Immigrants Take Comfort in Food From Their Homeland

“Do you have drumsticks?” my 85-year-old mother asks the cashier at the checkout counter at Madras Groceries in Sunnyvale, Calif. The woman points to a pile of long, narrow, cylindrical vegetables near the counter. A half-hour later, a quick inventory … Continue reading

A Dying Fish, A Son’s Wish

This is a story about an unlikely mix of topics: running, music, mothers, aging and a stranded blowfish. I was on an early morning run along the beach in Cape May, N.J. during a three-day getaway. It was a great run. Blue sky, shimmering water, warm te… Continue reading

A Visit to a Thriving Community Garden

(Editor’s Note: We’ve entered the time of the year when fresh produce is abundant in home gardens and at local farmers’ markets. This month, Next Avenue is focusing on how gardens can not only provide healthy options, but can also make an impact on the… Continue reading

On the Line at the 1975 U.S. Open

We were 10, and dashing through the classic green grounds of the West Side Tennis Club – Forest Hills, Queens, and home of the U.S. Open. The place, which seemed immense, was, in fact, tiny compared to the hulking concrete stands of the National Tennis… Continue reading

Diverse Older Adults Struggle With Social Isolation

When asked by staff of the Diverse Elders Coalition about the aging services available in her area, Elva, an American Indian elder from New Mexico, relayed how important her local Elder Center was to her and her peers’ well-being: “We as elders need a … Continue reading

Separate Homes Help Heal Troubled Marriage

By the time my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary a couple of years ago, we were really just two people living together under the same roof. We loved each other deeply and we shared common goals and interests, but we didn’t exactly l… Continue reading

How Does Your School Garden Grow?

(Editor’s Note: We’ve entered the season of the year when fresh produce is abundant in home gardens and at farmers’ markets. This month, Next Avenue is focusing on how gardens can not only provide healthy options, but can also make an impact on the com… Continue reading

A Conversation About Dating in Midlife

Dating in midlife and beyond is daunting, especially for someone who hasn’t done if for a while. However, for both newbies and longtime singles, there are skills, strategies, tips and techniques that can help ease what can be an awkward experience. Bef… Continue reading

Addressing Loss on Social Media

When Carla Sofka’s mother died just before Thanksgiving 2017, Sofka didn’t immediately post the news on social media. She was busy planning the funeral, making travel arrangements and getting an obituary ready for the weekly newspaper in her mother’s c… Continue reading

Remembering Woodstock 50 Years Later

“There we were all in one place/A generation lost in space …” Don McLean, “American Pie”  “Judy Blue Eyes,” “Somebody to Love,” “With a Little Help from my Friends”— I’ve been singing these and other late-1960s songs over and over, to memorize the harm… Continue reading