Life in the Later Lane
Former art galley president helps people craft their deepest feelings in ‘lasting letters’ to loved ones
Looking out at Monterey Bay from Santa Cruz early one morning last year, a pair of silhouetted...
September 1, 2026
S.F. protest’s Tin Man has a history of making good trouble on behalf of empathy and kindness
Arthur Persyko loves to make trouble. The good kind, that is. As a young man, he protested...
August 24, 2026
Born to dance: Tammy Thornton struts her stuff with the Warriors’ senior dance team
It’s game night at San Francisco’s Chase Center and the Golden State Warriors are not the only...
August 10, 2026
Childhood bond with an older neighbor steered law officer’s choice of career and community work
A tarnished silver coin from 1964, likely worth only $10 to any dealer, reminds Richard Lyons Corriea...
August 2, 2026
As a teacher, playwright & screenwriter, Cary Pepper has lots of inside Hollywood info to share
You probably stream most of your movies. But if you happen to rent a film on old-style...
July 15, 2026
All-women punk band still on stage thanks to leader’s career, which started in a mortuary
Invite Klara Lux somewhere, and she’ll always show up early – except on the rare occasion when...
July 6, 2026
Playwright Lynne Kaufman, the author of two dozen plays and five novels, is still going strong, despite some hiccups
The day after Lynne Kaufman retired in 2005, she woke up in tears. “What had I done?”...
June 29, 2026
A win for people power: Supervisors and mayor restore millions of dollars in cut to services for city’s most vulnerable
A months-long campaign by advocates for seniors, the disabled and other vulnerable populations has convinced San Francisco's...
Following in the footsteps of heroes: My visit to the cradles of Civil Rights
SF SENIORBEAT COLUMN – March 17, 1886. A date you probably never considered. Carroll County, Mississippi. A...
June 4, 2026
Couple’s script for their own movie? Shared creative passions and a bent for banter
“I'm Chiquita Banana, and I'm here to say, bananas have to ripen in a certain way,” Margot...
May 28, 2026
Nonprofit director is happy to bug you, whether you’re 2 or 92, about saving the wild
If you grow up in Los Angeles, where do you find the wild? Norm Gershenz is not...
April 14, 2026
As the city’s older population swells, seniors who can no longer live at home face high costs, limited choices
EDITOR'S NOTE: See full profiles of the seniors interviewed by clicking links within the story. A panoply...
All Posts
Green burials, space burials, ash tokens: More options – and more decisions – for your final frontier
“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” – Isaac Asimov. Doulas, green burials with wicker caskets and corpse location monitoring devices, space burials, resomation, diamonds colored by funeral ashes: Death’s vocabulary is expanding. New – and old – ways of dealing with dying and death are emerging in this century. Traditional funeral ...
Linda Ronstadt on her new fall shows, modern life – and getting older
Last week I had the opportunity to interview Linda Ronstadt at her home in the Richmond District. Her home is not rock star huge as might befit a legendary singer of the ‘70s and ‘80s, but is cozy and warm, even in the fog. She met me in her living room and immediately organized the ...
Texas upbringing launched this progressive’s volunteer political career
Susan Pfeifer has volunteered for political causes and elected officials since she was a teenager. Her first political action was wearing a John F. Kennedy button to high school in 1960 – once. “It didn’t raise my popularity profile, let’s just say that.” Pfeifer grew up in Dallas, a conservative bastion in the 1950’s and ...
Muttville a place where seniors can find their late-in-life soulmates – or just come for a cuddle
Leah Grant wanted a dog companion to help her deal with her health issues. Muttville brought her “Gloria,” a pretty, white fluff of fur with a copper-colored topcoat. It was love at first sight for both of them. “I sprint down my hill now after I passed my cardiovascular test.” said Grant. “I owe it ...
Litquake Elder Project writings borne of experience, sharpened with wit and wisdom
Published poet Lisa Galloway is the person who added the Elder to Litquake. A spinoff of the popular, annual Bay Area Litquake Festival – Oct. 11-20 – the Litquake Elder Project is a writing program for seniors that offers instruction, community and the opportunity to share their voices. On Oct. 17, a Litquake Elder All-Star ...
Bayview breast cancer group offers support – and an annual celebration lunch
OUR COLUMNS African American women who have survived cancer gathered at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior on Oct. 11 not just for support – but for the annual lunch celebration sponsored by the church and the Bayview Imani Breast Cancer Support Group. It was a day to greet old friends, enjoy good food, and ...
