Wally Dutcher’s accomplishments would be impressive for any one: serving on or starting various organizations that advocated for the disabled, running a successful business, designing his own homes as well as accessible sailing docks and starting a swim program for young people. But the fact that Dutcher, 78, is the oldest living quadriplegic, according to […]
In this age of all-encompassing technology, if you’re feeling paranoid, you’re probably not going crazy. An article in Next Avenue (originally on Grandparents.com) details some of the ways you’re being watched. License plate readers. Many police cars and objects like road signs and bridge are outfitted with automatic license plate readers designed to track the […]
Whether older adults are downsizing or just want to get start purging the belongings they have accumulated over a lifetime, many find themselves in a quandary: what to sell, what to give away and what to throw away. One factor in the decision is whether the goods have any value. Are those delicate china teacups […]
Many experts advise keeping your mind active if you want to live a healthy life. One way to exercise your brain is to learn new things. Fortunately, with the Internet, there’s no shortage of educational courses, many of them at no cost. There’s a new term for online learning: MOOC, or massive open online course, […]
Most people believe that memory decline is a normal part of aging, but this is a myth. Memory tends to slow with age like other functions, but decline in the ability to remember things is not a normal part of the aging process. It’s important to understand and recognize the difference. One of the most […]
As almost every older adult knows, it’s hard to keep the weight off. As we age, we lose lean body mass, which lowers our metabolism; so we need to eat less while being careful to maintain enough nutrients to stay healthy. For older folks, thicker waistlines result from eating as little as 50 more calories […]
In the late 1960s, Vicky Hoover began leading backpacking trips for the Sierra Club in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Forty years later, after leading countless outings and efforts to save wilderness, she was honored with a Wilderness-Forever Future Award from the Sierra Club. Born in Manhattan, Vicky found her way to California where […]
As we get older, our consumption of medications—both over the counter (OTC) and prescribed—increases. At the same time, the cost for many prescription drugs has been on the rise. For some seniors, it becomes a choice between paying for food or their medications. Since October 2007 the cost of brand-name medicines has soared, with prices […]
Today’s older adults face more caregiving challenges than ever before. The number of adult children assisting aging parents has more than tripled in the past 15 years (from LifeBridge Solutions), and, at the same time, they are helping their adult children—some who are living at home longer and needing more financial help. Many older adults […]
When Michael, 61, received a Fitbit for his birthday, he wasn’t sure what to make of the fitness wristband that measures your steps, how many calories you burn and how many times you wake up during the night. Although he didn’t think “you could teach an old dog new tricks,” after several months of using […]
