Camp Codger

Codger snowbirds? Us? You betcha! We're off for a short visit to Arizona to join our fellow senior citizens in a game of pickleball, a dip in the pool, and hikes in the warm sunshine. Surprisingly enough, even Gary decided that being a snowbird had its good sides. Randy came to that conclusion long ago and Richard has emerged as a confirmed "sunbird". The old codgers appreciated the opportunity to get away from the snow for a few days as they investigate what it means to be a snowbird. What...

Classic TV of the 50s and 60s included shows ranging from I Love Lucy to Bonanza to The Ed Sullivan Show. Many of the genres such as sitcoms, dramas, and Westerns are still with us today, but variety shows have largely disappeared. Our venues have changed dramatically, too. No longer does the whole family gather in the living room around the huge TV box to watch. We are no longer transfixed by the limited, black-and-white offerings on ABC, NBC, and CBS. Today, the family disappears to their...

Seniors and volunteering can seem tightly coupled. After all, who else has the free time that is available to most retired senior citizens? We also like the idea of "giving back" to the communities that nurtured us as we were earning a living and raising our families seems good. But is it for everybody? The old codgers admit that they have not been the most active volunteers for a variety of reasons. Gary even confesses to just not being the volunteering type. In this episode, the guys...

The old codgers vs ChatGPT? It's certainly not the battle of the century. In fact, it's just the old counselors at Camp Codger asking for your assistance. Listen to this short plea for help as they plan an episode about what ChatGPT means for senior citizens. Then send Gary an email (gary@campcodger.com) with your ideas for questions or requests they can put to the world's newly famous robot. R2D2 and 3-CPO, mover over. There's a new sheriff in town. Would you like to hear when the old...

How to not get scammed should be easy for senior citizens. We're experienced, wise old folks who learned, when we were children, the golden rule of scam avoidance—if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Yet the FBI reports that people over 60 lost $1.7 billion to fraud in 2021. Today's challenge is simply the pervasiveness of online scamming. When we were growing up, fraudsters needed to show up on our doorstep to sell us over-priced, poor-quality aluminum siding. Today, a scammer,...

The secrets to a happy life are pretty basic as the old codgers discover. A recent book by the leaders of the long-running (84 years!) Harvard Study on Adult Development reports that one path to achieving happiness in our golden years is quite straightforward—senior citizens who have good relationships are happier. The authors lay out different practices to help develop and nurture relationships of all types. They range from long-running, intimate relationships with our life partners to...

Forks in the road confront all of us. Most are relatively trivial, but we all have faced major decisions that changed the course of our lives. The old codgers examine some of the life-determining choices they have made. Career choices and where to live are often at the top of the list of critical forks in the road. The codgers all made these choices, frequently early in their lives, but they also made decisions in their golden years that represented major life changes. Fortunately, their...

Too much stuff!! Isn't that a common complaint when we head out to the garage or go to our offices? After 60, 70, or 80 years on this planet, most of us have collected more stuff than we really use. Unfortunately, the process of getting rid of clothes we will never wear again, tools we don't use, books we have already read, and other ephemera gathering dust around our homes is not as easy as it should be. In this episode, the old codgers examine their own "too much stuff" problem and offer...

Get your butt off the couch! It's Randy's strongly worded suggestion that exercise makes a real difference in our physical and mental health. The first step is easy—stand up and just get your butt off the couch. The old codgers describe their individual regimes for exercise as well as acknowledge that, as they have grown older, their physical limitations are beginning to constrain what they can do. The good news is there are still many paths to finding enjoyable and beneficial exercise even...

Seniors and pets go together. Survey data shows that over half of folks in their golden years have pets. However, there are pros and cons to pet ownership. As owners know, there is nothing quite like the unconditional love of a dog, but having a pet has downsides. As we get older, sometimes just the simple act of caring for a pet can seem overwhelming. For many, the costs can seem prohibitive with expensive vet bills. And the logistics of finding pet care for active senior citizens who...

Go with the flow is the 2023 mantra for the old codgers. In this episode, the guys ramble on about subjects ranging from dealing with the holiday season (it's finally over) to using turn signals. They discuss running an experiment where they would lock away their constant companions (you know, their cell phones) for 23 hours a day. No takers since they are all confirmed users of communications technology even if it does seem maddening at times. They agreed they could hardly go with the flow...

In this "holiday special" episode, we introduce the codger wives who have become a regular part of the podcast as we mention them often during our episodes. Patti, Alison, and Bee share a little about themselves and tell us what they like about the podcast. They also make excellent suggestions about topics we might cover in future episodes. So, join us in the last episode of the year to meet the codger wives. The old codgers are in complete agreement that these lovely women are our much...

Sleep challenges of seniors are frequent topics of conversation. Most of us have experienced the occasional bout of insomnia, but many senior citizens find it increasingly persistent as they get older. In this episode, Richard vividly documents a recent bout of insomnia that kept him up for several hours in the middle of the night. He reports that he used to sleep like a baby until he hit his mid-70s. We shouldn't be surprised that the sleep challenges of seniors are so prevalent. Research...

This week, the old codgers deliver money-saving tips for seniors. Their ideas range from simple practicality like always grocery shopping with a list that helps avoid wasteful impulse buying to saving money on books. Many senior citizens may already be using Richard's suggestion to take public transit more often. Gary's take on using food packing expiration dates more wisely might strike many as a bit risky but, it's not. Done carefully, it's a technique that can save money by not tossing...

Ills and pills. Sometimes it seems like it’s the number one topic of discussion at the table when a gaggle of senior citizens gathers for dinner or coffee. And it’s natural. Our aging bodies are beginning to fail us in our golden years and retirement gives us time to ponder our increasing infirmities. A game that one of the old codgers likes to play is to quietly track how long it takes during a gathering of his aging cohort before the first mention of the aches and pains of growing older....

The "best bands of the 60s" is often a popular topic of discussion when old codgers get together. In this Camp Codger episode, we take a trip down memory lane to reminisce about our favorite bands and musical artists. We touch on the obvious great bands like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Rolling Stones, but we also take side trips during our musical journey and recall other, lesser-known favorite artists. Richard reminded us of the prolific Leon Russell while Gary brought back one of...

Whether you celebrate the season with utter abandon or just hunker down and try to survive Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day, a holiday survival guide might be in order. As you might expect, the old codgers have a range of opinions on how to handle the holiday season. In this episode, we explore the challenges of Christmas tree lights that don't work and buying the perfect gift. We also look at the pleasures of big dinners with family and friends as well as starting an ugly...

Are retirement communities on the horizon for the old codgers? As they look forward to another winter of shoveling snow, the guys wonder when they are ready to consider the big move. They discuss whether the advantages of warm weather and endless leisure activities are right for them if they head to the Sun Belt. Retirement communities affiliated with universities are attractive alternatives for lifelong learners. And then there is the looming elephant in the room—the challenge of downsizing...

Birthday celebrations for seniors are top of mind for the old codgers this week. They discuss how they like to celebrate their birthdays (Gary quietly celebrated his 74th last week), their best birthdays, and whether they like birthday parties. Gift ideas for seniors are on the agenda as well as the sad decline in sending real paper birthday cards, not digital "cards". When it comes to birthday celebrations for seniors, the guys do represent diverse views ranging from "Meh, don't bother me"...

In this episode, the old codgers offer a few travel tips for seniors they learned during their recent adventures on the road, in the air, and while in Europe. While the news reports about the challenges of air travel can seem overwhelming at times, we suggest a few travel tips that can make it a bit easier on the body and soul. Travel in our golden years can be exciting, frequently fun, and almost always memorable. Folks who follow our travel tips for seniors may find their trips less hectic...