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Oh, to Be 70 Again June 27, 2016 by Flora Davis - Oh, to be 70 again with the rest of my life opening up in front of me. When I was 70, I was working for a foundation and thought it the best job I’d ever had or was likely to…
Droneliness June 22, 2016 by Ashton Applewhite - Concerned about an onslaught of enfeebled old people? Don’t worry, robots will take care of them! American techno-optimism knows no bounds, and so-called “age-independence” technologies are proliferating like crazy. But in a profoundly ageist culture, the implications can be disturbing.…
Drinks on Me June 17, 2016 by Pepper Evans - I am not a big drinker. Most days, I need to remind myself to drink liquids to stay healthy and hydrated. A normal part of aging, I have learned, is that I don't register thirst the same way I did…
When Behavior Speaks June 13, 2016 by Maggie Sullivan - I sat with my mother and her caregiver, Aliza, one afternoon in the Alzheimer’s unit of the nursing home. With my mother between us, Aliza and I chatted about the hot weather we had been having. All of a sudden…
Oh, America! How Obamacare Finished Off Breaking Bad June 10, 2016 by Margaret Morganroth Gullette - Any just society must reduce the despair occasioned by dire medical conditions. This was one lesson, oddly, that could be drawn from the TV series, Breaking Bad.
May Day Surprise May 24, 2016 by Pepper Evans - We are often reminded of the importance of keeping social as we age; isolation has proven to be hazardous to healthy aging, while friendships engage and stimulate us.
Regarding Alzheimer’s May 19, 2016 by Maggie Sullivan - An empty shell. Doesn’t know who he is. Violent. Doesn’t recognize family members. Unable to communicate. The negative stereotypes and exaggerations of Alzheimer’s disease abound. Even the harrowing descriptions of Alzheimer’s meant to increase our sympathy—robs its victims of dignity,…
Aging in Place: Is It a Pipe Dream? May 11, 2016 by Flora Davis - On surveys, most older Americans say they want to age in place: to stay right where they are in the home they’ve lived in for years. Whenever I hear that, I wonder whether they realize just how difficult that can…
80 and Counting May 9, 2016 by Flora Davis - I’ve turned 80 and it’s a little scary. I’m healthy and still working, but I’m well aware that medical problems began for many of my friends once they were in their 80s. In many ways I’ve changed since I was…
Yo, Am I Ageist? May 6, 2016 by Pepper Evans - Unless you are Peter Pan, one day you’ll be old. I don’t want to experience discrimination because of a date on my birth certificate. I don’t want people to lump me into a one-size-fits-all assumption based solely on my age.…
Age Is Just a Number April 20, 2016 by Flora Davis - I live in a retirement community that’s age-restricted: you have to be at least 62 to move in. A 50-something friend asked me the other day why on earth I would want to live in a place that has only…
Taking a Stand April 18, 2016 by Pepper Evans - By now you have probably read the headlines about the negative health effects of sitting too long. The studies show that not only couch potatoes, but desk jockeys as well, are compromising health and longevity by sitting for long periods…
What’s Behind the Growing Geriatrician Shortage? April 15, 2016 by Ashton Applewhite - I was delighted to see an editorial in the New York Times about a crisis in the making, the growing shortage of geriatricians.
Getting Out Alive (and Staying That Way) March 25, 2016 by Pepper Evans - My role as caregiver and advocate has me quite familiar with transitioning a patient from hospital back to home sweet home. In my experience, the weak link in the process is almost always with discharge instructions and expectations. Patients leaving…
I’ll Have What She’s Having—Minus the Internalized Ageism March 21, 2016 by Ashton Applewhite - “There is also something profoundly liberating about aging," Dominique Browning wrote in the New York Times.
If I Lose My Hearing, Will I Also Lose My Memory? March 20, 2016 by Flora Davis - I don’t hear as well as I used to. For the past few years, I’ve had to strain to follow the conversation in a crowded room, and I’ve watched television with the help of closed captions for the hearing-impaired. But…
In Dog Years March 2, 2016 by Pepper Evans - Have you met my dog, Ruffles? At her annual well-dog visit, my vet referred to her as geriatric. Ruffles is almost a decade young, and sure, she is a little grayer and sometimes doesn’t make the leap onto the bed…
The ‘Grandpa in a Nightclub’ Problem February 15, 2016 by Ashton Applewhite - A while ago, Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab ran a piece about the New York Times’ digital branding efforts. It quoted a series of tweets by Max Pfennighaus..
Check This Out February 12, 2016 by Pepper Evans - One day last summer when I was wearing cropped pants and flip flops, I thought my ankles looked swollen. Was I retaining water? Standing too long? Did I need a new pair of shoes? (Let’s hope.) Looking for a quick answer, I…
Time on the Run February 5, 2016 by Flora Davis - The woman sharing the elevator with me looked to be in her 70s. “How can it be the end of the week already,” she asked, “when I feel as if Monday was just yesterday?” I felt the same way—and probably…
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…