HUNTINGTON, NY LIBRARY, a source for traveling seniors!!!
Posted: June 14, 2017 Filed under: geezerTrips, Uncategorized | Tags: Huntington, library, Travel Leave a comment »There is no better place for the geezer when travelling than a public library and the Huntington Public Library in Huntington, Long Island can’t be beat.
It is open seven days a week and is located in the center of town. It has all the usual amenities including bathroom, free WiFi, copying machines, computers, e-mail stations, magazines, used book store and a big reference section.
Hard cover books are $1.00 and paperbacks are 50 cents.
In addition there are interesting public programs. Posted today on the bulletin board are:
“Women Pirates,” a lecture by Stony Brook University Professor, Tara Rider.
A mystery book discussion group
Drop-In Meditation program
Courses in Microsoft Programs
They also have a senior information center with information of interest to seniors; including bus schedules and senior programs.
You can read a half-dozen daily newspapers and probably 100 different magazines.
Across the street you can find coffee, breakfast, lunch and an assortment of shops.
Libraries are especially good if you are visiting family. They work, go to school, and generally have a life without you, so if you can get out of their hair and have an interesting day, it is a win-win situation.
Huntington Public Library – www.myhpl.org
Google search: Name of town + library
THINK OLD!
ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL ACCOMADATIONS – cautions for seniors!!
Posted: June 9, 2017 Filed under: geezerAdapts, geezerTrips, Out of my comfort zone!, Uncategorized | Tags: Accomodations, AirBnB Leave a comment »More and more seniors seem to be looking for alternative travel accommodation options. Today you have bed & breakfasts, Airbnb, Couch-surfing, hostels, refugios, and college campuses. Old people should ask a few questions and consider what they will be comfortable with. Since I turned 60, I have stayed in Airbnb’s, bed & breakfasts, hostels, refugios, houses and condos all arranged for in advance and at a distance, usually on websites. I have a few suggestions.
1. Will there be other guests? Are you comfortable sharing the facilities with strangers? Is the owner on premises?
2. Are there stairs? Does this give you a problem? Railings, carpeting, clutter?
3. Private bath? Do you have your own bathroom in your room? Does a bathroom outside your room have a secure lock? How many people use it?
4. Clean? You don’t need too much of someone else’s dirt at your age.
5. Kitchen? Can you cook? Store food? How many are cooking/cleaning at the same time?
6. How many people are you sharing with? Will you be comfortable?
7. Security? Bedroom? Bath? Entry doors?
8. Parking? Room for all the cars or do you have to walk in the dark?
9. Heating and cooling?
10. Access to owner/manager?
11. TV? Radio?
12. Towels/linens?
13. Bedside lights?
14. WiFi? Password?
15. Surroundings? Restaurants/pharmacy/urgent care/transportation/??
16. Photos – on webpage?
17. Comments on web page – read these and look for the negative ones.
18. Cork screw – Did you ever try to open a bottle of wine without one? Glasses, plates, silver, sharp knife, can-opener?
REMEMBER: You are old. You are interested in Comfort/Convenience/Security. You don’t want to stay in a place where you are uncomfortable.
Do:
1. Check out the web page.
2. Call the owner/manager and go over the specifics that are important to you.
3. Google Map the place – check out what is around there.
4. Say no if you feel uncomfortable; just don’t book.
5. Hope for the best!
Always have a PLAN B!
THINK OLD!
HUNGRY HARVEST – an opportunity for old people??
Posted: June 4, 2017 Filed under: geezerEats, geezerHealth, Uncategorized Leave a comment »On Sunday, my son walked a few blocks in Washington, DC to pick up his box of vegetables and fruit from Hungry Harvest, a non-profit that collects excess food from grocery stores and distributes it to people who pay $15 per box.
Each box contains surplus, not spoiled, food; and, for each box sold, an identical box is donated to a food-bank to be distributed to people who can’t afford fresh vegetables and fruit.
Today’s box contained 4 oranges, 2 large carrots, head of cauliflower, 3 avocados, asparagus, onions, 3 pears, kale, and 2 ears of corn. Enough to feed two people for 5 meals or so
My thought is that it could be a good system for old people. Either for $15 or for free through a food bank. Either way, seniors get needed fruits and vegetables close to where they live.
Maybe other parts of the country should try it.
Sample Food Selections
THINK OLD!
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BLUE APRON – ALTERNATIVE MEALS FOR SENIORS, and anyone else!
Posted: May 19, 2017 Filed under: geezerEats, Uncategorized | Tags: Blue Apron, eating, meal service Leave a comment »Eating can be a problem for seniors. You have to shop. You have to prepare. You have to have the right spices and you end up with too much of unusual spices. The result is the same old same old. You are also afraid to try anything new. And, if you qualify for meals-on-wheels, it is usually bland and if you have ever looked in an old person’s freezer you find it crammed with old meals-on-wheels.
We have been trying Blue Apron. We can order it on a weekly basis and get three meals for two people. The box of ingredients arrives by FedEx on Thursday with freezer packs that have always been frozen solid. The box contain everything that you need and in the exact amounts that you need. If it is spicy, you are cautioned to add less of the spice. You also get pictures and instructions on how to prepare the meal in about 30 minutes. The net result is dinner for two, or even three, as the portions are large. It is quick and easy, but does require some concentration; which is not all bad.
Blue Apron Crispy Cod & Zuzu-Shoyu Soba Meal ready for the geezer to cook.
The ingredients above, which cost $20 and was delivered on a Thursday, became the following meal on a Friday.
Blue Apron Crispy Cod & Zuzu-Shoyu Soba Meal ready for the geezer to eat. Recipe photo behind wine.
The cost is $60 for three meals for two person each; or ten bucks a meal per person. This includes shipping. The food has always arrived a day early, Thursday instead of Friday, and has always been frozen solid, or cool, depending on the food. Each box has two freezer packs which can be reused, recycled, or given to a friend.
We have tried about 40 meals. Each week you get a selection of three meals which you can choose from six selections; although you are somewhat limited in that you can’t just pick the expensive stuff. Looking ahead a few weeks, the three meals are: Seared Steak and Fingerling Potatoes; Cajun-spiced Chicken; and, Spicy pork and Rice Bowls.
The wine was not included, but Blue Apron has a wine service.
You can also order two meals a week for four people each and have neighbors in.
There are several other services, but we have not tried them.
Best of all, Blue Apron relies on sustainable farming, no food waste and fresh ingredients without additives. They will even help you recycle the boxes and the freezer packs, but I have found that friends who go camping love them.
THINK OLD!
ROAD TO NOWHERE – an example of poor planning and poorer politics!
Posted: May 18, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Who would have thought that a politically inspired road that ultimately dead-ended and that resulted in descendants of a cemetery being taken by boat to visit the graves of their relatives would become a minor tourist attraction?
In North Carolina there is an expensive road that goes nowhere. The Road to Nowhere goes through a tunnel about a quarter of a mile long and abruptly ends. It leads to an old hiking trail. The road that leads to the tunnel is well maintained, better than a lot of surrounding roads, but there are no houses along the road.
The road was started around 1941 and was meant to connect Bryson City, NC with ancestral homes and cemeteries in the Great Smokey National Forest. Finally in 2010 the federal government paid Swain County, NC about 52 million dollars in lieu of completing the road. The National Park Service provides boat access to a cemetery for the descendants of people buried in the cemetery which the road was supposed to go to.
The tunnel is long and has graffiti. The area is remote, has numerous hiking trails, and is a beautiful part of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Not a destination, but an interesting side trip if you are in the area and like to hike.
THINK OLD!
TEN WAYS YOU CAN HELP DEFEAT TRUMP AND CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS
Posted: May 17, 2017 Filed under: geezerQuests, My Backyard, Uncategorized | Tags: conservative, politics, Tea Party, Trump, voting Leave a comment »Old people don’t realize the power that they have. They have time, some money, contacts, and an interest in preserving what they have. They probably can’t go back to work; however, there are a number of simple things that they can do that will not only benefit them, but will benefit their way of life and that of their grandchildren.
What problems do you think Trump has created? I know that there are no hard facts yet, but you can get a pretty good idea from his own words, contained in his Executive Orders and in his Twitters. Look at them and decide how you feel about them. What do you agree/disagree with? What is the effect of his words and policies on you? Then, take action.
There are ten simple things that old people can do to change things.
- Call political representatives. House and Senate.
- Join the Gray Panthers.
- Actively participate in local elections. Run for office – vote – volunteer.
- Attend local precinct meetings/school board meetings.
- List and understand problems that are peculiar to old people, and what is proposed for them; then “trump” them.
- Prepare, sign and circulate petitions.
- Offer to take people to polls and help fellow seniors with absentee ballots.
- Attend town hall, picnics, rallies and other political meetings.
- Blog – with facts. Anyone can do WordPress. Get computer help at your local senior center.
- Join an Indivisible group.
It may take a couple of years, but politicians will get the idea; especially at the grass-roots level. That is how the Tea Party did it and that is how Obama did it.
Think of all the things that may be at risk at your age.
We have the numbers, the talent, the money, and the ideas to confront and defeat our enemies; especially our internal enemies.
Besides, it is fun, you will meet new people, and you will at last have a worthwhile purpose in life.
THINK OLD!
Are abandoned prisons, hospitals, schools, and foreclosed homes in my future at age 76?!
Posted: May 11, 2017 Filed under: Aging-in-place, Older Americans Act, Panama, Uncategorized | Tags: creativity, prison, retirement, squatters Leave a comment »My blog on Christiania got me to thinking. Could old people, who need a place to live, social contacts and help, follow the example of the squatters in Copenhagen and take over (or, buy cheaply) abandoned prisons, hospitals, schools and homes to use in their declining years.
Could they take an abandoned prison used only for tours and convert it into living space for seniors using grants obtained under the Older Americans’ Act?
Now that I think about it, maybe the answer is closer than I thought. New Mexico has “Old Main” which has been abandoned and is being used for tours.
Solitary cell at “Old Main,” Santa Fe, New Mexco.
Or perhaps, old people could become ex-pats and get an abandoned United States facility in the Panama Canal Zone, even though title is now in Panama:
Abandoned US Building in the Panama Canal Zone turned over to Panama in March 2017.
I think that most people my age (76) remember the 60’s and whether or not they participated, were influenced by the 60’s. Now that we are old, maybe it is time we applied a few hippie tricks; such as living in abandoned properties. Old people are heading toward homelessness in a big way; but, some of us still have a few tricks up our sleeves.
In Buffalo, New York and Detroit, Michigan, there are whole blocks of abandoned houses, owned by FHA, et al. Across the country you can find prisons, schools, military facilities, and government buildings, sitting empty because they have outlived their usefulness. To me they are an opportunity. If Detroit or Buffalo doesn’t appeal, try abandoned prisons, hospitals, schools and government buildings in any state. Take a look at: Abandoned Schools for Sale.
I am not advocating squatting, although it may come to that. I am advocating approaching the government and offering to take over these facilities for the benefit of old people. A block of empty homes in Detroit might be taken over for a $1 a house; redone with grants pursuant to the Older Americans’ Act, helped along by AmeriCorps – Vista, and funded by seniors’ Social Security Payments.
A block of abandoned houses could have a police satellite station on one corner, a Senior Clinic, meals-on- wheels, and a senior center on the other corners. In addition, there could be a central courtyard; safe, and social. Since old people are naturally snoopy they would watch the street all the time.
Be sure that some of the old people are young enough and competent enough to organize this.
Maybe we need the Gray Panthers!
THINK OLD!
MEETUP – social networking for seniors; and, everyone else-
Posted: May 3, 2017 Filed under: geezerLearns, geezerTrips, New Mexico, Uncategorized | Tags: blogs, learning, meetup, Travel Leave a comment »Meetup is a social networking group based on common interests. You locate a site near you, or near where you will be, by going to meetup.com and inserting your zip code or city. You can then find groups that have the same interest as you. You can sign up, go to the meetings and enjoy what they have to offer.
The Meetup in Albuquerque includes one on blogging using WordPress which I joined. It meets weekly and while it has over 800 members there are usually only 5 – 10 there. The meetings are either “work-a-longs where you can get expert help with your blog for free; or sessions with speakers on various blogging topics; including photography.
The work-a-longs are very good if you are trying to learn something new and need help. I can get quick, knowledgeable help on my blog problems from people who are expert in the field. The meetings last up to two hours and are always useful.
Meetups are not limited to blogging; they are for any thing people are interested in; including, dancing, languages, travel, art, cooking, or you can even start your own. They cost nothing for the participant, and about $10 a month for the sponsor. You could even start one on how to live as an old person.
When traveling, look for Meetups where you will be. Just plug-in the new zip code or name of town and see what you get.
SEARCH IDEAS:
Google: meetup.com +city, state
For example: Since I am going to Huntington, NY:
Google: meetup.com +Huntington, NY
and the result is: a list of Meetups around Huntington, NY, including, hiking, food, photography, sailing, widows and widowers, etc. There is no shortage of Meetups, including 25 on writing; none on blogging and one on WordPress, which costs $6.
You should Google: meetup.com +name of town
They are worth considering.
THINK OLD!
SENIOR CENTER BULLETIN BOARDS – a source for travelers!
Posted: May 1, 2017 Filed under: geezerTrips, My Backyard, New Mexico, Uncategorized | Tags: bulletin boards, senior centers, trips Leave a comment »Whenever I go to a new senior center, I peruse the bulletin board; a source of classes, events and TRIPS! In the first six months of 2017, the Albuquerque Senior Centers offer 106 trips; both day trips and overnight trips. A sampling of the trips includes: Albuquerque Police Museum, Albuquerque Balloon Museum, Indian Pueblo cultural Center, Santuario de Chimayo (A pilgrimage site known for its healing powers), Hollywick Farms: Working Alpaca Farm, Christ In The Desert (2 days/nights at a monastery), Sky City Cultural Center & Haak’u Museum, Albuquerque Publishing Company, Santa Fe Opera, and numerous Theater trips. Most are free, plus a small transportation cost. The most expensive is Christ In the Desert, which is $176 double occupancy which includes transportation and meals.
Vacations can be boring; especially if you are old and the swim suit doesn’t really fit, the sun is too hot, and you miss your routine. Trips to see grandchildren are even worse, as the kids are working and the grandkids are in school and you can’t figure out how to work the TV. The solution is probably near; the senior center.
Every town has a senior center of some sort; and, every senior center has a bulletin board, a news letter, a web page, or some source of information for seniors. Many also have free book exchanges, classes, and most importantly trips.
The trips can take you to interesting places that you might not otherwise be able to get to. The trips are free or reasonable. The only downside is that you may not be willing to admit that you want to spend your time hanging out with a bunch of old people.
Plan in advance. Look at the on-line Activities Catalog and call or e-mail the senior center that you are interested in to make sure that you can take the trips as a non-member. You can probably use the center as a guest, but the trips may be another matter; if nothing else, you can probably join using your kid’s address and paying $13 for an annual membership.
In addition to the events, classes, and trips that you find on the bulletin board, you might also be interested in computer classes and working out. All are available plus a card room, pool room with four pool tables and a large dining hall where you can get breakfast for $1.50 plus 30 cents for coffee. Admittedly this is the senior center close to my home in Albuquerque, but most that I have been have similar facilities.
Albuquerque does not have reciprocity, but if you are from out-of-state, you can use the facilities as a short-term guest.
Check the Activities Catalog and see what trips are available and attempt to sign up for those in advance, so that when you arrive everything is taken care of. I suppose if they insist on a card, you could use your local address, pay $13 for an annual membership and take the trip. At your age you should go for it.
SEARCH IDEAS:
Google: name of town +senior center
For example: Albuquerque +Senior Centers
leads to: Senior and Multigenerational Centers
I am going to Huntington, NY in June, so I googled: Huntington NY +Senior Center and got:
Huntington Senior Centers trips
The Huntington web site indicates that it may be limited to Huntington residents, but check on reciprocity, ask to go as a guest, or join using a local address. Bring your local senior center membership card.
THINK OLD!
AUTOMATING OLD AGE – health care
Posted: April 24, 2017 Filed under: geezerHealth, Life Style, SIMPLICITY, Uncategorized | Tags: health, PACE Leave a comment »
Health care must be automated. The geezer is no longer able to remember what to do as far as health care is concerned. He must rely on systems that automatically make sure that he gets the care that he needs. In addition, he needs a mentor to have a health care power of attorney so that there is a third-party checking up on the geezer.
The following can be scheduled or fixed so that little or no thought is required.
- Dental appointments – Every six months.
- Primary care/physicals at least annually
- Flu shots – annual
- Social groups – at least weekly
- Day care – as required – transportation will be needed
- PACE – Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly is a Medicare and Medicaid program available to Medicare recipients where available that includes everything you need from Adult Day Care, nursing home care, drugs, to hospitalization. In Albuquerque it is available and should be checked.
- Pill box – As many pills as old people seem to take, some organization is necessary. The geezer can’t deal with a bunch of bottles. I need the pills to be sorted by day, so that if I can figure out what day it is, I can find the right pill; maybe!
- Telephone speed dial – cellular – I can’t remember phone numbers; so I put the few I need on speed-dial.
- Life Alert – I will fall. I need someway to call for help if I can’t get up. However, I find that most people forget to wear them when needed the most; like, in the shower, or getting the morning paper in the snow.
- Identity bracelet – weld shut – use super glue to lock it on the wrist. Old people have a special ability to remove bracelets, much like criminals in monitored release programs.
- Door alarms – if a spouse/partner has dementia, you want an alarm/lock on the door to alert you when they leave or to keep them from leaving. The escaping spouse always leaves when you are in the bathroom.
- Neighbors – The best protection comes from neighbors who keep an eye on you.
- Urgent care centers – A better source for minor problems and triage, than waiting for hours in an emergency room.
- Refrigerator Instructions – Tape your meds list, doctor’s name, “Do Not Resuscitate notice,” people to notify list and other information for Emergency Responders. The refrigerator is where they look.
- Canary Home Security System – This is a cheap camera that you can put in your home so that your mentor/kid can check on you with his/her cell phone. It also beeps if something unusual occurs. The videos are kept for 24 hours so that you can monitor them. Just remember that this is a privacy invasion and no one wants to look at a nude 76-year-old.
Interesting sites;
THINK OLD!