The traditional end of summer is just around the corner, and the 100-degree days have packed their bags and headed south to that other hemisphere to spoil their days. I won’t miss those hot days that made me irritable and lethargic; I only wanted to stay someplace cool and read a good book. 

For all of you who are caregivers, and the many of us who will be, I want to share “A Caregiver’s Pledge” to remind us how meaningful it is to care for someone, while taking care of ourselves.

Prospective memory is a form of memory that involves remembering to perform a planned action sometime in the future. This type of memory task is common in daily life.

It may be surprising to know that dehydration is not just a concern during the summer’s heat; it can also occur at any time of the year. So how much liquid should I drink?

I imagine every one of you can name at least one person who has fallen during the last year. It may even be you. But there are actions you can take to prevent falls, which are one of the most serious health risks for older adults.

The local Vaux’s Swifts are tiny, soot-colored birds that live mostly in the air. They nest in trees and chimneys, sticking three-inch nests of twigs together with saliva. They don’t bother with territories and may build multiple nests in the same tree.

As we grow older, humor can reduce stress, improve immune function, ease pain, strengthen emotional resilience, and support better sleep and mood.

Epic arguments between a house wren and a big gopher snake once woke me up at dawn, when the reptile tried to snitch eggs from the little wooden nestbox outside my childhood bedroom window.

Think back when you were young. There was energy and enthusiasm; the future was a banquet of choices and opportunities, so many things to do and so little time to do them. And “Yet, knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.”

When I talked with folks at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center, we seldom discussed our past. I didn’t know where most people worked or went to school, or what their children were doing, although grandchildren were often mentioned.

How do you feel about getting older, entering the next chapter, maturing like a fine wine, becoming a golden oldie, moving into classic status … Stop! That’s enough with the euphemisms!