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The Peace Corps Is Recruiting Older Adults!
Opportunity To Do Good For Others. And For Yourself

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the Peace Corps shut its doors, returning 7,000 volunteers to the U.S. After a two-year pause, the Peace Corps is back and actively recruiting volunteers including older adults and retirees.

You’re never too old to do good and to give back.

After retiring from a business career in human resources, Barbara Jue, then 65, joined the Peace Corps serving in Moldova from 2013-2015. This is her story.

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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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Mysterious, Hidden Patagonia

--Don Mankin, Travel Writer

As I guided my kayak through a narrow, twisting marble cave, I marveled at the swirls of turquoise-colored rock.

Although it was only my second day in the Aysén region of Patagonia — the remote, breathtakingly beautiful region that has inspired dreamers, adventurers and entrepreneurs for over a century.

I understood why they came and why so many of them stayed. I have traveled to the southern tip of Patagonia several times, to explore Torres del Paine National Park, to cruise through the Strait of Magellan and to Antarctica, and to stand in a blasting wind on Cape Horn.

But the Aysén region, located in Chile’s southernmost third, is even more remote and beautiful.

To quote famed wilderness photographer, Linde Waidhofer, this is the “Unknown Patagonia,” the region that few know about and even fewer have visited.

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Meet Norm!

"Pet Of The Month"
Photo Contest Winner
Submitted by Joni Padron

"This is Norman (Norm)…one of four cats born in our house.

They are each named based on the shape of their tail: Squiggy (piggy tail), Crook (slight crooked tail at the end), Fifi (fluffy tail), and Norm (normal, straight tail).

Norm has quickly become a ‘Mama’s Boy' when my 87-year old mother needs to use the restroom in the middle of the night.

He walks (guides!) her to
the restroom, then sits and waits until she’s done. He watches her as she walks slowly around the house waiting for the opportunity to jump on her lap when she sits/naps.

Norm can nap anywhere and any position at the drop of a hat, creating laughter from whomever sees him.

My mom attributes her amazing recent blood pressure reading (120/72) to the amusement and companionship she feels from (especially) Norm as well as his siblings!"

We're having a "Pet Of
The Month" photo contest. Winners will be featured in the Scoop publication and on the A050 website.

Entries are FREE with the following guidelines:

• One pet per photo
• Name of pet, breed, gender, age and how long a member of your family
• In 100 words or less, tell us why your pet brings happiness to your life
• Photos must be clear

To enter your pet, please email a high resolution photo of your pet to: [email protected]
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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 Me?"

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 $1,089,300 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.
Go to:
OpenMortgage.com/Marilyn-Brown Ross

ASK LARRY
--Larry Hayes, A050 Publisher

"Is a Black Swan Coming?

No one really knows.

A "Black Swan" (market crash) is an extremely negative event or occurrence that is impossibly difficult to predict.

Think 9/11, the dotcom bubble of 2001, the great recession of 2008 and the Covid 19 pandemic of 2020.

Because a Black Swan event is totally unpredictable, it's important to have a diversified portfolio.

Avoid putting all your money in one place, one sector or even in one country.

If you're interested in taking risks, create a separate portfolio for yourself that you can experiment with.

But don't play will all of your money.

Keep some of it in very
conservative, highly liquid investments because Black Swans do happen.
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Know The Symptoms Of Parkinson's

Parkinson's Awareness Month is a global opportunity to increase awareness about the condition and its symptoms, as well as to educate communities about the resources available to them.

World Parkinson's Day is celebrated on April 11th and began in 1997.

It commemorates the birth date of Dr. James Parkinson who first identified Parkinson's about 200 years ago.

Every year, 100,000+ people are newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the United States.

Parkinson’s is a long-term disorder where the central nervous system degenerates and affects the motor system.

Motor symptoms like trembling, stiffness and rigidity are usually associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms typically occur slowly. One side is often affected first but as Parkinson’s disease progresses, both sides are affected.

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

Time Flies By Faster As We Get Older. Here's Why

By Jillian Wilson Wellness Reporter, HuffPost

There's a reason our perception of time changes as we age but there are ways to make it feel slower.

For many people, 2022 went by in a blink. Doesn't it feel like it was just January?

But for others, especially children, last year's holidays may seen like eons ago.

There's a reason why you may feel like the years moved slowly when you were a kid but zoom by now.

Experts say our perception of time greatly changes as we age which makes certain periods feel like they go by quickly.

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Independent Senior Living
Chateau-Cupertino
Starting $3,400

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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