This Month's Features

Leominster - When Kris Gleason was in high school, she was sedentary and never did sports. She smoked and considered herself "extremely overweight."

There are more than a few participants and they certainly have reasons to be proud. They’re the Peabody Council on Aging (COA) Senior Ladies Drill Team, instructed by retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Carolyn Spencer. The team is currently comprised of 15 women in their late-60s to mid-90s.

Achieving financial independence is key to enjoying a satisfying retirement. Social Security has many tools to help you plan for your future. Prepare for a secure, comfortable retirement by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Once there, open a secure my Social Security account and assess your financial needs. You’ll get immediate access to your personal Social Security Statement, your earnings record, and an estimate of your retirement benefits at age 62, at your full retirement age, and at age 70. You can also ensure your earnings are correct, since your future benefits are based on your earnings record.

In 2015, more than a million people will be diagnosed with cancer. This alarming statistic affects people and families all over the world. On June 7, 2015, we observe National Cancer Survivors Day in the United States. In support of this day, Social Security encourages checkups, early detection, and awareness, while honoring the survivors who have gone through this battle and defeated the disease.

Standing on a half-acre of bog land which encircles a dilapidated 19th-century stone cottage, my mind wandered back to a recent visit to Ireland. The little structure, vegetation and even the rocks scattered about the site were identical to those I recalled seeing on the Emerald Isle. Then the view of skyscrapers surrounding the setting, and sound of honking automobile horns rather than bleating of sheep, startled me back to reality.

Hudson - State officials shared vital information with hundreds of guests at the 35th annual Senior Conference, held April 23 at Hudson High School. The free conference for constituents in the Middlesex and Worcester District was hosted for the seventh year by state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton. “The Senior Conference is a really nice tradition and I’m proud to continue it,” he said. “The legislative delegation in this area works very hard for seniors.” Eldridge has observed some changes in the attendees’ main concerns over the years.

Concord resident Dorcas Miller is still playing tennis at 74 years young. Her drive to play tennis started in her late 30s. “I was a bored homemaker and felt I needed something more in my life,” Miller recalled.

Westborough – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the loss of strength and stamina attributed to aging is in part caused by reduced physical activity. By age 75, about one in three men and one in two women engage in no physical activity.

Shrewsbury – It’s been said that love knows no bounds, whether life’s challenges lie in age, health or distance; true love can conquer all. There is one such love story going on in Shrewsbury between Lawrence and Frances Laganelli, who will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary on June 30. Although health issues have caused both to move a little slower, their love continues to give them strength.

When I arrived in the northwest corner of England which prompted poets and other writers to wax so eloquently, it didn’t take long to understand why.