February's senior of the month is Carol's father, who died January 13, 2015 at the age of 84.
Walter Bertsch was a man of strong will and strong convictions—traits he passed on to his daughter. It was he who prompted Carol to go to law school and he who, upon her graduation, presented her with a framed Abraham Lincoln quotation that read: "Resolve to be honest at all events; and if in your own judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer."
He will be missed by Carol's mother, Carol and her three siblings, and many others who found in him inspiration to live a better life.
Virtual Villages Helping Seniors Age in Place and Make Friends
Rick Cloud, 68, knew that he wanted to stay in his home in Austin as he aged. But Cloud, who is divorced, wasn’t sure how he could do that without relying on his two daughters.
Then he ran across the idea of virtual retirement villages, whose members pay a yearly fee to gain access to resources and social connections that help them age in place. Sold on the concept, Cloud joined with some friends to start Capital City Village four years ago.
“Our virtual village can connect me with people my own age so I can do more things,” said Cloud, a retired technology consultant. “I worry about being single and getting older.”
Now Cloud has all the support he needs. He can tap into Capital City Village’s network of more than 100 service companies suggested by members. Dozens of volunteers will walk his dog or do yard work. When he wants to meet people, Cloud can attend concerts in a member’s home, go to happy hour at a Mexican restaurant, or hear a champion storyteller give a talk. He has made more than 40 village friends.
Book Recommendation: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
This is the story of recently-retired Harold Fry, who sets out one morning to post a letter to a dying friend. Quite unexpectedly, in a moment of impulse, Fry finds himself at the start of a journey that leads him to walk hundreds of miles from home, en route making chance encounters and reflecting on tragic events from his past which transform his life and alter the lives of the people he meets.
This is a good book for elderly folks, not only because the main character, Harold, is a senior and a retired man, but because the book is about adventure, love, hope, and transformation. It also has both drama and humor, is a national bestseller, and has received a lot of good reviews.
