Monthly Archives: April 2014

News Flash! Old People Are Invisible!

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

In his excellent article in the New Yorker about the rigors and rewards of growing old, Roger Angell, who at age 93 certainly knows something about the subject, describes what it’s like to be treated as if he is irrelevant: … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psyche, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How Older Adults React to Adversity

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

According to Stoic philosopher Epictetus, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Older adults may have an edge in reacting to adversity in a sanguine manner. At least that’s what a recent study … Continue reading →

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The Caregiving Cliff

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

The Washington Post recently had a series entitled “Caregiving: A Special Report,” exploring the many facets of caregiving in America. Some articles focus on individual stories of caregiving, while others have more to do more with the scope of the … Continue reading →

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When Older Adults Think of the Dead

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Bob Ritzema

In a recent post about the unprocessed emotions that many older adults accumulate, I quoted a line by 93-year-old essayist Roger Angell to the effect that advanced age provides plenty of opportunities for bad news. Angell also describes his experiences with loss; in this post … Continue reading →

Posted in Death, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments