Other Side of 50

As of September 2020, almost 13 million people in the United States were unemployed. Of course, a great deal of the job losses can be attributed to COVID. I’m sure any one of us, including me, can name multiple people we know who are out of work as a result [...]

Why do seniors turn out to vote more than any other age group? Older adults, especially those that are no longer working, are particularly susceptible to changes in policy made by elected officials. A large percentage of their income and access to healthcare resources are tied to government programs. It [...]

I was brought up in a household where we were taught to see the best in people. In most cases, giving folks the benefit of the doubt has served us well. However, based upon a recent experience my mother had, I think being a bit more cautious, especially as we [...]

Fifty-four years ago, John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote the song “Eleanor Rigby,” signaling us to “look at all the lonely people.” Studies in the U.K. show that half a million people over the age of 60 spend every day alone. Today, scientists around the world are worried about the [...]

It has been eight months since I’ve seen my mother. I miss her tremendously, but I do not think at this point it is safe to travel 3,000 miles by plane and rental car. So I continue what I have been doing and make my morning phone call to my [...]

Due to COVID-19, my husband and I are at home a lot more these days. All that togetherness has given me time to reflect on how my husband and I manage change over time. Of course, marriage created modifications in my lifestyle right from the start. Following in my mother’s [...]

I think some of us are surprised by what has become most important to us as a society over these past four months. Take, for example, the most basic of our needs, something as simple as air and food. Pre-pandemic we may have been worried about air quality if it [...]

You are sitting in your favorite spot in your home—what do you have within arm’s reach? I recently polled my workmates and received a host of answers, including a computer or iPad, tissues, reading material, Sudoku or crossword puzzles, a pen, a notepad, the television remote, a beverage and, of [...]

My husband and I used to chuckle when my mother-in-law lived with us. She would set up shop inside our open garage with her cup of tea, our dog on a leash, her lawn chair, her Table-Mate tray table and a set of magazines. It did not matter that our [...]

Birthdays during the pandemic have certainly changed. Take, for example, a first birthday, when a child’s parents reflect on how quickly the year has gone. One-year-olds have achieved so much in their first year. They have developed their own personality and can really enjoy the excitement of a party just [...]

Before COVID-19, many of us over the age of 60 never regarded ourselves as “older adults” or as someone with an underlying medical condition. However, it didn’t take long for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and county public health officers to place new classifications on us once the [...]

With so many headlines, news stories and opinion pieces about the impact COVID-19 is having on an individual’s health and safety, as well as the health of our economy, it is hard not to feel we have enough information to form opinions. In many posts on Facebook and Nextdoor and [...]

Sometimes a crisis can connect a team in a way no other experience could. I am one member of a small team of non-furloughed employees working in the Senior Concerns office and responding to calls. The metaphor “band of brothers” keeps coming to mind. This historical phrase refers to a [...]

Lately a lot of people have been asking me how I’m doing. They know I work with seniors. I’ve been answering that question by simply saying we’re very busy. I’d like to elaborate, but the truth is, I’m having a hard time processing all I am feeling. There are a [...]

For most of us, our daily lives have been disrupted by the novel coronavirus pandemic and the resulting shelter-in-place order. Work, social and family life has been upended in ways we may never have imagined. Life may feel unsettled as an air of uncertainty hangs over us. It’s natural to [...]

One of the first references to “getting old ain’t for sissies” was published in 1968. Fast-forward 52 years and whoever made the statement had no idea how true it would become. In a world where we’re experiencing exponential growth in the number of people who are over 80, little is [...]

Yes, this will be my second column on the upcoming census in as many months, but hopefully you’ll forgive me. After all, there’s a lot at stake here. What happens in 2020 will determine the fate of our region’s communities for the next 10 years. Did you know that, according [...]

This month, another adult child was drafted into the world of caregiving. Her name is Janet, and she is a 50-something schoolteacher with a husband and two adult children. One would think that the most logical subject of her caregiving would be her frail 86-year-old mother who lives 2,000 miles [...]

Earlier this month 300 residents of a Newbury Park 55-plus mobile home park were left without running water for nearly a week. The stoppage, caused by a main break within the community’s private water system, didn’t get fixed until city and county officials intervened. The ordeal got me thinking about [...]

What will 2020 look like for you? That answer is likely to be different for everyone, but there are a few things most older adults will have in common. For example, if Social Security is your primary source of income, you may want to think about tightening your belt a [...]