Practical Ideas for Living Well
We’re always on the lookout for tools that make everyday life easier. As we’ve gotten older, we’ve also found new uses for things we already had. Most of these gadgets were gifts from the kids — and many of them solved problems we didn’t even know we had yet. They don’t change life. They change…
Mincing garlic and ginger used to be effortless. Grab a knife, chop away, done. Now? My hands remind me that nothing stays effortless forever. Painful joints make the simple act of mincing feel like a negotiation. Finding an Easy Way I tried everything. Garlic presses worked… for a while. Pressing ginger? Forget it. Even garlic…
As I get older, I notice I need more light to see than I used to. Overhead lights can be bright, but once I’m at the counter, desk, or table, my body casts shadows where I need light the most. Reading, chopping, sewing—these tasks don’t need a darker room, they need light landing in the…
Opening jars is one of those kitchen tasks that can quietly become more annoying than it used to be. At first, it is just one stubborn lid that needs a second try. Then it is a bottle cap that will not budge, or a seal that is harder to lift than it should be. After…
The other night, our visiting kids asked how to prepare for old age. I paused and thought about what I might share—not as advice, but as the lessons we’ve learned over the years. Preparing While Young In our experience, the seeds of aging well are sown early. Many young people today already have it right:…
A Pineapple Corer tool peels, slices, and cores pineapples with minimal use of a knife. We love fresh pineapple, but don’t love using large, sharp knives any more. Could a pineapple corer work better than a knife for older hands?
When I began hearing the talk about the bad effects that prolonged sitting has on our health, I looked for ideas to decrease the time I spend sitting every day. I finally settled on the FitDesk.
I used an arm peddler at the gym years ago and remember thinking it was harder than it looked. I remember getting a pretty good arm workout on it. So when I came across under-desk peddlers while looking for exercises I could do to tone my upper arms, I took a second look.
There’s no shortage of expert guidance about what older adults should eat. I’ve read it, bookmarked it, and nodded along. But knowing what’s recommended and actually preparing food day after day aren’t the same thing. As I’ve gotten older, the challenge hasn’t been understanding what’s considered “good” food. It’s been the effort required to turn…
My daughter gave me my first Magic Bullet more than a decade ago. At the time, I wasn’t sure what I would use it for. It seemed too small to matter much, especially alongside bigger kitchen appliances I relied on. It didn’t take long to change my mind. The Magic Bullet isn’t a workhorse like…