Other Side of 50

According to former MLB pitcher Vernon Law, “Experience is a cruel teacher. She gives the test first, the lesson afterward.” My neighbor quoted Law the other day in regard to the lessons she learned caring for her father. If she’d only known then what she knows now as a result of her experience, she said, [...]

A friend of mine, a college marketing professor, amazes me with his ability to conversationally lay out his year in a way that gives him a clear picture of his future, recapping all the things he will plan for and look forward to. He’ll say, “In January I will attend a conference in Switzerland. In [...]

I’ve had bad memories of the incandescent light bulb ever since third grade, so the recent news that the 40- and 75-watt versions of the bulb will be phased out in 2014 didn’t upset me in the least. It all began with my science fair that year. I was at a loss for a project [...]

This November, for the first time in 25 years, my husband and I traveled back east for Thanksgiving. It’s not that we don’t visit family a few times a year, but it always seemed that traveling from Los Angeles to Boston on one of the most heavily traveled weekends of the year was a recipe [...]

Right or wrong, many adults tend to measure their happiness by how much stuff they accumulate, but in later life, I think it’s just the opposite. Today Mary, my mother-in-law, is happily living with a few prized possessions in a 400-square-foot room in an assisted-living facility. Last year her home was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. [...]

Our lawn sprinkler has always given us trouble. My husband tells me it has something to do with the manifolds, the things that have electrical wires connecting the faucet to the valves that control each sprinkler station. I guess if it weren’t for a faulty manifold though, we would not have discovered until much later [...]

How do we manage the impact aging boomers will have on society? How do we care for our aging parents? What’s the best way to deal with life’s challenges? If only we were having active conversations about these topics. Why? Because we need to be having this dialogue now if we are to uncover how [...]

Dori has been taking care of her two children by herself since she was 18. She anticipated that many of the financial challenges, the emotional ups and downs, and the constant juggling act would end once her children became adults and headed out on their own. I know what you’re thinking: This is going to [...]

Here’s a five-question quiz to take and share with friends. 1. What percentage of baby boomers think they will need long-term care (help with daily activities) as they age, and what percentage actually will need long-term care? 2. What percentage of long term care is provided by family or friends? 3. If there are seven [...]

Last year, five of the women on my block were caring for a surviving parent. The conversation at our neighborhood Halloween party and the chitchat while walking the dogs held a mix of frustration, concern and fear. “We are on month six of waiting for my mother-in-law’s Medicaid application to be approved.” “My dad in [...]