Pepper Evans works as an independent-living consultant, helping older adults age in place. She is the empty-nest mother of two adult daughters and has extensive personal and professional experience as a caregiver. She has worked as a researcher and editor for authors and filmmakers. She puts her time and resources to use in the nonprofit sector and serves on the Board of Education in Lawrence Township, NJ.
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow May 23, 2023 - The change was subtle enough that I didn’t notice it at first. My hair scrunchies were slipping off my ponytail, and I began to see more hair in the drain after a shower and in my brush. Next, I look…
So This Is My Life Now? April 19, 2023 - After decades of being underinsured and, luckily, remarkably healthy, it had been quite some time since I participated in regular health care. I signed up for Medicare on turning 65 and found a new primary care provider. Thinking long term,…
Can You Afford to Die? January 10, 2023 - My two sisters, two brothers and I knew our mother’s condition was terminal. Together with her, we gathered to have a painful conversation about her final wishes. Grieving for a loved one is acutely hard enough; the last thing anyone…
Books to Give or Keep, 2022 December 1, 2022 - Silver Century regularly recommends books—fiction, nonfiction, memoirs—that reflect our mission through a positive portrayal of aging or that offer insight from thought leaders in the field. Here are some of our favorites for holiday giving or to save for the…
Paper Books, E-books, Audiobooks—It Really Doesn’t Matter Which, Just Read October 7, 2022 - MRIs show what we have learned over the millennia—reading has a positive impact on brain health. The National Institute on Aging recommends reading books and magazines to keep your mind engaged as you grow older. Good news for me—I’m a…
Keep Up! August 12, 2022 - When chatting with others, do you ever struggle to feel “in the know”? This is how I’ve been feeling about my place in society lately. The world is changing, and I don’t want to be left behind. My daughters do…
Cool It July 16, 2022 - I don’t like summer. There. I’ve said it. Seaside, poolside, outdoor activities—not my thing. I hibernate in the summer. An unseasonably hot day in May caused me to miss out on a community Spring Fling arts-and-crafts event I looked forward…
Setting the Table March 8, 2022 - As the eldest daughter in a big family, it fell to me to set the table as my mother prepared dinner each night. Once my father arrived home from work, all seven of us ate together. I grew up with…
A Fine Romance February 12, 2022 - The pandemic’s isolation and loneliness hit us hard. At residential care facilities, some residents were locked in, meals left at the door, no one in or out. People who are homebound turned to delivery services, cautioned against having any face-to-face…
A Loss Without a Funeral January 18, 2022 - After months of medical intervention and prayer, a friend made the agonizing decision to euthanize her very old, very loyal dog. I am an animal lover who has been in her shoes, so I could appreciate what she was going…
Books to Give or Keep, 2021 December 3, 2021 - Silver Century regularly recommends books—fiction, nonfiction, memoirs—that we feel reflect our mission by portraying aging in a positive light or that offer insights from thought leaders in the field of aging. Here are some of our favorites for holiday giving…
So Much Stuff November 9, 2021 - I’m a widow with two daughters in their 20s, who both live on their own. I have a two-story, four-bedroom house that is becoming harder to maintain. Could it be a good time for me to sell? It seems to…
I Want to Be Alone, Not Lonely October 13, 2021 - There was a time when I could outlast every guest at a party. And though I gave up the bar scene decades ago, for the longest time you could still think of me as Pepper “Last Call” Evans. As I…
Stop Me if I Told You This Already August 18, 2021 - For a while now, I’ve felt as though I’m not firing on all cylinders. I have no complaints about my health; I just feel like I’m not my old self. Not the well-oiled machine of yesterday. I’m more tired than…
At What Price Is Your Good Death? July 22, 2021 - I’m watching out my kitchen window as cars come and go from my neighbor Tony’s house. Last month, Tony celebrated his 89th birthday, and family came out of the woodwork. Last week, he left the hospital to die at home…
Have a Ball June 25, 2021 - When a 70-something friend went to a podiatrist for foot issues, the prescription for alleviating the pain—mostly in her arches—involved a golf ball. Not to walk the links with her clubs, but to massage foot muscles by rolling her bare…
Getting the Jab May 7, 2021 - My phone rings, my laptop pings—proof that I remain popular with the many, many websites and organizations that took my information so I could get the COVID-19 vaccine, or “the jab,” if you listen to BBC radio, into my arm…
Cashless? April 14, 2021 - As part of my job assisting older people to live independently, I pay their bills by check, as requested. But I’m in my 60s and I rarely write a check for my own bills. I pay them online either at…
Just a Code, No Secret Handshake Required February 9, 2021 - The global pandemic in 2020 brought many changes to our way of life. Over the summer in some places, when it was moderately safe enough for us to leave our homes—masked up, travel-size hand sanitizer at the ready—many of us…
Facing Mask Realities January 22, 2021 - Most of us have accepted the new normal of mask-wearing to help curb the spread of COVID-19. The benefits, sketchy at first, are now widely accepted, and masks are mandated apparel in more places than not. I jumped on the…
