April 11, 2022 —
Timothy Leary’s “turn on, tune in, drop out” … hippies passing around a joint at a music festival … rock bands taking drug-fueled “trips.” That’s the stereotype of the baby boomers, and several studies from 2022 suggest that many members of the generation—people born from 1946 to 1964—have not given up illicit drug use, most... Read More
April 4, 2022 —
Over the past two years, doctor visits certainly have changed. Virtual calls and online communications are now as common as traditional office visits. The shift may be convenient, but for older adults, it’s not always easy to adapt to this new way of interacting. And when doctor visits of any kind typically last only a... Read More
March 14, 2022 —
The old cliché is that older adults should take it easy—maybe even take to their rocking chairs. Today, we know how wrong that is! “It’s a widespread idea in Western societies that as we get older, it’s normal to slow down, do less, and retire,” said Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel E. Lieberman. In fact, he said,... Read More
March 7, 2022 —
Is your diet made up exclusively of dishes you create from scratch, using fresh ingredients? Most likely not! Most of us use plenty of canned, boxed, frozen or bottled products, and that’s just fine—so long as what’s in those packages is healthy and meets our nutritional needs. If you are an older adult, you probably... Read More
February 28, 2022 —
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, only following heart disease. Each year, almost 1,800,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer, and close to 600,000 people will die of the disease. Just as the CDC’s name implies, “control and prevention”... Read More
February 21, 2022 —
Older adults are susceptible to a number of eye conditions that can damage vision. These include cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and age-related macular degeneration, which according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is the most common cause of sight loss in people older than 50. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the deterioration of... Read More
February 11, 2022 —
During February, we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Gerontologists report that during the pandemic, older couples have been providing a great deal of support for each other’s well-being. At any time, the health of couples can be closely intertwined. For example, the American Heart Association reports that couples often share certain heart-health traits, such as blood pressure,... Read More
February 4, 2022 —
By Janet Jackson-McCulloch As wonderful as Valentine’s Day can be, it can also serve as a painful reminder of happier times when you love someone with dementia. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that along with my decades of professional experience with this heartbreaking illness, I also understand it on a personal level. My mother-in-law had... Read More
January 31, 2022 —
Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been experiencing another epidemic—this one of misinformation! Spreading unsubstantiated rumors is never a good thing, and in the case of health information, it can be life-threatening. For most of us, it feels good to know we’re sharing factual, accurate information—but how can we be sure we really are? “Health... Read More
January 24, 2022 —
During a visit to their hometown, Dan and Amy visited their great-aunt. Aunt Becky was glad to see them, but they were worried at what they saw in her home. Her usually spotless house was dirty and unkempt. Though she’d always taken pride in her wardrobe, her dress was dirty and torn. She seemed painfully... Read More
