Many older Americans shun an identity that could bring helpful accommodations, improve care and provide community.
Wheelchair? Hearing Aids? Yes. ‘Disabled’? No Way.
New Old Age
Since 2009, Paula has written the New Old Age, a column about aging and caregiving that appears twice monthly, online and in the print Science Times. It draws on research findings from major journals, interviews with expert sources and the experiences of elders themselves. The New Old Age has explored an array of topics pertinent to older adults: ageism, senior living options, health issues from alcohol abuse to vaccination, overdiagnosis and overtreatment, employment discrimination, the effects of COVID-19, end of life issues.
What the Air You Breathe May Be Doing to Your Brain
Studies increasingly find links between higher concentrations of certain pollutants and the prevalence of dementia.
When I Go, I’m Going Green
Credit: Orion Pahl/Larkspur Conservation
More Americans are choosing burials in which everything is biodegradable.
Health Risks From Cannabis May Grow as Users Age
More older people are using cannabis products regularly, but research suggests their cannabis-related health problems are also on the rise.
These Settings Aren’t Real. But for Dementia Patients, What Is?
The nursery at RiverSpring Residences in the Bronx is a sunny, inviting space outfitted with a bassinet, a crib with a musical mobile, a few toys, bottles, picture books for bedtime reading and a rack of clothing in tiny sizes.
The other morning, Wilma Rosa was there trying to soothe one of its cranky, small charges. “What’s the matter, baby?” she crooned, patting the complainer’s back. “You OK? I want you to go to sleep for a little while.”
When They Don’t Recognize You Anymore
It happened more than a decade ago, but the moment remains with her.
Sara Stewart was talking at the dining room table with her mother, Barbara Cole, 86, in Bar Harbor, Maine. Ms. Stewart, then 59, a lawyer, was making one of her extended visits from out of state.
Two or three years earlier, Ms. Cole had begun showing troubling signs of dementia, probably from a series of small strokes. “I didn’t want to yank her out of her home,” Ms. Stewart said.