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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…
Becoming Less Ageist Can Reverse Cognitive Decline November 17, 2023 by Ashton Applewhite - A growing body of fascinating research shows that attitudes towards aging have an actual, measurable, physical effect on how our minds and bodies function. People with more positive feelings about aging—fact- rather than fear-based, that is—walk faster, heal quicker, live…
My Own Ageism and Ableism October 20, 2023 by Marc Blesoff - These days, I see my possible future self everywhere. Most of the time, it’s the possibilities I’m dreading that jump out at me first. At the gym, there are always some people moving very deliberately and with much more effort…
Acupunctured October 17, 2023 by Flora Davis - When my doctor first suggested I try acupuncture to relieve my lower back pain, I was dubious. Would my Medicare Advantage plan pay for it? To my surprise, it would. Was it available nearby? It was. But I was still…
Name That Tune October 10, 2023 by Pepper Evans - In my 20s, I worked in what we now call the “hospitality” business. I was a cocktail waitress for a time. One establishment had weekend entertainment: a jazz trio with a vocalist. They performed music from the Great American Songbook:…
Weight Loss Is a Journey September 21, 2023 by Pepper Evans - Let’s face it — losing weight is hard. As a lifelong dieter, I can attest it’s hard at any age, but weight loss as an older adult is extraordinarily challenging. According to the CDC, 41.5 percent of adults aged 60…
False Alarms September 15, 2023 by Flora Davis - At 88, I’m mostly a homebody, no longer much interested in travel, but recently I drove halfway across New Jersey to see a play my son, Jeffrey, directed at a community theater. I couldn’t come back the same day because…
Transforming Nursing Homes September 7, 2023 by Maggie Sullivan - “The poor aides are being forced to care for 14 people each! They’re exhausted and the residents aren’t getting the care that they need. It’s hell for all,” a weeping husband in my caregivers support group told us after visiting…
When Are You Going to Retire? August 21, 2023 by Pepper Evans - I was recently asked about my retirement plans: Are you still working? When will you retire? This type of question is often an innocuous conversation starter, but it could be a conversation ender if asked of someone unprepared for the…
Enough with the Headlines about Age! August 18, 2023 by Ashton Applewhite - Age and age discrimination have never gotten more media coverage, especially in the wake of President Biden’s announcement that he’s running for reelection. If there’s anyone who should be delighted, it’s me. I’m in the age and ageism business after…
Is the Term ‘Senior Abuse Prevention’ Ageist? July 25, 2023 by Ashton Applewhite - I hardly ever cross-post questions from my Yo, Is This Ageist blog. I’m making an exception because the question below occasioned such a meaty discussion during this week’s Old School’s Office Hours meetup. It also helped me understand why the phrase…
The Beauty of Our Own Impermanence July 14, 2023 by Marc Blesoff - Since my heart surgery last year, I’ve lost weight, I exercise daily and I am energetic and forward-looking. A few weeks ago, working out with a trainer, I did full squats on a balance ball, something I never even knew…
Smartphone Saga July 5, 2023 by Flora Davis - My cellphone failed recently, and the experience taught me a few uncomfortable things about myself. For one thing, apparently I’m a technophobe. It’s a long story. About a month ago, I was sitting in my car with my friend, Jeanne,…
Is it Ageist to Offer Actors the Right to Hide Their Age? June 22, 2023 by Ashton Applewhite - The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has been waging a years-long legal battle with the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) to stop the site from disclosing the ages of screen actors. Last June, GLAAD, an LGBTQ advocacy organization, signed on to support…
Watch Your Step June 14, 2023 by Pepper Evans - Recently, Senator Mitch McConnell, 81, tripped and fell in the Washington, DC, Waldorf Astoria, putting falls back in the headlines. McConnell was left with a concussion and a broken rib, and he will need rehab before returning to work. It’s…
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow May 23, 2023 by Pepper Evans - The change was subtle enough that I didn’t notice it at first. My hair scrunchies were slipping off my ponytail, and I began to see more hair in the drain after a shower and in my brush. Next, I look…
Everyone in a Nursing Home Deserves a Single Room May 19, 2023 by Margaret Morganroth Gullette - This hard-hitting essay was first published on March 15, 2023, in the Boston Globe. It’s re-posted here with the author’s permission. This concerns all of us. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many residents of nursing facilities died…
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…