Skip to content
Skip to main menu
Home › Issues in Aging › Page 4
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.
Older Women Face a Fashion Challenge January 14, 2022 by Mary Jacobs - On a shopping outing, Jane Bourland informed her granddaughter, “I can’t wear sleeveless. I can’t wear short. And I can’t wear low-cut.” Surveying the styles on the racks at the department store, her granddaughter quickly realized that didn’t leave many…
‘They Treat Me Like I’m Old and Stupid’ January 7, 2022 by Judith Graham - Joanne Whitney, PharmD, 84, a retired associate clinical professor of pharmacy at the University of California-San Francisco, often feels devalued when interacting with health care providers.
Never Too Old for Fun and Games December 15, 2021 by Mary Jacobs - When Kathy Thomas’ “big Catholic family” gathers for the holidays, everybody plays bingo. Her 90-year-old mother, Rosemary Doyle (“RoRo” to the grandkids), calls the game, 
Intimidated by Smartphones or Tablets? Help Is Available December 8, 2021 by Judith Graham - Six months ago, Cindy Sanders, 68, bought a computer so she could learn how to email and have Zoom chats with her great-grandchildren.
What’s So Funny about Aging? October 20, 2021 by Mary Jacobs - When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, Carmen Emery, 75, began emailing uplifting spiritual meditations to about 300 friends from church. She quickly realized the daily emails needed something more, so she added three or four funny memes at…
23 States Respond to COVID Deaths in Nursing Homes October 6, 2021 by Susan Jaffe - The appalling number of COVID deaths in nursing homes laid bare long-standing problems in those institutions that needed to be addressed. States with diverse political leadership have passed new laws in response. Reporting for Kaiser Health News, (KHN), journalist Susan…
Older Adults Are Becoming Nomads September 8, 2021 by Mary Jacobs - Five years ago, Susan and Rob Beck moved into an RV, after they were forced to sell their home in upstate New York. Rising property taxes had doubled their monthly housing bill, and Rob didn't receive his usual bonus at work. 
Carol Marak: Adviser and Advocate for Solo Agers August 6, 2021 by Leigh Ann Hubbard - On a warm, sunny day in May 2007, Carol Marak was hiking on a trail in Texas, missing her parents—when she stopped in her tracks, her future flashing before her eyes.
What Happens When a Geriatrician Becomes a Caregiver? July 27, 2021 by Judith Graham - The loss of a husband. The death of a sister. Taking in an elderly mother with dementia.
Losing Sight July 7, 2021 by Mary Jacobs - In 2014, Sharon Kassakian, 75, was diagnosed with macular degeneration in one eye. But the condition was manageable, and she felt confident enough to move to Portland in late 2016 to be closer to family. Then, in 2018, her vision…
Telemedicine Is a Useful New Tool—with Limitations July 3, 2021 by Elisabeth Rosenthal - Earlier in the pandemic, it was vital to see doctors over platforms like Zoom or FaceTime when in-person appointments posed risks of coronavirus exposure. 
Crafting: A Way to Cope during the Pandemic June 9, 2021 by Mary Jacobs - When KathLynne Lauterback, 64, retired in January 2020, she and her husband planned to move to a new place and to travel. But just a few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. A health crisis sent her husband to the…
Why Technology Matters So Much for Older People during a Pandemic May 19, 2021 by Judith Graham - Family gatherings on Zoom and FaceTime. Online orders from grocery stores and pharmacies. Telehealth appointments with physicians.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat May 5, 2021 by Mary Jacobs - Hanne Caraher loves rowing. She’s very good at it. So good, she’s won a national gold medal and has competed in championships in Canada, Poland, Germany and Hungary (she won there too). After years of early morning practices—which meant arising…
His Medical Crisis Took Us by Surprise April 21, 2021 by Judith Graham - Earlier this month, my husband picked up the phone and learned his 92-year-old father had been taken to the hospital that morning, feeling sick and short of breath.
How to Navigate Our Fragmented Medical System - For three years, Lil Banchero’s 86-year-old mother struggled with pain due to advanced arthritis. She tried yoga. Doctors prescribed medications and tried injections. Nothing worked. The pain got worse, and her mother became depressed. “Months passed,” said Banchero. “Nobody was…
‘Othering’ Other People - My friend Jack called me a few weeks ago to share an experience. He’d been at a public meeting at the library, seated at a table with three forward-facing chairs. He was sitting in the chair on the left, a…