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.
Hire a Shopper September 25, 2020 - My college-age daughter is home. With orders to shelter in place, she lost her campus job and her restaurant job, and few opportunities were available when she arrived back in town. So she gamely decided to be an Instacart shopper.…
Bye-Bye, Bookworm August 11, 2020 - I’m an unapologetic bookworm. I read four to six books a month. I consider reading to be my self-care and my hobby: it’s the thing that quiets the chatter in my brain. It’s my vacation when I can’t go anywhere. …
Who’s Aging Better? July 21, 2020 - How do you define successful aging? There are textbook definitions, but it’s a fair guess that we all know it when we see it. The ability to age in place is one of the most common themes of successful aging.…
Remembering Life in Lockdown June 8, 2020 - I hope people living in the time of the coronavirus are journaling about their quarantine. Our memories are often distorted by time, and our memories are singularly ours to recall. What will my grandchildren want to know about this unprecedented…
Track Your Zzzzs May 19, 2020 - I have joined the 17 percent of American adults over 50 who wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker to monitor their health. This purchase brought an eye roll and a snicker from my young-adult daughters, who know how much I…
Curry Adds More Than Flavor to Your Life April 23, 2020 - Isn’t it fabulous to discover that a food we enjoy is actually good for us? I’m thinking of curry in its many iterations. (It’s not always about you, chocolate.) American diets have been globally influenced since I was a kid…
Doing 60 Around Town February 7, 2020 - I’m a healthy, engaged, purpose-driven woman in my 60s. I consider myself an empty nester; one daughter has moved out of state and the other is in college, so it’s me and the pets. And I’m fine with that. Really.…
Books to Give or Keep, 2019 December 4, 2019 - There’s no place on Earth I’d rather be than in my reading chair with a good book and a cup of tea. I think in a previous life I was a matchmaker because now I love to match people with…
Divorced by Night November 13, 2019 - While visiting a friend who was convalescing postsurgery, I noticed that the king-sized bed she shares with her husband is actually a pair of twin beds under a single bedspread. She says they always go to bed at the same…
Got Milk? September 5, 2019 - I’m an empty nester, but my chicks still come home. When they do, they give me a heads-up so I can “feather” the nest with the foods they like. Gone are the days with a fully stocked larder. I shop…
Talk to Me July 8, 2019 - In my work as an independent living consultant, I support people who need a little extra help to stay secure in their homes. Most of my clients are older adults. Being a helper-bee at heart, I find the work very…
Pain in the Neck June 19, 2019 - Do you wake up in the morning feeling like you “slept wrong” because you have a crick in your neck? If you experience neck pain, you’re not alone. It’s most often attributed to neck arthritis, or cervical spondylosis, an age-related…
Living Longer with a Pet April 18, 2019 - We bought a puppy when the girls were small, and she was the perfect dog for us. I didn’t think I’d get another dog after she died. I wanted to be able to come and go worry-free. But as the…
Reading by the Numbers March 8, 2019 - I’m off to the family reunion this weekend, and along with the burgers and dogs, I’ll be bringing my list of books to share with the cousins. The reunion has been going strong for many years—so long that I’m no…
Organizing Your Documents, Part 1: In Case of Emergency January 18, 2019 - When I’m not working for the Silver Century Foundation, I help families with care management solutions. Most often, this involves meeting with an older person and a family member to coordinate resources that help my client continue to live independently.…
Books to Give or to Keep, 2018 December 3, 2018 - I am an unapologetic bookworm, and it’s that time of year when I’m asked to recommend books for gift lists. My first love is fiction, but I enjoy deviating for an interesting memoir or something new in nonfiction. Each of…
Becoming an Informed Patient November 24, 2018 - My health care provider admonishes me for my excess weight and lack of exercise, but my lab results have been no cause for alarm. So I was taken aback when she called after my last exam...
Out with the Old October 27, 2018 - I was recently given a generous monetary gift to splurge on something that made me happy. After much deliberation, I decided to refresh the long-ignored state of my domicile, to make it a sanctuary for me and the new chapter…
Old-Lady Day September 5, 2018 - Ageism, according to the World Health Organization, is “the stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age; ageism can take many forms, including prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory practices or institutional policies and practices that perpetuate stereotypical…
Where’s the Fire (Extinguisher)? August 1, 2018 - Some 40 million fire extinguishers sold between 1973 and 2017 were recently recalled, prompting me to check not only mine but those in homes where I am helping people live independently. In almost every case, the fire extinguisher was affected…
