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Seniors Support Directory
Free Downsizing Support
Thinking about moving, downsizing, or decluttering? Get help at no cost to you.
Get Free Downsizing Help
Retirement Circles (Peer Support Groups)
Looking for connection and purpose in retirement? Join small, facilitated peer groups that meet twice monthly online.
Apply to Join a Retirement Circle
Write Your Obituary in Advance
Make things easier on your family by having your obituary thoughtfully written now, in your own voice, so your life is recounted exactly as you wish.
Order Professional Obituary Writing
Long-Term Care Insurance
Thinking about long-term care insurance?
Get Free Expert Guidance
Genealogy & Family History
Curious about your family tree? Get help with small projects or extensive research.
Free Genealogy Consult
Capture Your Life Story
Want to preserve your memories and wisdom for your loved ones?
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Have You Written Something?
Learn about professional editing, publication options, etc.
Get a Free Publishing Consult
Senior Living (55+, Assisted, Memory)
Looking for assisted living options near you? We can help.
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The Emotional Power of Being Known
Being known isn’t about being seen by many people. It’s about being truly understood by a few — in specific, ordinary ways that affirm who you actually are. Later in life, this kind of recognition by the loved ones closest to you often matters more than having broad social circles or constant interaction.
Being Known Through Small Details
Being known shows up in moments others might overlook. A friend who remembers how you take your tea. A family member who knows you prefer phone calls in the morning rather than the evening. Someone who sets aside a chair for you without asking. These details communicate care without requiring explanation.
Being Known Without Having to Explain
There’s comfort in not needing to translate yourself. Being with someone who understands your humor, your pauses, or when you need quiet means you can show up as you are. This might be a sibling who knows your stories by heart, or a long-time friend who senses when you’d rather listen than talk.
Being Known Over Time
Deep recognition usually comes from shared history. People who have seen you throughout different chapters of life — raising children, working, grieving, adapting — often know you beyond surface traits. They remember how you handled change, what mattered to you then, and how you’ve grown. That continuity creates emotional safety.
Being Known Without Judgment
True recognition includes acceptance. It’s being known for your limits as well as your strengths. Someone who respects when you decline plans, need rest, or change your mind allows connection without pressure. This kind of knowing feels steady rather than demanding.
Creating Opportunities to Be Known
Being known is mutual. It grows when you share small truths — preferences, memories, opinions — without overexplaining. Mentioning a favorite routine, a habit you enjoy, or a memory tied to a place gives others something real to hold onto. Over time, these small disclosures build familiarity.
Why Being Known Matters So Much
Feeling known affirms that your presence makes sense. It eases loneliness not by filling time, but by deepening connection. It reminds you that your experiences, preferences, and ways of being are recognized and valued.
On Health
Healthy recipe: Tzatziki Potato Salad
On Finances
Legacy Spotlight
“The Bus Transfer”
From the life overview of Marjorie K., 82, Spokane, Washington. Shared with permission.
It’s a small square of paper, creased into softness, the ink nearly gone: a bus transfer that I never used. I found it years later in the pocket of a winter coat that I was preparing to donate.
I was forty-six when I asked for that transfer. I’d boarded the bus with shaking hands, certain everyone could tell I’d never ridden alone before. My husband had driven me everywhere for thirty years. Then, suddenly, he couldn’t. And just as suddenly, I had to learn things that I assumed were never my responsibility.
I asked the driver for help, and he tore off the transfer without saying anything. Then he slid it back to me like it was nothing. He made no announcement and offered no judgment, just a quiet acknowledgment that people start over at all ages.
I didn’t end up needing it. I stepped off the bus at my stop, traveled the final blocks on foot, and realized halfway home that I was smiling. I had done it. The paper, though unnecessary, stayed in my pocket as a symbol of something I had earned.
I keep it as a reminder that independence doesn’t arrive all at once. Sometimes, it’s just a single ride, a small kindness, and proof that you’re still capable of surprising yourself.
***
Do you want to (1) capture your life story like above or (2) edit, format, and/or publish something you’ve worked on for years?
Three Things Worth Your Time
The National Constitution Center – Interactive Constitution
The Interactive Constitution provides the full text of the U.S. Constitution alongside essays by scholars with differing perspectives. It is a clear, structured way to revisit foundational principles and understand how interpretation has evolved.
The Getty Research Institute – Digital Collections
The Getty’s digitized holdings include rare books, photographs, architectural drawings, and art historical archives. The database is searchable and well indexed, encouraging focused exploration rather than casual scrolling.
Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth Strout
A quietly powerful, Pulitzer-winning tapestry of linked stories in a small Maine town, centered on the sharp-edged yet oddly lovable Olive, whose blunt observations and hidden vulnerabilities illuminate the joys, regrets, and surprising tenderness in ordinary lives.
Quick Poll (vote to see the anonymized current results)
Do you have long-term care insurance?
Capture Your Life Story: Today’s Daily Prompt
This daily section is brought to you by MemoirGhostwriting.com, experts in capturing life stories for loved ones and/or the public. We can meet any budget. (Does your story deserve to be told?)
What’s a moment when you felt quietly content, without needing anything to change?
Take a few minutes to jot down your thoughts. Even a few sentences are a memory preserved for loved ones.
Do you want to (1) capture your life story like above or (2) edit, format, and/or publish something you’ve worked on for years?
Not ready to talk about your publishing wishes but want to capture more than a single daily prompt? Our Capture a Lifetime journals include 100 questions to help Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, or anyone preserve their stories for their loved ones.
On Tech for Seniors
How to Set Up a Trusted Tech Contact for Emergencies
If something goes wrong with your phone, tablet, or computer, having one trusted person who can help quickly can prevent stress and costly mistakes. A “tech contact” is simply someone you choose in advance—family member, friend, or professional—who has permission to assist you if needed.
Choose and Prepare Your Tech Contact
Pick the right person.
Choose someone patient, reliable, and comfortable with technology. Make sure they agree to help before you list them anywhere.
Add emergency contact information to your phone.
On iPhone, set up Medical ID and Emergency Contacts.
On Android, add emergency info here.
Share account recovery access (carefully).
For Apple devices, you can add an Account Recovery Contact.
For Google accounts, set up a recovery email and phone number.
Write it down.
Keep a printed list of important accounts and customer support numbers in a safe place. Do not write full passwords—just enough information to guide you.
Set Up Secure Access and Monitoring
Consider using a password manager so your trusted contact can help you without guessing passwords. Options include:
These services allow you to securely store passwords and, in some cases, grant emergency access to someone you choose.
You may also want to enable remote assistance tools. For example:
Finally, review scam awareness resources together so your tech contact knows when to step in. The Federal Trade Commission provides clear guidance.
Planning ahead gives you control. With a trusted person and secure systems in place, you reduce panic and make technology feel far more manageable.
On Travel for Seniors
Cruise deal of the day: 4 Nights Pacific Coastal Cruise - departing May 2, from $259
Unmissable American gem: Marietta, Ohio charms visitors with its rich frontier history, beautiful riverfront views, and engaging museums that offer seniors an inviting blend of culture, heritage, and leisurely discovery.
Unscramble
Unscramble the letters to find a famous person, event, or object! Be the first to reply with the correct answer, and we’ll send you a free gift in the mail.
Today’s clue: Epic film with a famous chariot race.
NEB HRU
Want to Earn in Retirement?
Help a life story get told, earn thousands: Refer someone to MemoirGhostwriting.com and earn 12% of what they spend. Find out more here.
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Disclaimer: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, Seniors Magazine may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The content of the newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial, legal, or health advice. We may also share polling responses with advertisers to help keep this newsletter free.
