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Gaming: A Way to Exercise Older Brains January 6, 2026 by Mary Jacobs - Video games have always been part of Shawn Etheridge’s life. His interest was first sparked as a young teen, when he toted rolls of quarters to a nearby mall to play arcade games like Pong. As a young adult, as…
Why Brittle Bones Aren’t Just a Woman’s Problem December 23, 2025 by Paula Span - Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men are, but that doesn’t mean men are in the clear. As journalist Pamela Span explains in this article, it does mean that they’re seldom screened for the disease or treated for…
Books to Give or Keep, 2025 December 8, 2025 by SCF-Editor - Silver Century regularly recommends books—fiction, nonfiction and memoirs—that reflect our mission by portraying aging in a positive light or offering insights from thought leaders in the field of aging. Here are some of our favorites for holiday giving or to…
An Age-Old Fear Grows More Common: ‘I’m Going to Die Alone’ December 3, 2025 by Judith Graham - This summer, at dinner with her best friend, Jacki Barden raised an uncomfortable topic: the possibility that she might die alone.
Many Older People Are Eager for Vaccines November 25, 2025 by Paula Span - Researchers have found that, not only are the main vaccines recommended for older people effective, but a pair of them also reduce the risk of dementia. Journalist Paula Span sums up what you need to know in this piece that…
Home Improvements Can Help People Age Independently November 14, 2025 by Joanne Kenen - Chikao Tsubaki had been having a terrible time. In his mid-80s, he had a stroke. Then lymphoma. Then prostate cancer.
The Health Benefits of Spending Time Outdoors November 4, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - Rajiv Roy is semi-retired from venture capital, but he’s not slowing down. At age 66, he spends about half his time traveling—just in the past six months, he’s been to Colombia, China, India, Japan and Iceland—to capture birds and other…
Ministrokes Can Have Major Consequences October 13, 2025 by Paula Span - The symptoms of a TIA can be so mild that it’s tempting to ignore them. Journalist Paula Span describes the symptoms and reports on the latest research on ministrokes and the consequences of ignoring them. KFF Health News posted her…
The Beers Criteria: What Patients Need to Know October 1, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - Before she landed in the hospital, Wilma Jones (not her real name) was living independently and generally managing well, despite some mild cognitive impairment. But one day, when an insurance assessor came to her home, Jones answered in her underwear,…
Programs That Provide Rehab at Home Are Making a Difference September 26, 2025 by SCF-Editor - What can a hospital do when patients don’t need more hospital care but aren’t yet well enough to go home, and there’s no place else to send them? Too often, the patients are simply stuck in the hospital. Some programs…
Does Using Cannabis Become Riskier in Later Life? September 19, 2025 by Paula Span - It’s not clear what benefits cannabis offers, but there’s evidence that it can be harmful, journalist Paula Span reports in this wide-ranging column. Many older people assume it’s safer than smoking, but studies suggest that’s not true. KFF Health News …
Aging Voices September 3, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - For the past 14 years, Darrell Rodenbaugh has played the lead in Scrooge – The Musical, an annual production by North Texas Performing Arts in Plano. The role is a marathon for 62-year-old Rodenbaugh: the company performs more than a…
Honey, Sweetie, Dearie: The Perils of Elderspeak August 28, 2025 by Paula Span - Elderspeak is a kind of baby talk sometimes used when speaking to older people, especially those living with dementia. Elderspeak is common and it’s alienating. Journalist Paula Span reports that in one study, nursing home staff used elderspeak in 84…
Millions of Aging Americans Are Facing Dementia by Themselves August 5, 2025 by Judith Graham - Sociologist Elena Portacolone was taken aback. Many of the older adults in San Francisco she visited at home for a research project were confused when she came to the door.
Most Nursing Home Residents Aren’t Getting COVID Vaccines July 26, 2025 by Sarah Boden - It seems no one is taking COVID-19 seriously anymore, said Mollee Loveland, a nursing home aide who lives outside Pittsburgh.
Time, Fast and Slow July 15, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - When she graduated in 1996, Amy Forbus’ four years at Hendrix College felt like a miniature lifetime. College had been the biggest undertaking of her life thus far. But when she returned to the same liberal arts school in Arkansas…
Cameras Are Popping Up in Long Term Care Facilities July 12, 2025 by Paula Span - The assisted living facility in Edina, MN, where Jean Peters and her siblings moved their mother in 2011, looked lovely. 
Facing the Uncertainties of Aging June 29, 2025 by Judith Graham - Facing her own retirement, journalist Judith Graham contemplates the uncertainties we all face in later life and draws on what she’s learned in four decades as a journalist and more than the eight years writing the “Navigating Aging” column for…
A Centenarian Thrives, Living Alone in a Big City June 13, 2025 by Judith Graham - “The future is here,” the email announced. Hilda Jaffe, then 88, was letting her children know she planned to sell the family home in Verona, NJ. 
Know Your Numbers June 3, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - Every year, millions of older adults roll up their sleeves for an annual physical. Blood is drawn, a cuff tightens around the arm, and a stethoscope taps against the chest. A few days later, a patient portal pings with test…
Aging Voices - For the past 14 years, Darrell Rodenbaugh has played the lead in Scrooge – The Musical, an annual production by North Texas Performing Arts in Plano. The role is a marathon for 62-year-old Rodenbaugh: the company performs more than a…
Just Call Me ‘Whosis’ - I love words. I spend my days reading them, writing them and deeply appreciating them when someone else strings them together in a fresh and evocative way. So why do they so often elude me? Proper and improper names of…