People are living longer. It’s projected that half of children born today will live past 100. What about you? What can you do to boost your chances for greater health and longer life? There are many common prescriptions offered by the experts. They tell us that regular physical activity can add between 1 and 3 years to your life. So can …
I attended a documentary film screening in Atlanta yesterday on living in an aging society. In the first part, a Stanford professor asked a group of college students to describe their lives under two scenarios—as if they would live to age 60 and as if they would live to age 100. Their answers were surprisingly similar. Unable to envision how they …
Looking for some inspiration to make the most of your life? Check out the new HBO documentary, “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast.” The title comes from Carl Reiner’s daily habit of getting the paper and going straight to the obituaries to see if he’s in them. If not, he has his breakfast. At age 95, he wondered about …
There are times when we might worry about the future. Especially as that future becomes shorter. In my wellness classes we spend time talking about what most troubles the older women in the group. The number one concern that is brought up is not knowing what the future will bring. Some women describe being worried about what may happen to their …
I rarely answer my phone when I know it’s a sales call or robo-call coming in. But after being hounded by Neilsen for weeks, I finally relented and picked up the phone. They were seeking volunteers for a survey on radio station listening and they asked if I’d participate. Since I skip broadcast stations in favor of satellite and Internet radio, …
I typically do not promote or advocate any anti-aging strategies. It’s mostly because I find they don’t do much good and many are the snake oil of the day. Ads mislead people into thinking a cream or procedure will make them look younger—remove wrinkles, smooth skin, and restore youthful appearance. At the least, they don’t make any difference at all. At …
Some people mistakenly assume that because I give wellness workshops and lead exercise classes that I am always behaving in healthy ways. It just isn’t so. Like many others, I have my good days and my not-so-good ones. I strive to do most things right but every now and then, I slip up. If I am mindful of what I’m doing, …
I’ve been a light sleeper for years, but the older I get, the harder it’s gotten to avoid having the slightest sound disturb my rest during the night. The rattle of an air duct register. The crack of a branch falling outside the window. The thud as a squirrel pounces onto the roof. Over and over, little noises have woken me …
Many people are imprisoned and don’t realize it. They walk around thinking they are free, but in reality they are trapped by myths and stereotypes about aging. These myths push them to buy products or undergo procedures in an effort to hide every sign of aging. They unconsciously buy into the belief that getting older is only about disease and disability. …
This is happening a bit too frequently. Once again, someone close to me has made her transition. This time I had the honor of being more involved in the memorial service, as family members all live out of state. Meetings and calls and tasks kept me so busy there was no time to realize the loss until after the service. I …
