Tag Archives: elderly

Deep Time

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Do we experience time differently when we are elderly?  We all sense time passing more quickly as we age, but in what other ways is time different?  Richard Rohr, in his book Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of … Continue reading →

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Preparing for an Aging Population

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

A recent USA Today article by Sharon Jayson considers whether the country is prepared for the tremendous increase in the number of seniors that will occur in the next few decades.  Not surprisingly, Jayson concludes:  “Despite some pockets of progress, … Continue reading →

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“I Wish I Didn’t Work So Hard”

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Earlier I described the list of top regrets of the dying compiled by former hospice caregiver Bronnie Ware.  In that post I considered the first such regret, namely that many dying people wish they had lived a life true to themselves … Continue reading →

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“It’s Never Too Late to Turn to a Life of Crime”

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

The above observation comes from a report in Bloomberg Businessweek about a petty crime spree among Japanese senior citizens.  Crime by those over 65 doubled over the last decade, even though the total crime in Japan declined by 17%.  According … 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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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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Does It Matter If You Look Old?

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Our appearance changes as we age (just not much if you’re Dolly Parton).  Most of us past midlife know we look different, but haven’t entirely made our peace with our changing looks.  Some wrinkles are OK, a little graying, but … Continue reading →

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“Wish I’d Had the Courage to Live a Life True to Myself”

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Bronnie Ware, a nurse who for years gave palliative care for terminally ill adults, has described the top five regrets that her patients expressed.  I wrote earlier about the regrets of older adults, so I was interested in the items on … Continue reading →

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