What’s happening to my body? Where will I be living and what will I be doing in five years? Am I going to have enough money to live on? How can I get around? What should I be doing to be healthy? What do I want to do for fun? Who, in addition to my family, is there to help me?

The concerns of adolescents and those of older adults have certain common themes. Both groups deal with potentially stressful periods of change leading into uncharted territories. Adolescents can seek structure and understanding through their parents, school, friends and activities. Seniors don’t always have those kinds of opportunities and find themselves going it alone.

This column will be dedicated to that second “coming of age” that all of us pass through if we are fortunate to live that long. We’ll examine some of the issues connected with the later years of our lives. We don’t have all the answers, but we will bring awareness to the questions, considerations and key resources for finding practical courses of action.

We recommend the East King County Resource Guide for Older Adults and Their Families, by the Kirkland Senior Council and EvergreenHealth for information about a wide variety of resources. Look for it on line at www.kirklandwa.gov or request a paper copy by emailing rschubiger@kirklandwa.gov.

“Coming of Age… Again” is edited by the Kirkland Senior Council, a group the City of Kirkland created in 2001 to advocate for older adults in our community. The council is made up of people living or working in Kirkland who want to help improve and maintain the quality of life for people in Kirkland as they grow older. Membership is open throughout the year.