Other Side of 50

Recently my mother returned home to New Hampshire after two wonderful weeks visiting me and my husband here in California. I had lots of goals for the visit, and we accomplished many of them. Two remarkable things happened that I did not plan for. Because we finally had some quality time together, my mother opened [...]

My nephew Tanner is a pretty accomplished young man. He has a knack for mechanics. During his high school years, he worked for a company that made sensitive equipment parts for the military. On the side, he bought lawnmowers, dirt bikes, jet skis and other small vehicles that needed repair. He fixed them and resold [...]

After the recent wildfires ripped through our community, I mentioned to my husband that I didn’t want to let too much time go by before we debriefed on what we did right and wrong when we evacuated. I wanted this natural disaster— the first my husband and I have really experienced since moving to California [...]

After a 15-year hiatus, my mother is coming to California to visit me. During the many years she was caring for my father, who had Parkinson’s disease, my mother could not bring herself to leave his side. But now that he’s gone, she is ready to make the journey from New Hampshire. For the past [...]

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. [...]