Other Side of 50

There came a time in our marriage when my husband, Peter, did something so extraordinary that I fell in love with him all over again. You might think it was a grand gesture, like a surprise trip to Italy or a diamond necklace. It wasn’t. It was something so simple, yet so profound. Peter joined [...]

Recently my parents needed to open a checking account for their newly created trust. In a phone conversation with my mom, who now makes most of the financial decisions, I asked which bank she planned to use. She said she was considering the decision. She was loyal to her old bank, but my sister, who [...]

Working for a nonprofit can be tremendously rewarding and fulfilling. It may also require skills not customarily employed in for-profit careers. At one time in my past, I was responsible for an $80-million business and almost 400 employees. At another point I managed a national sales force and a network of more than 50 food [...]

My husband and I are in the planning stages of renovating our living quarters, including the downstairs bath, kitchen and living room. It dawned on me as we began our plans: 30 years ago, homes were designed for a person of average height who has perfect eyesight and hearing, can walk from one room to [...]

My cocker spaniel Buddy is the love of my life—but don’t tell that to his cocker “brother” Rolo. Buddy was my first dog and is even dearer to my heart because he is a Senior Concerns’ dog. Ten years ago Buddy was rescued from the pound by an employee of Senior Concerns. Three years later [...]

I have a friend, Alyce, who is an absolutely stunning woman. She also happens to be 80 years old. Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn’t remark, after learning how old she is, “Wow, you look great for your age!” That statement says a lot about the person making it. I wonder what they [...]

It’s a family legend. My two sisters and I were on a car trip with our mom and dad. I think we ranged in age from 6 to 10. We were driving home from an outing. It was 4 p.m. and Dad asked us, “Who wants to have an ice cream?” Of course the three [...]

Three years ago, my sister Carla became an official member of the sandwich generation. The sandwich generation refers to people who care for their aging parents while supporting their own children at the same time. It was around then that Carla and I and our other sister, Paula, had a discussion with my parents about [...]

After their retirement, my parents loved to walk along the pathways in the nearby state park. It was there they noticed the first signs. My mom said she noticed my father wasn’t swinging one of his arms while walking and he was stumbling over small roots. Soon after they came to visit me in California, [...]

Part two of a two-part series Part one in this series highlighted five ways we can help our parents plan in advance of an unexpected hospitalization, including establishing an advanced directive and durable powers of attorney, making their healthcare wishes known, listing children on HIPAA forms at their physicians’ offices, documenting and sharing family and [...]