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The Bay Area's Resource For Active, Healthy Living After 50
Issue 119 February 2025
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Check Out Featured
Stories In This Issue
Grace In Goodbye. The Work of a Death Doula--Mary Alden
I'm an End-of-Life Doula, also known as a Death Doula. The word doula originates from the ancient Greek term meaning "woman who serves."
Return To The Grand Canyon.
55 Years Later
Now, decades later, visiting the Grand Canyon remains as awe-inspiring as ever—a true masterpiece of nature.
"Love, Commitment And The Open Road.
A Valentine's Story"--Carla King
He had a question. I had an answer. Then came the screeching tires and my suitcase came flying out of the window.
Thinking Of Moving To a Senior Living Community?
Let Katie Conney help you find the perfect place. She does the homework and takes you on tours. At no cost to you. Call 408.513.7838.
Ask Larry
"Is a Skin Shave Biopsy Necessary?"
Minutes after meeting with my dermatologist, I found myself lying on an exam table undergoing a skin shave biopsy to determine if the growth was malignant.
Money Talks. And Myths--Evelyn Preston, Money Lady
If the right palm itched, you were supposedly coming into money,
the left…losing it. Since the mists of time, the wish for financial abundance has manifested itself in magic, legends—remember King Midas—and myths.
Looking For Financial Freedom?
Need extra income? Your biggest gift may be the equity in your home. Call Marilyn Brown Ross to see if a reverse mortgage is right for you. 408.722.0010.
Is It Possible To Live To 300?
Problematic because it’s unlikely that we will see significant leaps in
human life expectancy this century.
Looking For Independent Senior Living?
Senior living doesn't get any better than living at Chateau-Cupertino whether you're in retirement or just ready for the next
great phase of your life. Call Marie Louise Cates 408.446.4300.
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Be Kind To One Another
ActiveOver50 is a monthly, online newsletter publication for active, healthy living after 50 reaching over 100,000 boomers and seniors. Share it with friends and family—it’s completely free!
For more stories and news about boomers and seniors, visit ActiveOver50.com.
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Grace In Goodbye.
The Work of
a Death Doula
By Mary Alden
My name is Mary Alden and I am an End-of-Life Doula, also known as a Death Doula. The word doula originates from the ancient Greek term meaning "woman who serves."
Today, it describes a compassionate companion trained to provide holistic, non-medical support—emotional, physical and health advocacy—through life’s final transition.
In the early 1970s, doula was reintroduced in the context of birth doulas (midwives), and by the early 2000s, its use expanded to include those guiding individuals and their loved ones through their end-of-life journeys.
The support I provided for one of my clients, whom I’ll call George for privacy reasons, exemplifies the broad spectrum of support that most EOL Doulas provide.
READ MORE
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Return To The Grand Canyon.
55 Years Later
By Larry Hayes, A050 Publisher
After competing in a National USTA tennis tournament
in Surprise, AZ in February—where we proudly finished 4th in the nation—my wife, daughter, and I took a three-day trip to the Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim.
The last time we visited this breathtaking wonder was 55 years
ago when we moved to San Jose, CA. At the time, I had just
earned my MA from Syracuse University at age 30.
Now, decades later, the Grand Canyon remains as awe-inspiring
as ever—a true masterpiece of nature.
No words or photographs can fully capture its magnificence.
The sweeping vistas, the sheer grandeur, the profound stillness
—it’s an experience beyond description. If you’ve never been,
go. If you’ve been before, return.
READ MORE
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Your Life Story Matters
The stories in your memoir can be short or long, fun or deep, personal or universal. In Mapping Your Memoir, you'll learn about the many ways to write your memoir and finish stories so you can start sharing them now. Join Linda Joy Myers & Carla King for this inspiring free session on Monday, March 3, 2025, from 10:00-11:00am PT on Zoom.
Sign up here. Questions? Email Carla at hello@carlaking.com.
Vicarious adventure reads
| HELP FOR AUTHORS CarlaKing.com | Your Publishing Compass.com | The Writing & Publishing Circle 1.415.694.9454
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Get Up And Go!
Trek on nature trails, learn about different cultures, explore historic sites, experience new culinary flavors, connect to people with shared interests and stay healthy with Bay Area Older Adults.
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A Valentine's Story
"Love, Commitment And The Open Road"
"He had a question. I had an answer. Then came the screeching tires and my suitcase flying out of the window."
By Carla King
I sighed, leaning farther back against the bench to shade my face as the sun dropped lower in the sky. Its warm light shone golden on my bare legs on this sunny Valentine’s Day weekend in Calistoga, the quaint Northern California hot springs town—one of our favorite places for a short getaway.
Our room wouldn’t be ready for a little while but it was nice to relax and people-watch, decompressing from the two-hour drive up from San Francisco.
A couple on a bicycle built for two rolled past, the woman in the back pointing at something down the street. I caught a snippet of their conversation—something about where to have dinner, oysters maybe, or barbecue.
My stomach rumbled.
“That sounds good,” I said. “With a crisp white from Napa.”
He laughed and agreed. We almost always agreed. We had such a good time together and it was going to be another good weekend.
I snuggled closer to him but he took a sharp breath in and tensed slightly as if I’d pinched him. So I shifted away. But it wasn’t that. He was fumbling for something in his inside jacket pocket.
READ MORE
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Is It Really Possible To
Live To 300?
By Giulia Cambieri, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Publisher's Note: A paper published in Nature Aging last year concluded that it’s unlikely that we will see significant leaps in human life expectancy this century.
Q: What did the study find and what conclusions can we draw from it?
The study looks back at advances in human life expectancy made between 1990 and 2019 in a number of countries where people typically live longer lives and shows that, while average life expectancy has gone up, maximum lifespan has not changed.
Moreover, the pace of increase in average life expectancy has slowed of late. The paper concludes that during that period, medical and public health advances have not slowed human aging and have not done anything to radically prolong lifespan.
Certainly, I would agree with that, but I would also add that no strategies have been implemented in that time with that goal in mind.
What we have been doing remarkably successfully is reducing deaths earlier in life and allowing more of us than ever before to reach old age.
That incredible success has come at a cost however—revealed by this paper—that our bodies have not evolved the capacity to maintain themselves much beyond our current maximum lifespan.
So, our success in allowing more of us to live longer has also given us a much greater burden of age-onset non-communicable diseases, which are causing terrible suffering.
READ MORE
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"Money Talks And Myths"
By Evelyn Preston, Money Lady
Ever hear the expression of having an itchy palm? It’s traced to old folklore and Tarot card predictions of reading palms and deciphering the unique lines and lucky triangles that foretell fortunes and failures.
If the right palm itched, you were supposedly coming into money, the left…losing it. Since the mists of time, the wish for financial abundance has manifested itself in magic, legends—remember King Midas—and myths.
No matter sun signs or stars, smart seniors skip the surreal and practice positive money management. Yet it’s amazing to find that folklore and obsolete expressions concerning money remain in language and practice.
In fact, modern money myths have been around at least since the 1880s when the Skyscraper Index introduced odd notions attached to the performance of financial markets. The belief took hold that the increase in tall buildings consistently previewed a market bust and would presage an economic crisis.
READ MORE for common money myths
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Your Reverse Mortgage Questions Answered by
a Local Expert With 15+ Years' Experience
Q: Will the bank own my home?
The bank does not take ownership of your home; they simply extend
a loan to you. You continue to own and live in your home and are responsible for payment of property taxes, required insurance and if applicable, HOA fees.
Q: Do my children/family members lose their inheritance?
No, a borrower may designate an heir of their choosing.The heir(s) will inherit the home after the last surviving borrower passes away and may then choose to keep (by paying off the amount of reverse mortgage balance) or sell the home. Should they choose to sell, any remaining equity after paying off the loan (minus interest and fees) would be theirs.
Q: What is the lending limit of the HECM reverse mortgage?
As of January 1, 2023, it increased to $1,089,300. Which means
it's very likely you can qualify for more money.
To learn more about reverse mortgages, call me today 408.722.0010. Email: gmross2404@comcast.net.
Marilyn Brown Ross reverse mortgage professional
NMLS #453436/1221981
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ASK LARRY
"What Is a Skin Shave Biopsy and Is It Necessary?"
I recently had a skin shave biopsy on my left hand and here’s my experience:
Concerned that a warty-looking growth on my hand was getting bigger, I scheduled a video consultation with my Kaiser doctor. However, diagnosing skin conditions through video isn’t always reliable.
To get a more accurate assessment, I made an in-person appointment with a nurse who took a photo of the growth and sent it to a lab for evaluation. The result? I was advised to see a dermatologist right away.
Minutes after meeting with the dermatologist, I found myself lying on an exam table undergoing a skin shave biopsy to determine if the growth was malignant.
The procedure started with a mild sting as the area was numbed, followed by several long minutes as the doctor shaved off the growth for lab analysis.
The good news? It wasn’t cancerous—it was seborrheic keratosis. However, the biopsy left me with a sore hand for about a week.
The moral of the story? I probably didn’t need the shave biopsy which was neither fun nor painless. But in the end, better safe than sorry—even if it meant missing a week of tennis!
Got a question or comment? Ask me anything. If I don't know
the answer, I'll find someone who does. Ask Larry is written by Larry Hayes, ActiveOver50 publisher. Email: Larry@activeover50.com. Visit: ActiveOver50.com.
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Discover Chateau-Cupertino
Senior Independent Living Community With a Flair
Senior living doesn't get any better than living at
Chateau-Cupertino whether you're in retirement or just ready for the next great phase of your life. Enjoy a home-life environment in your own senior apartment with three fresh served home-style meals daily.
Housekeeping and laundry services, all basic utilities, great activity programs, game rooms and transportation--all included starting at $3,400 per month.
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Cupertino is one of the best places to live in the San Francisco Bay Area--home to world famous Apple.
Come and see for yourself. Chateau-Cupertino.
Call 408.446.4300. Or email: MarieLouise@chateau-cupertino.com.
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To Add A Chuckle To Your Day, Check Out John Donaghue's Latest Comics.
Under Cardiac Arrest is a comic series starring a quirky couple loosely based on John Donaghue's parents. Besides thousands of followers online, UCA has been translated into greeting cards, shirts, mugs and a book.
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Editorial Request
Share Your Health & Nutrition Tips With ActiveOver50
Do you have meal-planning hacks, superfood secrets or tips for managing health conditions like diabetes or arthritis? ActiveOver50 wants to hear from you!
Share your stories, recipes and advice to help inspire and empower our community to live healthier, longer lives.
Submission details:
- 250-500 words with your name/photo and a brief bio
- Send to Larry@activeover50.com and join us in sharing tips on healthy living after 50.
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