February 25, 2026 | By The Active Age
Editor’s note: The Active Age periodically publishes ratings of nursing homes in Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties taken from medicare.gov, the federal government’s official source for Medicare information. The overall ratings, ranging from much above average to much below average, are based on three sources: health inspections, staffing and quality measures. You can find more […]
| By The Active Age
TOPEKA — Advocates for Kansas’ elderly are warning that a projected budget shortfall jeopardizes in-home services that help keep older residents from being sent to nursing homes prematurely. Dan Goodman, executive director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care, testified before House and Senate committees of the Kansas Legislature this session. Goodman told both that a […]
| By Joe Norris
PIQUA, Kan. — Just inside the front door of Rural Water District #1 headquarters, there’s a lady behind a wooden desk. She’s talking to someone on the telephone. She sizes us up, decides that we aren’t locals with a water problem, and points at the door to a darkened room. “The museum’s there on your […]
| By Diana Wolfe
Why is a teenage girl renting rooms to customers at a motel on South Broadway? Because it’s 1957 and her parents own the place. That girl was me, and I worked at our family motel as counter attendant, room maid, switchboard operator and whatever else was needed. I was 12 years old in 1956 […]
| By Tammara Fogle
When John Saindon bought the Kansas Sunflower Swap Meet a decade ago, he was hoping for a return on his investment. But not for himself. Saindon planned to donate all profits from the event to AbilityPoint, which serves children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Astute businessman that he is — Saindon owns Ron’s […]
| By Ted Blankenship
Ted Blankenship, longtime columnist for The Active Age, died in January at age 97. Blankenship was born in El Dorado, Kan., on Sept. 29, 1928, and grew up in the oil fields of Teeterville, now a ghost town in the Flint Hills. As a teenager, he played trumpet and sang professionally on a radio station […]
| By Tammara Fogle
Library book sale The Friends of the Wichita Public Library will hold its next sale of donated books from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Advanced Learning Library, 711 W. 2nd St. Customers can buy a FWPL cloth tote bag and fill it for $10 or bring a previously purchased FWPL […]
| By Tammara Fogle
Water rebates offered The city of Wichita is offering rebates of up to $100 for the purchase of water-saving devices and drought- tolerant landscaping. The rebates will be made in the form of credits to residents’ water accounts, and up to five items per account are allowed. Qualifying purchases include indoor and outdoor irrigation controllers, […]
| By Nancy Wheeler
The answers to these questions all have something to do with the name of this month. You have your marching orders! Answers appear at right. 1. What popular term refers to the annual NCAA Division 1 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments? 2. What nickname was given to John Philip Sousa for composing classics like “The […]
| By Amy Geiszler-Jones
March brings its own kind of madness for members of the Wichita Caledonia Pipes and Drums group. That’s when the drone of their bagpipes and cadence of their drums are in high demand because of St. Patrick’s Day. This month, the band will play about a dozen public and private gigs on Saturday, March 14, […]
| By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior, What are the rules regarding inherited IRAs? My brother and I recently inherited our father’s IRA when he passed away late last year and would like to know what we need to do to handle it properly. — Oldest Sibling […]
January 31, 2026 | By Paige Feikert
DERBY — Once an older person falls, the chances of it happening again are almost twice as likely. But an innovative fall prevention program here is bucking that statistic. So far, none of the Derby seniors who’ve been helped by the Fall Prevention Coalition have experienced a second fall. “When we started this whole thing, I […]
| By Sherry Howerton
For more than 40 years, Wichita psychiatrist Ralph Bharati has used his expertise to help unlock the doors of the minds of those experiencing mental health issues, helping thousands of patients over the decades. So after a long and successful career, what were his thoughts when he turned 80 last year? It wasn’t of vacations, […]
| By Joe Norris
HAYS — For as long as teenage boys’ bedrooms have had windows, young gentlemen have been sneaking out at night to meet up with a girl. Hays isn’t the only Kansas town where that’s happened. But it may be the only town in America where multiple generations have all attempted to hook up with the […]
| By Ted Ayres
“Deadbeats, Dead Balls, and the 1914 Boston Braves,” by Martin H. Bush (The Kent State University Press, 2025, 373 pages, $32.95) Serving as vice president of academic resources at Wichita State University, Martin H. Bush was largely responsible for creation of the Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art, which opened on the WSU campus in […]
| By Bob Rives
CASSODAY — Ever drive the Kansas turnpike and long to stop and walk across the Flint Hills, at least part of them? There is a new way to do just that. It’s a series of walking trails through a three-and-a-half square-mile area east of Cassoday known as the Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie Preserve (not to […]
| By Dale Goter
When my neighbor recently informed me that Kansas residents 75 years and older can hunt and fish for free without a license, I decided it was time to take up fishing. At 78 years of age, it’s useful to find things to do, so I went to the website of the Kansas Department of Parks […]
| By Nancy Wheeler
Editor’s note: Our quiz master Nancy Wheeler gave us two love-themed quizzes to pick from for February. We liked both too much to choose, so here they are. The answers appear on page 23. Movie romance What movies gave us these memorable lines about love and which actors delivered them ? 1. “You had me […]
| By The Active Age
The city of Wichita will hold a special 1% sales tax election March 3. Voting is open to voters who live within the city limits. Registration to vote in the election runs through Feb. 10. Voters can vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 3. Early in-person voting is available at the Sedgwick […]
| By The Active Age
Northwest Lions Chili Feed The Northwest Lions Club will host its annual chili feed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Ability Point, 2919 W. 2nd St. Tickets are $10; it’s $5 for kids ages 5-10 and free for 4 and under. The meal includes all-you-can eat chili, dessert, chips and coffee […]
| By Joe Stumpe
Call it strategic eating. When one reaches a certain stage of life, and one’s metabolism is no longer that of a teenager, but one still enjoys the occasional indulgent meal, some strategizing comes into play. One eats lightly for lunch, say, and not-so-lightly later. Or vice versa. But, of course, the light meal must be […]
| By Joe Stumpe
“I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.” —Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire” The Active Age is more fortunate than Tennessee William’s famous character, Blanche DuBois. This publication has depended on the best kind of friend — its readers — for support since its inception in 1979. Early last year, even that seemed […]
| By Starla Criser
Seniors on the Go is growing. The group was formed to support local cultural organizations and to help older adults take part in their events and programs. Its next monthly meeting is at 1:30 p.m. at Linwood Senior Center. Here are four upcoming events members plan to attend: • “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” 8 […]
| By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior, What are the most popular ages that people start taking their Social Security retirement benefits? I’m turning 62 later this year and trying to decide when to start taking my benefits. — Born in 64 Dear 64, You can sign up to begin your Social Security retirement benefits any time after age […]
| By Diana Morton
Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre. The Golden Girls. The girls are back for their ninth season. Join Tom, Scott, Kyle, Monte and Christine for all-new episodes of The Golden Girls where zaniness abounds. Jan 23 – March 7. Doors open at 6:30 pm; show begins at 7:30 pm Wed-Sat. and Sat. matinée 2 […]