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Caring from Afar December 8, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - This is part 1 of a series about caregiving from a distance. Read part 2 here. A few years before he passed away, Maria Hood noticed that her father wasn’t shaving or showering regularly, which was unusual, because the retired…
Remote Work: An Underestimated Benefit for Family Caregivers October 31, 2023 by Joanne Kenen - For Aida Beltré, working remotely during the pandemic came as a relief.
More Older Americans Likely to Die of Heart Disease in the Future October 5, 2023 by Judith Graham - Cardiovascular disease—the No. 1 cause of death among people 65 and older—is poised to become more prevalent in the years ahead
The Cure Can Be Worse Than the Disease August 23, 2023 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan - In October 2021, 84-year-old Jim Yeldell was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. The first drug he tried disrupted his balance and coordination, so his doctor halved the dose to minimize these side effects, Yeldell recalled. 
Making the Most of the ‘Extra 30’ August 7, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - When Bob Evans lost his job in 2009, he began to consider what was next. He’d spent more than 30 years in the horticulture industry, mostly in sales and customer service positions in landscaping and lawn care. His wife reminded…
Many Older Adults Have a Problem with Persistent Fatigue June 30, 2023 by Judith Graham - Nothing prepared Linda C. Johnson of Indianapolis for the fatigue that descended on her after a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer in early 2020.
Should Older Seniors Risk Major Surgery? May 25, 2023 by Judith Graham - Nearly one in seven older adults die within a year of undergoing major surgery, according to an important new study that sheds much-needed light on the risks seniors face when having invasive procedures.
A Possible Solution for the Staffing Crisis in Long Term Care May 8, 2023 by Michelle Andrews - When Margarette Nerette arrived in the United States from Haiti, she sought safety and a new start.
Questions to Ask before Major Surgery April 25, 2023 by Judith Graham - Larry McMahon, who turned 80 in December, is weighing whether to undergo a major surgery. Over the past five years, his back pain has intensified. Physical therapy, muscle relaxants and injections aren’t offering relief.
Friendships Are Good for Your Health March 15, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - As a human resources executive, Carole Leskin traveled around the world and worked with a diverse group of interesting people. She never married and never had children, but life was full. Then a recession ended her career at age 65.…
A Family Grapples with Death February 28, 2023 by Judith Graham - It wasn’t the Thanksgiving holiday any of us had expected. Two weeks before, my 94-year-old father-in-law, Melvin Zax, suffered a stroke after receiving dialysis and was rushed to a hospital near his residence in western New York.
Nursing Home Patients Caught in a Squeeze January 25, 2023 by Susan Jaffe - After 11 days in a St. Paul, MN, skilled nursing facility, recuperating from a fall, Paula Christopherson, 97, was told by her insurer that she should return home.
Older People’s Mental Health Undermined by the Pandemic November 2, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - In early 2020, Sarah Crouch started a tally on her cell phone: a list of names of family members and friends who died since the pandemic began. As of July 2022, there were 51 names. About half died due to…
Ageism’s Toll in the Age of COVID October 28, 2022 by Mac Daniel - In a powerful interview, the distinguished scholar and author Margaret Morganroth Gullette exposes ageism’s reach into the highest levels of government and its lethal consequences during the pandemic, She draws on research she has done for her work in progress,…
Colorado Passes the First Right-To-Repair Bill for Wheelchairs August 18, 2022 by Markian Hawryluk - Robin Bolduc isn’t the type of person who takes “no” for an answer—particularly when it comes to fixing her husband’s wheelchair.
Your Medicare Drug Plan Can Hike Its Prices Almost Anytime August 3, 2022 by Susan Jaffe - Something strange happened between the time Linda Griffith signed up for a new Medicare prescription drug plan during last fall’s enrollment period and when she tried to fill her first prescription in January.
COVID Spotlights the Ageism in Health Care April 21, 2022 by Judith Graham - Earlier this year, the World Health Organization announced a global campaign to combat ageism—discrimination against older adults that is pervasive and harmful but often unrecognized. 
Getting Older with Grace—and Gratitude March 3, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - In a cruel twist of timing, Sally Magnuson’s husband of 55 years died of COVID-19 on February 10, 2021—the very day the couple was scheduled to get their first vaccines. Around the same time, Magnuson, 80, of Plano, TX, also…
The Surprising Importance of Casual Acquaintances February 3, 2022 by Judith Graham - In May, Vincent Keenan traveled from Chicago to Charlottesville, VA, for a wedding—his first trip out of town since the start of the pandemic.
‘They Treat Me Like I’m Old and Stupid’ January 7, 2022 by Judith Graham - Joanne Whitney, PharmD, 84, a retired associate clinical professor of pharmacy at the University of California-San Francisco, often feels devalued when interacting with health care providers.
A Hidden Epidemic Threatens Older Adults: Malnutrition - For most of her life, Jenny Anne Horst-Martz’s mother worked hard to stay slender. But now, at age 90, her mother struggles to keep enough weight on. The problem started a few years ago when her mother was injured in…
The Parade of Aides - Working as a caregiver for a friend or family member is a rewarding but stressful job. When my mom qualified for an aide (thanks to the pooled income trust and Medicaid), it gave me a break during the day to…