July/August 2023

Older adults born into an analog world still prefer hands-on, face-to-face, mechanical interactions. Regardless, they’ve adapted to digital ways of doing business and managing everyday interactions, from online banking to entertainment streaming, telemedicine appointments and Zoom calls. Even so, the pace of change in the digital world is overwhelming. ...

POP CULTURE CHRONICLES
Sketchy Stuff: Leon, the Art Teacher & Me

By Mike Olszewski

I’m out of space.

Four free-standing shelves and a custom-made wall unit are filled, and I still have books that need a home. One of those is a massive new book about a personal hero, Leon Russell.  

Leon who? Trust me, you’ve heard his work, and “Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock & Roll History” by Bill Janovitz (Hachette Books) does a stellar job of covering it all. 

At 590+ pages, it’s the definitive book about one of the driving forces of rock and roll. From his early days in Oklahoma, working as an L.A. studio musician with everyone from Sinatra to the Beach Boys, his days with Joe Cocker, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and even Willie Nelson… Janovitz covers it all.  

A Legend
Back in high school (when you were told to get your hair cut if it touched the top of your ears) Leon had hair down to his elbows under a big tophat. He was a role model for kids trying to be hippies. 

I had an art class with a teacher who, oddly enough, was not a very good artist. She assigned us a project to design a stained-glass window. During study hall, I did a simple sketch of Leon Russell. I got called out for the design and turned in a half-hearted mosaic. I got an A and kept the sketch.

My wife and I caught Leon every time he toured: The two-hour show at Blossom Music Center (with a four-hour wait to get out of the parking lot), the rain-soaked show at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, and every club date at the Empire, the Beachland Ballroom and many more.

Leon developed some health issues and when we went to visit him at Wilbert’s, we saw him zip by on an electric scooter looking like a white-haired Cousin Itt in a cowboy hat.

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If you're in the mood for a not-too-far road trip that combines beautiful scenery and great wine, we've got an itinerary for you: the Seneca area of New York's Finger Lakes region. NEO Boomer magazine's resident wine expert offers her recommendations for where to go and what to sip when you get there. ...

We need a life philosophy to put events into perspective; otherwise, we are at the mercy of events. It’s like going on a trip without a destination. We need to know where we are going and have a plan or a map to help us get there while preparing for detours and delays. ...

Uncooperative victims and the crimes against them are tough to prosecute. As a result, financial abuse is one of the least-reported but likely most common ways older adults are mistreated. ...

From the sweet taste of funnel cakes to salty, fresh-cut fries, festivals and fairs extend the season of fun from now through early fall. Come on out to see, do and eat your way through Ohio’s midways and fairgrounds. ...

Soak up Summer Wonders before seasons change again in Northeast Ohio. This July-August issue of Northeast Ohio Boomer magazine offers a freshly-picked crop of local stories that impact us, here and now. ...

Soak up Summer Wonders before seasons change again in Northeast Ohio. This July-August issue of Northeast Ohio Boomer magazine offers a freshly-picked crop of local stories that impact us, here and now.

As you can see by our cover, we caught up with former TV anchor Romona Robinson. She’s been busy spreading her inspiring message to people here and throughout the country. We found her charmingly candid about her encore career and her next chapter. Read the details starting on page 20.

Meanwhile, regional festivals and fairs will keep you busy from now through fall. We highlight some of our favorites in this issue (see page 26). 

If technology is making you crazy, you’re not alone. At a recent tech fair for older adults in Geauga County, we heard all about how folks struggle with their smartphones, tablets and apps. Read what they had to say (page 11) and then find out how technology can help people who are hard of hearing. Our columnist Tak Sato fills us in (page 10).

But that’s just the beginning. In this issue, also read about a local caretaker of Hollywood history, a wine country road trip, financial elder abuse, choosing happiness, personal style and life space design tips, and so much more!

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