It has been a month already of the new year 2023. Now that we have done all the partying for starting a new year, it is an ideal time to explore ourselves and set goals.

Since it is the season of giving, one of the most valuable ways to give is to volunteer. Volunteers help their neighbors, serve their communities, and provide their expertise at no cost. No matter what kind of volunteer work you do, you are contributing in invaluable ways.

Ageism is a popular term which is a specific pathological fear (or phobia) of aging. In his original formulation of ageism Dr. Butler noted that, with respect to age, prejudice could move in other directions. For example, prejudice of the old toward the young. On the one hand, age as a social construct conveys power and authority, and on the other hand, it often means powerlessness and loss of authority.

Telehealth is the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. It allows for a long-distance patient and clinician to have contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, monitoring, and remote admissions. Telemedicine is sometimes used as a synonym, or is used in a more limited sense to describe remote clinical services, […]

Although intellectually we all know that one day we shall die, generally we are so reluctant to think of our death that this knowledge does not touch our hearts or minds, and we live our life as if we were going to be in this world forever. As a result, the things of this world […]

What comes to mind when you think about sex and aging? A sweet old couple holding hands in their rocking chairs or just not envisioned at all with elders? Well, what people’s perceptions are when it comes to sex and aging is often negative. For instance, it’s common for older adults to be thought of […]

Studies have demonstrated the benefits of giving — not just for the recipients but for the givers’ health and happiness, and for the strength of entire communities. One of the messages here is that you don’t have to shop to reap the benefits of giving. Research suggests the same benefits come from donating to charities […]

Lawrence J. Weiss and Lynda Hascheff Families—not institutions—provide the majority of care to chronically ill and disabled persons. These families know the enormity of the burden in caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases, stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other long-term conditions. They also know the challenges in locating appropriate advice, services, and respite. […]

Family Caregiving is a public health and economic security issue. Caregiving is a journey unlike any other. To those who have not yet traveled this road, you need to know that most of us will. It is difficult to describe the multitude of situations that evolve to create the experience of providing care for a […]

Falling in love and having an intimate relationship is critical for life satisfaction and it isn’t reserved just for the young. Everyone wants and needs to feel love and that desire doesn’t change as you age. However, as your needs and preferences evolve over time and as life experiences shape you for better and for […]

Acceptance in human psychology is a person’s assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it, protest, or exit. Our society has become one of hatred and unacceptance. Whether it is unacceptance of race differences or wearing of masks. Our country […]

Loneliness can affect anyone of any age and background – from an older person mourning the loss of a life partner to a young person who simply feels different and isolated from their friends. Furthermore, as our society continues to evolve and experience pandemics we introduce advances that also increase the risk of developing loneliness. […]

This month’s article describes a program that was developed by three very innovative and industrious people who currently work on it and contributed significantly to writing this article: Augustin Jorquez, Marta Malone, and Michael Marcus. The program is “Teach Me To Grow Healthy: The Intergenerational Community Garden and Indigenous Foods Program”. Its mission is to […]

Wow! What a year 2020 has been with COVID, the horrible weather, the hatred and decisiveness throughout our country, and the major electronic hacking into the U.S. government systems. A year that necessitates change in 2021. So now that we have a new year it is time to make some New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, New […]

Baby Boomers are one of the largest generations in American history. Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, number about 71.6 million in the US as of 2019. The age wave theory suggests that there was an economic slowdown when the boomers started to retire in 2007-2009. Many did not experience lower levels of poverty and therefore […]

When you are young, you don’t think about your health. Many youth and older people aren’t all that concerned with how today’s habits affect them tomorrow or down the road. We all need to take responsibility for our own health behaviors now, especially in a time when we are at risk of contracting and potentially dying […]

I had the pleasure of presenting at a public education session on the new health reform law in Las Vegas recently sponsored by Families USA, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN), and the National Council on Aging (NCOA). At that conference, I realized that what we normally talk about when we discuss health care is […]

Note:  Ray Craft died peacefully at home, on his 95th birthday, after many visits from family and friends. At the time of his death he was surrounded by family.  He lived a full life through his end of life.  He will be greatly missed.  This past month, I had the pleasure of participating in my adoptive father’s […]

In October 2014, I wrote my article on the Village Movement. Originally started in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts in 2002, the Village concept arose out of community members’ desire to reside in their own homes while being able to access services that address their changing lifestyles as they become more disabled, as […]

Becoming an adult is quite a process. As I have observed over the years, many of us do not do it very well. What do I mean? Well I am going to start from the beginning. In my education at University of California Berkeley and UC San Francisco, I had the pleasure of meeting and […]