At 72, Doug Matter is proving that adventure, competition and new experiences don't have an expiration date. Matter made history as the oldest contestant ever on CBS’s The Amazing Race, competing alongside his 18-year-old grandson, Dylan. The pair faced demanding physical challenges, unfamiliar cultures and navigation problems during seven legs of the international competition. Nicknamed the “lost boys,” they often found themselves struggling to keep up but refused to give in. Their journey ended in Sri Lanka, just short of advancing. Still, their experience delivered a powerful message: Age is no barrier to adventure, and sharing new experiences with grandchildren can create unforgettable memories.

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No iPad Till After Dinner, Mom 

Seniors are spending more time than ever on their slop-filled feeds. 

It’s their adult children’s job to save them.

Our parents once told us to put down the iPad and come to the dinner table. Now, the roles may be reversed. Older adults are spending more time scrolling through social media feeds filled with misinformation, outrage, and questionable content. The concern is real: endless scrolling can consume time, distort perceptions, and leave seniors vulnerable to online manipulation. But is it really the job of adult children to police their parents’ screen time? Or should the goal be helping older adults become smarter, more informed digital consumers?

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When To Review and Update Your Estate Plan

An estate plan is not something you create, file away, and forget. As we grow older, our lives, finances, family relationships, and wishes can change. A plan that made sense years ago may no longer reflect what we want or who should inherit our assets. For seniors, keeping a will, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives up to date is an important part of protecting loved ones and preserving peace of mind. Knowing when to review your estate plan can help ensure your wishes are honored when it matters most.

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Novel treatment 

clears dementia-linked proteins from the waking brain

Researchers are gaining new insights into how the brain may protect itself against the buildup of proteins linked to dementia. A novel treatment appears to help the waking brain clear these harmful proteins, raising hopes for new approaches to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. For older adults and their families, the findings offer a promising glimpse into the future of brain health. While more research is needed before the treatment becomes widely available, understanding how the brain removes these proteins could open new doors in the fight against dementia.

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A fall planting guide for long-lived perennials 

like peonies, iris and false indigo

Fall is a great time to get your garden ready for years of color and enjoyment. Many long-lived perennials, including peonies, iris, and false indigo, benefit from being planted in the cooler months, giving their roots time to establish before spring arrives. For older adults who enjoy gardening, these dependable plants offer beauty without the need to start from scratch every year. With the right planting techniques and a little preparation, you can create a garden that keeps coming back season after season.

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- They are not potatoes. 

Sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family, while regular potatoes are members of the nightshade family.

- They are packed with nutrients. 

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. This vitamin supports healthy vision and immune function.

- They originated in the Americas. 

Sweet potatoes have been cultivated for thousands of years, with evidence of their use dating back more than 5,000 years.

- They come in different colors. 

Sweet potatoes can have orange, white, yellow, purple, or even reddish flesh. Purple varieties contain antioxidants called anthocyanins.

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Tesla’s Cybertruck, once hailed as a revolutionary electric pickup, is facing an uncertain future as the company reportedly considers pulling the plug on the vehicle. Despite its futuristic design and enormous publicity, the Cybertruck has struggled to live up to expectations. High prices, production challenges, quality concerns, and weaker-than-anticipated demand have raised questions about its long-term viability. The decision would mark a significant setback for Tesla and its ambitious effort to transform the pickup truck market. The Cybertruck was intended to challenge traditional automakers, but its difficulties highlight the challenges of bringing unconventional electric vehicles to mainstream consumers.

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Social Security may have to cut retirement benefits in six years. 

Here’s how much money is at stake for beneficiaries

Social Security is a financial lifeline for millions of older Americans, helping them pay for housing, food, healthcare, and other everyday expenses. But a new warning about the program’s finances raises serious concerns about the future of retirement benefits. If Social Security’s trust fund runs short of money in the coming years, beneficiaries could face automatic cuts unless Congress acts. For today’s retirees and those nearing retirement, the potential impact could be substantial.

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The Story the Security Industry 

Tells About Older Adults Is Out of Date

For years, the security industry has often portrayed older adults as struggling to keep up with technology. But that image is increasingly out of date. Today’s seniors are embracing smart home security systems and proving they can manage the technology themselves. Research shows that the vast majority of older adults with smart security systems feel confident operating them, and many have never needed assistance. These findings challenge outdated assumptions about aging and technology, showing that older adults value independence, personal safety, and the ability to remain in control of their own homes.

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The United States's 

10 Best Retirement Towns Ranked

Retiring well in the United States takes more than a warm winter and a pension, so this list weighs what you can do on a free weekday, what senior supports sit close to home, and how far your money stretches. In Saratoga Springs, you can spend mornings with the thoroughbreds at the Saratoga Race Course and afternoons in exercise or art classes at the Saratoga Senior Center. Ashland gives you a theater season that runs about seven and a half months, plus roughly 300 lifelong learning courses a year through Southern Oregon University. From Lewes, you can walk or ride the six-mile Junction and Breakwater Trail to Rehoboth Beach, then come home to a state with no sales tax and no tax on Social Security. These are the 10 best retirement towns in the United States.

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How Friendships Survive Different Stages of Life

Friendships are among life’s most valuable relationships, but they don’t always remain the same. As we grow older, life brings changes that can test even our closest bonds. Careers, family responsibilities, retirement, health issues, and moving to new places can all affect how often we see the people we care about. Some friendships fade, while others grow stronger with time. For older adults, maintaining meaningful friendships can be especially important for emotional well-being, companionship, and staying connected. Understanding how friendships survive life’s different stages can help us appreciate the people who remain part of our lives.

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A Potato That Tastes Like Roast Chicken? 

Chefs Say This New Variety Delivers

Imagine serving a potato that tastes like roast chicken. It may sound like a food fantasy, but a new potato variety is attracting attention for its surprisingly savory flavor. Chefs say this unusual spud delivers a taste reminiscent of a traditional roast chicken dinner, potentially offering a new twist on a familiar favorite. For home cooks and food lovers, it raises an intriguing question: Could this potato become the next big thing in the kitchen? From its distinctive flavor to the ways it can be prepared, this new variety is giving the humble potato a whole new appeal.

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I was never a great student in my younger days.

Maybe I was bored. Maybe I was just plain lazy. Whatever the reason, I got by. I didn’t burn the midnight oil studying for exams. I relied on my ability to memorize whatever the teacher threw at me.

Back then, teaching often meant reciting facts, dates, numbers, and formulas. We were expected to memorize the information and repeat it on an exam. There was little context, no explanation of why it mattered, and not much background. We learned it, regurgitated it, and quickly forgot it.

That approach worked for me all the way through high school.

But college was different.

I had to choose a major and study subjects that interested me. I could no longer get by on memorization alone. I had to think about what I was learning and understand why it mattered.

That meant doing more than listening to lectures and taking exams. I had to research, ask questions, and dig deeper.

And that was when I began to discover the value of curiosity.

Curiosity is something we should never outgrow.

As we get older, we accumulate years of experience, memories, and knowledge. But that doesn't mean we know everything. In fact, the more we learn, the more we realize how much we don't know.

Retirement may end our working years, but it shouldn't end our desire to learn. We may no longer sit in a classroom, but there is still plenty to explore. New technology, changing times, unfamiliar ideas, and even the world around us offer endless opportunities to ask questions and discover something new.

For older adults, curiosity can be especially important. It gives us a reason to stay engaged with the world, to challenge our assumptions, and to keep our minds active. It can lead us to new interests, new friendships, and a better understanding of the world our children and grandchildren are living in.

Growing older is inevitable. Growing intellectually is a choice.

I may not have been a great student, but I have learned something over the years: You don't have to be young to keep learning. You just have to remain curious.

And curiosity, unlike retirement, has no age limit.   ...bwc

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- Turkeys Can Fly! 

Wild turkeys can fly short distances at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour. Domestic turkeys raised for meat are generally too heavy to fly.

- A Turkey's Head Changes Color. 

A turkey's bare head and neck can change color from red to blue or white, depending on its mood and excitement.

- Turkeys Have Excellent Vision

They have a field of vision of about 270 degrees, allowing them to see much of what is happening around them.

-  Only Male Turkeys Gobble. 

The familiar gobble is primarily a sound made by male turkeys, called toms. Females, known as hens, usually make clucking and clicking s

ounds.

- Benjamin Franklin and the Turkey. 

Franklin reportedly admired the turkey and considered it a more respectable bird than the bald eagle. However, he never formally proposed making it America's national bird.

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