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Dementia Can Take a Toll on Financial Health November 21, 2023 by Sarah Boden - Angela Reynolds knew her mother’s memory was slipping, but she didn’t realize how bad things had gotten until she started to untangle her mom’s finances: unpaid bills, unusual cash withdrawals and the discovery that, oddly, the mortgage on the family home had been refinanced at a higher interest rate.
Special Programs Teach Much-Needed Skills to Dementia Caregivers November 15, 2023 by Judith Graham - There’s no cure—yet—for Alzheimer’s disease. But dozens of programs developed in the past 20 years can improve the lives of both people living with dementia and their caregivers. 
What AI Can Do for Older Adults November 7, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - When Alyssa Weakley’s 82-year-old grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2019, the family scrambled to respond. Her grandmother lived in southern California; Weakley and other family members were in northern California and Washington State. As problems arose, they took turns…
Remote Work: An Underestimated Benefit for Family Caregivers October 31, 2023 by Joanne Kenen - For Aida Beltré, working remotely during the pandemic came as a relief.
More Older Americans Likely to Die of Heart Disease in the Future October 5, 2023 by Judith Graham - Cardiovascular disease—the No. 1 cause of death among people 65 and older—is poised to become more prevalent in the years ahead
Innovators Find Creative Ways to Connect the Generations September 12, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - As the pandemic receded, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, a community center in New York City’s Upper East Side, came back to life. The halls buzzed with people of all ages, from young children in the preschool to older adults who…
What to Do When Your Older Parents Resist Help or Advice August 28, 2023 by Judith Graham - It was a regrettable mistake. But Kim Sylvester thought she was doing the right thing at the time.
The Cure Can Be Worse Than the Disease August 23, 2023 by Jyoti Madhusoodanan - In October 2021, 84-year-old Jim Yeldell was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. The first drug he tried disrupted his balance and coordination, so his doctor halved the dose to minimize these side effects, Yeldell recalled. 
Making the Most of the ‘Extra 30’ August 7, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - When Bob Evans lost his job in 2009, he began to consider what was next. He’d spent more than 30 years in the horticulture industry, mostly in sales and customer service positions in landscaping and lawn care. His wife reminded…
An Underestimated Benefit for Family Caregivers July 27, 2023 by Joanne Kenen - For Aida Beltré, working remotely during the pandemic came as a relief.
How to Preplan Your Own Funeral July 11, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - When Amy Martin’s mother-in-law died last year at the age of 96, the funeral arrangements were easy. Her mother-in-law had discussed her wishes with her two adult children. 
Many Older Adults Have a Problem with Persistent Fatigue June 30, 2023 by Judith Graham - Nothing prepared Linda C. Johnson of Indianapolis for the fatigue that descended on her after a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer in early 2020.
Green Burials and Other Nontradional Ways to Honor the End of a Life June 5, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - This is part 1 in a our series on funerals. Read part 2 here. Near the end of her mother’s life, Barrie Page Hill began thinking about the funeral and the best way to honor her mother. “My mom was…
Should Older Seniors Risk Major Surgery? May 25, 2023 by Judith Graham - Nearly one in seven older adults die within a year of undergoing major surgery, according to an important new study that sheds much-needed light on the risks seniors face when having invasive procedures.
A Possible Solution for the Staffing Crisis in Long Term Care May 8, 2023 by Michelle Andrews - When Margarette Nerette arrived in the United States from Haiti, she sought safety and a new start.
Questions to Ask before Major Surgery April 25, 2023 by Judith Graham - Larry McMahon, who turned 80 in December, is weighing whether to undergo a major surgery. Over the past five years, his back pain has intensified. Physical therapy, muscle relaxants and injections aren’t offering relief.
Living with Disabilities April 5, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - Until a few years ago, doctors told Deanna Mann, 85, she was “healthy as a horse.” She lived independently in an apartment and enjoyed playing bridge with friends twice a week. Then one leg suddenly swelled up. The other followed…
Is Dying at Home Becoming the New Normal? March 23, 2023 by Phillip Reese - The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a surge in the proportion of Californians who are dying at home rather than in a hospital or nursing home, accelerating a slow but steady rise that dates back at least two decades.
Friendships Are Good for Your Health March 15, 2023 by Mary Jacobs - As a human resources executive, Carole Leskin traveled around the world and worked with a diverse group of interesting people. She never married and never had children, but life was full. Then a recession ended her career at age 65.…
A Family Grapples with Death February 28, 2023 by Judith Graham - It wasn’t the Thanksgiving holiday any of us had expected. Two weeks before, my 94-year-old father-in-law, Melvin Zax, suffered a stroke after receiving dialysis and was rushed to a hospital near his residence in western New York.
How to Preplan Your Own Funeral - When Amy Martin’s mother-in-law died last year at the age of 96, the funeral arrangements were easy. Her mother-in-law had discussed her wishes with her two adult children. 
Is the Term ‘Senior Abuse Prevention’ Ageist? - 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…