The Free Press, Mankato, MN - Aging begs for care, humor

Fri, Aug 29 2008

Corrections | Police Logs | NIE | Special Sections |

Published: April 14, 2008 12:50 am

Aging begs for care, humor

Gerontologist informs with tips, jokes

By Brian Ojanpa
The Free Press

MANKATO — Confronting health issues as one ages isn’t the most cheery prospect, yet Regina Smith knows how to deliver that message and still draw laughs.

“You know you’re getting old when everything either dries up or leaks,” she’ll tell an audience. Then she fleshes out the one-liner with hard facts.

Smith, a retired Minnesota State gerontologist, uses cartoon projections and snappy patter to inform audiences of the health issues that accompany aging, and how to deal with them.

She focuses on senior citizen groups such as the one she spoke to recently at Summit Center in Mankato.

“You’re the first group in history that is role-modeling for the younger generation because never have people lived so long,” said Smith, who sprinkled her talk with adages such as:

“Never let the brain be idle. If an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, then Alzheimer’s is the devil.”

And: “Old is the goal we’re all trying to reach, because it beats the alternative, doesn’t it?”

For complete story, see the Monday, April 14, 2008, print edition of The Free Press or sign onto our e-edition.

Click here to access Free Press e-edition

Resources

Print this story
email this story

E-mail this story

More from the Local News section

Veepstakes update: Pawlenty 'not going to Ohio'

Big crowd, big dreams for Obama

Obama speech finds receptive audience at MSU

St. Peter fields get upgrade

More students taking AP courses

Popular business directory searches

Top Jobs

Maintenance Electrician
Maintenance Electrician

Le Sueur Incorporated is a thriving, full service foundry and die-cast business pro...>MORE

LIVINGLINKS
livinglinks.org

Part-Time Family Support Specialists
...>MORE

V TEK Inc.
V-TEK, Inc. is currently accepting applications for the following positions:
Jr. Software Engineer, Database Admini...>MORE

MANKATO CLINIC
It's All About Caring
MankatoClinicJobs >MORE

OPERATIONS TECHNICIAN
Operations Technician
Garden City, MN

Job Type: Full-Time

Position Summary

Koch Ni...>MORE

See all ads

Top Auto/Recreation

Lager's Chrysler World •Mankato
LagersChryslerWorld
Browse South Central Minnes...>MORE

See all ads

Top Real Estate/Rental

TO BE MOVED - 4 Bedroom
House for Sale! 4 bedrooms, 1.2 bath, 2 story home. 507-869-3161...>MORE

BEAUTIFUL RAVINE LOT
Beautiful
Ravine Home
90 Stony Creek Rd
4 BR, 3 BA Mankato home on fantastic 2.5 acre wooded ravine. Lar...>MORE

APARTMENTS & TOWNHOMES
The best selection. Lloyd Management, Inc. Where you're not just residents, you're family! 507-625-5573
>MORE

Spacious Apartments that you can afford all over town
Atwood Property Management Inc.
507-388-9375
Serving the Community for 70 years
>MORE

CENTURY 21 ATWOOD REALTY, INC.
AtwoodRealtyOnline

- On Lion’s Lake Park! View...>MORE

See all ads

Top Deals of the Day

The Free Press Classified Marketplace
Place your Top Deal of the Day
Contact Roxanne or Lee today!
classified@mankatofreepress.com
507-...>MORE

See all ads

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index