Month: January 2026

Over the years, like all mothers, I embarrassed my children on a regular basis. I had a variety of ways of doing this, but one of the most embarrassing was when I’d approach perfect strangers in the dental aisle of the grocery store. As a dental hygienist and an educator, when I saw someone confused over which toothbrush or toothpaste to buy, I ignored my kids’ pleas (“MOM! That is a stranger! Stop talking to them!”) and I’d try to help. I almost couldn’t help myself and it looks like I still can’t!

Much has changed since I graduated from Dental Hygiene school in 1983. At that time older adults assumed they would lose their teeth. Both the importance of teeth to overall health and the link between oral health and overall health had not been established. Back then medicine didn’t recognize that the head was actually attached to the body!

Today, only about 5% of people over 65 wear full dentures and the benefits of keeping your teeth along with a healthy oral cavity are clear. Let’s look at why the health of your teeth and the oral cavity is important to your overall health, what causes tooth loss, and the challenges that we experience in caring for our teeth as we age.

How the Teeth and the Oral Cavity Affect the Body

Missing and broken teeth affect your bite and can cause grinding and clenching. This can irritate jaw muscles and lead to pain and headaches.

Missing and broken teeth can impact speech clarity.

Food digestion starts in the mouth. Without a functioning dentition and salivary glands food cannot be properly chewed and mixed with enzymes in the saliva to prepare it for proper nutrient absorption. The inability to chew properly can lead to a higher risk of choking and discomfort in digestion.

The oral cavity has a microbiome, a collection of microbes such as bacteria and viruses. As with the gut microbiome, an imbalance of healthy microbes to harmful microbes causes the immune system to respond with inflammation and a variety of health problems.

Chronic inflammation occurs when harmful bacteria form plaque along the gumline. This chronic inflammation can affect both Type I and Type II Diabetes, as well as other chronic diseases.

What Causes Tooth Loss

Bacteria/Decay

Bacteria in the mouth produce acids which break down enamel leading to its destruction. Early enamel loss can be reversed (good news!), but if not, bacteria can further break down the tooth and eventually enter and infect the tooth’s nerve.

Gum Disease

Bleeding gums, when brushing is not normal, is a sign of early gum disease known as gingivitis. Untreated gingivitis can lead to an advanced type of gum disease known as periodontitis. Periodontitis causes destruction of the teeth’s bone support system, loosening the teeth.

Other Factors

Contributing factors include smoking, sugary and/or acidic foods and drinks, frequent snacking, and poor oral hygiene practices.

Age Related Challenges

As our lifetimes extend, some of the oral and physical changes we experience can make caring for our teeth more challenging. Several factors increase the incidence of tooth loss in older adults.

Dry Mouth

As we age, our bodies naturally create less saliva and that, coupled with medications which cause dry mouth, contributes to a greater risk of decay.

Exposed Roots

Remember when elders were called “long in the tooth”? This is because even in healthy mouths some bone loss occurs over decades and with that comes root exposure. The root, without enamel to protect it, is more susceptible to decay.

Acid Reflux

Stomach acids can erode enamel.

Love of Sweet Treats

Age related predilection to sweet flavors.

Dexterity Changes

Arthritis and neurological changes can make brushing and flossing more difficult.

Access to Care

This can be due to finances, inadequate insurance, lack of transportation, low health care literacy, and mobility challenges in the dental office itself.

As we have learned in our many decades of life, knowledge is power! In the next articles I’ll be sharing best practices for caring for your teeth and oral cavity, preventing dental diseases, and accessing care. If you have any topics you’d like me to address that would be of general interest to our peer group, please comment below.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How well do you care for your teeth? Do you do it for better health or to keep your smile bright? In what area of oral health do you think you lack enough information?

Please be patient with me – I’m from the 1900s. Not 1900, but the 1900s. And not to brag, but I was alive when you could slam a phone down to make a point. A real receiver. A real cord. A real “thunk” when I slammed it down. It was glorious.

As women in our 50s, 60s and on, we’ve lived through a lot. We’ve earned every laugh line, every story, and yes… every moment of “now what was I saying?” So here are a few things our generation would love to share with the next.

1. Memory Changes Are Normal – Not a Crisis

I’m not talking about dementia or Alzheimer’s. I’m talking about the natural, everyday memory shifts that come with aging. Our bodies change, and our brains do, too. They even shrink a bit over time, which can lead to occasional forgetfulness – totally normal.

There are ways to support our memory:

• follow routines
• get enough sleep (you know, I believe sleep is the cure‑all)
• stay active with friends, family, church, or hobbies
• keep tickler lists (I’m queen of post-its)
• consider fish oil
• and put your keys, purse, and glasses in the same spot every time.

But if our recall is a little slower, and it doesn’t interfere with our independence, show us ladies from the 1900s a little grace.

2. Technology Moves Fast – Faster Than Our Reading Glasses

I’ve slammed a phone down. I’ve paid bills with checks. I’ve relied on a dog and a baseball bat for home security. Now, it’s Ring cameras, online banking, and passwords that require a symbol, a number, a haiku, and a blood sample.

Just when I figure out the latest phone update, a new one drops.

But here’s the thing: we’re strong, independent women. We survived blue eyeshadow, big hair, and shoulder pads that could double as flotation devices. According to an AARP survey, “two‑thirds of adults 50+ say technology enriches their lives and makes aging easier.” With a little patience from the Verizon guy, our kids, a tech‑savvy friend, or even a blogger, we can embrace it, too. We just may need to triple the font size.

3. We Have Stories – And Sometimes You’ll Hear Them Twice

We’ve lived. We’ve loved. We’ve collected memories like seashells, and we enjoy sharing them.

Sometimes we share them more than once.

My dad used to raise his hand when I repeated a story – a gentle “heard it already.” We’d laugh. But as he got older and he began repeating his stories, I didn’t’ raise my hand. I listened. I listened because I loved him, because I enjoyed our time together, and because I knew that one day I would miss hearing his voice.

So, when we repeat a story or two, I hope the people around us will listen with the same patience and love.

4. We Move a Little Slower – But We’re Still Moving

We made it through math class without calculators, but these days it might take us a minute to warm up after sitting. A good nap is a gift. And sometimes the stiffness needs a moment to shake out.

But staying mobile matters.

Moderate exercise helps maintain strength, flexibility, and balance – all key to avoiding falls. Whether it’s water aerobics at the Y, a stroll through the neighborhood, or joining a hiking club, the trick is to keep moving.

5. We’ve Survived a Lot – And We’re Aging with Style

We may be a little forgetful and a little slower these days, but that doesn’t make us stupid. We are smart, capable women who have raised families, built careers, run businesses – or juggled all of the above while still remembering where everyone’s socks were. So, when the younger generation talks to us like we’re clueless, it’s downright insulting. Older, wiser, and moving at our own pace does not equal ‘dummy’. It just means we’ve earned the right to take our time… and maybe reread the instructions once or twice.

We made mixed tapes.

We wore leg warmers (not just to dance class).

We crimped and permed our hair.

We slathered ourselves in baby oil and iodine.

We strutted around in shoulder pads like linebackers.

If we survived that, we can make aging look graceful. We just need a little patience from ourselves – and from those around us. Read more stories on Kicking the Chaos with Kaylin.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What can you tell us about your experiences as a woman from the 1900s? Which memories and achievements are you most proud of?

Real Housewives of Potomac Season 10 Episode 13 Fashion

There was a lot of celebrating to be done even before the girls left for Colorado on last night’s episode of The Real Housewives of Potomac. Between Monique Samuels’ book launch party and Ashley Darby’s birthday with her family we got a lot of fab ‘fits even before their travels began. And thankfully, as always, these ladies are popping out in the prettiest style no matter the location.

Best in Blonde,

Amanda

Stacey Rusch’s Red Maxi Dress

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Ashley Darby’s Peach Short Sleeve Sweater

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Stacey Rusch’s Yellow Strapless Top and Skirt

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Ashley Darby’s Zebra Print Maxi Dress

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Ashley Darby’s White Strapless Floral Dress

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Gizelle Bryant’s Yellow Off The Shoulder Knit Mini Dress

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Keiarna Stewart’s Black Printed Halter Top and Pants

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Ashley Darby’s Blue Halter Top and Shorts Set

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Ashley Darby’s White Halter Bodysuit

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Keiarna Stewart’s Black Gold Embellished Confessional

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Gizelle Bryant’s Rose Lace Off The Shoulder Confessional

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Ashley Darby’s Tweed Fringe Confessional Jacket

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Gizelle Bryant’s Red Cutout Bandage One Shoulder Confessional

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Angel Massie’s Mint Off The Shoulder Confessional Dress

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Stacey Rusch’s Black Rhinestone Cutout Confessional

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Keiarna Stewart’s Black Flower Appliquè Confessional Look

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Keiarna Stewart’s Purple Baroque Confessional Look

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Wendy Osefo’s Red Collared Confessional Look

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Gizelle Bryant’s Scalloped Sequin Confessional Look

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Gizelle Bryant’s Pearl Embellished Confessional Look

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Originally posted at: Real Housewives of Potomac Season 10 Episode 13 Fashion

When I wrote about checking off my travel bucket list, I got some push-back from Sixty and Me readers who thought I must be rich if I could visit places as far flung as Kenya and the Galapagos. They said it made them sad because they could only dream about what they can see outside their apartment window.

I’ve been thinking about that, and I’m back to say: I am far from rich. That means I had to figure out ways to see the world on a budget.

Here are some ideas that I have tried and others that people I know have used. Maybe one of them will work for you.

Prioritize Travel

This is, perhaps, the most important part of the plan.

Now that my kids are grown and off the family dole, my budget is geared toward travel. My husband and I live a very frugal life. Our house is teeny tiny. I buy my clothes at thrift stores (including online at ThredUp). We rarely eat out.

We often stay in Airbnb apartments so we have access to a kitchen to save on food costs. And, when we buy plane tickets, we travel in economy, even when the flight is 15 hours long!

Take Advantage of Points and Miles

I admit, the whole points and miles thing can be overwhelming. I could probably make my miles stretch much further than I do, but I want to go where I want to go when I want to go there. That can mean using 50,000 miles for an economy ticket rather than 10,000 miles for a first class lie-flat seat (as the points and miles gurus claim to be able to do).

Still, using a rewards credit card and putting all – literally all – of my expenses on that card has gotten me some pretty good deals on flights and hotel rooms. Plus, I have committed to one carrier – Delta right now – and I have that airline’s credit card. That gets me additional freebies like access to the lounge and seat upgrades that otherwise would be way out of my budget.

Try Pet Sitting

I have friends who have lived all over the world for free doing this.

They get a place to stay – and often a car to drive and sometimes even a paycheck! – in return for providing loving care to the homeowners’ animals. In one case, it was an elderly dog who needed little more than a few short walks and many long pets each day. Another time, it was a whole menagerie, from cats in the house to goats in the garden.

You can find opportunities to pet sit around the world at sites like Petsitter.com and TrustedHouseSitters.com.

Take the Slow Boat to Europe

I tried this for the first time in 2025. And I’m a convert!

Cruise lines call them “repositioning” cruises. They happen at the beginning and end of each season. Ships get moved from Europe to Florida, from Australia to L. A., from Alaska to Mexico.

It’s a one-way ticket that, in my case, cost about the same as the one-way economy seat flight across the Pond. For that low price, we got 15 days on the ship, three meals a day, nightly live entertainment and stops in 8 European ports before we hit the open seas on our way back to the U.S.

You can read more about my repositioning cruise experience.

Talk Your Way to a Free Week in Spain or Germany

This has been on my to-do list ever since a friend told me about it 10 years ago. I haven’t gotten to it yet because I am waiting for a time when my daughter and I can do it together. We think 2026 will be our year. Fingers crossed!

We will apply at Pueblo Ingles, the organization a friend has used several times. It recruits native English speakers to spend a week engaging in “talkathons” with the German and Spanish participants who are there to learn to speak our language. In return, the volunteers get free room and board for the week.

Here’s how the organization explains it:

“In each week-long program, a group of 15-25 volunteers (from Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, USA, etc.) “populate” one of our beautiful hotel resorts and provide conversation in English, through a diverse daily schedule. Germans/Spaniards adults are there to practice and improve their English in a natural way.

Our volunteers do not have to teach English in a traditional format; they just have to bring a positive attitude, a passion for conversation and an interest in learning about people from different countries and cultures.”

That’s it. Couldn’t be easier.

You have to get yourself to a nearby major city (Madrid, Valencia, Munich or Frankfurt); the organization will transport you from there and the rest of the week is free for the English-speaking volunteers.

There are other organizations that offer similar opportunities across Europe. Let your fingers do the Googling to find one that offers stays in the country you want to visit.

Become a Travel Writer

Yes. I know it’s not for everyone. But it is one reason I have been able to do at least some travel at a reduced price. I pay a little in cash and the rest in trade. Akin to someone who does the dishes in return for a meal, I write about the places I have visited, hotels where I have stayed and things that I have done.

I am the editor and part owner of SheBuysTravel, a website that helps women travelers know where to go and what to buy for their adventures. A story that appears on SheBuysTravel and is syndicated to our partner sites has the potential to reach more than 100 million readers. That is draw enough for many destinations to consider it worth their while to host me or one of my 200 writers.

How Will You Make Your Dreams Come True?

Ultimately, it’s about what’s important to you and finding the wherewithal to make it happen. Like so many Sixty and Me writers, I’m here to encourage you to go after the life you want, whether that means making new friends, learning new skills, or exploring new countries. Where there’s a will, there is a way, regardless of your budget!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How have you made your dreams come true, even on a budget? Share with us in the comment section below!

Aging gracefully isn’t about pretending we’re still 40. It’s about meeting reality with clarity, strength, and self-respect.

Yet many of us carry one habit into later life without ever re-examining it, even as everything else changes.

Alcohol.

It rarely announces itself as a problem.

Instead, it blends into routine: a glass to unwind, to socialise, to reward ourselves for getting through the day.

But as we age, alcohol quietly interferes with the very foundations we rely on most: health, peace, independence, and purpose.

Here are seven essential rules for aging gracefully… and the uncomfortable truth about how alcohol works against each one.

Rule 1: Financial Independence Is Dignity

Aging well means retaining choice: where we live, how we spend our time, who we rely on. Alcohol quietly erodes financial independence in ways that often go unnoticed:

• regular spending that adds up over decades.
• impulsive purchases made when tired or foggy.
• health costs linked to sleep problems, anxiety, inflammation, or chronic illness.
• reduced motivation or confidence to plan long term.

As we age, clarity becomes a financial asset.

Alcohol dulls that clarity.

Many people are surprised how much easier budgeting, planning, and decision-making feel when alcohol is removed from the equation.

Rule 2: Your Health Is Your Real Job

Nothing matters more than how your body feels as you age. Alcohol directly interferes with:

• sleep quality
• joint and muscle recovery
• balance and coordination
• bone density
• mood regulation.

What once felt manageable in our 40s often becomes punishing in our 60s and 70s.

Alcohol doesn’t cause aging. But it accelerates it, especially in women.

When energy drops, alcohol is often blamed last, yet removing it is one of the fastest ways to feel stronger, clearer, and more capable again.

Rule 3: Create Your Own Joy

Graceful aging requires emotional independence.

Alcohol offers fast relief, but it weakens our ability to generate joy naturally. Over time, many people notice:

• low-grade anxiety
• emotional flatness
• restlessness when not drinking
• reduced pleasure in everyday moments.

When alcohol is removed, joy often returns quietly, through better mornings, deeper conversations, and genuine calm.

True contentment doesn’t come from numbing discomfort.

It comes from learning how to meet life fully present.

Rule 4: Aging Is Not an Excuse to Become Helpless

Capability is magnetic, at any age.

Alcohol subtly undermines capability by:

• lowering confidence
• reducing physical strength and balance
• impairing memory and focus
• increasing reliance on routines that shrink life rather than expand it.

Graceful aging is about staying engaged and capable, not surrendering to decline early.

Many people rediscover confidence simply by removing the habit that quietly convinced them they were “past it.”

Rule 5: Let Go of the Past

Aging asks us to release old identities, including old coping mechanisms.

Alcohol is deeply tied to nostalgia: who we were, how we socialised, how we once relaxed. But clinging to old habits keeps us anchored to the past.

Letting go doesn’t mean losing joy. It means making room for a new chapter, one with clearer thinking, better health, and renewed self-trust.

Rule 6: Protect Your Peace

Peace becomes precious as we age.

Alcohol often masquerades as stress relief, yet it:

• disrupts sleep
• increases irritability
• heightens anxiety
• reduces emotional resilience

Many people discover that peace isn’t something they need to “find.” It’s something they need to stop disturbing.

Removing alcohol is often the single biggest upgrade to emotional stability.

Rule 7: Keep Learning, Stay Curious

Learning keeps the brain young.

Alcohol reduces neuroplasticity, memory, and motivation, particularly in later life.

When alcohol is removed, many people experience:

• sharper focus
• renewed curiosity
• confidence trying new things
• a sense of forward momentum.

Stagnation feels like aging.

Growth feels alive.

If Alcohol Is Holding You Back, What Can You Do?

You don’t need labels.

You don’t need to “hit rock bottom.”

You simply need tools.

Here are 7 practical tips to help you quit, or take a serious break, from drinking:

7 Tips to Quit Drinking (Without Overwhelm)

1. Start with a Reset, Not “Forever”

Commit to a short break, five or seven days.

Clarity comes quickly, and confidence grows from there.

2. Expect Sleep to Improve (After a Few Nights)

The first few nights may feel restless. Then sleep deepens dramatically. This alone motivates many people to continue.

3. Change the Evening Ritual

Alcohol is often about habit, not craving.

Replace the ritual: a special drink, a walk, music, or a new wind-down routine.

4. Remove Decision Fatigue

Decide in advance that you’re not drinking, so you’re not negotiating with yourself at 6pm.

5. Get Support (Not Willpower)

Quitting is far easier when you’re not doing it alone. Community matters, especially in midlife.

6. Focus on What You’re Gaining

Better sleep. Clear mornings. Calm emotions. Self-respect.

Write these down and revisit them often.

7. Be Curious, Not Critical

If you slip, get curious instead of judgmental.

Awareness is progress.

A Gentle Invitation: The 5-Day Reset

If this article has stirred curiosity rather than resistance, our 5-Day Reset may be a helpful next step.

It’s not about labels or lifelong promises. It’s simply five alcohol-free days with:

• daily guidance
• practical tools
• gentle structure
• and a supportive community

Many people describe it as the clearest they’ve felt in years, and the beginning of aging with confidence rather than compromise.

Because aging gracefully isn’t about doing more.

It’s about removing what quietly makes everything harder.

Click here for more info

Click here to join our FREE Sober Reset Facebook Group

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you worry that you drank too much during the Holidays? What do you think about a pause from alcohol? How about doing Dry January? Do you feel ready for a New Year Reset?