With Mother’s Day just over a week away, the Well column in Tuesday’s NY Times, Thriving at Age 70 and Beyond, is timely and worthwhile.. It provides understandings, information and insights for those of us with older mothers and grandmothers and–for women in their 70’s and beyond who face a myriad of changes and challenges.

Jane Brody begins by discussing a recently published book, “70Candles! Women Thriving in Their 8th Decade,”  saying it “inspired me to take a closer look at how I’m doing as I approach 75 and how I might make the most of the years to come. It would be a good idea for women in my age cohort to do likewise. With a quarter of American women age 65 expected to live into their 90s, there could be quite a few years to think about.”

I remember Sr. Advisor R, at 98,  judgmentally reporting a relative 30 years her junior asking her if she ever thought about dying. I don’t remember how R answered that question other than thinking how inappropriate it was.

Jane Brody puts it another way: “It’s not the first time I’ve considered the implications of longevity.,” She then shares a fear, talks about the toll age takes, and suggests that the information in “70 Candles”  illuminates the most important issues facing older women, and how society could help ease their way into the future. “What are the most important issues facing these women as they age, and how might society help ease their way into the future? Leading topics the women chose to explore included work and retirement, ageism, coping with functional changes, caretaking, living arrangements, social connections, grandparenting and adjusting to loss and death.”

Reading Jane Brody’s Thriving at Age 70 and Beyond gives us insights into mothers and grandmothers–and even ourselves; and for creative adult children, it could spark ideas for Mother’s Day gifts.

I especially love my friend Linda’s creative frame below (not part of the column, but included in the Great Gifts tab above). Linda hand-decorated this picture frame for a Mother’s Day gift, using old buttons, chains, orphaned earrings, no-longer worn pins, and objects that belonged to her or her mother. And doesn’t the photo within complete the specialness.  Definitely one of a kind, lovingly personalized. What mother wouldn’t love it!.

Linda and Her Mother–a moment in time