Elena was exhausted. Ever since her father came home from the hospital after his heart surgery, she’d been tending to his every need to ensure he recovered fully. After a few weeks of providing him with around-the-clock care, Elena and her father decided it was okay to start leaving him on his own at night.
Continue ReadingAll throughout his adult life, driving was a form of therapy for Dave, making him feel confident, independent, and in control. But when Dave turned 68, the way he’d felt about driving started to change. He felt his reflexes slow, his mobility decline, and his vision deteriorate to the extent that it began affecting his […]
Continue ReadingIt’s a rare and special thing to experience the change of seasons, and those of us who have lived many years and many seasons over have great wisdom to apply to these shifts. Even though our culture and economy want to keep pushing forward regardless of seasonal patterns, our bodies can’t help but feel those […]
Continue ReadingIn the past, Harry and Dara put a lot of attention into meals and nutrition for their kids and then their grandkids. But they’re finding it a lot harder to give that same kind of important attention to their own nutritional needs—especially as their doctors have been recommending additional dietary changes and restrictions for their […]
Continue ReadingLosing weight after turning 70 is a lot like losing weight after turning 30 or 40 or 50: It’s often way harder than you think it is going to be. But it is also very doable, and if your health depends on it, it’s very worth it. When I say it is much harder, it […]
Continue ReadingFor seven years, I was a caregiver for an older woman with rheumatoid arthritis. She was happy to have me around to help her with the daily tasks that had become difficult, such as preparing her meals, decluttering the house, and even going through her mail and writing to her grandkids. But there were certain things she loved to do that just wouldn’t be the same if I did them for her. For example, she could no longer manage the fine brushwork on the models she used to paint, and she could no longer play the piano because her hands became sore quickly.
Continue ReadingSometimes aging adults need someone to step up and advocate for them because of communication barriers and other disabilities. But it’s also true that our aging community needs proactive advocates because our own culture and social constructions tend to undermine the independence and dignity they deserve and underestimate the resources they should have access to.
Continue ReadingWhen young people, flush in the fire of first love, talk about getting married, there is often a point at which the power of emotion is tempered by the sheer weight of practicality and bureaucracy. This might come when they get their marriage license, or the first time they file taxes together, or when they […]
Continue ReadingA question that everyone has when they are aging is: How do I navigate a world that is increasingly unfamiliar? How do I adjust to changes that happen so quickly? What skills do I need to stay in touch, stay vibrant, and stay part of this life?
Continue ReadingCliff learned firsthand what it means to reverse expectations about aging and later life. When he moved in with his nephew’s family, they expected him to stay in the house most of the time, read books, watch TV, build puzzles, and be around to let the cat in and out. He was as surprised by […]
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