Editor's Note
The path toward health, wellness and active aging
P erspectives change as we grow older. Take, for instance, the simple easy to make, ingredient-flexible, relatively inexpensive, diet-friendly, convenient for on-the-go. In a world with fewer and fewer unblemished success stories, the sandwich is literally the best thing since sliced bread. Then just a couple of years ago the concept of the “sandwich generation” sandwich. For most of my life, the idea of a sandwich has been wildly positive: made a comeback. And my view of the popular lunchtime staple changed—while it’s great being the eater, it ain’t so easy being the meat. The “sandwich generation” was coined in the early 1980s by Dorothy Miller and Elaine Brody to describe middle-aged people who simultaneously had dependent children and dependent parents to care for. I joined their ranks last
generations in their careers to the importance of staying vigilant about today’s bad actors using new technologies to further their schemes of elder fraud—staying active, engaged and aware is critical in navigating those golden years. In this issue, we not only shine a spotlight on senior-living concerns, but also toward general wellness practices on the radar of local residents of all ages. From the growing trend of ice-water baths and a cautionary tale of over-caffeinating to potential threats to vaccine acceptance at the expense of our most vulnerable.
People are living longer than ever before, and that calls for a change in thinking about long-term health—what choices and practices can we commit to in youth or middle age that will lead to healthful, active lives decades down the road? The answers are myriad—and offer no guarantees. So stay hydrated and “eat the rainbow” North Bay. The path to wellness is long, winding and has its share of detours. But at least you’ll get your steps in. g
year when my dad, 86, moved into assisted living, and I became his power of attorney. The early-stage dementia he’d been diagnosed with only a couple years before had gotten to the point where he could no longer live on his own. Now, I handle his bills and other financials, medical appointments, around-town errands, and anything else outside the services of his memory-care home. Meanwhile, I’m handling those same responsibilities (and more) for my own kids. So now I’m in a sandwich—and there’s a mouth to feed coming at me from every direction. With my dad’s situation, more and more I’m attuned to the life practices that ease the challenges of growing old in the North Bay. From social elements like finding community among peers and mentoring younger
—Jason Walsh, editor
February 2025
NorthBaybiz 11
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator