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JANUARY / FEBRUARY / MARCH 2026

special travel section 59  The World Awaits Bucket list vacations, river vs. sea cruises, small group tours

features 22  Writing Your Own Final Chapter New Yorkers join growing national debate over end-of-life choices and how our stories should end 29  Messages From Beyond Legacy letters are a way to share your life with loved ones after you’re gone 16  What’s Trending: Returning to the Earth Green burial choices are reshaping the deathcare industry 8 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

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14  Publisher’s Note: Hello, 60!

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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Alison Michael | alison@55pluslife.com Consulting Editor Traci Neal Marketing Consultant Terri Jacobsen Consulting Art Director Tony Pallone Design Consultant Barb Dunn Consulting Online Content Producer Caitlin Manner Contributing Writers Peter Marteka Amy Barnes Katie Navarra Bradley Rod Michael Traci Neal Joanne Cleaver Janet Reynolds Janice Costa Brianna Snyder Susan Brady Konig Caitlin Manner Visit us at

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60! hello,

2026 wow! It’s official: I turn 60 this year!

S

Join us for an Exclusive 3-Part Travel Series!

14 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

aying the number out loud still surprises me. Part of me wants to shrug and say, “It’s just a number,” and honestly, it is. But another part pauses and wonders: What does being 60 actually mean? What is it supposed to feel like? There’s no handbook. No universal milestone. No single definition.

For me it simply signals the start of a new chapter — one I get to shape, intentionally, thoughtfully and with a bit more wisdom than before.

Many of us start this kind of deep self-reflection around age 50. Something shifts — an awareness of time, of priorities, of what truly matters. But the gift of life is that each decade offers its own possibilities. Our 60s are not the end of anything; they are the beginning of a stage where clarity often becomes sharper, values become sturdier and choices become more our own.

Even the way we talk about “aging” is changing — for us and also for our pets.

We’ve long known the health benefits of owning a dog: They lower our stress, provide companionship, encourage us to move more and may even help us live longer. And interestingly, the anti-aging playbook (pg 51) for our dogs mirrors the lifestyle experts recommend for us: daily exercise, nutritious food, annual checkups, new experiences, mental stimulation and strong social connections. It turns out that living well, for

creatures of any age, isn’t complicated.

It’s about consistency, curiosity and care — habits that keep us healthy, engaged and open to new experiences.

And speaking of new experiences: Where do you want to travel next? Travel often becomes more meaningful as we get older. It’s not just about checking places off of a bucket list; it’s about experiences, connection, comfort and seeing the world with a wider lens. Our first-ever Travel Supplement (pg 59) is designed to inspire those possibilities, and it also serves as your introduction to this winter’s FREE in-person Travel Series, where you can learn from experts, explore new options and start planning your next chapter of adventures. (Scan the QR code at left for more information.)

Whether you’re dreaming of a river cruise, curious about small-group tours or looking to explore destinations you’ve always wanted to visit, you’ll hear from the experts at Blue Skies Travel as they share real-world insights, pros and cons, what to look for, what to avoid and insider tips that make all the difference when planning a trip. Come to one, two or all three in-person events. Each session offers something new, and you may even meet fellow travelers who are charting their own next adventures. n

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What’s Trending?

Returning to the

Green burial choices are reshaping the deathcare industry

BY CAITLIN MANNER

16 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Courtesy Return Home

Earth

A

s cemeteries fill up and Americans increasingly turn away from traditional caskets and cemetery plots, new options are transforming the way we approach death and burial.

The National Funeral Directors Association’s (NFDA) 2025 Consumer Awareness and Preferences survey revealed that 61.4% of respondents would be interested in exploring “green” funeral options for their potential environmental benefits, cost savings or some other reason. Up from 55.7% in 2021, this increase underscores a significant shift in consumer preferences while reflecting the broader trend of people seeking to minimize their environmental footprint.

Timothy Diamond, the general manager of the Albany Rural Cemetery, says he has seen this trend here in the Capital Region. “It’s not yet the majority, but the interest continues to grow steadily each season.”

Commensurate with this growing demand, technological innovations in processing human remains are being developed and popularized, effectively reshaping the deathcare industry. Processes like aquamation (a water-based cremation), terramation (human composting) and internment in mushroom-laced shrouds are not only far more ecologically sustainable than traditional burials (including cremation), but they’re capturing the interest of broad swaths of people.

In New York State, funeral directors and cemetery managers are navigating a rapidly changing regulatory landscape as they try to help people hoping to embrace green burial alternatives. Greg Wood of Wattengel Funeral Home, a certified green burial provider in North Tonawanda, outside Buffalo, says he is regularly hampered by legal and infrastructural limitations, adding that New York still has a long way to go on the road from innovation to implementation. “I don’t think a week goes by where we don’t get a phone call or two inquiring about green burials. We’re going to see more and more of this, because the interest is certainly out there.

It’s just [that] executing it into a viable situation isn’t always possible.”

Diamond agrees that the biggest challenge is balancing requests with regulatory requirements, especially in older sections of the cemetery where the infrastructure was designed long before modern green standards existed.

Nonetheless, whether you’re intrigued by their ecological, economical or aesthetic values, opting for a green burial is an increasingly feasible option, made easier by completing some preparations in advance. Turn the page for green burial options. 

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Green Burials

PRICE COMPARISONS: In most cases, green burials are less expensive than traditional burials because they often forego vaults, embalming and ornate caskets.

Wood recently did the math, and estimates that opting for a green-certified casket and green graveside services of the kind he facilitates would cost approximately $4,000, or about half as much as a typical, traditional burial.

Diamond mentioned that a green burial lot can be slightly more expensive than a regular lot, although that doesn’t negate other savings. “As a result of not using a vault, the ground collapses a bit, causing a depression, so we must use more material and time to ensure the ground is safe and sound and aesthetically pleasing.”

iStockphoo.com/Corri Seizinger

A green burial is generally any form of burial or internment that is not harmful to the environment, compared to traditional burial methods that waste nonrenewable resources, contribute millions of tons of chemical and material pollution, and occupy arable land.

Broadly, the term refers to burying cremated remains in biodegradable urns, burying unembalmed bodies in environmentally friendly shrouds or caskets, and avoiding the use of cement vaults for housing. But as Wood pointed out, there are myriad variations available, so it is important to speak with a funeral director about whatever arrangements you prefer.

Most critically, Wood explained, New York has unique (some would say outdated) funeral laws you will have to negotiate. For example, it is one of the few states that strictly prohibits funeral homes from owning or operating cemeteries (and vice versa). This separation creates logistical hurdles; Wood often finds himself explaining to frustrated customers that while he will do everything he can to help carry out their wishes, he can only guarantee his half of the equation. “We can do our part as a funeral home, but I can’t really help you with the cemetery. It’s, unfortunately, not a one-stop shop.” So his best advice is to re-

search which cemeteries offer green options first to ensure they can accommodate your desired arrangement.

For example, many cemeteries like Albany Rural Cemetery offer designated green burial sections where remains are interred without vaults or embalming chemicals, allowing for natural decomposition. Diamond agrees that it is much easier to honor someone’s wishes for an environmentally friendly burial in those sections, but the cemetery has worked hard to responsibly expand green options in older sections as well.

18 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Mushroom Shrouds/Caskets

iStockphoto.com/webphotographeer (water), Bogdana Pashkevich (mushrooms)

Aquamation/Alkaline Hydrosis/Water Cremation Although it goes by many names, this process is relatively simple: Heated water and potassium hydroxide work together to liquefy the body in a matter of hours, leaving only bones and sterile water behind. The bones are then pulverized — much like in regular cremation — and the remains are returned to the family.

As we’ve written about before, this process is more environmentally friendly than flame-based cremation. Aquamation doesn’t burn fossil fuels, and there are no direct emissions of greenhouse gases. According to The Green Cremation, a facility that performs aquamation in Connecticut, the process is the most environmentally friendly cremation alternative available, and the results are the same: cremated remains, with nearly 20% more ashes than you would get from traditional heat-based cremation.

Unfortunately, in many states aquamation is not yet legal for processing human remains. A bill seeking to legalize the process was introduced in New York in 2011, but was opposed by religious groups. However, as with many green burial alternatives, you have the option of making arrangements to transport your body to the nearest facility where it can be done.

The concept of using fungi to decompose (and supposedly, detoxify) human remains is an increasingly popular one. Essentially, mushroom shrouds and caskets are made by lacing organic materials like cotton, hemp or sawdust with mycelium, or mushroom spores. Once buried, the mycelium reactivates in the presence of moisture and microorganisms in the soil, decomposing the body and releasing beneficial enzymes back into the ground.

Wood says that mushroom products were all the rage at the last New York State Funeral Directors Association New York State Funeral Directors Association (NYSFDA) Convention held in Saratoga Springs in August, and he frequently gets requests from people who wish to use mushroom burial products. While their hearts are in the right place, Wood says there are currently some logistical drawbacks to this method and that biodegradable caskets, made from softwood, wicker or cardboard are a more cost-effective option.

PRICE COMPARISONS: Even though mushroom shrouds and caskets are natural, they are not inexpensive. The mushroom burial suits and shrouds made by Coeio cost $1,500, and as Wood explains, with shipping and other costs associated, they’re more expensive than other green options.

PRICE COMPARISONS: The cost of aquamation can vary depending on the location, the services chosen, and the availability of providers. For example, The Green Cremation offers flame-based cremations and aquamations at the same price, but our research shows that, on average, aquamation tends to be slightly more expensive than traditional cremation.

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 19

Terramation/ Human Composting

Courtesy Return Home

Terramation is a form of human composting similar to traditional composting, which involves decomposing organic materials through the use of microorganisms in a controlled environment. In the case of human composting, or “natural organic reduction,” a body is placed in a specially designed vessel along with wood chips, alfalfa and straw. The vessel is then sealed and placed in a temperature-controlled space, where it is supplied with oxygen.

Over the course of several months, the microorganisms break down the organic matter, including the bones, until all that remains is nutrient-rich soil.

Human composting was legalized in New York in 2022, but we still have a long way to go before it’s actually available in the state. The way the current law is written, cemeteries would need to invest in the infrastructure needed to support human composting — essentially a large warehouse — and currently, no cemetery has petitioned the state to build such a facility.

20 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

PRICE COMPARISONS: Unfortunately, until the practice is more commonplace, human composting is quite expensive. Return Home, a provider located in Washington state, has an out-of-state package that costs $5,425 for basic services and an estimated $2,500 or more for the transfer of remains to their facility. Recompose, another Washington-based composting provider, charges $7,000 plus transportation costs. n

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Belmonte Builders celebrated a standout night at the 2025 CRBRA Best in Building Awards, earning six honors across innovation, design, and craftsmanship.

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NEW YORK’S

MEDICAL AID IN DYING ACT

iStockphoto.com/francescoch

W riting

22 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Your Own

F

lC

h a pt e r

A

a in

New Yorkers join growing national debate over end-of-life choices and how our stories should end

BY TRACI NEAL

cross the country, attitudes toward dying are shifting. From Oregon to Delaware, more Americans are choosing greater control over how their stories end — and more states are giving them that right. Now, after years of passionate debate, New York may be next.

In 2025, both chambers of the state legislature passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act (MAID), a measure that would allow terminally ill, mentally capable New Yorkers to receive prescription medication to end their lives peacefully. The bill, which has been introduced repeatedly since 2015, now awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature — a decision that could make New York the 13th jurisdiction in the U.S. to legalize MAID. As of press time, the governor had not signed or vetoed the bill.

Several other states are debating or poised to enact similar laws. The Illinois General Assembly narrowly passed “Deb’s Law” in October and it awaits Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature; versions in Nevada and Massachusetts are in committee or hearings; Maryland and Pennsylvania have bills under consideration; and New Hampshire, Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Tennessee are studying MAID legislation, highlighting a growing national focus on end-of-life choices.

Supporters frame it as an issue of compassion and autonomy; opponents call it a moral and ethical line that should not be crossed. But for many families, the issue is deeply personal.

A Family’s Turning Point When Bob Thomas was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2010, he wasn’t afraid of dying — he was afraid of losing control. A fiercely independent 76-year-old former meteorologist and lifelong outdoorsman, Thomas wanted to make his own decisions about his final days. Without options, however, at his lowest point, when he could barely walk or see, he nearly took his own life.

To be clear, Bob wasn’t suicidal, said his wife Barbara Thomas, referring to that pivotal moment just a year after his diagnosis. “He wanted to live, but his cancer chose to end his life. All he was asking for was assistance in ending his suffering when he couldn’t take it anymore. He asked me to get his pistol so he could shoot himself. … I didn’t, couldn’t do it. I loved him. I couldn’t watch him do that. I told him that everyone would know that I had helped him, that I didn’t want to go to jail for helping him, and he didn’t want me to go to jail, either. But I still feel guilty that I didn’t help him escape his misery.”

Bob ultimately died in hospice in 2012 at home in SaraWINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 23

Though the law may be called different things from state to state, MAID is legal in:

1 Oregon* – 1997 2 Washington – 2009 3 Montana – 2009 (state Supreme Court decision)

4 Vermont* – 2013 5 California – 2016 6 Colorado – 2016 7 Washington, D.C. – 2017 8 Hawaii – 2019 9 New Jersey – 2019 10 Maine – 2019 11 New Mexico – 2021 12 Delaware – 2025 (signed by governor in May; expected effective 2026) * Oregon and Vermont do not require residency; New York’s law as written has no legal residency requirement.

A Decade of Debate The question of whether New York should legalize medical aid in dying has been on the table for about a decade. Lawmakers have introduced versions of the law nearly every session since 2015, facing intense and emotional testimony from both sides.

Advocates such as Death with Dignity, Compassion & Choices and the End of Life Choices New York argue that the law would give terminally ill adults control and peace in their final days.

“When I testified before this legislature in 2018, we knew the path would be long and winding and full of roadblocks. Nevertheless, we persisted,” said Dr. Peg Sandeen, CEO of Death with Dignity, a national organization that advocates for MAID laws across the country.

“This legislation is about easing needless suffering and honoring deeply personal choices,” said Assembly member Amy Paulin, one of the first sponsors (in 2015) of New York’s MAID law and author and sponsor of the bill in 2025. Paulin held a rally in

BARBARA THOMAS, left, of the League of Women Voters, and Thad Mirer of Death with Dignity, joined Compassion & Choices at the Capitol in Albany in — Photo by Cindy Schultz 2024 to advocate for medical aid in dying.

24 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Gavel illustration: iStockphoto.com/-VICTOR-

LEGAL WATCH

toga Springs, cared for by his wife of 55 years. That experience changed her life, and she’s since been one of the leading voices in Albany advocating for MAID legislation.

“I’ve always felt people should be in charge of their own health, including their own death,” said Thomas, 88, from her home in Schuylerville, where she now lives with one of her four sons.

“I’ve been a strong supporter of bodily autonomy in all aspects of life. But I really got committed to the cause after Bob was diagnosed with brain cancer.”

Since his death, Thomas has become one of New York’s most persistent advocates for MAID, testifying before the legislature and attending nearly every hearing on the issue. “Far from being about despair, it’s about choice,” said Thomas, a former president of the League of Women Voters of New York who became the MAID issues specialist for the organization. “It’s about people reclaiming agency in their most vulnerable moments. In the end, even though Bob wasn’t in great pain, he was in agony.”

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CORINNE CAREY, New York senior director for Compassion & Choices, speaks at a 2024 press conference. Carey’s organization spearheaded New York’s MAID campaign and built a powerful statewide coalition now well known in the halls of the Capitol.

Care Tailored to YOU!

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Scarsdale in November urging the governor to sign the bill.

She was joined by faith leaders, state and local officials and hundreds of advocates at Chase Park, which was lit up by 2,500 candles symbolizing the number of New Yorkers who die of cancer every month.

Opposition has been just as forceful. Religious organizations, disability rights groups and medical associations warn of potential abuse, diminished palliative care and a “slippery slope” toward euthanasia. The New York State Catholic Conference has been among the most vocal opponents, maintaining that MAID laws “send a dangerous message to society that when someone is considered a ‘burden’ to someone else, his or her life is no longer worth living.”

The Governor’s Decision Hochul has indicated she may sign, but only after adding new safeguards including a required video recording of the request, a seven‑day waiting period, a mandatory mental

182 Washington Ave Ext Albany, NY 12203

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WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 25

health evaluation, residency restrictions and a delayed effective date, the Gothamist reported in December. A practicing Catholic whose mother died of ALS in 2014, she acknowledged during a press briefing in September that the decision weighs heavily. “I have to be very careful not to allow [my beliefs] to color my decision-making when I’m making a decision not for myself but for 20 million New Yorkers,” Hochul said.

What’s at Stake For Barbara Thomas and other MAID advocates who have sent letters to the governor and testified at legislative hearings, the issue isn’t political — it’s deeply human. “This isn’t about giving up on life,” Thomas said. “It’s about living the way you want to live, right to the end.”

Every day Gov. Hochul waits to sign this bill, more New Yorkers suffer, said

What Opponents Say • Life is sacred; only God should decide death — New York State Catholic Conference • Fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer — American Medical Association • Risk of pressure on vulnerable people — Not Dead Yet • Could lead to euthanasia or involuntary killing — New York State Right to Life Committee • Diverts attention from palliative care — New York State Hospice and Palliative Care Organization • Harmful to the most vulnerable — New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide • Unfairly targets people with disabilities — Center for Disability Rights • “Slippery slope” toward broader acceptance of euthanasia — Orthodox Union • A threat to human life — Feminists Choosing Life • Allows the message that some lives are not worth living — Americans United for Life • Turns doctors into killers — New York Post editorial board • Flies in the face of decadeslong disability advocacy — Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund • Validates suicide and allows doctors to facilitate such deaths — National Right to Life Committee • Makes it easier for people to kill themselves — Wall Street Journal editorial board

26 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Corinne Carey, New York senior director for Compassion & Choices, the organization that spearheaded New York’s MAID campaign and built a powerful statewide coalition now well known in the halls of the Capitol.

Carey and others, including dozens of terminally ill patients and their families, met at the Capitol in October to press the governor to sign MAID into law.

“The people you see behind me, some of whom are terminally ill, want

What Proponents Say • Empowers terminally ill to make end-of-life decisions — New York Civil Liberties Union • Provides a compassionate option — Compassion & Choices • Ensures patient autonomy and control — End of Life Choices New York • People should decide for themselves what a good death means — Death with Dignity • Offers a peaceful and dignified death — Medical Society of the State of New York • Aligns with public opinion — New York State Academy of Family Physicians • Reduces unnecessary suffering for patients and families — New York State Nurses Association • Provides a legal framework and safeguards — New York State Bar Association • Respects individual religious and personal beliefs — League of Women Voters of New York State • Addresses the needs of diverse communities — Harlem United and Latino Commission on AIDS • A matter of civil liberties and individual rights — American Civil Liberties Union • Essential to women’s rights and health care autonomy — National Organization for Women • Ends needless suffering by advancing the time of approaching death — American Ethical Union • Hastens what may be a protracted, undignified death — American Medical Women’s Association • “The decision to go gently into that good night should be their own” — Times Union editorial board

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“

Far from being about despair, it’s about choice.”

— Barbara Thomas

iStockphoto.com/Liliboas

to know that this will be an option for them when the next bad scan comes, when the next test result tells them they have far less time to live,” said Carey, speaking to the group gathered just steps from the governor’s office.

Whether or not Hochul signs the bill, the debate is unlikely to disappear.

Across the nation — and in New York, where a majority of residents polled said they support the law — the movement to give people the right to “write their own final chapter” is gaining momentum, reshaping how Americans think about death, dignity and choice. n

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28 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Messages From

Beyond Legacy letters are a way to share your life with loved ones after you’re gone

A

iStockphoto.com/badahos

BY JANET REYNOLDS

s we age, we usually think about making or updating our wills and perhaps noting who we’d like to receive particular pieces of jewelry, furniture or artwork. What we too often ignore, however, is passing on our values and personal histories in any organized way. And it is in those gems, say estate planning experts, that the real value often lies for those left behind.

Interchangeably called legacy letters or ethical wills, these missives are an opportunity to let your loved ones know WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 29

’’

“There are two legacies — your assets and your values.

— Michael Ettinger, Ettinger Law Firm

more about your emotions and personal stories than your portfolio. They can be one page or several pages long.

They can even be done as audio and/ or video files. The key, say those who work with people to create these letters to loved ones, is to do it.

“There are two legacies — your assets and your values,” says Michael Ettinger of Ettinger Law Firm, which specializes in elder law and estate planning. “Your assets will dissipate, but your values will live on. Bequeathing values has more power than people realize. People will remember who you were more than what you had.

“I believe that with good estate planning you do the social work first and the legal follows the social,” adds Ettinger, whose firm has 12 offices around New York State, including Albany and Rhinebeck.

“This is the missing piece of estate planning,” echoes attorney Susan Turnbull of Personal Legacy Advisors in Massachusetts. “When we think about legacy, we think about what to leave behind. For most people, it’s about the giving of money, but that’s only one part of what they hope to give their descendants. I really believe in thinking about legacy planning as two halves: one tangible and one intangible.”

While awareness of legacy letters or ethical wills may be growing in the contemporary lexicon, their history is

long, with many citing Judaism as the beginning. Ethical wills have been part of Jewish faith for centuries, according to Rabbi Pamela Wax, director of adult education and programming at Congregation Beth Israel in the Berkshires.

References exist in the Old Testament, she says, ticking off Moses speaking to the Israelites as just one example. “Ethical wills were considered more the worthy will than an inheritance,” says Wax, who leads legacy letter workshops in the Berkshires.

In some ways, an ethical will is a life review. “It emerges out of our trying to figure out the meaning of our lives,” Wax says. “It’s for the future but also for you, the writer. There’s a sense of creating legacy and accepting your life experiences and finding the meaning and hopefully forgiveness along the way.”

It is that thoughtful reflection that drew Jay Sherwin to creating the Life Reflections Project. A lawyer turned interfaith hospital chaplain, Sherwin has seen time and time again how helping people get their personal stories down on paper helps both the writer and the eventual recipients. “We think about who we are leaving our stuff to, but as you know most relatives don’t want it. But a brief document that conveys some of your best lessons, your gentle advice and best wishes — that’s a wonderful message that endures long after you’re gone.

CONTINUES ON 32 

’’

“This is the missing piece of estate planning.

— Susan Turnbull, Personal Legacy Advisers

30 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

f ity

o

o Ac

m

n u m

ll ra

!

a

s ge

— Rabbi Pamela Wax, Congregation Beth Israel

CONTINUED FROM 30

‘‘

We think about who we are leaving our stuff to, but as you know most relatives don’t want it.”

— Jay Sherwin, the Life Reflections Project

32 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

“First and foremost, this is a gift for yourself to write and reflect on your life. This is an opportunity most of us don’t give ourselves very often,” he continues, ticking off potential subjects such as proudest moments or experiences and friendships the writer is grateful for. “It’s a healthy and productive thing to do, even if you never share it.”

Indeed, just thinking about what a legacy letter might include can be life-altering in itself. “It matters even if you don’t write it,” says Turnbull. “Legacy has to do with your current life. It can have an impact on how you live your life now, even if you don’t write anything.”

Turnbull knows that a certain number of people who attend her legacy letter presentations won’t ever write anything. “That doesn’t matter to me,” she says. “I’m planting a seed that you want to be sure you communicate with intention. Some leave the presentation saying they won’t do it, but I am going to do this family vacation I’ve been thinking about. I don’t know how [a workshop] will land, but I do know it lands somewhere even if it’s not the creation of a letter.”

The options for what can be included in legacy letters are as varied as the people writing them. Some focus on family history. Others provide people a chance to say something the writer is uncomfortable saying in person.

“You can express regrets or offer apologies posthumously. You can forgive people. It can be cathartic to write,” Ettinger says.

What ethical wills are not, say proponents, are memoirs. Yes, similarities can exist. “The difference,” says Jodi E. Murphy, who authored a book called Legacy Letters: A Guide to Writing Your Ethical Will, “is that you’re being guided with questions and prompts.” She recommends starting with family history and background. Where were you born? Where did your parents come from? How did you meet your spouse?

“They seem basic and I may be able to answer it about my mother but not my grandparents and great-grandparents.

It’s the history you want to leave for future generations you may never meet.”

Firsts can be good prompts, too.

(See sidebar for other ideas.) What was your first pet? What was your first job? “A lot of people are humble and think no one cares about their first job when they were 16, but yes, they do,” Murphy says. “Those are the stories and history pieces that get lost as time goes on.”

Legacy letters also can be created for various milestones that may happen long after the writer has passed on. You can write a letter to a granddaughter, for instance, to read when she graduates from college or gets married or has a child. It’s a chance to pass on reflections and hopes based on your life

Photo by Nicholas Mantello

’’

“It’s for the future but also for you, the writer.

experiences at those milestones.

Experts offer various suggestions for those worried about their writing ability. “This isn’t literature,” says Sherwin.

“We’ve all written letters, so don’t worry too much about the precision of the language or grammar. Be yourself. Tell some good stories and name some lessons and values. Offer your blessings.

Do it from the heart. You’re not being graded by your English teacher.”

Still feeling unsure about writing?

Ethical wills can also be audio or visual files, or these versions can be additions to a written form. “It preserves your voice and image for people to see and hear,” Sherwin says.

And of course your recipients don’t have to wait for your death to receive a legacy letter. Sharing your stories and history now can be a great way to have important conversations with your loved ones while you’re still alive. n

GETTING STARTED: SOME TIPS FROM THE PROS Curious about creating a legacy letter but not sure where to begin?

Here are some questions to get you going. Remember: There is no wrong way to write a legacy letter. This is about you and the stories or messages you want to leave for future generations of your family.

From Jay Sherwin at the Life Reflections Project (jaysherwin.com): • What is one important event in your life, or one life experience, that really helped to shape who you are? How did it affect you? What did you learn from it?

• Can you name one person (or two or three) who was an important and positive influence in your life? What did they give you or teach you?

• What in your life are you most grateful for?

• What is one thing that you wish you had done differently? What lessons did that experience teach you?

• How do you want to be remembered? What do you want to be remembered for?

• What other words of advice can you offer to the people who read your letter? What wishes do you have for them? How can they honor your memory?

From Jodi E. Murphy, lawyer and author of Legacy Letters: A Guide to Writing Your Ethical Will:

‘‘

It’s the history you want to leave for future generations you may never meet.”

— Jodi E. Murphy, lawyer and author, Legacy Letters: A Guide to Writing Your Ethical Will

• Don’t wait.

• Start a simple journal to capture memories now. She used Dr. Seuss’ book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, and passed it around to her child’s teachers, coaches, etc., over the years. When her eldest graduated high school, she gave it to her. “All of those things are legacy letters.

She can pass it on to her children.”

From Rabbi Pamela Wax, director of adult education and programming at Congregation Beth Israel in the Berkshires: • What values do you try to live by?

• What have you gleaned from your losses and mistakes?

• What’s a good enough life?

• (Borrowing from the poem “Summer Day” by Mary Oliver) What did you do with your one wild and precious life?

From Susan Turnbull, of Personal Legacy Advisors in Massachusetts: • Don’t prejudge your ideas or your ability to write this. “People think it has to sound profound. It can be intimidating to think about.”

• Think of this as a work in progress. “If you wait until you think it’s the wisest things you’re going to say, you will never write it.”

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 33

Baking with Heart

Helen Goh’s solo debut cookbook is about so much more than dessert

RECIPES COURTESY OF ABRAMS BOOKS PHOTOS BY LAURA EDWARDS

I

f you’ve ever swooned over one of famed British restaurateur and food writer Yotam Ottolenghi’s iconic desserts, there’s a good chance Helen Goh had a hand in it. As his longtime collaborator and co-author of the bestselling cookbooks Sweet and Comfort, Goh has spent more than decade developing recipes that delight the senses and celebrate bold, layered flavors.

Now, in her first solo cookbook, Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes, Goh steps into the spotlight with stories and recipes (beautifully illustrated by photographer Laura Edwards) that reflect her rich, multicultural background and love of baking as a way to connect and share joy.

We’ve picked out a few recipes from the book that highlight the cozy, warm flavors of the season and give us all a great excuse to turn on the oven and fill the kitchen with the aromas of deliciousness during the chilly winter months.

Traveling “Speckled Bread” SERVES 6 TO 8

My parents-in-law, Mark and Roma, who live in Melbourne, come to visit us in England every summer, and at some point we usually decamp to a European city together for a few days.

Mark and I share a habit of having a cup of tea and cake in the evenings, and he absolutely loves fruitcake. I make this bara brith, or “speckled bread,” a traditional enriched Welsh bread (although it is really more like cake), to take on our travels. It’s sturdy and improves over time. The name comes from the Welsh words “bara,” meaning bread, and “brith,” meaning speckled or mottled. This characteristic speckled appearance is due to the inclusion of raisins, currants and other dried fruits. As the fruits need overnight soaking, you’ll need to start this recipe the day before you wish to bake the bread.

The addition of ras el hanout, a complex and aromatic Moroccan spice blend, gives great warmth and depth of flavor to this simple cake. The blend typically includes cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and peppercorn. Use pumpkin pie spice if you don’t have ras el hanout on hand, although I urge you to try it, as it makes this cake uncommonly good.

INGREDIENTS • 1 ¼ cups water, boiling hot • 4 tea bags (I like Assam or Irish breakfast, but any strong

34 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

black tea will be fine) • ½ cup golden raisins • ½ cup raisins • ½ cup currants or dried cranberries • scant ⅔ cup prunes, chopped into roughly ½-inch pieces • ½ cup dried apricots, chopped into roughly ½-inch pieces • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 2 teaspoons ras el hanout or pumpkin pie spice • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt • 1 cup packed light or dark muscovado sugar • 1 large egg, lightly beaten • 1 tablespoon honey • salted butter, softened, to serve INSTRUCTIONS 1 Combine the hot water and tea bags in a liquid measuring cup and set aside to steep. After 10 minutes, remove the tea bags, squeeze firmly, then discard the bags.

2 Combine the fruits in a medium bowl and pour the hot tea over them. Cover and leave in a cool place overnight to allow the fruits to plump up and absorb the tea.

3 Preheat the oven to 325 ̊F and line the bottom and sides of a standard loaf pan (approximately 8½ by 4½ inches) with parchment paper. Allow a generous overhang on all sides to help lift the cake out once baked.

4 Sift the flour, baking powder, spice and salt together in a large bowl, then stir in the sugar. Add the dried fruit (including the tea), the egg and honey and stir together until all the ingredients are combined.

5 Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 80 to 90 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes, then lift the cake out of the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely.

6 The cake may be eaten on the same day, but if you have the willpower, wrap it in a layer of parchment paper followed by foil and set aside for 24 hours — it will improve in texture and flavor.

7 To serve, cut into thick slices and spread thickly with salted butter.

8 The cake will keep well for up to five days, after which the slices may be toasted.

PREPARATION & SERVING TIP  You will need to let the fruits soak overnight to plump up, so begin the cake at least a day ahead, but otherwise, this is a low-effort, mix-in-a-bowl type of recipe.  You can wrap the cake tightly once it has cooled and set it aside for 24 hours for the flavors to develop and the texture to settle into a uniform, moist crumb. Like many fruitcakes, it improves with age if wrapped properly.

Food & Drink

Recipes excerpted from Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes by Helen Goh. Copyright © 2025 by Helen Goh. Photographs copyright © 2025 by Laura Edwards. Published by Abrams.

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 35

Dutch Baby Pancake with Mortadella & Arugula SERVES 4 TO 6

What I love about brunch is the sense that anything goes: sweet, savory and everything in between. From bloody marys to banana smoothies, quiche to crepes, bacon to blueberries, mimosas to mocktails, it’s all good. I love the mix-and-match vibe of this in-between, convivial meal.

The pair of Dutch Babies in this book (editor’s note: Baking & the Meaning of Life also includes a dreamy recipe for Dutch Babies with Berries and Yogurt Cream) are my secret weapons for brunch. Whether you’re Team Sweet or Team Savory, these dramatic, oven-baked pancakes are ridiculously easy to make. With just a tweak of the simple batter, the pancakes can be sweet or savory. Golden brown and crisp at the edges, soft and custardy in the center, they are texturally delightful to eat.

They arrive out of the oven magnificently puffed up and then subside helpfully into a bowl shape that will carry any topping you fancy.

Don’t feel restricted by the toppings I have given here — make this your own by substituting with your favorites. Just be careful not to overload the tender pancakes.

GET THE BOOK

INGREDIENTS • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour • ¾ ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (3 tablespoons), plus extra, shaved, for topping • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt • ⅛ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper • 2 large eggs • ½ cup whole milk • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • 2 teaspoons olive oil • 4 thin slices Edam cheese (about 2 ¼ ounces)

36 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes by Helen Goh Abrams | 336 pages | $40

• 4 large slices mortadella (about 2 ¼ ounces) • 1 ½ cups arugula • olive oil and lemon juice to dress the arugula INSTRUCTIONS 1 Whisk the flour, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, whisk to break them up, then slowly add the milk.

Continue to whisk, gradually drawing in the flour until the mixture is smooth. Cover the bowl or transfer the batter to a jar, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake (it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days).

2 Preheat the oven to 400 ̊F and place a large, deep ovenproof skillet, about 12 inches in diameter, into the oven to heat up for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, take the batter out of the fridge and stir well.

3 Remove the empty pan from the oven and add the butter and olive oil. Swirl the pan until the butter has melted, then return it to the oven. Pull out the oven rack slightly, then carefully pour the batter into the pan all at once. Push the rack back into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the pancake is golden brown and puffed up.

4 Meanwhile, dress the arugula lightly with olive oil and lemon juice.

5 When the pancake is cooked, lift it out of the pan with a spatula and slide it onto a large plate. Drape the slices of cheese on the bottom of the pancake, followed by the slices of mortadella. Top with the dressed arugula and shave extra Parmesan cheese all over. Serve immediately.

PREPARATION TIPS  Have the pan very hot before pouring the batter in — this is key to the pancake’s impressive rise.  Have your toppings ready to go as soon as the pancake comes out of the oven because it will deflate almost immediately. While that doesn’t affect the taste or texture, you won’t want to miss the gasps when your guests see that glorious puffed-up pancake emerge.

hundreds of recipes you’ll find online at 55pluslife.com!

GET THE RECIPE

Breton Butter Cake with Apple & Prune is one of

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 37

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Food & Drink

What the

Heck Is

Dubai

Chocolate?

The story behind the exotic, kind-of-pricey viral confection

BY AMY BARNES

iStockphoto.com/Krafla

M

y teenager asked me for a Dubai chocolate bar in 2023. She told me it was expensive and that it only shipped from Dubai. It turns out she wasn’t the only one hunting for the elusive, exotic treat. Dubai chocolate bars were officially a trend, grown out of a chocolatier’s pregnancy craving and a viral ASMR TikTok video.

WHAT’S IN A DUBAI CHOCOLATE BAR?

To see why the Dubai chocolate trend is so popular, we started with what’s inside. Helen Tieu, founder and registered dietitian at Diet Redefined, a Vancouver-based company that provides virtual consultations, explains the bar’s WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 39

ingredients: “Dubai chocolate consists of a milk chocolate bar with a crunchy, rich filling of pistachio cream, tahini paste and toasted knafeh (made of kataifi, shredded phyllo dough strips).”

WHAT’S IN THE DUBAI CHOCOLATE NAME?

The “Dubai” in the name doesn’t necessarily mean the ingredients come from Dubai; the original version gained popularity there, but it has since become a global trend. There are several names for the main interior crunch, including kadayif, kataifi and katayef. Each of these references a Middle Eastern dessert and ingredient popular in countries like Egypt, Palestine, Turkey and Greece. We also found a lighter Snacklava option that features pistachios and kunafa (another name for knafeh), minus the exterior chocolate.

WHAT MAKES DUBAI CHOCOLATE DIFFERENT?

Chocolate from countries like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Great Britain and Belgium has long been mainstream in the United States. Dubai chocolate with its exotic ingredients was not a staple. When the bars first became accessible stateside, they were often made only at Mediterranean restaurants or bakeries, selling out quickly due to high demand.

Restaurant franchise founder and CEO Sawsan Abublan explains some of the Dubai chocolate mystique: “It seems anyone with a sweet tooth can’t get enough of Dubai chocolate because it is more than just a flavor, it is an experience. Those who rave about it love the rich, velvety milk chocolate shell that opens to reveal nutty pistachio cream and toasted kataifi.”

HOW DID THE TREND BEGIN, AND WHY IS IT STILL SO POPULAR?

In 2021, Fix Dessert Chocolatier founder Sarah Hamtouda created the first Dubai chocolate bar to satisfy a pregnancy craving, and its subsequent popularity led to rumors of a pistachio shortage. The trend reached viral status in 2023 when TikTok influencer Maria Vehara posted her sensory exploration of eating the candy bar on video.

Dietitian Tieu reiterates the experience of eating Dubai chocolate as a reason for its popularity. “It’s known for its luxurious presentation, higher price point and association with Dubai’s wealth,” she says. “As such, for many people, trying Dubai chocolate products can turn into an  Get our recipe for

Dubai Chocolae Rice Krispie Treats at 55pluslife.com!

40 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

experience itself, beyond the taste of the product.”

IS MORE DUBAI CHOCOLATE ON THE HORIZON?

We went to New York-based Jacques Torres, also known as Mr. Chocolate, for his perspective on the Dubai chocolate craze. He has his own experience with viral trends and a dream line of chocolate bars, and his famous chocolate chip cookie is still the all-time most downloaded New York Times recipe. Torres offered a very positive approach to the trend and its potential longevity, explaining that “I think it’s an innovative way to bring sweet ingredients together, and it’s fun!

It’s definitely stuck around, which shows there’s certainly a demand for it.” While he acknowledged that candy trends come and go, he reminisced about “hot chocolate bombs that are also fun and still relevant.”

As a restaurant owner, Abublan explains that “today’s con-

sumers are not just looking for ordinary desserts, they are looking for adventure in every bite. It’s indulgence with texture, contrast and excitement. Demand for Dubai chocolate remains strong, so I believe other restaurants, bakeries and dessert shops will continually be thinking of new ways to add Dubai chocolate to their menus.”

DO DUBAI CHOCOLATE BARS HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS?

We looked more closely at the health side of chocolate trends, too. Torres said he sees “health-promoting ingredients, like superfoods, incorporated in chocolate as a trend becoming more and more popular.”

As a dietitian, Tieu recommends “consuming Dubai chocolate as an occasional treat, given the high sugar, calorie and saturated fat content. Some variations of Dubai chocolate may be made of dark chocolate,” she adds. “Occasional in-

take of dark chocolate provides antioxidants (flavanols) that support heart health and can help to boost mood slightly through the release of serotonin and endorphins.”

Tieu further offered tips on how to consume the trend in healthier ways: with chocolate-covered strawberries or dates; pairing a small portion with nuts, seeds or tea; aiming for a higher cocoa percentage with more than 70% as a good rule of thumb; and consuming Dubai chocolate “in moderation as part of a healthy diet.”

IS THE TREND HERE TO STAY?

Torres attributes Dubai chocolate’s popularity to “definitely a combination of the delicious ingredients, but the power of social media gave it the boost worldwide.” He sees the next chocolate trends as variations, like “Dubai chocolate ice cream, cheesecake, milkshake, brownies, cookies … ” n

WHERE CAN YOU BUY DUBAI CHOCOLATE IN THE CAPITAL DISTRICT? Perfect for gift-giving and self-treating, try these regional outlets for everything from Dubai chocolate bars to brownies to covered dates and cashews. The trend is still hot; we suggest checking for availability before you make a trip for a Dubai chocolate treat.

• Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe • Krause’s Homemade Candy • The Crisp Cannoli • Sweet and Bubble • It’s Nae’s Treats • Hooked Market & Kitchen • The Candy Cottage and Gifts

iStockphoto.com/ Daniela Baumann WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 41

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Health & Wellness

Brighter

Days Ahead Smart ways to beat the winter blues

BY BRIANNA SNYDER

iStockphoto.com/PIKSEL

You need to let the sun get into your eyes.

That’s what Jill Wolski, LCSW, owner and clinical director of Harmony Counseling in Troy and Albany, told us when we asked her how to beat the winter blues. Take your glasses off, she says. Contacts out. Sunglasses up. Let the light pour into your retinas. But let’s start with what the winter blues even are, and why they hit some of us so hard.

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, you might notice something shifting inside you. Maybe you’re sleeping a little more, craving comfort foods or finding excuses to skip your usual coffee date. You’re not imagining it, you’re definitely not alone and it WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 43

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actually has a name: seasonal affective disorder.

• Consider a “happy light.” Full-spectrum light therapy “We start to see the very beginnings of seasonal affective boxes (often called “happy lights”) can be placed on disorder in October,” says Wolski. “It’s crazy because it’s such your table during breakfast or while reading the morning a beautiful time of year, but that’s really when it starts.” paper. Just make sure you’re not wearing contact lenses, The winter blues typically show up as low energy, increased so that the light reaches your eyes. If you’re prone to sleepiness, social withdrawal and carb cravings. You might feel winter blues, Wolski recommends being proactive and unmotivated to tackle everyday tasks or notice that things that starting light therapy in early fall. used to feel easy now feel harder. While these symptoms can • Move your body. Thirty minutes a day of moderate feel frustrating, they’re incredibly common, and they have evexercise can work wonders for your mood. “Even if we’re erything to do with sunlight, or rather, the lack of it. feeling a little sluggish, if we don’t feel like going to coffee “If people are leaving their house at 7 in the morning and or to the gym, make sure you still do it,” Wolski says. coming home when it’s dark, they’re missing that crucial The key is consistency. Join a walking club, try a chair yoga window of sunlight they need,” says Wolski. class at places like the Hot Yoga Spot in Albany or Shala of So when do the winter blues cross over into seasonal affecTroy, or just walk laps around the mall before the stores tive disorder (aka SAD, a fitting and open. Movement doesn’t just lift your convenient acronym)? According to mood — it also helps regulate your Wolski, SAD is a form of depression. sleep-wake cycle.

BEATING “It can look like cognitive con“It’s really important to have strucTHOSE BLUES fusion, not being able to prioritize ture in your day — something meanthings, not having energy to do tasks ingful,” Wolski says.

For us older folks, especially around the house,” she says.

You can also make some changthose of us who are retired or If you’re experiencing these sympes to your diet. Support your brain living alone, social connection toms and they’re interfering with your chemistry with omega-3 fatty acids becomes even more critical daily life, it’s worth talking to your found in fish (salmon, mackerel, sarduring winter months. Here are doctor or therapist. But whether you dines) and flaxseed. Take a Vitamin some ways to stay connected: have full-blown SAD or just a case D supplement — most of us don’t get • Your library likely has a book of the winter blahs, the strategies for enough from sunlight during winter club, and maybe several. feeling better are remarkably similar. months.

• Consider volunteering at That’s where the light-in-your-retinas Wolski also recommends starta food pantry or an animal thing comes in. ing your day with intention. “A lot of shelter organization like The most powerful tool in your winadults just wake up in the morning Whiskers Animal Benevolent ter wellness arsenal is morning sunlight. and turn on the news, and that might League in Albany.

“It’s that window of time in the not be the best thing for our mental • If you can’t get yourself to morning, usually around breakfast, health,” she says. Instead, she reccommit to an outing outside that’s most important,” Wolski says. ommends trying meditation, prayer the house, schedule a The morning light exposure tells your or simply sitting quietly with your recurring video chat with the brain to decrease melatonin (the sleep morning coffee, setting your intention family members and friends hormone) and boost serotonin (the for the day ahead. who make you laugh the most. feel-good chemical), helping you feel Finally, try reframing winter as an • Take a class! There are fitness more alert during the day and sleep opportunity rather than something classes, cooking classes, better at night. to simply endure.

Use the quieter art classes, history classes. months to plan a spring garden, reHere are some lightCheck out the listings at search a summer vacation or start boosting strategies: Hudson Valley Community that creative project you’ve been put• Get outside early. Bundle up and College’s Center for ting off. Winter can be a time of restake a 10-minute morning walk.

Creative Retirement or sign toration and reflection — if we let it.

Take off your sunglasses for a few up for online courses with By understanding why winter afminutes to let the light reach your subscription-based programs fects us and taking proactive steps, eyes directly. like Great Courses Plus, we can keep the blues at bay and even • Open those blinds. Eat breakfast MasterClass and Coursera. find moments of joy in the season’s near a sunny window. Even on You might also consider slower rhythms. Just remember to let cloudy days, natural light is good checking out any of the 100the light in. n for you. plus free courses at Harvard.

Home & Garden

up How “living walls” can transform your small garden spaces

BY KATIE NAVARRA BRADLEY

46 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Courtesy Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

growing

Concepts of Health Care, Inc.

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L

ast summer, our modest vegetable garden grew straight up instead of sprawling across the ground — a happy accident rather than a master plan. After moving into a new house, more urgent projects pushed the garden to the bottom of the “to-do” list.

As the season progressed, our unintentional experiment revealed multiple advantages, inspiring us to be more intentional about vertical gardening this coming season.

If you have limited space outdoors or are looking to add intriguing visual elements to your indoor planting areas, these tips can help you plan a productive and eye-catching living wall for the upcoming season.

Vine illustrations: iStockphoto.com/Nature Desaign

What is vertical gardening?

Vertical gardening is exactly what it sounds like — encouraging plants to grow up rather than out.

This technique is popular among homes and businesses with limited space, as it allows for the efficient cultivation of vegetables and herbs, increasing food production in less space.

Growing plants vertically means less kneeling or bending when it’s time to harvest. Plus, keeping leaves and fruit off the ground helps prevent mildew and rot, so your plants stay healthier.

Living walls add texture, shape and whimsy to your space, according to Stephanie Stewart, a Rensselaer County master gardener for Cornell Cooperative Extension. Ornamental plants, ferns, succulents, ivies and herbs can all be grown vertically, she says, whether indoors or out.

Vertical gardening “gives you a better backdrop,” agreed Jeremy DeLisle, sales/marketing and lawn care division manager at Grasshopper Gardens, a landscape maintenance and installation company based in Gansevoort. “Living walls can also add texture to areas that might otherwise be overlooked and

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LUCAS CONFECTIONERY IN TROY showcases a stunning living wall: a pothos vine planted in 2013 that now winds its way up the walls and across the ceiling.

provide privacy. It also helps with noise reduction, which is always great in city environments or [for] those in high noise areas.”

Plant selection Choosing the right plants for a vertical garden or living wall is essential. On the vegetable side, tomatoes, sweet peas, cucumbers and pole beans offer easy entry into vertical gardening.

But vertical gardening also provides opportunities to be creative.

Recalling a recent tour of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Stewart said, “They had a children’s garden with a huge arch with melons growing

48 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

— Photo by Nicole Nero Studio

on it. As you walked through, you could see little melons hanging down.”

Stewart noted that it’s important to consider how plants interact and to ensure the leaves from one plant aren’t casting too much shade on another.

“You have to be careful about what plants you put with others,” she said.

“Basil and tomatoes are great. Squash and tomatoes can work too, but cabbage and tomatoes don’t grow as well together.”

On the ornamental side, considering plant varieties helps ensure success.

“Most of the perennials that we use around here, as long as it’s in the right environment — shade, sun, partial shade, soil and nutrients — are going to work well in those vertical gardens,” DeLisle said.

Other factors to consider include how tall and wide a plant will grow, as well as its requirements for shade and sun.

Vertical garden ideas Designing a vertical garden can tap into your creative side. You can start with simple tomato cages, arches and trellises available at big-box stores or garden supply centers. You can use a fence you already have on the property or build your own vertical planters.

“You can use fallen branches, different lengths of bamboo, willow and birch,” Stewart said. “At some gardens, I’ve seen people create a little tepee for plants to grow on and make a little reading area.”

The possibilities are endless. For example, you can convert old pallets into herb planters and hang pots on trellises and walls. Block walls or decorative walls at home or at a business can be constructed to include plants.

One great local example can be seen at Lucas Confectionery wine bar in Troy. When owner Vic Christopher

Living walls can add

texture, provide

privacy and help with

noise reduction.

— Jeremy DeLisle

renovated the space in 2013, he had contractors build planters right into a wooden accent wall. Pothos, a trailing vine with heart-shaped leaves, was planted there — and it’s still thriving today.

“People love it,” he said of his living wall garden. “They like being around the greenery and the sense of fresh air.”

Maintenance considerations Consistent watering, seasonal pruning and the right nutrients help your vertical garden grow throughout the season or yearround, depending on where you’ve planted it. Plants installed in living walls, pots or containers need extra TLC to thrive, especially if they’re designed for more than one season.

“You’ll need to keep up with watering, nutrients, seasonal pruning and occasionally replanting after several years,” DeLisle said.

When contractors installed Christopher’s living wall, they included an irrigation system. He runs the irrigation system once or twice a week to keep the plants hydrated.

“The same plants are still alive 12 years later,” he said.

Vertical gardening makes it easy to make every inch of growing space count, whether for vegetables, décor or a combination of both. Start small, experiment and let your creativity run wild. n WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 49

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Dog’s

Lifestyle

Your Anti-Aging Playbook 7 natural ways to boost your pooch’s health and longevity

BY JANICE COSTA

G

iStockphoto.com/101cats

etting older is a natural part of life — both for us and for our dogs. And while modern medicine continues to advance at lightning speed, canine health and longevity experts are increasingly turning to natural remedies to help dogs stay healthy and active well into their senior years.

With brain games to support cognitive health, fresh food to promote healing, and movement as medicine, anti-aging for your pooch can be as simple as getting back to basics.

Here, four natural dog care experts share their strategies for helping dogs live longer, healthier lives.

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 51

Incorporate Fresh Food While people are often told not to feed dogs “table food,” Albany-based integrative veterinarian Dr. Laurie Coger, founder of The Healthy Dog Workshop, says the exact opposite is actually true: “Thoughtfully chosen fresh foods are a healthy addition to your dog’s diet.”

Coger, who founded Albany’s Healthy Dog Expo, and is now reimagining the event as a master class for 2026, says fresh food is one of the most common things she discusses in her consultations, noting, “You can get started by feeding a small amount of gently cooked meats and/or steamed vegetables such as broccoli, carrots or green beans.”

She adds that fresh food should replace just 10% of your pet’s regular food. “If your dog enjoys these additions, you may want to pursue a completely home-prepared diet,” she says. “However, it’s vital that you have a nutritionally complete recipe.” Coger’s website offers advice for creating a healthy and balanced fresh-food diet for your dog.

Movement is Key Movement is one of the best ways to keep your dog healthy, according to canine rehabilitation and conditioning expert Dr. Debbie Torraca, founder of Wizard of Paws Physical Rehabilitation for Animals, a Connecticut-based veterinary office that offers virtual consultations. She cites regular walks as essential to dogs’ health and well-being, noting, “It sounds simple, but regular walks help with enrichment on so many levels.”

She continues: “Most people believe dogs should have less mobility when they’re older, but the appropriate amount of walking — short and frequent — will help with mental and physical enrichment.” Additionally, she recommends balance exercises, such as “backing up, weight shifts with the head up, bringing the front feet up to help shift weight on the rear and walking in figure-eight patterns.”

Dr. Heather O’Leary of TessaLoo Veterinary Services in Olivebridge, agrees that movement is a form of medicine, especially for senior pets. Not only is walking good for staying healthy and mobile, but it can also help owners notice any worrisome changes. She advises, “Pay attention to how they move, and if that changes or if their interest changes, get them checked.”

O’Leary recently developed a program to help dog owners identify and address mobility problems to keep dogs strong and active through their senior years.

Yearly Exams Annual checkups are vital, and Coger says these visits should focus on “proactive and preventative measures, including a physical exam, yearly blood work, heartworm and tickborne disease testing, and any other necessary testing.”

52 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

She notes that flea and tick preventatives can be tailored to your dog’s lifestyle and environment, and recommends minimizing chemical exposure by incorporating yard care and insect-repelling planting strategies to decrease fleas and ticks. Coger also recommends looking at natural, pet- and human-safe pesticide alternatives.

Consider Acupuncture As a veterinarian and certified veterinary acupuncturist, Dr. Jennifer Kareklas of Alternative Veterinary Therapies in Glenmont says, “Acupuncture can benefit everyone.” She explains, “In addition to treating pain and nerve function, there are treatments to reduce inflammation, modulate the immune system, balance hormones, improve digestion and help regulate stress.”

Try Omega-3s A wealth of supplements can support your dog’s health and longevity, from joint supplements to medicinal mushrooms. But for Kareklas, “The No. 1 supplement I recommend is a high-quality omega-3 fatty acid.” Not all supplements are created equal, she warns, so “Do your research and choose carefully.”

 OUR FOUR DOG CARE EXPERTS include, clockwise from left, Drs. Jennifer Kareklas, Heather O’Leary, Debbie Torraca and Laurie Coger.

As with human supplements, look for trusted brands, independent third-party certifications and proof of clinical testing. Your holistic vet can help you choose appropriate supplements for your dog.

Stimulate Their Brains If you’ve ever had your doctor suggest Sudoku to keep your mind sharp, you know the power of mental stimulation.

Dogs love games and puzzles, too, and games that stimulate their brains can promote better health and longevity.

Coger recommends incorporating indoor activities such as hunting for hidden treats, playing puzzle games or learning tricks. Local training centers also offer classes in nosework, agility, therapy dog training or Canine Good Citizen certification through the American Kennel Club.

For dogs with mobility issues, brain

games are equally critical. Kareklas notes, “If they have mobility issues, you can still work on puzzles, stretches, exercises and training to stimulate their brain. Take them outside and be patient while they sniff around, or create an indoor obstacle course.”

Quality Time While dog care can be expensive, sometimes the best things in life really are free. O’Leary maintains that what dogs need most is your time, attention and calm presence. “If I could recommend just one thing,” she says, “it would be to spend quality time with your dog … preferably outside. Sunlight is healing.

Natural earth is healing. And going for a walk with your dog is not only good for them, it’s absolutely free. Never lose sight of the importance of that,” she advises. “Quality time together … that’s what matters most.” n WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 53

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54 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Travel

Put All America

Behind You Winter in the Outer Cape — where solitude meets surf & salt air

I

STORY AND PHOTOS BY PETER MARTEKA

’m sorry for the things I said when it was winter,” reads the writing on a piece of weathered driftwood at a gift shop on Cape Cod. But there’s no need to be sorry.

The Outer Cape in the offseason — even the dead of winter — is the place to be, especially if you like solitude and watching the power of Mother Nature shaping the dunes or roaring in the ocean. Bundle up, breathe in the sea air, and enjoy the perfect winter getaway where beaches, dunes and windswept views await.

While the towns of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown aren’t ghost towns in the winter, not too much is open, from clam shacks to gift shops to restaurants. But what is always open is the ocean, the dunes and the salt air where — as Henry David Thoreau wrote — “a man may stand there and put all America behind him.”

I’ve been visiting Cape Cod since I was a baby lying on a beach blanket. My family lived on the Cape from 1997 to 2024,

SNOW-FILLED FOOTPRINTS along Ballston Beach in Truro.

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 55

A VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE DUNES at Longnook Beach in Truro.

and during that time I discovered the magic of the offseason.

Here’s a look at each of four Outer Cape towns and some places to explore and experience during a Cape Cod winter.

EASTHAM

This is the gateway to the 44,600-acre Cape Cod National Seashore. As you are traveling along Route 6, be sure to visit Fort Hill. The views of Nauset Marsh and across the barrier beach to the Atlantic Ocean are the best along the Outer Cape. Your next stop should be at the Salt Pond Visitors Center to get your bearings from the helpful staff. Check out the museum of Cape Cod’s natural and human history as well as an excellent gift shop. As you leave Salt Pond, head east to Coast Guard Beach. Consistently cited as one of the best beaches in the United States, the barrier beach separates the Atlantic Ocean and Nauset Marsh. Visitors can stay in their cars and watch the pounding winter surf, walk the grounds of the Coast Guard Life Saving Station or hit the beach. Just to the north is the popular Nauset Light (yes, the one on the potato chip bag) and more stunning views of the ocean. Time your visit right during a bitter cold spell and head to First Encounter Beach to watch Cape Cod Bay turn into a frozen tundra as the waves and water freeze over.

56 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

WELLFLEET

The 1,183-acre Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is a wonderful way to explore the natural habitat of Cape Cod. There are five miles of trails through pitch pine and scrub oak forests and across a boardwalk over salt marshes with spectacular views of Cape Cod Bay. Near the center of Wellfleet is Uncle Tim’s Bridge, a weathered wooden span across a salt marsh to an island filled with pitch pines. Looking for a longer hike? Cape Cod National Seashore’s Great Island Trail has hikes of up to nine miles long that take visitors high above Cape Cod Bay with wonderful vistas from the top of pitch pine dunes. Be sure to visit the quaint Wellfleet Cultural District, with shops along Main Street including Laxmi, Drift, Newcomb Hollow Shop and Abiyoyo. Take a drive along Ocean View Drive and visit some of the beautiful Wellfleet beaches like Lecount Hollow, White Crest, Cahoon Hollow and Newcomb Hollow; the middle two offer commanding views from high on the dunes.

TRURO

A vineyard on the Outer Cape? Hard to believe, but Truro Vineyards pioneered the art of maritime grape growing, noting it produces wines “with intense flavor and lush varietal character.” There’s a tasting room and gift shop in an 1830s restored farmhouse. The Atlantic Spice Company has dozens of bulk spices, herbs, teas and potpourri as well as

CAPE COD BAY IN EASTHAM is sometimes frozen over during cold spells.

THE PROVINCETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY is home to the Rose Dorothea, a halfscale replica of a schooner built in Essex in 1905.

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 57

CAPE COD SUNSETS AT ROCK HARBOR in Eastham are stunning any time of year.

gourmet and organic products. Another must-see lighthouse is Highland Light, also known as Cape Cod Light. The lighthouse is in the middle of Highland Links, one of the oldest and most scenic golf courses, with its several holes on the edge of massive sandy cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Beaches to visit include Coast Guard (Truro’s version) and Head of the Meadow. A hiking trail connects the two beaches. Take a drive along Shore Road to Provincetown and see the scenic cottages that line Cape Cod Bay. PROVINCETOWN

The Provincetown Public Library is home to the Rose Dorothea, a half-scale replica of a schooner built in Essex in 1905, recreated as a tribute to the town’s fishermen and New En-

gland shipbuilding. Both the Provincetown Art Association and Museum and Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center include local and regional art. The museum’s permanent collection has more than 3,000 works by more than 700 artists.

Park and walk along Commercial Street to visit the eclectic shops, and then head over to the harbor to see the fishing vessels and panoramic views of Provincetown behind you.

Visit Race Point Beach and the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station. The Dune Shacks Trail will take visitors into the heart of the parabolic dunes on the eastern side of Provincetown.

The parking area is along Route 6 across from Snail Road, with its trail taking visitors past towering dunes and rustic dune shacks that get rented out during the warmer months.

It’s another great spot to put all America behind you. n

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BUCKET LIST JOURNEYS CHOOSE YOUR CRUISING STYLE KYLEMORE ABBEY County Galway, Ireland.

SMALL GROUP ESCAPES

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AWAITS T H E

SPECIAL TRAVEL SECTION

river ocean VS.

CHOOSING THE CRUISE THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU

BY JOANNE CLEAVER

W

hen you’re choosing between a river cruise and an ocean voyage, it’s not really about the water — it’s about the vibe. Do you want something big and buzzing or laid-back and scenic?

The bigger the ship, the more the ship itself is the destination, say travel advisers and cruise experts. Conversely, smaller ships are more likely to deliver experiences that scale with bite-sized ports and nearby land excursions.

By definition, river ships are smaller: generally, they accommodate up to 200 people, offer a smaller range of cabin sizes, and promise a culture-centric experience. “On a river cruise, you’re seeing the heart of a country. History was created on rivers,” says George Balogh, president of East Greenbush-based Blue Skies Travel.

Ocean cruises come in all shapes and sizes — from floating hotels with 3,000 passengers to intimate yachts carrying just a few hundred.

Most follow similar routes, since there are only so many deep-water ports, but the experiences couldn’t be more different, says Balogh.

Big ships are all about variety — restaurants, shows, endless activities — while smaller vessels trade glitz for charm, slipping into pristine islands and quiet seaside towns the larger liners can’t reach.

At the same time, more small ocean ships are offering relaxed, low-key experiences by visiting off-the-beaten-path ports. Windstar Cruises, for example, favors smaller, less crowded coastal towns where ships dock within walking distance of historic centers, says

60 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

Jess Peterson, the line’s destination experience director. Huge ships can’t reach places like Haines, Alaska, or Dubrovnik, Croatia—but a 300-passenger vessel can, putting guests just steps from lively streets and scenic views.

RIVER WALKS AND RUNS

Meanwhile, river cruise companies are always refreshing their itineraries — both on the water and on shore, according to Ellen Bettridge, president and CEO of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. First-time cruisers often go for the classics: Germany’s festive Christmas markets, April tulips in the Netherlands, or always-popular Amsterdam. But to keep seasoned travelers coming back, cruise lines are getting more creative. In 2026, Uniworld is launching two “mystery cruises” to new destinations, along with a new itinerary that winds through both Italy and Slovenia.

River cruise lines are also expanding their on-shore offerings. According to Viking, 37% of its guests last year added land extensions to their trips — either before or after their cruises. To meet that growing demand, Viking and other lines are offering longer, more immersive overland journeys by train or bus to places like the mountains, wine regions and the uplands of Italy and Spain.

PRACTICALITIES

The prism of practicalities can help you narrow down likely options, too, say advisers and operators. The size and interests of your group are factors. If you’re traveling with two to six like-minded friends or family, and you all

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want to pursue the same excursion itineraries, followed by sedate evenings, a river cruise or small ocean ship might be a great fit.

Conversely, if your group is composed of people whose interests range from casinos to spa days, look for a big ship that offers a wide array of activities. You can meet at dinner (at a different onboard restaurant each night) after a day of indulging in your respective passions.

Multigenerational groups are much more likely to find universal fun on large ships, say travel agents. They frequently cite Royal Caribbean as the go-to line for activities that pull in kids, especially hard-to-please tweens.

Big cruise lines also offer special packages that include a day at a private island owned by the company. These shore excursions feel adventurous for kids but are stress-free for parents, since everything stays within the cruise system — from app-based communication to easy onboard account charging for food, gear and souvenirs.

iStockphoto.com/Rawpixel

COMFORT MATTERS

If seasickness is a concern, choose a river cruise. River ships stay close to shore, avoid big waves and heavy surf, and offer easy access to medical care and land excursions (though high or low water levels may sometimes require bus travel).

Cabin size affects cost and comfort. For those who value private mornings on a balcony, splurging on a larger cabin makes sense.

River cruise company Tauck has found that empty-nesters and young retirees increasingly seek extra space, prompting more suites and expanded cabins on Tauck’s new and renovated ships, says Michelle Molnar, Tauck’s associate director of product for rivers and Europe.

If someone in your group has limited mobility, review a cruise’s accessibility and activities, since shore excursions may not suit everyone — even on larger ships.

Start with the destination, recommends Bettridge. Once you’ve chosen the hemisphere and season, narrow your options by interests — towns, museums, beaches — and match your budget to the cruise length and accommodations. Then, as Bettridge says, you can “choose the style of journey that best suits you.” n

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WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 61

SPECIAL TRAVEL SECTION

bucket list B E Y O N D

T H E

MAKING THE MOST OF THE DREAM JOURNEY YOU’VE WAITED A LIFETIME FOR

M

BY JOANNE CLEAVER

ist rose from the calm waters of the Danube, curling with the steam from my early-morning cup of coffee. I was all alone in a deck chair on the bow of a cruise ship as it glided through the wine country of Austria. The sky was cathedral-ceiling blue.

Terraced vineyards rose on either side of the river, laced with vines. Pastel farmhouses drifted into view, then drifted out of sight.

At 6 a.m., most of my fellow passengers were still asleep, but the ship’s staff had already laid out pastries in the lounge. As we silently glided toward that day’s port of call, I caught up on the state of the modern world, while the world in front of me unfolded as it had for centuries.

A European river cruise was high on the bucket list for my husband and me. We’d already seen swaths of Germany, Spain, England and Italy by foot, bus and train. It was time to

62 55+ LIFE | WINTER 2026

find out how the view and the pace changed when we settled in for a week on a ship that served as a floating boutique hotel, waking up most mornings in a different neighborhood.

The ship smoothly rounded a river bend and there was a farmhouse, glowing in the soft sun. Apricot trees marched in rows along the banks. (I learned later that the Wachau region’s soil and climate are ideal for both grapes and apricots, which resulted in the subsequent challenge of fitting jars of fresh preserves into my suitcase.)

Two hours later, after a full breakfast and more coffee in the dining room, our ship, the AmaLea, sidled up to the dock. Full of curiosity and calories, my fellow travelers and I tromped down a gangplank and onto the shore. Up a cobblestone sidewalk, we made way for locals whizzing by on bicycles through a stone-arched

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iStockphoto.com/Sean Pavone

CRUZ BAY, ST JOHN United States Virgin Islands.

alley that emptied into the tiny town square of Dürnstein. Our guide, a local, explained the city’s medieval strategic importance and its love-hate relationship with the Danube: floods offsetting trade, in a centuries-long rhythm of renewal and recovery.

We only had an hour to peek into the storefronts and gaze at the ornate wrought-iron shop signs signifying each store’s specialty — a medieval tradition carried on today. But in just that hour, I absorbed enough to add to my understanding of the history, rulers and peoples who’ve made the Danube home from prehistory to Roman occupation, its heyday under Hapsburg rule to the traumas of the 20th century and the ambitions they hold now for the futures of Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

Each day afforded a walking tour of another byway, followed by free time to shop, pop into local museums or just take a break for dessert and decaf, entertained by the small dramas of daily life.

River-cruise itineraries typically allow each guest to craft their own pace from the day’s menu of available activities. Finding the momentum that best matches your travel goals is ideal for those in late middle life, say travel agents and advisers.

“Start with the experience,” says George Ba-

logh, founder and owner of Blue Skies Travel, an East Greenbush-based travel advisory firm.

“Is it about relaxing? Is it about having fun? Is it about being culturally fulfilled?”

If your bucket overflows with lists, start with the end, Balogh suggests. Envision yourself back at home, reviewing highlights from your trip. “What will make you feel that it was great?

Somebody who wants to be culturally fulfilled doesn’t necessarily need a disco. Someone who wants to sit on the beach doesn’t want a lecture.”

As your dream journey sorts itself into manageable itineraries, you can start to match time and budget with your most cherished priorities. Here are some of the experiences occupying top spots on many bucket lists.

BIG RIVER, SMALL SHIP

Travel advisers agree that river cruises were practically invented for older travelers who crave historic and cultural experiences over the flashy and new. Who knew that the remains of Roman occupation can be seen all the way down the Danube, from Budapest to Prague?

River cruise lines are expanding shore excursions to match their clientele. Michelle Molnar, an associate director with Tauck, says the company scouts special events and, for small WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 63

iStockphoto.com/lucentius

SPECIAL TRAVEL SECTION

PONT SAINT BENEZET, Avignon, France

groups, can tailor excursions to fit specific interests.

Meanwhile, the number of river cruise lines and ships keeps expanding. Ocean cruise line Celebrity Cruises is already booking its new line of river ships, set to launch in 2027. And AmaWaterways has announced the launch of 10 new ships in rivers around the world.

GLACIERS AWAY

Alaska is perfectly suited for ocean cruises: The vistas are wide, high and stunning from any distance. The 49th state is high on many people’s lists, if not for the scenery, then for the wildlife and active adventures. But Alaska’s shoreline has limited ports, so most cruises follow similar routes, says Jess Peterson, who develops itineraries for Windstar Cruises. Her line makes travel itself the experience, with 10or 11-day itineraries that linger in misty fjords rather than just passing through.

“We’re not trying to cover so much ground,” says Peterson. And that means that guests have a chance to try out modes of cruising — kayaking among the glacial ice cliffs, anyone?

— that they might not otherwise have the time or courage to attempt.

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If river cruises are about the adjacent cities and scenery, ocean cruises aim to offer passengers an endless menu of onboard activities.

“If you want to be entertained, you need the big-ship experience,” says Kimberly Sith, Celebrity Cruises’ market sales manager for the Northeast.

Aside from family-centric cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, onboard activities for adults increasingly include special interests, such as immersions in golf, quilting and other pastimes with avid followings. Specialty cruises hosted by influencers and luminaries in their respective fields include lectures and, often, hands-on workshops.

Big ships offer nonstop activities and variety you can’t easily find on shore, while smaller ships (150–300 guests) focus on relaxed, accessible experiences, says Smith. “If you’re the kind of person who likes Broadway-style shows and who likes multiple options for dinner every night and lots of venues within the boat, that’s the big ship,” she says.

PEDALS UP

If you’re hoping to regain your momentum on two wheels, you’re in good company. The

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Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) found in its 2024 survey of cycling companies that older travelers are hitting their stride with e-bikes, “the great equalizer,” says Heather Kelly, the group’s director of research. “E-bikes enable older or less fit people to keep up with a mixed-age group,” she explains. Critically, “the bikes give you a boost when you need it, especially going up a hill.”

The hospitality industry is adapting with e-bike chargers and bike-tour infrastructure for older adults. Many European companies offer rentals, creating a more accessible version of classic cycling tours, with luggage ferried between accommodations, says Kelly.

PEAK EXPERIENCES

iStockphoto.com/Sean Pavone

Why drive through the mountains, eyes glued to the road, when you can sit back in a train lounge and let the Canadian Rockies roll by?

A train excursion through the mountains, lakes and forests of western Canada can be as long and expansive as you want. You can pick an affordable option that pairs hotel stays at night with days on the train, or indulge in a trip centered around a private sleeper cabin.

Increasingly, people review all the options and selectively splurge, says Andy Channell, senior vice president of product operations with Railbookers, an American company that helps travelers arrange train-centric itineraries.

Everybody wants to see the highlights. “If you’re in Canada, you’re going to see Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise,” says Channell of the famed mountain sites in Alberta.

It’s even possible to take Amtrak from the U.S. to a VIA Rail connection in Canada, heading west, Channell says. And his company is increasingly engineering cruise connections in Vancouver for travelers.

The more cherished your once-in-a-lifetime experiences are, Channell cautions, the more important it is to book one, even two, years in advance.

“We’re finding that people want to add something special to that. They’re adding luxury where it’s important to them. Maybe it’s an upgraded hotel room. Or maybe it’s a private experience,” like a helicopter tour, Channell explains. “That little bit of luxury means something different for everyone.” n

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY in Banff National Park,Canada.

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same boat SPECIAL TRAVEL SECTION

I N

T H E

WHY SMALL-GROUP TRAVEL IS BOOMING — AND HOW EXPERTS CAN HELP

BY JOANNE CLEAVER

J

ust you and a dozen of your closest friends, doing what you all love to do most.

What could go wrong?

Plenty!

A lot can go sideways on a small-group tour — missed flights, misbooked dates for that once-in-a-lifetime experience, mismatched energy levels or confusion over how to get from point A to point B. You get the idea. Traveling with a group adds layers of complexity you just don’t face when it’s just you, or you and a travel buddy.

It’s also a lot more fun and can be far more personalized than just signing on to an anonymous big-group tour.

Small-group tours offer the sweet spot of scale and savings. Now, it’s easier than ever to organize or get in on a small-group trip, with new services, tools, specialty advisers and tour operators.

Bryan Lewis frequently works with people who want the best of both approaches. He’s the founder and CEO of Boston-based Tenon

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BARCELONA, SPAIN Historic District

Tours, which specializes in small groups and independent travel in Europe. Midlife travelers, he says, want to center itineraries around passions — hobbies, sports or once-in-a-lifetime events. And that means that it’s worth it to them to engage advisers and tour operators for the supporting logistics.

The key, says Lewis, is getting the members of the group to agree on the trip’s priorities, pace and pricing. “People want to slow down, and they’re able to do that when they’re not on a scheduled tour,” he says.

With the plan structured, apps take over as virtual tour guides. With each day’s itinerary mapped out on your phone, you and your companions can connect with local guides, drivers and hosts.

GROUPTHINK GROWS

The current boom in small-group travel emerged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, says George Balogh, president of East Greenbush-based Blue Skies Travel. He and other travel advisers agree that the pandemic undermined the already-fading appeal of big-

iStockphoto.com/ferrantraite

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bus tours when the prospect of being trapped in a small space with several dozen strangers became anathema.

Multigenerational families can be large enough to gain the benefits of small-group travel, Balogh notes, while empty nesters and young retirees prefer trips that reflect their passions rather than cookie-cutter bus tours.

If small-group travel appeals to you, Lewis advises starting with the must-see experiences on your bucket list and, if you’re organizing your own group, sketching out destinations that will engage everyone. You can gauge general costs by reviewing packaged small-group tours, but the real picture emerges as you price out the details of your customized itinerary.

That includes more than flights and hotels.

Tour operators are in business to help travelers secure entry to coveted events and destinations. Often, groups can avoid long lines by being admitted to museums and events through separate entrances, saving time and hassle.

If you want to combine a land tour with an ocean or river cruise, an adviser can stitch together the itinerary. Usually, hotels, destinations and local carriers, such as a private car to ferry you around, all pay a commission to the operator or adviser to cover their cost, says Richard Krieger of New York-based Sky Vacations.

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It is possible to craft a complicated itinerary by chasing down individual deals, he says, “but by the time you’re done, the price differential is not much different” than working with an operator, who also connects all the dots so you don’t have to.

One of the biggest advantages of working with a tour operator, Lewis says, is handling logistics — how to get from place to place, what to do there, and how long to stay.

For instance, he says, Americans chronically underestimate the distance and difficulty of getting around the northern European countryside. Scandinavia is a fast-rising destination, especially for hardy types who want to hike or bike its lonely cliffs and winding coastal roads.

But steep and snowy Scandinavian landscapes are “hard to navigate, literally, because of the terrain,” says Lewis. “If a town is 200 miles away, it’s not a four-hour drive, it’s nine hours, because of how slow and windy the roads are.

And you don’t necessarily know which towns are worth visiting and which aren’t.”

Similarly, it’s no small feat to get to remote Alaskan lodges, perched deep in the woods, says Elizabeth Hall, second-generation president of longtime tour operator John Hall’s Alaska.

In Alaska, the beaten path is well-trod by rail and boat, but it’s the unpaved path that brings you close to brown bears, eagles’ roosts and salmon rapids. It takes a seasoned operator (and a boat captain) to get small groups from, say, the tiny town of Seward to the lodge at Kenai Fjords National Park.

It’s those shared interests that elevate a small group to a community, says Krieger. Once-in-alifetime journeys — the wilds of Alaska, the Nordic Arctic, a South African safari — resonate in sharing memories long after the group has returned home, still together in spirit. n

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Laugh Lines

NOW STREAMING: The midlife superhero’s origin story

BY SUSAN BRADY KONIG

iStockphoto.com/Javi Sanz and Kiki hadi Supriyanto (on TV), grinvalds (holding remote)

I

’m sitting in a New York City diner with my best friend from high school, meeting for tea and toasted corn muffins as we’ve done for decades. The place is busy, yet I notice other customers seem to be ordering and getting their food. We haven’t even been offered water or menus.

“Is it my imagination?” I ask Cathy.

We laugh at first and then realize we are almost invisible to the younger waitstaff. A couple of middle-aged women can be largely undetectable these days. (When I say middle-aged, I am thinking of early 60s — so I guess the new average lifespan is 130.)

We eventually flag down a waiter and are served our tea and muffins.

“When did this happen?” I ask.

“My cat sees me,” Cathy replies.

“Is it something we’re giving off ? A lack of testosterone? Or loss of estrogen that once made us noticeable and now doesn’t?”

We are both still working. And Cathy’s an actress on television. She is actually recognized pretty regularly but often with the question, “Were you my teacher?” So, she’s recognizable, but in a vague sort of way.w“This could be a superpower,” I suggest.

“How so?”

“I mean, we have the ultimate dis-

guise: being unseen. Women our age could be spies and no one would suspect us. What if there were a streaming series where older women’s secret weapon is their stealth and invisibility?

They can infiltrate gangs, fight crime, spy for the good guys — because no one knows they are there. We should write a pilot, and you could star in it.”

“Okay, pitch me some ideas,” she says.

“Secret agent crones? Golden Girls meets Cagney and Lacey?”

“Craggy and Achey!” Cathy’s catching on.

“How about Law & Order: Geriatric Unit? Bank robbers are making a clean getaway. No one notices as our heroes pretend to be busy looking for mints in their purses. They easily nab the bad guys.”

“How about the zombie apocalypse?

Like The Walking Dead?”

“Yes, but the undead stumble right past our middle-aged heroes for younger meat, leaving the women free to discover the cure for zombie-ism.

Call it The Last of Them.”

“Or The Walking Feh.” “Did you see Tokyo Vice?”

“Yes, many bare-bottomed men!”

“I know! But our version would find our imperceptible crime fighters

sneaking into the Yakuza. Undetected by extorters and drug dealers, the women restore peace to the Japanese underworld. We could call it Tokyo’s Nice!”

“Or a Succession-like show: While billionaire scions battle it out for power, destroying each other in the process, the super crones take over and save the conglomerate from going under. We could call it The Gilded and the Aged.”

“A lot of people could relate,” I tell her. “There are so many men and women our age.”

“Now how do we get the check?”

After spending some effort attracting the attention of our server, we pay the bill and stroll outside. It’s chilly, but we decide to go to the park and sit in the sun because no one will know we are there.

Maybe we will solve a mystery. n

 Susan Brady Konig, the author of three books, has just completed a memoir about identity, loss and joy at midlife.

WINTER 2026 | 55PLUSLIFE.COM 71

iStockphoto.com/ Liudmila Chernetska

On Our Nightstand

Fireside Chats Compelling reads to get you through wintry weather

BY JANET REYNOLDS

W

hile reading is an all-year, everyday delight for me, sitting by a burning fire wrapped in a cozy blanket is absolutely one of life’s great joys. If getting away from the world at large — even just mentally — is something you need a little help doing, this month’s trio of new books will absolutely take you there.

Happy travels!!

The Names

by Florence Knapp, Penguin Random House, 316 pages

On the one hand, this compelling book is about names: Does the name we’re given at birth somehow dictate the person we become and the lives we ultimately lead?

And yet, that is just the beginning of the story. Florence Knapp’s debut novel will begin to get you thinking, inviting readers to reflect on the profound power of words and how they can shape our destinies.

In the prologue, the author introduces the central idea and provides hints that Cora’s life with her husband, Gordon, young daughter Maia, and as-yet unnamed infant son is far from perfect. The first three chapters revisit the same moment: Cora is going with Maia to the registrar’s office to officially record her newborn son’s name.

Her husband, who comes from a long line of Gordons, has made it clear: Gordon is the only option. Cora does

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not agree. And so in each of the first three chapters — titled “Bear,” “Julian” and “Gordon” — she travels to the registrar, chooses the name noted in the chapter title, and heads home to face the consequences. The book continues with the same chapter titles in seven-year increments, following the son, Cora, Maia and Gordon as they live out very different lives, each one unfolding from the moment the boy receives the particular name Cora chooses for him.

The result is a riveting story that will inevitably have the reader considering the meaning of names in all situations, the power of words, and how we craft our own stories. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Seduction Theory

by Emily Adrian, Little Brown, 212 pages

Ask a writer where they get their ideas and a common refrain is this: everywhere. Literally everything and anything that a writer observes, reads about or experiences can become fodder for their short stories.

Emily Adrian riffs off of that idea in her latest book, Seduction Theory, in which a graduate student writes a master’s thesis that is eerily like the lives of a married couple who work in the creative writing department where she is studying and for which she is writing said thesis.

Roberta “Robbie” Green is an MFA student. She has a very close relationship with her adviser, Simone, who also happens to be the creative writing department’s star scholar and married to a decidedly mediocre writing instructor.

Everyone wants to be in this “it” couple’s circle.

The cracks in this couple’s relationship quickly become evident. While the stories they each tell themselves about their relationship initially seem evolved and contemporary, a different reality soon becomes clear. Ethan has an affair, while Simone and Robbie slip into an inappropriate relationship — one that ultimately drives Robbie’s revenge and its fallout for Simone and Ethan.

While Seduction Theory could have fallen into cliché, this book has clever twists and a depth that will leave the reader saying “hmmm” for hours after the last page is turned.

Good Dirt

by Charmaine Wilkerson, Penguin Random House, 368 pages

Charmaine Wilkerson’s newest book, Good Dirt, skillfully weaves the story of a modern, affluent Black family trying to deal with the aftermath of a childhood tragedy, with that of a family heirloom created by an enslaved ancestor.

The result is a gripping intergenerational saga that blends historical fiction with a contemporary crime narrative.

Ebby Freeman is playing hide-and-seek with her older brother when she hears a gunshot from downstairs. Everything in her family’s life is measured from that moment forward, when she discovers her brother, Baz, dead on the floor, the treasured family heirloom jar shattered in pieces beside him, their lives as splintered as the pieces of glass.

Because the Freemans are affluent and accomplished, and living in a posh New England enclave where they are in a minority, the unsolved crime follows them everywhere, haunting Ebby in particular.

Ebby escapes to France to try to rebuild her life out of the limelight. She has just arrived at her friend’s cottage, where she has agreed to oversee her friend’s Airbnb visitors, when who shows up but her former fiancé and his new girlfriend.

Things, as you can imagine, get complicated.

At the same time, Ebby has begun, as part of her self-discovery journey, to look into the history of the family’s large pottery jar that was made by an enslaved ancestor and ultimately brought north.

Wilkerson masterfully links the two narratives, using “the dirt” as both metaphor and origin of the heirloom. She probes whether we can — or should — escape our past, and how the histories we live and inherit shape who we become. n

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The Vine

Footprints of Love

BY ROD MICHAEL

here are a few things in life I think we can all agree on, and one of them is the simple joy of seeing someone we love walk through the door. That moment when you catch their face, hear their voice and fall into a familiar embrace — some days, especially lately, it’s exactly what we all need.

For me, one of the people who brought me that kind of joy was my grandmother, who loved to kiss and hug me each time I walked up the stairs into her apartment. She would greet me with open arms and squeeze my cheeks and give me one of her special grandma kisses. After my visit, she would repeat the ritual before I went down the stairs, telling me, “I love you!” She was a vibrant soul and loved to dance in front of the mirror in the living room when she got dressed up to go somewhere. I only wish I had a video of one of her performances, or even a picture of her dancing to remind me of her beauty at that moment.

Sadly, I do not.

What I do have is her memory and legacy. She left behind for me a belief that we must build deep, loving relationships with family and friends. She encouraged me to support those we love, and to inspire them to do their best and live their dreams. Her motto was, “Actions speak louder than words.” To her, it was not about fame or for-

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tune. It was about making an impact on the lives of those we love.

As we think about our own legacies and what we’ll leave behind, we may wonder what people will remember. Will they remember the notes or short letters we wrote? Will it be our books, old family photo albums, artwork, antiques or the things that we made? Maybe it’s that Christmas card we sent. I have a card my dad gave me that I pull out every now and then to look at his handwriting and the words that I say, “I love you. Dad.” The good news is that we live in a time when technology makes it easy to take photos and record videos, creating a treasure trove of memories to pass down. In our family, we share a love of ducks, antique decoys, waterfowl artwork and dogs — and one of my greatest joys is that my grandson loves them, too. We make dinners together, soak in the beauty of the day, and talk about the hunt. From sunrise to sunset, from the dinner table to the family room in front of the fire, we tell stories and carry on a tradition that means the world to us. My hope is that one day he’ll have these same experiences with his own grandchildren.

The stories we write and the memories we leave for the people we love become our footprints of love — lasting marks that time can never erase. n

iStockphoto.com/AnnaStills (photos), subjug (frames)

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