In 2014, the Milken Institute named Madison one of the top five “Best Cities for Successful Aging” based on access to health care, job opportunities and lifestyle factors. After developing this special edition of the Northside News on seniors and aging, I am not surprised.

The following pages reveal a remarkable array of services, resources and dedicated professionals who spend every day working to improve the quality of life of the seniors living in our community: helping them remain safely independent for as long as they choose; helping them live active, healthy lifestyles; combatting the social isolation that can accompany aging. We are very lucky on the Northside to have such a compassionate, attentive place to grow old together.

Along with stories of the ways we assist our seniors are the stories of what seniors have to offer us. People like Sandy Schmidt and Barbara Arnold  who take their life experiences and apply them to helping others are just two examples of the many seniors who give back to their community long after retirement. Our youth edition always has stories about the importance of seniors as mentors and tutors in the lives of our children.

The Northside of Madison traditionally has had a higher than average concentration of seniors compared to the rest of the city. This provides us with a treasure trove of wisdom and experience, especially when we can provide a mutually supportive community for all to live in.

Thank an Advertiser Today
I have spent a lot of time thinking about our advertisers this month. January is the month when most of our annual advertising contracts come due, and, usually, most are renewed. Each year at this time, we enter into a new agreement with many of our advertisers to print the next six issues of the Northside News for our mutual benefit. By advertising with us, they support their community newspaper, and by extension, I hope, the Northside. And, in return, their advertising dollars are an investment in their business and the local economy. Many of these are small, locally owned businesses, and I know that they spend a significant portion of their advertising budget on the Northside News.

As we prepare for our 20th Anniversary edition of the Northside News in April/May, I am struck by how lucky we are to be mostly self-sustaining in this era of declining print media. In case our advertisers are not aware, I want them to know that we don’t take this granted. We are grateful for the strong relationship we have with our business community and strive to honor that by producing a quality publication that we hope makes their jobs easier and the Northside proud.