This Is 50
Jack McBrayer’s Caregiving ‘Superpower’
Mary Helen with her late husband, Bill
When Jack McBrayer’s 79-year-old aunt, Mary Helen, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the actor and his extended family sprang into action to support her. “My superpower is that I love a spreadsheet,” says the performer known for playing lovable page Kenneth Parcell on 30 Rock and current host of Zillow Gone Wild, on HGTV.
McBrayer, 52, spent three days at his aunt’s Atlanta home creating a list of current doctors and medications, key documents and financial accounts. He even digitized her living trust. McBrayer has created his own “tomorrow” list of important documents for the future. “It’s better than a memoir,” he jokes. —Nancy Kerr
Visit aarp.org/jackmcbrayer to hear more from actor Jack McBrayer about how his family members use their unique strengths to care for their aunt.
HEALTH
Beat Brain Fog!
How to fight the forgetfulness that can come with menopause
JENNY MOODY often finds she can barely focus her attention on what she needs to do, even while doing it. “I’ll be on my computer and forget what I was doing, how to say something or how to spell it,” says the 52-year-old college admissions adviser, of Denver.
Moody calls it brain fog, and that’s a real phenomenon many women experience during the onset of perimenopause and menopause. Research shows that more than 40 percent of women ages 48 to 55 report being forgetful.
Some tips that can help:
→ Consider birth control pills. “They can be fabulous during perimenopause,” says Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine. “We shut down the craziness in the ovaries.”
→ Consider hormone replacement therapy. “Estrogen can be helpful for sleep,” Minkin says.
→ Prioritize good nutrition. The MIND diet—whole grains, leafy greens, nuts, beans, berries and fatty fish—has been linked to a reduced risk of cognitive decline in women, says a 2024 study published in the journal Neurology.
→ Exercise your brain. Try word or number puzzles or perform mental math rather than using a calculator. Even memorizing your grocery list can help your brain, according to the National Council on Aging. —Maisy Fernandez
FASHION
SNEAKY STYLE TRICKS TO LOOK SLIMMER
Wear one color head to toe. You’ll get the sleekest look by keeping tops and bottoms in the same color family. Black creates a slim, monochromatic look, but blue is also a good choice. Try any shade of blue jeans, paired with a tonal-match top.
Or pair black pants with a statement top. Black’s superpower is blanking out size, making things look smaller than they are. Color attracts the eye and holds it there, while prints attract attention and at the same time blur bulges away. Both create a focal point.
Add some height. Emphasize the vertical to minimize the horizontal. Many women in their 50s wisely live in flats, but a pair of low heels can be a wardrobe boost. A max heel height of 2 inches lengthens lines while minimizing foot and back stress.
Throw on a tailored blazer or vest. Women have relied on a tailored jacket’s structure and sharp lines forever—or at least since the ’80s. This strategically deployed garment firms up curves while giving a little edge to soft or casual pieces. —Lois Joy Johnson