Getting Older

My mornings are taking an about-turn. I used to be up at the crack of dawn, often a minute before my alarm went off. I would jump out of bed, shower, grab coffee, get dressed, and head out the door. I liked getting to the office before anyone else arrived…

Please be patient with me – I’m from the 1900s. Not 1900, but the 1900s. And not to brag, but I was alive when you could slam a phone down to make a point. A real receiver. A real cord. A real “thunk” when I slammed it down. It was glorious…

This past week marked a moment of profound significance: a symbolic passing of a crown, radiant in its beauty, from one generation to the next. The choice of the word “passed” is deliberate, reflecting that the crown was not simply handed over…

I’ve been having the same conversation with women lately – clients, friends, cousins, neighbors. It usually starts quietly, almost as a confession…

I remember the first time a “senior” discount was bestowed upon me without my asking. I don’t know if I was more upset that I finally qualified for the discount, or that I LOOKED like I qualified for the discount. Senior discounts date back to the Great Depression of 1929, which hit retirees…

You chose a care residence believing your loved one would live with dignity – not become content for someone’s viral clip on TikTok. Yet a recent national review shows a startling reality: direct-care staff in nursing homes are posting videos of residents being humiliated…

Human nature is that we don’t pay attention to things around us, until they happen to us personally. For example, if you were pregnant, you didn’t notice all of the pregnant women around you until you were pregnant yourself. Or you never noticed all of the drivers with vehicle X (pick one) until you…

Is pain a growing fear as you age? Is it part of your identity once you pass the sixty gate? When I was ten years old, a boy swung a shovel with a rusty corner at a bee. I had just stooped down to the ground to pick something up…

Recently, I attended a fundraiser for a friend running for state senate. As part of the event, everyone was asked to scan a QR code to reach the donation page. Simple enough. I pulled out my phone but could not find the actual paper with the QR code on it. So, I asked a staffer…

Recently, our family faced a new challenge when our 88-year-old grandmother suffered a minor stroke, experienced several falls, and now requires rehabilitation with hopes of returning home. Despite previous caregiving experiences, this situation felt different as we were less prepared…