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Visit Us Online at www.pittsburgh seniornews.com

March 2016Volume 22 Number 11

Continued on page 6

Pittsburgh hosts national music convention and offers four evenings of free public concertsThe East Winds Symphonic Band has been chosen to host the 38th annual national convention of the Associa-tion of Concert Bands from March 30 to April 3 in Pitts-burgh. The festivities will include four evenings of free concerts, called “Three Riv-ers Rhapsody,” at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland, with a feature

performance by Pittsburgh’s own River City Brass on opening night. The concerts are open to the public and to all ages.

The concert series will launch on Wednesday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. In ad-dition to the River City Brass, three community bands will perform—the East Winds

Symphonic Band, West Hills Symphonic Band and Al-legheny Brass Band—as well as other bands from eastern Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and Maryland. The festival finale on Saturday, April 2 will include a per-formance by the Convention

River City Brass.Photo provided by Roger Schneider.

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Lynn Webster

Publisher’s Corner

Owner/Publisher: Lynn Webster

Editor: Gina Mazza

Art Director: Burnfield Consulting

Sales Executive: Wallace Webster

Photographer:Chuck LeClaire

Contributing Writers:Maren Auxier Barbara Bush

Judy Dodd Henry Peter Gribbin

Gina Mazza

Intern:Kara Boyle

Printing Company:Knepper Press

Volume 22, Number 11Published monthly by

Pittsburgh Senior News, Inc.P.O. Box 11126

Pittsburgh, PA 15237 (412) 367-2522

www.pittsburghseniornews.com

[email protected]

Pittsburgh Senior News is distributed monthly in the Allegheny County area. Copyright 2016 by Pittsburgh Senior News, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part of this publication without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. All advertisement in Pittsburgh Senior News is subject to the approval of the publisher. Publication of advertising herein does not necessarily constitute endorsement.

In Memory of Carmella M. Hogan John A. Hogan, Sr.

Michael J. Hogan, Sr. Wayne Hogan

Crossword Puzzle Answer(See page 29)

Visit our website at www.pittsburghseniornews.com

View the most recent issues of • Pittsburgh Senior News

• Beaver County Senior News • Butler County Senior News

• Allegheny County Senior Resource Guide

•Beaver County Senior Resource Guide

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Do you (or someone you love) need to be on a salt-restricted diet? For us, this topic hits close to home, as my husband is on a sodium restricted diet by order of his doctor. We asked our resi-dent nutritionist Judy Dodd to devote her March column to this topic. See page 22 for her advice.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and wishing you a blessed Easter.

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Visit Cochlear.com/Pit for a free guide about cochlear implants.

Q: How are cochlear implants

different than hearing aids?

A: Hearing aids help many people by making the sounds they hear louder. Unfortunately, as hearing loss progresses, sounds need to not only be made louder, they need to be made clearer. Cochlear implants can help give you that clarity, especially in noisy environments. If you suffer from high frequency hearing loss but maintain your hearing in the low frequencies, there is a solution called Hybrid™ Hearing that may be able to help as well. Be sure to discuss your options with a Hearing Implant Specialist in your area.

Q: Are cochlear implants covered

by Medicare?

A: Yes, by Medicare and most private insurance plans.

Q: How do I know a cochlear

implant will work for me?

A: The technology is very reliable. In fact, it has been around for over 30 years and has helped change the lives of over 400,000 people worldwide.

Q: Is it major surgery?

A: No, not at all. In fact, the procedure is often done on an outpatient basis and typically takes just a couple hours.

Q: Am I too old to get

a cochlear implant?

A: No, it’s never too late to regain access to the sounds you’re missing.

Ask the Expert

Straining to hear each day, even when using powerful hearing aids? Feeling frustrated and sometimes even exhausted from listening? Whether it happens suddenly or gradually over time, hearing loss can affect you physically and emotionally. Being unable to hear impacts your ability to communicate with your loved ones, hear in noisy environments, talk on the phone, and may force you to become more reliant on your family members to interpret for you.

Cochlear implants work differently than hearing aids. Rather than amplifying sound, they use sophisticated software and state-of-the art electronic components to provide access to the sounds you’ve been missing. They are designed to help you hear better and understand speech in all situations, including noisy environments.

©2015 Cochlear Limited. All rights reserved. Trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of Cochlear Limited. CAM-MK-PR-255 ISS3 DEC15

THE TRUTH ABOUT COCHLEAR IMPLANTS

David C. Kelsall, M.D.,

Cochlear Medical Advisor

Dr. David C. Kelsall, a cochlear implant surgeon and medical advisor to Cochlear, the world leader in cochlear implants, answers questions about cochlear implants and how they are different from hearing aids.

Call 1 877 804 4000 to find a Hearing Implant Specialist near you.

Free program at AgeWell helps seniors master aging

OASIS seeks office volunteersOASIS recruits and trains older adults to tutor students in Pittsburgh Public and Woodland Hills school districts. Office volunteers are needed to support the program. No experience is needed. Join us for refreshments to discuss opportunities on March 9 at the old Chamber of Commerce Building (Duquesne Light) at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call John D. Spehar, Pittsburgh OASIS tutor program director at (412) 393-7648 or email [email protected]. PSN

AgeWell at the JCC recently announced that it will be offering a free, innovative new health and wellness

program for adults ages 60 and older call the Aging Mastery Program (AMP). This 10-week educational program—de-veloped by the National Council on Aging (NCOA)—will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays from March 9 to May 18 at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, 5738 Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill.

AMP has been successful at helping seniors build their own playbooks for aging well. This fun, innovative program empowers participants to embrace longevity by spending more time each day doing things that are good for themselves and others. It encourages mastery—developing sustainable behaviors across many dimensions that lead to improved health, stronger economic security, enhanced well being, and increased societal participation.

AgeWell at the JCC is one of only a few organizations in Pennsylvania that have been selected to offer AMP. To learn more, contact Sharon Feinman at (412) 697-3533 or [email protected]. PSN

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The 21th annual Empty Bowls Dinner will serve up a simple

meal of soup and bread as a reminder that too many people throughout our region are facing hunger with “empty bowls.” The Greater Pittsburgh Com-munity Food Bank and Just Harvest will co-host the Empty Bowls dinner from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 20 at Rodef Shalom Congre-gation, 4905 Fifth Avenue in Oakland.

Attendees will begin by choosing an “empty bowl” to take home from the 1,200 to 1,500 artisan pottery bowls provided by local

Just Harvest and Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank co-host 20th annual Empty Bowls dinner

amateur and professional potters, as a lasting remind-er of those whose bowls are empty. About 32 restaurants and caterers are donating bread and several hundred gallons of a variety of soups, which will be served by lo-cal celebrities, TV personali-ties and elected officials.

Empty Bowls is known for its family friendly atmo-sphere with children’s ac-tivities, a bake sale, live en-tertainment, silent auction of ceramic art and celebrity autographed bowls, and even soup to-go.

This year, the event will have the following two available seating times:

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Each session has a specific ticket, so please be sure to choose the session you prefer when you purchase your tickets. They can be purchased in advance for $22 or $25 at the door. PSN

For further information about Empty Bowls or to purchase tickets ($22 each), visit the Food Bank and Just Harvest websites at www.pittsburghfoodbank.org and www.justharvest.org, or call Just Harvest at (412) 431-8960. Proceeds benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Com-munity Food Bank and Just Harvest.

The Green Grocer, spon-sored by the Greater Pitts-burgh Community Food Bank, is bringing fresh pro-duce options to the Mt. Oliver area. Visit the Green Grocer on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon at the LifeS-pan Knoxville Center, 320 Brownsville Rd. Everyone is welcome. SNAP/EBT and FMNP checks accepted.

For more information, call the LifeSpan Knoxville Center at (412) 391-6900 or visit [email protected]. PSN

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March 20


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Pittsburgh hosts national music convention and offers four evenings of free public concerts

River City Brass.

East Winds Symphonic Band.

“Three Rivers Rhapsody” perfor-mance schedule:

March 30: 7:30 p.m. Full-length con-cert by River City Brass

March 3: 7 p.m. Youngstown Area Community Concert Band; 8:30 p.m. West Hills Symphonic Band

April 1: 7 p.m. Allegheny Brass Band; 8:30 p.m. Fairfax Wind Sym-phony (from Virginia)

April 2: 2:30 p.m. Macungie Band; 4 p.m. Bel Air Community Band (from Maryland); 7 p.m. Association of Concert Bands Convention Band; 8:30 p.m. East Winds Symphonic Band

All concerts will take place at Soldiers & Sailors Hall in Oakland.

Band, featuring nearly 100 musicians from around the country under the baton of River City Brass director James Gourlay.

The Association of Concert Bands, which represents 400 community concert bands nationally, encourages and fosters adult concert, community, municipal and civic bands. Since 1979, the association has staged an annual convention to showcase the amateur concert bands and associ-ated musicians of a different city. In celebration of Pittsburgh’s role as host city of the 2016 national conven-tion, Mayor William Peduto has pro-claimed April 2016 as “The Greater Pittsburgh Community Concert Band Month. The convention is expected to bring together 700 musicians and guests to Pittsburgh.

“The Association of Concert Bands (ACB) represents 400 community concert bands nationally, and we are thrilled to have an opportunity to showcase western Pennsylvania as a region with a vibrant cultural life,” comments East Winds Symphonic Band conductor Susan Sands. “We are highly gratified that ACB selected East Winds Symphonic Band to host this year’s annual convention in Pitts-burgh, providing us with a wonderful opportunity to give the gift of music to our community via free public per-formances in a premier concert hall.”

The East Winds Symphonic Band was founded in 1981 and is comprised primarily of about 80 serious amateur musicians from the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. The band performs about a dozen concerts a year at venues like The Diamond at Ligonier, area

Continued from page 1

retirement villages, Kennywood Park, Temple Rodef Shalom, the Saxonburg Festival of the Arts and the Carnegie Museum’s Hall of Architecture. In 2008, the band received the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Silver Scroll, North America’s most prestigious award for community concert band excellence. The band rehearses every Monday evening at the Trinity Chris-tian School in Forest Hills.

The month of music concludes on April 23 with the 13th annual Three Rivers Community Band Festival in the South Hills. PSN

For more information, contact Roger Schneider at (724) 327-4864 or [email protected], or visit acb2016.org/concerts. To learn more about the East Winds Sym-phonic Band, visit ewsb.org.

Photo provided by Roger Schneider.

Photo provided by Roger Schneider.

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Pittsburgh Senior News presents...... the trip of a lifetime.

March 20


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“When my mother’s memory issues became obvious, we knew we had to do something and started looking for a memory care facility. We selected the Kane Scott Memory Care Unit. And, I’m glad we did. Until my mother came to Kane, we were always so worried about keeping her safe that we didn’t realize how lonely she was. Now she didn’t realize how lonely she was. Now she has friends and knows everyone here. She’s like the mayor.”

Kane Memory Care Unit — a part of Kane, Allegheny County’s Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers. For information, call 412-422-KANE.

Mary Beth Semencar and Margaret Anne May.

• Northland Public Library, 300 Cum-berland Rd., offers the following activities: Conversation Salon from 2 to 4 p.m. March 11. The group gathers to talk about subjects of interest that can range from local issues to national headlines to trends in education. No reservation is required. Call Dan Storrs at (724) 612-4721; AARP Tax Prepara-tion Assistance is offered from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 14.IRS-trained volunteers will help in preparing both federal and state forms. This service is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. A sign-up sheet will be located outside the lower lobby entrance beginning at 7:30 a.m., so early arrivals can register and then either wait in their car or return when the library opens. Toni Miller at (412) 366-8100, ext. 102; and Northland Knit-ters will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. March 22. All levels of knitters are welcome.

Library EventsCall (412) 366-8100, ext. 113. For more information on any of these programs or to learn about others, call (412) 366-8100 or visit northlandlibrary.org.

• Beechview Library, 1910 Broadway Ave., Beechview, offers the following events: Beechview Writer’s Workshop from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. March 19. Share your work and discuss writing and roads to publication and participate in group discussions and critiques with local writers; Quilters on Broadway from 10 to 11:30 a.m. March 2 and 16. New and experienced quilters wel-come, bring your quilting projects. Learn the basics, get help with an ex-isting project or just drop in to work; and Basics of Social Media from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 16. Get tips for getting started on social media for personal use, business and activism. Call (412) 563-2900 for event details.

• Squirrel Hill, 5801 Forbes Ave., Squir-rel Hill, offers the following activities: Tax Assistance by appointment from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. If you are age 65 or older or make less than $50,000 a year, you can have your taxes done for free by AARP tax vol-unteers through April 14; Yoga with Phyllis from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays. Wear comfortable clothing, bring a floor covering and enjoy the relaxation and healthy benefits of yoga. This event is free to the public; no registration required; and Writing A Legacy of Life meets from 1 to 3 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Begin a journey of personal exploration, learn-ing and adventure that will result in lasting memories for your family and others. This group meets at 720 Mu-sic, Clothes and Cafe, 4405 Butler St. For more information on any of these events, call (412) 422-9650.

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MiKelCo Lifts • 412-421-LIFTReliable and Economical Lift Solutions

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Who says females can’t be strong contenders? The Senior Olympics of West-

ern Pennsylvania encourages the fitness of senior women through ath-letic competition. Would you like to get on the court and have some fun? Senior Olympics is currently sponsor-ing several women’s basketball and volleyball teams.

Get out your sneakers and get set for the Western Pennsylvania Basketball Tournament on April 9 at Slippery Rock University. This is the official Pennsylvania state qualifier for the National Senior Games in women’s three-on-three basketball (and the only women’s qualifier held in Pennsylva-nia). The National Senior Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama during summer 2017.

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Senior Olympics seeks women ages 45 and older for PA basketball qualifier

Senior Olympics is now seeking wom-en to either join their teams or enter an entire team of your own. To play, you must be age 45 or older. Teams are split into five-year age brackets, start-ing with ages 45-49 and 50-54, with the most senior age group being 75-79. Ath-letes are permitted to play down—that is, if you are 70, you can play on the 60s team (you cannot play up).

To learn more, contact Carol McCol-lough at (724) 445-9997 or visit Senioro-lympicswpa.weebly.com. PSN

NHCO seeking gardeners to grow seedlings

North Hills Community Outreach is seeking individuals or garden-ing groups to volunteer to grow seedlings for transplanting in our organic garden in the spring. All produce supports NHCO’s three food pantries. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or (412) 307-0069, ext. 3311. For more informa-tion on the garden, visit nhcogar-dens.squarespace.com. PSN

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In-Home Senior Care

Personal Care Meal Preparation

Errands & Shopping Homemaking & Laundry

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412-653-6100 - South & East 412-787-0709 - North & West

412-406-7667 - Allegheny Valley

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By Henry Peter Gribbin For Pittsburgh Senior News

No other man has done more for the game of hockey in this city than Mario Lemieux. His

spectacular play on the ice helped pro-pel the Penguins to two Stanley Cups in the early 1990’s.

Upon retirement his leadership in heading a consortium of buyers saved the franchise from economic ruin, and his return to the ice following retire-ment helped lead the team to the play-offs once again. Area fans are indeed lucky because at one point the franchise was about to be dissolved.

This wouldn’t have been the first time our city saw its hockey team disappear. Going all the way back to the turn of the 20th century Pittsburgh has been a hotbed of hockey. The old Duquesne Gardens, which sat right across the

Championship Hockey in Pittsburgh

street from St. Paul Cathedral in Oak-land, once boasted the finest artificial surface in North America.

The Gardens played host to several teams, from amateur to Professional. The Yellow Jackets and the Shamrocks

were two of the better amateur teams which graced the Garden’s ice in the 1920’s, and the Pittsburgh Pirates were our city’s first entry in the National Hockey League. From 1925 to 1930 the Pirates called the Gardens home, but

Photo credit: pittsburghhockey.net.The Pittsburgh Hornets.

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Our Services and Specialties include:• Heating and air conditioning installation and repair

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because of financial reasons the fran-chise moved to Philadelphia.

In 1935 John Harris, owner of the Gar-dens, formed the Pittsburgh Hornets. The Hornets played in the American Hockey league and were the Toronto Maple Leafs farm club.

The biggest star of the Hornets was not a high scoring center or forward but a 5ft. 7 in. 165 pound goalie by the name

Photo credit: pittsburghhockey.net.Photo credit: mario-lemieux.com.

of Baz Bastien. He was popular with the fans and was destined to be a star in the NHL till a puck hit in the eye at a Hornet training camp in 1949.

The Hornets were a successful fran-chise, wining two Calder Cups In the 1950’s. The Hornets were disbanded after the 1955 season because of the demolition of the Duquesne Gardens. Seating only 5,000 people the Gardens could no longer service the needs of an ever growing city.

In 1961 the Hornets reappeared, this time as a Detroit Red Wing farm club. The new Hornets played in the brand new Civic Arena. The seating capacity was almost double that of the Gardens, and the ice was considered quite good.

The 1966/67 Hornet team won the Calder Cup, beating Providence. The team coach and general manager was Baz Bastien. However, once again fate was against the Hornets. The Penguins, a new entry in the NHL, started play in 1967. The Hornets disappeared.

As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh in the 1960’s I followed hockey. I was ex-cited when the NHL decided to place a team in Pittsburgh. My favorite player from that era was a young center by the name of Michel Briere. He was a fine hockey player and destined for greatness, but he died in a car accident following his rookie season in 1970. In 1984 another young skater named Mario Lemieux made his Pittsburgh debut. The rest is history. PSN

Mario Lemieux. Baz Bastien.

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Housekeeping and Laundry Services

Entertainments and Events* The North Pittsburgh Quilters Guild meets at 7 p.m. on the first Tues-day of each month at Kearns Spiri-tuality Center, 9000 Babcock Blvd., Allison Park. All levels of quilters are welcome. Membership is $25 per year; anyone interested in trying out the group can attend two meetings at no cost. The annual quilt show, themed Pineapple Pizzazz, will be held April 15 to 17 at the Ross Community Cen-ter, 1000 Ross Municipal Dr., Ross Township. March 1 is the deadline to enter a quilt in the show. Admission is $7 per person. Visit npqg.org for more information.

* The annual Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival and the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival have merged into one event and will take place March 4 through 6 in the Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

Advanced admission to the festival is $10 per day; admission at the door is $15 per day. Older adults who attend the festival on Sunday, March 6, will be receive a dis-counted admission of $5, compliments of UPMC Senior Communities. To learn more, call (412) 963-7030 or visit www.pghknitandcrochet.com.

* Sealarks Women’s Group will meet at 1 p.m. March 9 at Memorial Park Church, 8800 Peebles Rd., Allison Park. This group provides Christian fellow-ship and social activity for women alone; widowed, divorced or never married. A program will be presented by the Western Pennsylvania Conser-vancy. All women alone are welcome to attend and consider joining the group. For additional infomation call (412) 487-7194.

* The 2016 Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day parade will take place at 10 a.m.

March 12. Parade formation will begin at the Greyhound Bus Station at the intersection of Liberty Ave. and 11th St., to Grant Street to the Boulevard of the Allies, where it will turn right. Proceed on the Boulevard of the Allies to the Reviewing Stand at Stanwix Street, then disburse at Commonwealth Place. Visit pitts-burghirish.org/parade.

* The eighth annual Shamrock Shuffle takes place March 19. Register at Grace Church of Harmony 538 Main St, Harmony, or online at getfitfamilies.com. There are three races to choose from: half marathon at 7:30 a.m.; 5K at 10 a.m.; and the one mile at 10:45 a.m. There will be a post race party with foods and awards at 11:30 a.m. Call (724) 321-4265.

* Pre-Purim Seniors will hold a lunch at noon March 22 at Chabad of

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Entertainments and Events

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Call for an appointment today!

(412) 382-7155

Free bus trip for WWII and Korean war era veteransA one day trip is scheduled for May 26 to visit the WWII National Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Iwo Jima Memorial and others time permitting. Pick up points are North Hills, Greentree and Monroeville. Leave early and return between 9 and 10 p.m. Box lunch type meals and beverages are provided. Wheelchairs are scheduled as requested. A nurse and several assistants go on the trip to help. We want to fill every seat with a veteran, therefore we are unable to accommodate family, spouses or friends. In order to make these trips free for the veterans we accept donations. Checks can be made to the WWII Bus Trips and sent to the Wesbanco Bank at 701 Corpora-tion St., Beaver, Pa. 15009, Attn: Paula. For reservations or information, call (724) 709-3614. PSN

the South Hills Mt. Lebanon. Enjoy lunch, hamentashen and a special Pu-rim program. $5 suggested donation. Wheelchair accessible. Call Barb at (412) 278-2658 to register.

* Come out to Parkwood Presbyterian Church, 4289 Mt. Royal Blvd., Allison Park, for the annual spring treasure hunt from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 2. Private sellers/vendors are wanted for this indoor community flea market. Refreshments will be available for pur-chase. Contact Elaine at (412) 486-8755 or visit parkwoodchurch.org for an application form and flyer.

* The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour comes to Pittsburgh April 2 and 3. For the 14th year, Venture Out-doors is bringing the spirit of outdoor adventure and mountain culture to Pittsburgh’s Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, 510 E 10th Ave., Munhall. The 2015/2016 World Tour features a collection of exhilarating and provoca-tive films that explore life in the moun-tains. They highlight remote cultures, intense expeditions into exotic land-scapes and bring adrenaline-packed action sports into sharp focus. For tickets and information, visit venture-outdoors.org/events/banff/.

* Tickets are on sale now for North Hills Community Outreach’s (NHCO) second annual Neighborhood Block

Party set to take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 21 at The Chadwick, 10545 Perry Hwy., Wexford. Enjoy a variety of food stations, live enter-tainment, fun and games for the kids, and more. Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for children; a portion of ticket price is tax deductible. Proceeds sup-port NHCO’s 20+ programs for local families in crisis, hardship and pov-erty. Order tickets by April 8 at nhco.org/2016-neighborhood-block-party or contact Cheryl at (412) 487-6316 opt 1, ext 3111.

* Morningside Senior Center Travel will host at trip to Philadelphia with QVC Studios and Longwood Gardens May 2 to 4. Cost is $385 per person/

based on double occupancy; a $75 deposit is due with reservation. Final payment is due March 25. Package includes lodging, transportation, two breakfasts, one dinner, guided tours of historic Philadelphia, QVC tour, visit to casino, admission to Long-wood Gardens and more. Call Venie at (412) 361-0285 for details.

* Chartiers Seniors presents a trip to Wildwood, NJ from May 22 through 25. Cost is $350 per person/based on double occupancy. Trip includes transportation, three nights hotel accomodations, three breakfasts, three dinners, entertainment and more. Call Karen at (412) 276-5056 for more information. PSN

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ARE YOU READY BUT HESITATING?

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HOW DO I BEGIN?Call today (877) 644-5149

or visit Pittsburghseniorcareplanning.com

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh and Family-links are pleased to announce

that their respective Senior Centers, AgeWell at the JCC and Vintage Inc., have achieved National Senior Center Accreditation, making these two cen-ters the first in western Pennsylvania to have achieved such a milestone.

Through a collaborative grant from Allegheny County Department of Hu-man Services, Area Agency on Aging, AgeWell at the JCC and Vintage part-nered to jointly pursue Senior Center Accreditation through the National Council on Aging (NCOA)/National Institute of Senior Centers.

“The accreditation process improves and strengthens overall senior center operations. It results in official recog-nition that a senior center is meeting its mission. We applaud these two providers for being the first to bring National Accreditation to our region”, said Mildred Morrison, Administrator, Area Agency on Aging.

NCOA’s National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC) offers the nation’s only National Senior Center Accredita-tion Program. To advance the quality of senior centers nationwide, NISC developed the program with nine

AgeWell at the JCC and Vintage achieve National Senior Center Accreditation

standards of excellence for senior cen-ter operations. These standards serve as a guide for all senior centers to improve their operations today—and position themselves for the future. The accreditation process improves and strengthens overall senior center operations. It results in official recog-nition that a senior center is meeting its mission in a nationally accepted, professional fashion.

AgeWell at the JCC and Vintage serve as two of Allegheny County’s Senior Center Community Focal Points, providing an array of programs and services ranging from nutrition, fit-ness and wellness, socialization and recreation, volunteerism, information & referral and outreach to Allegheny County’s older adults age 60+.

AgeWell at the JCC has been part of the Senior Center network of Allegh-eny County’s Department of Human Services, Area Agency on Aging, since the early 70s, providing a variety of programs and activities to stimulate the participants physically, mentally and socially, for 43 years.

Unique to the Senior Center program is a decade old partnership-AgeWell Pittsburgh. AgeWell Pittsburgh is a collaborative program of the Jewish

Association on Aging, Jewish Com-munity Center of Greater Pittsburgh and Jewish Family & Children’s Ser-vice. The goal of the collaboration is to provide seamless delivery of services to Pittsburgh’s older adults, provid-ing support to live as independently as possible.

Vintage Inc., a service of Familylinks, was founded in 1973 as a comprehen-sive, urban senior center in the East End of Pittsburgh and has a focus on promoting the wellness of older adults. Vintage plays an important role in the lives of older adults by offering a wide array of high quality activities with a focus on pro-active health and well-ness, such as yoga and tai chi, dance and art classes, travel to museums and live performances, computer classes, health screenings, informational speak-ers and daily meals.

Vintage is a licensed provider of Stan-ford University’s Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, an evidence based program for adults to learn management strategies for conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, diabe-tes, cancer and other ongoing health issues. This program is supported by Highmark, the Allegheny County Medical Society and the United Way of Allegheny County. PSN

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Continued on page 16

By Gina Mazza For Pittsburgh Senior News

Larry and his wife, Linda, both in their 80s, have been married for more than 60 years and

always thought that they would be able to live together in the home that they loved. They ran into complica-tions when both developed health concerns. Larry’s medical issues required him to stay in a nursing fa-cility for about a year, as he needed maximum assist with his activities of daily living, like eating and bathing. Larry wanted to return home to his wife, and while Linda could provide supervision, her own health issues prevented her from being able to give her husband the hands-on care that he required.

“We just really wanted to be to-gether, but we couldn’t,” Linda recalls. So they set out to find a solution with the help of their son and daughter-in-law. Together, they did some research and dis-covered the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Area Agency on Aging’s (DHS/AAA) Nursing Home Transition Program (NHT).

“A coordinator from the NHT pro-gram came and visited Larry in the nursing home, did an assessment and determined what we were eli-gible for,” Linda explains. “With help from an adult day center program, their social worker and hospice we were able to transition Larry back home.”

Nursing Home Transition Program helps older adults return to the homes and communities they love

From there, AAA arranged for a ramp to be installed on Larry’s porch so he could get back into his house from steps in the front yard. In-home care was arranged for three days each week to do light housework and help Larry with things like bath-ing, dressing and grooming. He was also given a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), so he could call for help at all times.

“We are extremely happy to be back together in our home,” Larry com-ments. “Our goal is to live the rest of our lives here.”

What is Nursing Home Transi-tion?

The goal of the DHS/AAA’s Nursing Home Transition Program (NHT) is to coordinate, assist and facilitate safe discharge of viable individuals

like Larry who want to discharge from a nursing facility into the community. It allows for consumer-driven choice in the receipt of community-based services to meet the individual needs of each person.

“If someone resides in a nursing facility and would like to return home, support may exist to make that happen and help individuals live as independently as possible,” says Carol Brackett, division chief for DHS/AAA’s Prevention Division. “Safety will always be a factor. The ability of the person who is transi-tioning, the supports of family and friends and the services align to create a plan that provides a safe environment in the community.”

The DHS/AAA NHT Program is able

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Continued from page 15

Volume 7, Issue 1

to provide information about home and community based resources and services and assist in the Medi-cal Assistance process, if needed. In some situations, resources may be available to assist with the costs of establishing basic living arrange-ments and helping individuals move back into the community. Additional services include helping to locate housing, assistance with home modifications, and implementation of in-home services at the time of discharge. They are able to fa-cilitate cross-county and interstate discharges and have facilitated safe discharges to states as far away as Indiana, Illinois and Georgia by working with Departments of Aging in those states.

“We focus on people who have particular barriers to coming out of a nursing home—such as, they don’t have a house to return to, their home or apartment needs some sort of modification such as a ramp or stairlift, or they just don’t know that service is possible or available,” Carol comments. “We also help to identify resources they have within their own families or circles of friends who are willing to assist them. A lot of times, family members want to help, they just don’t know what to do. We work with them to come up with a care plan that is a combination of both. So the program is not just DHS/AAA giving services; it’s seeing what the individual can receive from their existing network of support.”

While Bob, in his late 60s, was in a nursing facility for three years, the public housing plan where he had been living in Liberty Borough was shut down. A security guard there referred him to DHS/AAA because he could see that Bob didn’t have any family to help him and was con-cerned that he would end up home-less. During his assessment with the NHT program, Bob expressed a strong desire to live in the Squir-rel Hill area. “The NHT coordinator worked hard and eventually found me an apartment in Squirrel Hill,” Bob recalls. NHT purchased initial furnishings and enrolled Bob in the Aging Waiver program. “I was able to transition to this apart-ment with Waiver Services and I’m doing really well now. I’m even volunteering in the community and looking into attending senior class-es at the University of Pittsburgh.”

Nursing Home Transition Program helps older adults return to the homes and communities they love

The NHT program started in January of 2006 and successfully continues to fulfill an important role in the com-munity. “There’s definitely a need for this,” comments Gaoying Bolinger, Aging Care Management supervisor with DHS/AAA NHT. Since then, more than 5,000 Allegheny County residents have been enrolled in the program and about 2,500 have tran-sitioned back to the community un-der various service programs (Aging Waiver, Options Care Management and LIFE). Approximately 70 to 80 percent of them have remained in the community for a year or longer. “An average of 20 to 30 participants are transitioned home each month, and the staff works with 130 to 150 consumers every month,” Gaoying explains. “We cannot transition ev-eryone who wants to return home unsafely, due to some participants’

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How the NHT Program effects positive changes in seniors’ lives:

• It empowers seniors to be involved in planning and directing their own safe transition from a nursing facil-ity back to a home of their choice in the community.

• It enhances opportunities for seniors to return to the community by identifying them through refer-rals from family, friends, social workers and other healthcare managers.

• It works to develop the necessary supports by their own families, friends, churches and other organiza-tions in the community by removing barriers so that seniors can receive services in the settings of their choice, thus providing a better quality of life and a safe transition.

The NHT Program can include coordination of the following services:

Adult day services

Aging Waiver care plans for in-home services

Advocacy

Affordable housing

Assistance finding or accessing social and recre-ational opportunities

Coordinating services with the VA for eligible veterans

Equipment not available through health insurance

Home-delivered meals

Home modifications

Information and referral

Long-term living counseling

Peer support and skills training

Personal Assistants Services (PAS)

Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS)

Respite for caregivers

Transportation

severe health issues, physical disabilities and lack of informal support.”

The staff at DHS/AAA reaches deep into the community to ensure that candidates for NHT are given an oppor-tunity to participate and under state requirements, if a participant states a desire to return to the community, a referral is made to the NHT Unit. “We have a very good relationship with nursing home social workers and outreach staff,” explains Gaoying. “Residents will inform the nursing home staff that they wish to return home, then we go out to see them, provide long-term living counseling and tell them what’s available in the community. From there, we develop a safe care plan for them.”

There’s no question that NHT is positively impacting the lives of seniors. “We counsel an average of 50 to 75 individuals every month,” Gaoying comments. “This process has to be started as soon as possible when individuals are still in the nursing home so that it’s a smooth transition back home for them. Many have lost community contacts and support while in long-term care, so they need help reestablishing that. The NHT program helps them do that.” PSN

Candidates for DHS/AAA’s Nursing Home Transition Program must be age 60 or older. Individuals under age 60 are served by Tri-County Patriots for Independent Living (TRPIL). To learn more, call SeniorLine at (412) 350-5460 and ask for a referral to the NHT Program.

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Allegheny County Department of Human Services

Area Agency on AgingBirmingham Towers, 2100 Wharton St., Second Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Serving the older adults of Allegheny County Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County ExecutiveWilliam McKain, Allegheny County Manager

Marc Cherna, DirectorMildred E. Morrison, Administrator

March Menu

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Contact Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging’s SeniorLine at (412) 350-5460;

Toll Free – (800) 344-4319; TDD – (412) 350-2727 or visit www.alleghenycounty.us/dhs/aaa.

SOCIAL SERVICESInformation and AssistanceCare ManagementAdult Day ServicesAdult Foster CareHome Delivered MealsHome Health ServicesPersonal Care Home Support ServicesProtective ServicesLong Term Living CounselingHealth Insurance CounselingFamily Caregiver SupportCompanions for HomeboundNursing Home Resident Advocacy

Information and Assistance Service Partner Agencies At Senior Community Centers

Allentown Senior Center (412) 481-5484Catholic Youth Association (412) 621-3342Citiparks (412) 422-6570Eastern Area Adult Services, Inc. (412) 829-9250Hill House Association Senior Services (412) 392-4450Jewish Community Center (412) 521-8010LifeSpan, Inc. (412) 464-1300

Lutheran Service Society (412) 734-9330Northern Area Multi-Service Center (412) 781-1176Penn Hills Senior Center (412) 244-3400Plum Senior Community Center (412) 795-2330Riverview Community Action Corp. (412) 828-1062Seton Center, Inc. (412) 344-4777Vintage, Inc. (412) 361-5003

SENIOR CENTER SERVICESEducation ProgramsExercise and FitnessVolunteer OpportunitiesSocial and Recreational ProgramsCongregate MealsLegal ServicesAssistance in Applying for Benefit ProgramsHealth Insurance Counseling

Volume 7, Issue 1

Tuesday, March 1: Pepper steak sandwich, parsley potatoes, orange.

Wednesday, March 2: Chicken Waldorf salad, marinated green beans, sliced beets, pineapple cuts.

Thursday, March 3: Teriyaki meatballs, orzo salad with peas and corn, tossed salad, apple.

Friday, March 4: Cod with lemon pepper, scalloped potatoes, Italian stewed tomatoes, pear slices.

Monday, March 7: Chicken breast, brown rice pilaf, broccoli florets, peach slices.

Tuesday, March 8: Roast beef, potatoes, carrots, apple.

Wednesday, March 9: Shredded Barbecue pork, zucchini and summer squash, baby Brussels sprouts, banana.

Thursday, March 10: Meatloaf, cauliflower florets, yams with brown sugar, fruit cocktail.

Friday, March 11: Tuna salad, marinated cucumber slices, corn and black bean salad, orange.

Monday, March 14: Boneless pork chop, Italian green beans with red pepper, brown and wild rice, pear slices.

Tuesday, March 15: Chicken dinner salad, beets, apple.

Wednesday, March 16: Salisbury steak, ranch potatoes, carrot coins and broccoli florets.

Thursday, March 17, St. Patrick’s Day menu: Corned beef and cabbage, whipped horseradish potatoes, cookie.

Friday, March 18: Baked cod, au gratin potatoes, whole green and wax beans, orange.

Monday, March 21: Sliced turkey, yams, zucchini and summer squash rounds, fruit cocktail.

Tuesday, March 22: Cold roast beef, potato salad, tomatoes and cucumbers, orange.

Wednesday, March 23, Birthday menu: Stuffed cabbage, whipped potatoes, mixed vegetables, confetti cake.

Thursday, March 24: Chicken leg and thigh, gourmet potatoes, broccoli florets, sliced peaches.

Friday, March 25, Good Friday: Baked cod, macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes, apple.

Monday, March 28: Chili beef hot dog, peas, apple.

Tuesday, March 29: Boneless pork chop, lemon and herb penne, vegetable medley, fruit cocktail.

Wednesday, March 30: Chicken chow mein, broccoli, brown rice, sliced peaches.

Thursday, March 31: Salisbury steak, whipped potatoes, carrot coins, orange.

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More Than Just A Place To Live

www.cmshousing.com TDD: 1-800-545-1833

Beautiful, Senior Apartments Near You!

Affordable Rents Include Utilities

a.m. Rodriguez Associates inc. and CMS Management proudly present...

Carson Retirement Residence 2850 East Carson Street * Pittsburgh, PA 15203 * 412-481-0700

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Retirement Residence of PLUM 620 Repp Road, New Kensington (Plum Borough), PA 15068 * 724-339-2925

RossHill Retirement Residence 7500 Ross Park Drive * Pittsburgh, PA 15237 * 412-847-0161

South Hills Retirement Residence 125 Ruth Street, Pittsburgh (Mt. Washington) PA 15211 * 412-481-8100

Summit Retirement Residence 125 South Sixth Street * Duquesne, PA 15110 * 412-466-7755

The Oaks Retirement Residence 2967 Jacks Run Road * White Oak, PA 15131 * 412-675-0412

WoodCrest Retirement Residence

1502 Woodcrest Avenue * Moon, PA 15108 * 412-264-0918

Allegheny County Senior Citizen Property Tax Relief ProgramThe Allegheny County Senior Citizen Property Tax Relief Program entitles qualified applicants in Allegheny County to a discount on county taxes. Deadline to file for relief in 2016 is June 30, 2016.

To qualify, applicants must meet all three of the following requirements:

1. Property Ownership:

Must have owned and occupied a primary residence in Al-legheny County continuously for the past 10 years. A prop-erty owner who has moved within the past 10 years and has continued to own and occupy the new property as a primary residence shall be eligible.

2. Age:

A. Must be age 60 or older, or if married either spouse must be age 60;

B. be a widow or widower age 50 to 60 years;

C. permanently disabled and age 18 to 60 years. (The required age must be met by December 31, 2016 to qualify for tax relief in 2016.)

3. Income:

Gross household income must be $30,000 or less. For cal-culating income use only 50 percent of your Social Security Benefit, SSI and Railroad Retirement Tier 1 Benefits (except Medicare benefits) plus 100 percent of other income.

This program entitles all qualified applicants in Allegheny County to a flat 30 percent discount on the real estate tax on their primary residence for each year they are eligible. Quali-fied applicants will also receive an additional two percent discount by paying their county taxes in full by March 31.

A second payment option allows eligible taxpayers (if they choose) to pay their gross county taxes in two equal install-ment payments – the first payment due by April 30 and the second payment by September 30.

Once approved, a qualified applicant continues to receive tax relief as long as the applicant is the property owner/oc-cupant, and the household income does not exceed $30,000. Applicants are no longer required to file annually. An applica-tion can be downloaded from alleghenycounty.us/treasurer/act77.aspx. Visit the Office of the Treasurer, Courthouse Room 108, 436 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or call (412) 350-4100 or (866) 282-8297 for more information. PSN

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You’re working hard to realize the American dream, and AARP is here to help you achieve your goals. AARP takes on the issues that are most important to you and your family, from affordable healthcare and financial security to caregiving and community improvements. If you don’t think Real Possibilities when you think AARP, then you don’t know “aarp.”

Find out what we’re doing and how you can get involved at aarp.org

TAKING ON THE MATTERSTHAT MATTERTO YOU ANDYOUR FAMILY.

Real Possibilities is a trademark of AARP.

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By Barbara Bush For Pittsburgh Senior News

Do you have a taxing problem? Look no fur-

ther than your local AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide vol-unteers. They are waiting to assist you with your filing of your 2015 IRS tax return.

Beginning February 1 throughout April 15, you will find one of your neigh-bors at the local library, mall or possibly your legislator’s office waiting to assist you with your questions or help you complete and e-file your return. IRS rules and regula-tions change and are often difficult for the average filer to understand. These same volunteers have completed vigorous IRS-based train-ing to ensure that they have the ability to support your return needs.

Tax-Aide is a free service of-fered for low- to moderate-income families. Although AARP is known for its dedication to seniors, other public filers are welcome, as well. Another great free program is the VITA (Volun-teer Income Tax Assistance) program. VITA volunteers will also prepare your taxes for free, no string attached.

Solve your “taxing” headache with AARP’s free program

As a reminder, you must do your part in preparing to meet with a Tax-Aide rep-resentative. First, gather to-gether all of your pertinent data. This includes your W-2 forms, 1099s (if you receive a pension or annuity), Social Security, SSA-1099, any un-employment compensation statements, any form indi-cating federal taxes already remitted, child care provider information (name, employ-er ID, SS number), receipts or canceled checks if you are itemizing deductions, and Social Security numbers for all dependents. Most impor-tantly, bring last year’s filed tax return. This will assist the preparer in easing the transition to this year’s re-turn. (You may have omitted bringing an important piece of documentation that with-out including in this return would otherwise require an additional amended return.)

In addition to your IRS re-turn, your AARP volunteer can also prepare your 2015 Pennsylvania state tax re-turn and any PA-1000 Rent and Property Tax Rebate form at this same tax prepa-ration meeting.

Now that you know what to bring to your meeting, the next thing you need to do is pin down your handi-est location. To find the AARP Tax-Aide site near you, visit aarp.org/taxaide, or call (888) AARP-NOW or (888) 227-7669.

Finally, please don’t forget to thank your tax preparer for all of their great volunteer-ing. As always, AARP’s Tax-Aide program is still “People helping people!” PSN

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AARP NewsDormont AARP #3016 will meet at 1:30 p.m. March 10 at Wallace Memorial U.P. Church, 1146 Greentree Rd., Greentree. There is plenty of parking in the rear. New members welcome; for member information, contact Marge at (412) 561-7832.

East End AARP #4542 will meet at 1 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Social Room Annex at St. James A.M.E. Church, 444 Lincoln Ave., Sumpter Hall. Come early and bring a lunch. New members and visitors are welcome. Call (412) 242-0330.

Kennedy AARP Chapter #2203 would like to invite seniors 55 and older to join meetings held at noon on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Kennedy Township Fire Hall, Pine Hollow Road. The meeting is followed by refresh-ments and bingo. Call (412) 771-5183.

H.A. English and Associates, P.C.Attorneys at Law

4000 Mt. Royal Blvd. and Duncan Ave.Allison Park, PA 15101

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Penn Hills AARP #2600 meets at 1 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at Hebron United Presbyterian Church, Barclay Building, Frankstown and Lakesto Roads, Penn Hills. Social hour will be held from noon to 1 p.m. and refreshments are served. Call Cathy Fisher at (412) 795-7708.

Perrymont AARP Chapter #2991 locat-ed in Northmont Church at the corner of Perrymont Road and Route 19 in the North Hills holds meetings at 11:30 a.m. every third Thursday. A light lunch is served. Call (412) 389-2369.

Whitehall AARP Chapter #2050 holds monthly meetings at noon on the first Thursday of each month at the White-hall Presbyterian Church, 4935 Willock Ave. Bring lunch; coffee, tea and dough-nuts are served for a donation. Enter-tainment is provided every month. All are welcome. Call (412) 881-1726. PSN

Seniors for Safe DrivingIf you are over 55 years of age and have successfully completed a Senior Education Program in the past, you only have to attend a one day refresher course to re-new your insurance discount. If you have never participated in a Senior Driver Improvement Pro-gram in the past, you must attend a two day seminar to earn your automobile insurance discount. The insurance discount is 5% of total premium for a period of three years. Cost for the course is $16 per person.

For a complete list of classes, go to www.sfsd-pa.com. Online courses are now available. To register, call (724) 283-0245 or (800) 559-4880. Space is limited so register early. PSN

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• Books

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• Political Buttons

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By Judy Dodd, MS, RDN, LDN For Pittsburgh Senior News

Salt (sodium chloride) is known for flavor, food preservation (think pickles, deli meats and

sauerkraut for starters) and fun (on the rim of a margarita glass, sprinkled on pretzels).

All of these salty things are positives unless your medical team is concerned about your blood pressure, your kid-neys or your heart. The American Heart Association has been giving the mes-sage for years to lower sodium in our diets. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans sets the goal at 2300 milli-grams a day; but with high blood pres-sure or medical complications, your goal may be 1200 milligrams or less.

Table salt has about 2300 milligrams of sodium in a teaspoon. Kosher and sea salt both provide the same amount of sodium as table salt when measured by the ounce. Although salt is a major sodium source, we have gotten used to consuming foods with sodium-containing ingredients. So lowering sodium goes beyond the salt shaker!

It is important to know that sodium is a necessary nutrient and it is possible to need more sodium than you are get-ting. Like all health-related conditions, family history, health status and activ-ity patterns have to be considered be-fore you begin making major changes. Yet if your physician has told you a lower-sodium diet is necessary, it is good time to consult a registered dieti-tian to personalize your food choices.

Survival tactics for a low-sodium diet, both at home and dining out

There are some general rules to help in lowering sodium or keeping it in the safe range, especially when eating out:

At the grocery store

2 Remember the goal is lowering so-dium, not no sodium. Sodium is a nutri-ent found naturally in meats, seafood, milk and even vegetables. Salt is used in cheese making and is a necessary ingredient in yeast breads.

2 Learn to read labels—both the Nutri-tion Facts and ingredient lists. You may be surprised at your choice of bread, soup or frozen meals.

2 All yeast breads need sodium but breads with a longer shelf life are likely to be higher in sodium- containing ingredients.

2 Those lovely packaged fruit cups may have sodium benzoate added; fresh fruit may be a better choice, just like a fresh lemon may be better than the plastic one!

2 Yes, there are lower-salt soups, prepared broth, canned tomatoes and both frozen and canned vegetables and beans. If you end up with canned beans or veggies with salt, rinsing will reduce the sodium by about 45 percent.

2 Cheese and deli meats can be lower in sodium (Swiss cheese is naturally lower in sodium) but there will likely be some sodium both natural and from additives.

2 Salad dressings, salad dressing mixes, seasoning mixes and frozen or canned meals can have monosodium glutamate (MSG) even when there is no added salt.

2 Check the label on the fresh or fro-zen turkey or chicken to make sure it hasn’t been injected with salted broth. The same can be said for items that are marinated (like specialty meats). The marinade can be a source of MSG and salt.

2 Packaged cereals, even individual packages of instant oatmeal, can have added salt.

2 Cooking wine that is on the gro-cery shelf generally has salt added (otherwise it couldn’t be on the shelf). Choose your drinkable wine if that is called for in a recipe. Learn to taste before you add salt.

2 Season with herb blends (without MSG), pepper, a splash of vinegar, or lemon and lime juice.

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Appetizers: Avoid the soups, breaded items, dips with chips, cheese and crackers. Salsa is okay with veggies or unsalted chips (you may have to bring your own). Fruit is a good choice if it is freshly prepared on site. A slice of melon or fresh fruit plate is better than cut fruit that may have been in a juice base with added sodium benzoate.

Salads: Avoid the croutons and stick with oil and vinegar rather than a premixed dressing, or bring your own.

Dining out

Surviving when you eat out is another issue. Menu labeling will be required but is still a work in progress.

4 Call ahead and ask if it’s possible to order meals prepared with limited salt. Do they cook on the premises or is food likely to be frozen or precooked and just finished on site.

4 Frozen meals or sides may be the rule so they cannot “hold the salt” if you ask them to.

4 Some restaurants will hold the salt but may not be able to promise to have lower sodium soups, gravies, sauces or even roast beef (which may be basted or held in salted broth).

4 Advise the server of your needs. More restaurants are becoming aware of special needs.

4 Choose a restaurant with a grill, broiler and, if possible, a visible kitchen and a chef or trained cook. Ask the chef to grill on foil or a clean grill (since some food preparers clean the grill with salt ).

Depending on your diet needs, you may be wise to avoid any cheese unless it is a small amount of real cheddar, Swiss, Colby or a light dusting of hard cheese. Yes cheese has sodium, so go easy on it.

Main courses: Choose grilled or broiled meat, fish, chicken but ask for no sea-soning. Make sure the beef or turkey burgers are just meat (then bring your own herb blend and add it on top). Be certain that the meat or chicken is not marinated. Kosher meats will be higher in sodium. Skip the burger bun.

Most vegetarian choices will be high in sodium. Order sides like steamed veggies, a baked white or sweet potato (cinnamon is great on top) or a simple grain and a salad.

To add some protein to a meatless plate, choose eggs, beans, cheese or yogurt (Greek yogurt is a protein source with limited sodium and it’s great on baked potatoes). It’s okay to splurge occasion-ally on homemade fries or potato chips but hold the seasoning and remember your fat goals.

Italian food can be an issue. Pasta can be cooked without salt but you must request this. An oil, garlic or vegetable sauce may be a better choice than one with a tomato base unless the chef has a lower-salt option for this.

Asian food will be an issue, as well. Some offer “no MSG” choices. Try stir fry veggies (with chicken or lean beef added) without the soy sauce, or white or brown sauces. This and steamed rice makes a meal. Call ahead to check the restaurant’s options and policies.

Bread will have sodium but real French or Italian are the better choices. It’s okay to dip in the oil or add butter (without the house blend sprinkle of seasonings). Cracked pepper is okay, as well.

Dessert: Keep it small and simple. Fruit or fruit ice is the best choice, or just take a small taste of your favorite sweet. Remember, it’s lower in sodium, not no sodium!

Always remind the server of your needs. It helps if you are a frequent diner and you can get to know the staff. PSN

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275 Curry Hollow Road Pittsburgh, PA 15236

(412) 653-6450 • (800) 288-5625

Barrier Free Stairlifts ...Stairlift specialists

• Straight and curve stairlifts

• New and used models

• Large selection of used stairglides

available

• Free estimates

20 years installing residential stairlifts

FINANCIAL CARE COORDINATION Long Term Care Insurance Free Expert Policy Review Veterans Aid & Attendance Benefits

FINDING SENIOR LIVING Assisted living Independent living Senior care homes Memory care homes

IN-HOME CAREGIVERS

Personal care Meal preparation Medication reminders Light housekeeping Transportation services Exercise assistance Companionship

724.510.7844 • www.AmadaPittsburgh.com

OUR SERVICES

Call now for a complimentary assessment with a Certified Senior Advisor.

[email protected]

By Pamela Toto, PhD, OTR/L Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh For Pittsburgh Senior News

Getting in and out of a car can be a challenging activity for some people. General weak-

ness, poor balance, and stiff or painful joints can make it difficult to safely sit down and rise from the car’s seat. Of-ten, the design of the car itself provides no stable options for hand support. Because of this difficulty, individuals may be reluctant to leave home and go out into their community if they have to travel by car; or, they may only travel when they are with others who can assist them.

Luckily, there is a tool on the market that solves this problem. The Handybar is a device created to increase the ease, safety and independence of getting in and out of a vehicle. It is simple to use, easy to install and remove, and fits

Need help getting in and out of your car? This assistive device can help.

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most vehicles. The device has a non-slip rubber handle and a solid metal extender. When the car door is open, the metal extender is fully inserted into a U-shaped latch that is located on the frame of the car (not the door) with the rubber handle facing away from the car. Once the Handybar is firmly in place, the handle provides hand support for the user. The handle can also provide support to those who tend to “plop” or fall into the seat when getting into the car. When not in use, the Handybar is easily removed by simply lifting up on the handle and removing it from the latch.

The Handybar is a convenient size that can fit into a purse, glove compart-ment or in a side pocket of a car door. It can be used on either the driver or passenger side of the vehicle, and is safe for individuals who weigh up to 350 pounds. The device comes with a few additional safety features: 1) The handle has a built-in seatbelt cutter and 2) the solid metal extender can be used to break glass. These

features may be critical for safety in a car accident or other emergency.

The Handybar ranges from $20 to $45. Many online resources (including Ama-zon.com) sell the tool and large-chain retailers are also beginning to keep this device in stock.

The Handybar is just one of many tools available to help individuals who are having trouble with community mo-bility and driving. Local Area Agency on Aging and AARP centers, as well as occupational therapy programs in the community, offer information on additional devices that improve ease,

safety and independence for driving through an educational program called CarFit. The program offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them. To learn more about CarFit, visit www.car-fit.org.

If you or a loved one are having in-creased difficulty managing your daily activities, ask your doctor for a referral to occupational therapy. Occupational therapists can offer additional ideas, assistive devices and strategies that can help you keep your independence and stay safe. PSN

Dr. Toto is board certified in gerontol-ogy and has more than 25 years of experience helping older adults main-tain independence in their homes and communities. She can be reached at (412) 383-6620. To learn more about the University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy, visit https://www.shrs.pitt.edu/OT.

HARRISON HI RISE Senior Apartments

2006 Broadview Blvd., Natrona Heights, PA 15065

Rent Assistance

Harrison Hi Rise is a Secure Apartment building conveniently located near shopping and public transportation.

Amenities Include:

All Utilities Community Room

Air Conditioning Video Surveillance

Individual Balcony Community Life Services

Laundry Facilities Fitness Room

Call (724) 224-4571 for more information.

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Caring for the Caregiver

Q: How was Gallagher Home Health Services founded?

A: In 2004, Diane Karcz, RN and her brother, Gary J. Gallagher, created this agency in honor of their mother, Iva R. Gallagher. They wanted to follow in her footsteps and “treat everyone like fam-ily.” Using this motto to guide them, the business has grown from three employ-ees to 103, and one patient to an average daily census over 600. Gallagher Home Health Services has been named to the “Home Care Elite” every year since its inception, with top scores in improving patient outcomes and our community set us apart from our competitors.

Q: What is the difference between Home Health Services and Home Care Services?

A: Home Health Services include skilled care such as skilled nursing, physi-cal therapy, occupational and speech therapy, social services, home health aide

visits and mental health nursing (these are intermittent skilled visits provided in patients’ homes to help them recover from an illness, surgery or other medi-cal condition). Home Care Services are typically non-medical services to help patients stay in their home safely, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, companion, homemaking, medication reminder and more. Care can be provid-ed in hours, visits or shifts in the home.

Q: Who typically pays for both Home Health and Home Care Services?

A: Home Health Services must be or-dered by a physician and are paid for by Medicare, Medicaid and a variety of commercial insurances. The recipi-ent must meet certain criteria that may include homebound status to qualify for services. Home Care Services can be paid for through private pay, PDA Waiver, VA Services and most long-term care insurance policies.

Q: When looking for Home Health or Home Care Services, what are some important questions patients and their families should ask?

A: Is the provider licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health? Are caregivers bonded and insured? What type of screening process does the agency require? How does the provider select and train their caregiv-ers? Does the agency provide nurses to oversee the care clients are receiving in their homes? How does the agency compare to its competitors? Does the agency have a patient advocate to serve its clients? Does the agency provide a free nursing assessment to its potential clients? PSN

For more information on Gallagher Home Health Services, call (412) 279-7800; to learn more about Gallagher Home Care Services, call (412) 279-2257 or visit www.gallagherhhs.com.

A Q&A with Gallagher Home Health Services

A Division of Gallagher Home Health Services Home Care Services

For information on Gallagher Home Care Services contact:

Katie Poeschel, Director of Home Care Development

[email protected]

We’ll take care of you like family . . . because those are the values instilled in us by our Mom

Our Home HealthDivision can provide you with Skilled Servicesordered by your physician and generally paid for by your insurance company. This may include:

• Skilled Nursing • Mental Health Nursing • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Speech Therapy • Social Work • Home Health Aides

Do you have questions?

Call us at

412-279-7800Or visit us at

www.Gallagherhhs.com

Iva Gallagher Our Mom, Our Motivation

Care can be Provided in Hours, Visits or Shifts • Personal Care

• Bathing, Dressing, Grooming, Toileting • May include Companion & Homemaking Services

• Companions • Medication Management

• Homemaking • Private Duty Nursing or

Home Health Aides • PDA and VA Services • Long Term Care Insurances • Worker’s Compensation

Gallagher Home Care can provide you with the Medical or Non-Medical services you need to stay in your home safely. Over 5,000 people have trusted us to provide their care and you can too.

(412) 279-2257

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IW Abel Place

Lawrenceville Now accepting applications for 1-bedroom apartments.Eligibility: 62 years or older.

• HUD subsidized rent based on income

• Equipped kitchen, w/w carpet, air conditioning,

laundry facilities, and community room.

Call [email protected]

Uptown Ebenezer Tower Apartments

420 Dinwiddie Street, Pgh, PA. 15219 62 Years or Older or Mobility Impaired

• 1 Bedroom Apartments • W/W Carpet • Balcony

• Card Entry Access Intercom TV System • Central Air and Heat

• Utilities Included • Equipped Kitchen

• Laundry Facilities on Each Floor • 24 Hour Emergency Maintenance • Public Transportation at Corner

Income Limits Apply 1 Person: $22,050 2 Persons: $25,200 (412) 391-9465

East Liberty - Pennley Commons

Senior ApartmentAccepting ApplicationsOne bedroom, full appliances,W/W, A/C, off street parking

Income limits applyCall (412) 362-2040 or stop by the

Management office at5601 Penn Avenue

Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

Lynn Williams Apartments

3710 Brighton Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15212

• Affordable housing for seniors

62 years of age and older.

• HUD subsidized rent

based on income

• Income limitations apply.

Come see all that we have to offer!

Call (412) 734-4229

West LakeAPARTMENTS

1015 Crucible St. West End, PA 15220

RENT-ASSISTED HOUSINGPERSONS AGE 62 or OLDER

1 bedroom apartments • equipped kitchen • A/C

• community room • laundry room • and much more!

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

CALL: (412) 829-3910

Mon.-Fri. 9 am to 5 pmEQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

1005 Herron Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219

(412) 683-5850

62 years of age and older Each unit features • wall-to-wall carpet

• individually controlled heat and AC • large storage areas • pantry

• linen closet • an intercom system • emergency pull cord devices in every

bedroom and bathroom • secured doors with spring locks

& peep holes • Handicapped accessible

John Paul Plaza

Brinton Towers Apartments• One Bedroom and Large Efficiency Apartments

• Wall to Wall Carpeting • Public Transportation at Door

• Equipped Kitchen ‑ Frost‑free Refrigerator

• Community Room ‑ Lounge Areas ‑ Billiard Room

• Laundry Facilities on Each Floor • Air Conditioning

• Card Entry Access ‑ Intercom System

• Lunch Program Available • Off Street Parking

• Affordable Living ‑ Rent Based on Income

• 24 Hour Emergency Maintenance Service • Hair Salon

• Residents 55 plus or Disabled/Handicapped

Hours: Mon‑Fri. 8 a.m.‑5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.‑1 p.m.

Don’t wait, call today! (412) 824-9000

3000 Locust St., Pittsburgh, PA 15221

Lloyd McBride Court614 Lincoln Ave.

Millvale, PA 15209

• Affordable housing for seniors

62 years of age and older.

• HUD subsidized rent

based on income

• Income limitations apply.

Come see all that we have to offer!

Call (412) 821-4474

Milliones Manor

Apartments 2827 Bedford Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for one and two bedroom units

• All household members

must be 62 years of age or older.

• Income restrictions apply.

• Section 8 vouchers and

certifications accepted. For more details call (412) 681-6350

Wood Towers Apartments

810 Wood St., Wilkinsburg

• One bedroom • Section 8 Certified Housing • 62 Years of Age or if disabled must be mobility or sensory impaired • On-site

management • Central air and heat • Laundry facility • Balcony • Intercom

system • Community room

(412) 244-8180 and

TTY 711 for Voice Relay

Now accepting applications 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday thru Friday

http://crossgatespropertymanagement.com

ORMSBY MANORAPARTMENTS

(Mt. Oliver)

RENT-ASSISTED HOUSINGPERSONS AGE 62 or OLDER

1 bedroom apartments • equipped kitchen • A/C

• community room • laundry room • and much more!

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONSPLEASE CALL:

(412) 829-3910 or (800) 238-7555

Mon.-Fri. 9 am to 5 pmEQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

493 Castle Shannon Blvd.Pittsburgh, PA 15234

Affordable housing for seniors age 62 and older or mobility impaired

HUD subsidized onebedroom apartments

Call 412-563-6566 or visit www.baptisthomes.org

Steelworkers TowerElderly Hi-Rise

2639 Perrysville Avenue • Now accepting applications

for efficiency and onebedroom apartments

• Eligibility: 62 years old or in need of features of an accessible unit

• Section 8 certified• Equipped kitchen, W/W carpet,

A/C, FREE laundry facilities, lounge area, community room and balconies.

• Equal Housing Opportunity

Call (412) 321-2460 [email protected]

Forest Hills Senior Apartments

2111 Ardmore Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15221

RENT ASSISTED HOUSINGPERSONS AGED 62 OR OLDER

1 BEDROOM APARTMENTSEquipped Kitchen, W/W Carpeting,

A/C, Window Coverings, Community Room, Laundry Facility,

Secure Intercom Access, Public Transportation, Walk-In Shower

Income Limits Apply

Equal Housing Opportunity

1 (800) 238-7555

Housing for Seniors (62 or older)

or Mobility Impaired (18 or older)

HUD subsidized rent based on income

1 Bedroom Apartments Now Accepting Applications

• Elevator Building • On-Site Parking

• On-Site Management

10100 Old Perry Highway Wexford, PA 15090 (724) 935-7411

Alexis Manor, Inc. Visit our website at

www.pittsburghseniornews.com

View the most recent issues of • Pittsburgh Senior News

• Beaver County Senior News • Butler County Senior News

• Allegheny County Senior Resource Guide

•Beaver County Senior Resource Guide

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Following is a list of resources that are relevant to issues effecting seniors. We are providing this as an easy reference for information that you may need now or in the future.

AARP: www.aarp.org. The National site for AARP (for-merly known as the American Association of Retired Per-sons), a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people, ages 50 years and older. Call (888) 687-2277.

Alzheimer’s Association: www.alzpa.org. Programs and services for individuals and families coping with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders. Call (800) 272-3900.

Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging: www.al-leghenycounty.us/dhs/aaa. Gives detailed information on aging programs. Call SeniorLine at (412) 350-5460; Toll Free – (800) 344-4319; TDD – (412) 350-2727

Benefits Checkup: www.benefitscheckup.org. An on-line questionnaire to help search for a list of all state and federal benefits.

COMPASS (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Appli-cation for Social Services): www.compass.state.pa.us. Enables Pennsylvania citizens to apply for social services programs online. Call (800) 692-7462.

Eldercare Locator: www.eldercare.gov. Contains informa-tion on the complete array of services and programs of interest for older adults. Call (800) 677-1116.

Government Benefits: www.GovBenefits.gov. The of-ficial benefits website of the government that connects people in need to government assistance programs. Call (800) 333-4636.

Medicare: www.medicare.gov. The official government site for Medicare consumer information. Call (800) 633-4227.

Pennsylvania Long-Term Care: www.helpinpa.state.pa.us. Provides long-term care information on avail-able service options, including home care, public and private financing of those options, and other issues. Call (866) 286-3636.

Senior Resources

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RivermontSENIOR APARTMENTS965 Rivermont DrivePittsburgh, PA 15207

965Riverm

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Call (412) 422-6191 for more information.

Rivermont was designed for independent seniors. Prices start as low as $825 per month and

range from 617 to 975 square feet.

Amenities include:

• Close to public transportation • Air conditioning • All utilities included • Hot meal provided daily

• Off-street parking • On site laundry • Secure entry • 24/7 security

RivermontSENIOR APARTMENTS

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965 Rivermont Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15207

For residents 62 years of age or older

Open House/Luncheon every Wednesday. Call to RSVP.

Beechtree Commons6460 Leechburg Rd. Verona, PA 15147

62 and Older

➻ Central Air ➻ Community/Game Room

➻ Controlled Access ➻ Elevator

➻ Emergency Call System ➻ Library

➻ One-Bedroom Floor Plan➻ All Utilities Included

(412) 798-5589Alia Carter, Senior ManagerRent is based on income. HUD subsidized.

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Crossword Puzzle answer on page 2

©King Features

ACROSS1 Old portico5 Mandible8 Dutch cheese12 Small pie13 Year, in San Juan14 Unspoken feeling15 Handel’s “Messiah,” e.g.17 Frozen desserts18 Salk’s conquest19 1984 Tom Hanks film21 Converse24 Kreskin’s claim25 Small plateau28 Disposition30 Ewe’s mate33 Joan of –34 Ritzy violin35 Judge Lance36 Teeny37 Mozart’s “– fan tutte”38 Pyramid, maybe39 Zero41 Despot43 Seventh planet46 Autumnal quaff50 Author – Neale Hurston51 Casanova54 “Don’t rub –!”55 Altar constellation56 Zhivago’s love57 Maxwell Smart’s

“phone”58 Jewel59 Goblet feature

DOWN1 Desist2 Poi base3 Exam format4 Ancient Greek region5 Pickle holder6 Blackbird7 Courts8 Wicked acts9 “Titanic” star Leonardo10 Fortas and Lincoln11 Netting16 Reaction to a light

show20 Mani counterpart22 Bullets23 Raise a glass to25 Gullet26 Before27 Plot outline29 Elevator name31 $ dispenser32 Unruly group34 Rights org.38 Ordeals40 Foolish42 Kšln cry43 Submachine guns44 Portnoy’s creator45 Dross47 “Phooey!”48 Green land49 Peregrinate52 Tramcar contents53 Highland hat

Bellefield DwellingsHistoric building located in the Oakland Civic Center

1 & 2 bedroom apartments availableLocated on a bus line, convenient to shopping,

cultural activities and health care facilities. Building with on-site laundry and roof garden.

Income-based rent, Section 8 with utilities included.Applications accepted daily from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

4400 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

*MUST BE 62 YEARS OR OLDER OR DISABLED* (412) 621-1132

Elliott Heights1110 Steuben St., Pittsburgh, PA 15220

62 and Older

Alia Carter, Senior Manager(412) 920-7181

Rent is based on income. HUD subsidized.

➻ Community/Game Room ➻ Controlled Access ➻ Emergency Call System ➻ Utility Allowance

➻ Elevator ➻ Library ➻ One-Bedroom Floor Plan ➻ On-Site Laundry Facility ➻ Service Coordinator

BRIGHTWOOD PLAZA

• Huge floor plans with sunken living rooms and large bay windows • Controlled access buildings with intercom • Easy access showers available in two bedroom units • Convenient to bus, trolley and 2,000 acre county park

All utilities are included!

Brightwood Plaza Apartments 4940 Brightwood Rd., Bethel Park, PA 15102 Office (412) 831-9454; Fax (412) 831-5733

Email [email protected]

$975 1 Bedroom

$1,015 1 Bedroom With Den

$1,100 2 Bedrooms

2 Baths

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Gable Ridge

8000 Beacon Hill Dr., Wilkinsburg, PA 15221

62 and Older

u Community/Game Room u Controlled Access

u Elevator u Emergency Call System

u Library u One-Bedroom Floor Plan u On-Site Laundry Facility

u Service Coordinator u Utility Allowance

(412) 241-9474Alia Carter, Senior ManagerRent is based on income. HUD subsidized.An affiliate of National Church Residences

Riverview Manor

Age 62 or Mobility Impaired

1500 LeTort St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212 • (412) 734-0741Dave Carlton • (Property Manager)

Affordable, Comfortable Retirement Living

Rent is based on income.

Available UnitsEva P. Mitchell Residence

1621 Lincoln Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 15206Now accepting Housing Applications. Age 62 and older or Mobility Impaired.

Section 8 assistance available to those who qualify. Rent reduced to 30% of tenant income.

Income Limits Will Apply• Newly renovated spacious efficiencies and 1 bedroom apartments • Carpet and central air conditioning • Controlled building entry • Emergency call systems in units • On-site service coordinator

• Community room/planned activities • On-site laundry facilities

For information on placing an application, call

Donna Rivers at (412) 363-4169

One WordStart with a nine-letter word and drop one letter each time until you reach one letter.

Answer them all correctly for a chance to win $30 cash.

To enter, mail your answers to Pittsburgh Senior News Contest, P.O. Box 11126, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. One entry per person. Correct entries will be eligible for our drawing. One winner will be drawn. Entries must be received by the 15th of this month. Answers will be published in the next edition of Pittsburgh Senior News.

Name________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Phone____________________________Age________________

Congratulations to Jackie Humberson who won last month’s contest. The answers were: 1. The Philadelphia Story; 2. The African Queen; 3. Judgement at Nuremburg; 4.Separate Tables; 5. The Goodbye Girl;

6. Tender Mercies; 7. Leaving Las Vegas; 8. Coming Home; 9. Philadelphia; 10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

1. What is a nine-letter word meaning ‘frightening’?___________________________________________________2. Drop one letter to give a type of bird.___________________________________________________3. Drop one letter to give a word meaning ‘looking intently.’___________________________________________________4. Now drop a letter to give a word for a thin cord.___________________________________________________5. Drop another letter to give a word for what bees and wasps can do._______________________________________

6. Drop one more letter to give a word for what ABBA does best._______________________________________________

7. One more letter dropped gives a word for Lust, Envy, Sloth and 4 others of this group._________________________

8. Drop a letter to give the antonym for ‘out’.______________

9. Drop one last letter to give the ‘first person, singular.’_____

10. Finally, how many times was it necessary to re-arrange the letters to get the new word?__________________________

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Great songs sweetly sung-musical theater, big band, ethnic and folk, oldies, operetta and opera. Catherine Bomstein (412) 6000577.Mikey Dee Accordionist and Commentary. (412) 751-1328.Entertainment: Christmas (Mrs. Claus), St. Patrick’s (Leprechaun), Patriotic, Hawaiian Luau, Ethnic (Italian, Mexican, etc.) Strolling Mandolin, Sing-a-Long, Affordable! (412) 731-1322.Frank Sinatra Tribute: Singing perfomance by Bobby Avella featuring the Best of Sinatra’s songs. (412) 487-3134.Always fun! John Cigna’s favorite entertainer, Jimmy Sapienza, and his gifted blind pianist, Keith Stebler, are ready to perform for your group. Email: [email protected]. Call Jimmy (412) 916-6055. Don’t delay. Reserve your date today.Pianist Craig Zinger. Knockout Victor Borge-style show: Boogie, hilarious parodies (Pierogi Polka), toe-tapping singalongs. (412) 608-8429. Sings 50’s and 60’s love songs for seniors. Call Brian (724) 205-1429.Singer-Songs of Love by Dean Martin, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, Bobby Vinton and other all time favorites. Bob (412) 487-3134.Frankie Capri presents The Dean Martin, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Tribute Variety Show. (412) 4692299.Comedy Magician Al Mazing (412) 6004903 or almazing.com.Sue Gartland: Singer/Songwriter, Guitarist; Folk and Country Music (724) 889-6986.Singing for AARP, Christmas, Valentines, Birthdays, featuring Dean, Elvis, Frank, Oldies. Bob (412) 487-3134.Ventriloquist Cindy Speck. Seniors are my favorite audience. (724) 452-5889.Everything Old Is New Again, a lighthearted musical comedy by Sheila Cartiff. Entertainer available for day or evening performances. Contact Sheila (412) 856-1259 or [email protected] Ryan. Solo ragtime piano and dance trio. (412) 331-8368.Dennis Smalley sings Inspirational Songs and Military Tributes (412) 901-6327.Joe Marotta: Singer/Showman. (724) 836-3362.Patty Hahn, Vocalist. Featuring the “Hits of Rosemary Clooney” and songs from the 40’s and 50’s. (412) 793-2637.Master Magician Chuck Caputo. Live bunnies/birds. Reasonable. (412) 825-0822.Bobby Shawn. Singer-entertainer. (724) 745-3064; www.bobbyshawn.com.Dean, Rock and Roll and A Little Blue-Eyed Soul. (412) 605-9536.Popular Broadway Songs from South Pacific, Carousel, Camelot, Sound of Music, Showboat and King and I. Bob (412) 487-3134.Patti Eberle. Comedy, variety and musical fun. (412) 561-7161.Sassy Seniors (formerly BTEI) Musical Theatre Troupe, songs, dancing, comedy skits. (412) 882-5997. Edwardo, Accordionist, One-Man Band. (412) 687-6416; www.edwardomusic.com.Eddie Ace: Magician and Comedian. Guaranteed Fun Show. (412) 462-1557.Speakers Available:Senior Lifestyle Connections. Exploring senior living options. Stan (724) 787-7030.Mr. John. Lecure: American Names~Their origin and meaning. Irish culture too. (412) 758-5446.Pittsburgh Computer Help. Tech lectures and instruction. Amy (412) 589-9573.Crime Prevention presentations by Deputy Sheriff S. Jason Tarap. (412) 350-6374.Vector Security has speakers available for your group. Jack (800) 756-9161.

Entertainers

The Rapp Funeral Home, Inc.10940 Frankstown Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15235

(412) 241‑5415

Fax: (412) 241‑0312

Bernadette L. Rose, SupervisorTaken from www.ahajokes.com.

BASKETBALL BIRDS CLOVER COOL

DAFFODIL GREEN LEPRECHAUN MARCH

PARADE RAINBOW SHAMROCK SPRING

What is intelligence?

Two men were digging a ditch on a very hot day. One said to the other, “Why are we down in this hole dig-ging a ditch when our boss is standing up there in the shade of a tree?” “I don’t know,” responded the other. “I’ll ask him.”

So he climbed out of the hole and went to his boss. “Why are we digging in the hot sun and you’re standing in the shade?” “Intelligence,” the boss said. “What do you mean, ‘intelligence’?”

The boss said, “Well, I’ll show you. I’ll put my hand on this tree and I want you to hit it with your fist as hard as you can.” The ditch digger took a mighty swing and tried to hit the boss’ hand. The boss removed his hand and the ditch digger hit the tree. The boss said, “That’s intelligence!”

The ditch digger went back to his hole. His friend asked, “What did he say?” “He said we are down here because of intelligence.” “What’s intelligence?” said the friend. The ditch digger put his hand on his face and said, “Take your shovel and hit my hand.”

Visit Cochlear.com/Pit for a free guide about cochlear implants.

Q: How are cochlear implants different than hearing aids?

A: Hearing aids help many people by making the sounds they hear louder. Unfortunately, as hearing loss progresses, sounds need to not only be made louder, they need to be made clearer. Cochlear implants can help give you that clarity, especially in noisy environments. If you suffer from high frequency hearing loss but maintain your hearing in the low frequencies, there is a solution called Hybrid™ Hearing that may be able to help as well. Be sure to discuss your options with a Hearing Implant Specialist in your area.

Q: Are cochlear implants covered by Medicare? A: Yes, by Medicare and most private insurance

plans.

Q: How do I know a cochlear implant will work for me?

A: The technology is very reliable. In fact, it has been around for over 30 years and has helped change the lives of over 400,000 people worldwide.

Q: Is it major surgery? A: No, not at all. In fact, the procedure is often

done on an outpatient basis and typically takes just a couple hours.

Q: Am I too old to get a cochlear implant? A: No, it’s never too late to regain access to the

sounds you’re missing.

Ask the Expert

Straining to hear each day, even when using powerfulhearing aids? Feeling frustrated and sometimes even exhausted from listening? Whether it happens suddenly or gradually over time, hearing loss can affect you physically and emotionally. Being unable to hear impacts your ability to communicate with your loved ones, hear in noisy environments, talk on the phone, and may force you to become more reliant on your family members to interpret for you.

Cochlear implants work differently than hearing aids. Rather than amplifying sound, they use sophisticated software and state-of-the art electronic components to provide access to the sounds you’ve been missing. They are designed to help you hear better and understand speech in all situations, including noisy environments.

©2015 Cochlear Limited. All rights reserved. Trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of Cochlear Limited. CAM-MK-PR-255 ISS3 DEC15

THE TRUTH ABOUT COCHLEAR IMPLANTS

David C. Kelsall, M.D., Cochlear Medical Advisor

Dr. David C. Kelsall, a cochlear implant surgeon and medical advisor to Cochlear, the world leader in cochlear implants, answers questions about cochlear implants and how they are different from hearing aids.

Call 1 877 804 4000 to find a Hearing Implant Specialist near you.

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