Category Archives: Psyche

The Reluctant Caregiver and Agape

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Several weeks ago, Paula Span of the New Old Age blog wrote about “The Reluctant Caregiver.” She’s referring to someone who is providing care for someone in need of help but provides the care grudgingly rather than willingly.  She cites … Continue reading →

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Depression in Older Adults: Symptoms

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Sally was feeling sad.  This wasn’t a new experience for her; depression had been a frequent visitor throughout life.  Having grown up with an alcoholic, physically abusive father and a mother who provided little care and blamed her for the … Continue reading →

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What Matters Most to Assisted Living Residents

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

The National Center for Assisted Living reports that the average age of individuals in assisted living facilities in the US is 86.9 years.  The average length of stay is about 28 months.   Martin Bayne is an exception to the typical assisted living … Continue reading →

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Boomer Health

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

A recent segment on National Public Radio describes the poor health of the Baby Boomer generation.  Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964, so they are now in their late 40s to mid-60s.  A group of researchers led by Dana … Continue reading →

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Looking Ahead

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Middle age tends to be a time of focusing not only on oneself and, if married, one’s mate, but also attending to maturing children and aging parents. Those generations—one on ahead, the other trailing—not only are sources of concern and … Continue reading →

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Dealing With the Regrets of Late Adulthood

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

As a psychologist who provides services for older adults, I’ve noticed that, though my older clients have a variety of reasons for seeking help, their underlying issues often coalesce around common themes.   Specifically, those deeper issues often entail concerns over … Continue reading →

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Does Activity Increase the Happiness of Older Adults?

Posted on February 16, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

An earlier version of this post was published at Life Assays on April 24, 2011. On April 9, I attended the Carolinas Psychology Conference, a venue for undergraduate psychology students to present research that they’ve done. We had four students … Continue reading →

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