-
Book Review: In the Houses of Their Dead, by Terry Alford
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez
In the Houses of Their Dead” by Terry Alford
c.2022, Liveright
$27.95 320 pagesYou’re talking to yourself again.
That’s okay: it helps sort your thoughts, calm your brain, and settle your mind. But you’re not just talking to yourself: it may sound funny but it’s comforting to have one-sided conversations with people who would’ve shared their valuable wisdom, if they were still alive. You talk to those who gone sometimes, and in “In the Houses of Their Dead” by Terry Alford, you’ll see how that’s a habit that’s been around awhile.
Even for the early 1800s, Edwin Booth grew up in an unconventional household.
His father was an alcoholic actor who was prone to eccentricity, and he forced young Edwin to become his traveling companion and handler when the boy was just twelve years old. Edwin’s mother had lost a number of her children to nineteenth-century diseases. His younger siblings – especially Asia and John Wilkes – were as melodramatic as their father. As you might expect, the family was drawn toward the new mania for spiritualism.
-
The Twist Podcast #195: Pride Tarts and Rainbow Catnip, Texas Teases Secession, and the Week in Headlines
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we suggest some Pride merch and social justice swag, bid a please-do goodbye to Texas,offer up our Twist Top recommendations, and scan the week in headline horrors.
-
Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: Coping with the Role Reversal when Caring for Aging Parents
By Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
The following excerpt is reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources.
The term role reversal often comes up when talking about caregiving. It’s a logical idea, right? Suddenly you’re the one telling your parents what they need to do, trying to cajole them into a doctor’s visit, or even helping them out in the bathroom.
How do you cope with this role reversal when caring for aging parents?
There are plenty of approaches that you can take to support yourself as a caregiver, including self-compassion techniques and learning to set boundaries.
But, there’s something even more critical to talk about.
To put it simply – caregiving isn’t a role reversal.
Sure, the situation can feel like a role reversal at times, like when you’re trying to prevent yet another incontinence accident. Yet, there are also some clear differences, ones that need to considered.
-
Steve Hayes’ Tired Old Queen at the Movies: Bette Davis in ‘Dark Victory’
From Steve Hayes’ Tired Old Queen at the Movies (YouTube):
Bette Davis gives an unforgettable performance as a woman on borrowed time, in her personal favorite of all her films, Edmund Goulding’s DARK VICTORY (’39). Costarring George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Ronald Reagan and the refreshing Irish actress Geraldine Fitzgerald, in her screen debut, it’s a lush, romantic, melodrama that will keep you in tears and on the edge of your seat as you watch one of the legendary actresses do what seemingly nobody did better. Stream DARK VICTORY now! https://amzn.to/3wXKwDx
-
Cat Talk Radio with Molly DeVoss and Co-Host Dewey: Your Cat Is Not a Dog
Welcome to a new shared feature at LGBTSr: Molly DeVoss’s Cat Talk Radio Podcast. Molly is a certified cat behaviorist who helped us a few years ago when we first adopted out cats Wilma and Peanut. There were some behavior issues, and Molly gave us excellent advice. She’s had her podcast for a few years now, and I want to share it with readers of LGBTSr. Have a questions about cats? Molly has a podcast for that!
In this week’s episode, Molly and Dewey discuss the mistake some people make of treating their cats the same way they would treat dogs.
-
Savvy Senior: How to Choose a Medicare Supplemental (Medigap) Policy
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I’m planning to enroll in original Medicare in a few months and have been told I probably need to get a Medicare supplemental policy too. Can you offer any tips on selecting one?
Almost 65
Dear Almost,
If you’re enrolling in original Medicare, getting a supplemental policy (also known as Medigap insurance) too is a smart idea because it will help pay for things that aren’t covered by Medicare like copayments, coinsurance and the Part A deductible. Here are some tips to help you choose an appropriate plan.
-
The Weekly Readlines June 19
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) offers news you can use every week. You can view the archives here.
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES First the good news: President Biden issued an executive order that protects LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy. The order also expands access to comprehensive health care, addresses LGBTQ discrimination in foster care, strengthens support for older LGBTQ adults, and promotes increased federal data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Meanwhile on the dark side, three homes burned down when a Pride flag was set on fire in a Baltimore neighborhood.
-
Savvy Senior: How to Get Underutilized COVID Funeral Assistance Funds
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I recently saw a news segment on TV about a government funeral assistance program available to families who lost loved ones during the pandemic. What can you tell me about this? I lost my 78-year-old mother to COVID in 2021 and want to find out if I’m still eligible for any funeral funds, and if so, what I need to do to get them.
Still Sad
Dear Sad,
I’m very sorry about the loss of your mother. The government program you are asking about is the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or FEMA). This program is part of the American Rescue Plan, a stimulus package passed in 2021 in an effort to help the country financially manage amid the pandemic.
This program, which has no end date, offers up to $9,000 to cover the cost of a funeral for someone who died of COVID-19 as far back as January 2020.
Unfortunately, less than half the people believed eligible for funeral assistance have actually applied for it. Here’s what you should know about the program’s requirements and how to apply.
-
The Twist Podcast #194: Cashing In On Pride, Seditious Conspiracy Blues, and Hot Time at the School Board Tonight
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we survive the crumbling American empire, ponder the corporate Pride craze from Whoppers to Pride-cicles, and talk about this week’s headlines. Plus Twist Tops, listicles, and a move to Thursdays!
-
The Weekly Readlines June 10
The Weekly Readlines (rhymes with headlines!) offers news you can use every week. You can view the archives here.
Quote for the Week: “Pain is always political. It’s just that we allow politics and politicians to decide whose pain counts and whose does not.” – Dahlia Lithwick BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES First the good news: the January 6th Commission finally began public hearings, available to everyone but Fox viewers. More adults across all ethic groups identify as LGBT, and Rebel Wilson found true love with her very own ‘Disney Princess.’ So sweet.
The Free Dystopia of Florida continued its assault on transgender people, seeking to deny Medicaid coverage for life-saving and medically accepted treatments. Texas state representative Bryan Slaton joined the lone star freakshow by demanding a ban on kids at drag shows, with parents losing their parental rights if they take little Suzie to see her favorite Guncle Brad doing Liza in her prime. Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, and hate some more.
Lastly, in a collapsing American empire that has no bottom, feral pigs live to be shot another day by farmers with AR-15s. No comment yet on feral children.
-
Ronni Sanlo’s This Day in Lesbian Herstory (June 3 – 9)
Ronni Sanlo’s This Day in Lesbian Herstory makes the past ever-present with daily rundowns of historic events and people.
Ronni Sanlo
THIS DAY in LESBIAN HERSTORY -
Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: Sleep Medication Risks and Alternatives for Seniors
By Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
The following excerpt is reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources.
Many people struggle with sleeping, for a wide range of different reasons. These issues often get worse with age and with any chronic health problems.
In some cases, the solution may be as simple, such as following healthy sleep practices, ensuring that bedtime is roughly the same each night and avoiding bright light in the evening.
However, many seniors find that sleeping problems persist, even if they had no such issues in their younger years. This pattern often leads to sleeping medication. Such medication can be effective in the short-term. But, only be considered when no other options are available, as there are multiple risks and side effects.