My mother, in her late 90s, fell at home and broke a hip. She needed surgery, then one week of rehabilitation. This was last year when the Dodgers were again heading toward the playoffs, and she was lucky to have cable TV at home that carried the games. But not at rehab. “Where are the Dodgers on this...

Budget cuts will soon be made by many governors throughout the nation. The cost and impact of the pandemic has markedly effected state finances, and much of the brunt will be taken by older adults. The Greatest Generation and Baby Boomers have significantly contributed to the basis of our thriving nation....

Playing Little League baseball was out. My family could not afford it. A few in our neighborhood could, so they got that opportunity. Our friend, “Jimmy James Barber Junior the Third,” played on a baseball team at Queen Anne Park near Los Angeles High School. One day when we were 9 years old, he...

Statistically, older adults have a higher chance of dying from COVID-19. Out of fear, most seniors remain home in isolation. With the recent lifting of some restrictions, and seeing many on TV ignore using masks, the older generation will not return to public life and will be forced to avoid group interaction. Prior...

Robert and I tried out for the high school baseball team. He didn’t make it. He then tried out as a pole vaulter on the track team, telling me he would not give up, even though he was going over the bar sideways! The next year, he broke the school record, and in our senior year he set a national record...

My medical colleagues on the East Coast will tell you the nightmare of their recent experience with COVID-19. It is engrained in their psyche forever, and some will suffer unceasing PTSD. There are some citizens who are convinced that politics underlies this illness and not a virus. With reopening taking...

When you donate blood, part of the ritual is to “make a fist.” In case you haven’t heard, the American Red Cross now analyzes all donations for COVID-19 antibodies. Why is this important? There are two ways and reasons to test for COVID-19. One is to take a swab sample from your nose or throat,...

It was over 50 years ago. Brad was a surfer, so we went to Santa Monica where, at that time, they had a surfing-only area. I didn’t surf, but he was talented in his sport. He was also African-American. Two bikini-clad girls swam into the surf lanes, causing several to bail out including Brad, with...

Over the next century, historians will study this pandemic for decision-making lessons applied to future generations. Mistakes have been made. From a physician viewpoint, two egregious and inhumane errors have markedly impacted older adults: 1. Not recognizing “hotspots” in nursing homes, resulting...

Growing up, I was an athlete going to the Olympics! Never happened. I read enough to get by, but mostly magazines and newspapers, and I was mesmerized by O. Henry, the short story guru. Picking up a novel was never my cup of tea and still isn’t. Now, though, I read voraciously. Every morning, I get...