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Exploring Yosemite In
A Wheelchair

By Kathy Yeong

You’ve planned a trip to Yosemite National Park and a few weeks before you travel, you tear your Achilles tendon and wind up in a wheelchair.

Do you cancel? Fortunately, Yosemite is set up with ADA services and after I popped my Achilles on the pickleball court, I was still eager to go.

I never had to use a wheelchair
so, this experience would be a first. There were advantages and disadvantages to the weekend which tells me that Yosemite’s approach is good but still needs improvement.

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"How I Stay Fit At 55"
--Saili Gosula

Age: 55
Education:
BA in Math and Computer Science, MS in Computer Science
Occupation: Business Owner of Active In-Home Therapy
Residence: Redwood Shores, CA

Q: You have been working hard for some time to get back into shape. What motivates you?

I've always been an exerciser. I love it and rarely go a day without exercising. But as I grew older, my body changed in ways I did not like and my regular routine was not enough.

I wanted more time to exercise and
I wanted to exercise harder. I wanted to see results.
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"My Adventures As
A Traveling Nurse"
--Cindy Hayes, RN

Why become a traveling nurse?

I had the best gig ever. Just a great job. No one leaves this job. But after 13 years, I was just ready for a change.

Never thought I would make such a drastic change but getting stale. Mark and I were both born and raised in Kansas and we discussed traveling.

Made the decision in two months. Why not? Let's adventure instead of watching it on TV. Boys were on their own path so, why should we wait?

Benefits are more than rewarding! We initially had trepidation about our future but soon found out we have a knack for being in new places.

We have traveled and lived in many places that we never dreamed of. Best part is learning the different cultures and norms in completely different places that we grew up in Kansas.

Worst thing? I can never remember my address! The only disadvantage is not having a permanent home.

Yes, we have to pack up and move but it's always a fun, new adventure. This was supposed to be a five-year experiment to see where we might want to land. It's been eight years now and we're not done yet.
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"Dump Your Misconceptions
Of Aging"
--Deborah Heiser, Ph.D

Most people think of aging as physical decline, frailty, infirmed states and navigating a slow cognitive failure and death.
How do I know this?

When I introduce myself as an aging specialist, I see their eyes dart around the room, looking for anyone who can help them make the great escape from the most boring person in the world.

At a dinner party about 20 years ago, someone finally decided to chat me up about aging. He asked, "Why do you study aging?"

My answer was just what he expected "to find prevention and cures for depression, to understand better how we can reduce frailty and find new ways to offer end of life care."

He looked back at me, horrified and said, "So we have nothing to look forward to?"

I didn't have an answer and I was really embarrassed at the time because I felt pretty good about my work and what I was giving back to the world.

So, he continued, "You know, I can't imagine why anyone bothers to study aging if we have literally nothing to look forward to." It was like a slap in the face.
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"Discover 100 Ways
To Live To 100"
--Tanner Garrity Senior Editor, InsideHook

At this point, we’re all familiar with the trope. A local news station visits a retirement home to celebrate Muriel’s 106th birthday.

She’s deaf or blind or both or neither, sitting in a wheelchair in the “good spot” next to the TV set and a reporter asks her her secret.

You’ve lived through both World Wars?! How’d you do it? Then Muriel gets to flash a mischievous grin and tells us she smoked a pack a day for 50 years.

Interacting with centenarians in this way has long made them seem like circus oddities. It trivializes the concept of lifespan and longevity, reducing the science to a throw-your-hands-in-the-hair “Who the hell knows!”

It reinforces the idea that our time on this planet isn’t necessarily under our control. If my dad had a stroke and his dad had a stroke then one’s probably coming for me too, right?

If I make it to 80, or — God forbid — 90, I’ve just beaten the odds. Right? Not exactly.

Since the mid-1990s, in fact, following the infamous Danish twins study, researchers have understood longevity to be “only moderately heritable.” For a while, this spawned estimates that genetics accounted for somewhere between 20 and 30% of one’s longevity.

More recently, scientists have concluded that the true heritability of human longevity at birth is closer to just 7%.

Where does that other 93% come from? Your lifestyle.
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Ask Marilyn
--Marilyn Brown Ross

"Is A Reverse Mortgage Right For You?"

With over 15 years experience
right here in Silicon Valley, I can
help answer your questions about reverse mortgages.

Q: Will the bank own my home?

The bank does not take ownership of your home; they simply extend a loan to you. You continue to own and live in your home and are responsible for payment of property taxes, required insurance and if applicable, HOA fees.

Q: Do my children/family members lose their inheritance?

No, a borrower may designate an heir of their choosing.The heir(s) will inherit the home after the last surviving borrower passes away and may then choose to keep (by paying off the amount of reverse mortgage balance) or sell the home.

Should they choose to sell, any remaining equity after paying off the loan (minus interest and fees) would be theirs.

Q: What is the lending limit of the HECM reverse mortgage?

As of January 1, 2021, it increased to $822,375. Which means it's very likely you can qualify for more money.

To learn if a reverse mortgage is right for you, call 408.722.0010.
OpenMortgage.com/Marilyn-Brown Ross

Ask Larry
--Larry Hayes, A050 CEO/ Publisher

"Are Timeshares A Scam?”
—R.A, San Jose
No. But Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware).

While in Hawaii on vacation, my wife and I attended our first Timeshare presentation.

Hard to turn down a free Hawaiian Maui show for two hours of our time. Our mind was made up from the get-go so, we easily resisted two hours of a high-pressure sales pitch.

It was the last Timeshare presentation we attended but felt that the free hotel show we later saw was worth our time.

Timeshares are still popular so, what are some downsides?

• No investment value. The minute you sign the contract, the value goes down drastically.

• Near impossible to resell because of the huge resale market meaning your $20,000+ investment may be worth $10,000 or less.

• High yearly maintenance fees.

• Forever contract, making it very difficult and expensive to get out of.

Note: If you don’t mind putting up with 2+ hours of a Timeshare presentation, go for it. You don't have to buy. It’s a good way to get some 'freebies" while on vacation.
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Why Switch Your Healthcare To Physicians Medical Group Of San Jose?

You have many choices when selecting a doctor and a medical group.

Here are the reasons why you should choose Physicians Medical Group of San Jose:

• We connect you to the Bay Area’s leading doctors. Our doctors learn about your health history from you, not a chart.

• We focus on prevention. Our doctors believe in the philosophy of preventative medicine. Our goal is to keep you and your family healthy and living active and productive lives.

• We support people who are living with an illness. Our doctors host many programs that assist with ongoing management of chronic diseases.

• We help you get the right care at the right time. Our doctors make sure you get the services and care you need. Coordinating care for you —in the setting that’s best— is the way we make care management work.

For more information, visit the doctors of Physicians Medical Group of San Jose, CA. Call 888.988.8682 or visit pmgmd.com.

Ideal Gift!
"Social Insecurity"
--John Donaghue

“Social Insecurity” is a new, funny book for anyone who plans on getting old someday.

Charming, witty, crazy, offbeat, happy comics by John Donaghue, award-winning art director and creator of Under Cardiac Arrest comics that appear regularly in
The Scoop.

Perfect gift for friends and family. Order today.
Click Here

Discover The Benefits Of Home Physical Therapy
--Saili Gosula

When considering in-home physical therapy, an excellent option is a private pay therapist.

Such a therapist is able to offer a client/patient more time, energy and individualized care because he or she is not expected to have a quota of daily visits.

Many patients are seeking private clinicians to come visit them at home or in a private setting and are willing to pay for the security and privacy that comes along with it.

The many benefits include home programs customized to your progress to the kindness and compassion of therapists with a vested interest in you.
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Independent Senior Living
Chateau-Cupertino
Starting $3,400 Monthly

Senior living doesn’t get any better than Chateau-Cupertino in Cupertino, CA.

Enjoy a home-like environment in your own apartment with three fresh served home-style meals daily starting at $3,000 per month.

Schedule A Tour Today!
408.446.4300
[email protected]u-Cupertino.com

Ask For A Senior Discount!

Taking advantage of senior citizen discounts may reduce your retirement costs and free up funds for other activities.

Here's a partial list.
• Denny’s and IHOP offer a 55-plus menu with discounted prices

• Amazon Prime offers a discounted membership to those with a Medicaid card

• Kohl’s offers a senior discount of 15% every Wednesday

• Marriott offers a 15% discount or more to those 62 and older on stays at participating locations

• Best Western gives older Americans 15% off when booking reservations

• Amtrak offers 10% off on most rail fares for older Americans

For a complete list, go to:
https://www.theseniorlist.com/senior-discounts/

Discover Resort-Style
Living For The 55+ In
San Jose, CA

Luxury properties, professionally landscaped, golf course views, city views, openness of the community, trees and waterfalls.

We have many properties for sale at The Villages Golf & Country Club. Resort-style senior living for the active adult 55+ years. Mid $400,000's to $1,000,000+.

To receive an exclusive tour of the community and preview selected properties, call Carla Griffin today. 408.274.8766.

https://bandarealtors.biz/

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"Don't Let The Old Man In"
--Clint Eastwood & Toby Keith

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