Collections that spur memories
Collectors are an odd lot. From the quirky — airsickness bags (unused, we assume) — to the valuable — antique Chinese porcelain — there’s no telling what can capture our passion.It’s easier to be a collector these days (which some say takes the fun out of it) because with only a keystroke and a credit card our computers allow us to buy whatever our... READ MORE
Office still fights discrimination
Howard County resident Fred Johnson, 56, was rated “highly effective” as a manager at the auto parts business where he was employed. That was in 2010, when he was the oldest — and told he was one of the best — of the 12 managers at the company.Soon after, a new supervisor took over his department. Johnson (not his real name) was told he was being put on a... READ MORE
Giving back gives life meaning
It’s terrific living in a community of doers and givers. In the Coachella Valley, there is no shortage of people who are willing to donate their time and money to charitable causes with hardly a second thought.So, when deciding who to feature as leading philanthropists in our valley, we had quite a crop of candidates to choose from. Narrowing the field was not easy, but we selected... READ MORE
A change of pace in healthcare
Although Frank Gold suffered from polio as a child, it didn’t stop him from becoming a paratrooper in the Pacific during World War II.A stroke a couple years ago slowed his gait and slurred his speech. But like the determined, independent young man he was in the 1940s, Gold, now 89, can’t imagine moving into a nursing home.Instead, he lives with his daughter in Burke, Va., and... READ MORE
First surgery center for seniors
After Gloria Levin had been hospitalized five times earlier this year with a severe hiatal hernia and complications, she was told she was not a candidate for surgery, and there was nothing more that could be done for her. They recommended that hospice care be arranged.“They gave up on me,” said the 83-yearold Pikesville resident. “They told me to go home and... READ MORE
Silver screen silver anniversary
The Palm Springs International Film Festival and its accompanying awards gala have reached the 25-year mark, and this year’s celebration of film will honor the past, and more importantly, offer a glimpse into the future of film.Since 1990, the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) has been the benchmark of high-quality international artistic cinematic expression. Numerous... READ MORE
Mom’s apron strings strangle late-life love
Ann Landers has been gone for some time now, and I’ve never seen myself as a replacement. But one recent day, the phone rang with a question that was vintage Ann: “How do you keep a 90-something mother out of the love life of her 60-something son?” The person doing the asking was the love interest of the 60-something son. She is 60-something herself. I know both... READ MORE
From disabilities to art abilities
Great art has often been associated to some degree with artists stalked by psychological conditions and other impairments. Vincent van Gogh, whose works are currently being displayed at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., is probably one of the first examples to come to mind.So might it also be true that older adults with Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury or stroke might be ... READ MORE
Can you expand your brain?
“Just because your brain can’t hop on a treadmill doesn’t mean it can’t exercise,” said Dr. Majid Fotuhi, chief medical officer of the NeurExpand Brain Center set to open in November on the Howard County General Hospital campus.The center, which Fotuhi will head, will treat “anyone who has concerns about memory and brain functions,” he said.... READ MORE
Joan Rivers: fashionable at 80
“I’m having a great time,” Joan Rivers crowed before offering a brisk self-appraisal: “Everything is working, my mind is fine.“The only time I play the age card is on planes when I’m trying to put a bag above the seat: ‘I am 80 years old! Would someone PLEASE help me?!’”She turned 80 in June, a milestone that prompted the E! network to... READ MORE
