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Savvy Senior: Best Cell Phones for Seniors
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend some good cell phones for seniors? My 79-year-old mother needs to get a new mobile phone and has asked me to help her find one that she would like.
Searching Daughter
Dear Searching,
For older adults, choosing a cell phone is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Some seniors love the latest high-tech smartphones with high-megapixel cameras, while others prioritize simple phones with basic functions. So, the best cell phone for your mom will depend on her comfort with technology, priorities and budget.
Best Cell Phones
To help identify the best cell phones for older adults, I consulted Wirecutter, a product testing and recommendation service from The New York Times who recently tested 18 cell phone models.
Their testing focus was on three different areas, including best phones for older adults who are comfortable with technology and want to upgrade to a full-featured smartphone with robust accessibility settings; best cell phones for seniors who are not tech-inclined or who prefer a smartphone with fewer features, as well as those who are experiencing vision, hearing, or dexterity issues; and best cell phones for elderly seniors who need specific accessibility features due to physical or cognitive issues. Here are their top choices based on their tests.
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New Release: Jean Ryan’s Luminous Poetry Collection, ‘A Day Like This’ Now Available
I’ve been a fan of Jean Ryan’s superb writing for quite a few years now, and what could be more exciting than a new collection of her poetry? I ordered this the instant I knew it was available. Jean is a writer’s writer, whether it’s short stories, novels, astonishing nature essays, or poetry. And she’s an excellent painter, too! Poetry is the foundation of so much of what we call good writing, and Jean delivers. I’ve been devouring her poems one by one, and now they’re available in a single volume. Buy it here.
In the title poem of Jean Ryan’s luminous new collection, her speaker sees swallows slicing the air, observing, “Short dark arrows, they never miss, their flight too swift for error.” I can’t think of a more apt description for A Day Like This, in which poem after poem so vividly penetrates to the core of lived experience. Ryan’s poems have an ease of movement and transparency of structure I find most enviable. She has a special gift for finding what remains fresh and particular inside the ancient stuff of poetry. This is a gorgeous book, powerful and assured, written by a poet who is elegant, concise, honest, and warm-hearted in her approach. I can’t recommend it enough. A quietly masterful work.
—Erin Belieu, author of the poetry collections Come-Hither Honeycomb, Black Box, Slant Six, and One Above and One Below
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The Twist Podcast #259: Good Friday Fun Facts, Chocolate Bunny Parts, and the Week’s Top Stories
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we list some fun facts for Good Friday and Easter, rank our favorite chocolate bunny parts, and scan the news from another week in the end times.
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One Thing or Another: Cats, Kittens And Chaos
By Mark McNeaseWe recently lost another beloved cat, if you can refer to ending their lives as mercifully as possible that way. It’s both a euphemism and a truism: the space where Peanut had been for over five years is empty now. I left the soft orange runner on the floor by the kitchen sink where she ate, separately from our other girl Wilma. It reminds us of her, and it will always be where she had been. I’m also turning her litter box into a flower garden, with her name on a small marker. But she is gone, and it’s a sadness that will remain as long as we remember her.
We’ve said goodbye this way to five other cats over the past 17 years, and it never stops being one of the most difficult experiences we accept into our lives in exchange for sharing them with animals. The only thing more I’ll say about it is that it always feels like a betrayal of their unwavering trust, and yet we are entrusted too with making sure they don’t suffer more than dying inflicts on them already. It’s a terrible guessing game.
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One Thing or Another: Cats, Kittens And Chaos
By Mark McNeaseWe recently lost another beloved cat, if you can refer to ending their lives as mercifully as possible that way. It’s both a euphemism and a truism: the space where Peanut had been for over five years is empty now. I left the soft orange runner on the floor by the kitchen sink where she ate, separately from our other girl Wilma. It reminds us of her, and it will always be where she had been. I’m also turning her litter box into a flower garden, with her name on a small marker. But she is gone, and it’s a sadness that will remain as long as we remember her.
We’ve said goodbye this way to five other cats over the past 17 years, and it never stops being one of the most difficult experiences we accept into our lives in exchange for sharing them with animals. The only thing more I’ll say about it is that it always feels like a betrayal of their unwavering trust, and yet we are entrusted too with making sure they don’t suffer more than dying inflicts on them already. It’s a terrible guessing game.
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Now Available for Pre-Order! ‘Fatal Mistake: A Harry Hell Novella’ (Releasing June 1)
I’d wanted to finish this novella by the spring, and here we are! Now for some edits and a polish or two. It’s available now for pre-order, and releases June 1.
“The year is closer than you think. The world has collapsed under the weight of its own insatiable needs, leaving shattered cities where those who still have anything fight to keep it that way, and those don’t are a constant threat. It’s a danger that must be contained through a tightly controlled society where everyone is observed and everything is kept in its place.
Harry Hellerman and his twin brother, Elliot, enter this world three minutes apart. By the time they’re teenagers, they’ve been surrendered to Control to be molded into the perfect assassins. A boy named Harry Hellerman enters, and a man named Harry Hell emerges: a killing machine of the highest order.
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Birren Center Releases New Collection: The Gift of a Long Life: Personal Essays on the Aging Experience
I’ve recently become a certified Guided Autobiography instructor* through the Birren Center. They’ve just released their new collection of personal essays on the aging experience.
About ‘The Gift of a Long Life’
“Life and aging are the greatest gifts that we could possibly ever have.” – Cicely Tyson
In this collection of heartfelt essays, 53 individuals share their unique perspectives on aging. From the poignant to the humorous, their stories celebrate the gifts that unfold with each passing year.
The Gift of a Long Life is more than a collection of stories; it’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the richness that comes with a life well-lived.
For readers seeking inspiration and connection, this anthology offers an intimate, honest exploration of the rewards that time bestows. From small, everyday moments to profound life lessons, each essay reflects a positive attitude towards aging and the invaluable experiences that come with it.
As told by the vibrant voices of the Guided Autobiography (GAB) community, these candid stories explore the unique gifts found in the later chapters of life.
*If you’re interested in learning more about Guided Autobiography, check out the Birren Center’s website, as well as my own YourWritePath.com for news on upcoming classes and workshop.
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The Twist Podcast #258: Mentors and Memories, Cool Weather Vegetables, and the Week’s Top Headlines
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we remember the mentors in our lives (here’s looking at you, F.A.T.E!), list the best vegetables for March planting, and scan this week’s hideous headlines.
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Profiled in River Towns Magazine!
Dreams keep coming true as long as you keep dreaming! This is my profile in the spring issue of River Towns magazine. Huge thanks to my husband, Frank Murray, for making this happen. There are benefits to marrying your publicist!
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River Towns Magazine Spring Issue Profiles … Me!
Dreams keep coming true as long as you keep dreaming! This is my profile in the spring issue of River Towns magazine. Huge thanks to my husband, Frank Murray, for making this happen. There are benefits to marrying your publicist!
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GAB Gazette Features Guided Autobiography Instructor Steve Dolainski
Featured Guided Autobiography instructor Steve Dolainski, who introduced me to GAB. My own workshops and courses start this spring.
https://birrencenter.substack.com/p/featured-gabber-stephen-dolainski?utm_medium=email
“Stephen Dolainski was drawn to GAB after learning about it through friends in Oregon in 2022.
“I did some research on GAB and, as a long-time adult educator and writer/editor, I was intrigued with the concept and the methodology. I immediately knew that GAB was something for me to explore,” he said.
After taking the the training in November 2022, he wanted to work with LGBTQ seniors.
“When I received certification, I contacted the Los Angeles LGBT Center and proposed forming a GAB class,” he said. “In 2023, we offered three GAB 1 classes and one GAB 2 class. More classes will be offered in 2024.”
Stephen loves teaching GAB and talks about how it how much it benefits writers by sharing their truth.”
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GAB Gazette Features Guided Autobiography Instructor Steve Dolainski
Featured Guided Autobiography instructor Steve Dolainski, who introduced me to GAB. My own workshops and courses start this spring.
https://birrencenter.substack.com/p/featured-gabber-stephen-dolainski?utm_medium=email
“Stephen Dolainski was drawn to GAB after learning about it through friends in Oregon in 2022.
“I did some research on GAB and, as a long-time adult educator and writer/editor, I was intrigued with the concept and the methodology. I immediately knew that GAB was something for me to explore,” he said.
After taking the the training in November 2022, he wanted to work with LGBTQ seniors.
“When I received certification, I contacted the Los Angeles LGBT Center and proposed forming a GAB class,” he said. “In 2023, we offered three GAB 1 classes and one GAB 2 class. More classes will be offered in 2024.”
Stephen loves teaching GAB and talks about how it how much it benefits writers by sharing their truth.”
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Home Advantages: Best Vegetables for Planting in Early Spring
Narration provided by Wondervox (in a fun British accent).
Home Advantages is a semi-regular feature highlighting our efforts to keep up a small house in the New Jersey woods, whether it’s redoing a vegetable garden or unclogging a bathroom sink! Follow along this year as I undertake small improvements here and there, and show you how you can, too! – Mark
By Mark McNease
Cool-weather vegetables are calling
If you’re itching to start planting, March is a great time to begin, with several hearty, cool-weather loving vegetables looking for the nearest garden. Lots of vegetables thrive in the cool, moist conditions of early spring, and they can provide delicious and nutritious harvests you can tell people you grew yourself! Here’s a short list of some of the best vegetables to plant in March, along with tips on how to care for them.
Onions
Onions can be planted in March, and they’ll reward you with pungent and flavorful bulbs later in the summer. You can start onions from seeds, sets, or transplants, depending on your preference and availability. Onions prefer a sunny location with fertile and well-drained soil, and they need regular watering and weeding. They’re ready to harvest when the tops fall over and turn brown, usually in July or August. You can store them in a cool and dry place for several months, or eat them as you go along.