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
When designing products for older adults, senior supervision is advised
The walking sticks Dr. June Fisher uses buffer her struggles with severe arthritis. And they might just give her an inside edge on the usefulness of products for older adults and those with disabilities. One of those retired but busy people, she spends a lot of time mentoring design students and professionals. And she is ...
West of Twin Peaks: In love with her neighborhood, writer explores its history
Jacqueline Proctor’s love of her neighborhood inspired her two books: “San Francisco West of Twin Peaks” and “Bay Area Beauty: the Artistry of Harold G. Stoner, Architect.” Proctor’s first foray into writing started in 2001. “I was experiencing ‘empty nest syndrome’ with my son having left for college. In addition, I was suffering anguish as ...
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 ...
