Gazseniors mc072314

2 Gazette SENIORS | July 2014 Gazette.Net

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Gazette.Net July 2014 | Gazette SENIORS 3

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Tiffany Arnold, Anna Joyce

Anna Joyce

Karen Finucan ClarksonEllen R. CohenKatherine HeerbrandtArlene KaridisJim MahaffieKate McDermott

Dennis Wilston

Anna Joyce

John Schmitz

Ashby Rice

GAZETTE

SENIORS

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

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

ON THE COVER: GEORGE AND IRIS WILSON: PHOTO BY TRACEY BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF

WASHINGTON ADVENTIST HOSPITAL. INSET PHOTO: ERNIE BYLES COURTESY OF ERNIE BYLES

Editors

Graphic Design

Contributing Writers

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SIGN ME UP

BY KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

F orget sitting on the sidelines. “Watching isn’t forme. I want to participate and create experiences.Table tennis lets me do that,” said Ernie Byles.As the 53-year-old Rockville resident prepares

to defend his table tennis titles at the Maryland SeniorOlympics in Pikesville this September and the NationalSenior Games inMinnesota in 2015, he pays homage toa sport that helped give him the courage and stamina tofight cancer and bring balance back to his life.

Byles’ prostate cancer diagnosis five years ago forcedhim to reevaluate his priorities.“When I found out aboutthe diagnosis, I decided I wanted to survive,” said the fa-ther of two, “and the key to survival is preparation … Iknew my immune system would be compromised andchallenged by the cancer and surgery, so I started think-ing about what would increase the probability of my sur-viving and recovering.”Table tennis, a vegetarian diet andstress reduction topped the list.

Having watched older adults play at the PotomacCommunity Recreation Center, Byles knew pingpongwas a lifelong sport. “They are 60, 70, 80 and still ableto compete.They may walk up to the table with somedifficulty but, once there, they are in control of the ball,”he said.“As you get older, yes, you can’tmove aswell, butyou can place the ball more; yes, you don’t have as muchpower, but you can change up the strategy. So at any age,you can play table tennis.”

And that holds true even for people who havenever played the game, according to Tom Norwood,president of the NorthernVirginia Table Tennis Club(NVTTC).“One of my favorite opponents started whenhe was around 55,” said theMcLean resident.

Norwood, who played through college, returned tothe sport in 2003 when his sons gave him a pingpongtable for his birthday. “It rejuvenated my interest,” hesaid.And it helps him stay in shape.“If you play serious-ly,not just batting the ball in the basement, you put out alot of sweat and exercise a whole lot of muscles.And it’sgood for those of us who are aging, as there aren’t issues,like with weightlifting, with strains and such.”

TOP, PADDLES: JUPITERIMAGES/LIQUIDLIBRARY/THINKSTOCK. ABOVE: COURTESY OF ERNIE BYLES

A SPORT FOR A LIFETIMEu Seniors Reap the

Benefits of Pingpong

See PINGPONG, 24

Table tennis champion Ernie Byles stands on stage during a medal parade at the 2013 NationalSenior Games in Cleveland. Byles earned gold in men’s singles and mixed doubles and

earned a silver medal in the men’s doubles.


SIGN ME UP

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JIM MAHAFFIE

I t’s a Thursday morning in early summer,and Rockville’s biggest center for senior rec-reation and social support is waking up tostrength training classes, English classes for

speakers of other languages, pingpong, a tai chiworkout and several gentlemen shooting pool.

Raquel Malamud, Karina Dodson andNancy Fox greet guests at the front desk. Lightjazz music is playing throughout the building,and a boisterous group of blue-shirted bocceplayers is waiting for their bus to a tournamentat Riderwood, a senior living community inSilver Spring.

“We’re busy all the time,” saidTerri Hilton,manager of theRockville SeniorCenter.“We run45 fitness classes a week and dozens of differentclasses and activities.” Lunch is served weekdaysat noon. Besides the activities at the center, saidHilton, there are trips on chartered buses to localattractions,NewYork shows and interesting des-tinations like Solomon’s Island.

The range of activities is broad. For in-stance, with a growing interest among seniorsin social media, the center offers classes in it,as well as classes on how to use a smartphone.There is also an active group of seniors learn-

ing English and there are citizenship classes.“This is in response to Rockville’s growingpopulation of immigrants,” said MarylouBerg, communication manager for the City ofRockville. “One-third of Rockville’s residentswere born in another country.”

In addition to the exercise, computer, rec-reation and educational programs, the centeroffers an outreach program with help in areassuch as health insurance counseling, homerepair, Medicare/Medicaid, legal assistance,aging-in-place options, senior housing andtransportation. Door-to-door bus service isavailable daily to take residents to and from thecenter, said Hilton.

The center is aCity of Rockville facility,man-aged under the Recreation and Parks depart-ment. Converted from a school in the 1980s, it’stucked into theWoodley Gardens neighborhoodbetweenGudeDrive and Interstate 270.

The Rockville Senior Center is availableto people starting at age 60, said Berg, “whichmeans we must offer programming to a hugespan of ages and interests.The fitness center isa good example of that.We want it to appeal topeoplewho are already in shape,whowant to getin shape, who want to stay active and who arerecovering from an illness or surgery.”

A LOCAL INSTITUTIONROCKVILLE SENIOR CENTER

TOP: TheRockvilleSenior

Center’sbocce team

gets pumpedup before

leaving for atournament.

RIGHT: DavidSpitzer headsup the cen-ter’s well-equipped

woodshop.


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Tim Chesnutt is the director of Recre-ation and Parks for the city. He’s worked insimilar capacities in other counties in otherstates and said that Rockville is one of thebest such facilities he’s seen.“Ultimately, it’sthe people that keep everyone coming back,and these folks here are excellent,” he said.

Hilton’s staff includes 23 employees andmore than 300 volunteers a year.Rockville’ssenior population is expanding fast.Accord-ing to Chesnutt, the number of seniors inthe city will double by 2020.

Go to rockvillemd.gov/seniorcenter formore information.You may also pick up acopy of the recreation guide at the seniorcenter or at many city facilities.

Rockville Senior Center1150 Carnation Drive, Rockville 20850

240-314-8800Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to

5 p.m.; Saturday (drop-in use only), 8:30a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fitness room open Monday to Friday from7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays

7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Gebre Kristos is at thecenter’s gym every day, working out on state-of-the-artequipment. Sisters Karen Baker (left) of Bethesda andSusan Snyder of Rockville work out together three daysa week in fitness classes and in the gym. Jim Shaffer, 74,

consults with fitness instructor Will Wilt, morningmanager in the gym.


SIGN ME UP

BY KATHERINE HEERBRANDT

S pring and summer are primeseasons for home improvementscams targeting the senior popu-lation. Those who want to stay

independent and not burden their fami-lies or children with home maintenanceprojects are especially at risk, accordingto Lucille Bauer, spokesperson for Mont-gomery County police.

Although elder abuse is a serious con-cern, seniors are far more likely to be vic-tims of fraud or scams than physical abuse,Bauer said. Adult Protective Services in-vestigations of the financial exploitation ofseniors increased by 33 percent betweenfiscal year 2012 and 2013, according tothe Montgomery County Commission onAging’s 2013 annual report.

The most common scams are relatedto home repair. “They say your drivewayneeds repair … or your roof needs [to be]fixed,” Bauer said. Seniors may overpayfor subpar work, like pouring oil on thedriveway and not resurfacing the asphalt.Another prevalent home repair scam ischarging exorbitant rates for unnecessarytree trimming work.

Police issue press releases when newscams make the rounds and encourageseniors to call 911 when they are targeted.A popular scam that focuses on seniors,but can involve younger adults too, is aphone call claiming that their child orgrandchild is in trouble and needs moneyright away. “They might say their grand-child has been in a traffic collision in Flor-ida, and to wire money to this address. Ofcourse, the grandparents want to do whatthey can and the perpetrators sound veryprofessional,” Bauer said.

Seniors are often likely targets becausethey may be more trusting and want tobelieve in the best of people, according toBauer. One of the latest rip-off schemeshappens in grocery stores. A perpetratorwill ask questions about preparing a dish,

while a second perpetrator steals the walletfrom the senior’s purse or takes the entirepurse. Another scenario becoming in-creasingly problematic takes place in med-ical services buildings. “A senior is in anelevator, and the perpetrator will say to beon the lookout for a dropped contact lens.While the senior is looking down, someoneis picking their pockets,” Bauer said.

One of the problems for seniors re-porting such crimes is embarrassmentand the fear losing their independence,Bauer said.

Savvy seniors are always on the look-out for the latest scams and fraud, butthose who are not in the know have plentyof resources to educate themselves.

The Maryland Office of the AttorneyGeneral (OAG) publishes a free guide forseniors that identifies the most commonscams, including sweepstakes, advancefee loan and credit card scams, interna-tional lotteries and more.The three keysigns of potential fraud, according tothe OAG, are: 1.You are contacted by astranger, 2.You are offered “a great deal,”and 3. You must act right away.

Getting the word out is a “continuingprocess” involving multiple agencies inthe state and county, including the OAG,the Montgomery County Departmentof Health and Human Services and theCommission on Aging. Many sponsorpresentations, produce free publications

and offer advice to area and regional se-nior centers.The challenge, Bauer said,is getting to those seniors who are morereticent to reach out for help.

For many years, police held monthlysenior meetings at theWestfield Mont-gomery shopping center’s movie theater,attracting an average of 200 seniors.The15-minute presentations focused on safe-ty and were followed by a free screeningof a previously released movie.The meet-ings went on hiatus in June while the the-ater undergoes renovation.

Another way the police departmentreaches out to the community’s seniors isthrough its all-volunteer Keeping SeniorsSafe [KSS] program.The handful of vol-

BEWARE SCAMSof

VOLUNTEERS WORK TO KEEP SENIORS SAFE

ISTOCKPHOTO/STURTI


unteers led by Morton A. Davis of Lei-sureWorld give lectures and presentationson a variety of safety topics on shopping,driving and telephone scams, fraud andmore. If a senior becomes a victim of scamor fraud, Davis, 84, strongly advises it bereported right away. “You can often catchthe perpetrator, but the longer you wait toreport it, the harder it is to catch them,”Davis said. “A lot of times if they make amistake, they are afraid their children willhear about it and take over their finances.”

KSS volunteers will speak to groupsupon request. Holidays are the groups’most active times. From Novemberthrough January, in particular, peopleneed to be reminded about keeping alertwhile shopping.“We tell the men to keeptheir wallets in a their side pockets, notin the back pockets.Women have a ten-dency to wait until they get to their carsto look for their keys, or they open thetrunk and put their purses in there foranyone to see,” Davis said.

KSS also gives lectures on fire safetyand consumer protection. “There are somany things they [seniors] don’t knowabout,” Davis said.

The fire department, for example,will install smoke alarms free for quali-fying seniors. Senior centers will pickpeople up and drive them home. Utilityassistance, a dental clinic and prescrip-tion assistance are other resources KSStalks about.

“Seniors need the help, and it’s outthere,” Davis said.

To schedule a Keeping Seniors Safevolunteer to speak to your group,

call 240-773-5625.

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Wednesday, July 23, 2014 - Friday, August 1, 2014

Free electronic hearing tests will be given from Wednesday, July 23rdthrough Friday, August 1st at select locations in Montgomery County.

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

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

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

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Montgomery County Area Age 55+MORE RESOURCES:

l For a one-stop view of seniorservices, visit the MontgomerySenior Site at montgomerycountymd.gov/senior, call240-777-3000 or dial 311.

l For a consumer guide for seniors,visit www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/seniors.pdf or call888-743-0023.


SIGN ME UP

BY ELLEN R. COHEN

A fter retiring from jobs or careers,many seniors look for meaningfulactivities. For example, my husbandHarvey Cohen and I, both enthusi-astic cooks, have taken many cooking

classes.We love watching demonstrations and creat-ing gourmet dishes from take-home recipes. Severalyears ago, we discovered the recreational cookingprogram at L’Academie de Cuisine (LADC), inBethesda, known as a place where “good cooks be-come great.”

While the professional branch of the schooltrains chefs inGaithersburg,the recreationalbranchin Bethesda attracts people like us who enjoy home

cooking.When our grown children began giving usLADC gift certificates for birthdays and anniversa-ries, Harvey and I happily enrolled in nine classesbetween 2000 and 2013.There was a note on therecipe packet from the last class:“Would you like tobe a volunteer?”

I did, and a new world opened to me. SinceMarch 2013, I have volunteered about twice amonth at LADC, enjoying my new knowledge.“Volunteers come from Montgomery and Fairfaxcounties,” said Emily Worth, volunteer coordina-tor. Each class lasts three hours and has three as-sistants who arrive an hour early and stay an hourlate.We prep before class, measuring the ingredientsstudents will need for their dishes.We assist duringdemonstrations, answer questions and help students

Finding new satisfaction in

VOLUNTEERING• Chesapeake & Ohio CanalNational Historic ParkGreat Falls Tavern Visitor Center11710 MacArthur Blvd., PotomacRebecca Jameson, park ranger,Palisades District301-491-1479 (mobile)301-767-3709 (office)

• Food & Friends219 Riggs Road, NE,Washington, D.C.Main number: [email protected] services: [email protected]

• Holy Cross Hospital Health Center7997 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring301-754-7000

• L’Academie de Cuisine5021 Wilson Lane, BethesdaEmily Worth, volunteer coordinator301-986-9490, ext. [email protected] [email protected]

• Literacy Council ofMontgomery County21 Maryland Ave., RockvilleMaggie Bruno, workshop coordinator301-610-0030www.literacycouncilmcmd.org

• Mobile Medical Care Inc.9309 Old Georgetown Road,Bethesda301-493-2400Send an email to [email protected] to start theapplication process.

• Smithsonian AssociatesJenna Jones, volunteer coordinator202-633-8596

• Suburban Hospital8600 Old Georgetown Road,BethesdaPam Fogan, director ofvolunteer services301-896-3092

How to get involved

COURTESY OF ELLEN COHEN

Writer Ellen Cohen, seated at right, said a whole new world opened up for her when she became a volunteerat L’Academie de Cuisine, a recreational cooking program that offers classes in Bethesda. Participants and staff

posed for this photo during a cooking session. From top left: Emily Worth, Dan Simons, Sharron Brossi,Namita Kothary and Bev Simons.

“What I do isneeded andappreciatedby the staff,and I reallyenjoy work-ing here.”

-Judy Ritz, SuburbanHospital volunteer


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with equipment and supplies. After class, we dryand put away utensils, wipe counters, sweep floorsand prepare the class area for the next group. As-sistants earn points used for discounts on futureclasses and are often invited to enjoy lunch or des-sert “final exams” made by the professional schoolstudents—truly worth every calorie.

My husband, who still works three days aweek seeing orthopedic patients at the VeteransAdministration Hospital in Baltimore, volunteersmonthly at Holy Cross Hospital Health Centerin Silver Spring and at Mobile Medical Care Inc.(MobileMed), a Bethesda-based organization thatprovides orthopedic consultations to uninsuredpatients in Montgomery County.

There is quite an array of volunteeropportunities available to those who are interested.Sometimes a group seeks volunteers who wouldbenefit from learning new skills and who are will-ing to work for free—which benefits the group.

“I have always been fascinated by languageand appalled by statistics of how much illiteracythere is in affluent Montgomery County,” saidMartin Shargel, a retired physician. Board-cer-tified in internal and geriatric medicine, Shargelhas been involved with the Literary Council ofMontgomery County for the past year. He workswith a student once or twice a week, meeting at

public places such as libraries, and working toperfect his student’s reading and writing skills.“She works hard,” said Shargel about his currentstudent, a woman from Ethiopia who has re-cently achieved citizenship and wants to improveher competency in English. “This is rewardingwork,” said Shargel, “and I feel good doing it.”

Carolyn Shargel, who is Martin Shargel’s wife,volunteers at a totally different venue: theWhiteHouse Office of Presidential Correspondence(OPC). Now in her fourth year with OPC, Caro-lyn Shargel reads emails sent to the president andforwards them for appropriate attention. If some-one needs help with an issue, the response includesa link to a website, or perhaps a letter will then bewritten by a staff person to address the issue.

“I have known about this office for yearsand always wanted to work here,” said CarolynShargel, who volunteers once a week for four tosix hours.

In existence since the early 1900s, the OPCoriginally dealt with letters addressed to theWhiteHouse. Now emails are included, as are othertypes of communications to the president, such asgifts to the first family and calls coming into theWhite House.Volunteers may also handle requestsfor milestone birthdays to be acknowledged.

About 480 volunteers from Maryland, Vir-ginia and the District work in OPC departments.

“This is totally different from every other part ofmy life and I love it,” Carolyn Shargel said.

Elihu Leifer, a retired attorney, has beena volunteer with Food & Friends for about fiveyears. This nonprofit organization, founded in1988, distributes meals to people with HIV andAIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses.Approxi-mately once a month, Leifer and a colleague pickup food from designated locations and make de-liveries to addresses provided by Food & Friends.

Based inWashington, D.C., Food & Friends’service area includes more than 5,300 miles—asfar north as Hagerstown, Md., and as far southas Fredericksburg, Va., according to the non-profit’s website, foodandfriends.org.There isno economic qualification for recipients. “Thesepeople depend on us, and I enjoy chatting withthem,” said Leifer.

When Paula and Arthur Post moved herefrom Long Island, N.Y., Paula Post was readyto do something different. She had retired fromChase Manhattan Bank as an industrial/organi-zational psychologist. Now, 15 years later, she isinvolved in a variety of volunteer activities.ThePosts usher at Arena Stage, Signature Theatre

“I havealways beenfascinatedby languageand appalledby statisticsof how muchilliteracy thereis in affluentMontgomeryCounty.”-Martin Shargel,Literacy Council

volunteer

See VOLUNTEER, 26


LIVING

BY ARLENE KARIDIS

R ose and Ron Mahan received brochures from about a dozen retire-ment communities in Maryland when they retired in 2003. But thesearch stopped when they saw an apartment at Kentlands Manor inGaithersburg.

“We knew it was where we wanted to be,” said Rose Mahan.“It was bigand bright and beautiful and looked out on Main Street with the shopsand young people walking up and down.”

Kentlands Manor offers independent living to seniors who like tostay connected in the community beyond their apartment building,but who also want to have ample activities, friends and convenienc-es right at home.

“It’s basically an apartment building where people live com-pletely on their own, but in a place that is geared toward se-niors,” said Sharon Drinkard Hawkshawe, regional property

a dozen retire-n 2003. But theands Manor in

.“It was bigthe shops

like toding,nc-

-

KENTLANDS MANOR

FUNwhere the

never ends

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KENTLANDS MANOR

Maria Lenk(left) andSarah Allnut(bottom left)at a craft dayBottom right:Bob Blazo,Jessie Brown,Eugene Blacher


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manager forThe Donaldson Group,whichmanages Kentlands Manor.

Kentlands Manor has 219 one- andtwo-bedroom units with full kitchens,washers and dryers.

Each of the two buildings has a billiardroom, card room, library, arts and craftsroom, several party rooms, a fitness centerand theater room.

The décor is classic and elegant with amodern twist.

When you walk into the lobby youreyes will likely go to the self-playing pianothat runs much of the time. Above, a largechandelier is encircled by three smallerones. The fireplace room is past the lobby.

“Residents especially love this room,with French doors and big, comfortablearmchairs that are easy to get in and outof,” said Hawkshawe. “The card room isanother favorite.”

The Mahans moved to KentlandsManor from Hickory, N.C., in order to becloser to their daughter in Bethesda. RoseMahan said she feels safe and secure atKentlands Manor.

“I feel like everything that is not di-rectly in my control will be taken care of,”she said. “Maintenance is dependable anddone quickly and well.”

Mahan said she enjoys the stores, res-taurants and her nearby church, but shestays at least as active in the building.

“All I have to do is go down the steps,and I’m at the gym,” Mahan said. “And Idon’t have to pay extra for that.”

While Mahan said she enjoys playingcards and bingo, she says one of her favor-ite activities is attending the parties.

“There are DJs who play music.There’s food,dancing,decorations, and it’sjust fun,” said Mahan.

Hawkshawe said residents were stilltalking about a 1950s-themed sock hopthat was held a while back.

“The women came dressed in theirpoodle skirts and the men in their knickers,”Hawkshawe said. “They were saving seatsfor each other.They were eating and danc-ing together. Even people in wheelchairswere spinning their wheelchairs around.They were reminiscing, asking, each other,‘Do you remember this dance?’”

Most of the social events are free, as isthe case with some health-related services,such as the monitoring of vital signs anda home service coordinator who checkson homebound residents. Also at no cost

Kentlands Manor, anindependent livingcommunity, has 219one- and two-bed-room apartments.

See KENTLANDS, 26


LIVING

HAPPIEST BIRTHDAYS!Gazette Seniors asked local folks what their most memorable birthday was. Here’s what they had to say:

AS TOLD TO KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

RUTHIE SWAIN, 91Asbury Methodist Village, Gaithersburg

I was flying home on Southwest Airlines from Phoe-nix, where my family had given me a 90th birthday party.My daughter whispered in a flight attendant’s ear thatit was my actual birthday. I was so surprised when thewhole plane sang “Happy Birthday” and two flight at-tendants presented me with a cake made from a roll oftoilet tissue. They used coffee stirrers as candles andempty peanut wrappers for flames. … The cake said,“Happy birthday, love Southwest Airlines” and includedthe flight number.They also made a crown for me.Whenwe landed, my daughter and I, who were seated in thethird row, waited to take a picture with all three flight at-tendants.That meant everyone had to file past.They allkept saying, “Happy birthday,” and “You don’t look 90years old.” On the way home, we stopped for dinner atPanera Bread, where my daughter told everyone aboutthe special birthday cake. It was a glorious day and myhappiest recollection of a birthday. I still have [the cakeand crown] in a bag. I can’t bear to throw them away.

ALAN ROSENTHAL, 87Ingleside at King Farm, Rockville

In 2006, my wife Helen and I spent the first week ofAugust at a West Virginia resort called Capon Springs

and Farms. It was something we had done that preciseweek almost every year since 1972.The day before ourweek came to an end, I was asked on some pretext toproceed to an open area some distance from the mainbuilding.When I arrived, I found gathered—with quanti-ties of food and drink on hand—my two sons, and theirfamilies, and my daughter from Texas. In attendance aswell was a large number of invitees whom Helen and Ihad gotten to know and to like immensely over the yearsas fellow first-week-in-August Capon Springs guests. In aword, it was a surprise party arranged to celebrate, albeitalmost two months early, my 80th birthday. Helen is nowgone and unhappily I no longer get to Capon Springs.But the memories of that surprise party are still vividalmost eight years later and will remain so for whatevertime I have left.

ROBERTA & SHELDON HOCHBERG, 71Bethesda

ROBERTA: My mother and I were born 30 years apart.We were having a 90th birthday brunch for her, so familyhad arrived from out of state. For my 60th, I told Sheldonthat a family dinner would be nice.We went to Beducci inDupont Circle. As we entered, there were about 50 peo-ple—all of whom, I eventually realized, I knew! BecauseI had been very involved in politics, they had a poster

made with a picture of me in front of the White Housesaying, “What would the world be like if Roberta waspresident?”… Even more of a surprise was Sheldon’s gift.He had asked my daughter and son what kind of jewelryI’d like and both said, “Dad, mom doesn’t want jewelry,what she wants is a car.When Sheldon came home, hecalled me out to the driveway where he stood beside acar covered in balloons. It took me a while to get it, as itwas the last thing I imagined he would do.The brunchfor mom also was memorable, as she was totally lucid.Atone point, she turned to me and said, “I’m having such agreat time.” It was the last good event she had.

SHELDON: Growing up, we didn’t celebrate birthdaysmuch. I did get gifts, but parties were not a big thing inmy family. It was the same through high school, college,law school and into marriage. Until I turned 40. Robertahad invited all my friends and bought Groucho Marxmasks and kazoos for them.We were sitting in the fam-ily room when they assembled on the lawn and startedblowing the kazoos, which sounded like bees. I openedthe door to this amazing sight.The party, my first ever,was wonderful. I have a picture hanging in our familyroom of Roberta, me and the two kids after the partywhen I’m completely worn out. It’s a very cute picturethat I keep because it is so significant.

Ruthie Swain Alan Rosenthal Sheldon and Roberta Hochberg

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INTERVIEWEES; BALLOONS: STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK


1909485

Services Include:Three meals a day • Daily activity programs • Weekly excursions to local merchants & restaurants

Weekly housekeeping & laundry service • Assistance with personal services as needed

PAUL F. LOVE, 64Bethesda

My grandparents, Jews who escaped persecution inRussia, came to this country around 1909…. and mygrandfather opened a shoe store in Washington, D.C.When it burned, he relocated to H Street, NE, home to atight-knit Jewish community. In 1945,my uncle and fatherset up shop on the same block. During the ’50s, this iswhere I and my brothers and sisters and cousins grew up.I have fond memories of my grandmother’s cooking andcelebrating the holidays in their apartment above the store.

While H St. went into decline after the 1968 riots,in the last seven or eight years it has become a happen-ing place. Just before I turned 60, my cousin mentionedthat 1355 H St. was being turned into a German beergarden.When Kathy, my sweet wife, asked what I wantedto do for my birthday, I said, “Why don’t we go to HStreet to celebrate?”While the Biergarten Haus wasn’tin any condition for a party, that didn’t stop Kathy.Thefood was prepped elsewhere.The beer was cold and thedrinks were great. Because the streetcar line was under

construction, Kathy rented a bus for the guests. Whenmy two aunts—one almost 90 and one 87—got off thebus, the memories of all the great things that happenedat 1355 came flowing back.They kept saying, “Oh, myGod. Oh, my God.” That was the best birthday present.

MARCY PEKAR, 74Bethesda

In 1991, my husband and I visited my mother inRichland, Mo. She had moved there years before, whenmy stepfather retired. I knew that her china, given to heron her wedding in 1934 to my own father, who died inWorldWar II, was in the garage.

We were preparing to leave the next day when moth-er asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told herthat I’d love a piece or two of her wedding china. Myhusband got the barrel out of the garage. In the horribleheat—there was no shade—we began to go through it.Pieces, such as a miniature pitcher that belonged to mymother’s grandmother, surfaced, as did plates that be-longed to her mother.

She told me stories about each piece and I wrote themdown. It took all day in the hot sun. I am so grateful tohave captured those stories while she was alive. Motherdied a year ago March at 103.

ROBERTA TEITELBAUM, 72Leisure World, Silver Spring

It was my 13th birthday and I was daddy’s little girl.So, he wanted to do something special.We didn’t havea lot of money in 1955, but he arranged to take me andthree girlfriends to lunch. For some reason, perhaps itwas a money issue, my mother didn’t join us.

There was a little restaurant on Main Street in oursmall town called theTea Room. It was the place for busi-nessmen in Greenburg, Pa., to go to lunch. My fatherreserved a table right in the middle of the restaurant andtreated us to a wonderful meal.

Because my birthday was around St. Patrick’s Day, hebought carnations for the table and had them dyed green,which was pretty special at that time.

Marcy Pekar Roberta TeitelbaumPaul F. Love


BY JOHN BYRD

E sther Ahn raised four children inthe sturdy brick rambler her hus-band Larry Ahn built in Kensing-ton in the early 1950s, and con-

tinued living in the familiar family homeafter he died in 2009.With frequent visitsfrom her children, her day-to-day situa-tion was appreciably comfortable, secureand normalized. But after falling severaltimes, two surgeries and an extensive stayin a rehab facility, doctors said Ahn wouldprobably need wheelchair assistance forthe foreseeable future.

It was while Ahn was in rehab that herdaughter Linda Nishioka and the otherchildren recognized the need to retrofitthe house—and particularly the bath-room—to accommodate the wheelchair.

“We thought it would be easier whenshe was out of the house to educate our-selves on what was needed,” Nishiokasaid.“We decided to all pitch in and makeit happen. It was a family project.”

Certainly the timing was right. Ahn’sbathing routine—which had consisted ofmoving from the wheelchair to the existingtub via a transfer bench— was becomingincreasingly difficult. Despite the bath-room’s compact 7.6-feet-by-7.4-feet foot-print, the siblings thought a new roll-inshower would make bathing easier.

Since Ahn would be busy with rehabfor several months, the children de-

cided to have a completely wheelchair-friendly bathroom waiting for her whenshe returned home—hopefully by mid-June, when she would be celebrating her94th birthday.

Researching local resources, Nishiokacontacted aging-in-place specialist RussGlickman, president of Glickman DesignBuild in North Potomac, who showed upthe following day with his design consul-tant,Wayne Shorter.

“I began to get a lot of clarity rightaway on what we could accomplish,”Nishioka said. “Among other concerns, Iexpected we would need to allocate extraspace for the roll-in shower and assumedwe would have to eliminate some usefulstorage spaces in the room adjacent to themaster bath.”

In relatively short order, however,Shorter presented a space plan that couldbe executed without removing walls.

“The layout is very precise,” Nishiokasaid of the 72-square-foot bathroom. “Itmeets all of mom’s needs while preservingrooms still needed for other uses. Frankly,we didn’t think this kind of focused solu-tion was even possible.”

Better yet, by eliminating the costs as-sociated with moving walls (from $3,000to $5,000), Nishioka found that the budget

LIVING

PHOTO BY STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG, COURTESY OF JOHN BYRD

Linda Nishioka (right) and her three siblings surprised their mother Esther Ahn (left) with a wheelchair-accessiblebathroom on her 94th birthday. The small space solution by Glickman Design Build includes a curbless shower.

Building an

ACCESSIBLE BATH

See BATH, 23

Since Ahn would bebusy with rehab forseveral months, the

children decided to havea completely wheelchair-

friendly bathroomwaiting for her when

she returned.


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TRAVEL

BY JIM MAHAFFIE

Amalfi is an especially beautiful area ofsouthern Italy on the Gulf of Salerno.A popular holiday destination, it’s alsoa United Nations Educational, Scien-

tific andCulturalOrganization (UNESCO)WorldHeritage site. Among other attractions, it’s thehome of the Amalfi Coast Music & Arts Festivalevery July, which has powerful local connectionsto our area.

Ellen Pechman of Bethesda just celebratedher 70th birthday while she was there. MichaelDaniels, 84, of Bethesda attended as well. HelenSchwartz, 71, of Chevy Chase was there in 2012.

Leslie Hyde is executive director of the fes-tival, which she co-founded with her husband,Sasha Katsnelson. She grew up in Bethesda andlives in the area today.While working in Romeshe met Katsnelson, a Russian violinist working

in Italy. “Sasha also had a regular gig at a smallfestival on the Amalfi Coast, which is how westarted spending our summers there 25 yearsago,” said Hyde.

The couple started the festival in 1996 alongwith other keyplayers, includingDr.ThomasMas-troianni of Silver Spring,who is professor emeritusof piano at theBenjaminT.RomeSchool ofMusicatTheCatholicUniversity ofAmerica.“We’ve hadmany key faculty and guest artists and many stu-dents over the years fromCatholic,” said Hyde.

“The vision has always been to create a com-munity of musicians andmusic aficionados, artistsand art lovers of all ages amidst the splendid cul-tural riches and beauty of theAmalfi coast,”Hydesaid.“It has grown ever since.”

“I went back to Amalfi after seven years,” saidPechman. “I really missed it.” Among other ac-tivities, Pechman is taking a tile-making course atthe festival offered by Robert Devers, a Corcoran

u Locals head to Italy’s Amalfi coast

AR T & MU S I CCe l eb ra t i ng

PHOTO BY ROBERT J. DEVERS

Enid Hyde, a 58-yearresident of Bethesda,far left, and LeslieHyde, her daughterand co-founder ofthe Amalfi CoastMusic & Arts Festival,far right, overlook-ing the magnificentAmalfi Coast

PHOTO BY ROBERT J. DEVERS

ABOVE: A tour of thebeautiful Villa Rufolo

in Ravello, Italy

RIGHT: Michael andNancy-Jean Daniels

of Bethesda spent thelast few summers at

the festival.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL DANIELS


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College of Art + Design associate profes-sor inWashington, D.C., and a ceramicsteacher atVisArts at Rockville.

“You can attend lectures, take masterclasses, go to various rehearsals and seehow singers are trained,” said Daniels.“They put on operas and opera scenes,and you can be part of it as a spectator.”Daniels first attended the festival after los-ing his wife of 44 years in 2009.

“I didn’t know what to do with myselfand thought this would be a good way toget away from it all,” he said of his firsttrip. “I met so many friends and met somany nice people. I love opera and themusic was great.”

He raved about the gorgeous AmalfiCoast, too. He met his wife Nancy-JeanDaniels, 75, at a similar event and hastaken her along the past few years. “Youlearn a lot and have somuch fun, and youmeet a lot of very talented people.”

Enid Hyde, Leslie Hyde’s mother, isa 58-year resident of WestmorelandHillsin Bethesda. She has brought groupsof senior art-history lovers to the festi-val over the years and coordinated theseniors group this year, too. A retiredart history teacher, Enid Hyde has ledoverseas art history tours for decades for

the Corcoran College of Art + Design,among other organizations.

Schwartz, 71, of Chevy Chase, at-tended the festival in 2012 and vowed toreturn. A retired English professor, sheheard about the event from the OsherLifelong Learning Institute. “It’s fairlyopen in terms of scheduling. If you’re awatcher or listener, you can tour duringthe day, have dinner with festival peopleand then go for a concert. But you canalso attend rehearsals during the day, andyou really learn a lot by watching theseperformers and their coaching.”

TheAmalfi CoastMusic&Arts Festi-val is produced by the Center of MusicalStudies ofWashington,D.C., in conjunc-tion with the Accademia Jacopo Napoliof Salerno, Italy, andArtis International.

Based in Maiori, Italy, the event fea-tures a month of concerts and music andarts programs each summer.Visitors canalso enjoy the Amalfi Coast; just a few ofthe attractions include the excavationsof Pompeii, the seaside town of Posi-tano, the town of Ravello and the Greektemples at Paestum.

For more information about the festival,visit amalfi-festival.org.

COURTESY OF ELLEN PECHMAN

One of visual arts excursions for guests of the festival was a trip tothe renowned Ceramica Solimene in Salerno.


HEALTH

BY KATE MCDERMOTT

y the time you finish read-ing this article, nine peoplein America will have had astroke and at least one ofthemwill die as a result.

The American HeartAssociation reports thatstrokes will kill morethan 129,000 peoplethis year, making burstor blocked blood ves-sels in the brain thefourth leading causeof death in the UnitedStates. Although stroke

death rates have droppednearly 36 percent over the

last decade, the sobering factremains that almost 800,000 peoplewill have a stroke before the year isover and many of those who survivewill be left disabled by the interrupt-ed blood supply to their brains.

Given those statistics, GeorgeWilson of Hyattsville knows he’s in-credibly lucky to be alive followinghis stroke inDecember 2012.Thanksto the quick decision by his wife, IrisWilson, to call 911 immediately afterhe collapsed, he received essentialmedical treatment within the criticalfirst few hours after his stroke.Thattreatment not only saved his life, butalsomarkedly reduced lastingdamageto his brain.Today,GeorgeWilsonhasno significant physical impairmentsother than some slight speech impair-ment that he continues to overcomethrough therapy.

Amir Zangiabadi, M.D., a neu-rologist atWashingtonAdventistHos-

pital inTakoma Park, was waiting forGeorgeWilsonwhen he arrived in theemergency room. Zangiabadi imme-diately evaluatedWilson’s conditionand ordered a CT scan to determinethe location and type of blood vesselinjury in his brain.

The scan revealed Wilson hada blocked vessel, so Zangiabadi ad-ministered a drug known as recom-binant tissue plasminogen activator(tPA) to try to break up the clot thatwas causing the stroke. “The use oftPA has become more popular overthe last 10 years, but timing is ev-erything,” Zangiabadi explained. “Itmust be administered within four tofour and half hours following strokesymptoms’ onset, and sooner for dia-betics and those who have sufferedstroke before.”

Zangiabadi also cautions that tPAis not appropriate for everyone whohas a stroke. “There is only a 40 per-cent to 45 percent chance the medi-cine will work,” he said, noting thatpatientswhose strokes aredue toburstbloodvessels (hemorrhagic stroke) arenot candidates for tPA. Even thosewhose CT scans reveal blockages arenot guaranteed its use either, sincefactors such as the location of the clotand its thickness play significant rolesin how effective tPAwill be.

The best thing anyone can do tohelp a stroke victim is to act FAST(see box). “If you suspect someoneis having a stroke, you should nottry to transport them to the hospitalyourself,” Zangiabadi said. “Call 911immediately because if they come byambulance, they will be seen rightaway [in the ER] since the paramed-

BY KA

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Given thoWilson of Hyacredibly luckyhis stroke inDto the quick dWilson, to callhe collapsed,medical treatmfirst few hourtreatment notalsomarkedly rto his brain.Tono significantother than somment that he cthrough therap

Amir ZangPHOTO BY TRACEY BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF WASHINGTON ADVENTIST HOSPITAL

DURING A STROKE

PRECIOUS’ARE

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Due to the quickaction of hiswife, Iris Wilson,George Wilsonpromptly gotthe treatmenthe needed torecover from astroke twoyears ago.


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If you notice symptoms such as weakness in extremities, numbness on oneside of the body, excruciating headache, sudden dimness or loss of sight orinability to speak, the National Stroke Association says you need to act FASTby asking these questions:

ics will call us in advance to let us knowthe situation.”

Zangiabadi said that while waiting forthe ambulance to arrive, those tendingto a stroke victim should help the personlie down. Do not offer medicine, foodor liquid, since they may aspirate giventheir inability to swallow correctly. Donot give aspirin since it might cause ad-ditional bleeding in those whose strokesare caused by a burst blood vessel.

Zangiabadi said the odds of surviv-ing a stroke and avoiding permanent dis-ability are improving thanks to advancesin both public awareness of what to doif stroke is suspected, as well as medicalinterventions. Aggressive public educa-tion campaigns about the risk factorsfor stroke are also making a difference.He encouraged Americans to follow theHeart Association’s “Life’s Simple 7”steps to reduce the risk of heart diseaseand stroke:• Manage your blood pressure• Control cholesterol• Reduce blood sugar• Lose weight• Stop smoking• Eat better• Get active

But he also added an eighth step: Re-duce alcohol use since some studies indi-cate that havingmore than two drinks perday may increase stroke risk by as muchas 50 percent.

Although only a small portion of thepopulation is at a higher risk for strokebecause of specific genetic diseases,many,manyAmericans have a genetic tendencyfor risk factors such as high cholesterolor high blood pressure that put themat higher risk of stroke.Wilson is one of

those people.A vegetarian for most of hislife, he exercised regularly andwas in verygood health prior to his stroke. But a ge-netic predisposition for high blood pres-sure was a risk factor he couldn’t avoid.He is also African-American, which al-most doubles his risk of stroke as com-pared to whites.

Atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat)also increases the risk of stroke, especiallyin those over 75, because it can producewhat Zangiabadi called “micro-clots”that, although small, can do significantdamage. These tiny clots form in theupper chambers of the heart and cantravel throughout the body, including tothe brain where they can block blood ves-sels and cause stroke.

Zangiabadi encourages all older pa-tients to maintain a regular relationshipwith their health care providers—and heencourages those providers to communi-cate with each other as to the best courseof treatment for their patients.

“I especially urge dentists to speak tothe patient’s primary care doctor at leastthree days before performing any treat-ment,” Zangiabadi said. He has seenseveral patients who, under the advice oftheir dentists, stopped taking their bloodpressure and cholesterol medicationsprior to their dental procedures and sub-sequently suffered strokes.

Today,Wilson is working hard to re-turn to the radio talk show he has hostedon SiriusXMRadio formany years.Andalthough IrisWilson doesn’t take to theairwaves like her husband, she is mak-ing sure that she broadcasts to anyonewho will listen the importance of act-ing quickly when dealing with stroke.“Time counts,” she said. “Minutes areprecious.”

HOW TO IDENT I F Y A S TROKE

FACE – Does the smile droop on one side?

ARMS – Is the person unable to raise both arms?

SPEECH – Is the speech slurred?

TIME – If the answer to any of these is yes, call 911 immediately.

FAST


FINANCES

BY KRISTEN CASTILLO

If you’re terminally ill and need cash, you might con-sider a viatical settlement, which is selling your lifeinsurance policy to a third-party investor.“The life policy owner receives cash today in return

for transferring the face amount of the policy due on hisdeath to the investor,” said Ed Grebeck, CEO ofTempusAdvisors. “The cash settlement today is the face amount ofthe life policy,discountedover the years of thepolicyholder’sexpected death.”

The buyer becomes the beneficiary and has to pay thepremiums or else loses some of the investment. After theoriginal policy owner dies, the buyer collects the face valueof the policy.

“A viatical settlement typically means the client has lessthan one year to live, and the value of their policy increasesdramatically, sometimes as high as 80 percent of the faceamount,” explained BarryWaxler of Universal FinancialConsultants.

SETTLEMENT HISTORYViatical settlements rose to popularity during the 1980s,

when the AIDS epidemic surged. Many AIDS patients,who didn’t have traditional beneficiaries such as wives andchildren, had short life expectancies and wanted to cash inon their life insurance policies.

“In principle, policyholder sellers and investors are inconflict,” said Grebeck. “As life expectancies of AIDS andother terminally ill patients increased due to advances inmedicine, viatical settlement investor returns declined.”

PROS AND CONSThe good thing about viatical settlements is the tax-free

cash, whatWaxler said is considered an advance or a loanagainst the ultimate death benefit. “They can use that cashfor anything theywantorneed,withno restrictions,”he said.

The downside? Sellers and investors pay commissionson the transactions. Plus,when you opt for a viatical, you’reselling your policy at a deep discount.

“Many firms that buy viaticals prey on the terminally ill,and as such, see a desperate need for cash,” saidWaxler.

He suggested holding out for the death benefit, if pos-sible, or asking friends or family to loan you money, usingthe policy as collateral.

“This is done by using the carrier’s collateral assignmentforms, and the loan is paid at death at far more reasonableterms than the viatical institutionwill pay for them,”he said.

ALTERNATIVESViatical settlements can be risky deals and are not neces-

sarily the only option.One ofWaxler’s clients recently contacted him about

selling her life insurance policy and using the money to payfor medical care not covered by her health insurance.Whenhe reviewed the policy,Waxler found an “accelerated deathbenefit” rider, which entitled the client to “an advance onthe death benefit of 25 percent of the face amount.”

The client was able to get $250,000 of tax-free benefitsto use right away,while she was still alive.

“Most people sell their policies while in a terminal statebecause of financial hardship,”saidWaxler.“If you check theaccelerated benefits riders thatmost policies comewith, youmay find a better solution.”

BLESSING OR CURSE?Viatical settlements may seemmorbid, but they’re often

a viable option for seniors in need of cash.

“All in all, a viatical can be a blessing to a family inneed, or it can be a curse, hinged on what the client needstoday,” saidWaxler. “A terminally ill patient, or their fam-ily, should always consult a financial planner to see all ofthe options available.”

The FederalTrade Commission offers consumers thefollowing advice:l Contact several viatical companies to make sure you’re

getting the best value.l Don’t be lured by high-pressure sales tactics.l Check with your state’s insurance regulators to make

sure your viatical company meets state licensing re-quirements.

l Confirm your viatical company isn’t planning to sellyour policy to a third party.

l Make sure the company will protect your privacy.l Consult with your attorney about probate and estate

implications.-Creators.com

TOP LEFT: HEMERA TECHNOLOGIES/ABLESTOCK.COM/THINKSTOCK; ABOVE: COMSTOCK/STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK

VIATICAL SETTLEMENTSSHOULD YOU SELL YOUR LIFE INSURANCE POLICY?


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available for upgrades and finishes waslarger than she had anticipated. Overall,the project came in at $32,000, belowearlier projections.

According to Glickman, the plan ad-dressed two considerations critical to thebathing needs of people with mobilitychallenges like Ahn’s.

First, the makeover provided easywheelchair access to the bathroom:Theexisting 24-inch door jambwas widenedto 28 inches and fitted with a pair ofpocket doors on hidden rollers.

Second, to facilitate bathing, thetub was replaced with a curbless roll-inshower.This allows Ahn to switch fromher primary wheelchair to a showerchair on wheels and handle bathing onher own. Grab bars installed at appro-priate locations make it easy for Ahn tomove around in the shower, Nishiokasaid. An easy-to-reach shower head at-tached to a hose facilitates rinsing. Soapdishes and a recessed niche for toiletriesare all also within reach.

To accommodate a wheelchair, thetraditional vanity sink was replaced witha wall-hung sink.A tilted mirror mount-

ed just above allows Ahn to check herhair or makeup while remaining seated.The sink was moved slightly closer tothe toilet to allow space for a new shelfand medicine cabinet. Nishioka saidthere’s even room for a linen closet nextto the shower.

Nishioka said that Shorter was in-strumental in helping her make in-formed choices on amenities and finish-work, escorting her to the appropriatesuppliers and advising her on everythingfrom adjustable nozzles to colors andtextures.

“The interior design challenge wasfinding the best ways to match the pre-vious color scheme,” Nishioka said. “Ididn’t want to make any choices thatwould seem too jarringly different to mymother, yet it’s a much more present-able room than before, and very easyfor her to use.We are all very pleased wemoved forward on this. It was a perfectbirthday present.”

Glickman Design Build periodicallyoffers workshops on accessibility

solutions for seniors. For information,go to glickmandesignbuild.com or

call 301-444-4663.

BATH, continued from 16

PHOTO BY STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG, COURTESY OF JOHN BYRD

To accommodate a wheelchair in this bathroom remodel, thetraditional vanity sink was replaced with a wall-hung sink.


While anyone can join NVTCC, themembership is predominantlymade up ofolder adults.The club sponsors five week-ly drop-in practice sessions—MondaythroughThursday from 5 to 8:45 p.m.;and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. atAr-lington’s Madison Community Center &Park—and newcomers are welcome.“Wedon’t have formal coaching, but we havesomemembers who enjoy helping peoplelearn the game,”Norwood said.

Each weekdayat 9 a.m., a groupof men gathers atthe James Lee Se-nior Center in FallsChurch,Va., to playpingpong. “Thereare various ages andskill levels, but theymake it work. Andit gives them an op-portunity to social-ize.That’s one of the biggest draws—theability to socialize,” said GregWilliams,the center’s director. As Fairfax County’srepresentative on the NorthernVirginiaSenior Olympics Committee,Williamsencourages the players at his center to jointhe competition. “Last year we had fiveguys sign up, and they came back amazed,saying, ‘Wow, we really can compete.’”This year’s table tennis competition isSept. 18 at the Charles Houston Recre-ation Center inAlexandria,Va.

The Maryland Senior Olympics cameto Byles’ attention a year after his cancerdiagnosis. “It’s really hard to maintainthe discipline of exercising unless youhave something you’re working toward. Ithought the games would be somethingcool to aim for and train for,” he said.Ashe trained, however,Byles realized that hisvision presented a problem. Due to eyesurgery in his youth, it now took severalhours after awakening for his sight to sta-bilize.While competing at theNational Se-niorGames,Byleswouldwake at 4 a.m.so

that his vision wouldbe stable enough toplay by 9 a.m.“WhatI realized is that youhave to acknowledgeyour limitations butnot accept that youare limited by them… So I began to lis-ten to the bounce ofthe ball instead of fo-cusing on just seeing

the ball.That helpedmy timing.”Pingpong has been a game changer

throughout Byles’ life. He and his threebrothers began playing as kids at theYMCA in Kingston, Jamaica. “Mymom wanted to keep us busy and off thestreets,” he said. By 1973,when pingpongdiplomacy found its way to the Caribbeanisland, Byles had honed his skills to thepoint that he was one of 20 selected forthe national team.Theworkwas hard—hetrained four hours a day for four years—

PINGPONG, continued from 5

COURTESY OF ERNIE BYLES

Byles and his wife Woan-Yi Byles

“WHAT I REALIZED IS THATYOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE

YOUR LIMITATIONSBUT NOT ACCEPTTHAT YOU ARE

LIMITED BY THEM.”

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but it paid dividends. “In Jamaica, it wasdifficult to go from one social class to an-other,” Byles said. “One of the ways wasthrough sports. Representing your coun-try in table tennis enabled you to have op-portunities you wouldn’t otherwise have.”

After immigrating to the U.S. with hisfamily in 1979, Byles continued to trainand play in world-class tournamentswhile working and going to college.Thatchanged when he married. “At 32, I de-cided to focus all of my energies and thediscipline I had gained from table tennison this new phase in my life—being a fa-ther and husband,”he said. Still, he didn’tabandon the sport. “Someone told me ifyou love something, don’t give it up com-

pletely,” he said.“So, for 19 years I playedevery Sunday night for two hours.”

Then came his cancer diagnosis.And,if that wasn’t enough, Byles’ NationalSenior Games travel partner, his dad, de-veloped a brain tumor. In the course oftreating that tumor, which was benign,doctors uncovered a lump in his father’slung,which was cancerous.

“The bad news was that he couldn’tgo with me to Ohio.The good news wasthat he was able to survive,” said Byles.“Sometimes bad things happen that turnout to be good. Even with my own can-cer, the long-term effect might be good ifI can tell my story and, as a result, peoplemake different choices.” 1934988

Pingpong: Places to PlayMany community and senior centers throughout Mont-

gomery and Fairfax counties offer recreational pingpongprograms. In addition, several private groups (listed

below) offer practice sessions or instruction.

MONTGOMERY COUNTYCLUB JOOLA ROCKVILLE

4931 Wyaconda Road, Rockville301-881-3401clubjoola.com

MARYLAND TABLE TENNIS CENTER18761 N. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg

301-519-8580mdttc.com

POTOMAC COUNTRY TABLE TENNIS CLUBPlays in two locations:

Clara Barton Neighborhood Recreation Center7425 MacArthur Blvd., Cabin John

Potomac Community Recreation Center11315 Falls Road, Potomac

pcttc.net

FAIRFAX COUNTYNORTHERN VIRGINIA TABLE TENNIS CENTER

4264-C Entre Court, Chantilly571-354-5667novattc.com

NORTHERN VIRGINIA TABLE TENNIS CLUBPlays at the Madison Community Center & Park

3829 N. Stafford St., Arlingtonnvttc.org


is a weekly Lunch and Learn event wherelocal doctors give residents informationon health care.

Transportation is provided for bank-ing, errands, and scheduled recreationand leisure.There are some services andamenities provided for an additional fee,including housekeeping and nursing care.Outside parking is free, but there is a feefor garage parking.

This time of year residents enjoy theoutdoors, as well.The grounds flow intoa wooded area and are carpeted in em-erald green grass.There are flower andvegetable gardens, a short walking trail,benches, and there is a gazebo betweenthe two buildings.

Hawkshawe said Kentlands Manorhas a way of making seniors feel at homequickly.She said residents on thewelcom-ing committee give newcomers the lay ofthe land.

“They know where in town to get se-nior discounts.They know what restau-rants have the best Italian food,” she said,adding that the welcome committee alsoacclimates new residents in and aroundthe building.As they escort them to eventsand introduce them to their neighbors,friendships start to form.

Kentlands Manor217 Booth St., Gaithersburg

301-926-6424seniorlivingapartmentrentals.com

and for the Shakespeare Theatre Co.,which performs at Sidney Harman Halland LansburghTheatre inWashington,D.C. Programs are listed on the theaters’websites, and volunteers choose the showand date they prefer. “We get to see someexcellent shows for free,” said Paula Post,who is also a volunteer for SmithsonianAssociates programs.

Smithsonian Associates volunteersperform a variety of tasks, including sell-ing tickets, taking tickets at the door andaccompanying groups on walking tours.Paula Post said she also volunteers at theChesapeake & Ohio Canal National His-toric Park because she likes nature andbeing outdoors. She answers questionsand points out wildlife to visitors and getsthe opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the

C&O Canal area. “There are many op-portunities for hiking, walking and inter-acting with people,” she said.

When Judy Ritz retired from thefederal government in December 2001,shewanted to give back to the communityby doing some volunteer work that didnot involve sitting at a desk for hours. Forthe past 12 years, she hasworked twodaysa week at SuburbanHospital in Bethesda,picking up and delivering mail to the hos-pital offices. She also does clerical work inthe emergency roomadministrative office.“What I do is needed and appreciated bythe staff, and I really enjoy working here,”said Ritz, noting that the hospital recog-nizes volunteers’ efforts at an annual spe-cial luncheon. “I put in about four hoursa week and hope to continue as long as Ican,” she said.

VOLUNTEER, continued from 11

KENTLANDS, continued from 13

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Kentlands Manor residents celebrate Veterans Day.


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