Senior (Life)Style with Eileen O’Brien

Depending on who one talks to, NOVEMBER is the month some folks can’t live with and some folks can’t live without. It’s the month of elections, injections, Veterans, family, friends, food, Daylight Savings Time and World Kindness Day.

Now that the elections are over… There’s a group of seniors I know who would like to see a    “CANDIDATE FUND” set up for folks to receive $1.00 for every political lawn sign left littering our community one month (Dec. 5th) after the election is over. Raise your hands if you have noticed signs in the past still up like the flowers of spring! These same friends have even suggested that the political sign redemption rate be raised to $2.00 per sign four months post election which would be the merry month of March. It would be just like finding a pot of gold! Now if April showers bring May flowers, how about the merry month of May bringing a $5.00 redemption for those remaining signs?? Hey, redeeming cans and bottles have significantly reduced litter, why not sign redemption at a better rate of return? If our political parties can spend tons of money on advertising, how about spending some money on cleanup?

On to injections. If you’re a believer in the power of prevention, like I am, there’s FLU, COVID, SHINGLES, PNEUMOCOCCAL and too many others to name. Unfortunately it’s been the experience of several of this column’s readers and, if truth be told, myself, that not all facilities giving shots are created equal for the comfort of the senior consumer. Are you old enough to remember when one received any injections one needed from their local family MD? If you think about it, pharmacies just don’t distribute medication and give medical “tips”, pharmacies have become mini-health centers in many communities, especially in areas that are becoming pharmacy and independent medical practice deserts. Think Rite Aide closures, medical practice buyouts and hospital consolidations. Recently, the senior club that this writer has the good fortune to be a member of  hosted a pharmacy visit for us prior to our weekly club meeting. YES, you read that correctly. The WEST NYACK PHARMACY, 117 Rockland Center, Nanuet, N.Y. was scheduled to give flu, Covid or you-name-it injections to my fellow seniors and I. Enter TYLER, KENNY and JON, heroes without capes, to provide the protection seniors want and need. Paperwork was simple, seating was comfortable, and the speed, efficiency and relaxing nature of service was second to none. Kind of like in times long gone when Doctors would make house calls! Unfortunately, I have not always had this very positive experience in some of our local corporate pharmacies. Hey readers, share the wealth and let this writer know about your pharmacy experiences whether good or not so good.

A reader recently passed this along to me and it really took my breath away…So here goes… “WHAT IS A VETERAN?” A “Veteran” – whether active duty, discharged, retired or reserve – is someone who at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America” for an amount “up to and including his or her life.” This is an honor and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact. So let me share with you just what one Civic Association does that understands the importance of future generations understanding all the sacrifices our veterans have made.

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the monthly NANUET CIVIC ASSOCIATION meeting. The highlight of the meeting was definitely the reading of the essays honoring the sacrifices of our Veterans from a fourth grade student (AVA) and fifth grade student (KYAH). Their essays honoring their grandparents were simple and yet profound. Parents who accompanied their children couldn’t have been prouder to witness their children’s work. I am looking forward, maybe at a future meeting, to hearing the essay of EMILY, a high school student who was unable to attend the November 11th Meeting. There’s an old expression that was passed along to me that “Your children will become who you are… So be who you want them to be.” I was fortunate to witness that in action at the Nanuet Civic Association.

This year “World Kindness Day” was celebrated on Nov. 13 and Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Nov. 27. Let’s try to mix it up and share our humanity with family, friends and even those we just met with an act or two or three of kindness each day throughout the year.

Now remind me, how many days do we have left of Daylight Savings time? Great time to call or write to those folks you’ve been meaning to contact. There’s also always that book that is calling your name from your bedside table. 

You know, sometimes, we forget that waking up each day is the first thing to be grateful for! I’m grateful for that and all of you! HAPPY NOVEMBER!