A safe space to talk about the end of life
Who will take care of my pets when I die? Who will make decisions for me if I’m unconscious? And what kind of funeral do I want, if any? These are just some of the practical questions that come up at regular gatherings — known somewhat tongue-in-cheek as “death cafés” — intended to help people honestly talk about the touchy subject of their own death. “Even though we all... READ MORE
Nighttime driving: Know when to say when
Sometimes old age creeps up on little cat feet. Sometimes it punches you in the eyes. My baby blues had always been my best ally. They could read the bottom line during the ophthalmologist’s exam—no problem. They could handle the smallest type in the newspaper without glasses. They even won me a few bucks as a college student. Driving back to campus on interstate highways, with a... READ MORE
Volunteers honored for decades of work
For the past 26 years, Montgomery County, Maryland, has honored two older residents with the annual Neal Potter Path of Achievement Award for their lifelong commitment to volunteer work. The awards, named after former County Executive Neal Potter, are co-sponsored by the Montgomery County Commission on Aging and the Beacon Newspapers. This year, the county selected Hettie Fleming of... READ MORE
Folger’s ‘Twelfth Night’ brings laughs, sighs
Director Mei Ann Teo whips up a sparkling production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, at the Folger Shakespeare Library through June 22. Spun through with song and sexy humor, it’s contemporary but also very much in a tradition Shakespeare’s audiences would appreciate. From the play’s first arresting moments, as a young woman on a sinking ship is tossed by waves that... READ MORE
At 50, county aging service has aged well
If you have to get older — and we all do — Howard County is a great place to do it. The county’s thriving 50+ centers, classes for people over 55 and other programs are designed to help residents age with dignity and maybe even some fun. Howard County launched its Department of Community Resources and Services in 1975, along with its Office on Aging. The latter’s priorities were... READ MORE
Mystery writer publishes fifth book
Flo McCahon’s childhood obsession started with Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden. Hoping to write a mystery novel one day, McCahon kept a journal in which she captured her thoughts, developed characters and started ideas for murder plots. “Gratefully,” she writes on her website, Dark and Stormy Night Mysteries, “no one found these journals with my murder plots and jumped to a wrong ... READ MORE
Vintage vinyl holds a place in my heart
It had to happen, and now it has. I was attending a social event full of 20-something adults. The talk turned to popular music back in the day. I said I used to have a large library of records — 33s, 45s and 78s. Blank looks all around. Finally, one youngster broke the ice. “Uh, Bob,” she said, “what do those numbers mean?” Thus did this group join the throngs who have ... READ MORE
Teamwork times two: the story of AA
Chances are you know someone with a drinking problem or other addiction. If they’ve sought help from a 12-step program, they have Bill and Lois Wilson to thank. Bill Wilson co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, and 16 years later, his wife, Lois, co-founded Al-Anon, a support group for people whose lives are affected by alcoholism. Both programs include 12 steps, which include... READ MORE
Dolly Parton’s books for kids
Every month, when Eris Doweary’s 4-year-old daughter sees a book arrive in the mail, she “gets excited,” her mother said. “She’ll yell at me, ‘Mommy, I got a new book!’” said the D.C. resident. “It’s a treat for her when the books come into the house.” Doweary’s daughter, who has been receiving free books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since she was... READ MORE
‘Music Man’ offers fun blast from the past
Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia is now presenting The Music Man, the brash, classic musical of Americana. The show opened on Broadway in 1954, garnering five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and inspiring a motion picture released eight years later that starred Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and Buddy Hackett. The Music Man centers around Harold Hill, a self-proclaimed... READ MORE
