Aging Well January 27th 2015

When you think of older adults and seniors what picture comes to mind? A single woman living on Social Security? A retired couple traveling to Arizona for the winters? A wife taking care of her invalid husband? Or maybe someone more glamorous. Sophia Loren, Morgan Freeman or Betty White?

Adults sixty and older are a diverse lot and hard to categorize. There are the usual attempts such as by age: the G.I Generation, born from around 1901 through 1924; the Silent Generation born from the mid-1920s to the early 1940s; and the Baby Boomers, born from 1943 up to the early 1960s; or by income level: affluent, middle income and those living only on Social Security.

But societal conditions have changed. Life expectancy has increased more than 30 years since 1900, working conditions have improved with higher wages and better pensions, and medical advancements have maintained the health of older adults - all providing more opportunities for older adults to blossom in their later years.

Today businesses are beginning to see the value of marketing to older adults, and are recognizing the diversity by identifying different subgroups. Some of these identified subgroups, based on values, consumer behaviors, health status and attitudes, are the Prosperous Empty Nesters, The Elders, Retirement Communities, Senior Sun Seekers, the Social Security Set, and Old Geezers. (Actually I made up that last group, and I know who you are!)

This diversity creates a challenge for any organization or business wanting to reach and engage the older adult population. An example of an attempt to address this challenge is the weekly newspaper I picked up in Salem, whose publisher may be familiar to many folks around here: David Thouvenal, once the publisher of the upstart “Weekly Reminder”. He now publishes the “Northwest Boomer and Senior News” which acknowledges the diversity of older adults by including two subgroups of older adults in the name of the newspaper.

It is also a challenge the Center is working to meet - providing opportunities and supports for the wide range of interest and needs of such a diverse older population - from the Prosperous Empty Nesters to the Old Geezers.

A quick heads-up so you can put it on your calendar. The annual Original Courthouse Regional History Forum Series for 2015, begins on February 7th at 1:30 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the 1859 courthouse at 410 West 2nd Place, This year’s forums will cover Japanese Families in the Mosier Area Prior to 1942 on February 7; General George Wright, Defender of the Civil War Pacific Coast on February 14; Time and Change on Mount Adams on February 21; and Delivering the Mail:  Wasco County Post Offices on February 28. .

For the 11:00 Tuesday Lecture on February 3^rd, I will be discussing a fascinating topic that I haven’t determined yet. Come and be surprised.

And have I mentioned that on Saturday February 7^th, Saturday Night Bingo will return to its regular starting time of 6:00 PM with a free dinner graciously prepared by Cherry Heights Living and served at 5:00 PM for the first 65 bingo players? I did?  Oh, never mind.

For the Tuesday Night Music and Dance at the Center on February 3rd, the crowd pleasing Andre, K.C. and Tom will be performing. Doors open at 6:00 and the music starts at 7:00. All ages are welcome and donations are always appreciated.

The fictional character that was a reformed jewel thief and safe cracker; and appeared in short stories, B-movies, and on radio and television was Boston Blackie ; (And the winner of a free Cherry Festival Breakfast is Renee Briggs who mentioned that you can still watch old Boston Blackie movies on the local getTV station.)

Diana Weston emailed me a collection of pictures of consumer items most anyone under 50 would not recognize: from a McGuffey’s Spelling Book to the inserts made for 45 records.  One of those pictures gave me the idea for this week’s “Remember When” question.

What was the name of translucent pink styling gel with a unique smell and gelatinous consistency that was advertised on television in the 1960s?  E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off with a bag of Wil-Hold Large Brush Plastic Rollers.

Well, it’s been another week, trying to remember what the score is. Until we meet again, attitude can make the difference between a good day and a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

“There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate.” ~Robert Brault