Being Easy to Visit, Protecting Your Teeth as You Age, and Helping Family Access Financial Information

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History (Non-Fiction): The Great Siege: Malta 1565 by Ernle Bradford – This dramatic history recounts the Ottoman Empire’s massive assault on Malta and the desperate defense that became one of the sixteenth century’s most famous sieges.

Memoir: All Over but the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg – This memoir recalls a childhood shaped by poverty, an absent father, and a fiercely devoted mother in the rural American South.

Self-Help: 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest – This collection of reflections explores habits, purpose, emotional awareness, and the thought patterns that can quietly shape everyday life.

Romance: Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison – A struggling Christmas tree farm owner pretends to date her best friend to win a contest, only to discover their fake romance feels surprisingly real.

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Think back to the homes you've most enjoyed visiting over the years. Chances are they weren't the biggest or the most beautifully decorated. Instead, they were the places where you immediately felt comfortable. You didn't worry about saying the wrong thing, sitting in the wrong chair, or staying a little longer than planned.

It’s easy to forget that when crafting your own home. But that lesson should drive how you host: Being easy to visit is less about ornamentation or square footage and more about creating an atmosphere where people feel at home.

The first few minutes of a visit set the tone for everything that follows. Simple gestures make a huge difference:

These small acts help visitors relax almost immediately, setting the mood for a comfortable stay.

Many people think they need a spotless house or an elaborate meal to justify inviting someone over. In reality, most guests are hoping for something much simpler: a chance to spend time together. A pot of soup, a plate of cookies, a cup of coffee, or just conversation are remembered far more fondly than a perfectly arranged dining table. People usually remember how they felt in your home, not whether every cushion was perfectly straight or every bite exquisite.

The most enjoyable visits are those filled with easy, flowing conversation.

Conversations naturally wander, bouncing from one topic to another, sometimes completely unrelated, topic. Family news may shift suddenly into a recent vacation. A book you enjoyed might turn into a new neighbor you met. A gardening success (or failure!) could lead into recipes you’d like to try.

When you try to steer a conversation—including by filling in every silence—these normal shifts are stifled. And it is this very drifting that often leads to the most meaningful and connective conversations we have.

One of the nicest things you can do is allow visitors to become part of your day. Perhaps they chat while you finish preparing lunch, help slice vegetables, sit at the kitchen table while you wash dishes, or join you on your usual afternoon walk.

There's something reassuring about being welcomed into someone's real life rather than a carefully staged occasion. It shows that the host is at perfect ease existing as they are, making it easier for guests to do the same. 

A welcoming home usually includes little details that encourage people to settle in:

None of these things are expensive, but together they quietly say, "There's no hurry."

Many visitors genuinely enjoy feeling useful. If someone offers to carry dishes to the table, fold linens, or refill the teapot, it's perfectly fine to accept. Helping gives guests a sense of participation, making them feel more like an extension of the household rather than visitors being waited on.

Plus, some of the best conversations happen while working together.

The homes people return to again and again are rarely perfect—if any home ever is. The dog may bark at the door. A loaf of bread might brown a little too much. Someone may forget where they put the serving spoon. The lawn might be slightly overgrown.

Those little imperfections signal the presence of life, and they remind everyone that they're spending time in a real home, not a showroom.

Being easy to visit isn't about entertaining—it’s about making people comfortable enough to be themselves. A warm welcome, an unhurried conversation, and an atmosphere of genuine ease leave a much deeper impression than anything increased space or fancier furniture could achieve.

We're looking for seniors who are embracing life with enthusiasm, purpose, and adventure. Whether you're traveling the world, starting a business, volunteering, pursuing a passion, learning new skills, or simply making the most of every day, we'd love to hear your story.

Think that might be you?

Email [email protected] with a photo and a short bio. We may feature you in an upcoming edition of Seniors Magazine.

Your grandchildren may someday repeat a phrase you say all the time. Choose a good one.

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“The Night We Got Stuck in the Elevator”
From the life overview of Janice L., 75, Denver, Colorado. Shared with permission.

In 1983, my husband and I got stuck in an elevator on the tenth floor of a Denver hotel.

We had gone there for a wedding. It was late, and we were heading back to our room when the elevator stopped between floors.

There were four other people with us.

At first, we all remained silent. We just stood there looking at the doors, as if staring at them long enough might force them open.

A man wearing a tuxedo pressed the emergency button. Nothing happened.

After about ten minutes had passed, someone started telling jokes. Then someone else responded by laughing. Before long, all six of us were sitting on the floor of the elevator.

My husband had a package of peanuts in his pocket, so he passed them around.

We were stuck there for almost an hour.

When the doors finally opened, an engineer was waiting outside. He apologized profusely.

By that point, no one was angry.

We had somehow formed a little group during that hour we spent together. We got to know where everyone was from and why they were in Denver. We even figured out which one of us was most likely to panic.

It was the man in the tuxedo.

We saw him again the next morning at breakfast. He looked embarrassed when he noticed us.

Then we all started laughing.

I’ve stayed in hundreds of hotel rooms since then. But when I step into an elevator now, I still press the button with a little more appreciation than I used to.

***

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Exercise doesn't have to mean counting repetitions at the gym. A hobby that naturally involves walking, reaching, lifting, balancing, or moving to music can add activity to your week while giving you another reason to get out of the house.

The key is finding something you enjoy enough to keep doing.

Gardening can involve digging, carrying, bending, and plenty of walking around the yard. If you'd like to learn more, your local Cooperative Extension office can connect you with gardening education and programs in your state.

Hiking and nature walking are other easy hobbies to tailor to the amount of activity you want. TrailLink lets you search for nearby trails and check details such as distance, surface, maps, and access points before heading out.

Dancing provides movement without making the activity revolve around exercise. Line dancing, ballroom, square dancing, and other styles also give you a built-in social activity. SilverSneakers classes can help you explore options such as dance, yoga, and other group activities, depending on availability and eligibility.

Pickleball is another social option. If you're curious but haven't played before, the USA Pickleball beginner guide explains the basic rules and equipment.

Tai chi combines controlled movements with balance and coordination. This tai chi guide explains what research has found about its potential benefits, including balance and fall prevention.

Swimming and water exercise are also worth considering if you enjoy being in the pool. Check your local YMCA, recreation center, or community pool for lap swimming, water aerobics, or recreational swim times.

Don't choose an activity simply because it sounds like "good exercise." Try several: spend an afternoon gardening, attend a beginner dance class, walk a new trail, or join a pickleball clinic.

A hobby doesn't need to leave you exhausted to add meaningful movement to your life. The most useful one is often the activity that keeps you moving because you're enjoying what you're doing—not because you're watching the clock until your workout ends.

Not every text, email, or social media message was individually written for you. Businesses, organizations, and even individuals use automated messages to contact many people at once. Recognizing them can help you decide when a message needs your attention.

Automated messages often use generic greetings such as “Hello customer” instead of your name. They may contain standardized wording, arrive immediately after you make a purchase or appointment, or include phrases such as “Do not reply to this message.”

Personalization doesn't necessarily mean a person wrote it. Automated systems can insert your name, appointment time, recent purchase, or other information into a prepared message.

Banks, pharmacies, doctors' offices, delivery companies, and other legitimate organizations commonly use automated messages for reminders and notifications.

The important distinction is whether the message is trustworthy. Be cautious if it unexpectedly asks for a password, payment, verification code, or other sensitive information, or pressures you to click a link immediately.

When you're unsure, don't use the contact information in the message. Instead, open the organization's official app or website, or call a number you already know is legitimate.

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