Aging

70 Candles: Aging Women Share Their Inspirational Stories on Thriving in Old Age

Growing older is akin to entering uncharted territory: the landscape of your own body can begin to feel foreign, and the way you relate to certain aspects of life also shifts. In the book (and related blog) 70 Candles, authors Jane Giddan and Ellen Cole talk about finding ways to appreciate and accept the challenges that come with each new birthday—and what it takes for us to continue to flourish as human beings as we age.

Bridging Generations, Solving Problems: An Interview with IOA’s Director of Quality Improvement

Still You, Always You: Aging Doesn’t Mean You Stop Growing

Sex, Love, and Aging at Home: Dating for Older Adults

We’ve seen a spike in stories about sex in nursing homes over the last few years—and they always have titillating headlines, almost designed to induce a giggle, as if the thought of romance and intimacy post-retirement was something out of a corny 80s sitcom.

The Eden Alternative: How Dr. Bill Thomas Used Nature as Therapy to Redefine Aging

In 1991, Dr. Bill Thomas was appointed as the medical director in a nursing home in upstate New York, a beautiful region filled with stunning flora and a diversity of wildlife. But the natural beauty of the area was in stark contrast to the nursing home itself, which was somehow both antiseptic and dingy, a joyless place that Dr. Thomas describes as “a repository for old people whose minds and bodies seemed dull and dispirited.” This has long been the case with how our society believes it is acceptable for older adults to live. We act as if their lives are essentially over, and their days of having fun, learning new ideas, being independent, or caring for other living things are long gone. This idea had become so ingrained in our culture that it took an act of pure inspiration to begin to think about aging differently.

Make Your Loved One’s San Francisco Home Safe for Aging in Place

Mary’s modest two-story home, situated in San Francisco’s Mission District, was filled with over 3 decades of memories: framed photographs and art she had acquired over her lifetime adorned the walls, and her beloved keepsakes were proudly displayed on countertops. Her late husband’s recliner still sat next to her favorite comfy chair, covered with a handstitched quilt that Mary had made from his shirts.

The Good Life: How Robert Mondavi Transformed Napa Valley—and Aging

In 2003, Robert Mondavi surveyed the world-changing company he had built, and was slightly unhappy with it. He felt that the winery which bears his name—that remarkable name which had signified a new era of wine in California and the United States—was focusing too much on substandard and inexpensive wine, and he wanted to refocus the brand. So he rolled up his sleeves and got back to work. He was 90 years old at the time.

Preparing for Death with the Wisdom of Others: Inspiration and Hope from the Ages

We are such stuff

How Older Adults Can Avoid Culture-Oriented Financial Abuse and Scams

Meilin had worked all her life, and she saved her money frugally. She had lived, as she told me, a clean life. One day she was walking down the street near her home in Chinatown, and a woman she didn’t know came up to her and asked if Meilin knew where an address was, saying that at that address, there was a doctor who had healing powers. As they walked, the stranger asked Meilin all sorts of questions about her life. What Meilin didn’t know was that the “doctor” was listening through a cell phone, and when they met, pretended to know all about Meilin. The doctor warned her that a terrible tragedy was going to befall her family unless she brought in a bag full of her money and valuables to get blessed. Meilin, a deeply spiritual and traditional woman, did so. When the bag was returned, the items that were supposed to be blessed had instead been replaced by rocks. She had lost everything.

How the Older Americans Act Impacts Caregivers and Loved Ones

It sometimes seems as though we’re being constantly bombarded by current events, news items, and media in general. It’s easy to respond by feeling overwhelmed, desensitized, or just plain disinterested. And when it comes to government happenings, in particular, this is even truer: with so many new bills, laws, and legislation frequently being put through, held back, or questioned, it can be near impossible to keep track of everything, and you might just tune things out. But sometimes there are items that we’d all do well to pay attention to. More specifically, there’s been one recent change in legislation that brings further hope to caregivers, older adults, and Americans at large: the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act has big implications—the future of aging in America just got a little brighter.