Of all the unexpected changes, diminutions, and just plain annoyances that aging inevitably brings with it, those in the know agree that the hardest is losing what they’ve come to cherish most: their independence. Perhaps independence is so hard to give up because it’s so hard-won. Most people spend their youthful years longing for the […]
Updated June 2025 In American society, which seems hellbent on shunning the reality that aging is a natural part of living, the idea of seniors having sex suffers from double taboos. And yet, they persist. Perhaps the current deluge of television ads for various drugs that purport to make it easy and fun for older […]
“Right now, you’ve got neurons in your brain that have ‘Vacancy’ signs on them,” the Institute on Aging’s Patrick Arbore recently told a capacity crowd gathered to hear his pronouncements about brain health. The group of mostly older attendees was lured to the talk, fittingly held in San Francisco, by its title: “The Summer of […]
Many families grew up with the kitchen as a focal point and central gathering place in the home. For many seniors who still live at home, they now prepare a meal for themselves alone. Kitchen safety is critical because the kitchen is a place where accidents often occur. When it comes to seniors and kitchen […]
In a kinder, easier, more foolproof world, there would be one document allowing people to indicate what medical care they prefer to have provided or withheld. And it would be housed in one repository, accessible by medical personnel anywhere and everywhere, at any hour of the day or night. We don’t live in that world. […]
Everyone feels lonely sometimes. But when the feeling persists as a chronic or acute state of being, it can easily morph into clinical depression and suicidal ideation—especially among older people. From poets to professors, many have tried to describe and define loneliness. Harry Stack Sullivan, a 20th century psychiatrist whose studies focused on interpersonal relationships, […]
Updated February 2026 The medical term for difficulty with the mechanism and process of swallowing is dysphagia. Dysphagia is a common concomitant of aging, but it also occurs in people of any age who have nerve or muscle problems. According to Ohio’s University Hospital, swallowing disorders occur in up to 22% of people who are 50 […]
Did you know that your voice and manner of speaking may change with age? As we age, the reality is that our voices change. Some people also experience changes in their ability to speak and communicate. These changes can make some feel like they are losing their edge, or worse, losing control over an important […]
Hearing changes are normal with advancing age. I’ll admit to having a hearing issue (or “loss”) myself, although it is a result of a past major surgery. I prefer to call it “an issue” or “a loss” rather than a disability; there is something more uplifting and correctable about having “as issue” or “a loss.” […]