October 9 is Ageism Awareness Day. Like any awareness day, its purpose is to call attention to a problem and inspire people to take action. That action starts with the recognition that ageism is real, that it harms older adults and society as a whole, and that the time has come to understand the importance […]
While retirement communities and independent living facilities are popular choices for older adults who want to downsize or can no longer manage the upkeep of their family home, surveys confirm that most Americans hope to age in place. Unfortunately, barriers to remaining in a home after children move out can make it difficult for seniors […]
The last White House Conference on Aging was held in 2015. It commemorated the 80th anniversary of Social Security and the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Older Americans Act. Those landmark laws have improved the lives of countless older Americans. At the time the Conference was held, the Older Americans Act (OAA) was […]
While some people embrace the experience of growing older, the process of aging is often unwelcome. In his older years, Mark Twain quipped that “life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.” Twain was not alone in lamenting the loss of youth. Aging […]
As a longtime counselor with the Institute on Aging’s Friendship Line, the country’s only accredited crisis intervention line and warmline focused on callers age 60 and older, I listen to and talk with dozens of callers each week—many of them anxious, distressed, in crisis, or depressed. It’s a volunteer gig, and understandably, not everyone’s bag […]
Time teaches us many things. I’ve learned that every season of life has new lessons to teach me. You never know it all and you’re never too old to learn new ones. I’ve learned lessons from my kids and my grandkids but the most important lessons I’ve learned have been from my folks. People Matter […]
I’ve always been told to be careful about assumptions. It’s really a wise recommendation when it comes to aging. Generalities that once might have held a thimble of truth have been blown out of the water by the Greatest Generation and the beloved Baby Boomers. When social security was first signed into law, not many […]
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 […]