The Scoop Take the Plunge
If you’d rather watch fish than catch them, try diving. Certified scuba divers
age 60-plus increased by 47 percent worldwide from 2005 to 2010, reports the
Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI); those 50 to 59 grew by
14 percent. That’s because diving is an adventure-filled and relatively low-risk
sport, says PADI vice president Bob Coleman, and the older you are, the more
time you have to pursue it. Plus, you can dive wherever there’s water—oceans,
lakes, even pools. “I’m hooked,” says new diver Winky King, 58, of Dover,
Massachusetts. “The fish, the vegetation, the color of the water as you travel
from depth to depth—I love it all!” Want to jump in? You’ll have to get certified
to go deeper than 60 feet, but entry-level dives are available at many resorts.
(Most proficient swimmers can complete full classroom and pool training in
about 25 hours.) Find certification programs at PADI.com or NAUI.org; e-courses
start at $130, while full courses range from $100 to $350. —Kayleigh Kulp
CHICKS IN THE CITY
Adults 50-plus have a
new cause célèbre: the
right to keep chickens.
Urbanites nationwide
are successfully chal-
lenging city councils to
allow small backyard
coops, making the hob-
by mainstream. The
number of cities easing
restrictions has more
than doubled in the
past two years, says
Gretchen Anderson, au-
thor of The Backyard
Chicken Fight. “People
keep chickens to know
where their food comes
from, to produce fresh
eggs, and for natural
pest control,” says Cheryl
Long of Mother Earth
News. In cities like L.A.
and Portland, Oregon,
the passion for poultry
is so big that some
firms offer chicken-
sitting. “If you keep
coops clean, chickens
don’t stink or spread
disease,” Anderson
adds. The coop de grace:
Rooster bans in many
cities (hens only,
please) mean little to
no noise. —Laura Daily
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: MASTERFILE; BENJAMIN RONDEL/GETTY IMAGES; ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVER MUNDAY
ARE YOU DATING A CROOK? When dating online, there’s no guarantee your“perfect” match
isn’t on the wanted list. So more older adults—the fastest-growing users of dating sites—are doing online
background checks. MyMatchChecker.com and BeenVerified.com give quick access to public records and
compile info in a handy, pre-date report. For about $15 you can learn people’s ages, addresses, and criminal
history. Services can’t reveal credit histories, and they can search marriage or divorce records in only about
40 percent of states. But they can help you learn if your Prince Charming is more sinister than sweet. —L.D.
