The 55-plus community my mother lives in has a weekly get-together at its clubhouse. Everyone who chooses to come brings a food item to share; visiting with one another includes the goings-on in their lives: who welcomed grandchildren, who’s expecting visitors and talk of current events. Showing up at last week’s gathering were only nine [...]
On the heels of the Borderline shooting, Allison, a Senior Concerns case manager, was knocking on doors of the occupants of the senior low-income housing complex where she works. She was concerned the residents were isolated in their apartments watching the 24/7 coverage of the massacre, feeling shocked and frightened. Allison encouraged them to come [...]
My friend Dr. Sara Zeff Geber coined the term “solo agers” after realizing so many of her childfree friends were caring for their aging parents. The question loomed large: Who was going to care for them when they got older? Geber’s term has expanded to include older adults who are geographically distant from their children [...]
Recently my husband attended a tax conference in San Diego. He came home with a complimentary backpack filled with “swag” that included a journal, highlighters, pens and logo’d Post-it notes. Also inside the backpack was a webcam cover. This was a new one to me. My husband routinely has a piece of tape over his [...]
Most of my medical challenges occurred when I was young. Years later, I can’t really remember my feelings after those experiences. But as I contemplate my recent health scare—a piece of steak lodged in my throat, resulting in a tear in my esophagus—I know that it’s definitely taken an emotional toll on me. My friends [...]
Every once in a while, the person upstairs gives you a wake-up call. Mine came a few weeks ago. Looking back, all the signs were there. I’d been keeping a supply of Tums in my purse for after meals. I could feel a sensation of acid backing up in my throat when I bent down. [...]
It seemed too good to be true. A set of exercises that, if practiced just 10 minutes a day, could make a positive difference in the quality of our body and brain. Activities that can be done by almost anyone, just sitting in a chair. And once learned, they are easy enough to do on [...]
There comes an age when you begin to hear with increased frequency of the medical challenges or deaths of celebrities you loved growing up. It’s a harsh reminder of our mortality. Because the stories of these deaths are so widely disseminated, they can also serve as cautionary tales about later life challenges and planning to [...]
Shaving one’s face is a fundamental part of being a man. A generation ago, the act of shaving denoted manhood, pride of appearance, cleanliness, neatness and a person in control and well-groomed. In the U.S., Canada and Europe, about 85 percent of men shave their beards. Throughout recent history we have been a society where [...]
Shaving one’s face is a fundamental part of being a man. A generation ago, the act of shaving denoted manhood, pride of appearance, cleanliness, neatness and a person in control and well-groomed. In the U.S., Canada and Europe, about 85 percent of men shave their beards. Throughout recent history we have been a society [...]
