Practicing Gratitude Can Benefit Your Health

With the new year, a lot of people ponder what changes they might make in their lives to improve their health or their happiness. Maybe you resolve to start some healthy habits like exercising more and eating better. Or perhaps you intend to spend more time with loved ones or on a cherished hobby. All [...]

By |2024-01-09T08:14:03-05:00January 9th, 2024|

Can Anti-Aging Research and Anti-Ageism Efforts Coexist?

I’ve seen a lot of articles lately on reversing the aging process and all of the research and technology being developed around it. Yet at the same time, there’s a huge movement around fighting ageism. There’s been a ton of progress on that front as well. So, it strikes me: Are those two ideas at [...]

By |2023-09-05T09:46:16-04:00September 5th, 2023|

Could the Secret to Healthy Aging Actually Be Reverse Aging?

There are many factors that determine your lifespan, some of which you can’t control (genetics) and others of which you can (lifestyle). A combination of these two forces determines your body’s “biological age,” which, in some cases, can be far different from a person’s chronological age. We all know a lifestyle that promotes healthy aging [...]

By |2023-06-19T15:49:53-04:00June 20th, 2023|

How Today’s 55 Community Prospects Are “Aging Unbound”

Each May since 1963, our nation has celebrated Older Americans Month (OAM) — a time to recognize and honor the important contributions and achievements of our older citizens. The theme of this year’s 60th anniversary OAM, “Aging Unbound,” acknowledges the value of maintaining as much independence and autonomy as possible, as well as the importance [...]

By |2023-06-02T12:02:49-04:00May 30th, 2023|

Seeing the Silver Lining: Optimism May Lengthen Your Life

Generally speaking, do you see the glass as half-full or half-empty? We all have moments of optimism or pessimism over the course of our lives, but could a more positive mindset help you live a longer, happier, healthier life? New research suggests that seeing the silver lining could actually boost overall mental and physical wellness [...]

By |2022-06-27T17:10:15-04:00May 10th, 2022|

Rediscovering Your Life’s Purpose Later in Retirement

This past week, I was reminded of why I find such fulfillment in my work. I had just finished an educational presentation for prospective residents at beautiful Ventana by Buckner, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Dallas, Texas, and was enjoying lunch at a table with four of the attendees. The two delightful ladies [...]

By |2023-08-03T09:51:27-04:00July 20th, 2021|

Look Beyond the Age of CCRC Senior Living Residents

A lot of people ask me about the average age of residents in a CCRC senior living community. For continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs, or life plan communities), we know the average age at move-in is in the early 80s. Of course, this is an average. Newer communities normally have a younger average move-in age; [...]

By |2023-11-17T14:58:43-05:00July 13th, 2021|

A Positive Aging Mindset May Slow or Even Reverse the Aging Process

“Age is just a number.” “You’re only as old as you feel.” “Age is a state of mind.” Such clichés may seem trite, but there’s more and more evidence that these sentiments about aging may be quite accurate. A man-made time warp Ellen Langer is a renowned Harvard social psychologist who has been researching the [...]

By |2023-08-03T09:51:29-04:00June 14th, 2021|

Are Today’s Seniors “Younger” Than Previous Generations?

You’ve heard the phrase, “You’re only as old as you feel.” There is mounting evidence that, to a large extent, this cliché isn’t too far off. In several different studies, researchers have explored the difference between people’s chronological age (their age based on the number of trips they’ve made around the sun) and their subjective [...]

By |2024-03-27T14:49:03-04:00February 8th, 2021|

What Does It Mean to Be an “Elder”?

Our new audio podcast, Aging is a Trip, has already gotten great feedback from listeners. Each episode is intended to take a candid, but lighthearted look at various aspects of aging and retirement. In the first installment, I interviewed Dr. Keren Wilson, who is considered the originator of the “assisted living” concept as we know [...]

By |2023-08-03T09:32:20-04:00July 27th, 2020|
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