Event Information
Daily Highlights
Stormin’ Into Fitness
First thing Saturday morning, a crowd of 200-plus people wearing jogging shorts and headbands braved Tropical Storm Hanna's gales to exercise with AARP fitness ambassador Martina Navratilova. Despite running on only two hours’ sleep from a heavy U.S. Open schedule, Martina energized the audience with aerobic moves to a Madonna-and-Pussycat Dolls mix.
Some participants, one could tell, do this fitness thing all the time. Others were obviously less practiced. One elegantly dressed audience member beat a hasty retreat when the jogging in place started.
Martina recommended that everyone “find an activity you can do with confidence.” She often sets down her tennis racket to enjoy basketball, running, ice hockey, and snowboarding. Of course, not even a world-class athlete like Navratilova can master everything. She added jokingly that no one would be seeing her on “Dancing With the Stars” any time soon.
Morning is the best time to exercise, said Martina, to jump-start your body and mind for the day's activities. And, yes, at session's end, participants walked out sweaty but with an extra spring in their step. —Bridget Murray Law and Amy Greber
Only One Carry-On Item Per Person
Two Life@50+ attendees were seen at a local Post Office trying to find a box big enough to ship home their exhibit-floor swag to California. The Post Office attendant kept bringing out boxes as the women kept unloading their stuff. Asked why they were shipping their goodies, they replied that they didn't want to have to explain some of their acquisitions to airport security officers.
Memoir Writing
Writing almost anything can be daunting enough for many folks, but the degree of difficulty increases exponentially when the topic at hand is as lengthy and soul-searching as memoir. That’s why Abigail Thomas, author of AARP Books’ “Thinking About Memoir” and a creative-writing instructor, suggests approaching subjects “sideways.” Challenging her workshop audience to pick up their pens, she asked people to either write two pages about an occasion when they were inappropriately dressed or two pages about incidents that took place completely in the water.
The offbeat approaches help you change your perspective and remember details. Write about “whatever detail snags in your mind,” Thomas advised. She said that going through the details, your memory will start to catch on the things that are important to your story. “Something crops up, and you have to go in that direction,” she related. She advised that although writing is not reassuring and can be painful, it can help you make sense of events in your life.
Thomas invited event-goers to read from their own work, and several captivated the audience with stories about wearing inappropriate clothes and turning 50. Thomas closed by reminding everyone in the audience to take part in her Writing Memoir group in AARP.org’s Online Community. She will post monthly assignments to her group, and participants will be able to share their work. —Elizabeth Gibbens
Gene Simmons Cries
Gene Simmons, the co-founder of rock supergroup KISS, who’s also known for his television and movie work and success as an entrepreneur, immediately made it clear that he is not afraid of aging when he addressed a thrilled crowd Saturday afternoon.
“My name is Gene Simmons, and I’m 59 years old. You know why I say that? Because 60 is the new 20, baby!”
Lest anyone not recognize him, he cleared that up too. “I’m the weird guy who sticks his tongue out all the time.”
And what’s a guy like that doing at an AARP event? “I think AARP is cool because they want to make life better for everybody…AARP is a breath of fresh air, because they don’t have a political agenda that I can see. They want you to have a better life, better health, better education.”
From there, the former Israeli immigrant expounded on anything that came to mind behind his dark sunglasses, custom “GS” cowboy boots, and perfectly coiffed, ink-black hair—how to succeed in business, how to ask for a job, how to raise happy children, and most of all, how to love America, an appreciation he tearfully struggled to deliver.
“My mother was a concentration camp victim rescued by Americans,” he related, “and for that you have me for life, unconditionally, whatever you want.”
Finally, he roamed the giddy audience and fielded questions on everything from his mother, who often appears on his A&E television show “Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels,” to how to succeed in your career.
“Don’t be a clock-watcher. I want proactive, passionate people…You are a living, walking brand—the missionary of your own fundamentalist church,” he instructed.
And it was Peggy Mahon of Philadelphia who finally asked for a demonstration of the famous, aforementioned tongue.
“You don’t want to see that. It’s disgusting,” Simmons cautioned.
But all his success and swagger aside, his humility and work ethic were very apparent.
“I get up every day, I work out, I go to work. Treat every day as if it’s the only 24 hours God has given you for the rest of your life…You are responsible for your health. You are responsible for your economic growth. You can empower yourself by getting up, turning the TV off, and doing something good.” —Laura Boswell
Magic Johnson Cancelled
Basketball Hall-of-Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who was scheduled to speak on Saturday, was unable to attend due to inclement weather caused by Tropical Storm Hanna. Johnson was in Springfield, Mass., last week for the Basketball Hall of Fame induction.
Dan Buettner: 9 Secrets to Longevity
How would you like to look younger, feel younger, avoid 70 percent of diseases, and turn back your biological clock? Dan Buettner, a National Geographic writer, world-record cyclist, and explorer, says he just might have the answers—and they don't come in a bottle.
They come from his research of "blue zones"—clusters of people around the world who consistently live longer than the rest of us and often well past 100 (an age that only one in 1,000 normally will achieve). So far, four zones have become apparent: the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the Japanese island of Okinawa, the California city of Loma Linda, and the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica.
In these communities, Buettner has found nine common denominators that his research indicates lead to increased longevity:
1. Social connections. People who stay connected with their families and friends throughout their lifespan live longer. In Okinawa, for example, children at age 5 are grouped together in small networks of friends who often remain close for the rest of their lives, sharing joys and sorrows.
2. Faith-based communities. Research has shown that those with a spiritual life and community outlive the general population by four to seven years.
3. Family. Maintaining family ties and honoring elders in the family unit lengthens life—and not just for older relatives. Access to grandparents also can lower mortality and disease in children.
4. Smaller servings. The centenarians tended to eat only 80 percent of their food—and do so more slowly. Obesity was almost non-existent.
5. Plant-based diets. More vegetables and little or no meat were common to the diets in “blue zones.”
6. Wine. Perhaps all those studies are right! Residents of the "blue zones" often consume a small amount of wine each day to increase heart health.
7. Purpose. The centenarians Buettner interviewed all had purpose in life, be it their gardens, their fishing, or their families.
8. "Downshifting." Long-lived people also understand the importance of taking part in stress-relieving activities, such as meditating or napping each day.
9. Natural movement. As opposed to gym memberships or marathon-running, which for many people are only temporary outlets for exercise, Buettner's centenarians engaged in moderate physical activity, such as walking and yard work, every day of their lives.
If applied together, Buettner asserts, following the nine "secrets" can add up to 14 good years to your life. —Laura Boswell
Sex at Age 50+
Sex and relationships expert Dr. Laura Berman reminded a laughing crowd on Saturday that Mrs. Roper from “Three's Company” used to be the model of the sexy older woman—well, sexual anyway. Now, we have Susan Sarandon and Sophia Loren, said Berman to cheers.
Good sex is an important part of life at 50-plus, but there can be challenges to overcome, said Berman. For men, prostate-cancer surgery is one. It can interfere with sexual function, so men need a sexual recovery plan.
For women, menopause can mean vaginal dryness. In that case, exercise can promote circulation that in turn aids lubrication. Store-bought lubricants can help too.
Emotionally, older couples face unique challenges, too—like reconnecting after the kids leave home. This is the time to rediscover each other, said Berman. If the passion is ebbing, one way to reignite it is to do novel and thrilling things together, she said. "Ride a roller coaster," she said. "Take a fun vacation."
Other advice: Women, choose sex over sleep more often. You'll be surprised how much you like it. And don't complain about your cellulite—really, he doesn't notice it. Men, pay attention to foreplay. (For many men, there are just two kinds of foreplay: touching their penis, and waiting for their penis to be touched, joked Berman. For women, it's typically more complicated.) And for both men and women: Don't forget the power of kissing. Get past the brisk pecks, and get back to the deep, passionate kissing, Berman advised. —Bridget Murray Law
‘Don’t Bring Me No Rocking Chair’
Dr. Maya Angelou, former Poet Laureate of the United States, helped close down the three-day affair with the 50th Anniversary poem she had written for the occasion. Sitting poised and dignified in a light blue suit, she recited proudly, "When you see me walking slowly, and my feet won't climb the stairs, I tell you, 'Don't bring me no rocking chair.'" Her words were met with a standing ovation, the crowd visibly moved by her words.
She was then joined on stage by music mogul Quincy Jones, who greeted his longtime friend with an armful of sunflowers and a kiss on the forehead. He had just flown in from Beijing the night before, finishing his gig as a consultant for the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies. "Musicians don't even go to bed this early," he said in jest. They then proceeded to catch up and reminisce as if they were at home in Angelou's living room.
Angelou, a 27-year ovarian-cancer survivor, and Jones, the survivor of a brain aneurysm, gave thanks to their health—and even poked fun at growing old. When it comes to one's age, Angelou asserted that "the bones will not let you forget."
Jones, on the other hand, joked, "Two of my daughters are older than I am." They both nodded their heads when Angelou declared, "If there's one secret to growing older, it's kindness—more understanding." —Amy Greber
preview