_ Aging Well Are You Still Mad About "Mad Men?" By Jane Farrell article How satisfying is “Mad Men” eight episodes into Season 5 after a 17-month absence? There are rumblings and petulance – threats of not watching it if it doesn’t get more intense and brooding. In other words, we liked the old tightly wound Don, juggling wife, girlfriends and his secret history; not this new lovesick non-Don. Certainly there have been some high points.
_ Overactive Bladder (OAB) & Incontinence Urinary Health Dr. Marie's Help for Incontinence By Sondra Forsyth article A 2008 article in the New England Journal of Medicinearticle revealed that 25 percent of perimenopausal women and 40 percent of postmenopausal women report leakage of urine. ThirdAge medical expert Marie Savard, M.D., author of "Ask Dr. Marie," says that the main causes of this annoying condition are decreased estrogen levels and aging pelvic muscles that are losing strength. She adds that obesity can exacerbate the condition, as can asthma, diabetes, a chronic cough, and medications such as diuretics, antihistamines, and antidepressants.
Mental & Emotional Health What We've Learned On ThirdAge Forums By Jane Farrell article Join the discussions of thirdage.com articles and other topics on our Forum. Click on the orange FORUMS link on the subjects banner at the top of our home page or click the “Join the Conversation!” link at the bottom of most articles. Take a look at the funny, wise and wonderful conversations you’ve been missing:
_ Parenting The Unspeakable Pain of Losing a Child By Sondra Forsyth article The wrenching news of the three teenage boys whose lives were cut short during the recent school shootings in a little Ohio town touched us deeply here at ThirdAge. Like parents and grandparents across the nation, we were riveted by sorrow and horror as the coverage unfolded. The poignant statement by 16-year-old Demetrius Hewlin's mother and father seemed to us especially moving: "We are very saddened by the loss of our son and others in our Chardon community. Demetrius was a happy young man who loved life and his family and friends.
_ Mental & Emotional Health When You Love An Addict By Jane Farrell article How many times have I heard variations of this in the last two weeks? “I can’t understand why Whitney Houston would overdose/abuse drugs/get so drunk, when she had been through treatment and achieved sobriety, a child who needed her, a great career, people who loved her, and such a strong faith.” In fact, I was sitting next to a Miami news anchor at dinner the other night who said the same thing.
_ What's On Your Bucket List? By Sondra Forsyth article The term "bucket list" was around before 2007, but it was popularized that year by the Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman film about two terminally ill guys who travel around the world with a list of to-dos before they "kick the bucket." They find, in their travels, that some of the more trivial items take on deeper significance. An especially touching scene happens when Nicholson as Edward reconciles with his estranged daughter and meets his little granddaughter for the first time.
Aging Well 10 Little Changes That Take Off Five Years By Sondra Forsyth article If the Fountain-of-Youth Fairy came into your life and offered to wave her magic wand so you would look at least five years younger almost instantly, we're betting you wouldn't turn her down. Well, here we are with the next best solution. Read on for 10 surefire strategies to make yourself appear more youthful than you do right now. Stand up Straight
_ Friendship Do You Still Need a BFF? By Sondra Forsyth article Celebrity best friends Barbra Streisand and Donna Karan have famously continued their close connection with one another for over 20 years. Babs, who will turn 70 in April of 2012, recently took the stage at the Dream Foundation's annual gala to present the evening's award to the 64-year-old creator of DKNY clothing labels for her tireless work in helping grant wishes for the terminally ill.
_ Living Single Are You Lonely? By Sondra Forsyth article If you're a Boomer who's living alone, you're part of a growing phenomenon. Close to 30% of the older population is in what the Census Bureau calls "single person households," and the number skyrockets to almost 50% for women over the age of 75. Yet while mid-lifers who are yearning for some "me time" may think that flying solo sounds great, the truth is that coming home to an empty house or apartment night after night can bring on depression as well as a host of related physical ailments.
Once a Mother, Always a Mother By Sondra Forsyth blog Years ago when my firstborn was 14, I wrote an essay for "Ladies' Home Journal" about my maternal angst when he left for a two-week Outward Bound wilderness adventure. I called the piece "Letting Go." What I didn't know then was that mothers never really let go. We are attached for life to our offspring by a phenomenon I have come to think of as the emotional umbilical cord. Unlike the physical cord that is severed after we give birth, the invisible one is never cut. As the years go by, we may feel the tug less often.
Style 5 Ways to Perk Up a January Wardrobe By Sondra Forsyth article Sherrie Mathieson, an award-winning costume designer for United Artists, is the author of "Forever Cool: How to Achieve Ageless, Youthful, and Modern Personal Style" and "Steal This Style: Moms and Daughters Swap Wardrobe Secrets." We asked her for tips to give a winter-weary wardrobe some pizzazz. Here's what she told us:
Exercise How to Start an Exercise Routine By Sondra Forsyth article Does the word "exercise" make you think of boring routines that feel like an obligation you'd just as soon avoid? Follow our step by step checklist to help yourself get moving and stay on track. Let's make 2012 your year to be a fitness maven. Ready, set, glow! Get Your Docs OK Before You Begin
Of Mincemeat Pies and Memories By Sondra Forsyth blog I knew I had reached a milestone in my life this year when I was able to walk past jars of mincemeat in the supermarket during the weeks before Thanksgiving without having tears well up in my eyes. Some of my fondest memories of the years when my children were growing up are of the hours we spent together in the kitchen baking treats for birthdays and holidays. Chief among those bake fests was the annual creation of the lattice crust mincemeat pie for Thanksgiving.
_ Dr. Marie's Hemorrhoid Advice By Sondra Forsyth article One of our favorite experts, Marie (Dr. Marie) Savard, M.D., confides that back when she gave birth for the first time, she ended up with a huge hemorrhoid that made having a bowel movement exquisitely painful. "I was so preoccupied with my sore bottom that I could barely enjoy my new baby," says Dr. Marie. She adds, though, that this incident inspired her to teach her patients how to prevent and treat hemorrhoids, also called "piles." Here is what you need to know about this nuisance ailment that strikes an estimated 90 percent of us at least once.
Parlez Vous Ballet? By Sondra Forsyth blog 'Tis the season when rehearsals for myriad annual productions of "The Nutcracker" are underway across the country. If the beloved holiday ballet is coming to a theater or high school auditorium near you and you're not a regular balletomane, here's your chance to bone up in advance with my Q&A about the history and lore of the liveliest art's classical dance form. Q. Why are all the ballet terms French?
How the Pumpkin Patch Photos Stole Nana's Heart By Sondra Forsyth blog I wasn't planning to visit my daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons for Christmas this year. Plane fare from NYC to Phoenix isn't cheap, and I have a heavier workload right now than usual. I just didn't see how I could spend the time and money for the trip. Also, holiday travel is never my idea of a good time what with bad weather, overbooked and overpriced flights, cranky children, and wailing babies. So I told my daughter we would just schedule a Skype session for December 25th. She sounded disappointed, but she understood.