Senior LIving June 17th
Often as we age we settle into our familiar routines. They are comforting and provide a sense of control. We don’t have to think; it’s automatic. When I arrive at the Senior Center every morning, I unlock the basement door, turn off the alarm, unlock both front doors, turn on my computer, and start my […]
Senior Living June 10th 2008
During the Cherry Festival, I had a chance to talk with Carl and Ruth Long whom I hadn’t seen for quite a while. As we were chatting, Carl mentioned how much fun they have had “geocaching”. They had traveled around Oregon and beyond looking for what one could call buried treasures. A little later I […]
Senior Living June 3rd 2008
I often include a humorous quote at the end of this column to lighten things up and to provide an incentive to read to the very end. But last week I ran out of space. So this time I am adding a little humor at the beginning. I shared this strategy with Rose and she […]
Senior Living May 27th 2008
I started reading a book called “Secrets of Becoming a Late Bloomer” by Connie Goldman and Richard Mahler that I heard about while attending the “Aging in America” conference. The book tells the stories and secrets of how older adults transformed and brought new meaning to their lives becoming late bloomers, those “extraordinary ordinary people […]
Senior Living May 20th 2008
As I mentioned last week, May is Older Americans Month, and this year’s theme is “Working Together for Strong, Healthy, and Supportive Communities”. By working together we can address issues at the national, state and local level to improve older adults’ overall quality of life and indirectly create better care and reinforce healthier communities for […]
Senior Living May 13th 2008
At the luncheon honoring the Senior Center’s Charter Members, Hal Sessions presented a slide show using newspaper articles and photographs saved from the early years of the Senior Center. It was a nice reminder of all the hard work and challenges involved in building this senior center. But I realized that besides supporting seniors for […]
Senior Living May 6 2008
Retirement ain’t what it used to be. In fact, William D. Novelli, Executive Director and CEO of AARP speaking at the Institute for Public Relations conference said that in the coming years as the boomers start to reach 65 we will see the end of retirement as we have known it. My mom and dad […]
Senior Living April 28 2008
Remember as a parent when your kids knew all the answers, were so disrespectful – ignoring all the rules, always wanted to know “why” and thought you were so un-cool and old fashioned. And they would never listen or talk about it. Or as a kid growing up during the “express yourself” years when your […]
Senior Living April 22nd
Senior Living April 22 Dr. Tina Castanares, Medical Director for Hospice of the Gorge, spoke at last week’s Next Chapter Lecture series. Only three individuals attended the lecture, the smallest turnout for any of our lectures. But according to Tina that isn’t unusual. Any topic about death and dying is not generally a crowd favorite; […]
Senior LIving April 15th 2008
Senior Living April 15 While at the Aging in America conference I attended a workshop on “Seeking the Balance: Positive Aging and Disillusionment”, curious about the connection between the two. Although it was difficult, many people shared their disillusionments whether with an employer, a spouse, a political candidate or retirement (no one returns my phone […]