Andy Leh in front of one of his historic home’s seven fireplaces (six in working order). The 1798 home is the perfect setting for Leh’s extensive antiques collection.

Niagara Falls’New Year’s Bashpage 8

She Took a Callfrom Churchillpage 10

Inside:

By Rebecca Hanlon

Andy Leh’s fascination with antiques started as a teenager.In the summer of 1972, construction crews were digging along a nearby

street when they discovered what was left of a glass-recycling facility. Theworking men would leave at 4 p.m., and the local kids would jump in thepit, digging until dark to collect the unwanted bottles for themselves.

“It was a summer fad for most kids, but it stuck with me,” said Leh, now56.

It was the start of a 42-year-long obsession with antiques. Even as a youngboy, Leh remembers spending hours in his grandparents’ basement rootingthrough boxes and examining random items—from glasses to stoneware andfurniture.

When he started digging up bottles in the streets of his neighborhood, heunknowingly dug up history.

If he found bottles he didn’t want, or duplicates, he would sell them tofriends.

At 16, Leh’s father let him drive the family station wagon to the fleamarket to sell the bottles, using the profits to buy better ones.

By early high school, his collection was worth several thousand dollars.“My dad thought I was crazy,” Leh said. “He was angry with me for

wasting my money on frivolous stuff. Now, he stands back and smiles,

Historic Home Now Houses Collection

of Local Antiques

A TreasureChest of Stories

Lebanon County Edition December 2014 Vol. 9 No. 12

please see TREASURE page 13

2 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

As On-Line Publishers, Inc. sees the conclusion of yet another year, weare grateful to our dedicated staff, loyal readers, and supportiveadvertisers who have all enabled us to continue to grow in our missionto serve the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50+ community. We wish to thank each of you for helping to make 50plus Senior News

a fun, interesting, and unique source of information and entertainmentfor our readers in Central Pennsylvania.At this special time of giving thanks and reminiscing, the staff of

On-Line Publishers wishes you, our friends, warmest holiday wishes.

Happy Holidays

www.50plusExpoPA.com(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240

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May 14, 20159 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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When readers meet me, theynever want to talk to me.Instead, they excitedly look

all around for my husband, saying,“Where’s Bob?”

Everyone loves Bob. But they feelsorry for him because I often make himlook like a doofus (which he is) in mycolumns. They look at him with pity andsay, “You’re such a good sport.”

Well, I’m here to tell you: Bob adoresit when I write about him. When I don’tinclude him, he’ll ask, “What about me?”with an insanely disappointed look onhis face.

Having said all that, last week he hadto fast for routine blood work, whichmeant no food after midnight. No bigdeal, right?

Early that evening, he was face downon the couch. I knelt down andmassaged his shoulders.

“What’s the matter?” I said.

Ever so slowly heraised his head.“Don’t youremember themedical procedureI’m about to get?”

“It’s not anoperation, sweets. It’sjust a blood test.”

He sat up. “JUSTA BLOOD TEST?”

I quietly tiptoedout of the room.

At five to midnight, I found him inthe kitchen, gorging on frozen pizza.

“Sheesh, Bob. Don’t you want to nukeit first?”

“There’s no time!”I lovingly took his hands but he

crazily pulled away and franticallysearched through the cookie jar.

“Where are the peanut buttercookies?” he said.

Slowly, I steppedbackward andwhispered, “I—I—may have finishedthem last night.”

“WHAT?”“Well, I, um. I

wanted cookies.”“Oh, so you

wanted cookies, didyou? I will neverforgive you for this.”

He draggedhimself off to bed. I quietly got in bedtoo. In exactly three minutes he startedmoaning the song from Oliver. “Food,glorious food—hot sausage andmustard.”

Less than an hour later, he sneezedonce and said, “Starvation has caused meto get a cold.”

Now, I don’t like gender stereotyping.But I take that back when it comes to a

cold. That’s because Bob gets “mancolds.” During his last one, he threwhimself an “I’m going to die” party.

I realized that the way I wasapproaching this was all wrong. So Ichanged. And miraculously, I also foundthe cure to the common cold.

“You’ll be OK,” I said. “Right afteryour blood work, we’ll get rid of yourcold. Instead of heading to your favoritediner like we planned, for a lusciousomelet made with grilled apples, cheddarcheese, and bacon, we’ll keep you onnothing but chicken broth all day.”

Suddenly he stopped sneezing.“Sweets, we couldn’t have gone to the

diner anyway,” I said. “You’re obviouslytoo weak from starvation. We’ll go theresomeday, sometime—far, far from now,since it will clearly take a long time foryou to recover from your horrible fastingordeal.”

Such is Life

Saralee Perel

When a Man Can’t Have Food

Bob and Saralee at the diner

please see FOOD page 15

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews p December 2014 3

Poison Control Center

(800) 222-1222

Food Stamps

(800) 692-7462

Lebanon County Christian Ministries

(717) 272-4400

Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging

Meals on Wheels

(717) 273-9262

Salvation Army

(717) 273-2655

Alzheimer’s Association

(717) 651-5020

American Cancer Society

(717) 231-4582

American Diabetes Association

(717) 657-4310

American Heart Association/

American Stroke Association

(717) 207-4265

American Lung Association

(717) 541-5864

Arthritis Foundation

(717) 274-0754

Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services

(717) 787-7500

CONTACT Helpline

(717) 652-4400

Interventional Vein & Vascular Institute

(844) 438-4884

Kidney Foundation

(717) 652-8123

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

(717) 652-6520

Lupus Foundation

(888) 215-8787

Hearing & Ear Care Center

200 Schneider Drive, Suite 1, Lebanon

(717) 274-3851

Melnick, Moffitt, and Mesaros

927 Russell Drive, Lebanon

(717) 274-9775

Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard

of Hearing

(800) 233-3008 V/TTY

Good Samaritan Hospital

252 S. Fourth St., Lebanon

(717) 270-7500

Medical Society of Lebanon County

(717) 270-7500

Energy Assistance

(800) 692-7462

Environmental Protection Agency

Emergency Hotline

(800) 541-2050

IRS Income Tax Assistance

(800) 829-1040

Medicaid

(800) 692-7462

Medicare

(800) 382-1274

PA Crime Stoppers

(800) 472-8477

PennDOT

(800) 932-4600

Recycling

(800) 346-4242

Social Security Information

(800) 772-1213

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

(800) 827-1000

Housing Assistance & Resources

Program (HARP)

(717) 273-9328

Lebanon County Housing &

Redevelopment Authorities

(717) 274-1401

Lebanon HOPES

(717) 274-7528, ext. 3201

Country Acres Manufactured Home Park, LP

1600 Kercher Ave., Myerstown

(717) 866-5496

Medicare Hotline

(800) 638-6833

Pennsylvania Bar Association

(717) 238-6715

Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging

(717) 273-9262

CVS/pharmacy

www.cvs.com

StoneRidge Retirement Living

440 E. Lincoln Ave., Myerstown

(717) 866-3204

Annville Senior Community Center

(717) 867-1796

Maple Street Senior Community Center

(717) 273-1048

Myerstown Senior Community Center

(717) 866-6786

Northern Lebanon County Senior

Community Center

(717) 865-0944

Palmyra Senior Community Center

(717) 838-8237

Senior Center of Lebanon Valley

(717) 274-3451

Governor’s Veterans Outreach

(717) 234-1681

Lebanon VA Medical Center

1700 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

Volunteer Opportunities

Retirement Communities

Veterans Services

Senior Centers

Pharmacies

Office of Aging

Legal Services

Insurance

Housing Assistance

Hotlines

Hospitals

Hearing Services

Health & Medical Services

Food Resources

Emergency Numbers

Independent Living Communities

Resource DirectoryThis Resource Directory recognizes advertisers

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

Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

Thank You, Volunteers!On-Line Publishers, Inc. and 50plus

Senior News would like to extend aheartfelt thank-you to all of theindividual and senior group volunteerswho donated their time and efforts atour 2014 50plus EXPOs and theVeterans’ Expo & Job Fair.

Because of your assistance, we wereable to bring the contents and themission of 50plus Senior News to life forthe residents of Central Pennsylvania!

4 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

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.

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PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHERDonna K. Anderson

EDITORIALVICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR

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Awards

Winner

Dear Savvy Senior,I understand that there are several

types of flu vaccines being offered toseniors this flu season. What can youtell me about them?– Cautious Senior

Dear Cautious,Depending on your health, age,

and personal preference, there’s abuffet of flu shots available toseniors this flu season, along withtwo vaccinations for pneumonia thatyou should consider getting too.

Flu Shot OptionsJust as they do every year, the

Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) recommends aseasonal flu shot to almost everyone,but it’s especially important forseniors who are at higher risk ofdeveloping serious flu-relatedcomplications.

The flu puts more than 200,000people in the hospital each year andkills around 24,000—90 percent ofwhom are seniors. Here’s therundown of the different options:

• Standard (trivalent) flu shot: Thistried-and-true shot that’s beenaround for more than 30 yearsprotects against three strains ofinfluenza. This year’s versionprotects against the two common Astrains (H1N1 and H3N2) and oneinfluenza B virus.

• Quadrivalent flu shot: Thisvaccine, which was introduced lastyear, protects against four types of

influenza—the same three strains asthe standard flu shot, plus anadditional B-strain virus.

• High-dose flu shot: Designedspecifically for seniors age 65 andolder, this vaccine, called theFluzone High-Dose, has four timesthe amount of antigen as a regularflu shot does, which creates astronger immune response for betterprotection.

But, be aware that the high-doseoption may also be more likely tocause side effects, includingheadache, muscle aches, and fever.

• Intradermal flu shot: If you don’tlike needles, the intradermal shot is anice option because it uses a tiny1/16-inch-long micro-needle toinject the vaccine just under theskin, rather than deeper in themuscle like standard flu shots. Thistrivalent vaccine is recommendedonly to those ages 18 to 64.

To locate a vaccination site thatoffers these flu shots, visitwww.vaccines.gov and type in yourZIP code.

You’ll also be happy to know thatif you’re a Medicare beneficiary, PartB will cover 100 percent of the costsof any flu shot, as long as yourdoctor, health clinic, or pharmacyagrees not to charge you more thanMedicare pays.

Private health insurers are alsorequired to cover standard flu shots;however, you’ll need to check withyour provider to see if they cover the

other vaccination options.

Pneumonia VaccinesThe other important vaccination

the CDC recommends to seniors,especially this time of year, are thepneumococcal vaccines forpneumonia. An estimated 900,000people in the U.S. get pneumococcalpneumonia each year, and it killsaround 5,000.

This year, the CDC isrecommending that all seniors 65 orolder get two separate vaccines,which is a change of decades-oldadvice. The vaccines are Prevnar 13and Pneumovax 23. Previously, onlyPneumovax 23 was recommendedfor seniors.

Both vaccines, which areadministered just once, work indifferent ways to provide maximumprotection.

If you haven’t yet received anypneumococcal vaccine, you shouldget the Prevnar 13 first, followed byPneumovax 23 six to 12 monthslater. But, if you’ve already beenvaccinated with Pneumovax 23, youshould get Prevnar 13 at least oneyear later.

Medicare currently covers onlyone pneumococcal vaccine per olderadult. If you’re paying out of pocket,you can expect to pay around $50 to$85 for Pneumovax 23 and around$120 to $150 for Prevnar 13.

Jim Miller is a regular contributor tothe NBC Today show and author ofThe Savvy Senior Book.www.savvysenior.org

Vaccination Options forSeniors this Flu Season

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller

Keep Stress in Check during the HolidaysThe holidays should be a joyous

time for family and friends, butthey can be stressful if you feelstretched too thin.

Don’t let the pressure bring youdown. Here are some helpful hintsfor keeping your stress levels undercontrol during what should be afun and relaxing time:

Pay attention to your mood.Recognize the signs of stress, suchas irritability and anxiety. Avoidthese by getting a handle on thingsinstead of just letting them happen.

Set reasonable limits. Allowyourself to say “no.” Be realisticabout what you can and cannot doduring this busy month.

Watch your diet. Overindulging in

holiday treats can affect your mood.Sugar overload will make yousluggish, for example, and thestimulating effect of caffeine maymake you overanxious.

Exercise. Take a walk or visit thegym regularly. Not only will itcombat the extra calories you’reconsuming, but you’ll also relievetension and get some relaxation.

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews p December 2014 5

50plus Senior News continues to bring important information as well asentertaining articles to the 50+ community. We at On-Line Publisherswould like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the

editorial contributors of 50plus Senior News:

It is through the varied interestsand considerable talents of ourcontributors and freelance writersthat such a range of informativeand entertaining content isavailable to read each month.The pages of 50plus Senior News

are enriched by your contributions.

Mike Clark (The Way I See It)

Angelo Coniglio (The Search for Our Ancestry)

Al Goodman (Beyond the Battlefield )

Andrea Gross (Traveltizers)

John Johnston (Social Security News)

Dr. Lori (Art and Antiques)

Gloria May (NurseNews)

Clyde McMillan-Gamber (The Beauty in Nature)

Jim Miller (The Savvy Senior)

Victor Parachin (Fragments of History)

Saralee Perel (Such is Life)

Dr. Leonard Perry (The Green Mountain Gardener)

Ted Rickard (The Squint-Eyed Senior)

Sy Rosen (Older But Not Wiser)

Walt Sonneville (My 22 Cents’ Worth)

Nick Thomas (Tinseltown Talks)

Robert Wilcox (Salute to a Veteran)

Judith Zausner (Creativity Matters)

Thank You,Columnists!

Ihave been known to say that justbecause something is old doesn’t meanit is automatically valuable. I have junk

in my house, my grandmother had junk inher house … sometimes it’s just olderjunk.

With those sage wordsof wisdom offered to themasses, here are somecreative ideas about whatto do with those keepsakesthat you just can’t partwith but you don’t want tostore away in a plastictub for the rest of yourlife.

Objects that have somevalue to you on some levelbut that really won’t makea big difference when it comes to cashingin are the objects that are the topic ofthis particular column.

Repurposing is very popular now. Thereare more people seeking out antiques andthrift-store items in order to reuse orrecycle them than people who just want tocollect for collecting’s sake. Be sure youonly repurpose those objectsthat really are not valuable.

Of course, you don’t want to repurposethat Chippendale side table or a Picassodrawing, so get it checked out before youmove ahead. Once you know that youhave a low-value object, consider somecreative ideas.

Piecing Up the PlatesPlates can be among some of the most

inexpensive collectibles that nearlyeveryone has hanging around the house,attic, or yard sale. Vintage, decorative floralplates can be used at parties and even givenaway to guests as favors. They really spruceup a buffet line, block party, or family get-together.

Look around your grandma’s, aunt’s,and neighbor’s cupboards and see if youcan spot any plates. I have some chippedyet colorful examples from the 1970shanging around my cabinets that would beprime examples for this project.

Some creative craft aficionadoshave taken such plates, broken them intopieces, and used them in craft projects.Just break the inexpensive plates into 2- to4-inch pieces and then use them as youwould tiles.

Some of the most popular repurposingobjects for old plates are refrigeratormagnets. Just simply stick an adhesive-backed magnet to the back of your platepiece.

Some damaged orchipped plates have beenrecycled into a decorativeconcrete frame around thekids’ sandbox or kiddiepool area. They will lookgreat stuccoed or gluedonto wooden birdhouses,garden jardinieres orbirdbaths, and trivets.

Some folks have usedbroken plates as walkwaysleading to a gardenshed or pool house. These

are some great ways to use those damagedand not-so-valuable floral plates and keepthe memories, too.

Picking Up JewelryDamaged jewelry or fancy buttons—

particularly cheap pieces of costumejewelry that can no longer be repaired orworn—can be reused and made into reallycool art objects.

Damaged pieces of costume jewelry canbe the source for jewelrypictures by sewing or gluingthe broken pieces onto a piece of velvet,felt, or fabric. Then, the textile is framed asyou would a collage.

Old, broken jewelry or pieces thereofcan be made into a brooch, tussy mussy, orbrooch bouquet comprised of both freshflowers and colorful, fake-gemstone pins inthe shape of flowers.

Country music star Miranda Lambertcarried a brooch bouquet at her country-themed wedding. It is a cool union ofvintage and Victorian, fresh and faux.

Some pieces of costume jewelry arevaluable, so be sure to check out the valuewith an appraisal before you start takingapart the jewelry pieces that are still intact.However, the damaged pieces are fair gamefor you crafters out there.

Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, andaward-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori hostsantiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori isthe star appraiser on Discovery channel’s TVshow Auction Kings. Visit www.DrLoriV.com,www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori, Lori Verderameat Google+, or call (888) 431-1010.

Cool Ideas for theNot-so-Valuables

Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori

Lori Verderame

Photo courtesy staff of www.DrLoriV.com

Vintage china or mismatchedplates with minor damage are

often repurposed.

6 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Bethany Village — MapleWood325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055717-766-0279 • www.BethanyVillage.org

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100Assisted Living Residence: YesPrivate: 100Private Pay: YesSSI Accepted: NoShort-term Lease: YesEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: YesHealth Fee-for-Service Available: Yes

Alzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: YesComments: One-bedroom suites;secured memory supportneighborhood; skilled nursing – The Oaks.

Homewood at Plum Creek425 Westminster Avenue • Hanover, PA 17331717-637-4166 • www.homewood.com

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 98Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: NoPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: NoShort-term Lease: YesEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: NoPart/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: YesAlzheimer’s Care: NoRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: NoComments: Excellent care in a lovelyenvironment. Call to schedule a visit.

Longwood Manor Personal Care & Memory Care2760 Maytown Road • Maytown, PA 17550717-426-0033 • www.longwoodassisted.com

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 144Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: YesPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: YesShort-term Lease: YesEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes*Part/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: NoMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: No

Health Fee-for-Service Available: NoAlzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: YesComments: Beautiful, homelikeenvironment nestled in the heartland ofLancaster County. Specializing in memorysupport. *One-time community fee only.

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

Colonial Lodge Community2015 North Reading Road • Denver, PA 17519717-336-5501 • www.coloniallodgepa.com

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: YesPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: Yes*Short-term Lease: NoEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: NoPart/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: NoAlzheimer’s Care: NoRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: NoComments: *SSI depends onavailability. A veteran-approved“home for heroes” facility, all in abeautiful, rural setting.

Homeland Center1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102717-221-7727 • www.homelandcenter.org

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 50Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: NoPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: NoShort-term Lease: YesEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: YesPart/Totally Refundable: YesOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: NoAlzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: YesComments: Exemplary care in a caring,beautiful environment has beenprovided for more than 140 years. Ourcontinuum includes a hospice program.

Lakeview at Tel Hai Retirement Community1200 Tel Hai Circle • Honey Brook, PA 19344610-273-4602 • www.telhai.org

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: YesPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: NoShort-term Lease: YesEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: YesPart/Totally Refundable: YesOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: YesAlzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: YesComments: Come discover a wonderful,faith-based community that has beenvoted No. 1 retirement community byreaders of the Daily Local newspaper!

Mennonite Home Communities1520 Harrisburg Pike • Lancaster, PA 17601717-393-1301 • www.mennonitehome.org

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 150Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: YesPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: YesShort-term Lease: NoEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: NoPart/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: YesAlzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: NoComments: Supportive, encouragingenvironment. Various room types andsuites available. Secure memory careoffered.

The Middletown Home999 West Harrisburg Pike • Middletown, PA 17057717-944-3351 • www.middletownhome.org

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 64Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: NoPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: NoShort-term Lease: YesEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: NoPart/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: YesAlzheimer’s Care: NoRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: NoComments: Beautifully appointedapartments overlooking the gardenterrace with the safety and security of24-hour nursing care.

Serving from theHeart in the Spirit of

Friendship, Love,and Truth

Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews p December 2014 7

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

If you are planning to visit a relativeor friend in a nursing home over theholidays, follow these suggestions to

help ensure positive interactions.

General Tips• Call ahead to the unit where the personresides to find out the best time of day tovisit. Plan to visit when you are notrushed for time.

• Bring something with you: flowers and avase, a photo album, a magazine ornewspaper, a guestbook for visitors tosign, a favorite music CD, or a specialfood treat. (Check first with staff whetherthe person has any diet restrictions.)

• Position yourself at eye level, face toface. Ensure you are close enough andspeaking loudly enough that the person

can adequately see and hear you.

• Actively listen to what the person has totell you. Express interest in their dailyactivities, and allow them to vent theirfeelings about their situation.

• Encourage reminiscing (“Rememberwhen …?”) This stimulates the mind andevokes pleasant feelings.

• Tell some jokes or a funny true story, orbring in a humorous video to watchtogether.

• If conversation is difficult or impossible,share news about family, friends, andcurrent events; read aloud; or listen tomusic together. Sit in the lobby andpeople-watch. And learn to becomecomfortable with silence.

• Check the recreational activitiesschedule for special events, andaccompany the person you visit to one ofthem.

• Telephone between visits if you can’t getin as often as you’d like.

Ideas for Activities• Watch home movies or rent a favoritemovie—perhaps a holiday classic.

• Decorate the room: bring in pictures, acalendar, a sun-catcher for the window, aplant, special knickknacks, or a seasonaldecoration.

• Share a project, such as sorting throughfamily photos. Look through picturebooks or albums that reflect past interests.

• Write a letter to someone special.

• Play a card game or board game.

• Play a musical instrument.

• Fill out forms, such as weekly menus,together.

• Write or tape a family history.

• Make a family collage out of photos.

• Give a manicure, apply makeup, or sethair.

• Give a hand or foot massage.

• Bring your pet in to visit (find out thefacility’s policy first).

• Bring children or grandchildren withyou.

Lisa M. Petsche is a clinical social worker andfreelance writer specializing in eldercare issues.

Health Matters

Lisa M. Petsche

Make the Holidays a Little Brighter:Visit a Care Facility

Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community625 Robert Fulton Highway • Quarryville, PA 17566717-786-7321• 888-786-7331 • www.quarryville.com

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 45Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: NoPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: NoShort-term Lease: NoEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: NoPart/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: NoAlzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: NoSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: NoComments: Quarryville assists inmaintaining independence andpreserving dignity in a safe and secureenvironment.

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

Pleasant View Retirement Community544 North Penryn Road • Manheim, PA 17545717-665-2445 • www.pleasantviewrc.org

Total AL and/or PC Beds: 96Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: YesPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: Yes*Short-term Lease: NoEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: YesPart/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: YesAlzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: YesSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: YesPets Permitted: NoComments: *Three-year private payspending. Maintain independence in anenriching and supportive environment;now offering respite stays.

St. Anne’s Retirement Community3952 Columbia Avenue West Hempfield Township, PA 17512717-285-6112 • www.stannesrc.org

Personal Care Home: YesPrivate: YesSemi-private: NoPrivate Pay: YesSSI Accepted: YesShort-term Lease: NoEntrance Fee/Security Deposit: MinimalPart/Totally Refundable: NoOutdoor Areas/Fitness Center: YesMedication Management: YesOn-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: YesAlzheimer’s Care: YesRespite Care: NoSocial Programs: YesHousekeeping/Laundry Service: YesTransportation (Scheduled): YesPersonal Car Permitted: Pending ApprovalPets Permitted: YesComments: Select rooms currentlyavailable! Call for details.

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8 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

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Traveltizers Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel

By Andrea Gross

I’m half-submerged in a luxuriouswhirlpool tub, sipping from a glass ofsweet ice wine and looking out the

window at the cascading waters ofHorseshoe Falls, the largest of the threefalls that make up Niagara Falls.

Over there, in the distance, is theUnited States. Here, at the RadissonHotel, is Canada.

Divided in part by the Niagara River,the two countries share the falls, withHorseshoe on the Canadian side andAmerican and Bridal Veil falls technicallyin the United States, although betterviewed from Canada.

They’re not the tallest falls in theworld, but they’re among the mostpowerful, and tonight, illuminated infestive colors, they’re surely the mostbeautiful.

Waterfalls, wine, and a whirlpooltub—could there be a more glorious wayto spend New Year’s Eve? I think not, buta party is waiting outside—not just any

party, but one of the grandest in Canadaand the only one that’s televised fromcoast to coast.

In short, “It’s Canada’s answer toTimes Square,” says Niagara Falls MayorJim Diodati.

My husband and I don our parkas—December weather in Niagara typicallyranges from the low 20s to the mid-30s—and set out for Queen VictoriaPark.

It’s not far from the hotel, and as we

walk along the path bordering the falls,we’re surrounded by trees sparkling withmore than a million lights and more than100 illuminated displays representingeverything from Noah’s ark and an Inuitkayak to humongous Canadian andUnited States flags.

By the time we arrive at the park,music is blaring from the stage, and theplace is packed with revelers. Off to theside, the Skylon Tower rises 775 feetabove the falls.

The circular top, which resembles aspace station, is aglow with lights, andthe exterior glass-enclosed elevator, calledthe “Yellow Bug,” streaks up and down,ferrying visitors to and from therevolving dining room and observationdeck at the top.

The countdown begins shortly beforemidnight. Eight, seven, six … one! TheYellow Bug zooms to the top, fireworksexplode from the tower, and the crowdroars. Then, led by the performers onstage, everyone begins singing “AuldLang Syne.”

Niagara Falls’ New Year’s Bash

Niagara Falls consists of three separate waterfalls.From left, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Horseshoe Falls.

Horseshoe Falls is wider than sevenfootball fields, and as the water dropsthe distance of a 13-story building, itcreates an explosion of mist.

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Photo courtesy of Winter Festival of Lights

Niagara’s Winter Festival of Lightsfeatures a Christmas Tree Walk that

extends more than 3 miles.

Photo courtesy of Niagara Parks Commission

The Falls are illuminated at night, adding tothe festive air of the holiday season.

It’s almost 1 a.m. when we head backto the Radisson, and we have to run tocatch the Falls Incline Railway before itcloses. This saves us the uphill hike fromthe street-level park to the FallsviewTourist Area, where the hotels, casino,eateries, and shops are located.

We arrive in our room chilled butthrilled, ready to start the new year.

The next day we explore more ofNiagara’s winter offerings.

After walking farther along the 3-mileillumination route, we warm up amongstthe poinsettias and Christmas cacti at theFloral Showhouse and then make ourway to Journey Behind the Falls, anattraction that helps us truly appreciatethe size and splendor of Niagara.

Dressed in waterproof ponchos(distributed free at the entrance), weslosh through tunnels to emerge 13stories below ground level at the pointwhere Horseshoe Falls crashes into theLower Niagara River.

We’re showered with mist as theequivalent of more than 1 millionbathtubs full of water rush over the fallsevery hour, traveling at a speed of 25mph. (During the winter, the lowerobservation deck is closed, but there’sdrama and moisture aplenty on the upperdeck.)

Although it’s possible to see all threefalls from the ground-level walkway, wetake a helicopter ride in order to betterunderstand the area’s geography. From uphigh we can see how the Niagara River,which begins in Lake Erie and flowsnorth into Lake Ontario, divides as itcircles around Goat Island.

The southern side plummets over acliff to form Horseshoe Falls, while thenorthern side leads to American Falls andBridal Veil Falls. These two smaller falls

are, in turn, separated from each other bythe much smaller landmass of LunaIsland.

Finally, since the Niagara Peninsula isone of the top ice-wine-producingregions in the world, we visit InniskillinEstate Winery, an award-winningproducer of the luxury wine. We see thevineyards, where harvesting of the frozengrapes has just begun; watch a video ofthe production process; and sample threedifferent types of ice wine: Riesling,Cabernet Franc, and Sparkling.

We can’t agree on which one we likebest, so we splurge on mini-bottles ofeach. If we can’t make it back to Niagaranext year, at least we’ll be able tocelebrate at home—but it won’t be thesame without the whirlpool tub and themagnificent view of the falls.

If you go:Niagara’s Winter Festival of Lights

runs through Jan. 12, 2015.www.niagaraparks.comwww.radisson.com/niagarafalls.ca

Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted;story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).

Photo courtesy of Niagara Parks Commission

Fireworks mark the coming of theNew Year during Niagara’sNew Year’s Eve bash.

10 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Geraldine (Jeri) Kopf was a nativeof Central Pennsylvania whokept herself in shape through

her love of playing sports. So, when the Women’s Army Corps

(WAC) was formed in World War II, shefelt ready to enlist in September 1943and serve her country. The fact that shehad a strong background in stenographydidn’t hurt.

Having women in the Army was verycontroversial at the time. But she wasdetermined to go. And she was soon onher way to basic training at DaytonaBeach, Fla. Did she have a tough time inbasic?

“No, not at all,” she laughs. “Theygave us the same training they gave theguys, and because of all the sports I hadplayed, I was ready for it. I enjoyed everyminute of it.”

She was then sent to MacDill Field inTampa and was assigned toHeadquarters Company, where shehandled public relations for the base.

“At MacDill, pilots were being trainedto fly the B-26 medium bomber,” shesays. “It was such an unstable plane thatan unbelievable number of planes werebeing lost. In one 30-day trainingperiod, 15 planes crashed, leading to thecatchphrase: ‘A plane a day in TampaBay.’”

Fortunately, they soon solved that byadding 6 feet of wingspan and upgradingthe engines.

“The other big excitement,” she says,“was meeting Don Scott, who was to

become my futurehusband. He was amember of the baseband who played all theinstruments, as needed.He also had awonderful voice andwas gifted with perfectpitch.

“We got engagedbefore I shipped out tothe Pentagon, and hewent to the Pacific,where he and the bandplayed at basesthroughout the Pacific.

“At the Pentagon, Iwas astonished to beput in charge of theOverseas ConferenceRoom, where I workeddaily with the ArmyChief of Staff, Generalof the Army George C.Marshall and later with General of theArmy Dwight D. Eisenhower, when hebecame Army chief of staff.

“Officially, the Overseas ConferenceRoom didn’t exist, because everythingthat went in there was absolutely topsecret.

“The room had a thick carpet of deepred with a massive mahogany table andmaps of military facilities around theworld lining the walls. My job was to seethat the room was kept in perfect shapeand to manage all contacts with seniorofficers around the world.

“Where messageswere to be encoded, Iarranged that throughthe Signal Corps. And Ikept copies ofeverything that was saidby anyone and decidedfor action. Later I sawthat copies were thensent to each general inthe meeting.”

How did she getselected for such animportant post?

“I haven’t the slightestidea,” she says. “But youknow the Army. Theydon’t explain what theydo. They tell you whatyou’re going to do, andyou just do it.”

What about that callfrom WinstonChurchill, when he

shared his condolences over PresidentRoosevelt’s passing? Did she expect to betalking with a famous man like that?

With a little smile, she says, “Notreally, but most of the people I talkedwith regularly were among our mostimportant generals and admirals. Andwhen the prime minister called, Ienjoyed only a few words with himbefore passing him on to GeneralMarshall.”

By January 1946, she was a sergeant,and her hitch was over. All WACs wereasked to reenlist, but she and her fiancé

were discharged on the same day, Jan.18, 1946, and shortly thereafter weremarried. She became Mrs. Geraldine(Jeri) Scott and embarked on awonderful 58 years of married life.

The Scotts settled down to live inCentral Pennsylvania. And she immersedherself in a wide range of communityactivities. One close to her heart wasserving as executive director of the localchapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

There, she came up with the idea of aReadathon, during which childrenwould “solve the mystery of MS” byreading books for credit. WGAL-TVfilmed the skit through which theprogram was presented to the localchildren.

That film was sent to the national MSheadquarters, who found the film soinspiring that they adopted theReadathon as a national program,sending copies of the film to MSchapters across the U.S.

In addition to all her other activitiesin the community, in 1991 Scott startedan art gallery that she still runs today.

However, when asked what she thinkstoday about having actually talked withWinston Churchill so many years ago,she says with a grin, “At that time, Ididn’t think of it as something sodifferent from what I did every day. Butnow I more strongly think of it as aremembrance to be truly cherished.”

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

Churchill Told Her How Sorry He Wasto Learn of FDR’s Death

Robert D. Wilcox

Salute to a Veteran

Pvt. 1st Class Geraldine Kopf atMacDill Field, Tampa, in 1943.

Are You Reading?Join the 2015 One Book, One Community campaign by reading

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

85 libraries in Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster,Lebanon, Perry, and York counties and theircommunity partners present the regionalreading campaign.

Visit www.oboc.orgor your library to learn more

Read the book duringDecember and January andattend free library programsand discussions in February!

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews p December 2014 11

WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 12

Your ad could be here on this popular page!Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.

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12 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Puzzles shown on page 11

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RSVP of the Capital Region hasannounced Linda Wood of Jonestown asits Volunteer of the Month forDecember.

Linda is the executive director of theJonestown Outreach Pantry (JOY), 48W. Market St., Jonestown. She retiredfrom the Northern Lebanon SchoolDistrict in 2010 after teaching first andsecond grades for 38 years.

The Jonestown Outreach Pantryprovides food to those in need in thenorthern tier of Lebanon County. As avolunteer, Linda took over leadership of

JOY as the executive director shortlybefore its opening in September 2011.

Linda established relationships withchurches, community groups, businesses,schools, and individuals in support ofJOY.

Volunteering in excess of 40 hours permonth, her many duties include:speaking to groups and tours of thepantry; representing JOY at communityevents; organizing volunteers for fooddistributions and work parties at thepantry; overseeing the four monthlyfood distributions; coordinating food

pickups and deliveries; working withlocal groups to coordinate food drives;and organizing special holiday extras forclients.

Today, Linda leads a team ofapproximately 50 volunteers who serveabout 125 needy households monthly.

Linda Wood represents the finestqualities of a lifelong public servant, first

as an educator and, now, as a volunteerleader of a nonprofit organizationpositively impacting many lives in hercommunity.

To learn more about volunteeropportunities, please contact ScottBrubaker, Lebanon RSVP developmentcoordinator, at lebanonrsvp@rsvpcapreg.org or (717) 454-8956.

Retired Teacher Leads Food PantryVolunteer SpotlightVolunteer Spotlight

Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her

so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’ Volunteer Spotlight!

Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to

mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight,

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

By John Johnston

With all of the holiday shoppinggoing on this time of year,both in stores and online,

there is no better time to remind you tobeware of fraud—you never know whereit is lurking.

When it comes to doing business withSocial Security online, there is little toworry about—all of our online servicesare protected by strong Internet securityprotocols, and you should haveconfidence that they are safe and secure.

But, there are other ways identitythieves and criminals can obtain yourpersonal information and cause yousignificant harm. Here are some tips tohelp keep that from happening.

If someone contacts you claiming to befrom Social Security and asks for yourSocial Security number, date of birth, orother identifying information, beware.

Don’t provide your personalinformation without first contactingSocial Security to verify if Social Securityis really trying to contact you. It could bean identity thief phishing for yourpersonal information. Call SocialSecurity’s toll-free number at (800) 772-1213 or TTY (800) 325-0778.

If you receive a suspicious call, report itby going to http://oig.ssa.gov/report. Or call(800) 269-0271 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.ET. You should provide as much of thefollowing information as you know:

• Names of the alleged suspect(s) andvictim(s), address(es), phone number(s),date(s) of birth, and Social Securitynumber(s)

• Description of the fraud and thelocation where the fraud took place

• When and how the fraud wascommitted

• Why the person committed the fraud (ifknown)

• Who else has knowledge of the potentialviolation

Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in America. If you oranyone you know has been the victim ofan identity thief, contact the FederalTrade Commission at www.idtheft.gov;(877) IDTHEFT or (877) 438-4338; orTTY (866) 653-4261.

Another form of fraud that people fallvictim to: businesses using misleadingadvertisements that make it look asthough they are from Social Security.

These businesses often offer SocialSecurity services for a fee, even thoughthe same services are available directlyfrom Social Security free of charge. Bylaw, such an advertisement must indicatethat the company is not affiliated withSocial Security.

If you receive what you believe ismisleading advertising for Social Securityservices, send the complete mailing,including the envelope, to: Office of theInspector General, Fraud Hotline, SocialSecurity Administration, P.O. Box 17768,Baltimore, Md. 21235.

Also, advise your state’s attorneygeneral or consumer affairs office and theBetter Business Bureau. If you see or hearwhat you believe is misleading advertisingrelated to Social Security, you can reportit at the address above, by calling (800)269-0271 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, orby visiting http://oig.ssa.gov/report.

Protect your investment in SocialSecurity and do your part to reportpotential fraud. We rely on you to let usknow when you suspect someone iscommitting fraud against Social Security.

John Johnston is a Social Security publicaffairs specialist.

Being Aware of Fraud is Your First Step to Avoiding It

Social Security News

because I eventually got him into it,too.”

Leh began to study antiques, learningfrom older people he’d meet at the fleamarkets who would show him what tolook for and what wasn’t worth it.

From there, he gained an interest inblue-decorated stoneware, which hefound more interesting than bottles, aseach was handmade and uniquelydecorated.

“I learned at some point that diversityis good,” he said. “I got into all avenuesof antiquing, buying painted furniture,iron, glass, pottery, oil paintings, baskets,and china.”

While he works full-time as asalesman estimator, Leh has filled hisweekends running to different auctions.He still loves variety, but he keeps asharp eye out for his favorite blue crocks.

He looks for ones with specialdecorations. Tulips and other floraldesigns are most common, with fruitfalling as a close second and birds as athird. The rarest finds have moons, cats,or dogs.

Leh has close to 100 crocks in hispersonal collection and said he can’t evenbegin to count the bottles. No matterhow many he gets, he keeps his findslocal.

His fascination with history pushedhim to sell his home and move inSeptember to a 1798 stone house builtby Thomas Pettit, the son of a countyfounder.

The architecture is unparalleled, Lehsaid. There are seven fireplaces, thick

window boxes,and original chairrails andhardwood floorsthrough thehome.

The house wasadded to theNational Registerof Historic Placesin 1983. It is theperfectenvironment forLeh’s numeroustreasures, nowdisplayed andincorporated intothe house’s décor.

“I just lovehistory,” he said.“It makes perfectsense for me tohave a place likethis to fill withthe items I am sofascinated with.”

While antiquesbecame a huge partof Leh’s life, he slowly made it a familyaffair. His father bought a home inupstate New York that was built in 1894,and together, they decorated it withperiod items that fit the theme of thehome.

Over the years, his father’s collectiongrew and he started selling things withhis son, sharing a booth at a localantique mart. Soon, they had two boothsand eventually three. The younger Leh

no longer has abooth, but hisfather still runsone out ofEaston, Pa.

A lot of theantiques Lehtries to sell arehigher-end itemsthat can sit toolong at a localmarket. He findsbetter lucksending those toauctions.

Visiting one isan experience, hesaid.

“It’s thepeople, it’s thefood, it’s thetrip,” he said.“There’s not anauction I don’tgo to where Idon’t knowpeople.”

Althoughantiquing can be expensive, it doesn’thave to be, Leh said.

He’s bought many things for more

than $10,000, including a LancasterCounty farm table he bought thissummer.

But there are a variety of levels atwhich people can get involved, headded.

Every year he goes to the BaltimoreBottle Show, where he sees many kidsgetting started at the same age he did.Some of them walk in with $5 and leavewith 10 bottles, ready to start acollection they can build on.

Many of them can even specialize incertain bottles, such as medicine bottles,or soda and beer bottles.

“My problem was I specialized ineverything,” he said, laughing.

Leh also finds value, not necessarily inthe expensive items, but in the ones thatare the most unusual.

“What they were, wherever they camefrom, what they were used for—thosestories are what interest me,” Leh said.

Early Pennsylvania settlers brought alittle bit of nature into their own homes,he said, painting furniture, pottery, andother decorations.

“Those are some of my favoriteitems,” he said. “At one point, they wereall close to someone’s heart. And I liketo think I can appreciate them now.”

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews p December 2014 13

TREASURE from page 1

Back row, from left, Gaudy Dutch cup andplate, Rabbitware plate, Leeds plate. Center,from left, eagle butter print, pewter master

salt, seated Redware dog, and cow butter print.

Leh acquired this local farm table(circa 1820) in summer 2014.

Give someone youlove the gift thatentertains, informs,and inspires, month after month!Or renew an existing subscription!

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3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512

Tax-Aide Names Lebanon Sites,Seeks Volunteers

This year, free tax assistance andpreparation for taxpayers with low tomoderate income is again availablethrough the AARP Foundation Tax-Aideprogram.

The program, in its 46th year, is thenation’s largest free tax-assistance andpreparation service, giving specialattention the older population.

You do not need to be a member ofAARP or a retiree to use this service.

There are four AARP Foundation Tax-Aide sites for helping older low- tomoderate-income taxpayers in LebanonCounty:

Maple Street Community Center 710 Maple St., First Floor, Lebanon

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church22 S. Sixth St., Lebanon

Myerstown Church of the Brethren51 W. Stoever Ave., Myerstown

United Methodist Church109 W. Market St., Jonestown (new siteto be opened in February 2015)

For more information, visitwww.aarp.org/taxaide or call (888) OUR-AARP ((888) 687-2277). AARPFoundation Tax-Aide is offered inconjunction with the IRS.

Additional volunteers are needed. Formore information on volunteering, callMichelle Long at (717) 273-9262.

14 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Lebanon County

Calendar of Events

Senior Center Activities

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.

Programs and Support Groups Free and open to the public

Senior Center Activities

Annville Senior Community Center – (717) 867-1796200 S. White Oak St., AnnvilleDec. 11, noon – Lunch Club Meeting at the Hilltop CaféDec. 15, 11 a.m. – Christmas PartyDec. 31, 10:30 a.m. – Black & Bling New Year’s Eve Party

Maple Street Community Center – (717) 273-1048710 Maple St., LebanonDec. 3, 10:30 a.m. – Juniper Village SingersDec. 5, 8:30 a.m. – Christmas Gathering for BreakfastDec. 12, 9:30 a.m. – Catered Breakfast with Entertainment

Myerstown Senior Community Center – (717) 866-6786Myerstown Baptist Church, 59 Ramona Road, MyerstownDec. 3, 9 a.m. – Healthy Steps Fall-Prevention ProgramDec. 12, noon – Center Christmas Party at Hebron Banquet HallDec. 18, 10:30 a.m. – Holiday Luncheon at The Berry Patch Bed & Breakfast

Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center – (717) 865-0944335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown – www.jonestownpa.org/senior.htmlDec. 19, 12:30 p.m. – Pinochle ClubDec. 23, 8:30 a.m. – Men’s Breakfast and Quoits TournamentDec. 24, 10 a.m. – Watch Little House on the Prairie Christmas

Palmyra Senior Community Center – (717) 838-8237101 S. Railroad St., PalmyraDec. 4, 11:30 a.m. – Christmas Party at Hometown RestaurantDec. 5, 9:30 a.m. – Fall-Prevention ProgramDec. 22, 10:30 a.m. – Christmas Celebration and Gift Exchange

Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.

Dec. 24, 6 to 7 p.m. – Personal Care Family Support Group, Linden Village, 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon, (717) 274-7400

When you were much, muchyounger, you may havewondered if your mind was

playing tricks. Has that monster underyour childhood bed vanished, only to bereplaced by other mental quirks, alsounsettling, as you age?

Where did I leave my keys? The check I wrote a moment ago is not

in sight. The envelope in which it is to bemailed is here in front of me.

I keep hearing the same song over andover in my mind (a phenomenon called“earworms”).

You are not losing your mind. Theseare mild irritations, not alarms. Alarmsare triggered when you forget to turn off

the range or youbecome disorientedas to time or place.That famous

painting calledThe Scream ofNature byNorwegian artistEdvard Munchintrigues usbecause it portrayshow we feel onoccasion. Theagonized subject inthe painting isclasping his headwith the palms of

his hands, the mouthopened into a largeoval, the panicked eyesglancing skyward. He stands on a

bridge, but the artistdoes not show towhere the bridge leads.What lies ahead?Perhaps Munch’s

figure suffers fromgerontophobia, whichis the irrational fear ofaging and what liesahead. Symptomsinclude any of severalapprehensions, such as

social isolation, inadequate resources,and inability to remain physically self-sufficient.

Most seniors do not experience thatphobia on a recurring basis. Yet we arefascinated by Munch’s painting because itillustrates a rare extreme in our responseto anxieties.

Seniors, like others, experience normalepisodic bouts of melancholy. It can besevere temporarily, as when brought onby death of someone in the family or afriend. Less severe is holiday melancholy,where we feel excluded from participatingwith others in the general merriment.

Causes of our dark moods are notalways clear. It could be either insufficient

Are You Losing Your Mind?

My 22 Cents’ Worth

Walt Sonneville

The Scream of Natureby Edvard Munch

Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Lebanon County!Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com

What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop!

Is this the year you’re really going toachieve your New Year’s resolutions?Follow these steps to setting good goalsand following through:

Write down your goals. Make themspecific; make sure you can measure thegoals. For instance, instead of “Losesome weight,” resolve to drop 5 poundsby June 30.

Motivate yourself.Write down why youwant to achieve the goal. List all the waysyou will benefit from achieving it.

Take stock. Analyze exactly where you

are now in reaching that goal. Note thestrengths that will help you, theweaknesses that could hurt you, and theopportunities you can use to attain whatyou want.

Gather resources. Determine what you’llneed to invest to achieve your goal.Whether it’s time, money, or somethingelse, know what reaching this goal could“cost” you.

Commit to learning. You may need tomaster new abilities to fulfill yourresolution. Will you need to take classesto learn a new skill? What kind of

information do you need access to?

Get help. Identify all the people whocan serve as your support group. Thismay also include organizations that canhelp you.

Develop a game plan. Set deadlines for

achieving your goals. List specific dateson which you want to complete thevarious steps of the plan.

Celebrate. Give yourself a reward forachieving the various steps in your gameplan and a final reward for achieving theintended goal.

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews p December 2014 15

or excessive sleep, stress, taking or nottaking medication, or simply amisdiagnosis.

If the melancholy becomes chronic,one might be prescribed anantidepressant. Some prescriptions workfor some people and not others. Patientsreportedly try different antidepressants todetermine which works best. They’recaught in a casino of choices where theyhope to place the right bet.

Severe melancholy or depression hasbeen a characteristic of many of the mostimportant contributors to our culture. Ifthese personalities had lived during whatis called the “Prozac Generation,” wemight have been deprived of their genius.

Aristotle concluded that “all men whohave become outstanding in philosophy,statesmanship, poetry, or the arts are

melancholic.” He saw melancholy as anasset to the gifted.

Super achievers frequently are drivento succeed to escape their “Black Dog,” asWinston Churchill described his owndark moods. Those who have beenafflicted with psychiatric maladies includeAbraham Lincoln, Sir Isaac Newton,Noah Webster, Samuel Johnson, Ludwigvan Beethoven, Charles Darwin, ErnestHemingway, Walt Whitman, Edgar AllanPoe, and Herman Melville.

If today’s medications had sedatedtheir psyches, would they have been lessdriven to achieve?

Crossword puzzles have long served asa choice for those who seek mentalstimulation. Now the trend is towardcomputer games. AARP has free gameson their website, www.aarp.org.

For Einstein, theorizing may havebeen his equivalent of a computer game.But he benefited also by playing theviolin to exercise his brain.

In 1890, William James, in his ThePrinciples of Psychology, theorized that“organic matter, especially nerve tissue,seems endowed with a very extraordinarydegree of plasticity.”

For 50 years, that hypothesis wasignored. The conventional scientificwisdom held that the brain cannot createneural growth; its structure is immutable.

Neuroscientists now know, throughresearch of neuroplasticity, that the brainis capable throughout a lifetime ofstrengthening and creating neuralconnections, adapting and reorganizingfollowing injury, illness, or behavioralalterations.

Experiment with ways in which youcan be the gatekeeper of your brain’srehabilitation. What is your choice:computer games, violin lessons, bridge,chess, painting portraits or landscapes, ormaybe crossword puzzles?

As with the selection of anantidepressant medication, we may haveto try several to find which works best forus.

Walt Sonneville, a retired market-researchanalyst, is the author of My 22 Cents’ Worth:The Higher-Valued Opinion of a SeniorCitizen and A Musing Moment: MeditativeEssays on Life and Learning, books ofpersonal-opinion essays, free of partisan andsectarian viewpoints. Contact him atwaltsonneville@verizon.net.

FOOD from page 2

And with that, he jumped out of bedand said, “I feel great!”

After the blood work, we went to therestaurant, where Bob made a speedyrecovery as he reveled in mouthfuls ofglorious food.

That week, I wound up with amonster cold. I knew Bob would getback at me for how I tricked him intogetting better. I stayed in bed—waiting.

He found my grandmother’s quilt inthe cupboard and placed it on me,tenderly snugging it under my chin.

Between sneezes I said, “This is theworst cold I’ve ever had. Go ahead.Make fun of me. I deserve it.”

“Yep, you do,” he said, putting on hisjacket and getting the car keys.

“Bob, you’re going out when I’m onmy deathbed?”

When he came home, he had a bag

with him. He took out a chicken potpie, my favorite Kleenex made withaloe, a copy of People magazine, and acarton of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

He propped up our pillows. We spentthe day together, watching MurphyBrown reruns and luxuriating in thebreathtaking nearness of each other.

So, of course everyone loves Bob.That’s because we all know that he isjust like this—sensitive, loving,compassionate, and adoring—evenwhen I don’t have a cold.

Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationallysyndicated columnist. Her new book isCracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: StoriesFrom a Life Out of Balance. To find outmore, visit www.saraleeperel.com or emailsperel@saraleeperel.com.

Make This the Year Your Resolutions Come True

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* Submissions will be included as space permits.

For more information or to submit your happenings, email Megan Joyce at mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail to:

50plus Senior NewsMegan Joyce

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512

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spread�your�local�news!

• a birthday or anniversary milestone• a volunteer who should be recognized • a photo of a smile that begs to be shared• a groundbreaking event • community activities• support programs• local news

16 December 2014 50plus SeniorNews p www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

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