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‘Othering’ Other People June 25, 2024 by Marc Blesoff - My friend Jack called me a few weeks ago to share an experience. He’d been at a public meeting at the library, seated at a table with three forward-facing chairs. He was sitting in the chair on the left, a…
It’s about Competence, Not Age June 21, 2024 by Ashton Applewhite - [In February], a gratuitous swipe ramped up the ongoing discussion about Biden’s age to a fevered pitch. When the Department of Justice declined to prosecute the President for his handling of classified documents, the special counsel went on to call Biden…
Retirement as Identity Crisis June 19, 2024 by Flora Davis - My sister taught in elementary schools for most of her adult life. She was in her 50s when she was laid off by the private school where she’d worked for years—an involuntary retirement. She was terribly upset. “Teaching isn’t what…
An Unusual Friendship May 29, 2024 by Anastasia Canell - I was sitting in my college dorm room, looking out the window as fluffy snow slowly fell from the sky. Snow in Baltimore was a pleasant surprise, a well-needed respite from my busy sophomore-year course load. I was interrupted when…
What a Waste May 23, 2024 by Ashton Applewhite - The luxury skin-care firm Estée Lauder just announced a partnership with the Stanford Center on Longevity. According to the press release, the goal of this new “longevity expert collective” is to “reframe the conversation from anti-aging to visible age reversal.” Let’s…
The Pooled Income Trust May 15, 2024 by Howard Gensler - By the time my parents were in their mid-80s, they had gone through their savings and were living off Social Security. My mom received around $1,700 per month and my dad, who often worked as an independent contractor, received around…
I No Longer Speak the Language May 9, 2024 by Flora Davis - I’m feeling old, incompetent and frustrated. Over the past few days, my devices all failed me. The TV wouldn’t stream, my cell phone wouldn’t text, the printer refused to print, my tablet failed to download an Audible book I’d bought…
Mom’s Hip and My Road to Becoming a Caregiver April 25, 2024 by Howard Gensler - When your parents reach a certain age, or a particular physical or mental state that makes it harder for them to live independently, there are difficult decisions to be made: assisted living, nursing home, home health aide, move in with…
Grandma-Sitting April 18, 2024 by Anastasia Canell - Group text message thread of five teenage girls: Hey, would anyone want to come over tonight to hangout? My parents bought Cosmic Brownies and we can rent a movie from Blockbuster. I’m in! What time? I can come over after…
What Size Is Your Pill Case? April 9, 2024 by Pepper Evans - I have been committed to leading a healthier lifestyle, which has led me to purchase smaller clothes. However, I did buy my weekly pill case in a larger size, as the cubbies that held my daily vitamins no longer accommodate…
Ageism Shortens Lives—New Studies Confirm It March 26, 2024 by Ashton Applewhite - “Ageism, and an older person’s perception of aging, may hold the keys to a longer life.” That’s the first sentence of “Why age bias has real world health effects,” just published by the Association of Health Care Journalists, which supports excellence…
To Drive or Not to Drive March 19, 2024 by Flora Davis - Back when my husband was in his 70s, he kept having fender benders. He was losing his eyesight, and I knew he should stop driving, but he refused. After each minor accident, he rationalized that it could have happened to…
At the Heart of Good Care March 12, 2024 by Maggie Sullivan - This is the last in a series of five blogs about nursing home care. My old friend Billy called me recently to ask: “What the hell is ‘person-centered care’ supposed to mean? I toured three nursing homes and each of…
Think ‘Too Many Old People’ Will Swamp Social Welfare Programs? Think Again. February 20, 2024 by Ashton Applewhite - Since the 1970s, population aging—the proverbial “gray tsunami”—has been used to justify “pension reform,” austerity and privatization across the wealthy nations. Alarmist projections have long fueled neoliberal, small-government policy reforms. In the Fall 2023 issue of Jacobin, editor-at-large Seth Ackerman argues that…
Three Ages January 31, 2024 by Marc Blesoff - I think I am three ages; my chronological age, the age that I feel, and the age that I look. Of these, chronology is the objective one. It’s just math, right? But what does the number of the Earth’s revolutions…
Women in the Workforce Are Never the Right Age January 16, 2024 by Ashton Applewhite - Why are women still so underrepresented in positions of power? In the United States, for example, why do women still make up only a meager 10 percent of people running Fortune 500 companies? Take heart, there’s always a reason. (Content warning: this article,…
Canceling Christmas January 4, 2024 by Pepper Evans - I freely admit I’m a Scrooge. I simply do not like Christmas. Over the years, as a widow, everything fell to me to make a memorable holiday for my girls, and I don’t have Rockwellian memories of my own childhood…
On Death and Hearing Aids December 28, 2023 by Flora Davis - When I was merely middle-aged, I sometimes wondered how those who were in their waning years coped with knowing that they weren’t likely to live much longer. One day, I got the chance to ask the mother of a friend…
Choosing a Home That Cares December 12, 2023 by Maggie Sullivan - Ted, now 73, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years ago. His wife, Andrea, attends a caregiver support group I lead. Recently she told the group, “I know it’s early and my husband is far from needing a nursing home now,…
Books to Give or Keep, 2023 December 1, 2023 by Pepper Evans - Silver Century regularly recommends books—fiction, nonfiction, memoirs—that reflect our mission by portraying aging positively or by offering insights from thought leaders in the field of aging. Here are some of our favorites for holiday giving or to save for the…
What Makes Older Achievers Tick? - In recent years, oncologist Philip Salem, MD, has done some of the best work of his career. Using new combinations of existing cancer therapies—personalized immunotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy—he’s getting remarkable results for patients with advanced lung, pancreatic and other…
Nailed It! - When my doctor took me by the hand, I expected a comment about my age spots or cat scratches, but no. He was looking for signs of illness and explained that fingernails offer valuable insights into our overall health. A…