Sober reflections
Whenever I write about my parents (Dad is 92, Mom is 83), I get a larger-than-usual number of comments from readers. Many identify with me as the “adult child” trying to help my parents cope. Others identify with my parents and what they are going through at that moment.My January column generated a particularly large number of comments, some of which I want to share with you.... READ MORE
Reporter for a day
I’ve been a publisher and editor since my wife and I started the Beacon newspapers 24 years ago. Still, it’s a rare thing these days when I actually “report” on anything myself.During the quiet days at the end of 2012, as I was reading about the fiscal cliff negotiations and Congress was being called back into session over New Year’s Eve weekend, I had a... READ MORE
Appreciation time
It’s definitely feeling like fall around here. And with Thanksgiving not far away, autumn always feels like a good time to think about appreciation.I have a number of things to be thankful for this fall, not the least of which is our staff here at the Beacon. And apparently I’m not the only one who thinks they are doing a wonderful job.In the last month, three national newspaper ... READ MORE
No patience for politics
It’s been a few years since I attended the national convention of the American Society on Aging, one of the major associations for professionals of all types who work in the field of aging.This year’s event took place in this area, so I went to the opening session to hear the featured speakers. The hotel ballroom was set up for 3,000 convention attendees, with huge screens... READ MORE
A California Beacon
I am pleased to announce the “birth” of a new Beacon this month. Not exactly a sibling of our Washington, Baltimore and Howard County editions. More of a cousin perhaps.I am referring to the new Coachella Valley Beacon — serving residents 50 and over in Palm Springs, Palm Desert and other cities in California’s Coachella Valley, situated about 100 miles east of... READ MORE
Tooting our horn
Every year, we enter a selection of our original stories in the editorial contests run by the two largest 50+ media associations: the National Mature Media Awards, and the North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA) awards.I am pleased to report that the Beacon once again came away from both competitions with some top honors. In fact, this year, all three of our Beacon editions... READ MORE
Moving the folks (Part II)
A number of readers have commented to me on my column last month, in which I shared some observations on the occasion of my parents (ages 82 and 91) moving from their condo into an assisted living facility in Austin, Texas. No one has actually asked me why my parents would decide to stay in Texas when my brother and I, their only children, live in the greater Washington area. But I think ... READ MORE
Moving the folks (Part I)
My parents, whom long-time readers have “met” before in this column, have once again graciously provided me with an occasion for some musings. You see, they’ve recently moved into an assisted living facility.While I have edited articles about such moves many times over the years, this is my first opportunity to experience one myself, and therein lie a few tales.First, what ... READ MORE
Coming to our census
I’ve long been on record as objecting to the use of terms like Age Wave, Senior Tsunami and the like to describe the demographic changes occurring across America (and, indeed, the world). I take issue with such terminology because it suggests the aging of our population will be a sudden and destructive event, and it is neither. No wave will come crashing down on us unexpectedly one day;... READ MORE
Power of the people
I have great news: It looks like any potential plans to dissolve the Maryland Department of Aging have been dropped, at least for now.As many of you know, last month the Beacon helped promote a grassroots campaign to urge Governor Martin O’Malley not to dismantle the Maryland Department of Aging or distribute its programs to other state agencies in an attempt to cut costs.In... READ MORE
