All of us have dealt with the embarrassment of not remembering a person's name and fumbling through a conversation. Are you losing your memory? No. It has to do with names themselves and not impending senility. This article suggests that names are really "arbitary and meaningless" and need to be linked with something else to keep them in mind. Try joining a person's name with their occupation or thinking of something humorous or vivid when you meet. Repetition also works: if you repeat someone’s name back after introductions and use it at least once in conversation, it can can help fix it in your mind.
If you need to be convinced that being an entrepreneur after 50 isn't a pipe dream, read this article and you may find yourself imagining the logo for your new business. The entrepreneurial path is alluring for boomers with newfound free time and either financial freedom or financial insecurity on their hands. As one boomer business woman put it, "If we do this right, we could be entering ...a "golden age" of entrepreneurship, where smart, educated people embrace business ownership partly out of necessity, partly fueled by their dreams, and partly to grab control of their lives."
The subject of elder abuse is one that many of us don't like to address. But, with so many older adults living with family, in nursing homes, or other care facilities, there are many questions we need to ask to identify if an older person is experiencing physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and even financial abuse. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), it is very difficult to know exactly how many victims of elder abuse there are each year. The best estimates range from 1 million to 2 million per year, but reporting rates are low. This article provides some of the ways abuse is occurring and offers prevention strategies that can help us confront this problem.
If you want a drug-free way of lifting your depression, research suggests that if you do something nice for someone else, you will feel better about yourself and more positive about what is happening around you. The studies talk about "positive activity interventions" -- things like helping someone with groceries, writing a thank you note, or even counting your blessings -- that can lift your mood. Positive activity interventions come in a variety of forms, including: being kind to others, expressing gratitude, thinking optimistically, and meditating on the good things in life. I already feel better linking you to this article!
A lot has been written about the boomer experience...we are, after all, 79 milion people strong... and interested in what age 50+ looks like. An interesting addition is "The Nextnik," a six-episode online video written by movie-maker Mike Kravinsky that follows the tribulations, and triumphs, of Larry Zimmerman, a 55-year-old, upper management family man, who was fired and left with no clue about what comes next. His exploration of what really matters and how he makes a transition is the focus of this series. Tune in and let us know what you think.
So, you are a new grandparent and can't wait to get your hands on that darling bundle lying in the crib. But, you notice that there aren't any bumpers in the crib, the baby is wrapped like a mummy and is on her back. What's going on? Well, some baby care issues have changed and this interview on NPR will fill you in on the latest thinking and the best approach to being the kind of grandparent who gets invited to check the new diapers that have a "pee" line. And there are classes for grandparents to give you the "cred" your children might require.
Intel is proud to announce that they are the first company to make Encore Fellowships at local nonprofits available to all of its eligible pre-retiree employees nationwide. Encore Fellowships, created by Civic Ventures, are designed to provide a new source of experienced talent to organizations solving critical social problems, while offering those who have finished midlife careers the chance to transition to encore careers in the nonprofit sector for 6 to 12 months, full or part-time, with a $25,000 stipend. To learn more about this unique program, click here.
In the 1960s and 70s, living on a commune was a cool thing to do...for awhile. By the 80s, most had moved out of these "intentional communities" -- artists' collectives, religious communes, or self-help oriented communes -- got jobs and started anew. This Atlantic Monthly article follows one woman back to The Farm in Tennessee where she gave birth to her first child at 16 and is finalizing her return to the place she has always considered home. She is among a number of "hippies" taking the road back to a community that meets their needs again at this later stage in their lives.
Just before Thanksgiving, New York Times columnist David Brooks asked readers in their 70s to send him their thoughts about their lives...the good, the bad, and what happened in between. Among the extracted life lessons that Brooks shares are the positives of dividing your life into chapters, the negatives of rumination and self-obsession, and the realization that you can't control other people. This article is fascinating for readers of every age -- providing insights about life and lessons learned that might resonate for you.
