For most of us, our daily lives have been disrupted by the novel coronavirus pandemic and the resulting shelter-in-place order. Work, social and family life has been upended in ways we may never have imagined. Life may feel unsettled as an air of uncertainty hangs over us. It’s natural to feel out of control given [...]
One of the first references to “getting old ain’t for sissies” was published in 1968. Fast-forward 52 years and whoever made the statement had no idea how true it would become. In a world where we’re experiencing exponential growth in the number of people who are over 80, little is being said about the impact [...]
Yes, this will be my second column on the upcoming census in as many months, but hopefully you’ll forgive me. After all, there’s a lot at stake here. What happens in 2020 will determine the fate of our region’s communities for the next 10 years. Did you know that, according to the U.S. government, Ventura [...]
This month, another adult child was drafted into the world of caregiving. Her name is Janet, and she is a 50-something schoolteacher with a husband and two adult children. One would think that the most logical subject of her caregiving would be her frail 86-year-old mother who lives 2,000 miles away. And in some ways, [...]
Earlier this month 300 residents of a Newbury Park 55-plus mobile home park were left without running water for nearly a week. The stoppage, caused by a main break within the community’s private water system, didn’t get fixed until city and county officials intervened. The ordeal got me thinking about the pros and cons of [...]
What will 2020 look like for you? That answer is likely to be different for everyone, but there are a few things most older adults will have in common. For example, if Social Security is your primary source of income, you may want to think about tightening your belt a little. In 2020, seniors will [...]
My friend, let’s call him Alfred, who is in his 70s, has been trying to devise a system to alert his close contacts if something were to happen to him while he’s at home. He’s sensitive to the topic because his former girlfriend died in her home and it took over 48 hours for her [...]
I recently attended a presentation by a partnership specialist for the Los Angeles Regional Census Center. She met with a group of nonprofits to explain details of the upcoming 2020 Census and to express the importance of each household completing the census. According to AARP, older Americans have been more likely than other age groups [...]
Recognizing that California’s over-65 population is projected to grow to 8.6 million by 2030, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order recently calling for a Master Plan for Aging to be developed by Oct. 1, 2020. The master plan will serve as a blueprint for state government, local communities, private organizations and philanthropists to build [...]
Psychologist Abraham Maslow developed his famous “hierarchy of needs” theory in 1942. At the time, he saw food, water, sleep and shelter as the most basic of all human needs. I would contend electricity has now become a basic human need. Without electricity, it would be extremely difficult to lead our daily lives: We wouldn’t [...]
