Raising voices with joy despite dementia
In a bright, spacious meeting room at Salisbury Presbyterian Church, more than 20 singers gather to rehearse Broadway songs for their spring performance. The Joyful Voices group harmonizes to The Sound of Music, lifting their voices as they sing the opening words: “The hills are alive.” One member of the chorus arrives late, but the moment she walks in the door, her mouth is... READ MORE
She built more than a restaurant
Every day, Virginia Rollins Ali, 85, stops by the landmark restaurant she and her late husband, Ben, opened on D.C.’s U Street in 1958. She walks from table to table, greeting the regulars, tourists, athletes, politicians and movie stars who visit Ben’s Chili Bowl for a half-smoke, chili cheese fries or a milkshake. Most of the time she gives them a hug. “You’d think she’s... READ MORE
Pioneer changed attitudes, lives
Forty years ago, Marge Burba revved up her Cougar station wagon each morning to pick up five older adults and bring them to her two-story home in Olney, where the living room and kitchen were turned over to them as part of a program meant to keep them engaged during the day. At a time when a sociological theory that withdrawing from society was both natural and acceptable late in life... READ MORE
A city icon with an inner secret
Those familiar with downtown Baltimore can’t miss the Bromo-Seltzer Clock Tower, which has overlooked the Charm City skyline since 1911. But in the last decade, changes have been afoot inside the iconic landmark. Now known as the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, since 2007 the Tower has provided studio space for artists, as well as a venue for free exhibitions, receptions and live... READ MORE
Celebrating 170 years of caring
Every day, the telephone rings at the home of Richard, a Richmond widower (who asked that his real name not be used). Since his wife’s death several years ago, he’s had trouble coping, he said, and the daily call makes his day. “Every morning I get to talk to people who actually care about how I am doing,” Richard said. “They make me feel like somebody.” Those phone calls... READ MORE
Love music? Time to get jazzed
“You must join a jazz band!” shouted my sight-singing teacher after I played a few bars on the piano. “What? I’m 76 years old. Who would want me?” I replied. Well, the Jazz Workshop did. Paul Pieper, who runs the 18 two-hour classes and jam sessions every week in Tysons Corner, had me sit in on a session so we could size each other up. Since I took jazz piano lessons in... READ MORE
A father’s harrowing memoir
Columbia resident Morey Kogul’s recently published book is about an immigrant who illegally makes a border crossing to escape almost-certain death, and who then, after incredible hardships and adventures, is able to settle in a free country and raise a loving family. But while the story seems pulled from today’s headlines, the protagonist of this hair-raising non-fiction story is... READ MORE
She defies her bipolar diagnosis
Charita Cole Brown remembers being “weepy and clingy” as a child, but she didn’t experience her first significant bout of depression until high school. She rebounded from that and went on to college at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where she majored in English. But during her first semester, she suffered another round of depression and withdrew from school for a ... READ MORE
Dancers discover a new passion in life
After having played competitive volleyball for nearly 30 years, Pam Bishop, 59, was ready for a change. She still enjoyed playing, but had torn her rotator cuff and had trouble with her knees. “They sounded like Rice Krispies whenever I went up the stairs,” Bishop said. At six feet tall, she has also suffered from scoliosis. When she quit volleyball and discovered ballroom ... READ MORE
Making peace through mediation
Older adults and their grown children confront a multitude of thorny issues when making decisions that affect the whole family — from how to divide up an estate among competitive siblings, to when it’s time to accept help at home, stop driving or move to assisted living. Some of these matters fester and never get resolved, others drag on for years (perhaps even through the court... READ MORE
