That Ain\’t The Floorboards Creakin\’ (And Other Signs of Maturity) By Sheryl Letzgus McGinnis                            The sudden, loud creak startled me. I was alone in the house, save for my dog and 2 cats. The dog lying prone on the floor, feet running, chasing some elusive creature in her dreams I suppose. One cat happily ensconced on the back of the recliner and the other on the floor attending to her nightly ablutions. They hadn\’t moved or even lifted a head to investigate the sound. Surely they heard it. Not much escapes an animal\’s... Read More

Nora Ephron Hates Me By Jaki Scarcello Nora Ephron hates me. I feel badly about that I really do. She seems to be an amazing woman, smart, funny and so talented. Nora, for those of you who thought she was just a film director, producer, screenwriter and journalist, is also the author of I Feel Bad About My Neck. Nora, I can live with your disgust because I am on a mission. Ms Ephron says that she can’t stand people who write about how great it is to be old. She asks “Don’t they have necks?” Well Nora I do have a neck and I am sticking my aged and wrinkled neck out and telling women it... Read More

This is What Bigotry Looks Like By Jaki Scarcello A few weeks ago the Los Angeles Times printed an interview with Gloria Steinem. In that interview Ms. Steinem gave her opinions on the current state of the women’s liberation movement. It is not Ms. Steinem’s interview or opinions that I want to discuss in this posting but one reader’s response to her remarks and I quote: “It’s time for Gloria Steinem to recognize the early stages of dementia. We’re not living in the 19th century anymore. …She and her fellow travelers need to think more about where to be buried than the so –called... Read More

Stress is cumulative. The longer we live, the more we may feel the burdens of many stressors—unless we find effective ways of releasing pressures and tensions from our bodies. The link between the build-up of stress and immune system function has been well-studied by science. Our body’s responses are the same whether the cause of distress is real or imagined. Whenever we are anxious and worried, the adrenal glands begin producing the harmful hormone cortisol which is linked to plaque formation causing constriction or occlusion of blood vessels. Other results of ongoing stress include muscle... Read More

I will always remember receiving my first letter from AARP. I had just celebrated my 40th birthday and thought the letter was hilarious. Each year thereafter, I\’ve received a letter. Soon the AARP letters would send me running to the mirror scrutinizing my face for every perceived wrinkle. And let\’s not forget counting each and every strand of grey hair! The closer I got to the BIG 5-0, the less funny it became. In fact, I became downright upset that someone I didn\’t know would keep sending me these messages that “I\’m getting older.” Who needs to be reminded anyway?... Read More

There are 78 million baby boomers in America today that are facing their upcoming retirement and other reminders of growing older. However, this group has already proven themselves to be different than previous generations by being more active, healthier and living more productive lifestyles. The chance to pursue life- long interests and other activities, once constrained by commitments from work and family, is a welcome blessing now. The general premise is, if you want to do something, go for it. In fact, a study done by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in June 2006,... Read More

Parents of Baby Boomers look toward their sixties, seventies and eighties as golden years, with the chance to enjoy the fruits of their labors. But what happens when those days become tarnished gold? What if nothing you or your parents do can restore the shine you all were expecting? This is what faces the Sandwich Generation each year when their parents are diagnosed with Alzheimer\’s, senile dementia or stroke. Today, dementia of some kind has affected 14% of Americans over the age of 71 and the incidence is rising. Caring for these seniors generally falls to their Baby Boomer children;... Read More

As a Baby Boomer member of the Sandwich Generation, perhaps you have already had talks with your aging parents about their wills, beneficiaries, and advanced medical directives for hospital care. But have you discussed an ethical will or the legacy of meaning they wish to leave behind? As parents grow older, it becomes more important to them to be remembered for the life lessons they taught than for the material gifts they leave behind. Rachel remembers her first experience with just such a legacy. “My mother-in-law was a wise woman. Although she wasn\’t able to continue her education... Read More

As a Baby Boomer member of the Sandwich Generation, perhaps you have already had talks with your aging parents about their wills, beneficiaries, and advanced medical directives for hospital care. But have you discussed an ethical will or the legacy of meaning they wish to leave behind? As parents grow older, it becomes more important to them to be remembered for the life lessons they taught than for the material gifts they leave behind. Rachel remembers her first experience with just such a legacy. “My mother-in-law was a wise woman. Although she wasn\’t able to continue her education... Read More

As a Baby Boomer member of the Sandwich Generation, perhaps you have already had talks with your aging parents about their wills, beneficiaries, and advanced medical directives for hospital care. But have you discussed an ethical will or the legacy of meaning they wish to leave behind? As parents grow older, it becomes more important to them to be remembered for the life lessons they taught than for the material gifts they leave behind. Rachel remembers her first experience with just such a legacy. “My mother-in-law was a wise woman. Although she wasn\’t able to continue her education... Read More