Life in the Later Lane
K.D. Sullivan: From Park Bench to Publishing House
At 15, K.D. Sullivan was homeless, hungry, and sleeping on park benches in Honolulu’s Aina Haina neighborhood....
Retired conference consultant embraces San Francisco and its history with tour of her own neighborhood
As she strolls toward the smallest park in San Francisco, Bonnie Wallsh calls back to the group...
Farm life couldn’t compete with the excitement of big cities and the challenge of the executive life
In college, Bob Britt worked as a night auditor at a roadside Holiday Inn in Southern Illinois....
Successful sous chef finds equilibrium and support after career sidetracked by health and hard times
Jon Insco has been a go-getter most of his life — always hustling for his next adventure....
Being an ‘old soul’ isn’t just about age but an attitude – best nurtured by intergenerational contact
SF SENIORBEAT GUEST COLUMN – There’s a corner of Gen Z internet culture that has popularized the...
How a dedicated teacher of young children became a dedicated civic volunteer.
Sharon Yow’s father drove a truck and tried his hand at farming. Her mother worked a switchboard...
Famed boogie-woogie pianist embroiders her performances with her own hand-crafted art
Caroline Dahl has never forgotten the glamorous, red-haired woman in a sequined dress she saw at a...
The biggest, best walk – and bath of a lifetime.
Tina Martin SENIORBEAT GUEST COLUMN – I love San Francisco, and I love to walk. So when...
‘So hard, all the losses and pain:’ Personal and world tragedies led daughter of Holocaust survivors to life of helping others help others
Juliet Rothman was living in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1992 when her 21-year-old son Daniel attempted a double...
Rock ‘n’ roll and diamonds shaped the life of Arthur Indenbaum
WRITER'S NOTE: Arthur Indenbaum died on November 28, 2025, with his wife and daughter by his side....
A lucky phone call steered him into a 54-year career as a shipping executive.
Tony Hanley felt stuck. He’d flunked out of San Francisco City College and was working at an...
All Posts
What a pickle! Sporting seniors seek more space for latest fad in San Francisco
The Crocker Amazon sport complex recently unveiled two, newly resurfaced pickleball/volleyball courts. Volleyball is really popular with 8- to 13-year-old girls, said Facility Coordinator Gerald Reader. But pickleball? Pickleball has been called the fastest growing senior sport in the United States. It’s a blend of tennis, badminton and ping pong, usually played on converted tennis ...
Solo aging: Plan ahead so you’re not growing old without support
“Who’s going to sit by your bed when the time comes?” asks eldercare consultant Betty Burr. If you’re a solo ager, that question may be hard to answer. A solo ager is someone who doesn’t have a spouse or children, or their children are geographically or emotionally unavailable, and there is no other family member ...
First new, affordable senior housing breaks ground in the Mission
Tears and cheers greeted the speakers at the June 20 groundbreaking ceremony for Casa Adelante–1296 Shotwell, the first, new, 100 percent affordable housing project built in the Mission District in the past decade. When completed, the nine-story building will provide 94 units of affordable housing, with on-site supportive services: 74 apartments for low-income seniors, 19 ...
Love of exercise and volunteering leads couple to become team Zumba teachers
Ana Silvia and Irving Rivera, who met in an exercise class at City College, now teach Zumba at the 30th Street Senior Center. Married for 38 years, their love of exercise is matched only by their dedication volunteering. Their volunteering started in their kids’ schools, from kindergarten through high school. Now they teach the Zumba ...
Community group friends give Miraloma Park resident motivation to keep going
Miraloma Park Community Connectors was set up to provide neighbors a place for exercise, conversation, to share skills and hobbies, It’s also a place to make and deepen friendships. For Hildegard “Hilde” Rolfes, it was the key to recovery. A stroke five years ago wiped out her memory, but she has come back strong. And ...
Covering the American Society on Aging Conference: Badge a symbol of belonging to this ‘sea of humanity’
Our Columns My first session was Monday morning at 9 a.m., so I set my iPhone alarm for 6:30. But I had never used the alarm and didn’t trust it would work – I’m such a Luddite. I woke and 5 a.m. and dozed and woke off and on until the alarm went off – as ...
