What if I told you that nearly half of all older adults — not a small, extraordinary handful, but almost half — actually improve their cognitive and physical functioning as they age? Not maintain. Not slow the decline. Improve. I know. That probably feels like…

Social Withdrawal or Healthy Social Selectivity? Your 83-year-old client’s daughter calls you concerned that her mother just quit her book club after three years and is concerned that her mom will now be isolated and lonely, what’s your first clinical hypothesis? Social withdrawal? Depression? Cognitive…

If you work with older adults, you’ve probably heard this question more times than you can count: “What can I do to keep my brain healthy?” The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) offers some of the most trustworthy, plain-English answers. Convened by AARP (with…

Loneliness and social isolation can be as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. While it may surprise some, research shows that older adults have lower rates of loneliness than younger people, but the impact on their well-being is far more profound​.…

  Ageism poses a threat to mental health and well-being, especially for older adults. Research shows that ageism can significantly impact the psychological well-being of older individuals. From depression to anxiety, the effects of age-based prejudice are harmful.   Ageism includes stereotypes (how we think),…

Many older adults implement strategies, like crossword puzzles and supplements to stave off dementia, but do these strategies actually work?   Research shows that potentially 45% of dementia cases can be prevented or delayed through a series of personal and societal changes.   Because my…

There’s more to aging well than diet and exercise.   Twenty years ago, I set out to build a career working with people living with life altering medical problems, many of whom were at the end of their life. People would often ask me: “Isn’t…

For many people living with Parkinson’s Disease, sexual functioning can change, but intimacy doesn’t have to. I was working with a 70-something husband and wife a few months ago. The wife was living Parkinson’s Disease and had extreme tremors in her arms and hands. Her…

There are many older adults who may be experiencing new mental health conditions and have never connected with a mental health care provider and may be reluctant to move forward.     Here are 6 pieces of expert advice that I share with older adults…

Many people dread growing older based on assumptions they have about aging. As we age and find ourselves spending time with older adults, it is important to understand what is typical and not typical with aging, as well as the positive aspects of aging.   …

According to a study by the CDC, chronic pain impacts over 16,386,000 older adults age 65-84 and an additional 2,596,000 MORE adults over the age of 85 (Dahlhamer et al, 2018).  If you read my post about chronic pain in older adults, you also know…

  How common is pain among people 65 and older? For better or for worse, most of us associate chronic pain with getting older. We assume that as we age, our bodies will naturally break down and that pain is “just part of getting older”. …