You don't have to give up all the flavor if you use a "sliding scale of decadence"

By Joanna Pruess for Next Avenue



Do you long to eat favorite foods from your youth without a side order of guilt? With creative tweaking, chocolaty brownies, creamy scalloped potatoes, hearty meatloaf, green bean-mushroom casserole with fried onions and other comfort foods can return from the list of no-nos. The key is determining which diet-wrecking ingredients you’re willing to compromise on and how much you’re willing to cut back on them. But the choices aren’t black or white: I think of them as existing on a sliding scale of decadence.



Leaving a little indulgence in foods helps us to eat better because we end up feeling more satisfied. Think about it: If your revisions are super-healthy but tasteless, you’ll probably do something at least twice as unhealthy later, like diving into a bag of chips or having a date with Ben & Jerry.



Getting Down With Brownies



Take brownies. It is possible to create rich, soul-stirring chocolate squares with just a few modifications. Here’s a baker’s secret: In most recipes you can replace semi-sweet chocolate with cocoa — you lose little in taste but plenty in fat, namely 75 percent. I prefer the more robust, complex-tasting Dutch-process variety of cocoa to the fruitier American version. They work equally well, but the one thing that does make a difference is the quality of the cocoa, so use the highest grade you can afford.



In many desserts you can remove up to a third of the sugar without a perceptible difference in sweetness. Some recipes actually call for you to replace some of the sugar with applesauce or prune purée.



When it comes to butter, I do love its taste. I’m no fan of spreadable versions or margarines because they generally have questionable additives and are hydrogenated (unhealthy trans fats). Here is where the sliding scale of decadence comes into play. In the past I have used oils, including olive and walnut, with great results in pumpkin muffins and lemon bundt cake. For brownies, I substitute half the amount of butter called for with some combination of coconut oil (now the darling of the healthy oils) and a lower-fat sour cream.



Speaking of the sliding scale of decadence, low- and non-fat sour cream both work quite effectively in adding richness to the flavor and giving a satisfying mouthfeel and deep, rich flavor. Unsaturated oils have about the same amount of calories as low- and nonfat sour cream but are healthier.



A Born-Again Green Bean Casserole



To update that holiday classic that we once considered the height of gourmet — the green bean casserole with mushroom soup and fried onion rings — I first upgraded the vegetables with fresh thin green beans, or haricot verts, which are readily available almost everywhere, and cremini mushroom, a more flavorful variety than the white ones in the canned soup. (High-quality flash-frozen baby green beans also work.) To replace the “crème de champignon” soup, I made a velvety white sauce with low-fat milk and sour cream and added a little sherry. Result: no chemicals, less sodium and a rich, smooth taste.



Even after testing several versions of oven-baked onion strings for the topping, however, I was disappointed to discover that none of them had the crunchiness and flavor of the original. My solution was to fry my own in healthy oil — making sure the temperature was 375ºF. When foods hit oil this hot, the exterior is sealed. After frying, I blot the onion strings well and add just enough to amply garnish the top. The ratings on my enjoyment scale were far higher with this slightly more indulgent version.



Note: Since you’ll be creating your own sliding scale of decadence, you can blend whole, low- and nonfat milk in whatever proportions you want for this dish or others (like the scalloped potatoes discussed below). You can even replace some of the dairy with chicken or vegetable stock. Blending stock with milk will add flavor and make mashed potatoes healthier, as well. The only caveat is that most commercial stocks are high in salt, so look for those marked low sodium.



Healthier Scalloped Potatoes



Although reduced-fat milk and even nonfat cream play a big role in whittling down fat and calories, as a chef I feel there are limits. On my sliding scale of decadence, when it comes to cheese for scalloped potatoes, I’d rather use less of really flavorful ones — in this case aged Gruyère and Parmigiano Reggiano — than a plastic-tasting, low-fat substitute. Result: a bigger, more flavorful bang for your caloric buck.



Moist and Flavorful Turkey Meatloaf



When I make a meatloaf with lean turkey, I enhance the taste by exchanging 6 ounces with a mixture of reduced-fat pork and chicken sausage. (If you choose to avoid pork, you won’t have a problem finding numerous tasty alternatives.) The sausage ups the total calorie count by only about 50, yet yields a huge bump in flavor.



When replacing richer ingredients, herbs and vegetables become invaluable tools in your flavor arsenal. They also add color and texture — two other methods of enhancement. In the turkey meatloaf, chopped cilantro and toothsome flecks of carrots and red bell peppers make the slices both more visually appealing as well as tastier.



Coating a pan with cooking spray instead of butter is a great and easy way to cut fat and calories. You can also use spray to replace some of the fat when frying eggs or sautéing fish, meat and vegetables. When modifying recipes, the goal is to find a happy medium between healthy dietary choices and preserving enough flavor, texture and appearance. These recipes strike that balance.



Today’s Green Bean-Mushroom Casserole

Serves 4 to 6



That green bean-mushroom casserole from years gone by is probably no longer your idea of gourmet cooking. In this updated version, cooked fresh beans or haricots verts are combined with sautéed cremini mushrooms and onions. Canned mushroom soup is replaced with thickened low-fat milk and reduced-fat sour cream flavored with sherry and fresh thyme.



Onion strings (recipe below)

12 ounces fresh haricot verts or thin fresh green beans, with ends cut off

Olive oil cooking spray

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 medium yellow onion (reserved from Onion Strings), finely chopped

6 ounces cremini or other flavorful mushrooms, wiped, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup low-fat milk

3 tablespoons medium sherry

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Few drops fresh lemon juice

1. Prepare the Onion Strings, if using (below). Note 45-minute soaking time.
2. Preheat the oven to 400º F. Spray a 2-quart casserole or oven-safe glass baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender (approx. 20 minutes). Drain, shock under cold water, and drain again. Set aside.
4. In a large saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until wilted and lightly colored, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often. Add the remaining oil and stir in the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have given up their liquid, about 4 minutes, then sprinkle on the flour, turning the mushrooms once or twice, and cook for 1 minute.
5. Pour in the milk and sherry and bring to just below a boil, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the sour cream and thyme; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
6. Return the green beans to the saucepan, stir and cook over medium heat until warmed through. Scrape the mixture into the prepared casserole, cover and bake for 10 minutes.
7. Uncover, add the onion strings to the top and return to the oven for 10 minutes longer. Remove, let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Onion Strings (or use purchased fried onions)



1/2 medium yellow onion, cut in half horizontally, peeled, very thinly sliced and separated into rings (reserve other half for green beans)

3/4 cup buttermilk or low-fat milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 scant teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1. Combine the onion rings and buttermilk in a resealable plastic bag and soak for 45 minutes. Line a plate or baking pan with paper towels.
2. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornmeal and salt.
3. Pour the oil into a small skillet and heat to 375º F over medium-high heat.
4. Working in small batches, dredge the rings in the flour mixture, patting to remove excess flour. Immediately drop them into the oil and cook until golden, about 2 minutes, turning if necessary. Remove to the paper towels and continue until all of the onions are cooked.

Updated Scalloped Potatoes

Serves 4 to 6



In the bad old days, I’d put mounds of cheese on top of the potatoes in this classic side dish. In this enlightened version, flavor once again wins out: Using less of very flavorful aged Gruyère and real Parmigiano-Reggiano adds a lot more flavor with a smaller amount. To make it lighter still, you could substitute chicken or vegetable stock for the low-fat milk. Adding half of the Gruyère to the sauce helps carry the rich cheesy flavor throughout the dish.



Olive oil cooking spray

Salt

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup each whole and low-fat milk or stock

Scant 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch cayenne pepper

1/4 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese, preferably aged

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Spray a 1 1/2-quart gratin dish or shallow casserole with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until the tip of a knife easily goes into the flesh and the slices are just tender, 9 to 10 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pan.
2. While the potatoes boil, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once the bubbles subside, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in both milks or the milk and stock, and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes, whisking continuously. Stir in half of the Gruyère, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and cayenne and scrape into the pan with the potatoes, stirring to coat evenly.
3. Spoon the potatoes into the prepared dish, arranging the slices evenly in layers, if desired. Sprinkle on the remaining Gruyère and the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses and bake until hot and bubbling, about 12 minutes. Turn on the broiler and continue cooking until the top is nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes, watching that it doesn’t burn.
4. Remove, let stand for 10 minutes, sprinkle on the parsley and serve.

Tasty Turkey Meatloaf

Serves 4 to 6



Adding reduced-fat chicken and pork to this turkey meatloaf enhances the meat’s bland taste. Toothsome flecks of carrots and red bell pepper add visual and textural appeal, and Thai sweet chili sauce lends a unique taste. When adding onions, I sauté them first in a little olive oil to enrich their flavor. Enjoy leftovers in a sandwich the next day. This is easily made in a food processor, but pulse the ingredients to keep the texture light.



Olive oil cooking spray

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions

2 large cloves garlic, peeled

1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and membranes removed, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

12 ounces ground turkey

6 ounces of 50 percent reduced-fat pork and chicken sausages, removed from casing and broken into pieces or any other flavorful reduced-fat sausage

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons, plus 1 1/2 tablespoon sweet Thai chili sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 5-x9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until wilted and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.
3. Pulse the garlic, carrot and red bell pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the cilantro, pulse to blend. Scape in the reserved onions along with the turkey and sausage meats, the egg, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the Thai chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Pulse until just blended. Do not overmix.
4. Transfer the mixture to the loaf pan, patting lightly to smooth. Spread the remaining Thai chili sauce over the top and bake until the juices run clear and an instant read thermometer measures 160º F when inserted toward the center, about 55 minutes.
5. Remove, let stand 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into slices and serve. Or serve at room temperature.

Dense Chewy Brownies

Makes 8 to 16 squares (depending on how you cut them)



These dark, chewy brownies will satisfy your longing for a rich-tasting chocolate dessert without wrecking your efforts to eat more healthfully. Using cocoa takes away 75 percent of the fat in chocolate, and butter mixed with a little oil and low-fat sour cream further cuts back the calories and saturated fat. When replacing chocolate, substitute three tablespoons of cocoa for each ounce of solid chocolate.



Nonstick vegetable cooking spray

1/2 cup high quality cocoa powder

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons canola or walnut oil

2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

1/2 tablespoon water

1 large egg, beaten

Confectioners’ sugar, to garnish, if desired

1. Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350º F. Line an 8-inch square pan with a piece of aluminum foil long enough to hang over two opposing edges by at least an inch, and lightly coat with nonstick vegetable spray.
2. Sift the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt together into a medium bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Cook until small browned bits form on the bottom of the pan, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the oil, sour cream, water and egg.
4. Scrape the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well blended. Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth with a metal spatula and transfer to the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with only a few moist crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Do not overcook.
5. Remove and cool on a rack. Lift the brownies from the pan using the foil and cut into squares. Store in a covered container or tightly wrap and freeze for up to a month. Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Joanna Pruess, Cordon Bleu-­‐trained chef, award-­‐winning writer of numerous cookbooks and newspaper/magazine articles, and consultant to the food industry.



Photo Credit: Courtesy of Joanna Pruess



© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.

Master these skills for your finances and career when turning each age

By Liza Kaufman Hogan for Next Avenue



Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part blog series on life skills and knowledge that are good to have at each age. The other blogs are:  What to Know About Caregiving By 50, 60 and 70What to Know About Health By 50, 60 and 70 and What to Know About Living By 50, 60 and 70.



Staying on track with your finances and career requires checking in every so often to be sure you’re meeting your goals and anticipating your needs at each life stage. Although you may have been saving for retirement and enjoying success at work for years, there are still some things to learn. You may have gaps in expertise you’d like to fill or may be ready to plunge into a new career.



Whatever your goals, here’s a checklist of basic money and career management knowledge it’s good to have by age 50, 60 and 70:



Money & Security | What to Know By:



Age 50



By 50, hopefully, you are saving seriously for retirement with a good sense of how much you’ll need to retire comfortably. Think creatively about the ways you’ll want to lead the next 30 to 40 years and how you’ll do it.



1. Make a plan. There’s more to preparing for retirement or financial independence than just socking away the maximum allowed contribution in your 401(k) — which happens to be $24,000 in 2015 for people 50 and older. Take steps to consolidate your finances and pay off debt as well as to begin thinking about where you’ll want to live. Here’s a checklist to walk you through some of the things you’ll want to consider.



2. Estimate how much money you’ll need to retire. There are many useful retirement calculators online to help you rough this out. It’s good to have a ballpark figure to help stay on track with savings and investments. But beware, calculators can be misleading for a few reasons.



3. Catch up on your savings.  If you were hit by the recession or experienced a financial setback in your 40s — such as a divorce or an extended illness — you may have some catching up to do. Fortunately, federal law allows people 50 and older to sock away more in their employer-sponsored retirement plans than younger people.



Age 60



By the time you’re 60, you likely have your retirement plan in place and your goal is staying on track. In the next decade, you will be eligible for Medicare and Social Security, so you’ll need to understand your choices. And if you haven’t decided how you will pay for long-term care if necessary, this is an excellent time to consider that.



1. Anticipate potential long-term care and health care costs. Both are the big wildcards in retirement planning. It’s hard to know exactly how much you’ll need, but you can take a stab at it. And you’ll need to decide, if you haven’t already, whether you’ll purchase long-term care insurance (or perhaps a hybrid of long-term care insurance and life insurance) or save separately for this expense. Keep in mind that, generally speaking, the older you are, the more expensive a long-term care policy will be.

 

2. Maximize your Social Security retirement benefits. One of the most important decisions you’ll make in your 60s is when to begin receiving Social Security — right away at age 62, waiting until age 70 (the latest you can start claiming) or somewhere in between. With thousands of dollars and future monthly income at stake, you’ll want to weigh your options carefully.



3. Get familiar with Medicare. At age 65, you can start getting health coverage through Medicare with or without a supplemental private plan. Get ready by learning what Medicare covers and how to avoid mistakes when enrolling.



Age 70



For those turning 70, it’s wise to review your investments, income and savings and make sure they are adequate to pay for your lifestyle. This is also the time to be sure you check your living will and make sure your key financial documents reflect your end-of-life and inheritance wishes.



1. Stay within your budget. Even as you are saving, you need to be sure you are spending wisely — especially if you have reduced your income or plan to do so in the next few years.



2. Plan how you’ll withdraw your retirement income. Maybe you thought you’d just move your funds to a bank account and withdraw what you need monthly. But your money will last longer if you are strategic about which funds to tap and when. Here’s a guide to spending down your nest egg. It’s also a good idea to have a retirement income strategy in place ensuring that your investments keep growing even as you tap into them.



3. Put your papers in order. By age 70, you should have a living will and estate planning documents such as a will and perhaps a trust in place. It’s important to review these periodically to be sure that your beneficiaries, trustees and healthcare agents are up to date and reflect your wishes, especially if those have changed.



Work & Purpose | What to Know By: 



Age 50 



At this age, after decades of working in one field — perhaps even at one employer — you may be ready for a change, whether that’s becoming an entrepreneur or looking for a different job. This is also a time to give back by sharing your knowledge and expertise with younger people who could profit by learning from you.



1. Consider starting a business. If running your own company is a longtime dream or the alternative after a layoff, here are some tips for getting started after 50. Did you know that older entrepreneurs represent the fastest-growing segment of business startups?



2. Become a mentor. After many years in your field, you may find it gratifying to share your knowledge with colleagues who are just starting out. But the benefits can run both ways through reverse mentoring; your younger co-workers may teach you a thing or two as well.



3. Update your resumé. Refreshing your resumé means more than just adding your most recent job and skills. At 50, it also means reworking it in a way to prevent hiring managers from seeing your age as a liability. Follow these tips to age-proof your resumé and you may land more interviews.



Age 60



A MetLife Foundation study found that four out of five boomers plan to keep working well past traditional retirement age. If this is your plan, then you’ll want to take steps now to stay sharp in your career. You may also want to use this stage of your life to try something entirely different and switch fields, perhaps going from a corporate job to a nonprofit. Here are some ways to reset, change course and add meaning to your career.



1. Fall in love with your job again. Take these steps to find new meaning in the work you’ve been doing for a while.

 

2. Launch an encore career. If a total change in direction sounds appealing, try finding work with purpose through a career matchmaking service. If you’d like to use your existing skills in more meaningful ways without needing to retrain for a new field, follow the lead of these Purpose Prize winners who took that path.



3. Know when to ask for help. Switching fields isn’t easy; don’t go it alone. Ask others who have completed a successful career shift for their help. Talk to people in the field you want to enter to find out what you need to know and how to break in.



Age 70



According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people working past age 70 has been increasing dramatically and shows no sign of slowing.  Here are ways to stay in the workforce, either full-time or part-time:



1. Keep working full-time if you want and are able to do so. Be inspired by these workers over 75 who love what they do.



2. Look for part-time work. Follow these tips to find gigs and part-time work.



3. Balance leisure and work. Working after 70 doesn’t have to mean all work and no play. Try these ideas for having both.



© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.

Be sure to include experiences and feelings that make your life story meaningful

By Bart Astor for Next Avenue



When I overheard my father reminiscing with his old Army buddy about how desperate they felt as kids having to do menial tasks to earn money that would help their families — even plucking chickens — I realized I hadn’t heard much about his emotional life growing up.



In fact, other than the few stories he told about his two brothers, he didn’t talk about his childhood. Over the years, I managed to collect facts and figures— where his mother and father were born, important dates and some highlights of his life. But I knew little of his family’s financial struggles during the Great Depression and almost nothing about his older brother’s death.



Helping Dad Write His Memoir



But I got a chance to learn some of that singular information when we wrote his memoir together. Although my father’s recollection of some events was sketchy, he was able to share feelings he’d had as a teenager and thrill his grandsons and me with tales of growing up in the 1920s and ‘30s. Our family still shares his memoir, even though Dad is no longer around.



Learning from that experience, I decided to be proactive and not wait for my children to quiz me.



I began the journey of reliving my life, putting words onto a blank screen, noting where I could my feelings, fears, joys and sorrows. Even if I don’t finish it, there will at least be my incomplete symphony from which my progeny will benefit.



Excuses for Putting Off Memoirs



What stops people from starting to write their stories?



I asked Ruth Mills, an accomplished editor and ghostwriter of life stories. “People come up with all kinds of excuses for not writing their memoir,” Mills says. “But ultimately I think there are two reasons. The first is that they feel they have nothing to say. Of course, nothing can be further from the truth. The second reason is that they don’t know where to begin.”



Undoubtedly, writing a memoir can be an overwhelming task and that’s a problem.



The solution, according to most writers who’ve ever faced a deadline, is to just start typing. Don’t think about putting down your whole life. Start writing about one event. You don’t even have to start at the beginning. Your first draft of any story is your brain dump: getting it all out on paper or on screen. Later you’ll hone the words and reorganize them.



Similarly, don’t let the mechanics of writing get in your way. If you’re not comfortable working on a computer, try dictating into a recording device. You can always transcribe your words later or hire an inexpensive transcription service.



Not an Autobiography



A memoir is not your autobiography and doesn’t have to follow a chronological order. Instead, it tells how you felt about the various experiences you’ve had. You could choose to focus on just one pivotal experience.



For many, a good approach is to think about what was going on around you at age 14 or 15 years, since events from adolescence can have a lasting effect on your attitudes about life. This idea is backed by Morris Massey’s What You Are Now is What You Were When, his investigation into how people develop a values system.



The 7 Right Questions



Mills’s company has done hundreds of life stories, and she has honed her questions to elicit answers for successful memoirs. Here are the seven questions she recommends asking either your parent or yourself:



1. What are you most proud of? (It might be your kids, your home, career, a particular skill or talent or an achievement.)



2. How would you want to be remembered?



3. Who or what influenced the direction of your life, and when?



4. What advice would you give others based on the successes you’ve had or the mistakes you’ve made?



5. Which were some of the best days of your life, and why?



6. If you could have done anything in your life, what would it have been?



7. Finally, there’s what Mills calls the “It’s a Wonderful Life” question: What effect have your had on the world and what would have been different if you hadn’t been born?



The key to writing your memoir and making it interesting to readers is to pepper it with your feelings. No one else has had your experiences or reacted in the same way.



Make it yours and don’t worry about grammar, spelling or the quality of the writing. The only thing that’s important is that it be your own story. That’s what your kids want, and you’re the only one who can provide it.



Photo Credit: Thinkstock



© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.

In this program, old and young people connect with one another

By Rachel Adelson for Next Avenue





Editor’s note: This article is part of a year-long project about aging well, planning for the changes that aging brings and shaping how society thinks about aging.



“Take two friendships and call me in the morning.”



That’s what Dr. Paul Tang, an internist and national expert on health care quality, would like to tell aging patients. He, and other doctors like him, view social engagement as a treatment for a very modern ill: loneliness.



Tang divides his time between Washington, D.C. (where he influences health care policy) and the David Druker Center for Health Systems Innovation (he’s the director). Tang has developed a cross-generational program meant to get people of all ages helping and connecting with one another. Called linkAges, the centerpiece of the program is a community-based service exchange in the form of a volunteer time bank. The service is being tested in California, with hopes that it’ll soon expand elsewhere.



Members (who have gone through an orientation process) offer to volunteer their time and skills, figuratively “banking” the hours that they help others on a web-based interface. Once members identify something they need help with, they can see whether another member might be able to assist them. Every hour volunteered is an hour put in the member’s account for later withdrawal. No money is involved, just an exchange of time with social dividends — meeting new people and doing good at any age.



For example, 24-year-old James drives 84-year-old Sarah to the doctor. This puts two hours in his account. Some months later, James wants to impress his girlfriend with a fancy meal. He checks the time bank for gourmet cooks and “pays” for his two-hour chicken cordon bleu lesson with that earlier time deposit. His cooking teacher? She now has two hours to bank. She’s saving up the time for when she’ll need to ask another member to fix her back porch.



Does It Work In Real Life?



To test the concept in an actual community with a diverse population, the foundation has been running a linkAges TimeBank pilot in Mountain View, Calif., with about half a dozen nonprofit community partners (for example, ethnic- or faith-based organizations, YMCAs and senior centers) that see the benefit to their members. Each has brought at least 50 participants to the local exchange.



In all, some 260 time bank members between the ages of 18 and 89 have exchanged about 730 hours of volunteer services and training in the past year.



That’s about what Tang says he’d expect from a pilot effort. More important to him is the fact that more than half of the people in the exchange network have been active — some four to five times the typical involvement found in other volunteer time banks.



Of even greater significance for aging at home, 72 percent of the time exchanges have connected people age 60 or older with a younger person. Since the program aims to reduce loneliness and harmful isolation, the fact that it’s engaging older adults naturally counts as a success.



The Druker Center will assess the effectiveness of the time bank by tracking member loneliness, quality of life, emotional resilience and generativity (giving-ness and creativity) every six months for three years.



Everyone Has Something To Offer



Although the linkAges concept grew out of a desire to use technology to support healthy aging, tech merely enables human connections that help all parties.



The underlying philosophy is that everyone has something to offer, a key factor in an employment-centered culture that leaves people feeling less valued after they retire.



 “Service exchange is merely an excuse to be a friend,” says Tang. As in any type of volunteering, giving and receiving provides people of any age with a sense of meaning and a way of being part of something larger than themselves — core ingredients in happiness.



And it’s all in the name of better health, through everything from feeling more valued by others (which, among other things, staves off the depression that can afflict the elderly) to getting the kind of social support necessary for better self-care to simply meeting someone new.



Do you volunteer with people of all ages in your community? If you could, how would you find a way to reach out to older people and/or connect people in different generations? Let’s talk.



Rachel Adelson is the author of Staying Power: Age-Proof Your Home for Comfort, Safety and Style.



© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.