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Reaching Out for Help and Where to Find It July 23, 2019 by Maggie Sullivan - Bill gave very attentive care to his wife, Deborah, who had Alzheimer’s disease. Their son lived a couple of hours away and came to lend a hand every few weeks. Otherwise, Bill did everything himself. When I suggested he might…
Planning for Your Own Death July 18, 2019 by Flora Davis - I live in New Jersey, and in April we became the eighth state to permit medical aid in dying. Once the new law goes into effect, people who are terminally ill, who want to end their lives on their own…
Talk to Me July 8, 2019 by Pepper Evans - In my work as an independent living consultant, I support people who need a little extra help to stay secure in their homes. Most of my clients are older adults. Being a helper-bee at heart, I find the work very…
What Will It Take to End Ageism? Part 2 June 24, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - A consumer revolution requires a social revolution. We know that as time grows shorter, a sense of purpose becomes an ever-higher priority for olders. As Coughlin observes, “Culture helps determine what older people find meaningful. And that raises a question: can . . . new, socially permissible routes to meaning open up?”
Pain in the Neck June 19, 2019 by Pepper Evans - Do you wake up in the morning feeling like you “slept wrong” because you have a crick in your neck? If you experience neck pain, you’re not alone. It’s most often attributed to neck arthritis, or cervical spondylosis, an age-related…
The Downside of Killing Two Birds with One Stone June 12, 2019 by Flora Davis - I think some people may be born to sit. When I was a toddler, I preferred not to toddle. My mother finally bought a harness, put it on me and took me for walks, using the harness to keep me…
What Will It Take to End Ageism? Part 1 June 10, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - Most Americans aren’t optimistic about getting older and think the source of the problem is aging itself. So do most policy wonks: they frame population aging as a set of choices about how to care for an avalanche of “frail…
Going It Alone in a Job Much Too Big for One Person May 7, 2019 by Maggie Sullivan - When people develop dementia in the United States, we rely on their families to take care of them. And a family member, most often a spouse or a daughter, almost always does step up. Then, as a culture, we appear…
A Homemade Superstition April 26, 2019 by Flora Davis - I recently turned 84, and I’m not happy about it. It’s not that I mind being old. My problem is that my dad died when he was 84, and it’s in the back of my mind that I might too.…
Living Longer with a Pet April 18, 2019 by Pepper Evans - We bought a puppy when the girls were small, and she was the perfect dog for us. I didn’t think I’d get another dog after she died. I wanted to be able to come and go worry-free. But as the…
Shared Stigma, Separate Silos, Part 2 April 3, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - In my last post, I wrote about the regrettable tendency to act as though older people and people with disabilities form two separate groups. When groups within companies don’t share information or knowledge, it’s called a “silo mentality.” It reduces efficiency…
Ramping Up: The Problem That Went Deeper Than We Knew March 18, 2019 by Margaret Morganroth Gullette - Last year, it finally became obvious that we needed ramps at our summer cabin on Sawdy Pond. The architectural part was straightforward, but it turned out we needed self-examination and conviction to solve a deeper problem. The acres we own…
The Pros and Cons of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids March 13, 2019 by Flora Davis - Many years ago, my husband invented his own hearing aid. Mike was totally deaf on one side—the best hearing device in the world wouldn’t have helped his right ear.
Reading by the Numbers March 8, 2019 by Pepper Evans - I’m off to the family reunion this weekend, and along with the burgers and dogs, I’ll be bringing my list of books to share with the cousins. The reunion has been going strong for many years—so long that I’m no…
It May Be Time to Question the Pills You Take February 21, 2019 by Flora Davis - I realized the other day that I’m taking fewer and fewer pills. For years, I’ve swallowed a handful of capsules and tablets every night. Most of them are over-the-counter drugs or supplements, intended to keep me from developing heart trouble, cancer or some other disease.
Shared Stigma, Separate Silos, Part 1 February 18, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - People with disabilities come in all ages, and almost all of us encounter some change in physical or mental capacity as we grow old. Yet, as I wrote in an earlier blog, “We act as though old people never become disabled and…
Dementia: The Greatest Caregiving Challenge of All February 13, 2019 by Maggie Sullivan - A man in one of the Alzheimer’s caregiver support groups I lead wrote the following in a note to me: We caregivers come into this job ignorant and unprepared but we accept the load thrust upon us. There is no training course but we try to do our best. 
Organizing Your Documents, Part 1: In Case of Emergency January 18, 2019 by Pepper Evans - When I’m not working for the Silver Century Foundation, I help families with care management solutions. Most often, this involves meeting with an older person and a family member to coordinate resources that help my client continue to live independently.…
Is Ageism Ever Funny? January 15, 2019 by Flora Davis - How should I react when comedians on TV, or organizations I respect, make appallingly ageist jokes? I’m 83, so the joke’s on me. Should I object? I’ve been a fan of Saturday Night Live practically since the program first aired,…
How Much Do People with Dementia Understand? December 27, 2018 by Maggie Sullivan - In the small crowd at the Alzheimer’s fundraiser, I spotted Frederick, who attended one of the support groups I lead. I went over to say hello. He was with his wife, whom I had not met before.
Senior Centers Are Evolving - The first time Sue and Mike Miller visited their community’s senior center in Portage, MI, several years ago, they found a few people playing pool or bridge—and decided it wasn’t for them. But the couple tried again in 2022, when…
The Upside and Downside of Being Owned by a Cat - I love my cat, but until now, I hadn’t thought of her as a way to stay healthy. In fact, when I first brought Velvet—a small, feisty black kitty—home, I thought of her as a dog substitute. My beloved dog…