Tip of the Day

You have no doubt been taught to shake hands firmly and not let your hand feel to the other person like a limp dishrag.

This is sound advice, but it needs to be modified for the elderly. Their fingers are liable to be arthritic and already painful before you squeeze them to death. If you don't want the little old lady to scream or faint, just close your fingers firmly but very gently around the palm of her hand, taking care not to squeeze. Let her do the pumping.

Of course, even with young people, a firm handshake was never supposed to mean wringing the other person's hand like a chicken's neck.