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View Whole Month
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Write your own story
Searching for Your Roots
Senior Politics
Amtrak's Capitol Whistle Stop
Digital TV
10 great Tips for Long-Distance Grandloving
Big Idea: Palliative Care
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Write Your
Own Story
The Power of Writing
by Kathleen Adams
Life Story Writing
for Seniors
Please note: There are many stories at Hamlet that can be told! If you should decide to tackle this project, make sure you let us know so we can publish your story as well!
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I was born on March 22, 1904 in Tecumseh, Oklahoma -- Indian Territory. I am the youngest of ten children -- five boys and then five girls. I had two very wise and wonderful parents. When I was 18 months old, my papa and mama each filed a claim on adjoining land farther up near the Panhandle of Oklahoma. We must have been traveling in covered wagons because we had an organ and all good things of Mama's. Mama was taking her side saddle. Later she cut off the leather flaps and half-soled us kids' shoes. She was a very efficient lady.
So begins the "memoirs" of Goggie, who, at age 86, began writing her life story at the urging of her granddaughter. Over the next several years, Goggie wrote or told dozens of vignettes that described homestead life in the Wild West -- her father's accidental death, carving out a settlement in the midst of Indian country, her toys and playmates, holiday celebrations, the courtship and marriages of her siblings, her own marriage at the age of 1 |
By the time Goggie reached her 90s, dementia had stolen her ability to write or even tell her own stories. Her daughters and grandchildren filled in the gaps, writing and telling those stories most familiar and beloved from their own experiences, and scribing Goggie's faltering reminiscences. When Goggie died at 95, her eulogy was crafted around the "memoirs" that had become a family heirloom. Her granddaughter fashioned the stories into a booklet, and this hand-made treasure will follow 13 great-grandchildren through the next generations.
One of the markers of a life well lived must surely be the stories, experiences and memories that are told, retold, remembered and re-experienced throughout the life span. Life story writing captures the priceless and the poignant, the truly memorable and the quirkily remembered, the historic and the unique. It leaves a legacy of living history for future generations. And it can bring enjoyment, satisfaction and closure in the last stage of life.
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If you've ever considered searching for your roots...
http://www.familytreemagazine.com
Build Your Own Home on the Web
By Allison Stacy
Genealogy Web sites aren't just for visiting. Share your family history finds and keep in touch by building your own site. It's fast, easy and you can even do it for free—follow these steps to get started.
Research
Web publishing has been surrounded by a haze of techno-speak, which can seem intimidating to newcomers. But publishing on the Web really isn't much tougher than surfing it—as long as you plan ahead. Before you stress over hyperlinks and transfer modes, start with what you already know.
You're probably an expert at the first step: surfing. This time online, however, focus on structure as well as content. Visit your favorite genealogy sites and see how they're laid out. Check out personal genealogy pages and see what kind of information others have posted. Pay attention to how information is organized and if it's easy to navigate.
Look at page design, too. Consider color schemes, graphics and type. Designing for the Web is different than for paper—see our design tips.
As you surf, save the addresses ("URLs") of well-done sites so you can refer to them later. All these sites should be giving you ideas for your own—but don't steal! Copyright still applies to the Web. Besides, plenty of sites offer free graphics—even ones related to genealogy.
Next, learn some basic HTML. "Wait a minute," you're probably protesting, "I thought I could build my site without any confusing code!" That's true, and you don't have to use HTML to publish your Web site. But it's a good idea to know some bare-bones code so you understand how the process works.
Check out Cyndi's Genealogy Home Page Construction Kit (from Cyndi Howells of Cyndi's List fame) at www.cyndislist.com/construc.htm, a great reference for links that will help in all the stages of creating your site, from learning the basics to promoting the finished product.
Pick your method
Next you need to decide how you're going to create your site. The obvious choice is HTML, which, again, isn't as scary as it might seem. HTML ("HyperText Markup Language") operates using a series of "tags" surrounded by angle brackets like these <> that tell a Web browser what to display. The first tag tells the browser to turn a function on, and the end tag contains a slash that tells it to stop. So to make a sentence bold, you'd insert a <b> tag at the beginning and a </b> tag at the end. You can look at the HTML code of any page on the Internet by using your browser's "View Source" command. And see our list of books and Web sites to get started learning HTML.
Besides tedious coding, a drawback of HTML is that you don't see what the pages look like as you're creating them. For that you need WYSIWYG software (pronounced "wizzywig," short for "What You See Is What You Get") such as Claris Home Page or Microsoft FrontPage (see a more extensive list). These programs let you create and edit a Web site much like a word processing document—you type in your text and change the fonts, colors and sizes using toolbar buttons or menu commands. With WYSIWYG software, you immediately see how different formats affect the look of your page. Some programs also include templates that provide a basic design for your page; you fill in the appropriate text and pictures, then embellish.
If you want to use a WYSIWYG program but don't want to shell out any money, you can get the tools you need on the Web. AOL users and customers of national ISPs such as Earthlink (www.earthlink.net) can use online tools to create basic sites—no coding required. You can download Netscape Composer for free at www.netscape.com/computing/download/index.html?cp=hom03x4 or try Homestead www.homestead.com, a Web site that lets you create your own pages there with its tools.
Kathy Mast, who's the Webmaster of her family's site, chose Homestead because she had no HTML experience and wanted an easy way to create and maintain her site. "Point, click and you're done," she says. "This way I get to spend my time researching my family tree, not creating the Web pages to display it."
Homestead offers templates related to different subjects (business, hobbies or family, for example) or you can start with a blank page. You can even download the tools to work on your site offline.
For our complete guide to building your own family history Web site, see the October 2000 issue of Family Tree Magazine
Senior Citizen Politics
Senior Citizens Send Puzzling Signals in Poll on Females' Ability to Lead the Nation
Seniors are least likely to say men have better leadership skills than women, among least likely to say U.S. ready for female leader
Sept. 4, 2008 – With all the attention on women as political leaders, the Pew Research Center has taken a look at how U.S. adults perceive the leadership traits of women and their ability to serve as political leaders. The general public finds women have everything it takes and more of it than men, but are still hesitant to say they are better leaders than men. Senior citizens, as usual, took a slightly different slant than younger people. Read more...
Senior Citizens Most Adamant That Churches Should Not Make Political Endorsements
 Pew study finds U.S. moving away from long held views that religious institutions should speak out on political matters
Aug. 25, 2008 - Senior citizens are more likely than younger adults to say churches should refrain from endorsing candidates (75% of those over the age of 65 take this point of view), according to a recent survey by Pew Research Center that also found the U.S. public moving away from long held views that religious institutions should speak out on political matters. Read more...
Where Do The Presidential Candidates Stand on Long-Term Care, Social Security?
Summary of major party candidates' positions on issues that affect seniors and their families
By ElderLawAnswers.com
  Aug. 25, 2008 - With the elderly population growing by leaps and bounds, families are struggling with long-term care costs and worrying about Social Security. So what are the presidential candidate's plans to address these issues? Below is a summary of the main party candidate's positions on some of the issues that affect seniors and their families. Read more...
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Amtrak's
Whistle Stop
provides riders
turned writers to
share memories
of their Amtrak
travels. You can
read more and
even write of
your own
adventures.
Learn more!
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I'm on the Capitol Limited running from the gilded Union Station in Washington, D.C. to the brawny Union Station in Chicago reading a New Yorker with an article, entitled, "The Train to Tibet: What Will the Greatest Rail Journey on Earth Do To Its Destination?" If the train to Tibet was the greatest rail journey on Earth then what was the Capitol Limited?
Nathan Bryan, the Sleeping Car Attendant, had made lifelong friendships with passengers he's met on the train.
The overnight trip from D.C. to Chicago was time enough for the Capitol to work its magic, converting what could have been a commute into a spontaneous vacation, a welcome respite from the hubbub. Much of this had to do with the Sleeping Car, a craftily refurbished nook that offered serenity and comfort. The click-clack of the rails underneath also does wonders for a restless sleeper like myself.
Plus, I was attended to by Nathan the Sleeping Car attendant, who had a knack for showing up just when needed. He pointed out the ever-present coffee pot tucked on a shelf in the oak veneer-paneled corridor, an essential component to the late night discussions that I would have with fellow travelers. He was also at hand to remind me of my reservation in the Dining Car, where tables were set with linen and meals of chicken and lamb were whisked about by talented servers adept at keeping their balance to the train's sway while pouring drinks.
Crisp white linens in the Dining Car.
The entire train was built for comfort from the Coach Class with its deep reclining seats to my favorite hangout, the top tier of the double-decker Lounge Car. Whoever designed the floor plan knew what they were doing. Rather than pack in as many seats as possible, the floor was broken into semi-circles, which invited people to get know each other. Plus, the second story bowed windows offered constant vistas of the ever-passing landscape. That's where I spent most of my time.
For me the trip wasn't so much about claiming the finest views. You don't have to climb Everest to experience that on top of the world revelation. You can also get it burrowing through America on the train in the middle of the night. I find just as much inspiration out of the old steel mills outside Chicago that extend seemingly beyond human capacity as I would gazing up at The Rockies.
You see, I believe that trains have a timeless style that goes beyond its function of merely getting from Point A to Point B.
An old abandoned warehouse building.
Like the Victrola, with its cabinetry and simple gears, or the wondrous simplicity of a well tuned bicycle, the train holds a rare place of artful technology. You can find it in the rockabye cradle motion as the train slows around a curve through Western Maryland, cutting through the cliff formations, offering spyglass views of hamlets and rope bridges over brooks.
What I didn't realize was that I was succumbing to the undertow of the railroad trip. The mundane chore that we think of as travel takes on the aura of a journey. [continued...]
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Senior Citizen Politics
Bill Funding Efforts to Prepare Senior Citizens for Digital TV Offered by Kohl
Sen. Kohl’s legislation aimed at filling gap left by government and industry planning for transition of nation’s television broadcast format
 Oct. 3, 2007 – Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, today introduced a bill to provide funding for non-profits, states and local governments, as well as, coordinate federal efforts, to prepare senior citizens for the nation’s switch to digital television in early 2009. A hearing last month by the committee highlighted concerns that senior citizens are the most likely Americans not to be prepared when the broadcasting of analog television signals ends.
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Related Stories
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What Senior Citizens Need to Know About Transition to Digital TV to be Presented Next Week
Two government agencies will present programs about this major change in U.S.
Sept. 20, 2007 in Senior Alerts
Aging Committee Finds Need to Educate Senior Citizens on Change to Digital TV
Nation changes to digital TV on Feb. 17, 2009 and senior citizens may be in the dark
Sept. 19, 2007
What Senior Citizens Need to Know About Transition to Digital TV to be Presented Next Week
Two government agencies will present programs about this major change in U.S.
Sept. 20, 2007
Archives
Senior Citizens May Be Left in the Dark When Nation Switches to Digital TV
Senate Aging committee hearing on lack of awareness, confusion, senior preparedness
Sept. 17, 2007
Senior Citizens Political Issues Not on Minds of Politicians or Voters
Top senior issue is Social Security picked by 4%, just 2% say Medicare
Sept. 19, 2007
Senior Citizen Issues Becoming an Issue for South Carolina Primary
Lt. Gov. Bauer lays out list of boomer, elderly issues he wants addressed
Sept. 12, 2007
Read more on
> Politics for Senior Citizens
> Medicare
> Medicare Drug Program
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On February 17, 2009, television stations will cease broadcasting their analog signals, at which point analog televisions will stop working unless they are connected to a converter, cable or satellite.
Kohl’s bill, “Preparing America’s Seniors for the Digital Television Transition Act of 2007,”.will formalize a partnership between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the Administration on Aging (AoA) with specific reporting requirements.
The purpose of the partnership would be to coordinate with a diverse advisory board of stakeholders - representing broadcasters, aging advocates, disability groups, rural Americans, and state and local governments - to craft a national consumer education campaign targeting older individuals who depend on analog TV.
“Seniors are particularly vulnerable to slipping through the cracks of the transition. Not only are they more likely to rely on free over-the-air analog TV signals, but for many seniors television is their only link to the outside world,” said Chairman Kohl.
“Without adequate planning and coordination, seniors will be left in the dark.”
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About Coupon Program
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Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program
The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has launched the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program (Coupon Program), as authorized in the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.
Between Jan. 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, all U.S. households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes, while the initial $990 million allocated for the program is available. If NTIA requests the additional $510 million already authorized by Congress, then coupon requests during this "contingent period" will be limited exclusively to over-the-air households.
Details on how to apply for the Coupon Program and a 1-800 number will be established later in 2007.
>> Click for more information about the Coupon Program
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This legislation would establish a grant program to support non-profits and state and local government agencies, such as area agencies on aging, as they help seniors and other vulnerable populations navigate the transition and the “coupon program,” which was created by NTIA to help subsidize the cost of a converter box for analog televisions.
The legislation also modifies the coupon program to ensure that households relying solely on over-the-air television sets are prioritized and that residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are eligible to participate.
Additionally, the bill would set requirements for the broadcasting industry, electronic manufacturers, and electronic retailers which include mandatory public service announcements; placement of easily identifiable labels on coupon-eligible converter boxes; and the maintenance of toll-free phone lines to help individuals with converter box installation.
Finally, the legislation would set specific reporting requirements for both the NTIA and FCC in order to monitor the overall progress of the transition and the implementation of the coupon program.
The bill, said a statement from Kohl’s office, is being introduced in response to a the hearing held by the Aging Committee on September 19, entitled “Preparing for the Digital Television Transition: Will Seniors Be Left in the Dark?”
Testimony from Federal Communications Commissioner John Adelstein and Mark Goldstein, Director of Physical Infrastructure Issues at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), corroborated the results of an Aging Committee investigation that found the federal government is drastically unprepared to educate America’s seniors about the transition, set to take place February 17, 2009.
The hearing uncovered several concerns, including the lack of coordination between government agencies; an over reliance on competing private sector efforts; the potential for fraud, abuse, and confusion with respect to the government’s coupon-program; and finally, that non-profit organizations require additional resources to sufficiently assist seniors with navigating the transition.
Chairman Kohl’s bill has received support from the Association for Public Television Stations (APTS), the National Association of State Units on Aging, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, AARP and the Meals on Wheels Association of America.
AARP Board Member Nelda Barnett lauded Chairman Kohl’s bill at the September 19 hearing, stating that “AARP appreciates the Committee’s focus on the impact of this transition on older Americans and welcomes the legislation the Chairman has drafted to ease these burdens.”
A study conducted by APTS determined that 61 percent of over-the-air households have “no idea” the DTV transition is taking place. A later study commissioned by APTS found that Americans aged 65 and older are consistently more likely to receive television signals via an over-the-air antenna than younger Americans, and are therefore less prepared to transition from analog to digital-only television.
The study concluded that seniors should receive unique attention in efforts to educate the public about the impending DTV transition.
>> Special Webpage by Senate Special Committee on Aging of information on what senior citizens should know about the transition of broadcast television from analog to digital. Don’t get left in the dark! Click Here
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10
Great Tips
for
Long-Distance
Grandloving
Sue Johnson and Julie Carlson
It's what puts topspin in a grandparent's letters and pizzazz in their calls. Whenever you energize your relationship with unique stories and games, you make yourself more interesting and memorable to your little one. So get ready, grandparents. We're going to give you the tools you need to make your relationship with your grandchild actually improve between visits!
1. Action! Photos and Movies
to Captivate Your Grandchildren
Photos tell a story to even the youngest grandchild. Laminated onto construction paper or wrapped in clear contact paper, a display of family pics becomes a "night-night board" to kiss before bed. Pasted onto a plain paper background cut into an interesting shape (house, boat, island), a vacation snapshot invites your little one to color a special frame. Videos of yourself in action will entertain and teach your young grandchildren, too. More...
2. Connecting by Phone with Young Chatters
What was the name of that scrappy neighbor child who worries your granddaughter so? And do you remember the names of your grandson's teacher and best buddies? Asking open-ended questions, paying special attention to feelings, and respecting your little one's ability to solve some problems alone will draw out your grandchildren and show them that you really are listening. More...
3. Grandloving in Cyberspace
If you and your little one both have home computers and sign up for an internet service (such as CompuServe, America OnLine, or Prodigy), you can zip electronic mail messages back and forth. It's so easy to type up a message, and so gratifying to have it delivered immediately, that you will find yourself writing frequently and about everyday events that often don't make it into a letter. If you want to be really hip, you can buy a fax modem that will send images to be printed, colored on, or simply displayed. In our family, pictures "drawn" by grandchildren are passed to the computer memories of the grandparents, and "slide shows" of scanned-in photos become backdrops on the computer screen. More...
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4. Take a Walk on the Wild Side:
Nature Activities for All Ages
Ever wondered what to do with your old socks? Try sending them to your grandchildren with a note to "run around outside and see what sticks." The burrs and seeds that get caught during this sock walk will be exciting to plant, and you won't believe the fun you'll have talking about the caper by phone. Between visits, when you can't smell the flowers together, try growing some in identical gardens and comparing notes by mail; exchanging seeds; or sending a magic rock or two for a bit of gardener's luck.
5. Coins, Stamps, or . . . Spiders?
Starting a Collection with Your Grandchild
Perhaps your little one, like Bert on Sesame Street, will delight in hoarding paperclips and bottlecaps. Maybe your older grandchildren will have a knack for spotting interesting leaves or stamps to catalogue. Or perhaps you both have a passion for fishing, woodworking, or trying out fancy recipes (or anything that uses chocolate chips) in the kitchen. Whatever your grandchild's interest, you can build on it--and add your own twists--by starting a collection or nurturing a hobby together. More...
6. Signatures with a Twist
Grandbabies in our family don't have to read to know something's from Oma--they smile as soon as they smell her perfumed envelopes. And a winking, happy face from Grandpa is their cue to see what's inside. Developing a personalized "signature" like these will help you reach even your youngest grandchildren and will start a unique family tradition that even teens won't want to end. More...
7. Bubbie's Coming! Special Ideas
for Before and After Visits
Antipating the fun of a visit with a creative picture "calendar" will captivate your young grandchildren. Simply draw a big box for each day of your visit--or their visit to you--and decide together what you might do that day. With words, imaginative drawings, or photos, this wish list of activities to share can be passed back and forth until you're together again. More..
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8. Rewind, Fast Forward, Play:
Grandpa's Telling a Story
We know, we know. You're not a professional storyteller. Come to think of it, even your singing voice, which was passable in the fourth grade chorus, now sounds like a World War II bomber in heavy turbulence. But wait. Your voice, whether confident or shaky, couldn't be more special to your littlest family members. Read a story, sing a song, sing a story, read a song--any combination will do. More...
9. Games, Puzzles, and Add-On Stories
Mystery, intrigue, drama...there's a package from Opa in the mail! Whether you try your hand at "magical mirror messages" (written backwards), make your own special letter codes, or start a story that can be exchanged until one of you creates a thrilling conclusion, playful games like these can recharge an established long-distance relationship. More...
10. Bookin' Along with Grandpa and Grandma
Whether you start with a bunch of plain papers stapled together or a purchased "blank book," the unique spin you put on your cooperative creation will make it a prized record of your thoughts and times together. Think of it as a "time capsule" of your relationship that can be enjoyed throughout your life--and your grandchild's. Here's one foolproof way to get a project started--ask them what ingredients they would put into their cookies. Applesauce? Pepperoni? Oatmeal? Whatever imaginative response you get, jot it down with others in a shared recipe book. More...
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Big Idea: Palliative Care
By: By Joanne Kenen Source: AARP The Magazine
When a loved one dies, the first thing you usually receive from a doctor is a bill. When a patient of Diane Meier, M.D., dies, the family receives a call or a note.
“She was with me when my wife died at home,” says Bert Gold, of New York City, still missing Sylvia, his wife of 57 years. “She took me into the living room and put her arms around me and started to cry. She thanked me for letting her take care of Sylvia. Imagine.”
Meier, 55, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, is one of the leading exponents of a new and growing discipline known as palliative care. Palliative care means soothing the symptoms of a disease, regardless of whether a patient is seeking a cure. It’s a concept that’s totally transforming the way doctors and hospitals treat seriously ill patients. The idea of easing pain and improving the quality of a patient’s life may not seem radical, but classic medical training focuses on attacking the disease. Most doctors simply don’t have time to be supersensitive Marcus Welbys checking up on patients to see how they feel. Even if they do have the time, they lack the advanced training of palliative-care doctors and nurses to ease symptoms such as anxiety, pain, or severe nausea. Most are better equipped to deal with microorganisms than matters of comfort.
When people first hear about palliative care, they often confuse it with hospice care. It’s not. Hospice focuses on terminally ill patients: people who no longer seek treatments to cure them and expect to live about six months or less. Palliative-care teams—consisting of everyone from social workers to physical therapists—can follow patients for days, months, or years.
Thanks in large part to the training and outreach programs Meier runs as the head of the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) in New York City, the number of hospitals with palliative-care programs has nearly doubled, from 632 in 2000 to 1,240 in 2005. Palliative care has the potential to change the way doctors and nurses address pain and emotional distress—not to mention how they help patients and families sort through their choices as life nears its end.
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Bert Gold is doing pretty well for a man who recently turned 91. A retired professor of social work, he lives at home. But he is frail. He takes a lot of medicines. He falls sometimes. He lost a big toe five years ago and still deals with pain and an awkward gait.
Bert visits Meier in her office today before going back to the foot surgeon, and Meier spends more than an hour with him—yes, an hour—reviewing his symptoms, his diet, his medications, his mood. Open or stubborn wounds can be dangerous for elderly patients, but Meier, who has worked with Bert for 12 years, also worries that the pain has isolated him, kept him home watching television instead of going to the Y for his regular bridge game.
“Are you having fun?” she asks.
“No,” he says, frowning.
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m not depressed, but I’m not having fun.”
Meier keeps listening. She offers some advice, more in the spirit of a friend than a doctor. She gently reminds him that even if he doesn’t like his wheelchair, it can get him out to a movie now and then. They talk about his diet, good-naturedly negotiating over...prunes. Though he flat out refuses to eat them for breakfast, he agrees to have them at lunch. Bert smiles. He has been listened to by a doctor who took the time to treat him not as a collection of symptoms, but as a person who deserves to get the best he can out of life, even at 91.
Want to read more from AARP? Read on.....
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