Posts:
By Veronique Greenwood Covid-19 patients who are 80 or older are hundreds of times more likely to die than those under 40. That’s partly because they are more likely to have underlying conditions — like diabetes and lung disease — that seem to make the body more...
By John Bonifield and Elizabeth Cohen When a coronavirus vaccine comes on the market, people will likely need two doses, not just one -- and that could cause real problems. Some of the potential problems are logistical. Difficulties procuring test kits and protective...
By Karla Freeman I wrote Creating Magic in Midlife with 101 questions and answers to navigate tricky terrain of finding and exploring new personal directions. Many have felt clearer using the easy to read two page chapters, and so can you. Each question addresses an...
By Ollie Williams The golden age of fat tax-free salaries and cushy overseas lifestyles has passed, killed by the coronavirus. Expats are no longer living the dream, they say, as many prepare to come home. A typical expat weekend in Dubai used to revolve around...
By Miriam Drake It’s not morbid, it’s practical! Have you told your loved ones how you want to be cared for at the end of your life? Are you content and peaceful inside with respect to all of your relationships? Have you told these folks everything you want them to...
Julio César Mora and Waldramina Maclovia have been married for 79 years and Julio says he’s enjoyed almost every day of it. “There are a few days I would like to forget but there aren’t many,” he adds. In June, the couple was recognized by the Guinness Book of World...
I was chatting with my friend, German Zhina, the other day. He’s a taxi driver, and all around, “What else can I do for you?” kind of guy who has chauffeured me on numerous occasions, fixed an electrical connection in my oil heater, programmed my cell phone, performed...
By Bruce Horovitz Imagine this scenario, perhaps a year or two in the future: An effective COVID-19 vaccine is routinely available, and the world is moving forward. Life, however, will likely never be the same — particularly for people over 60. That is the conclusion...
By Miriam Drake Several years ago I was invited to write an article for an anthology of stories written by expats living in various locales throughout the world. Here is what I chose to write about my experiences with my friend Benito Ramon. “Here I am in Cuenca...
I look at Facebook daily and it is distressing to continually see the labels socialist, radical and now “Marxist” used as epithets, thrown at any idea or activity that does not have its imprimatur from the right. Not a word of discussion about the idea itself. I am...
By Zamira Rahim Boris Johnson's latest strategy to fight coronavirus aims to make Britain healthier -- but campaigners are worried about the impact the policy will have on people living with eating disorders. Johnson's government launched its Better Health strategy in...
I had seen her around El Centro a few times. It was usually east of Calle Hermano Miguel and north of Calle Simon Bolivar. She looked pretty beat down. I kept thinking about her, worrying about her well being, wondering about her life here in Cuenca. Sometimes I...
By John Keeble Ah, the Atlantic hurricane season has kicked off with promises of record violence – a timely reminder that the planet is still crashing out of control regardless of our very understandable focuses on the pandemic and Black Lives Matter. Or, put another...
Like many Cuenca businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced Lenny Charnoff to change his business model. Known for selling high-quality salmon and a growing list of other food products, he realized early during the health emergency lockdown that his distribution...
By Graciela Quinde Business is down 70 percent at Luca Pallanca’s El Centro pizza restaurant since coronavirus health emergency restrictions began in March. The crisis forced him to close his dining room at Pizza y Focaccia La Matriz, at the corner of Presidente...
By Jenny Taitz In this emotional equivalent to an ultramarathon, it’s key to have some stress-reducing strategies available that work quickly and efficiently to help you hit the reset button. Here’s why: Struggling with chronic worry gets in the way of effectively...
The planet is approaching 1.5 degrees of global warming that only a decade ago scientists didn't expect to see until the middle of the century. At the European Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), researchers worry that the focus on the Covid-19 pandemic has...
By Ed Cara Baby boomers are experiencing a sharper drop in cognitive function as they age, relative to previous generations, according to a recent study. The findings not only suggest that boomers will be more likely to develop conditions like dementia than past...
By Miriam Drake Those of you who read my book, “Expat Medical Emergency Preparation Manual” are aware of our need as expats living in Cuenca and in other parts of Ecuador to form and develop what I call Care Communities or Contact Groups. These groups are essential...
Ecuador is one of a very few countries in the world which currently allows travelers from the U.S. to enter the country, and even here, there is a mandatory 14-day quarantine. However, if you are over 65 and can show a recent clean Covid test, you are permitted to...
