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Why the New Public Charge Rule Could Hit Older Immigrants Hard July 29, 2020 by Jaya Padmanabhan - Devyani Dave immigrated from India to California in 1995 in her early 60s to live near her son and his family. Her green card was sponsored by her son
Older and Wiser—but Dizzier July 8, 2020 by Mary Jacobs - Carol Kuhlman vividly remembers a weekend trip with friends about two years ago—because that’s when she started feeling dizzy. The lightheaded, unsteady sensation came on gradually and quickly got worse. “It was very uncomfortable,” said Kuhlman, 66. “I had to…
Is Aging a Disease? June 24, 2020 by Joelle Renstrom - The first depiction of humanity’s obsession with curing death is The Epic of Gilgamesh—which, dating back to at least 1800 BC, is also one of the first recorded works of literature, period. 
Write Your Own Obituary May 6, 2020 by Mary Jacobs - When Susan deLarios’s mother passed away, she had to scramble to finish the obituary before the funeral. By contrast, when her father died a few years earlier, his obituary was already done—he had written it himself. Given how much easier…
Health Care Costs: Want an Estimate? Good Luck with That March 10, 2020 by Mary Jacobs - When Linda Stallard Johnson’s husband had pain in his shoulder, he suspected he might be having a heart attack. His sister had just had one, with similar symptoms. The couple went to a hospital emergency room, where he underwent an…
The True Cost of Growing Old in America February 5, 2020 by Jan Mutchler - The US population is aging at such a rate that within a few years, older Americans will outnumber the country’s children for the first time, according to census projections. But rising rents, health care and other living costs mean that for many entering their retirement years, balancing the household budget can be a struggle.
When Should You Take Away an Older Person’s Cell Phone? November 23, 2019 by Judith Graham - At first, Robert Zorowitz, MD, thought his 83-year-old mother was confused. She couldn’t remember passwords to accounts on her computer. She would call and say programs had stopped working.
Getting Older, Sleeping Less? October 8, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - Until age 45, Mary Jo Anderson says, she was a “champion sleeper.” “It’s like someone flipped a light switch,” she said. “When I entered menopause, I suddenly couldn’t fall asleep.” At age 64, she had less trouble falling asleep but…
Starving Seniors: How America Fails to Feed Its Aging September 13, 2019 by Laura Ungar and Trudy Lieberman - Army veteran Eugene Milligan is 75 years old and blind. He uses a wheelchair since losing half his right leg to diabetes and gets dialysis for kidney failure.
And he has struggled to get enough to eat.
Are Pets Really Good for Older People? September 9, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - An older couple put aside some of the food delivered by Meals on Wheels in order to have enough to feed their dog. A widow delays an important visit to the doctor, fearing no one will care for her cat…
Is There Such a Thing as Normal Aging? August 21, 2019 by Bruce Horovitz - For 93-year-old Joseph Brown, the clearest sign of aging was his inability the other day to remember he had to have his pants unzipped to pull them on.
Loneliness in Older Adults: It’s Complicated July 30, 2019 by Judith Graham - For years, Linda Fried, MD, offered older patients who complained of being lonely what seemed to be sensible guidance. “Go out and find something that matters to you,” she would say.
‘Elder Orphans’ Need Fallback Plans May 15, 2019 by Judith Graham - It was a memorable place to have an “aha” moment about aging.
Peter Sperry had taken his 82-year-old father, who’d had a stroke and used a wheelchair, to Disney World.
Breaking the Age Barrier May 3, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - Art Russell, 60, counts at least a dozen 20-somethings as friends: the guys he fences with; a 26-year-old colleague at work; and several people who attend his church. Although he also has many friends his own age, Russell values those…
Family Caregivers Are Older Than Ever March 26, 2019 by Judith Graham - Perhaps it was inevitable: with so many people living longer, more and more empty nesters are taking on the care of parents who are frail and ill. Journalist Judith Graham explores what that means for the younger generation in terms…
New Challenges for Grandparents March 5, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - As a divorced, single mom, Karen Spencer thought she was done raising children when her son and two daughters grew up and left home. It didn’t work out that way.
Spiritual Support at the End of Life February 5, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - Eric Markinson identified himself as a chaplain when he walked into the hospital room of a man he calls Tommy, who was dying of alcohol-related liver disease. “I don’t think you can help me much,” Tommy said. “I’m an atheist.”- What Spirituality Means to Older People January 10, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - This is part 1 in our series on spirituality and aging. Read part 2 here. For many years, the Catholic faith was central to Debra Cook’s life. She grew up in a Catholic family, sent her children to Catholic schools…
Many Women Are Defying the Bully: the Antiaging Industry December 13, 2018 by Leigh Ann Hubbard - At age 57, Victoria Marie sports a full head of long, lustrous gray hair—in the city of Los Angeles, as an actress, in an industry where youth is life. “This is who I am,” she says. “Take it or leave…
Have You Outlived Your Old Friends? October 31, 2018 by Bruce Horovitz - Many people are living longer, healthier lives today, but there’s one drawback: you may outlive the old friends you always counted on. It’s harder to make new ones in your later years, but there are ways to do it, and…
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…