Just when we finally felt we could eat eggs again without worrying about how it might be a silent killer, a new study was released that might make some feel they should toss the egg while leaving others in disbelief.

How can this be? We love eggs…

Maybe it’s because many of us grew up hearing the virtues of eggs through the “Incredible Edible Egg” commercials that began in 1976.

Or was it Paul Newman, back in the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke, who egged us on with his famous line, “I can eat 50 eggs.”

With Easter soon upon us and for those who look forward to their omelet brunch, we’re left wondering if we should or shouldn’t eat eggs.

First, a review of the nutritional qualities of eggs…

Is the Nutritional Value of Eggs All It’s Cracked Up to Be?

Eggs are a natural source of protein and 13 vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, riboflavin, selenium, choline, and lutein, while containing 70 calories. The high-quality protein contained in eggs is important for healthy bones and muscles. Along with exercise, protein can help slow the effects of sarcopenia — the loss of muscle as you age.

Choline is essential for liver function and the health of the brain. And lutein is helpful in slowing the progression of eye diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

One egg contains 186 milligrams of cholesterol, which is found in the yolk. Most healthy people can eat an egg a day without risking the development heart disease. Worried about too much cholesterol? Enjoy one egg with additional egg whites.

Other Factors Affecting Cholesterol

In addition to an unhealthy diet, according to the American Heart Association, other factors affecting cholesterol include a lack of physical activity, smoking or exposure to tobacco smoke, and excess weight

The Nutritional Roller Coaster

Over the years, the egg has been both touted for these nutritional virtues and demonized for its potential ill effects, such as raising cholesterol levels.

The image of eggs changed when a large study done in 2004 through 2008 suggested that this nutritional powerhouse was not such a bad egg.

The study of 500,000 adults in China, ages 30 to 79, showed that daily egg consumption helped reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Another study in Australia showed that those who ate up to 12 eggs a week showed no increase in cardiovascular risk factors for people with prediabetes or type II diabetes.

Another small study 10 years ago suggested that eating eggs was a bad as smoking. Other myths tout eggs as being a leading contributor to high blood cholesterol.

The U.S. dietary guidelines currently recommend two to three servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts as a group. Yes, eggs.

The Cracked Egg

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports high consumption of dietary cholesterol such as in eggs is “significantly associated with higher risk of incident cardiovascular disease.”

This study of over 29,000 participants shows “higher consumption of dietary cholesterol or eggs was significantly associated with higher risk of incident cardiovascular disease.”

According to the study:

Eating just three to four eggs per week was associated with 6 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease and 8 percent higher risk of any cause of death. And if you eat two eggs per day, you’d be boosting your risk of cardiovascular disease by 27 percent, and your risk of early death by 34 percent.

The Flip Side

According to the Egg Nutrition Center, the science and nutrition education division of the American Egg Board:

The inconsistency of this new study with that of other recent studies demonstrates the importance of additional research to further explore this area, including the need to understand the unique contribution of eggs as part of healthy eating patterns set forth in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The fact that studies outside the U.S. appear to show favorable relationships with egg intake and cardiovascular risk may speak to the importance of what other foods are consumed with eggs as part of the overall diet pattern, as recent research has demonstrated the importance of separating eggs from other foods to understand their independent impact on health outcomes.

To Egg or Not to Egg?

As with any of the nutritional information released, the best decision is to choose moderation, base your decision on your own health requirements, and, when in doubt, check with your doctor.

For now, the symbol of new life seems to still be a good egg.

To help inspire you, we have discovered several amazing cookbooks filled with ideas not only for spring and summer but all year long.

Yume Dog. Photo: Carli Rene

The Peached Tortilla. Modern Asian Comfort Food from Tokyo to Texas by Eric Silverstein

A cross-kitchen between Tokyo and Texas may seem unlikely but author Eric Silverstein will make you a fan through his new book, The Peached Tortilla. Silverstein’s draws from his Asian food culture background and later from his immersion in Southern and Southwestern cuisine to write this new cookbook based on recipes from his hip restaurant, The Peached Tortilla located in Austin, Texas.

The edgy-style cookbook is loaded with 100 recipes and many beautiful photos. Signature dish recipes are here like the Banh Mi Taco, Japajam Burger and Bacon Jam Fries. The Peached Tortilla is Asian fusion at its best intertwined with soul-satisfying comfort food with a kick.

Silverstein did not take the traditional route into the hospitality world. The former litigator always had a passion for food and aspired to become an entrepreneur, so he decided to combine the two by opening a food truck.

His first truck opened in Austin in September 2010 and The Peached Tortilla empire has since expanded into a fleet of food trucks, three brick-and-mortar restaurants, and a full-service catering business and event space, Peached Social House. He opened a new fast casual outpost of The Peached Tortilla in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in the spring of 2018 and his most recent project, Bar Peached, opened January 2019.

Silverstein was born in Tokyo, Japan, where he lived for 1 years before moving to Atlanta, GA. At age 27, he moved to Austin. It was his upbringing in both the Peach State and his “atypical” approach to food that inspired him too name his business, “The Peached Tortilla.”

His style of cooking is heavily influenced by Japanese, Chinese and Malaysian cuisine from his time growing up in Japan with hints of flavors from his time spent in the South.

Hot dog lovers will delight with his fun recipe “Yume Dog.” According to Silverstein, “creating a Japanese-inspired hot dog was by no means my idea.” He wanted to combine the all American hot dog with the Japanese flavors of tonkatsu sauce, wasabi and nori. He suggests a light weight bun that does not overpower this Asian-fusion dog topped with tempura-battered onion strings, wasabi mayo, tonkatsu sauce and shredded nori (dried seaweed sheets).

Photography by Bill Milne; Copyright owned by Sterling Publishing under a work-for-hire contract;

This is Sunday Dinner … 52 Seasonal Italian Menus by Lisa Caponigri

A sequel to Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner?, Lisa Caponigri now offers This is Sunday Dinner … 52 Seasonal Italian Menus with a seasonal approach that reflects the cuisines of Piemonte for winter, Campania for spring, Sicily for summer and Tuscany for fall.

All of the recipes reflect the seasonal produce from summery artichokes, apricots, figs and the famous San Marzano tomato to hearty roasted meats and rich risottos to ward off the cold.

The book is chockful of the author’s experiences of living in Italy along with anecdotes about her family with lots of advice for how to get a spectacular Sunday dinner on the table.

Caponigri also has developed a line of prepared foods and sauces called Lisa’s Italian Kitchen. She has appeared on QVC and other television programs. She lives in South Bend, IN.

By Emily Luchetti and Erin McHugh

Let’s face it: our society has invented a verbal straightjacket for aging people.

The language that has come to define growing older may be well-intentioned but it’s restrictive and can be self-deprecating, insulting, assumptive and even cruel.

“So, you’re retired! What are you doing with your days?”

“I’m too old for that.”

“She’s having a senior moment.”

“Oops, gotta run to the bathroom!”

And it’s not always other people’s comments, it’s our own ready-to-use defense mechanism or built-in excuse, like when we’re worried about age performance (“Can I do this as well as I did 20 years ago…should I even try?”).

But the truth is: every time you self-identify as old, doesn’t it affect you, somewhere deep inside?

Each time you dismiss something and use your age as an excuse — whether it’s real, or in jest, or just a toss-off — you are making yourself less than who you were before.

We’ve always lived in a youth culture

Let’s face facts

Historically, society has not been on the side of those of us leading the charge of the Silver Tsunami. Marketing, advertising, fashion, movies, the media — they are all still salivating for the 18-35 year olds.

We get it. After all, we were the prime marketing target as we tripped through Elvis and the postwar boom; Woodstock, free love and getting high; and the Me Decade, complete with lava lamps and fondue. There was even a time when we didn’t trust anyone over thirty. Old people, to be honest, was about them and not us!

Here we are moving into older ages but guess what? We still have that spirit within us, kids, so don’t automatically address us as “senior citizen”, “retiree” or “old fart”. Those are labels from society’s mouth, not ours. They lead to being pigeonholed as possibly too old to do something younger people do.

Let’s be real: we’re still going to ask for a senior discount at the movies. But to be defined as a “senior citizen” or “retiree?” No thanks.

Now it’s still our time

While the world around us is busy dismissing the over-50 set, we need to be emphatically positive about facing our age — yes, with both its bonuses and it limitations — and embrace it with newfound joy and the gusto we’ve always carried within us.

After all, we’ve been there, done that. The young are the ones who don’t know themselves like we do, who’ve not yet enjoyed the richness of long and stalwart friendships and relationships, who prefer screens to face-to-face.

We like what Madeleine L’Engle, the author of the children’s classic, A Wrinkle in Time, said: “The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.”

Now you’re playing sports with a different group, because you’ve been designated by age, not talent; getting emails about reverse mortgages instead of adventure travel; social invitations begin to include you only with others in your age group — not an array of people of all ages with different viewpoints and stories to tell.

Intentionally or not, we do little things all the time that are designed to give us confidence, make us feel better about ourselves, act as badges of self-esteem. A great haircut, a new suit, checking our posture, keeping current by reading the new book or seeing the movie that’s in the zietgeist.

These things, packaged together, make you, you, a you that keeps improving upon yourself. Everyone else notices: “You look great.” “Nice suit.” “That’s an interesting take on that novel.” Take note of the things you do and the comments and compliments you receive that make you feel great — and work on dismissing the words and deeds from our culture that don’t.

How We Are “Still Kicking Ass”

Both of us have worked hard to steer the constant conversation about age from being detrimental to our psyches. After more than thirty years day-to-day in the kitchen, Emily, a James Beard Award-winning pastry chef, has shifted her culinary career to cooking at fundraisers, designs dessert menus for Big Night Restaurant Group in San Francisco, is a James Beard Foundation Trustee, and is studying the art of making chocolate.

Every time someone asks if she is going to stop working, she answers, “Why would I stop now? I’m having too much fun.

Erin recently moved back to her hometown after forty years in New York City. When old friends say, “Hey, so you’re retired now!” she always answers, “No, I moved, and I’m doing something else,” and tells of her part-time job and whatever book she’s currently writing.

Growing older is an art, and we each have to be mindful and constantly aware not to get stuffed into the cubbyhole that society (and younger people) want to put us. In our book, SO WHO’S COUNTING?: The Little Quote Book About Getting Older and Still Kicking Ass, we focus on empowerment, positivity, and humor.

Offensive jokes about losing your eyesight, sagging body parts and creaky bones are not to be found. Our mantra isn’t, “Let’s sit this one out.” It’s “Still Kicking Ass.” We’d rather think like Anna Quindlen, who sees herself not as a dusty antique, but as a work-in-progress. She insists, “A finished person is a boring person,” and we agree.

We should all be thinking in the future, not the past, tense, like tenor Robert Breault:

“The older you get, the fewer things it seems too late to do.”

Because while the world around us often treats us as invisible, we’re plotting and planning. People our age need to enroll in Ian Fleming’s school of thought: “Never say ‘no’ to adventures. Always say ‘yes,’ otherwise you’ll lead a very dull life.” (And who knows more about adventure than Ian Fleming?)

Now that sounds like someone who understands the art of aging — or rather, the art of living life.

The truth is, when you look around, you see — and hopefully feel — that older is getting younger all the time. Which makes us want to heed musician Patti Smith, who is determined to ignore the language of others, and rule by action:

“I want to be around a really long time. I want to be a thorn in the side of everything as long as possible.”

A very appealing thought, don’t you think?

Emily Luchetti and Erin McHugh are co-authors of “So Who’s Counting? The Little Quote Book About Growing Older and Still Kicking Ass,” published by Andrews McMeel Publishing.Emily Luchetti is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning pastry chef and cookbook author. She lives in Sausalito, CA.  Erin McHugh is a former publishing executive and author of 30 books on everything from inspiration to history, kids books to trivia. She lives in South Dartmouth, MA.

By Mary Johnson Whitworth

Why am I so poor?

I will get to that later. First, I want to welcome you to my world of flying, photography, and golf!

I have been flying airplanes for thirty-two years, since my first husband left to pursue other interests in different women. At that juncture in my life, flying saved my life. I had a zoology degree and was a wildlife and underwater photographer, dreaming of someday being a park ranger in the Florida Keys.

T is for Trust

One day, I decided to try my hand at aerial photography. I bought a Cessna 172 aircraft two months after getting a pilot’s license and a medium-format camera, called a Bronica. I became the only aerial photographer in Florida to shoot aerial photos on square-format film.

After a couple of years of playing around with this idea of aerial photography, building my ego back up with the “I’m an aerial photographer story,” but also needing to eat, I started a real aerial photography company with my second husband. During this time, golf became my distraction to the alcoholism in our home, and learning the game gave me a much needed escape. Fore! Look out, I’m taking up golf! At this point, golf saved my life.

Fast forward thirty-two years from when I first started flying: I now have a third husband and a sixteen- year-old son, who is also a golfer (he really didn’t have a choice), plus having a deeper commitment and understanding of a loving God. This is where God saved me from my destructive self. I started a business called In the Sand Golf (ITS Golf), which got started when I wanted to give my wonderful husband—also a great golfer—a unique golf gift he didn’t have and wouldn’t throw away (we re-gift or throw away many of the silly golf-related things our non-golfing family and friends give us).

D is for Divots

During my many Florida monthly flights I started looking for sand traps shaped like the letters of the alphabet so that I could spell his name. I decided the letter B would be the hardest letter to find for his name, Bruce. Literally, seconds later, I spotted a B while flying over Bonita Springs. It was off to the links. I was on a mission, ready and determined to find R, U, C, and E!

After that, of course, all my friends wanted their names too. So, after a year and 400 hours I captured and recaptured the letters of the alphabet twice, once in lowercase and again in uppercase. I have not doctored the photos you are about to see, except to make the color of the grass greener and a more similar shade, since the courses have different types of grass, and a few have very little grass.

F is for Fore

The F is the exception letter, printed backwards as a mirrored image to the actual shape of the sand trap (or “bunkers,” as my Scottish followers have pointed out!). I replaced many letters when I found some with more character (pardon the pun) or more unique surroundings.

Okay, so back to my original question of why am I so poor? The answer of course is because I like to play a lot of golf, which takes a lot of time and money, but it has made my life rich in so many other ways!

Mary Johnson Whitworth is the author of In the Sand Golf Collection published by Mascot Books, 2019. MJW was born and raised in 1957 in Tampa Florida. She earned a degree in zoology, as well as certifications in scuba diving and underwater photography. She obtained her first pilot’s license at Peter O. Knight Airport in Tampa, then went on to become an aerial photographer. She photographed golf sand traps shaped like letters of the alphabet to use in her new business, In The Sand Golf.

By David Lewis

Do you remember the Broadway play entitled, “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever”?

No matter the weather, your eyesight is the most precious of your five senses.

When was the last time you had your eyes checked for glaucoma? The American Glaucoma Society (AGS) recommends yearly comprehensive eye exams for everyone over age 40.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a generally irreversible eye disease that injures the optic nerve and retinal ganglion cells that bring vision from the eyes to the brain. Over one million Americans are diagnosed as having glaucoma, and another million are unaware they have the condition. It is estimated that nearly 120,000 U.S. citizens are legally blind in both eyes resulting from glaucoma, and about 1.5 million Americans have some loss of peripheral vision from glaucoma. According to the AGS, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States and around the world.

What are the Risk Factors?

As we age, we are at increased risk for developing glaucoma. People that have relatives with glaucoma are also at increased risk of developing the disease, but the genetic mechanism for inheriting glaucoma is not well understood.

Other risk factors include diabetes, Latin and African-American heritage, hypertension and myopia.

What are the Types of Glaucoma?

There are over 40 different types of glaucoma, but the two most common are Open Angle Glaucoma or Narrow Angle Glaucoma. The eye continuously manufactures fluid that drains out of the eye through a drainage meshwork and channel. The eye has pressure like an automobile tire has pressure. Glaucoma causes the pressure in the eyes to be elevated.

An eye physician detects the elevated eye pressure of open angle glaucoma at an early stage before the optic nerve is injured and then treats the condition to preserve the patient’s vision.

How to Detect Glaucoma?

In the United States, most patients with glaucoma enjoy excellent vision for their entire lives, but some have severe vision loss and blindness. The eye physician can detect loss of vision, elevated eye pressure, and injury to the optic nerve and retina upon examination.

According to Dr. Stuart Sondheimer, M.D, a suburban Chicago ophthalmologist and eye surgeon who has been treating patients for glaucoma and other eye-related problems for over 30 years, “A visual field test, performed in-office, tells me if a patient is losing or is at risk of losing the ability to see clearly. Often, the patient’s eye pressure must be lowered.

“There are other conditions that mimic glaucoma such as brain tumors, interrupted blood flow to the eye or brain, and congenital abnormalities that must be ruled out,” Dr. Sondheimer said.

What are the Treatments for Glaucoma?

Using eye drops that either reduce the production of fluid in the eye or increase the flow of fluid out of the eye will effectively treat most patients with open angle glaucoma.

However, if the patient doesn’t take the eye drops as recommended or if the medications don’t work well, continued elevated eye pressure and damage to the optic nerve and retina may require laser or conventional surgery to lower the eye pressure, increase the flow of fluid from the eyes and stop the progression of glaucoma and vision loss. Dr. Sondheimer notes that patients must be monitored carefully to make sure that the treatments are working.

Latanoprost and Lumigan are common, well-tolerated medications with rare side effects. The side effects may include itching and redness of the eyes and/or pigmentation of the pupils. Registered pharmacist Carter Black notes that prostaglandins are more effective and better tolerated than beta blockers that were more widely used years ago. “These days, doctors prefer prostaglandins over beta blockers for treating glaucoma,” said Black.

Latanoprost is a popular medication that is available as a lower cost generic. One drawback is that the tiny bottle size (2.5 ml) may be difficult to handle for some patients. Black adds, “When patients pick up their prescription, the pharmacist should instruct them on how to properly apply the eye drops. The pharmacist helps to make the medicine more effective,” he said. Narrow Angle Glaucoma occurs when fluid in the eye is blocked from reaching the drainage meshwork. This is more common in farsighted eyes than in nearsighted eyes.

The lens grows thicker with age and eventually fluid can’t easily escape the eye. Some patients have acute attacks where the vision drops, the eye becomes red and inflamed, and the pressure in the eye increases.

In most cases, the attack of high pressure can be relieved with medications, and surgeries are rarely required to break the acute attacks. “After the acute attack is broken, a laser may be used to make a tiny hole in the colored iris allowing fluid to drain easily out of the eye. In other cases, surgeries to allow fluid to leave the eye or replacing the lens are necessary,” Dr. Sondheimer said.

What is the Future for Glaucoma?

What about future glaucoma preventatives? A study of over 500,000 older adults with high cholesterol levels indicated that those who were taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs for a two-year period were ten percent less likely to develop open-angle glaucoma. Further research will determine if statin drugs could potentially be used to help treat glaucoma. Until a definitive cure is found, it is recommended that seniors visit their ophthalmologist yearly to test for glaucoma and other eye diseases.

Dr. Stuart Sondheimer, MD is an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon with offices in Park Ridge, Deerfield and Skokie, Illinois. The advice contained in this article is for informational purposes only. Readers should consult with a physician to evaluate any illness or condition. For further information about glaucoma and other eye problems visit: www.drsondheimer.com medical or The National Eye Institute.

It is not known yet if these numbers will hold for 2018 until later this year when tax filings have been completed. However, taking a brief look back, here’s how Americans gave.

Giving exceeded $400 billion in a single year for the first time, increasing 5.2 percent (3.0 percent adjusted for inflation) over the revised total of $389.64 contributed in 2016.

“Americans’ record-breaking charitable giving in 2017 demonstrates that even in divisive times our commitment to philanthropy is solid. As people have more resources available, they are choosing to use them to make a difference, pushing giving over $400 billion,” said Aggie Sweeney, CFRE, chair of Giving USA Foundation, and senior counsel at Campbell & Company.

“Contributions went up nearly across the board, signaling that Americans seem to be giving according to their beliefs and interests, which are diverse and wide-ranging.”

Giving from all four sources and giving to all but one of the major types of recipient organizations grew driven by economic conditions. Even though policy developments may have played some role in charitable giving, most of the effects of the tax policy changes adopted in late December 2017 likely affected giving in 2018 and beyond.

“The increase in giving in 2017 was generated in part by increases in the stock market, as evidenced by the nearly 20 percent growth in the S&P 500. Investment returns funded multiple very large gifts, most of which were given by individuals to their foundations, including two gifts of $1 billion or more,” said Amir Pasic, Ph.D., the Eugene R. Tempel dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

“This tells us that some of our most fortunate citizens are using their wealth to make some significant contributions to the common good.”

In addition to the S&P 500, other economic factors, such as personal income and personal consumption, are associated with households’ long-term financial stability and have historically been correlated with giving by individuals.

Highlights About Charitable Giving by Source

• Giving by individuals represented 70 percent of total giving. • Giving by foundations has seen strong growth for the past seven years, according to data provided by the Foundation Center. Its five-year annualized average growth rate of 7.6 percent far exceeds the 4.3 percent annualized average growth rate for total giving. • Corporate giving was boosted by $405 million in contributions for relief related to natural and manmade disasters.

“Donors and funders are becoming ever more sophisticated in their approaches to making gifts as they draw on the increasing availability of new data, new technology, and new ideas,” said Rachel Hutchisson, chair of The Giving Institute, and vice president of corporate citizenship and philanthropy for Blackbaud.

“We are seeing innovations across the philanthropic sector that are contributing to strong growth in giving, which benefits everyone.”

“Giving to nearly all categories of charities experienced significant growth, and giving to foundations achieved a double-digit growth rate,” said Una Osili, Ph.D., associate dean for research and international programs at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

“Economic growth contributed to these widespread increases in 2017, and there is heightened interest in the overall economic environment and other factors that can help nonprofits sustain this growth over time.”

Top Categories for Charitable Giving to Recipients

In order of amounts of giving, here are some of the most often recipients of charitable giving: religion, education, human services, foundations, health organizations, public-society benefit organizations, arts, culture and humanities, international affairs, environment, and animal organizations.

Looking for Ways to Give?

John Hagensen, Keystone Wealth Partners, has these tips…

How to Make Philanthropy Fit Into Your Financial Plans

One of the universal truths is that, although money can help meet your needs and provide you with the basic necessities of life, it can’t make you happy.

However, it can be a powerful weapon of self-satisfaction when used the right way—such as through philanthropic endeavors. And since April 15 is around the corner, it’s a good time to contemplate how you can integrate charitable giving into your tax-planning strategies.

“Money can be an incredible tool when you align it with your values,” says John Hagensen, founder and managing director of Keystone Wealth Partners. “It enables you to feel a sense of contentment that your money is working hard for you to help you accomplish goals that match your values.”

And if you value giving back to others—to your community, to your favorite cause, or to planet Earth—then money will enable you to accomplish that goal.

But as you look at your budget for 2019, you might not know where the money will come from to give to your favorite charity or cause. The answer is that it is probably sitting right underneath your nose, Hagensen says. But it will take discipline to find it.

Hagensen practices what he preaches; his company Keystone Wealth Partners has made a commitment to donate up to $10,000 to help create clean-water projects in Africa. That aligns with his values because he adopted two children from Ethiopia and wanted to give something back to their native homeland.

Hagensen has three tips for those who want to give to their favorite charities in 2019 but aren’t sure where the money will come from…

1. Write Down Your Values

Spend a few minutes to really examine what is important to you. Make sure all your monetary decisions support your values. If you have older children, include them in the discussion so you can create a teachable moment for them.

2. Write Down Your Long-Term and Short-Term Goals

Compare those goals to how you are spending your money.

3. Spend Intentionally

If you value traveling, then cut down your expenses at home so you can travel more. Align your expenses with what you value in life and your wants and needs.

Cut Out All the Expenses That Don’t Align With Your Values

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to what’s important to people. Most people think that a house is a necessity, but some people would rather live in a tent and travel all the time than own a home. It just depends on what you value, so make the most of your money.

“It usually does not take a major financial overhaul to give more to philanthropic causes,” Hagensen says. “It just takes a consistent approach that aligns with your values.”

About Giving USA: Giving USA, the longest-running and most comprehensive report of its kind in America, is published by Giving USA Foundation, a public service initiative of The Giving Institute. It is researched and written by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI.

John Hagensen is the founder and managing director of Keystone Wealth Partners in Chandler, Arizona.

Daniel Kalenov, owner and operator of Rental With a View, a boutique vacation rental company in San Diego, says families are increasingly using travel as a means for multiple generations to connect with one another, and they demand more from their accommodations than the standard cookie-cutter hotel. Vacation rentals offer more than just a place to sleep at the end of a busy day exploring a new destination. Instead, they add to the overall experience of the vacation.

“People don’t want to just go on a trip anymore; they want to make memories,” said Kalenov.

“You need to have something for everyone. For example, grandparents relish the opportunity to get quality time and bonding in with their families. At the same time, parents of young children appreciate the extra pair of hands, allowing them to enjoy date night in a new town without the little ones. The older kids and teens want to swim, play pool, or shoot hoops. In their post-stay reviews, many guests comment that their favorite part of the trip was hanging out at the house… and that’s what we’re aiming for.”

With families often separated geographically, or limited by busy work schedules, a vacation may be the only time everyone gets together for an extended period of time. Generational travel, and the use of private vacation rental homes, can be a win-win for everyone.

In choosing a destination and a rental property for that upcoming family vacation, it is important to pick a place that offers something for every member of the family. Look for destinations that offer plenty of kid-friendly activities to keep the children busy and content. Cooking classes, art galleries, and historic sights generally pique the interest of senior family members. Middle-aged travelers are often interested in food and cultural attractions.

Most importantly, vacation rental homes offer travelers a different experience than standard hotel accommodations. They often provide more square footage for larger families traveling together. Although hotels might put grandparents in one wing of the hotel, and grandkids in another, vacation homes can keep everyone under one roof.

Many vacation rentals offer more luxurious features, such as heated pools, soaking tubs, views, and privacy. They can often be much more cost-efficient and convenient for longer stays, as many are equipped with amenities of home, such as washing machines, dryers, Wi-Fi, and kitchens equipped with everything needed to prep homecooked meals.

Ready to plan your generational vacation? Check out these five supersized private vacation rental homes located across the nation…

Sextant’s Biscayne Residence – Miami

This rental home is perfect for families or groups looking for a clean, sleek space in a central location. The modern finishes, 120-inch projector screen, and lush vegetation set this home apart. These two side-by-side homes connect through the backyard but still feature their own pool and hot tub. Both properties are large enough to have all 14 guests in one of the dining or living areas, or guests can enjoy separated spaces. Located 15 minutes by car from Miami Beach, this home is also walking distance from several bars and restaurants.

Cedar Ridge – Nashville, Tennessee

Built in 2011, there is so much attention to detail to this 10-acre country estate! With six bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, and 4,775 square feet of space, this home is the perfect destination for a large family trip. This property boasts a theater room, music room, patio seating, pergola, chef’s kitchen, playground, tree house, and garden. It’s a spacious three-level home that has a walkout basement leading to a large in-ground pool and spacious patio with hammocks, pergolas, and an abundance of covered seating areas.

Casa Paradiso – San Diego

Located in the heart of San Diego, Casa Paradiso is a one-of-a-kind luxury resort home that boasts a heated pool, jacuzzi spa, putt-putt golf course, basketball court, and 700 square foot “chillout lounge.” Upon entering the home, the accommodations continue to impress with its open floor plan, incredible view, and cozy seating area huddled around a luxurious natural stone fireplace. Top that all off with the seamless flow of the home onto an expansive observation deck with views of the canyon, harbor, and city. Sleeping up to 10 family members, Casa Paradiso offers both privacy and proximity to all major attractions and beaches. San Diego is not to be missed. It’s home to some of the finest beaches, dining options, and major family attractions, including SeaWorld, Legoland, and the San Diego Zoo.

Victorian Apartment Rental – San Francisco

Located in the heart of the city, this rental apartment combines iconic San Francisco charm with picturesque Victorian home design. With its central location, convenient access to public transportation, and close proximity to museums, the opera, and the ballet, you’ll always have something to do and will find it difficult to become bored. Relax and unwind in the city with ease. Inside the apartment, discover all the great features that travelers desire, including complimentary Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, a fully equipped kitchen, a fitness room, a laundry room, a balcony, and more.

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