A collection of straightforward advice about

everyday issues faced by seniors.

• 8 New Technologies From AARP’s Health Innovation @50+ May 30 marked the beginning of the AARP Life@50+ National Event in Las Vegas – and it also marks the results of the Health Innovation@50+ event sponsored by the Thought Leadership team led by Jody Holtzman at AARP. The finalists are noted below, with their descriptions drawn from the AARP website.  Not noted are two ...
• Honor Thy Father and Mother Several months ago, I met with a hoarder; I’ll call him Dr. F. An 89 year old retired physician, he lives alone in a 5 bedroom house, in which every room is literally filled with “stuff.” His kitchen has an 18-inch aisle to walk through; all other space is piled 6 feet high. He has no access ...
• My Not-So-Big House The idea behind The Not So Big House is that homes should emphasize how we actually live in them, and not focus on square footage. In a Not So Big House, every space in the home is used every day, so a Not So Big house does not have formal rooms that are rarely used. What we really ...
• Senior Tech: Which Computer is the Easiest to Use? This question is often asked by those starting to use a computer or going back to a computer after a long time away. This question is really two questions. The first is what is easiest to learn to use and the second is what is easiest to use after you have learned. Tablets are probably the easiest ...
• Downsizing with Craigslist After 37 years in a 3 story home, Ken & Terri Asche decided to move to a spacious apartment in a nearby retirement community. Their property included a large separate workshop full of equipment and a garden shed full of outdoor tools.  The job felt overwhelming according to Terri, and a bit sad. The most daunting part ...
• Tips for Downsizing Your Life “It will take me a year to clean out my house.” “We’ve lived in our house for (insert double digit number of your choice) and it’s just too overwhelming to think about cleaning it out.” “I walk down the basement steps, have no idea where to start, so I turn around and come back upstairs.” I often hear these ...
• 5 New Technologies for Seniors Here is a recap from the companies’ recent incoming missives. All information, is, minus a drop or two of hyperbole, from the vendor websites and releases: Ambio Remote Health Monitoring System announced.  Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show , the system monitors weight, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels, and was built from the ground up to ...
• You’ve Got Mail! “Bill, the Presto machine says it has a paper jam.” “Ok Mom, I’ll be over tomorrow morning Mom to fix it.” “Tomorrow morning? What happens to my email that arrives tonight?” Never did we imagine, when we got my 88-year old mother-in-law a Presto machine, that she would turn into an email junkie. Bubbie loved the phone and had long ...
• What Are You Up To? When people seek me out as a coach, they often bring questions that will not let them alone—questions that keep them up at night and interrupt their thoughts during the day.  Questions like:  “Can I live a fulfilled life?”  “How can I create the work and life I want to have?” When we begin the coaching process, ...
• The Sweet Truth About Dark Chocolate and Wine What’s been around for 2,000 years, is nicknamed “the food of the gods,” and helps our aging mind and bodies stave off some of the consequences of growing older? Dark chocolate. Let’s look at some of the research: Older adults (between 70 and 74) who ate chocolate performed better on cognitive tests that those who do not eat ...
• How Bubbie Got Her Groove Back Sometimes a small change in routine can make a big difference.  After long discussion, my mother-in-law started using a weekly pill organizer. This simple little box, and some common sense questions to her physician, made all the difference in the world. My mother-in-law (we called her Bubbie) took twelve different prescription medications, three types of eye drops, two ...
• Six Secrets for a Successful Retirement Retirement (n): removal or withdrawal from service, office, or business; withdrawal into privacy or seclusion.  WRONG! With apologies to Webster’s Dictionary, this is no longer your father’s (or mother’s) retirement.  Today’s retirees, and those approaching retirement, differ from their parents in a number of important ways.  Baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are ...