The Elder Index, developed by researchers at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, shows that nearly 5 million older women living alone, 2 million older men living alone, and more than 2 million older couples have incomes that make them economically insecure.
While retirement has changes and challenges, it also provides opportunities to embark on new adventures. ENCORE Ministry Director Rev. Dr. Richard Gentzler provides an inspiring and alternative view of retirement.
If we reframe aging and discount the aging myth, then we affirm that life can be an exciting adventure through the decades.
It is unusual for experts on aging not only to live into advanced age, but also to write about it with the voice of experience. Dr. Richard L. Morgan, who died on March 25 at age 93, was such a rare person. Dr. Morgan was a Presbyterian minister and much else, too: a widely read author and founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Clergy Network, the first national advocacy coalition bringing all faiths together against Alzheimer’s.
There are currently over 16 million people in the US providing care to a person with dementia. While caregiving can be very rewarding, many caregivers also experience a significant amount of stress, and struggle to find meaning in their role as a caregiver.
Caregiving can be both an opportunity and a burden. It’s often a long journey with no end in sight. Few people face more daily challenges or overcome more obstacles than caregivers. During the COVID pandemic, the challenges of caregiving have been exacerbated for many who receive care and those who provide it.
The legendary late great pitcher Satchel Paige is credited with asking, “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” In your own mind, what age are you? Be honest. If you’re like me, your answer depends on the time of day and how you’re feeling at that particular moment! Our traditional idea of aging is …
This week I had the privilege to celebrate the life of a good friend, Cornelia Frank. She was 101 years old and was one of the first persons I met when I moved to Winchester 20 years ago. It is difficult moving into a small town and getting acquainted after you have retired. Everyone has their circle of friends. However, the first Sunday I attended Winchester First United Methodist Church, Cornelia came up to me, introduced herself, and invited me to deliver Meals on Wheels with her. I was her co-pilot delivering some 10 meals together each week.
Later life is a time of reassessment and reflection. What sense do we make of the lives we have lived? How do we come to terms with illness and death? What do we want to give to others as we grow older?
“The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon…In old age they still produce fruit, they are always green and full of sap” (Psalm 92:12,14). Some studies indicate that ageism is decreasing in our society and we’re headed toward a more inclusive view of aging. They also indicate that age stigma is getting reduced, citing …