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Nostalgia: Why It’s Good for You October 3, 2019 by Flora Davis - My daughter and grandchildren live in the town where I grew up, just a few blocks from my childhood home. Sometimes when I’m visiting them, I drive by that house very slowly or lurk at the curb, motor running, savoring…
Five Things I Learned on My Book Tour September 25, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - Five weeks, 11 cities, 14 book talks, 9 media appearances, 21 regular talks. Phew. I got so tired, it felt as though gravity was messing with me, or as if I’d been inexpertly inflated. It was also exhilarating: a nationwide…
What’s behind Sundowning? Part 1 September 20, 2019 by Maggie Sullivan - When my mother was living with me, her Alzheimer’s was fairly advanced and she had begun to be fearful after dark. One evening, she came to me, trembling. “There’s a strange woman outside, trying to get in my window!” she…
Got Milk? September 5, 2019 by Pepper Evans - I’m an empty nester, but my chicks still come home. When they do, they give me a heads-up so I can “feather” the nest with the foods they like. Gone are the days with a fully stocked larder. I shop…
Not ‘Old Enough to Die,’ Old Enough to Choose Wisely August 27, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - Author and activist Barbara Ehrenreich has long been one of my heroes, and I imagine an affinity in our fondness for myth-busting. In her new book, she describes herself as an “amateur sociologist,” and I thought, “Aha, me too!” 
It’s Hard to Eat When You’re Holding Your Ears August 13, 2019 by Flora Davis - A few weeks ago, I took my decibel meter with me to dinner at one of the restaurants in my retirement community. It was a busy night, and the steady growl of conversation kept rising to a roar. The meter…
Reaching Out for Help and Where to Find It July 23, 2019 by Maggie Sullivan - Bill gave very attentive care to his wife, Deborah, who had Alzheimer’s disease. Their son lived a couple of hours away and came to lend a hand every few weeks. Otherwise, Bill did everything himself. When I suggested he might…
Planning for Your Own Death July 18, 2019 by Flora Davis - I live in New Jersey, and in April we became the eighth state to permit medical aid in dying. Once the new law goes into effect, people who are terminally ill, who want to end their lives on their own…
Talk to Me July 8, 2019 by Pepper Evans - In my work as an independent living consultant, I support people who need a little extra help to stay secure in their homes. Most of my clients are older adults. Being a helper-bee at heart, I find the work very…
What Will It Take to End Ageism? Part 2 June 24, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - A consumer revolution requires a social revolution. We know that as time grows shorter, a sense of purpose becomes an ever-higher priority for olders. As Coughlin observes, “Culture helps determine what older people find meaningful. And that raises a question: can . . . new, socially permissible routes to meaning open up?”
Pain in the Neck June 19, 2019 by Pepper Evans - Do you wake up in the morning feeling like you “slept wrong” because you have a crick in your neck? If you experience neck pain, you’re not alone. It’s most often attributed to neck arthritis, or cervical spondylosis, an age-related…
The Downside of Killing Two Birds with One Stone June 12, 2019 by Flora Davis - I think some people may be born to sit. When I was a toddler, I preferred not to toddle. My mother finally bought a harness, put it on me and took me for walks, using the harness to keep me…
What Will It Take to End Ageism? Part 1 June 10, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - Most Americans aren’t optimistic about getting older and think the source of the problem is aging itself. So do most policy wonks: they frame population aging as a set of choices about how to care for an avalanche of “frail…
Going It Alone in a Job Much Too Big for One Person May 7, 2019 by Maggie Sullivan - When people develop dementia in the United States, we rely on their families to take care of them. And a family member, most often a spouse or a daughter, almost always does step up. Then, as a culture, we appear…
A Homemade Superstition April 26, 2019 by Flora Davis - I recently turned 84, and I’m not happy about it. It’s not that I mind being old. My problem is that my dad died when he was 84, and it’s in the back of my mind that I might too.…
Living Longer with a Pet April 18, 2019 by Pepper Evans - We bought a puppy when the girls were small, and she was the perfect dog for us. I didn’t think I’d get another dog after she died. I wanted to be able to come and go worry-free. But as the…
Shared Stigma, Separate Silos, Part 2 April 3, 2019 by Ashton Applewhite - In my last post, I wrote about the regrettable tendency to act as though older people and people with disabilities form two separate groups. When groups within companies don’t share information or knowledge, it’s called a “silo mentality.” It reduces efficiency…
Ramping Up: The Problem That Went Deeper Than We Knew March 18, 2019 by Margaret Morganroth Gullette - Last year, it finally became obvious that we needed ramps at our summer cabin on Sawdy Pond. The architectural part was straightforward, but it turned out we needed self-examination and conviction to solve a deeper problem. The acres we own…
The Pros and Cons of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids March 13, 2019 by Flora Davis - Many years ago, my husband invented his own hearing aid. Mike was totally deaf on one side—the best hearing device in the world wouldn’t have helped his right ear.
Reading by the Numbers March 8, 2019 by Pepper Evans - I’m off to the family reunion this weekend, and along with the burgers and dogs, I’ll be bringing my list of books to share with the cousins. The reunion has been going strong for many years—so long that I’m no…
Know Your Numbers - 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…
Dementia: The Numbers Are Climbing but the Risk Is Not - I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it: dementia rates are dropping. There are more cases because there are more older people as a percentage of the population, and age is the biggest risk factor. But your risk is lower…