Ladies and gentlemen, we’re entering a new era of Minnesota Good Age.

In my five years as editor of this publication, I’ve worked hard to deliver compelling, well-written, thoroughly reported articles and opinion pieces aimed at ages 50 and older — with an emphasis on the “senior” side of that broadly defined demographic.

I think we’ve delivered on those counts, especially with our local Cover Star profiles (which we launched in 2016 with local photography); our local columnists, who offer their personal insights; and shorter pieces about housing, caregiving, wellness and much more.

But now, having achieved a certain level of excellence, we’ve decided to kick things up a notch! In this month’s issue, you’ll notice not just an engaging and fascinating cover story about beloved Twin Cities theater star T. Mychael Rambo (above) — what a gem! — you’ll also find an in-depth story about one woman’s double hip replacement.

At age 69, Minneapolis senior Susan Schaefer didn’t want to undergo this major surgery, but she did. And she’s sharing her personal insights about the ups and downs of recovery. Susan’s beautifully written piece — which includes tips for others who plan to go down the hip-replacement path — is the kickoff of a new department for Good Age called Real Aging.

In the coming months (and this might take some time to fully develop), my goal is to bring you stories that are more “real” — and we’re challenging our writers to do the same. We want to show the real struggles seniors face in keeping their minds, bodies and spirits going! Some days, that can feel like a feat in and of itself.

By “real” I mean we want to give you joyous and inspiring stories of older adults in our communities, but we also want to delve deeper into senior issues in Minnesota that demand a closer look. We’ll be talking to experts for more long-form news stories about issues that affect older adults — mental health, including depression and suicide; physical health issues (ailments, yes, but also sex and trends in wellness, fitness and medical treatments); senior housing choices and challenges; plus senior finance and estate planning, including talking about end-of-life issues.

I believe, when done right, these are incredibly interesting issues, especially when we shine a spotlight on how we can age happily — specifically right here in Minnesota.

We’re also planning to mix in stories about the good life in the Twin Cities, including home and garden profiles and articles about dining out, travel and local events — because this life is meant to be lived.

We’re here to help you not just survive aging, but celebrate all the joy, wisdom and richness it can bring — despite its challenges.

It’s why we call it the Good Age.