With Age Comes Adventure-Filled Bucket List for Abernethy Laurels Octogenarian

Mickey Glickman soars across the Charlotte, N.C. ziplining course.

By Shaylyn Ladd, director of community engagement, United Church Homes and Services

Mickey Glickman craves real adventure. At the top of her adventure list is ziplining.

Glickman, 82, has always considered herself daring. In late summer, the retirement community where she lives had a trip planned to the coast, but when a hurricane was expected to make landfall, the trip was canceled. Glickman was disappointed. She wanted to be on the beach when the hurricane arrived to feel the strong winds and jump in the choppy ocean water. And when Glickman and her friends went on a cruise a few months back, she could not wait to go down the spiraling slide that started on the 14th deck of the cruise ship.

In October, Glickman mentioned to a staff member at UCC-related Abernethy Laurels — a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Newton, N.C. — that she really wanted to go ziplining.

“Mickey shared with me that she had been wanting to go for a long time,” says Greg Rossidivito, director of life enrichment at Abernethy Laurels. “At first I thought she was joking, but she wasn’t.”

Rossidivito nominated Glickman for Grant a Dream, a program through the United Church Homes and Services community that strives to create experiences and special moments for older adults. Glickman was selected. One Friday, Rossidivito and Glickman went to the U.S. Whitewater Center in Charlotte and soared through the air, exactly like Glickman had dreamed of doing. The experience was as wonderful as she expected it to be.

“Gliding through the air was so exhilarating,” says Glickman. “I had wanted to zipline for years, but never felt like I had the right opportunity. Now at 82 years old, the timing just felt right.”

Glickman says she has always been considered a little daring, but her desire for adventure has grown stronger with age. When asked what her family thought of her recent ziplining experience, Glickman responds, “Nothing really surprises them anymore. They are glad that I’m having fun and living life to the fullest.”

Next on Glickman’s bucket list is rafting in the Colorado River.

Reprinted with permission.