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Tuesday, April 07, 2009
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 Eight years ago Andrea and her husband Peter “adopted” elderly neighbors and acted as caregivers for the couple as well as financial, legal and medical powers of attorney. After their passing, Andrea became attracted to the idea that life planning could make inevitable life transitions much easier for individuals and their families. Andrea's blog centers on common boomer life transitions, successful life planning tips and solutions for caring for aging loved ones.
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, May 10, 2012
 We live in expensive times. As prices go up and up and up, even the normal discount stores are starting to feel a little pricey. For many basic household needs, savvy shoppers are turning more frequently to thrift shops. People shop at thrift stores for any number of reasons. Some are trying to stretch their budgets; others hope to find overlooked antiques and collectibles, while college...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Sunday, April 29, 2012
 Attending the Aging in America conference every year is my way of sharpening the saw. This was my fifth year attending this event, and I am amazed at how I always learn something new. My role as president of Senior Concerns is taking me into new arenas—adult day programs for those with dementia, Meals on Wheels to combat food insecurity and caregiver support services for stressed caregivers. ...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, April 12, 2012
 Every day in our community some 5,000 seniors struggle to put the right food on their tables. Faced with financial challenges, physical limitations or isolation, they face a dilemma—whether to skip meals or choose cheaper, less nutritious meals. Linda is a 72-year-old widow with low income living in Thousand Oaks. She developed cancer last year and frequently...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, March 29, 2012
 It was really encouraging to see the turnout at the recent Thousand Oaks Council on Aging program about the Village Movement. Too frequently I meet seniors, young and old, who mentally live in “Never Never Land”—where they’ll never get old and they’ll never need help. So when a large group of seniors seem interested in a concept that, at its foundation, suggests we take responsibility and develop a plan for...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, March 15, 2012
 I learned last week that almost half of the people over age 65 in America are single. Simply put, wow! While getting older has its benefits (if you don’t think so, you need to read this column more often), traveling the journey without a partner can be challenging or at least require some careful planning. Being single these days comes in all shapes and...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, March 01, 2012
 Compared to caregivers in the rest of the United States, those in California have higher levels of stress and poorer health. To many of us who work with family caregivers in multiple states, those facts seemed obvious, but we now have data to support our beliefs. According to the 2011 UCLA policy brief “ Stressed and Strapped: Caregivers in California,”...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, February 16, 2012
 How many of us know what we can do to reduce our risk of Alzheimer’s disease? When I ask groups of seniors that question, some of the more common answers include games such as crossword puzzles, chess, or sudoku. Each one of these answers is right but also wrong, because simply playing games falls short of what we can do to reduce our risk...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, February 02, 2012
 I have a neighbor who heads to the beach when life becomes too stressful. When she felt the strain from caregiving for her 95 year-old mother or the overwhelming demands of at work, watching and listening to the waves, feeling the sand under her feet and the warmth of the sun provided a healing experience. This isn’t so surprising since years ago, scientists discovered that when we experience “burnout” such as from an exhausting day at work or caring...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, January 19, 2012
 February is a bonanza month for programs intended to help us plan and prepare for a good old age Woodrow Wilson once said, “Wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself.” What happened to the older is wiser theory? When I was young my father defined wisdom as the combination of experience, knowledge and...
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By Andrea Gallagher on
Thursday, January 05, 2012
 Ever wonder what those hundred year-olds featured on the Smuckers’ segment of the Today Show, may have done right? In particular, what abilities might they possess, that allow them to live over a century, while still enjoying life? Since the world we live in has changed dramatically for a person who is a hundred years-old today, chances are, the skills they used...
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