Monthly Archives: June 2013

Why Do We Attend Reunions?

Posted on June 29, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Why do we attend class reunions?  Why revisit a time in our lives when we weren’t at our best and maybe were at our worst?  Are the people with whom we went to school really so important to us that … Continue reading →

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Older Adults Are Entering Psychotherapy in Larger Numbers

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

For years, the mental health community has viewed older adults as being unwilling to enter psychotherapy for emotional problems.  The thinking has been that greater receptivity would only occur when baby boomers entered older adulthood in large numbers.  However, a … Continue reading →

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Interview: Pastoral Care for Older Adults

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Because of their health problems and limited mobility, my parents haven’t been able to attend their church for several years.  I have been impressed by how effectively the church—LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church, in Grand Rapids, Michigan—has provided pastoral care … Continue reading →

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Who Are Our Grandchildren?

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Who are our grandchildren, these little people who barge into our lives and kick over the traces just as we’ve gotten settled, just as the pattern of our days has become staid and predictable? They are a blessing, of course.  No matter what we’ve done, no … Continue reading →

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Caregiver Guilt: It’s Not All Bad

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

It is common for adults who provide care for family members to experience guilt.  I talked recently to Jeannie, a woman who assists with cooking, managing medications, and shopping for her octogenarian mother.  As she got ready to leave her … Continue reading →

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Getting Medicare: The Boring Details

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

I am covered by Medicare insurance as of today.   Last year, I quit my full-time position as a faculty member at Methodist University, and thereby lost my health insurance.  I could have continued with the Methodist U. plan using COBRA, (The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation … Continue reading →

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