Other Side of 50

Right after the Thanksgiving holiday, while we were chatting on the phone, I asked my 90-year-old mother what she was doing. She told me she was in the den in her recliner with her feet elevated. She explained that for the last few days her ankles were swollen and [...]

Recently, my mother’s 88-year-old sister fell. As she went down, her husband said, “You just broke your hip.” I am not sure if being a medic in the army sixty years ago qualified him to make that diagnosis, but he was right. My aunt and uncle live about 90 [...]

Conversations with aging parents require compassion I recently witnessed a conversation at a restaurant between a woman and her mother. The woman appeared to be in her fifties or sixties and her mother in her seventies or eighties. The waitress was quickly listing the specials of the day, looking [...]

While a lot is being said these days about the effects of loneliness and social isolation on older adults’ mental and physical health, I am going to turn to the other side of the coin for a moment. If you, like me, are an extrovert, and have a busy [...]

t is my family’s belief that my mother is the best driver among us. In addition to a spotless driving record, when she parks her car at her house, she must back into a tiny one car garage that has an unforgiving margin of error. None of us are [...]

A few weeks ago, I attended the national conference of the Society for Certified Senior Advisors. The Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® credential can be earned by professionals by demonstrating their competence and knowledge in working with older adults. I have held this designation since 2008. I attended the conference [...]

Many years ago, I volunteered at a hospital. One of my duties was filling in for the floor secretary (remember, it was years ago) when she went to lunch or was on break. As part of the job, I had a copy of the census or a listing of [...]

I just returned from possibly the best vacation of my life. The memories I brought back will stay with me forever. The trip began with the culmination of six months of planning for a big catered backyard barbecue for my mom’s 90th birthday. The tent was set, tables in [...]

With the issue front and center in President Joe Biden’s bid for reelection, discussions about age-related memory challenges are receiving much attention these days. Here at Senior Concerns, we frequently hear these concerns. It is often the reason that someone reaches out to sign up for our free neuropsychologist-led [...]

The other day my husband and I were having a very early dinner at one of the restaurants on Westlake Lake. Because it was so early, we were the only customers in the restaurant. In walked a man, about our age, with a pretty floral arrangement. Being the chatty [...]

My grandnephew Wyatt celebrated his graduation from pre-kindergarten last week. According to my niece, it was an adorable commemoration. Children were seated in front of the parents and the teacher had them perform songs they had rehearsed together. Then everyone watched a slide show with pictures of the kids [...]

Remember that old song, “Dem Bones”? It goes, “The leg bone’s connected to the knee bone; the knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone; the thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone. Now shake dem skeleton bones!” As we get older, our system is more fragile, and when it [...]

My friend Ronnie and her sister just signed their mom up for a personal emergency alert system. It’s the kind that hangs around your neck and will signal the company if you press the button. An emergency dispatcher will respond and attempt to talk to you to see if you [...]

My husband and I have established roles in our daily lives. I am the shopper, the cook, and the social secretary. My husband is the accountant, the contract reader, and the sprinkler repair man. Our roles have been established and reinforced over 33 years of marriage. I can’t imagine my [...]

I am unsure how it came to be, but over the last number of years I have become rather involved in the topic of end-of-life choices. For one, I sit on the Steering Committee for the Ventura County Coalition for Compassionate Care (VCCCC), a nonprofit organization advocating for the discussion [...]

As a recently unemployed older worker, you have options for health insurance, but read the fine print. It will be crucial. If you were part of a group health insurance plan sponsored by your employer and you lose your job, you may be entitled to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation [...]

In 1988, at the age of 58, my father was laid off from his job as a lighting engineer at GTE Sylvania. Thus began his forced retirement. My mother worked two more years and left her job in the school system on her own terms. Both had vastly different experiences [...]

I’d like to start a campaign to encourage older men to address their health issues with their doctor. I have a dear sixty-something friend who recently expressed frustration because her husband refuses to get medical attention.   Statistically, men are more likely than women to be stubborn about seeing a [...]