Loneliness

The writer Paolo Coelho once wrote, “Friendship isn’t a big thing—it’s a million little things.” The value of friendships throughout your life, but especially as you get on in years, is truly underestimated. Both your physical and mental health benefit when friends are an integral part of your life, not…

Mother Theresa once said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” Those are sentiments felt by many older adults, even those who live among other groups of people. That’s because feeling lonely has little to do with being by yourself (which is more correctly described…

He’s known for his guest columns in the Washington Post and his recent humorous book, “Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old: A Highly Judgmental, Unapologetically Honest Accounting of All the Things Our Elders Are Doing Wrong.” But there’s nothing funny about his most recent column, entitled “The…

We spend a lot of time and attention focusing on aspects of physical health and how eating a healthy diet, getting sufficient sleep, or keeping your body moving are essential for aging in a healthier way. What may not get enough attention, however, are the psychological factors that can also…

We’ve known for quite a long time that sensory input is critical to keeping our brains healthy and functioning. One important source of that input is social engagement. We also know that one of the most concerning health perils that accompanied Covid was the social isolation of many of our…

Over the years, we’ve addressed some of the dangers facing older adults from both physical and financial abuse. Whether from strangers scamming seniors on the internet or from familiar faces coming into the home and exploiting isolated older adults, there’s tremendous concern that even savvy older adults may fall victim…