Barry was always very active throughout his life but when an accident landed him in a wheelchair permanently, things changed. For many years Barry spent most days in his home living a very sedentary and isolated life. Sadly, in that time, his mental and physical health began to decline. Thankfully, his daughter Elsa noticed and […]
Continue ReadingAn old Navy man, Ken had a bunch of tattoos on his somewhat-wrinkled but still-strong arms. There were call-signs and images of the ships on which he used to ply the world’s waters, a few Morse code images, the obligatory mermaid girl, and, somewhat surprisingly, a Latin phrase. It certainly wasn’t semper fi (never confuse […]
Continue ReadingStress and aging go hand-in-hand over the whole course of our lives. More than just a mental-emotional experience, a stressful situation triggers biochemical responses that kick our bodies into high gear so we can better handle that situation. However, we aren’t meant to be in this high-alert mode for long periods of time, let alone […]
Continue ReadingMy grandma passed away quite a few years ago, but her oldest friend, Cora, still comes to our family gatherings. At our recent celebration of her 83rd birthday, my brother made a comment about how it is so great that she continues to live independently. Cora replied, “I don’t think I’ve ever actually lived independently. […]
Continue ReadingNicholas always had a passion for cooking. There was something about being in his kitchen and creating delicious, colorful meals that brought him so much joy. But as he entered his late seventies, cooking started to become a bit more of a chore. As Nicholas’s mobility decreased, he found it difficult to retrieve pots and […]
Continue ReadingI was recently talking to Marla, who always had interesting ideas about travel, and she told me that it took her forever to realize that San Francisco was right on the water. She didn’t mean this literally of course (though my initial surprise made her laugh). What she meant is that she had long taken […]
Continue ReadingWatching a movie in a group is an incredible, life-affirming way to make a solitary experience into something joyfully communal. We sit in a darkened room, processing a film through our own minds, but surrounded by people who are laughing or gasping or covering their eyes or crying. The shared experience changes the way you […]
Continue ReadingSuppose that someone asked you, “Where do you want to go home to tonight?” After they rule out an all-inclusive tropical island as an option, your response would likely be, “What do you mean, ‘Where do I want to go home to?’ I want to go home to my house.” It seems like a frivolous […]
Continue ReadingOn his drive home from his aging father’s house, Jessie felt heavy. His father Stan was still living in the family home, and it was always a joy for Jessie to visit the little bungalow he grew up in. This time was different, though. Although his father seemed well, Jessie noticed that over the course […]
Continue Reading“Travel,” Marla told me one day when we were sitting down to eat lunch in the annex of Institute on Aging, “is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” “Excuse me?” I asked. She explained that it was a quote by Mark Twain and a darn good one. I asked why she had brought it up, […]
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