1 Anita Hickey Meet Leona Dickerson. Zoom

This month one of our favorite seniors, Anita Hickey, chatted with longtime Concord resident Leona Dickerson.

How long have you considered Concord your hometown?
I was born and raised in New Hampshire, however for several years my husband’s career required us to live in the Washington, D.C., area. We moved back to New Hampshire and settled down in Concord in 1967. This has been my home ever since.

What brought you back to Concord and what keeps you here?
I worked downtown for years and saw how Concord residents take pride in their city, which is made evident by how well Concord is maintained. We are fortunate to have excellent medical facilities like Concord Hospital, the state hospital and top specialists within our community. In most cases one can have all their medical needs cared for without having to travel to Boston. For years I taught adults from other countries how to speak English. I am so pleased to see the diversity of people, cultures and the goodwill atmosphere that is now visible in our community. It is fun to take part and enjoy the adult education opportunities, varied entertainment, shops and restaurants.

How do you stay busy?
I belonged to a support group for Alzheimer’s until my husband passed away. Now I am a member of NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness). We meet twice a month for education, caring and sharing for families with loved ones with no-fault chemical brain imbalances.
I always look forward to choosing courses offered through OLLI (The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.) They offer a large selection of courses, and it is a way to learn and have fun at the same time.

How do you stay active?
Once a week I take yoga classes and walk. In the summer I love to garden. My most important interest is meeting weekly with my friends. We have all been friends for years. We meet for lunch, than take in a movie or community show. Shopping is another fun thing we all like to do. In my quiet time I enjoy e-mailing my friends and doing crosswords puzzles.

With all the entertainment that Concord has to offer, what do you enjoy the most?
It is always fun to go to the New Hampshire Historical Society Museum and view the current exhibit. I like to take the art walks around the city, too. We are so fortunate to have the Walker Lectures, shows at the Capitol Center for the Arts and our own Community Players. Now Concord has the Red River Theatres that offers great and unusual movies. There is always some special event happening in our city.

As an active senior member of this community, what do you feel would improve your quality of life?
Perhaps a support group of senior men and women who have lost their spouses. When you wake up some mornings and you realize that you are now alone, it can be overwhelming. It would be wonderful to have other people that have been through this situation to converse with. I feel such a support group would be beneficial to a lot of us who could use help as we start a new phase of our life.

Do you have any suggestions for other seniors as to how to make one’s life more fulfilling?
Go back and communicate with old friends from the past. Try new group activities. Take time to visit the dog park. Whether or not you have a dog, it is fun just to go watch and talk with other dog lovers. My daily motto is “Today everything is all right.” My friends tell me “you can do anything you want” and “not to worry, not to worry.”