Online dating: a guide for people over 50
When I was younger and in a different era, it was easy meeting single men, striking up a conversation and dating. Well, sorry to say, older single people today have a tough time meeting the right partner, someone who shares similar likes and dislikes and really wants a meaningful, long-term relationship where both feel mutual chemistry. Having been married twice, my hope was to find... READ MORE
Without tech, some ‘phone it in’ to the doc
Video telemedicine took off earlier this year as the coronavirus paused in-person doctor visits. Earl Egner missed that trend. The 84-year-old diabetic and cancer survivor has no computer or cellphone. Instead, he relies on a form of communication older than himself — the telephone — to talk to doctors as he stays hunkered down in his home in Somerset, Virginia. “We don’t even... READ MORE
Students develop virtual reality hikes
Take a trek to Skeleton Point on the South Kaibab Trail along the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Head to California and make your way to the Bridge to Nowhere or Potato Chip Rock. Find yourself atop Mother Miguel Mountain in Ohio or in the caves of Natural Tunnel State Park in Virginia. All are possibilities from the comfort of your home due in large part to the work of two recent high school... READ MORE
Video call options for the tech-challenged
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some simple devices that can help tech-challenged seniors with video calls? My 80-year-old mother has been isolating herself for months now in fear of the coronavirus, and I haven’t been able to see her face-to-face in quite a while. —Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, Video chatting is a great way to stay connected and keep tabs on a parent... READ MORE
Kindness spreads with volunteer links
It started with a simple spreadsheet created by a group of college students who wanted to help during the pandemic. In just two months, that spreadsheet has grown into an online platform that has connected do-gooders with nearly 3,000 opportunities to volunteer across the United States. Corona Connects (coronaconnects.org) includes 170 volunteer categories — from food delivery and... READ MORE
How to have an effective telehealth visit
Dear Savvy Senior, I manage a large doctor’s clinic that treats hundreds of seniors each month. We are moving to more telehealth visits to help keep our patients safe at home during the coronavirus pandemic, but this new way of seeing a doctor is befuddling to many of our older patients. Can you write a column educating patients on how to prepare for a telehealth... READ MORE
Teach English online for extra money
The timing is right today for turning native English skills into an online income, according to a new report from International Living. Retirees (and others) looking for a flexible, fun, portable way to earn from home should consider teaching English online — no office, no cubicle, no experience necessary. Qualified people need not have a teaching degree or any specialized... READ MORE
Virus drives demand for online therapy
The coronavirus pandemic is driving up stress levels for many Americans — and new business for online therapy companies. More than four in 10 U.S. adults say worries tied to the outbreak are impacting their mental health, according to a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Not surprisingly, companies that offer online therapy are seeing increased demand for video and text-based ... READ MORE
An app that answers ‘What’s that plant?’
The ability to identify plants and trees was once the sole province of experts such as naturalists, botanists and master gardeners. To this day, scientists are still discovering an average of about 2,000 new plants per year. Sometimes it can take years, even decades, for biologists to confirm whether one of those plants is a unique species. Luckily, identifying garden-variety... READ MORE
Links and apps
Caregiver help via chat Recently, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) introduced a new way for families affected by dementia to get free, immediate help. Now people can “chat” with licensed social workers on the foundation’s website. Callers can ask about signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, how to develop a care team and support network, how... READ MORE
