By Terri Lilga

The inspiration for my next chapter didn’t arrive in a grand moment but grew gradually, like the hum of bees in a summer garden. The idea had been there for years, quietly gaining momentum until it became an undeniable drone in my thoughts.

I had been a happy, dedicated, and enthusiastic elementary school educator for thirty years. Yet, some thoughts and factors had me leaning toward retiring . . . An inviting district incentive which would temporarily contribute to my post-retirement healthcare . . . Paradigm shifts in educational philosophy and practice. . . The lure of spending more time traveling.

So, while acknowledging that I had enjoyed a wonderfully fulfilling career, I felt it was time to move on. And so, I retired.

Retirement brought a warm sense of accomplishment, but it wasn’t without some doubt. Am I really ready? What will I do with all my time? Colleagues, family, and friends seemed unified with a singular question: “So, what’s your plan when you retire?”

Plan? My “plan” was not to have one. After all, wasn’t that the point of retirement? To be a free agent – free from contractual obligations, free from an overly structured day, free to do whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it?

Well, the novelty of my “non-plan” wore off pretty quickly. I missed the kids and their families. I missed interacting with my colleagues. I missed my career purpose, which I knew would be mine even at a relatively young age. I missed teaching! Idea sharing. Kids’ intellect, confidence, and maturity developing throughout the school year. Engaging in our studies and discussions of the literature we shared; engaging with books!

And then a new idea began to take shape.

For years, I had dabbled in writing children’s literature. I had a small collection of manuscripts—some nearly finished, others just fragments of ideas. Occasionally, I would revisit them, tweak the stories, or dream of publication. So, writing with the goal of publication has always been a part of my retirement equation to some extent. However, I soon discovered that dabbling in writing for publication as a “hobby” vs. pursuing it as a second later-life career were two very different goals.

Real-Life Inspiration

At first, I continued to tiptoe around the idea, unsure if I still had the energy for such an ambitious goal. But then, I started noticing more and more new children’s authors making their debut locally and nationally. Their stories were being featured in trade magazines, and their books were being celebrated.

Suddenly, it felt less like I was chasing a writing career and more like it was chasing me. I started to count my assets. I had spent thirty years immersed in children’s literature, learning from the experts—the kids themselves! My students had been my most valuable resource.

We had discussed in depth our favorite story parts, conflicts, resolutions, main ideas, and favorite characters. We marveled at the illustrations and applauded the happy endings. We understood that characters could of course be people, but also animals, fantastical creatures, or even things who often make mistakes but learn from them. We discovered the transforming magic of a really good adventure, which allowed us to have experiences we might never have known.

With this wealth of experience, a new confidence began to grow. I asked myself two simple questions: Why not my books? Why not now?

I’m glad I answered the call.

Terri Lilga. Photo courtesy of Terri Lilga

A Retirement Dream Realized

In the fall of 2023, my first children’s book, Santa’s Simon, was published.

There’s nothing quite like the sense of accomplishment I feel when I visit a classroom as a visiting author. There is nothing like reading my story to the children gathered before me, expectantly waiting for me to begin, then seeing the characters, adventure, and vision I created come alive before them.

When we get to the “Book Talk,” and I ask, “Who’s your favorite character and why?”—and hands shoot up into the air—I know without a doubt: it’s never too late to pursue a dream.

Terri Lilga, a native of Western New York, lives in the Village of Hamburg with her husband Pete and their lively mini-golden doodle, Sushi. After a fulfilling thirty-year career as an elementary school teacher in the same school district from which she graduated, she rekindled her early passion for writing children’s literature.

Her first children’s book, Santa’s Simon, was inspired by her desire to write a Christmas book with a unique twist, but mainly to highlight a message of faith, courage, and the transformational power of kindness. In addition to writing, Terri loves to travel and has visited Egypt, Botswana, Poland, Spain, and Cozumel, where she had a bucket-list opportunity to swim with dolphins. Her second children’s book, There’s a Hubbard In My Cupboard, is coming in 2025!

Age does have its privileges, so if it only means that you have to admit how old you are … then why not? You don’t have to reveal your age to your friends, but you will want to share it with these groups for money-saving discounts.

Here are 10 to check out from Healthy Aging^®:

Kohls

Kohls offers a 15% discount on qualifying purchases every Wednesday in their stores to customers ages 60-plus.

Walgreens

Walgreens offers “Seniors Day,” held every first Tuesday of the month for seniors and their caregivers. The offer is for 20% off regular-priced merchandise.

National Park Service

National Park Service offers US citizens or permanent residents ages 62 and up special entrance pass options. The America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series offers a lifetime and annual Senior Pass option.

The Senior Lifetime Pass is valid for your lifetime and costs $80.

The Senior Annual Pass is valid for one year and costs $20.

The passes cover entrance and standard amenity (day-use) recreation fees and provide discounts on some expanded amenity recreation fees at sites managed by participating federal agencies.

Amtrak

Amtrak offers a 10% discount on most rail fares on most Amtrak trains for those 65 and up. On cross-border services operated jointly by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada, a 10% senior discount applies to travelers 60 and up.

Chess House

Chess House offers a 10% discount on items like chess sets, boards, pieces, and accessories.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Colorado

The ski area offers seniors a deeply discounted rate on their Unrestricted Season Pass. Seniors 70 and above can snag this pass for only $409, compared to the $679 adult pass.

They also offer discounted day rates for seniors. These ticket prices vary by day but come as low as $56.

Michaels

Michaels offers 10% off entire purchase including sale items Senior discount to anyone 55 years or older.

Rite Aid

Rite Aid Rewards 65+Through its Rite Aid Rewards program (“Rite Aid Rewards 65+”), Members over 65 years old can earn 5x points, in-store purchases made on the first Wednesday of the month. To qualify, a Member must specifically enroll in Rite Aid Rewards 65+ and be a Rite Aid Rewards Member and at least 65 years old on the date of enrollment.

Best Western Hotels

Best Western Hotel guests 55+ save with discounted room rates. Worldwide locations in over 100 countries.

Meals for one do not have to mean a frozen single-serving heated up in the microwave. Made-from-scratch meals can often be prepared in about the same time as it takes to heat a frozen meal in the oven.

If you’re looking for inspiration, cookbook author Kelly Jaggers has you covered with over 100 recipes in her book, The Ultimate Meal Planning for One Cookbook.

This easy-to-follow cookbook and guide is packed with delicious recipes, practical meal-planning tips, and eight sample weekly meal plans. There’s even a suggested shopping list to make your solo cooking journey seamless.

Meal plans are great, Jaggers said, as “a way to ease decision fatigue at the end of a long day, while others plan as a way to prevent food waste and stay on budget.”

Here’s a sneak peek at one day from her meal plans:

Breakfast:  Loaded Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon

Lunch: Quick Black Bean Soup

Snack: Creamy Ranch Deviled Eggs

Dinner: Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta or Dine out!

Dessert: Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Here are three sample recipes from the book:

LOADED AVOCADO TOAST WITH SMOKED SALMON

Smoked salmon is a beloved accompaniment to creamy avocado, and it keeps fresh for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When adding this recipe to your weekly meal plan, consider including the Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta also in the book later in the week for lunch or dinner.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE FOR ONE

This is pure comfort food and can be made with any tube- or spiral-shaped pasta you have in your pantry. If you need a way to use the extra milk from this recipe, add the Crispy Fried Shrimp or Shrimp and Grits from the book to your meal plan!

CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Silky-smooth custard topped with crisp caramelized sugar makes a mouthwatering dessert for one. This is the perfect treat to add to your meal plan when you have extra cream and eggs that need to be used up!

Recipes used with permission from The Ultimate Meal Planning For One Cookbook: 100+ Easy, Affordable, and Low-Waste (High-Taste!) Recipes Made Just for You by Kelly Jaggers. Copyright © 2024 by Simon & Schuster, LLC. Published by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. Photographs by Emily Weeks.

By Cathy Yoder

The air fryer is a kitchen marvel that has taken the culinary world by storm. With its innovative technology, you can enjoy crispy, delicious meals with significantly less oil than frying and bake faster than in the oven.

Even so, there are nuances to be mindful of when cooking with this appliance. Here are 20 tips and tricks to ensure your air fryer feast is a success along with three recipes from my book, Easy Air Fryer Recipe Book: Best Air Fryer Cookbook Recipes for Beginners to Advanced: Crustless Quiche, Zucchini Boats, and Sweet Potato Fries.

Crustless Quiche

BEFORE YOU AIR FRY

• Make sure the air fryer is clean and empty. Need I say more?
• Never preheat the air fryer with parchment paper inside. It will blow up into the heating element and start to burn. When you do, use parchment paper (I like to use it when cooking extra messy foods). Just be sure the food holds the parchment paper down so it doesn’t fly up into the burner. You can also set a small wire rack on top of the food (see AirFryerTools.com for links to items like this).
• Line underneath the air fryer basket with foil for quick and easy cleanup.
• To save time, parboil root vegetables before cooking them in the air fryer. Then, use the air fryer to finish roasting the vegetables.
• Get creative with the seasonings of your proteins. Wet marinades and dry rubs work great in the air fryer!

Zucchini Boats

WHILE YOU ARE AIR FRYING

• Start small. Start testing out your air fryer by cooking less expensive foods. If you mess up a batch, you don’t break the bank! A few of my favorite foods to start with are frozen hamburger patties, chicken wings, and frozen broccoli.
• Open the air fryer. The air fryer is small and compact, making checking your food’s progress much easier. Open your air fryer, check on your food, and adjust as needed. Most air fryers will pause when you open them. If not, look for a pause button.
• Use an instant-read food thermometer. Sometimes, looking at your food and knowing whether it is done will be enough. However, for most foods, you will need to use an instant-read food thermometer to gauge whether your food has finished cooking or not.
• Never set your air fryer on the stove. If your stove accidentally gets turned and your air fryer is also on your stove, not only is your air fryer toast but so is your stove! Just don’t do it!
• Use a reusable oil sprayer. Most commercial oil sprays you buy at the store contain propellants and chemicals that will ruin your basket. Instead, use a spray bottle and fill it with your own healthy oil with a high smoke point. In the long run, it saves money! I always use avocado oil.
• Use water or bread to keep the air fryer from smoking. If you’re cooking fatty foods such as bacon or sausage in the air fryer, put either a ¼ cup of water or a slice of bread in the base to absorb grease.
• Use a wire rack to keep foods from flying around in the air fryer basket (see AirFryerTools. com).
• Let cheese melt in a hot air fryer. A viewer of mine shared this great tip for adding melted cheese to a burger: when the burger is done cooking, add the cheese, then close the air fryer door. Let it sit for about a minute, and not only does it melt perfectly, but it never slides off, either!
• Make a foil sling for foods that are hard to take out of the air fryer basket. Just make sure you leave room along the sides for airflow! Simply make a large rectangle with handles that you set delicate foods on. That way, you can lift the foil (and the food) out of the air fryer easily.
• Reheat leftovers in the air fryer. Revive leftovers such as fries, pizza, breaded foods, tortilla chips, steak, and chicken. For best results, let the food sit out, covered, for 15ish minutes. Then, preheat the air fryer at 400°F/200°C for 5 minutes. Next, place the food inside and air fry at 370°F/185°C in 3-minute increments. Rotate and cook longer as needed.

Sweet potato fries

AFTER USING YOUR AIR FRYER

• Clean your air fryer after each meal. Wipe down the top and bottom and clean the basket. Never use abrasives to clean your air fryer, as this will wear down the basket quickly.
• Use Dawn Powerwash to clean the air fryer basket. Once the air fryer has cooled and you’ve wiped out the majority of grease and food chunks, spray the basket with Dawn Powerwash, don’t add water, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Wipe it out, then wash it with hot water.
• Wipe down the cooled heating element with a damp paper towel. This will help prevent build-up of food splatters and grease.
• Use the air fryer to dry the air fryer basket. Place the wet basket into the air fryer and run it for a few minutes to dry it. Then, let the air fryer cool completely before putting it away.
• Contact your air fryer manufacturer before buying a new one. If you feel your air fryer basket has reached the point of no return, rather than buying a whole new unit, see if your manufacturer sells just the basket replacement!

Cathy Yoder, the “Queen of Air Fryers” is the author of “Easy Air Fryer Recipe Book: Best Air Fryer Cookbook Recipes for Beginners to Advanced.” Recipes and photos used with permission.

 

 

 

By Dr. Olufolakemi “Kemi” Awe, MD, PhD, FAAD

Skin changes are among the most visible signs of aging, and with good reason. As we age, our skin naturally changes too. It becomes thinner, less oily, and bruises more easily than when we were younger. All of this leads to new skin issues, from dry patches and age spots to bruising, wrinkles, and sagging skin.

Dry skin is perhaps the most common complaint voiced by people of all ages, with symptoms often worsening as they age. The cause of dry skin may be a single underlying condition or a combination of factors, from eczema and psoriasis to allergies, soaps and detergents, and diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease.

Older adults need to recognize that our skin plays an important barrier role for the body in two ways. The skin is the body’s first line of defense against potentially harmful external agents such as bacteria. The skin barrier also works to help maintain a certain moisture level within itself by making different products that promote water retention.

As we age, the body produces less of these products, predisposing the skin to feeling drier. Many moisturizers aim to replace these natural products made by our skin with varying success.

For my patients with dry skin, I emphasize the importance of using creams instead of lotions because lotions tend to contain alcohol, which is drying to the skin. I also encourage patients to use fragrance-free products that tend to be less irritating and avoid abrasive shower tools that can disrupt the skin barrier.

Another common concern I hear from my patients is how easily their skin bruises or how often they develop what dermatologists call senile purpura. Senile purpura appears as red to purple splotches or patches on the skin that often develop after minor trauma.

These areas develop because of the loss of the skin’s underlying tissue, including collagen and fat, which provide support and stability to blood vessels and nerves within our skin. This decrease in supportive tissue allows the small blood vessels in the skin to be damaged with even just a small amount of external pressure leading to leakage of blood into the skin.

Studies estimate that as many as 10% of individuals over the age of 50 may have senile purpura, many of whom may also be on blood thinners, which can exacerbate the issue. Currently, there are no treatments for senile purpura. Minimizing sun exposure by using sunscreens and sun-protective clothing, however, can be helpful to prevent further damage to the skin from the sun.

Finally, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. While skin cancer affects a wide range of age groups, the majority of cases occur after the age of 50. The accumulation of sun exposure over decades is one of the key factors in skin cancer development, along with genetic predisposition and environmental exposures, among other things.

Basal cell carcinomas (BCC) are the most common type of skin cancer, followed by squamous cell carcinomas (SCCS) and melanoma. Each skin cancer type can appear differently from person to person, especially melanomas, which are typically brown compared to the pink-to-red color of BCC and SCCs.

Warning signs for new skin cancers may include a non-healing wound, an area of skin that bleeds spontaneously, or a mole that is darker in color in the case of melanomas. If you are concerned that you may have a new skin cancer, be sure to make an appointment with your local board-certified dermatologist to have the area checked.

Other skin conditions – such as rosacea, asteatotic eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis – are common among seniors. The real catch for older adults and their families is to understand how susceptible older adults can be to skin issues and keep an extra eye on them, particularly during harsh winter or summer weather. Doing so can lead to early detection and treatment based on each individual’s medical history and needs.

Dr. Olufolakemi “Kemi” Awe, MD, PhD, FAAD. Dr. Awe provides a full range of dermatologic care, including medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology services, for her patients at Dermatology Partners, a premiere, privately owned, physician-led dermatology group serving patients across the Mid-Atlantic.

In her article, Dr. Gabayan shares her thoughts on “wisdom,” which she defines as a state of being and having peace and happiness. She says wisdom is made up of eight elements: Resilience, Kindness, Positivity, Spirituality, Humility, Tolerance, Creativity, and Curiosity.

She believes her resilience, based on her research, is getting her through this tragedy. Dr. Gabayan told us, “And as one of the thousands of people who sadly lost their homes in the recent Pacific Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles, I learned that these elements of wisdom aren’t just concepts; they’re lifelines. In times of upheaval, it’s essential to focus on the wisdom of taking things one step at a time. Whether you’ve suffered losses from a wildfire, earthquake, mudslide, hurricane, flood, or other life challenges, it’s important to take time to reflect, prioritize your self-care, and find inner strength. I’m grateful to have these skills as I navigate the uphill journey of rebuilding our lives, and hope they can help you, too.”

You can read her article here: Healthy Aging Magazine | How Common Wisdom Can Increase Joy, Happiness, and Success

Dr. Gabayan’s message of hope, the importance of resilience, and looking forward is very much a part of the ongoing message we weave through Healthy Aging® Magazine content.

The issue’s cover feature story, Hymns Through the Generations, written by Michael Chauner, is about Tom Chapin, a Grammy-award-winning singer/composer who has touched our lives professionally and personally over many years.

I first met Tom in 1992 at the Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, with my two sons, then six and seven years old. We were subscribers to the playhouse’s children’s theater. Tom wowed us with his “kid-friendly and parent-safe” singalongs that he said he created “to combat the boredom (and sometimes anguish) of never-ending drives with the whole family.” We took him up on that with a stack of CDs we listened to on the three-and-a-half-hour car ride we took to Vermont on many a weekend.

Tom came back into our lives when I produced a public television special, “Healthy Aging®… Redefining America. ” This documentary feature featured Tom, a special song he created (“I’m Half of 100”), and a music score by his brother, Steve Chapin. Tom guided the viewer through upbeat, inspirational profiles of middle-aged Americans, at that time baby boomers, who were finding ways to deal with what lay ahead.

Fast-forward to today: Tom is still going strong and about to celebrate his 80th (yes, 80th!) birthday. We share news of his two new projects and look forward to his birthday celebration!

The Winter Issue also focuses on active travel in part to coincide with Healthy Aging®’s role as one of the official media partners of The New York Travel and Adventure Show. Tom will join us at the show for a special appearance, which we are very excited about!

At the show, we will also be celebrating active travel ideas in places such as Spain, where we have explored many times over the past ten years and have a particular love.

This issue offers much inspiration, with informative, upbeat articles on mental wellness, saying no to classic “retirement,” physical fitness, and, of course, cooking.

As we look forward to warmer weather, which can’t come soon enough!, we hope you will be as inspired by the articles in this latest issue as we have been putting them together for you.

We hope you will enjoy and be inspired by the many articles in the Winter 2025 issue of Healthy Aging® Magazine! Enjoy!

Let us know by dropping us a note @ editor@healthyaging.net, and following us on Facebook, X, and Instagram!

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