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Older People’s Mental Health Undermined by the Pandemic November 2, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - In early 2020, Sarah Crouch started a tally on her cell phone: a list of names of family members and friends who died since the pandemic began. As of July 2022, there were 51 names. About half died due to…
Ageism’s Toll in the Age of COVID October 28, 2022 by Mac Daniel - In a powerful interview, the distinguished scholar and author Margaret Morganroth Gullette exposes ageism’s reach into the highest levels of government and its lethal consequences during the pandemic, She draws on research she has done for her work in progress,…
‘It’s Becoming Too Expensive to Be Alive’ October 19, 2022 by Judith Graham - Economic insecurity is upending the lives of millions of older adults as soaring housing costs and inflation diminish the value of fixed incomes.
The Struggle to Find Home Health Care October 4, 2022 by Judith Graham - Frail older adults are finding it harder than ever to get paid help amid acute staff shortages at home health agencies.
Many Older People Can’t Afford Basic Necessities September 15, 2022 by Judith Graham - Fran Seeley, 81, doesn’t see herself as living on the edge of a financial crisis. But she’s uncomfortably close.
Seasoned Warriors September 6, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - Every Monday morning for nearly a year, Judy Sherry, 82, has called the office of her senator, Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), with the same question: When is he going to get the courage to do something about gun violence? “He’s retiring…
Colorado Passes the First Right-To-Repair Bill for Wheelchairs August 18, 2022 by Markian Hawryluk - Robin Bolduc isn’t the type of person who takes “no” for an answer—particularly when it comes to fixing her husband’s wheelchair.
Your Medicare Drug Plan Can Hike Its Prices Almost Anytime August 3, 2022 by Susan Jaffe - Something strange happened between the time Linda Griffith signed up for a new Medicare prescription drug plan during last fall’s enrollment period and when she tried to fill her first prescription in January.
Villages: Boutique Options for Aging in Place July 28, 2022 by Judith Graham - Twenty years ago, a group of pioneering older adults in Boston created an innovative organization for people committed to aging in place
Apps Can Open Up a World of Possibilities for Older Adults July 6, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - John Brandt is still on good terms with his ex-mother-in-law—so good that he gave her an iPad for Christmas last year, along with a promise to provide tech support. The learning curve turned out to be a bit steep. At…
Retooling the Nation’s First Long Term Care Insurance Program June 29, 2022 by Michelle Andrews - Patricia Keys, 71 and a stroke survivor, needs help with many everyday activities, such as dressing and bathing. Her daughter Christina, who lives near her mom in Vancouver, WA, cares for her in the evenings and pays about $3,000 a month for help from other caregivers.
Advance Care Planning for Guns June 7, 2022 by Judith Graham - Kerri Raissian didn’t know what to do about her father’s guns when he died of COVID-19 in December at age 86 and left her executor of his estate.
Top Experts Question the Value of Advance Care Planning May 24, 2022 by Judith Graham - For decades, Americans have been urged to fill out documents specifying their end-of-life wishes before becoming terminally ill—living wills, do-not-resuscitate orders and other written materials expressing treatment preferences.
Smashing Stereotypes on Social Media May 11, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - When she retired 15 years ago, Tzipporah “Zippy” Sandler was floundering and unsure what was next. Then a tech-savvy friend suggested she start a blog and even offered to build it for her. “I didn’t even know what a blog…
COVID Spotlights the Ageism in Health Care April 21, 2022 by Judith Graham - Earlier this year, the World Health Organization announced a global campaign to combat ageism—discrimination against older adults that is pervasive and harmful but often unrecognized. 
Keeping an Eye on Older Adults with a Camera or Sensors April 12, 2022 by Sofie Kodner - In the middle of a rainy Michigan night, 88-year-old Dian Wurdock walked out the front door of her son’s home in Grand Rapids, MI, barefoot and coatless. 
Saying a Wrenching Goodbye to My Longtime Primary Care Doctor March 30, 2022 by Judith Graham - I hadn’t expected the tears.
My primary care doctor and I were saying goodbye after nearly 30 years together.
Getting Older with Grace—and Gratitude March 3, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - In a cruel twist of timing, Sally Magnuson’s husband of 55 years died of COVID-19 on February 10, 2021—the very day the couple was scheduled to get their first vaccines. Around the same time, Magnuson, 80, of Plano, TX, also…
Minister for Older Adults Has Seen How Pervasive Ageism Is February 25, 2022 by Judith Graham - Later life is a time of reassessment and reflection. What sense do we make of the lives we have lived?
The Surprising Importance of Casual Acquaintances February 3, 2022 by Judith Graham - In May, Vincent Keenan traveled from Chicago to Charlottesville, VA, for a wedding—his first trip out of town since the start of the pandemic.
We Age in Bursts - In his early 40s, Vinny Minchillo noticed he needed to work harder in the gym just to maintain his usual level of strength. Then, when he turned 60 a few years ago, he noticed a big change in flexibility. “I…
On the Unsung Pleasures of Very Long Friendships - I made my first real friend when I was 11 and she was 12. Marsha moved in on the block. Soon after, her mother saw my mother in the backyard and said she had a daughter about my age. My…