MSI Press Blog

  Excerpt from Old and On Hold   Eating through a Pandemic The food supply chain has been turned upside down, creating unusual problems wherein some farmers are tossing milk or burying vegetables while people are lined up at food banks without adequate supplies of food. As of this writing ,we are being told that meat processing has been affected by plant workers being struck with COVID-19. A threat of meat shortage can create food insecurity and the desire to hoard which, of course, requires a way to store larger quantities of food. People without means, including elderly on fixed incomes living in small spaces, can’t hoard. We can expect that grocers will put some limits on the amount bought just as stores did with toilet paper and paper towels. I thank my grocer every time I go in for the effort to provide and, in some cases, “police” our good intentions for the good of all. Stress and boredom are triggers for overindulging. Sugary and salty foods offer temporary satisfaction and com

  The following is an excerpt from the award-winning book, Women. We're Only Old Once (Bertha Cooper) that seems particularly appropriate as the new year begins:  I have been frankly humbled by this experience of entering the last phase of my life. I, so far, have humble thoughts, the most important include being honest about my grief and, in the end, letting go of it. I try to honor the important losses of friends, accept the devaluation of my work, shrug off the newest arthritic finger bump, and pay attention to new thoughts and aspirations that never before had room in my life. Quite important, as you will see in later chapters, I encourage investment in well-being. Among my hopes in sharing this journey with you is that we will honor our bodies, which are changing daily, by taking care of them and will cherish our remaining relationships. We can anticipate that new thoughts and aspirations will begin entering from unexpected places as we clear out denial and grieving. Welcomin

  Congratulations to MSI Press author Bertha Cooper on her book, Women, We're Only Old Once, being selected for the Phoenix Award (Best New Voice) in the category of Health and Fitness. For more posts about Bertha and her book, click HERE .

  Great review of Bertha Cooper's book, Women We're Only Old Once , from MidWest Book Review: Very highly and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of all women whatever their age, "Women, We're Only Old Once!" is exceptionally well written and presented, making it a unique and certain to be enduringly popular addition to senior citizen and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections for women readers. Read the rest of the review HERE . Read more posts about Bertha and her books HERE

  The following is an excerpt from Women, We're Only Old Once: Keep What You Can, Let Go of What You Can't, Enjoy What You Have Left . What’s Really Happening to Our Face and Skin?  “Everything is just breaking down … it just is,” Dr. Haycox told me matter-of-factly in her captivating English accent.(personal interview 11/04/10). Skin is the largest organ of our body and the first to show the signs of aging. Just like our vital internal organs, skin is regenerating at a slower pace; unlike our internal organs, we can see it. Of course, a life without skin is unimaginable, but it is lost on most of us that the skin is a complex organ without which we would not have protection, body temperature control, pain or pleasure sensations, hair, and padding. We also wouldn’t have the body contours and structure that shape our faces, our expressions, and bodies.  Skin is flexible and accommodating of thin figures and obese figures, although once skin is stretched over an obese build for

  Old and On Hold was recently released on kindle. Get your copy HERE . Written for active vulnerable elders by a vulnerable elder, this book provides unique perspective on the meaning, adjustment, and management of "stay at home." Others made vulnerable by a pandemic will find support, practical guides and relevance in managing life disrupted by an invisible threat and a nation struggling to save itself. For more posts about Bertha and her work, click HERE .

FINDING OPPORTUNITY DURING THE PANDEMIC Making the Possible Possible We are older. We are vulnerable. We are taking our place as spectators of those younger and on the front lines of taking care of the ill and providing essential services. We are less able to see those who are working from home unless they appear in one of those boxes on the grid of people commenting on today’s news. We are missing being with some of our favorite people and doing some of our favorite things, but, for the moment, we’ve right sized our life during a pandemic to meet the needs of our unique selves and those for whom we care. No doubt we’ve had moments of what’s being called “quarantine fatigue.” A friendly grocery clerk likened it to the movie, Ground Hog Day , in which the same story repeats daily. Sometimes, we feel great progress is being made, and sometimes, we think it will never change. Depending upon the extent we’ve been directly exposed to the tragedy of COVID-19, we may be wonde

Released today --  Old and On Hold: Aging in Place during a Pandemic . Written for active vulnerable elders by a vulnerable elder, this book provides unique perspective on the meaning, adjustment, and management of “stay at home.”  Others made vulnerable by a pandemic will find support, practical guides and relevance in managing life disrupted by an invisible threat and a nation struggling to save itself. This is the fifth book in the pandemic series. To see other books in the series, click HERE .