Coming of Age May 2023

In the May issue of Coming of Age's monthly newsletter, join us as we explore cybersecurity, older dancers wowing Golden State Warriors fans, and remember Harry Belafonte, EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner and activist, and more!

A barrier-breaking singer, actor and activist, Harry Belafonte, born March 1, 1927, died at 96 on April 25, 2023. His music hit the pop charts while breaking through racial barriers. Belafonte also became a friend and lifelong supporter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He provided money to bail out Dr. King and other civil rights activists when they were arrested.

Above, a 1960 performance of Day-O (The Banana Boat Song.)

His musical talent was discovered in 1951 when he sang at New York's Village Vanguard in Greenwich Village, and later at the Blue Angel on the Upper East Side. As an actor, he starred with Dorothy Dandridge in the 1954 movie, Carmen Jones, among other credits as late as 2018, where he played Jerome Turner in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman.

A rare EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award) winner, he won an Emmy in 1960 for his special, Tonight With Belafonte, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, an Academy award -- the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2014 honoring his work for civil rights and other causes, and a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Broadway's 1953 revue, John Murray Anderson's Almanac. Read more.

The Hardwood Classics, a 55+ dance squad, steals the show at the NBA's Golden State Warriors home games in San Francisco. They range in age from 55-77.

Jan, who's been with the squad for five seasons, is the veteran of the group. "The very first time we went out, we didn't know how we would be received.

"The fans really were behind us and applauded ... it was just such an emotional, wonderful experience," said Jan, who turns 78 in August.

Hear the 2-minute podcast on NPR.

The dancers come from different backgrounds, from a season ticket holder with a day job in healthcare to Jan, a professional dancer whose career began when she was a teenager and led her to chorus lines, television, travel to Europe, and the role of a contortionist in an acrobatic act. She said she still does splits to limber up. Read more.

According to David Kolesnikow, Founder and CEO of Boomernology, which helps New York City-based older adults work with technology, "computer fraud against older adults in today’s digital world is a significant concern."

Cybercriminals use various tactics to gain access to sensitive information, leading to identity theft, phishing scams, credit card fraud, and other harm. However, there are ways to protect ourselves from these threats. He provides these five tips:

1. Keep Your Software Updated. Include operating systems, browsers, apps, and anti-virus programs.
2. Secure Your Digital Life With Strong Passwords. Use combinations of upper/lowercase letters, numbers and symbols for a minimum of eight characters. Invest in a password manager. And don't keep them on multiple scraps of paper or napkins.
3. Be Wary of Suspicious Emails and Links. Don't open or click in suspicious emails.
4. Use Two-Factor Authentication. Many websites and apps add an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring a code in addition to your password.
5. Secure Your Wi-Fi Network. If you must use public Wi-Fi, invest in a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to keep your information secure. Use a strong password for home Wi-Fi networks and create a separate guest password for any visitors. Read more.

Solo agers might be divorced, widowed, single, or have no family living nearby, be it by choice or by circumstance.

Carol Marak, a mentor and the author of Solo and Smart, reviews important questions to consider to help plan in advance for solo aging in this Coming of Age webinar, recorded and posted to our YouTube channel.

See the article Marak authored on this topic here.

Debunking ageism myths around the topical issue of the presidency are three authors who reflect on the capacity and abilities of likely older candidates in the next presidential election.

Dr. H. Steven Moffic, an award-winning psychiatrist, author and speaker specializing in the ethics of psychiatry, discusses the issue of ageism in the upcoming presidential election. He posits that candidates Donald J. Trump (R), 76, and Joe Biden (D), 80, both are in good health, and that older adults are known for their wisdom. He mentions that the Jeste-Thomas Wisdom Scale, a test that can be taken online to determine age-appropriate wisdom, might be a better gauge for these candidates than making ageist assumptions about their fitness to serve. Hear his video commentary here.

Avivah Wittenberg-Cox writes in Forbes about the flaws of ageism: "Most of us are likely to live and work far longer than we think. Like Biden, many of us may only achieve our dreams and goals at unimaginably later ages than we had expected. Imagine what this president may yet teach us all about our own possibilities and potential with another four years." She also points out that the benefits of longevity make our current Senate the second oldest in U.S. history. Read more.

In The Hill, Joel Zivot, M.D., M.A., J.M., associate professor of anesthesiology and surgery, Emory School of Medicine, and senior fellow of the Emory Center for Ethics, provides a perspective on presidents who died while in office and the causes, and cites actuarial age-prediction models (for those saying the older presidents may die in office), and addresses Nikki Haley's attacks on age and fitness to serve. Read more.

We all know that age bias against older workers is based on outdated stereotypes. Recent research refutes these stereotypes in very compelling terms. Older adults add knowledge and experience to the workplace and help improve productivity, innovation, stability, and profitability for employers that hire and retain them. In today’s marketplace, age is a strategic imperative.

The Over-50 Employment Affinity Group of the Encore Network -- an organization of thought leaders in the older adult services community -- on May 17 launched an Age-Friendly Employer Guide that brings together data, sources, examples, and other resources in a format that makes it easy for leaders to learn, assess, adapt, and align their policies and practices for the benefit of older workers. Read more.

We're pleased to be one of the first organizations to present a topic studied for more than a decade leading to a burgeoning movement today that trumpets the concept of awe and its beneficial effects on the nervous system.

Awe is an emotion we experience when we’re filled with wonder or amazement. Researchers define awe as the human response to experiences that transcend the way we typically perceive the world. These moments generate a sense of wonder or an experience of mystery.

Join Martha Blackwelder, founder of Unexpected Adventures NYC, an educational company based in NYC that creates and leads small group events, for an exploration of the burgeoning awe moments and awe walks movement, and the fascinating research behind it. The science clearly shows that a life filled with awe moments is beneficial for your physical health and emotional well-being, bringing our nervous system, heartbeat and breath into sync — and even into sync with others around us. 

FREE | via Zoom

Wednesday, May 24 | 7-8 p.m. EDT

Explore Your Future Workshop

Virtual from Anywhere OR In-Person in New York City

Back in the day, when people “retired,” they often had a “retirement party” on the Friday night of their last full day, and got a gold watch and a pension. A good "send-off into the "Golden Years," right? Not always. Most of them woke up the Monday morning after the celebration to a stark reality. Their best friends were still at work. The armchair and the remote clicker became their best friend.

"So, what’s next?" they exclaimed. "Plenty!" has been the answer for those fortunate enough to attend the Explore Your Future workshop. Read more.

The Explore Your Future workshop provides tools to plan the "next chapter" in life through an inspiring, in-depth, and engaging workshop. Here is an opportunity to express and explore your strengths, interests and abilities, and gain tools to develop and achieve goals. All participants receive a workbook to refer to during and after the workshop.

Upon completion of the program, you will become a lifetime member of EYF+, the invitation-only, free, Explore Your Future alumni community that meets monthly for continued support in setting and reaching goals. Take advantage today of early-bird registration.

Tuesdays, June 6 and June 13 | 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EDT

Early Bird Fee: $20 (normally $25)

Mondays, June 5, 12 and 26 | 2-4 p.m. EDT | Greenwich Village, New York City

FREE | Greenwich House | 27 Barrow Street | NYC

Registration for in-person sessions is processed by Greenwich House.

To register for in-person sessions, contact Greenwich House:

1. Email: workforce@greenwichhouse.org
2. Call: 917-261-4598
3. Visit: 27 Barrow St., 4th Floor, NYC on M-F between 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The Coming of Age bibliography cites books geared toward older adults on the topics of navigating the "third age," thinking about work, successful aging, the aging process, and social issues and trends. Read more.

For additional resources, visit the Resources page of our website at comingofage.org/resources. Please email us if you would like to recommend additional books and resources at info@comingofage.org.

Want to host a Coming of Age webinar, help us find resources, be on our Zoom tech team, and/or help plan events? Or do you have something age-positive to share? If you're an older adult looking for something rewarding to do with your extra time, we're looking for you! Email us at info@comingofage.org.

Make a difference in the lives of 1,000+ New Yorkers every single day with a tax-deductible donation to PSS, which operates Coming of Age and Coming of Age NYC. We are proud that 91 cents of every dollar we raise goes directly to our vital programs and services.