Social Issues

By Dr. Margaret Rappaport

NY Times – Opinion
The Joy of Old Age. (No Kidding.)

Article By Oliver Slacks
At 80, I often feel life is about to begin, only to realize it is almost over…
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NY Times – ‘Still Mine’ Adds to Movies on Aging

Article By Paula Span
A spate of excellent movies about aging may reflect filmmakers’ dawning recognition of the way this global demographic shift affects all our lives.
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NY Times – Old, and Sharing

Letter
A reader discusses why living apart together works well for older people.
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Reuters – Poll finds Americans want to live longer, but not too much

Article By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor
How long would you like to live – 100 years? Maybe 120? Would extended life spans be good for society, the economy and the way people go through their lives? With populations aging and medical science progressing, questions like these are moving from the science-fiction category to the realm of long-term issues that ethicists and policy makers are starting to consider…
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NY Times – A Responsibility to Give Back

Article By A. Barry Rand
The chief executive of AARP says his grandfather, a minister, taught him the importance of making life better for others.
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NY Times – Elderly Acting Just Might Improve … Line, Please!

Article By John Hanc
Research suggests that as a person ages, acting and other activities that require cognitive skills can improve these skills in other areas of life.
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NY Times – Brain-Training Bonus

Letter to the Editor
A reader who rides a bike notes an added benefit from video games that may keep the brain sharper for older people: fresh air and exercise.
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NY Times – Finding New Meaning in Life Through PowerPoint

Article by Anand Giridharadas
A 77-year-old Colombian woman discovers the joy of learning to tell stories with a computer and an Internet connection.
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NY Times – What Makes Older People Happy

Article by Judith Graham
Older adults more often find happiness in everyday events, a new study finds.
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NY Times – Geriatricians Question Five Common Treatments

Article by Paula Span
The American Geriatrics Society says medical evidence is scant for five common treatments in the elderly.
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NY Times – Faith-Based Housing That Meets Evolving Needs

Article by Jennifer Preston
Faith-based retirement communities that provide a continuum of services, from independent living to skilled nursing care, are attracting more residents as baby boomers retire.
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NY Times – Older Athletes Punching Above Their Age

Article by Robert Strauss
With medical statistics scarce, participants in hockey, long-distance running, boxing and even rodeo play till it hurts, and insist it helps keep them young.
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NY Times – As Living Standards Fall for Seniors, Some See Signs of ‘Silver Revolution’

Article by David Wallis
While the seniors rights movement remains relatively muted, intensifying fear about retirement security could spur elderly agitators into the streets.
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NY Times – Going Back to School, Without the Pressure

Article by Constance Gustke
Residences near or on college campuses offer courses and culture for older adults.
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NY Times – Childhood Dreams Can Inspire Rewarding Second Careers for Retirees

Article by Kerry Hannon
To stay engaged and add to their savings, retirees are transforming lifelong passions into new careers in the circus, on screen and around the world.
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NY Times – For Older Travelers, a Site from AARP

Article by Rachel Lee Harris
A site from AARP will help older travelers plan and book trips.
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NY Times – The Age Premium: Retaining Older Workers

Article by Steven Greenhouse
Valuing knowledge and experience, some employers are making extra efforts to encourage longtime workers to stay.
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Yahoo – 10 People Whose Lives Began at 60

Article by Danny Ashton
The number of people aged 60 and over has doubled since 1980, and by the year 2050 there will be 395 million over-80s worldwide.
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NY Times – Stealing a Page From the Boomers’ Playbook

Article by Jane Gross
A member of the “aging industrial complex” starts a campaign against ageism.
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NY Times – Part Broker, Part Therapist, Real Estate Agents for Older Adults on the Move

Article by Abby Ellin
About 850 senior move managers in the United States are helping older adults manage the psychological toll of finding a new home.
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NY Times – Google’s Anti-Aging Company Announces New Research Facility

Article by Conor Dougherty
A Google-backed biotech company plans to build a new Bay Area-based facility to research diseases that afflict the elderly, such as neurodegeneration and cancer.
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NY Times – Encouraging End-of-Life Talks

Article by The Editorial Board
Advance planning for care at the end of life may finally be about to overcome politics, as insurers begin to pay for the discussions.
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NY Times – On New Measurements of Aging

Article by Judith Graham
Warren Sanderson, a professor of social and behavioral sciences at Stony Brook University, is working on ways to define aging other than the passing of years. “Everything is changing about 65-year-olds,” he said.
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NY Times – A Leap in Lifespans

Article by Paula Span
We’re living longer than ever, but not always better.
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NY Times – A Tiny Stumble, a Life Upended

Article by Katie Hafner
After a fall, life is upended in an instant — a sudden loss of independence, an awkward reliance on family and friends, and a new level of fear for those who fall, and their contemporaries.
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NY Times – Steps to Avoid an Accident

Article by Katie Hafner
Experts who have studied falls wish that people would take measures to protect themselves much as they do against heart disease or viral infections.
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NY Times – Why Elders Smile

Article by David Brooks
Why do studies suggest that the happiest age group is people ages 82 to 85?
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NY Times – Mortality and its Discontents

Article by Timothy Egan
The summits no longer have the same pull; a beer and a brat on the 40-yard line are as enticing as looking down at cloud cover from Mount Rainier’s apex.
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NY Times – The Rub: Remodel or Move?

Article by Ann Carrns
Baby boomers are often choosing to live in places outside the usual retirement spots — or stay where they are and remodel their homes.
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NY Times – Dealing With the Dreaded Bereavement Trip

Article by Walecia Konrad
Traveling for funerals and memorial services can become a major concern as people live longer and, in turn, watch close friends and family members die.
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NY Times – Odds of Being a Champ at 95? Pretty Good

Article by Robert Strauss
People are now competing in their 70s, 80s and 90s, some of them in sports not associated with retirement.
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NY Times – Apps Especially Useful for Retirees

Article by Jonah Bromwich
A list of apps that are helpful for retirees who like to plan in advance.
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NY Times – Managing Estate Sales Becomes Big Business

Article by Alan Feuer
The estate sale business is growing as the parents of baby boomers reach the end of their lives and the boomers themselves retire and downsize.
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NY Times – Training the Mind to Ward Off Falls

Article by John Hanc
In a new approach to the problem of falls among older people, an exercise physiologist at Wichita State has introduced cognitive drills into the exercise classes at a senior center.
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NY Times – Two Generations, Retired and Together

Article by Fran Hawthorne
Dual-generation retirements are becoming more common because of longer life spans and children’s wrapping up their careers early.
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NY Times – Mind Older Really Can Mean Wiser

Article by Benedict Carey
Research is catching up with the idea that, in some ways, people apparently grow smarter with age.
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NY Times – Finding Success, Well Past the Age of Wunderkind

Article by Abby Ellin
Through the arts, education and other pursuits, more people are experiencing late-life rebirths that are rewarding creatively, emotionally and spiritually.
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NY Times –
For an Aging Brain, Looking for Ways to Keep Memory Sharp

Article by Jane E. Brody
Herbal supplements, brain-training games and puzzles are being tossed out as ways to fight cognitive decline, without much evidence that they work.
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NY Times –
I’m Too Old for This

Article by Dominique Browning
Only when you hit 60 can you put yesterday’s worries behind you, the writer discovers.
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NY Times –
My Father’s Last Romance

Article by Bob Morris
Older adults have their own rules about marriage and cohabitation
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NY Times –
How I Became a Helicopter Daughter

Article by Mimi Swartz
When my elderly father moved into our living room, I flew into action.
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NY Times –
Talking Early About How Life Should End

Article by Tina Rosenberg
When aging people discuss with their families how they wish to die, all are spared extra grief when the end comes.
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Yahoo –
‘Super-agers’ study may reveal secrets to staying young

Article by Kerry Sheridan
Mary Helen Abbott, 77, paints her lips bright pink, still smokes the occasional cigarette, keeps up on all the gossip at the retirement home and wears a short skirt to fitness class.
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NY Times –
Older Students Learn for the Sake of Learning

Article by Harriet Edleson
Many retiress, not trying to earn degrees, participate in programs like the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, which are affiliated mostly with colleges and universities.
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NY Times –
Older Drivers Hit the Road for Uber and Lyft

Article by Elizabeth Olson
Seniors are turning to ride-sharing services for the extra income and flexibility they provide, but there are concerns about possible exploitation.
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NY Times –
Using the Arts to Promote Healthy Aging

Article by Jane E. Brody
Throughout the country, the arts are pumping new life into the bodies and minds of the elderly.
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NY Times –
Walk, Jog or Dance: It’s All Good for the Aging Brain

Article by Gretchen Reynolds
New evidence that physical activity can forestall the mental decline in aging brains.
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NY Times –
Thriving at Age 70 and Beyond

Article by Jane E. Brody
In “70Candles!,” older women explore the most important issues facing women as they age, and how society might help ease their way into the future.
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NY Times –
Of Retirement Age, but Remaining in the Work Force

Article by Paula Span
More and more adults older than 65 are still employed, whether for personal satisfaction or because of economic realities.
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NY Times –
The Hottest Start-Up Market? Baby Boomers

Article by Constance Gustke
The staggering size of the so-called longevity economy has been attracting more entrepreneurs, deep-pocketed financiers and events to pitch new ideas.
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NY Times –
Hacks Can Ease the Trials of Aging

Article by Marie Tae Mcdermott
From the dollar store or the design studio, solutions to make daily tasks easier for the elderly.
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NY Times – Going for the Gold in the Golden Years

Article by Roger Kisby
Many fitness-oriented older Americans, some who came to sports later in life, test themselves in local, state and national competitions like Senior Games. They may not capture the headlines at the Rio Olympics, but that isn’t stopping many older Americans from testing themselves in competitions.
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NY Times –
Telling Their Life Stories, Older Adults Find Peace in Looking Back

Article by Susan B. Garland
Some take life-story writing classes, while others hire “personal historians” to record oral histories or to produce videos that combine interviews, home movies and family photos.
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