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Keynote urges simple habits for aging well: lists, teams and calling friends
Summary
Sue Fairman urged attendees to build a small support team, set daily routines (including naming three things to be grateful for) and to act on difficult tasks first; she described grief as personal and non‑linear and encouraged volunteering and reinvention.
Sue Fairman delivered the luncheon keynote about life after loss, reinvention and practical habits for later life. She urged attendees to assemble a team — "an attorney, a financial planner, a healthcare person, and a realtor" — to help manage legal, financial and housing decisions, and to do the hardest tasks first so the remainder of the day feels easier. She recommended a daily gratitude practice: "you say out loud in front of Mira 3 things you're grateful for today," and said the exercise helps start the day on a positive note.
Fairman reflected on grief and reinvention, describing grief as variable and personal: "There's no time limit. There's no one telling you how to do this." She also encouraged audience members to give back through time and volunteering and offered small, practical tips — from balance exercises to taking scheduled phone visits with friends at 5:00 p.m. — as ways to preserve connection and build resilience.
