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He Was His Own Miracle August 10, 2016 by Flora Davis - There’s an article elsewhere on this website that expresses doubts about something I believe in. There’s no scientific evidence, it says, that thinking positively can keep you healthy or that being determined to fight back against an illness can help you…
Scammed! A Warning July 18, 2016 by Flora Davis - That day in December, my bursitis had flared up and I’d lost a filling, but what really bothered me was that my computer wasn’t working and I felt stupid. I’d fallen for a scam. What’s more, I’d just read an…
Six Questions about My New Manifesto Against Ageism July 18, 2016 by Ashton Applewhite - Since the publication of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism (2016), I’ve been asked a lot of questions. Are you curious about why I find aging so damn interesting?
Retire? Never! July 15, 2016 by Flora Davis - When I was in my 30s, a friend asked whether I was saving money for retirement. I laughed. As a single mother with two small children, I could barely keep my head above water financially. No, I told her, I…
Avoiding Drug Interactions Just Got Easier July 8, 2016 by Pepper Evans - My mom had a great relationship with her regular pharmacy. In addition to getting prescriptions filled, a visit there included a dedicated, professional woman assembling our nonpharmacy shopping list so Mom could go to the back of the store and…
An Ageless Tradition July 8, 2016 by Flora Davis - Balloons were drifting around, bumping against the ceiling in my living room, buoyed by helium and the generosity of friends. The previous weekend, they had thrown a baby shower for me. It may have been the first time in history…
Oh, to Be 70 Again June 27, 2016 by Flora Davis - Oh, to be 70 again with the rest of my life opening up in front of me. When I was 70, I was working for a foundation and thought it the best job I’d ever had or was likely to…
Droneliness June 22, 2016 by Ashton Applewhite - Concerned about an onslaught of enfeebled old people? Don’t worry, robots will take care of them! American techno-optimism knows no bounds, and so-called “age-independence” technologies are proliferating like crazy. But in a profoundly ageist culture, the implications can be disturbing.…
Drinks on Me June 17, 2016 by Pepper Evans - I am not a big drinker. Most days, I need to remind myself to drink liquids to stay healthy and hydrated. A normal part of aging, I have learned, is that I don't register thirst the same way I did…
When Behavior Speaks June 13, 2016 by Maggie Sullivan - I sat with my mother and her caregiver, Aliza, one afternoon in the Alzheimer’s unit of the nursing home. With my mother between us, Aliza and I chatted about the hot weather we had been having. All of a sudden…
Oh, America! How Obamacare Finished Off Breaking Bad June 10, 2016 by Margaret Morganroth Gullette - Any just society must reduce the despair occasioned by dire medical conditions. This was one lesson, oddly, that could be drawn from the TV series, Breaking Bad.
May Day Surprise May 24, 2016 by Pepper Evans - We are often reminded of the importance of keeping social as we age; isolation has proven to be hazardous to healthy aging, while friendships engage and stimulate us.
Regarding Alzheimer’s May 19, 2016 by Maggie Sullivan - An empty shell. Doesn’t know who he is. Violent. Doesn’t recognize family members. Unable to communicate. The negative stereotypes and exaggerations of Alzheimer’s disease abound. Even the harrowing descriptions of Alzheimer’s meant to increase our sympathy—robs its victims of dignity,…
Aging in Place: Is It a Pipe Dream? May 11, 2016 by Flora Davis - On surveys, most older Americans say they want to age in place: to stay right where they are in the home they’ve lived in for years. Whenever I hear that, I wonder whether they realize just how difficult that can…
80 and Counting May 9, 2016 by Flora Davis - I’ve turned 80 and it’s a little scary. I’m healthy and still working, but I’m well aware that medical problems began for many of my friends once they were in their 80s. In many ways I’ve changed since I was…
Yo, Am I Ageist? May 6, 2016 by Pepper Evans - Unless you are Peter Pan, one day you’ll be old. I don’t want to experience discrimination because of a date on my birth certificate. I don’t want people to lump me into a one-size-fits-all assumption based solely on my age.…
Age Is Just a Number April 20, 2016 by Flora Davis - I live in a retirement community that’s age-restricted: you have to be at least 62 to move in. A 50-something friend asked me the other day why on earth I would want to live in a place that has only…
Taking a Stand April 18, 2016 by Pepper Evans - By now you have probably read the headlines about the negative health effects of sitting too long. The studies show that not only couch potatoes, but desk jockeys as well, are compromising health and longevity by sitting for long periods…
What’s Behind the Growing Geriatrician Shortage? April 15, 2016 by Ashton Applewhite - I was delighted to see an editorial in the New York Times about a crisis in the making, the growing shortage of geriatricians.
Getting Out Alive (and Staying That Way) March 25, 2016 by Pepper Evans - My role as caregiver and advocate has me quite familiar with transitioning a patient from hospital back to home sweet home. In my experience, the weak link in the process is almost always with discharge instructions and expectations. Patients leaving…
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…