Lessening: A Labor Of Love By Susanna P. Barton
August 21, 2024
By Susanna P. Barton One of the biggest hazards confronting older adults in their second half is drowning in self-focus and self-stuff – getting weighted down by our own egos and the life collections, impractical furnishings, and useless objects neither we nor our loved ones need, want, or cherish….
All By Myself: Loneliness And Its Impact On Physical and Cognitive Health
May 8, 2024
It’s no surprise that older individuals often feel lonely, as close family and friends become distant or have passed away, and as illness and disability make it harder to connect and gather. We’ve covered this topic on many previous occasions but it’s still jarring to read new research that confirms…
The Continued Epidemic Of Loneliness: Individual And Systemic Responses
March 20, 2024
It’s likely no surprise that loneliness continues to be a significant public health concern in the United States. As we reported last year when Surgeon General Vivek Murthy raised alarms about the public health crisis of loneliness in our country, loneliness is not only a subjective individual feeling of disappointment…
Youthful Versus Useful: Find Your Purpose As You Get Older
February 7, 2024
This past August, the consultancy firm Age Wave, along with the Harris Poll, conducted a study entitled The New Age of Aging, which reports on the significant demographic shifts currently happening in our country and the changing views of Americans on getting older. This survey involved over 2000 respondents, 900…
Proximity and Purpose: How To Foster Intergenerational Friendships
November 29, 2023
Though it’s not uncommon for older adults to live their later years in age-segregated communities, either by choice or by necessity, there’s also something to be said about mixing it up with younger people. In fact, the concept of an intergenerational friendship- that is, having a friend who is at…
(Non) Trivial Pursuits: The Importance Of Hobbies In Your Later Years
November 15, 2023
As you head into your later years, and the demands of work and family recede, how do you anticipate spending your time? Many of us will seek out part-time employment or find reward in volunteering with a favorite cause or community group. But even those activities are unlikely to fill…