and thecommunity. The activities provideopportunities for decision making,creative expression, and contribution toothers,” she said.

Avid gardeners as well as those whohave never tended a garden in their livescan benefit from horticulture both inand out of a therapeutic setting.

“Plants are not influenced by povertyor wealth, by age or ability,” saidSwearingen. “Nurture them, and theywill grow. The same is true for us—if wenurture ourselves, we will grow. It isnever too late.”

GREEN-THUMB from page 1


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Submissions should be 200 words or fewer andphotos are encouraged. Email preferred [email protected] or mail nominations to50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight,3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

Seniors gardening in raised garden beds.

By Molly Carl

Those in the 50-plus community knowthe hard work and dedication it takes toexperience half a century. This year,Landis Homes Retirement Communitycelebrates its 50th anniversary, joining itsresidents in the golden years.

The official anniversary of LandisHomes, whose slogan is “Serving OneAnother,” took place on Feb. 18,celebrating 50 years of serving the seniorpopulation of Lancaster County.

The event was commemorated byseveral special announcements, thepinnacle of which came from Larry Zook,Landis Homes’ president/CEO, ensuringthat the anniversary would not come andgo like any other day.

Zook introduced the 50th AnniversaryGiving Project, a $50,000 fundraisingcampaign whose proceeds will go towardmaking the Leaman Woods portion of thecampus more accessible to residents. Thecampaign will run until Nov. 6, at whichpoint the nine-month celebration willcome to a close with one final day offestivities.

For every $50 raised during the GivingProject, a luminary will be placed alongthe path to Leaman Woods.

The Nov. 6 event will begin with aservice of thanksgiving with the LandisHomes Chorus, followed by an art exhibitby Molly Kraybill called “100 Faces.” TheEastern Mennonite University studentcreated this exhibit by photographing andinterviewing 100 women between theages of 1 and 100, providing insight intowhat it means to age.

The day will close with the LuminaryWalk along the trail through LeamanWoods, a well-lit path to symbolize theHomes’ bright future.

As much as this is a celebration for thefuture of Landis Homes, it is also aremembrance of the past 50 years.

In 1961, several Mennonitecommunity leaders started a retirementcommunity with support from a$100,000 donation from Graybill Landisand a land donation from Clayton andEllen Landis. On Feb. 18, 1964, the firsttenants moved into Landis Homes.

Over the past five decades, LandisHomes has come leaps and bounds fromwhat one of the first residents describedas a “few buildings in the vast area offarmland.” The campus now housesnearly 800 residents with over 500employees to provide service and care invirtually every aspect of the residents’lives.

Since 1964, Landis Homes has alsoupdated the services it provides. Thisyear marks the 25th anniversary of AdultDay Services, which began in August1989, as well as the 10th anniversary ofthe Children’s Learning Center, whichopened in November 2004.

Two of Landis Homes’ residents alsohave a special anniversary this year.Walter and Lorraine Shirk will becelebrating their 25th weddinganniversary this fall after tying the knotin a chapel on the Homes’ campus in1989.

In light of Landis Homes’ 50th

anniversary, Deb Laws-Landis,community relations director, wantedpeople to remember the values and idealsthat originated with the company.

“Landis Homes is built on goodhistory and operates based on goodvalues,” said Laws-Landis. “[It] has muchto celebrate as it is and has proven to bea wonderful place to live, retire, serve,receive services from, and work.”

For more information on the 50th

anniversary festivities, or on LandisHomes in general, visitwww.LandisHomes.org or call (717) 569-3271.

50 Years of Service to the 50-plus Community

Photo courtesy of Mark Van Scyoc

Aerial view of the Landis Homes campus.

Landis Homes’ first residents from 1964 standingin front of the first building. From left to right:

Lizzie Mumma, Edith Brown, Barbara Reist,Martin and Rosa Miller, Lizzie Hess, Mary and

Henry Weber, Ben Brackbill, and Graybill Landis.

Walter and Lorraine Shirkwere married in a

Landis Homes chapel in 1989.They will celebrate their 25th

anniversary this fall.

One of the many changes Landis Homeshas implemented since its beginning is thecreation of hybrid housing, a cross between

apartment- and cottage-style living.


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Book Review

The fastest-growingpopulation segmentin the United

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Explaining the “what, why, and how”of pacemaker implantation, What is aPacemaker? is an invaluable new guideproviding an in-depth summary ofpacemakers, from the initial patientevaluation and device implantation tothe issues that could potentially ariseduring a long-term follow-up.

What is a Pacemaker? A Cardiologist’sGuide for Patients and Care Providers is a

complete reference tool forpatients who are undergoing,or who have undergone,pacemaker implantation.From doctor selection tolong-term care issues, thebook is easy to read and wellorganized.

About the AuthorDr. Jeff Williams is board

certified in internal medicine,cardiovascular disease, and clinicalcardiac electrophysiology and iscurrently medical director ofelectrophysiology at the Good SamaritanHospital in Lebanon.

Williams has earned numerousaccolades within the academic andclinical settings, including awards fromboth the American College ofCardiology Foundation and the NationalInstitutes of Health.

What is a Pacemaker?A Cardiologist’s Guide for Patients

and Care ProvidersBy Jeffery L. Williams, MD, MS


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The Beauty in Nature

Clyde McMillan-Gamber

Several kinds of adaptable creaturesget much of their food from short-grass lawns in southeastern

Pennsylvania, as elsewhere. Those animals have added banquet

tables that bolster their populations andadd to our enjoyment of lawns, which arenew, human-made habitats.

American robins, purple grackles, andstarlings are medium-sized birds that moveacross lawns in search of invertebrates,particularly earthworms. These species alsorear young in trees and on buildings onlawns.

Canada geese, cottontail rabbits, andwoodchucks eat grass and white cloverleaves. Geese and chucks consume thoseplants by day while the rabbits do somostly during evenings and into the night.

Northern flickers are a type ofwoodpecker that eats ants in the soil.Unlike their black-and-white relatives,flickers are mostly brown, which

camouflages them on the ground. They run their long, sticky tongues

into the tunnels of anthills in the soil tosnare ants and their eggs and larvae, pullthem out of their labyrinths, and swallowthem.

A few kinds of attractive, seed-eatingbirds eat dandelion seeds in May, a timewhen few other seeds are available.Permanent resident northern cardinals,song sparrows, American goldfinches andhouse finches, nesting chipping sparrows,and migrant indigo buntings makedandelion fluff float on the wind withouttheir seed cargoes.

Several kinds of insects sip sugarynectar from white clover flowers from lateMay through summer. Honeybees,bumblebees, and a few kinds of small

butterflies, including cabbage whites, visitthe blooms of white clovers.

White clover plants respond to mowingby producing new blossoms after eachcutting. The result is fresh nectar for theseinsects all summer.

The act of mowing grass is like adinner bell for a couple of species of birds.I have seen gray catbirds watching themowing from the security of bushes andflipping out to catch small moths stirredout of hiding in the grass by the mower.

Barn swallows swoop over lawns tocatch froghoppers in mid-air. Those littleinsects were stirred into flight by themower.

Watch lawns a little closer to see someof these critters feeding on them. Theymake the lawns more interesting andenjoyable.

Clyde McMillan-Gamber is a retired LancasterCounty Parks naturalist.

Northern flicker

Cabbage white butterfly

Creatures Feeding on Lawns


Wheelchairs Donated for Overseas Aid

Pleasant View Retirement Community recently donated unused wheelchairsand walkers to Global Aid Network (GAiN). The wheelchairs and walkers will gooverseas to help those in need.

If you have local news you’d like considered forAround Town, please email [email protected]

Pictured are, from left,Scott Rowand, volunteer;Jan Rowand, GenesisRehab Services director atPleasant View; andBob Klein, expansiondirector for GAiN.

Erika Nevins began as the directorof life enrichment at Landis Homes inMay 2014.

In this role she is responsible foroversight and coordination of the totalresident wellness programmingincluding physical, social, spiritual,intellectual, and vocational wellnessand the general activities program atLandis Homes.

She was most recently employed asthe community wellness director andhas experience as a wellness specialistand aquatics coordinator in a variety ofsettings.

She has a baccalaureate degree inpsychology and a master’s degree inhealth administration from MountSaint Mary’s University, Emmitsburg,

Md. She is a Certified Aging ServiceProfessional (CASP) and is enrolled inthe Anabaptist Providers Groupleadership program.

Nevins lives with her husband andson in Hanover, Pa.

Erika Nevins

Volunteers NeededLooking for a way to lend a helping

hand? Want to do some communityservice work?

Pleasant View RetirementCommunity, 544 N. Penryn Road,Manheim, is looking for volunteers tohelp in various areas on their campus.

Volunteer opportunities areavailable for people of all ages in areasincluding information desk attendant,gift shop and thrift shop attendant,transporting residents, companionvisitor, music therapy, pet therapy,activities, and much more.

“Our volunteers are a veryimportant part of how we are able to

do everything we do here at PleasantView,” said Aubrey Smith, volunteercoordinator. “We are always lookingfor new people to join our volunteerteam to contribute their time andtalents to residents, visitors, and staff.”

The volunteer coordinator does herbest to make the experience asrewarding as possible by working withall volunteers to match their skills andinterests with a volunteer opportunityat Pleasant View.

If you are interested in volunteeringat Pleasant View, please call Smith at(717) 664-6288 or [email protected].

Landis Homes AnnouncesNew Director of Life Enrichment

Did This Player Deserveto Be Tossed

from the Casino?

Deal Me InBy Mark Pilarski

Dear Mark: I was asked to leave acasino by security for, if you canbelieve this, playing someone else’sleftover $12 worth of credits that theyhad left on a slot machine and didn’tcash out.

Although not banned for life, I wasrudely told it was against the law, madeto return the $12, and told not to comeback for 30 days.

You have got to be kidding me!Whatever happened to “finder’skeepers, loser’s weepers?” – Matt N.

For starters, Matt,the casino made yougive back the moneysimply because itdidn’t belong to you.

“Finder’s keepers,loser’s weepers” is nota defense for takingcredits discovered ona slot machine. Youare basing yournewly found booty on the premise thatwhen something is abandoned, whoeverfinds it can claim it.

Unfortunately, within the casino walls,this raises ethical and legal challenges.

On the casino floor, credits left onmachines do not belong to the personwho finds them, but it doesn’t necessarilymean that they belong to the casinoeither. Casinos, as well as some gamingjurisdictions, have specific policies onhow to handle abandoned credits.

The children’s rhyme, “finder’skeepers, loser’s weepers” may apply inchildren’s games but doesn’t pass musterin gambling establishments.

Like a pair of sunglasses left at ablackjack game, in the joints where Iworked, we regarded credits left on a slotmachine specifically as “lost property”and did our best to find their rightfulowner. Today, especially if one uses his orher Player’s card, it is relatively easy totrack the previous player.

Nevertheless, a tip to you and otherslot-playing patrons: before you walkaway from any slot machine, don’t forgetto press the cash-out button.

As for you being 86’d from the casino,well, that might have been a bit over thetop. I have never heard of any leftover-

credits-playing player being given theheave-ho.

That said, that doesn’t mean there arenot swindlers who make a livingscavenging the millions lost each year bygamblers who forget their stored credits(winnings).

The pretender who purposively circlesthe casino floor looking for orphancredits on a slot machine, or even changeon the floor for that matter, can warrantthe dreaded permanent 86 for making afull-time occupation of cruising thecasino eyeing easy pickings.

I will buy,however, that youweren’t a creditconniver looking foran easy score.

So, playing slotmanager for just amoment, my casino-management stylewould not have evenwarranted a wristslap. I was one to

operate more in the spirit of the law, notthe letter of, although, I mustacknowledge that every gamingsupervisor will handle your scenario theirown way.

All I would have told you was that thenext time you find credits remaining onthe machine, you should inform someslot-floor personnel, and then I wouldhave gone on my merry way. Had wefound the previous player, I just wouldhave credited him or her $12.

Now let’s look at the positive here,Matt, of which there is one. For the next30 days, you won’t be playing on amachine that has a house edge of up to20 percent.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “Ihave seen a pregnant woman stand at a21 game, oblivious to labor pains, untilwe thought we were going to becomemidwives, and leave only when wesummoned an ambulance.” – Harold S.Smith Sr., I Want to Quit Winners (1961)

Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority oncasino gambling, having survived 18 years inthe casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator ofthe bestselling, award-winning audio bookseries on casino gambling, Hooked onWinning. www.markpilarski.com

lancaster county 50plus senior news july 2014

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