Written by the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging team It’s time to celebrate the many ways in which older adults make a difference in our communities. Across the country, older Americans are taking part in activities that promote wellness and social connection. They are sharing their wisdom and experience with future generations, and they […]
Category: Blog
Sexually transmitted infections among adults
Written by Aishwarya Nagar, research assistant and Anne Trolard, manager of the Public Health Data and Training Center, with support from the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging staff at the Institute for Public Health Missouri and the St. Louis region consistently observe rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia that are higher than the national average. […]
Aging and public health
Written by Taylor R. Patskanick, master’s research fellow in aging, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health Evidence-based public health includes the use of proven approaches to improve population health. Historically, public health interventions were not always scientifically-based. And in today’s increasingly connected, yet resource-scarce world, public health practice has […]
Choosing work in later life
Written by Taylor R. Patskanick, master’s research fellow in aging at the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health Have you ever thought about how much of your life you will spend working? Now more than ever before, older Americans are living longer and working longer. The average age of […]
Entrepreneurship in later life
Written by Cal J. Halvorsen, MSW, doctoral student and the William E. Gordon Research Fellow at the Brown School I recently conducted an on-the-spot focus group among my geographically dispersed, early-30s friends in our online group chat. I asked them to describe an entrepreneur, giving me their initial, gut reactions. Responses centered on the image […]
Healthspan is more important than lifespan, so why don’t more people know about it?
Written by Tim Peterson, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis While more and more people are taking an interest in aging and lifespan, awareness on healthspan lags (Figure 2). If you don’t know what healthspan means you aren’t alone. What is healthspan? Many might agree that “healthspan” can […]
Shifting gears: aging & transportation planning
Written by Bailey Widener, graduate assistant at the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health For many of us, our vehicles are essential to our daily lives. We use our cars to commute to our jobs, to run errands, to visit with family and friends, and to accomplish countless other […]
Become an advocate for seniors
Written by Mary Schaefer, executive director of the Mid-East Area Agency on Aging Missouri advocates are needed for seniors and senior programs. This past session of the Missouri legislature has clearly shown the need for our legislators and public officials to hear from their constituents about the value of seniors and the services that support […]
Aging out loud: finding courage to love
Written by Amy Sobrino, LMSW, program services coordinator at Memory Care Home Solutions When I think of this month’s theme of ‘Age out Loud,’ I think of bravery, courage, and challenging the status quo. There are countless examples of older adults ‘stepping outside’ of their comfort zone to challenge ageism. In my work with families […]
What is a NORC?
Written by Karen Berry-Elbert, manager at St. Louis NORC The vast majority of adults aged 65 and older still live in the homes in which they raised families and developed social networks. As the American population continues to age, more communities are home to growing populations of residents who have aged in place. In addition, […]
Old is in the eye of the beholder
Written by Nikki Goldstein, MSW, executive director for Crown Center for Senior Living As we recognize May as older adult month, it begs the question, what is an “older adult”? Older than who? Older than what? Isn’t everyone over the age of 21 an older adult? Other than Benjamin Button, aren’t we all aging? As […]
Age out loud – with Dementia?!
Written by Jill Cigliana, MSOT, OTR/L, program director at Memory Care Solutions I am often asked, “Is there really quality time when living with dementia?” At my organization, Memory Care Home Solutions, we work with families to demonstrate that dementia is not an end to quality of life, but an opportunity to stay engaged and […]
Speaking up about ageism
Written by Gloria C. Gordon, PhD, psychologist and co-founder of STL Village This year’s theme for Older American’s Month, “Age Out Loud,” invites me to speak up loudly about ageism—the “ism” that refers to how our society stereotypes and treats older adults. As children we absorb and internalize the way we see older adults, including […]
Attitudes on aging
Written by April Callen, strategy and outreach associate at Frameworks Institute We are a nation of problem-solvers. When we see an opportunity, we figure out how to seize it. And when we see that something isn’t working, we rethink our approach. We need to draw on our ingenuity so we can communicate more effectively about […]
Older Americans Month: age out loud
Written by Stephanie Herbers, MSW/MPH, manager of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health Getting older doesn’t mean what it used to. Many aging Americans are finding ways to re-think traditional phases of life and give their interests, goals, and dreams a new or second start. Today, older adults […]
Can intergenerational cooperation defeat climate change?
This article originally appeared on the Gerontological Society of America website and is reproduced here with permission. Older adults are powerful allies in addressing climate change, according to “Gray and Green Together: Climate Change in an Aging World,” the latest edition of Public Policy & Aging Report (PP&AR) from The Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Research shows […]
Queer aging: Implications for social work practice with LGBTQ older adults
In social work, the current evidence-based practice guidelines for working with LGBTQ older adults are offered by Fredricksen-Goldsen and colleagues (2014) who propose ten practice competencies that “account for the unique circumstances, strengths, and challenges facing LGBT[Q] older adults”. Two of these competencies are particularly aligned with social work values and ethics: Critically analyze personal […]
Venture out to Venture Café
Written by Stephanie Herbers, MSW/MPH, manager of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health Venture Café is a weekly gathering of St. Louis innovators and entrepreneurs working in education, arts, healthcare, manufacturing, social enterprise, and many other sectors. If you want to learn more about the St. Louis startup […]
Encore careers and entrepreneurship
By Karen Sanders, encore innovation fellow at the Brown School Americans love the entrepreneurial spirit. Many imagine that entrepreneur as young, wildly energetic, sparking on a great idea, without a lot to lose other than a bit of time or a handful of someone else’s venture capital. The implication is that youth and limitless tolerance […]
The financial vulnerability of older adults
There is a widespread belief that all older Americans are financially set, living their retirement years in relative comfort, able to enjoy their leisure time. It is true that the current poverty rate among older Americans is lower than that among children, thanks to the federal programs of Social Security and Medicare. But not all […]