ElderThink: Editorial Summaries

The typical caregiver is still a woman – a wife, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, even a good friend. Just 20 years ago, she was primarily a homemaker. She did most of her caregiving there, in her own home. >>More

Get Your Marriage Out of a Rut

It took time to get your marriage in a rut. It will take time to get your marriage out of a rut. Here is a seven-step approach to help the two of you get your marriage out of a rut. >>More

Long-lasting Marriages: Why Do They Survive?

Never before in history have so many couples been in marriages long enough to experience the variety of life-changing events that later stages of marriage now bring. Most older couples have had no model of how to handle the stresses these late-life changes can bring. However, they are more likely than younger couples to view marriage as a lifetime commitment that carries responsibilities. >>More

Tips On Oral History Interviews With Seniors

Some Pointers on Conducting Oral History Interviews One of the most common premises for bringing senior adults together with young people is that they are great contributors to the teaching of history. >>More

From "Senior Moments" to "Wisdom Moments"

"Senior moment" is yet another insulting phrase that's found its way into the landscape of American slang. The term denotes an ageist stereotype that associates aging with deficiency and memory loss. Unfortunately, more and more people are using it. >>More

Humor, Laughter, and Aging

“He who laughs, lasts.” —Anonymous

Why should senior adults be concerned about humor? You have probably heard that “Laughter is the best medicine” and that “He who laughs, lasts.” Well, those sayings are true Humor and the subsequent laughter have many therapeutic effects on the body. Laughing not only improves your mood and emotional state, it also has many social and physical health benefits. Most of us don’t take humor seriously enough. We need to learn to use it effectively and make it part of our life. >>More

More Reasons to Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables

Medical and nutritional researchers have known for a long time that an ample consumption of fruits and vegetables likely reduces the risk of chronic diseases, such as cancer, though they haven’t entirely accounted for the reason behind it.

But with each study comes even more insight, and as researchers are realizing, they have only scratched the surface in understanding how fruit and vegetable consumption benefits all of us. >>More

Rethinking "Retirement": What's In A Word?

One of the most powerful words in the English language is "retirement." To satisfy my curiosity about the emotional responses evoked by this term, I have been on a mission to find out more about the words "retire" and "retirement." >>More

Too Many Pills For Seniors: Are You Taking a Handful of Pills Each Morning?

We nurses often are amazed at the number of medications we must give each day to our patients in the hospital. “Would you believe she takes 18 in the morning, 6 with lunch, and another 8 at bedtime? >>More

Marriage After Retirement

For many couples, retirement is a long-awaited and exciting event that will result in more time for travel, hobbies, and family visits. Sometimes, however, a couple does not expect that retirement may change their relationship, as well as their marriage. A lot of information is available to help people plan financially for retirement, yet very little attention is paid to how relationships and personal well-being may be changed as a result of it. Despite a common belief that retirement is “easy,” research shows that it can sometimes be challenging and frustrating. >>More

Financial Abuse Is Devastating For Seniors

Gretchen's Blog

AKA ElderThinker

When feminism meets elder care,

the results are tense