Embracing senior moments with humor, insight
Aging — and dying — may be an inevitability, but it need not be a tragedy.
Aging — and dying — may be an inevitability, but it need not be a tragedy.
Why take Max Izenberg’s advice on what’s going on around town? Because the retired nutritionist knows what’s good for you.
As bombs dropped over Germany, aerial photographer Arthur Oxenberg would lean out of a B-17 Flying Fortress with his camera to snap a photograph. His photos were a way the U.S. Army Air Forces could tell whether bombs hit their targets.
The High Holy Day liturgy includes the poignant plea: \”Do not cast me off b\’eyt zikna,\” which is usually translated as \”when I get old.\” It is a fear many of us have, but are often afraid to articulate. We live in a youth-intoxicated culture where older people are sometimes invisible.
I called my 94-year-old father in Ohio on July 9. I told him how much I loved him, that he was the most wonderful father ever, that I would miss him, and that it was OK for him to let go.
Al Azus has found his fountain of youth, and he’s not keeping it a secret. In fact, the 92-year-old philanthropist recently published a memoir whose title all but gives his formula away: “Live Longer by Giving.”
In my new capacity as the son of an Alzheimer\’s victim, I have many questions. Some of them are Jewish questions. One kept me up for hours the other night, leading me to my bookshelf at 3 a.m., combing through volumes to see what insights I might glean. What happens to the soul during Alzheimer\’s?
Many potential residents pin their hopes on assisted living and its menu of services as a means to keep them independent for as long as possible. Seniors who require help and support in managing their daily activities, but who don\’t need medical oversight or intense supervision, are the best candidates for assisted living. They may select from a range of possible services, including meals, laundry, cleaning, bathing, dressing, toileting and other personal care, albeit for additional fees.
Elaine Sandberg fits the mold of what you would expect to encounter when you consider someone who plays American mah-jongg. She\’s Jewish and just past retirement age.
Every year when I send out that first e-mail asking educators and leaders from around the city to nominate high school seniors for this \”Outstanding Seniors\” article, the angst begins. I get the names of dozens of nominees, and through a one-paragraph description I\’m supposed to figure out who belongs in this feature. It\’s an impossible task, and inevitably I resign myself to the ultimate randomness of this selection — for every teen I pick, 10 others could have filled that spot.\n