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The Bay Area's Trusted Resource For Healthy Living After 50
September 2026 Issue 138
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Featured Stories
Move? Stay? Or Reinvent Home?--Charm Bianchini
Senior Living Options & Costs In SF Bay Area--Preston Houston
Senior Living Secrets Most Families Don't Know--Charm Bianchini
Newly Updated ActiveOver50 Senior Living Guide
Kayaking, Hiking And Bears In Kenai, Alaska--Don Mankin
Beyond Prop 43: The Battles On The Ballot--Evelyn Preston
What Surprises a 90 Year Old?
Ask Larry: "Should I Cash Out?"
Today's Chuckle--"Are You Shrinking or Downsizing?"
P.S. Please feel free to forward The Scoop to anyone who may be interested in helpful information and stories about enjoying a longer, healthier life. It's FREE! ActiveOver50.com
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Stay? Move? Reinvent Home?
Senior living is changing. So is the way we think about home
By Charm Bianchini
Forget the old picture of “senior living.” Across the Bay Area, today’s choices can look more like a lively neighborhood or resort than the retirement homes many of us remember. And there are more choices than ever: 55+ communities, independent living, continuing-care communities, assisted living, smaller residential communities and new combinations of housing and services. The important question isn't, “Am I ready for senior living?” It's, "How do I want to live next?"
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Senior Living Options & Costs In The San Francisco Bay Area
By Preston Houston
Choosing where to live as we age means balancing independence, care, lifestyle, family support and cost.
Many Bay Area senior communities offer independent living and assisted living together, often with memory care. Others specialize in one level of care. Because terminology varies, compare what is actually included, what costs extra and what happens when care needs change.
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Experience the Warmth of Palo Alto Commons
Premier Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care in the heart of Palo Alto, offering private apartments, chef-prepared meals, housekeeping, transportation and compassionate 24/7 care. Discover comfort, connection and peace of mind. Call 650-494-0760 to schedule your tour today and see the difference.
| | Newly Updated ActiveOver50 Senior Living Guide. Free | | Thinking about moving? Our newly updated ActiveOver50 Senior Living Guide is packed with practical resources, expert advice and local services to help you find a new home. | | |
Discover Chateau-Cupertino.
A Community Designed 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. Enjoy a home-life environment in your own senior apartment with three fresh served home-style meals daily.
Starting at $3750 monthly.
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The Senior Living Secret Most Families Don’t Know About
By Charm Bianchini
Looking for senior living? Before you start clicking, know whom to call.
Maybe Mom shouldn’t be living alone anymore. Dad needs more help. Or perhaps you’re thinking it’s time to trade home maintenance for an easier lifestyle. Then comes the big question: Where do I start?
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Make Your Home Safer Before
a Fall Happens
Steady Grip Home Safety installs grab bars, handrails, ramps and other customized safety solutions to help you or a loved one stay safe, confident and independent at home. Every home is different which is why we provide personalized recommendations and professional installations that blend safety with your home's style.
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SYNERGY HomeCare of Silicon Valley
SYNERGY HomeCare provides compassionate professional caregivers, in your home, for seniors across Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. Whether care is needed a few hours a week or around the clock (no minimum hours required), we provide a perfect caregiver match for your care needs. Free consultations.
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Kayaking, Hiking and Watching Bears In The Kenai Refuge
By Don Mankin, travel writer
There is more to Alaska than Denali and the cruise up the Inside Passage. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, a vast, accessible wilderness region in south central Alaska just a three-hour drive from Anchorage, contains some of the most beautiful scenery in the state.
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Caring Hands Caregivers.
Trusted Care Today.
Smarter Aging Tomorrow
For 15+ years, Caring Hands Caregivers has helped Bay Area families age well at home earning 60+ 5-star Google reviews. Now, our Active Lifestyle Advocates program pairs trusted core care with real prevention: balance testing, fall-risk reduction and connected home monitoring.
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What Surprises You Most
About Being 90?
A Conversation With Joyce Hanna
It does sound old to our generation but if you look at the statistics, there are about 101,000 (I looked it up) centenarians in US today, nearly tripled in the last 3 decades. So it’s not such a big deal any more to reach 100. Especially those of us fortunate to be living with stability and healthy food and living conditions. I think we should definitely raise our expectations of how long and well we can live today.
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Reverse Mortgage
Myth Of The Month
By Marilyn Brown Ross
Myth: The bank owns your home if you
get a reverse mortgage.
Fact: You keep ownership of your home. Reverse mortgages are often misunderstood. Discover the truth about this common myth and learn how they really work.
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AI Doesn't Have To Be Intimidating
AI is becoming part of everyday life but with new technology come new risks from misinformation and privacy concerns to increasingly convincing online scams. Award-winning author Dawn O’Neal helps everyday people, especially older adults, understand AI without the technical jargon and use it with greater confidence and awareness.
Her latest book, AI ~ What Could POSSIBLY Go Wrong?, explores the risks of an AI-powered world and the smarter choices we can make. FREE eBook on Amazon October 2–3.
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Ask Larry
"Should I Cash Out?"
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"My house has gone way up in value. I’m tempted to sell, take the money and move somewhere cheaper out of state. I could buy a house for a lot less and have money left over for retirement. Good idea?"— Ready to Cash Out
Dear Ready,
Maybe. Just remember: Zillow doesn’t know where your grandkids live. Selling a pricey house and buying a cheaper one can be a great retirement move. If you sell for $1 million and replace it with a $500,000 home, you could unlock some serious cash.
But that $500,000 difference isn’t going straight into your pocket.
There may be a mortgage to pay off, commissions and closing costs, moving expenses and possibly taxes. Then there’s the new place. Property taxes, insurance, utilities and health-care costs can make “cheap” surprisingly expensive.
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Beyond Prop 43. More Battles On
The Ballot
By Evelyn Preston, Money Lady
Last month, I reviewed Prop 43—to uphold the 2/3 majority vote needed to pass any vote (both Government and citizen initiatives) to raise taxes. Yet a half-page article in the Mercury News by a county supervisor no less, called this completely undemocratic.
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Watch Local TV For Free
Cutting back on cable or streaming costs? A high-definition TV antenna can cost less than $25 on Amazon and lets you watch local broadcast television for free. Depending on your location and reception, you may receive ABC, CBS, KGO, NBC, FOX, PBS and other local channels in HD. Simply connect the antenna to your TV, position it for good reception and run a channel scan. There’s no monthly fee, making it an affordable way to enjoy local news, sports and network television.
Discover What Your Library Offers. Free
Your local Bay Area library offers much more than books! A library card can provide free e-books, audiobooks, movies, online learning and free or discounted passes to museums and attractions. Libraries also offer free monthly workshops and events, both online and in person, including many for seniors. Topics include technology help, health and wellness, financial education, crafts and more.
Note: Campbell’s new library is anything but typical! Bold, modern, and beautifully designed, it brings a whole new look and energy to the traditional library experience.
Come Join Us at Campbell AARP!
Larry is a member of Campbell AARP and would love to welcome you! It’s a wonderful place to meet new friends, enjoy monthly speakers, participate in interesting programs and luncheons, and find meaningful ways to volunteer and give back. Come share good conversation, make new connections, and be part of a warm and welcoming community. We’d love to have you join us!
Learn more at https://campbellaarp.org/
| | 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. | | | | |
