CBC Radio show, The Current, rebroadcasts Sex & Seniors Documentary on August 6, 2009
Sex & Seniors Documentary
Across Canada, seniors are staying healthier and living longer. Add drugs such as Viagra to the mix and it's no surprise that they're more sexually active, too. But that can create problems. HIV infections among seniors are on the rise. The rate of HIV infections among Canadians over fifty has doubled in the past ten years.
The rates of other sexually transmitted diseases are also increasing. And with the number of seniors expected to double over the next 40 years, that's a significant public health challenge ... especially since sex among seniors is still something of a taboo subject.
Susan Bell is a freelance documentary producer based in Montreal. She spent some time with one senior citizen who is on a quest to find a boyfriend. Her documentary is called Faith's Journey and it first aired on The Current in January.
Phizer, the drug company behind Viagra, does not sponsor a safe-sex campaign specifically targeting seniors. But it does fund a group called the Canadian Male Sexual Health Council.
Eli Lily, the makers of Cialis, does not fund an educational campaign targeting seniors. But the company says that anyone who wants to is free to apply for funding through its grants and donations division. And as for Iris ... her HIV test came back negative.
To listen to the full broadcast, click: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2009/200908/20090806.html
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
59 Is the New 30
Not that I usually read the opinion section in the New York Times, but this was brought to my attention today (thank you Eric)and I thought it tied in perfectly to SageHealth Network's mandate of positive aging and healthy aging for older adults and seniors.
Thomas Freidman of the New York Times wrote a wonderful piece on golfer, Tom Watson, who won the British Open at age 59. Friedman's article is more subtle than my usual blog posts on positive aging. Although the piece focuses on Watson's golfing skills and the integrity of the game itself, I do really like the "life affirming" aspect. Watson should indeed be looked upon not only as a great golfer, but an older adult with whom others can identify. He can be seen as an inspiration, a role model---someone who is able to achieve a goal, thus making it possible for his contemporaries to attain the same level of success..... "If he can do it at age 59, then so can I." Definitely a life affirming moment.
MCauch
SageHealth Network
----------------------
July 29, 2009
Op-Ed Columnist
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Last April I took a break to caddy for the former U.S. Open champion Andy North when he teamed up with Tom Watson to defend their title in the two-man Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament in Savannah, Ga. So it was with more than a casual spectator’s interest that I watched in awe on Armed Forces television from Afghanistan as Watson made his amazing run at winning the British Open at age 59. Watson likes to talk about foreign affairs more than golf. So to let him know just how many people wanted him to win, I e-mailed him before the final round: “Even the Taliban are rooting for you.”
Indeed, I have been struck at how many golfers and non-golfers got caught up in Watson’s historic performance — tying for the lead after four rounds at Turnberry, but losing in a playoff to the 36-year-old Stewart Cink. I was not alone in being devastated that Watson was not able to par the last hole and clinch the win. Like millions of others, I shouted at the TV as his ball ran across the 18th green — heading for trouble — “STOP! STOP! STOP!” as if I personally had something at stake. Why was that?
Many reasons. For starters, Watson’s run was freaky unusual — a 59-year-old man who had played his opening two rounds in this tournament with a 16-year-old Italian amateur — was able to best the greatest golfers in the world at least a decade after anyone would have dreamt it possible. Watching this happen actually widened our sense of what any of us is capable of. That is, when Kobe Bryant scores 70 points, we are in awe. When Tiger Woods wins by 15 strokes, we are in awe. But when a man our own age and size whips the world’s best — who are half his age — we identify.
Of course, Watson has unique golfing skills, but if you are a baby boomer you could not help but look at him and say something you would never say about Tiger or Kobe: “He’s my age; he’s my build; he’s my height; and he even had his hip replaced like me. If he can do that, maybe I can do something like that, too.”
Neil Oxman, Watson’s caddy, who is a top Democratic political consultant in his real life, told me: “After Thursday’s round with Tom, when we left the scoring tent I said to him, ‘You know, this is a thing.’ He understood what I meant. On Sunday morning, the two of us were in the corner of the locker room without another human being around, sitting in these two easy chairs facing each other behind a partition. We were chatting about stuff, and I said to him, ‘For a lot of people, what you’re doing is life-affirming.’ I took it from a story about when Betty Comden and Adolph Green — the writers of “Singin’ in the Rain” — showed Leonard Bernstein the famous scene of Gene Kelly. Bernstein said to them, ‘That scene is an affirmation of life.’ What Tom did last week was an affirmation of life.”
Also, as Watson himself appreciates, the way he lost the tournament underscored why golf is the sport most like life. He hit two perfect shots on the 18th hole in the final round, and the second one bounced just a little too hard and ran through the green, leaving him a difficult chip back, which he was unable to get up and down. Had his ball stopped a foot shorter, he would have had an easy two-putt and a win.
That’s the point. Baseball, basketball and football are played on flat surfaces designed to give true bounces. Golf is played on an uneven terrain designed to surprise. Good and bad bounces are built into the essence of the game. And the reason golf is so much like life is that the game — like life — is all about how you react to those good and bad bounces. Do you blame your caddy? Do you cheat? Do you throw your clubs? Or do you accept it all with dignity and grace and move on, as Watson always has. Hence the saying: Play one round of golf with someone and you will learn everything you need to know about his character.
Golf is all about individual character. The ball is fixed. No one throws it to you. You initiate the swing, and you alone have to live with the results. There are no teammates to blame or commiserate with. Also, pro golfers, unlike baseball, football or basketball players, have no fixed salaries. They eat what they kill. If they score well, they make money. If they don’t, they don’t make money. I wonder what the average N.B.A. player’s free-throw shooting percentage would be if he had to make free throws to get paid the way golfers have to make three-foot putts?
This wonderful but cruel game never stops testing or teaching you. “The only comment I can make,” Watson told me after, “is one that the immortal Bobby Jones related: ‘One learns from defeat, not from victory.’ I may never have the chance again to beat the kids, but I took one thing from the last hole: hitting both the tee shot and the approach shots exactly the way I meant to wasn’t good enough. ... I had to finish.”
So Tom Watson got a brutal lesson in golf that he’ll never forget, but he gave us all an incredible lesson in possibilities — one we’ll never forget.
Original link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/opinion/29friedman.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
Thomas Freidman of the New York Times wrote a wonderful piece on golfer, Tom Watson, who won the British Open at age 59. Friedman's article is more subtle than my usual blog posts on positive aging. Although the piece focuses on Watson's golfing skills and the integrity of the game itself, I do really like the "life affirming" aspect. Watson should indeed be looked upon not only as a great golfer, but an older adult with whom others can identify. He can be seen as an inspiration, a role model---someone who is able to achieve a goal, thus making it possible for his contemporaries to attain the same level of success..... "If he can do it at age 59, then so can I." Definitely a life affirming moment.
MCauch
SageHealth Network
----------------------
July 29, 2009
Op-Ed Columnist
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Last April I took a break to caddy for the former U.S. Open champion Andy North when he teamed up with Tom Watson to defend their title in the two-man Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament in Savannah, Ga. So it was with more than a casual spectator’s interest that I watched in awe on Armed Forces television from Afghanistan as Watson made his amazing run at winning the British Open at age 59. Watson likes to talk about foreign affairs more than golf. So to let him know just how many people wanted him to win, I e-mailed him before the final round: “Even the Taliban are rooting for you.”
Indeed, I have been struck at how many golfers and non-golfers got caught up in Watson’s historic performance — tying for the lead after four rounds at Turnberry, but losing in a playoff to the 36-year-old Stewart Cink. I was not alone in being devastated that Watson was not able to par the last hole and clinch the win. Like millions of others, I shouted at the TV as his ball ran across the 18th green — heading for trouble — “STOP! STOP! STOP!” as if I personally had something at stake. Why was that?
Many reasons. For starters, Watson’s run was freaky unusual — a 59-year-old man who had played his opening two rounds in this tournament with a 16-year-old Italian amateur — was able to best the greatest golfers in the world at least a decade after anyone would have dreamt it possible. Watching this happen actually widened our sense of what any of us is capable of. That is, when Kobe Bryant scores 70 points, we are in awe. When Tiger Woods wins by 15 strokes, we are in awe. But when a man our own age and size whips the world’s best — who are half his age — we identify.
Of course, Watson has unique golfing skills, but if you are a baby boomer you could not help but look at him and say something you would never say about Tiger or Kobe: “He’s my age; he’s my build; he’s my height; and he even had his hip replaced like me. If he can do that, maybe I can do something like that, too.”
Neil Oxman, Watson’s caddy, who is a top Democratic political consultant in his real life, told me: “After Thursday’s round with Tom, when we left the scoring tent I said to him, ‘You know, this is a thing.’ He understood what I meant. On Sunday morning, the two of us were in the corner of the locker room without another human being around, sitting in these two easy chairs facing each other behind a partition. We were chatting about stuff, and I said to him, ‘For a lot of people, what you’re doing is life-affirming.’ I took it from a story about when Betty Comden and Adolph Green — the writers of “Singin’ in the Rain” — showed Leonard Bernstein the famous scene of Gene Kelly. Bernstein said to them, ‘That scene is an affirmation of life.’ What Tom did last week was an affirmation of life.”
Also, as Watson himself appreciates, the way he lost the tournament underscored why golf is the sport most like life. He hit two perfect shots on the 18th hole in the final round, and the second one bounced just a little too hard and ran through the green, leaving him a difficult chip back, which he was unable to get up and down. Had his ball stopped a foot shorter, he would have had an easy two-putt and a win.
That’s the point. Baseball, basketball and football are played on flat surfaces designed to give true bounces. Golf is played on an uneven terrain designed to surprise. Good and bad bounces are built into the essence of the game. And the reason golf is so much like life is that the game — like life — is all about how you react to those good and bad bounces. Do you blame your caddy? Do you cheat? Do you throw your clubs? Or do you accept it all with dignity and grace and move on, as Watson always has. Hence the saying: Play one round of golf with someone and you will learn everything you need to know about his character.
Golf is all about individual character. The ball is fixed. No one throws it to you. You initiate the swing, and you alone have to live with the results. There are no teammates to blame or commiserate with. Also, pro golfers, unlike baseball, football or basketball players, have no fixed salaries. They eat what they kill. If they score well, they make money. If they don’t, they don’t make money. I wonder what the average N.B.A. player’s free-throw shooting percentage would be if he had to make free throws to get paid the way golfers have to make three-foot putts?
This wonderful but cruel game never stops testing or teaching you. “The only comment I can make,” Watson told me after, “is one that the immortal Bobby Jones related: ‘One learns from defeat, not from victory.’ I may never have the chance again to beat the kids, but I took one thing from the last hole: hitting both the tee shot and the approach shots exactly the way I meant to wasn’t good enough. ... I had to finish.”
So Tom Watson got a brutal lesson in golf that he’ll never forget, but he gave us all an incredible lesson in possibilities — one we’ll never forget.
Original link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/opinion/29friedman.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
Saturday, July 18, 2009
What's so bad about aging?
by Elizabeth Rogers, 50Plus.com
Remember when you were a kid and people over the age of 20 seemed grown-up -- and over 30 was practically ancient ?
It's not surprising that our idea of "old" changes as we age, but new research shows that our attitudes about aging itself are changing too. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project in February and March 2009 revealed some interesting trends -- as well as misperceptions -- about "growing old."
The Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality study polled nearly 3000 adults of all ages and asked about topics such as negative benchmarks of aging (like memory loss and failing health), what benefits are typically enjoyed by older adults and when old age actually starts. Here are some of the key findings:
Young(er) at heart
Here's further proof that age is "all in your head": The results show that as people get older, there's a widening gap between how old they feel versus how old they actually are . Not surprisingly, people in their twenties report feeling like they are in their twenties. However, that "twenty-something" feeling follows people into their thirties, and after that people continue to fall even further behind. For example, many forty year olds still feel like they're in their mid-thirties, and people in their fifties feel like they're in their forties.
Naturally, the gap gets even wider as age increases. According to the survey, only one third of people over 65 report that they feel exactly their age versus the 60 per cent who say they feel younger.
Just how much younger? Nearly half of people over the age of 50 feel ten years younger. Respondents in the 65 - 74 age group report feeling even younger than that -- with one in three people saying they felt 10 - 19 years younger, and one in six feeling 20 years younger than their actual age.
"Old age" -- when does it start?
If people are feeling younger than ever before, at what age does "being old" actually start? Survey respondents had an opinion on that subject too, and the results point to yet another sliding scale. The average reply -- age 68 -- only tells part of the story. When asked at what age the average person becomes old, respondents in the 18 - 29 age group say age 60. However, 30 - 49 year olds push that age back to 69, and people 65+ say "old age" doesn't start until 74.
How do people 75 and over feel about that? Only 35 per cent of them say they feel old. "Old age" is something that happens at a later time, and the majority of respondents don't consider themselves to have reached it yet.
The numbers aren't shocking -- after all, our perception of "old" changes as we accumulate candles on our birthday cakes. However, what's interesting to note is the gender gap. According to the Pew Research Center, men on average say that "old' begins at an earlier age than women do. Across all age groups, women say old age starts at 70 while men place the threshold at 66. (Perhaps they can be forgiven -- after all, a man's life expectancy is still about five years less than a woman's).
You know you're getting old when...
Numbers weren't the only thing the Pew Research Center asked about. Other markers such as failing health, forgetting names and retirement were considered too.
What makes a person old? Grey hair and grandchildren barely make the list with only 13 and 15 per cent of respondents saying they're a marker of old age. Only one in five people link retirement to being old. And not being sexually active? Only one third think that makes people old.
However, when it comes to failing health and forgetting familiar names, respondents were split with answers at 47 per cent and 51 per cent respectively.
On the flip side, nearly two thirds of people believe a person is old when they turn 75, and almost 80 per cent think turning 85 was an indicator. Being unable to drive or unable to live independently were major factors too, with results showing up at 66 per cent and 76 per cent respectively.
In other words, numbers aren't the only way to define age -- quality of life and independence must be considered too.
Aging: not as bad as we think...?
So what are we afraid of anyway? The study shows that the expectations of younger people don't match what older age groups actually experience when it comes to the negative aspects of aging. Considering the following:
- More than half of people under 65 expect memory loss as they age -- but only one quarter of people over 65 report experiencing it (that's a gap of 32 per cent).
- When it comes to driving, there's a similar disparity: only 14 per cent of respondents over 65 say they are no longer able to drive, but 45 per cent of people under 65 anticipate the issue.
- Health issues may not be as bad either: 42 per cent expect a serious illness but only half that number of people over 65 report experiencing one.
- What about feeling lonely, being a burden to others and not feeling needed? Again, there's a significant difference between what younger respondents predict and what older respondents actually experience.
- And there's good news when it comes to sex -- while one third of younger respondents predict they won't be sexually active, nearly 80 per cent of people over 65 report that they still are. (In fact, age may even be an advantage in the bedroom -- see The Zoomer Report for details).
...Or not as good as we anticipate?
Are these really the "golden years?" People over 65 report experiencing the many benefits that come with age. Sixty per cent of people over 65 say they're feeling less stress than when they were younger, and they're getting more respect. Two thirds are enjoying more time with friends and family and spending more time on their interests and hobbies. Despite economic woes, the majority say they're feeling more financially secure than when they were younger.
But if you're under 65, don't set your sights too high just yet... The survey also shows that the reality may not measure up to the expectations of Baby Boomers and Generation X:
- Even though people are enjoying more time with their loved ones and doing the things they love, there's a gap between expectations and reality of 12 and 16 per cent respectively. In short, older people don't have as much time as younger people think.
- What about travelling and volunteering? Around 80 per cent of younger people expect to spend more on these activities when they're older, yet just over half of older respondents actually do.
- When it comes to careers, nearly 40 per cent in the under 65 cohort anticipate the opportunity for a second career, but only 14 per cent of people 65+ report having one.
- And what about lower stress levels and more financial security? The proportions don't quite match up there either. While the gap isn't big, the numbers suggest that some people may be disappointed in the future.
To keep things in perspective, more than half of adults over 65 reported that the thing they value most about being older is spending more time with family -- particularly the grandchildren.
Overall, life is good
When you put the challenges and benefits together, what do you get? Researchers found that older adults are about as happy as everyone else. One question even tackled the issue directly: respondents were asked if they were "very happy", "pretty happy" or "not too happy". The per centages did vary among the age groups, but not by wide margins. For instance, about 20 per cent of people in the 50-64, 65-74 and over 75 age groups report feeling "not too happy" compared to 14 per cent of 30-49 year olds or 9 per cent of adults between 18 and 29.
Like the younger cohorts, the majority of people over 50 report being "very happy" or "pretty happy".
How can that be? Researchers note that many of the indicators of happiness earlier in life -- like good health, financial security, and friends -- are still present later in life. Part of the difference could be because of marriage, which is an indicator of happiness earlier in life but not necessarily later on. (That's not to say that "old married couples" are less happy on the whole -- it could be that many respondents are widows or widowers).
Overall, older people are pleased about how their lives have shaped up so far -- 45 per cent of adults over 75 even report that their life has turned out better than anticipated, while only 5 per cent say it turned out worse. (The other 50 per cent either report that life turned out the way they expected or didn't answer).
So what's the bottom line? The results suggest that "aging well" isn't an abstract idea -- it's becoming a reality. Our ideas about aging are still evolving, but they're headed in the right direction.
ON THE WEB
Read the survey results and download the full report from the Pew Research Center.
(Note: Researchers acknowledge that some older respondents couldn't be reached for the study due to factors like ill health or living in a nursing home. To help offset this bias, they contacted a sample of 200 adults caregivers and included those responses in their consideration.)
Do these results match your own experience? Tell us in the comments.
Original source: http://lifestyle.sympatico.msn.ca/Home/ContentPosting_50Plus?newsitemid=c9583477-57a0-4816-b2d9-2963c6e3e8ac&feedname=50_PLUS&show=False&number=5&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=False
Remember when you were a kid and people over the age of 20 seemed grown-up -- and over 30 was practically ancient ?
It's not surprising that our idea of "old" changes as we age, but new research shows that our attitudes about aging itself are changing too. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project in February and March 2009 revealed some interesting trends -- as well as misperceptions -- about "growing old."
The Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality study polled nearly 3000 adults of all ages and asked about topics such as negative benchmarks of aging (like memory loss and failing health), what benefits are typically enjoyed by older adults and when old age actually starts. Here are some of the key findings:
Young(er) at heart
Here's further proof that age is "all in your head": The results show that as people get older, there's a widening gap between how old they feel versus how old they actually are . Not surprisingly, people in their twenties report feeling like they are in their twenties. However, that "twenty-something" feeling follows people into their thirties, and after that people continue to fall even further behind. For example, many forty year olds still feel like they're in their mid-thirties, and people in their fifties feel like they're in their forties.
Naturally, the gap gets even wider as age increases. According to the survey, only one third of people over 65 report that they feel exactly their age versus the 60 per cent who say they feel younger.
Just how much younger? Nearly half of people over the age of 50 feel ten years younger. Respondents in the 65 - 74 age group report feeling even younger than that -- with one in three people saying they felt 10 - 19 years younger, and one in six feeling 20 years younger than their actual age.
"Old age" -- when does it start?
If people are feeling younger than ever before, at what age does "being old" actually start? Survey respondents had an opinion on that subject too, and the results point to yet another sliding scale. The average reply -- age 68 -- only tells part of the story. When asked at what age the average person becomes old, respondents in the 18 - 29 age group say age 60. However, 30 - 49 year olds push that age back to 69, and people 65+ say "old age" doesn't start until 74.
How do people 75 and over feel about that? Only 35 per cent of them say they feel old. "Old age" is something that happens at a later time, and the majority of respondents don't consider themselves to have reached it yet.
The numbers aren't shocking -- after all, our perception of "old" changes as we accumulate candles on our birthday cakes. However, what's interesting to note is the gender gap. According to the Pew Research Center, men on average say that "old' begins at an earlier age than women do. Across all age groups, women say old age starts at 70 while men place the threshold at 66. (Perhaps they can be forgiven -- after all, a man's life expectancy is still about five years less than a woman's).
You know you're getting old when...
Numbers weren't the only thing the Pew Research Center asked about. Other markers such as failing health, forgetting names and retirement were considered too.
What makes a person old? Grey hair and grandchildren barely make the list with only 13 and 15 per cent of respondents saying they're a marker of old age. Only one in five people link retirement to being old. And not being sexually active? Only one third think that makes people old.
However, when it comes to failing health and forgetting familiar names, respondents were split with answers at 47 per cent and 51 per cent respectively.
On the flip side, nearly two thirds of people believe a person is old when they turn 75, and almost 80 per cent think turning 85 was an indicator. Being unable to drive or unable to live independently were major factors too, with results showing up at 66 per cent and 76 per cent respectively.
In other words, numbers aren't the only way to define age -- quality of life and independence must be considered too.
Aging: not as bad as we think...?
So what are we afraid of anyway? The study shows that the expectations of younger people don't match what older age groups actually experience when it comes to the negative aspects of aging. Considering the following:
- More than half of people under 65 expect memory loss as they age -- but only one quarter of people over 65 report experiencing it (that's a gap of 32 per cent).
- When it comes to driving, there's a similar disparity: only 14 per cent of respondents over 65 say they are no longer able to drive, but 45 per cent of people under 65 anticipate the issue.
- Health issues may not be as bad either: 42 per cent expect a serious illness but only half that number of people over 65 report experiencing one.
- What about feeling lonely, being a burden to others and not feeling needed? Again, there's a significant difference between what younger respondents predict and what older respondents actually experience.
- And there's good news when it comes to sex -- while one third of younger respondents predict they won't be sexually active, nearly 80 per cent of people over 65 report that they still are. (In fact, age may even be an advantage in the bedroom -- see The Zoomer Report for details).
...Or not as good as we anticipate?
Are these really the "golden years?" People over 65 report experiencing the many benefits that come with age. Sixty per cent of people over 65 say they're feeling less stress than when they were younger, and they're getting more respect. Two thirds are enjoying more time with friends and family and spending more time on their interests and hobbies. Despite economic woes, the majority say they're feeling more financially secure than when they were younger.
But if you're under 65, don't set your sights too high just yet... The survey also shows that the reality may not measure up to the expectations of Baby Boomers and Generation X:
- Even though people are enjoying more time with their loved ones and doing the things they love, there's a gap between expectations and reality of 12 and 16 per cent respectively. In short, older people don't have as much time as younger people think.
- What about travelling and volunteering? Around 80 per cent of younger people expect to spend more on these activities when they're older, yet just over half of older respondents actually do.
- When it comes to careers, nearly 40 per cent in the under 65 cohort anticipate the opportunity for a second career, but only 14 per cent of people 65+ report having one.
- And what about lower stress levels and more financial security? The proportions don't quite match up there either. While the gap isn't big, the numbers suggest that some people may be disappointed in the future.
To keep things in perspective, more than half of adults over 65 reported that the thing they value most about being older is spending more time with family -- particularly the grandchildren.
Overall, life is good
When you put the challenges and benefits together, what do you get? Researchers found that older adults are about as happy as everyone else. One question even tackled the issue directly: respondents were asked if they were "very happy", "pretty happy" or "not too happy". The per centages did vary among the age groups, but not by wide margins. For instance, about 20 per cent of people in the 50-64, 65-74 and over 75 age groups report feeling "not too happy" compared to 14 per cent of 30-49 year olds or 9 per cent of adults between 18 and 29.
Like the younger cohorts, the majority of people over 50 report being "very happy" or "pretty happy".
How can that be? Researchers note that many of the indicators of happiness earlier in life -- like good health, financial security, and friends -- are still present later in life. Part of the difference could be because of marriage, which is an indicator of happiness earlier in life but not necessarily later on. (That's not to say that "old married couples" are less happy on the whole -- it could be that many respondents are widows or widowers).
Overall, older people are pleased about how their lives have shaped up so far -- 45 per cent of adults over 75 even report that their life has turned out better than anticipated, while only 5 per cent say it turned out worse. (The other 50 per cent either report that life turned out the way they expected or didn't answer).
So what's the bottom line? The results suggest that "aging well" isn't an abstract idea -- it's becoming a reality. Our ideas about aging are still evolving, but they're headed in the right direction.
ON THE WEB
Read the survey results and download the full report from the Pew Research Center.
(Note: Researchers acknowledge that some older respondents couldn't be reached for the study due to factors like ill health or living in a nursing home. To help offset this bias, they contacted a sample of 200 adults caregivers and included those responses in their consideration.)
Do these results match your own experience? Tell us in the comments.
Original source: http://lifestyle.sympatico.msn.ca/Home/ContentPosting_50Plus?newsitemid=c9583477-57a0-4816-b2d9-2963c6e3e8ac&feedname=50_PLUS&show=False&number=5&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=False
Boomers May Create ‘Entrepreneurship Boom’
Great news for Boomers who are just not ready to stop working. With ageism rampant in the work world, many older adults face discrimination searching for jobs--something that is more common now in this economic recession. Why depend on others to hire you to earn income? Start your own business. With increasing rates of unemployment and job loss, many are using their own means to get buy and starting their own businesses. Difficult times resulting in entrepreneurial ventures is good for the economy and the proprietor. Starting a business, no matter what age the individual is can be a risky project no doubt....but it can also be the pathway to self fulfillment, immense personal satisfaction and living out one's dream.
MCauch
SageHealth Network
-------------------------------------------------------------
Wichita Business Journal
July 2, 2009
Aging baby boomers aren’t headed out to pasture — they’re starting new businesses, according to a Kauffman Foundation study that predicts the United States may be “on the cusp of an entrepreneurship boom.”
Over the past decade, Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 had the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity of any age group. The 20-34 age bracket had the lowest rate, despite the attention lavished on youthful founders of companies such as Facebook and Google.
Job trends may increase entrepreneurial activity among older Americans.
“While people under age 30 have historically jumped from job to job, the most striking development today has been the deep drop in the incidence of ‘lifetime’ jobs among men over age 50,” writes Dane Stangler, senior analyst at the foundation and author of the study.
The past year’s economic upheavals also may produce more entrepreneurs among all age groups.
“The very idea of ‘too-big-to-fail’ institutions has been permanently damaged,” Stangler writes. “Recent economic trends – away from lifetime jobs and toward more new companies – will thus gain even greater cultural traction. New and stronger regulations aiming to prevent the rise of such giant organizations also may help create a more market-oriented society.”
Original source: http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/us/2009/entrepreneurship.htm
MCauch
SageHealth Network
-------------------------------------------------------------
Wichita Business Journal
July 2, 2009
Aging baby boomers aren’t headed out to pasture — they’re starting new businesses, according to a Kauffman Foundation study that predicts the United States may be “on the cusp of an entrepreneurship boom.”
Over the past decade, Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 had the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity of any age group. The 20-34 age bracket had the lowest rate, despite the attention lavished on youthful founders of companies such as Facebook and Google.
Job trends may increase entrepreneurial activity among older Americans.
“While people under age 30 have historically jumped from job to job, the most striking development today has been the deep drop in the incidence of ‘lifetime’ jobs among men over age 50,” writes Dane Stangler, senior analyst at the foundation and author of the study.
The past year’s economic upheavals also may produce more entrepreneurs among all age groups.
“The very idea of ‘too-big-to-fail’ institutions has been permanently damaged,” Stangler writes. “Recent economic trends – away from lifetime jobs and toward more new companies – will thus gain even greater cultural traction. New and stronger regulations aiming to prevent the rise of such giant organizations also may help create a more market-oriented society.”
Original source: http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/us/2009/entrepreneurship.htm
Seniors Warned about STDs
By Meredith Hines-Dochterman, The Gazette
June 13, 2009
Silence about sex among the elderly is putting older adults’ health at risk, with experts warning that senior citizens are at increasing risk for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 19 percent of all people with HIV/AIDS in this country are age 50 and older. The percentage could be higher because older people don’t get tested regularly.
“Menopause makes pregnancy a non-issue” for sexually active older adults, said Susan Milstein, an associate professor at Montgomery College in Maryland. “What many adults don’t realize is they still need to be careful.”
Seniors, unlike America’s youth, haven’t had formal sex education classes, making the concept of safe sex a foreign concept, at least for some. Also, older adults are less likely to discuss their sex lives with others, including doctors.
The AARP study “Sexuality at Midlife: 2004 Update of Attitudes and Behaviors” found that more adults in midlife are turning to health professionals to improve their sexual health, meaning more physicians are better prepared to deal with issues related to sexual health. But many older adults are not receiving treatment for a variety of illnesses and conditions that may or may not be STDs.
Older adults “have these incredibly healthy sex drives, and that’s OK. It’s normal,” Milstein said. “What we need is to have an open conversation that makes it OK.”
The conversation needs to occur at all levels — with partners, families, health officials, senior organizations and the media.
“Just because we don’t talk about it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening,” Milstein said.
Original source: http://www.globalaging.org/health/world/2009/stds.htm
June 13, 2009
Silence about sex among the elderly is putting older adults’ health at risk, with experts warning that senior citizens are at increasing risk for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 19 percent of all people with HIV/AIDS in this country are age 50 and older. The percentage could be higher because older people don’t get tested regularly.
“Menopause makes pregnancy a non-issue” for sexually active older adults, said Susan Milstein, an associate professor at Montgomery College in Maryland. “What many adults don’t realize is they still need to be careful.”
Seniors, unlike America’s youth, haven’t had formal sex education classes, making the concept of safe sex a foreign concept, at least for some. Also, older adults are less likely to discuss their sex lives with others, including doctors.
The AARP study “Sexuality at Midlife: 2004 Update of Attitudes and Behaviors” found that more adults in midlife are turning to health professionals to improve their sexual health, meaning more physicians are better prepared to deal with issues related to sexual health. But many older adults are not receiving treatment for a variety of illnesses and conditions that may or may not be STDs.
Older adults “have these incredibly healthy sex drives, and that’s OK. It’s normal,” Milstein said. “What we need is to have an open conversation that makes it OK.”
The conversation needs to occur at all levels — with partners, families, health officials, senior organizations and the media.
“Just because we don’t talk about it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening,” Milstein said.
Original source: http://www.globalaging.org/health/world/2009/stds.htm
Sunday, June 21, 2009
A Positive Pro Age Article
We need more articles like this one on the pros of aging gracefully. Anti aging marketing campaigns flood our tv sets, magazines,and lunch rooms. Anti is a word that conjures up negativity and combativeness. Anti aging implies engaging in a battle against the enemy of time and to win at all costs. We are so concerned about how not to look our age that we forget to look inside ourselves and to take pride in what makes us who we are. Personality, intellect, accomplishments, relationships....these never fade away as physical appearance. Instead of fighting tooth and nail against our socially constructed nemesis, Time....let us become friends with it and learn to take care of ourselves in ways that matter and learn how to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle and stay vital, contributing members of society.
MCauch
SageHealth Network
-----------------------
Being Pro-age is the Antidote to Anti-age Marketing
By Debra D. Bass, Stltoday.com
June 6, 2009
Aging is not optional, so forgive me if I'm a little annoyed by the "anti-age" marketing bandwagon.
It does not fill my heart with glee to imagine a world of Dorian Grays smiling devilishly at every compliment. You can't cheat time, turn it back or ignore it without consequences.
One important consequence may be your current sense of well-being. Is your happiness tied to looking younger than (pick a number)?
Me? I like aging ... as the quip goes "it beats the alternative."
Yet, right now, we are being convinced that if we spend, slather and baste ourselves enough with the right combination of elixirs and procedures that we can all join Peter Pan in some kind of cosmeceutical Neverland.
I'm worried.
When the ultimate compliment is "I never would have guessed you were..." or "You don't look a day over..," looking your age becomes a source of dissatisfaction.
It fills me with dread every time someone tells me how youthful I look for my age because I know that one day I will likely "look my age" and I'll be devastated.
In the past few weeks, I've been offered samples of anti-aging shampoo, anti-aging nail polish and anti-aging perfume. Yes, perfume. It is now possible to smell younger.
In response to the ridiculousness, I've adopted a pro-aging policy.
And to be clear, being pro-age doesn't mean that I believe that people should let themselves deteriorate.
Aging gracefully is a much different animal than not aging at all costs.
If you ask me, a polished 50-year-old is so much more admirable than a vivacious 20-year-old. It's easy to look good when you're young. Looking good while aging is an accomplishment.
It's also possible to look better with age. I've got some high school pictures of me in hot pink lipstick with an asymmetrical haircut that I would submit as exhibit A in this argument, if I had not destroyed them.
Dr. Bill Thomas, an international authority on geriatric medicine and professor of aging studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, said that we are plagued by a crazy inversion in which our culture reveres youth to an extreme and believes aging is something inflicted on us by the forces of evil.
"Age is not a broken down version of youth," Thomas says.
The response from most of society is, "well, it sure looks like it."
Oddly enough, the people having the last laugh on this issue are the elders.
Ask a 70-year-old if they want to be 20 again and the answer would be overwhelmingly, "No."
Older people are happier according to a number of studies including several supported by the National Institutes of Health. The stereotype is that people grow old, isolated, sick and depressed, but that's not necessarily the reality.
Thomas said that as long as we fear age instead of admiring it, we will obviously continue to shun the appearance of age.
He said that because the highest penalties of age are exacted on women, he can't blame us for prescribing to anti-age doctrine by any means necessary.
But as far as looking older, the problem — or rather the reality is that there's no substitute for good genes and sunscreen. So we have to be realistic in our expectations. It's OK to look your age. Thomas explained that you can age gracefully or age freakishly by striving for a perpetual visage of youth that ultimately just looks like desperate attempts to serve up mutton dressed like lamb.
"Age should bring a gradually increasing acceptance of who you are. You become better acquainted with yourself and if you're lucky you become happier with who you are," Thomas says.
Hmm, makes a lot of sense. Acceptance, I'd like the smell of that a lot better than youth.
Original source: http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/world/2009/proage.htm
MCauch
SageHealth Network
-----------------------
Being Pro-age is the Antidote to Anti-age Marketing
By Debra D. Bass, Stltoday.com
June 6, 2009
Aging is not optional, so forgive me if I'm a little annoyed by the "anti-age" marketing bandwagon.
It does not fill my heart with glee to imagine a world of Dorian Grays smiling devilishly at every compliment. You can't cheat time, turn it back or ignore it without consequences.
One important consequence may be your current sense of well-being. Is your happiness tied to looking younger than (pick a number)?
Me? I like aging ... as the quip goes "it beats the alternative."
Yet, right now, we are being convinced that if we spend, slather and baste ourselves enough with the right combination of elixirs and procedures that we can all join Peter Pan in some kind of cosmeceutical Neverland.
I'm worried.
When the ultimate compliment is "I never would have guessed you were..." or "You don't look a day over..," looking your age becomes a source of dissatisfaction.
It fills me with dread every time someone tells me how youthful I look for my age because I know that one day I will likely "look my age" and I'll be devastated.
In the past few weeks, I've been offered samples of anti-aging shampoo, anti-aging nail polish and anti-aging perfume. Yes, perfume. It is now possible to smell younger.
In response to the ridiculousness, I've adopted a pro-aging policy.
And to be clear, being pro-age doesn't mean that I believe that people should let themselves deteriorate.
Aging gracefully is a much different animal than not aging at all costs.
If you ask me, a polished 50-year-old is so much more admirable than a vivacious 20-year-old. It's easy to look good when you're young. Looking good while aging is an accomplishment.
It's also possible to look better with age. I've got some high school pictures of me in hot pink lipstick with an asymmetrical haircut that I would submit as exhibit A in this argument, if I had not destroyed them.
Dr. Bill Thomas, an international authority on geriatric medicine and professor of aging studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, said that we are plagued by a crazy inversion in which our culture reveres youth to an extreme and believes aging is something inflicted on us by the forces of evil.
"Age is not a broken down version of youth," Thomas says.
The response from most of society is, "well, it sure looks like it."
Oddly enough, the people having the last laugh on this issue are the elders.
Ask a 70-year-old if they want to be 20 again and the answer would be overwhelmingly, "No."
Older people are happier according to a number of studies including several supported by the National Institutes of Health. The stereotype is that people grow old, isolated, sick and depressed, but that's not necessarily the reality.
Thomas said that as long as we fear age instead of admiring it, we will obviously continue to shun the appearance of age.
He said that because the highest penalties of age are exacted on women, he can't blame us for prescribing to anti-age doctrine by any means necessary.
But as far as looking older, the problem — or rather the reality is that there's no substitute for good genes and sunscreen. So we have to be realistic in our expectations. It's OK to look your age. Thomas explained that you can age gracefully or age freakishly by striving for a perpetual visage of youth that ultimately just looks like desperate attempts to serve up mutton dressed like lamb.
"Age should bring a gradually increasing acceptance of who you are. You become better acquainted with yourself and if you're lucky you become happier with who you are," Thomas says.
Hmm, makes a lot of sense. Acceptance, I'd like the smell of that a lot better than youth.
Original source: http://www.globalaging.org/elderrights/world/2009/proage.htm
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Erectile Dysfunction Ads Too Hot for TV?
This story is about banning erectile dysfunction ads on tv because they are regarded as offensive and a bad influence on children. How ridiculous! Although, I do believe that ED manufacturers need to be more responsible to consumers in providing information about safer sex and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, I do not believe these advertisements should be banned. These ads show older couples who love and respect eachother. It shows intimacy in a very positive light and doesn't cheapen sexuality or make it tawdry. These ads also raise awareness and acceptance of older sexuality. Sexual expression is an important part of a loving relationship, no matter what their ages.
If commercials such as these between two healthy, couples in love offends someone or is believed to be a bad influence on children, you should really talk openly to children about the facts of life and what love is. These ads are a good example of what a healthy relationship should be. Attempts to ban these messages and images are disgraceful and offensive to older adults and seniors and it also continues to hide older sexuality and intimacy from the public landscape which results in further denial , embarrassment and revulsion of society.
SageHealth Network
May 9, 2009
*******Carol Costello - Contributor, CNN's American MorningFiled under: Controversy
May 7, 2009
Rep. Jim Moran wants to limit the time of day ads for erectile dysfunction medicine can air on TV.
From CNN’s Bob Ruff
You’ve all seen them. Those ubiquitous TV ads where a simple little pill transforms a man suffering from erectile dysfunction, or ED, into a virile tiger who puts a smile on the face of his now beaming wife.
Well, Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) has seen them too, and you’d be hard pressed to see a smile on his face when he talks about the ads.“A number of people,” he says, “have come up, including colleagues, and said I’m fed up. I don’t want my three or four-year old grandkid asking me what erectile dysfunction is all about. And I don’t blame them.”
Enter H.R. 2175. That’s a bill that Rep. Moran introduced last month that would prohibit any ED ads from airing on broadcast radio and TV between 6AM and 10PM. The bill advises the Federal Communications Commission to treat these ads as “indecent” and instruct stations to restrict their broadcast to late night and overnight hours.
So, could it be adios to all of those “Viva Viagra” commercials that play on network television on weekends and during the evening? Could the same be said for the Cialis couple sitting in outdoor tubs looking out at the sunset? And could Levitra also be shunned to the overnight hours?
CNN asked Pfzier, which makes Viagra, the first pill available by prescription to treat ED, what they thought of Rep. Moran’s bill.
“Pfizer is committed to responsible advertising… In line with our policies and the policies of the industry, Viagra advertising is aired in shows most likely to reach men suffering from erectile dysfunction. ED can be a signal for other serious medical issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”
We asked several people on the streets of Atlanta for their opinions.
Nikia Clark, a mother of a 2-year-old, thinks “it’s a great idea.” She’s concerned that as her child gets older, she doesn’t want him “seeing those kinds of commercials… on regular network shows.”
Janice Habersham agrees. She says while the “ads are tastefully done” they shouldn’t be aired at “the time when children are watching TV.”
On the other hand, Bruce Jackson says ED ads “should be run 24 hours a day.” And Louis Tesser says banning the ads “is clearly unconstitutional… it’s a viewpoint. It’s something that people are interested in, and you can’t change that.”
Rep. Moran does have some perspective on the issue. “While it’s not as important as the economy, or what’s happening militarily around the world, it is an intrusion into the quality of life that we like to experience.” He says that his bill is “a shot across the bow” of the drug companies. “You know enough is enough. This is inappropriate.”
Click here for source and video:
http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/07/erectile-dysfunction-ads-too-hot-for-tv/
If commercials such as these between two healthy, couples in love offends someone or is believed to be a bad influence on children, you should really talk openly to children about the facts of life and what love is. These ads are a good example of what a healthy relationship should be. Attempts to ban these messages and images are disgraceful and offensive to older adults and seniors and it also continues to hide older sexuality and intimacy from the public landscape which results in further denial , embarrassment and revulsion of society.
SageHealth Network
May 9, 2009
*******Carol Costello - Contributor, CNN's American MorningFiled under: Controversy
May 7, 2009
Rep. Jim Moran wants to limit the time of day ads for erectile dysfunction medicine can air on TV.
From CNN’s Bob Ruff
You’ve all seen them. Those ubiquitous TV ads where a simple little pill transforms a man suffering from erectile dysfunction, or ED, into a virile tiger who puts a smile on the face of his now beaming wife.
Well, Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) has seen them too, and you’d be hard pressed to see a smile on his face when he talks about the ads.“A number of people,” he says, “have come up, including colleagues, and said I’m fed up. I don’t want my three or four-year old grandkid asking me what erectile dysfunction is all about. And I don’t blame them.”
Enter H.R. 2175. That’s a bill that Rep. Moran introduced last month that would prohibit any ED ads from airing on broadcast radio and TV between 6AM and 10PM. The bill advises the Federal Communications Commission to treat these ads as “indecent” and instruct stations to restrict their broadcast to late night and overnight hours.
So, could it be adios to all of those “Viva Viagra” commercials that play on network television on weekends and during the evening? Could the same be said for the Cialis couple sitting in outdoor tubs looking out at the sunset? And could Levitra also be shunned to the overnight hours?
CNN asked Pfzier, which makes Viagra, the first pill available by prescription to treat ED, what they thought of Rep. Moran’s bill.
“Pfizer is committed to responsible advertising… In line with our policies and the policies of the industry, Viagra advertising is aired in shows most likely to reach men suffering from erectile dysfunction. ED can be a signal for other serious medical issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”
We asked several people on the streets of Atlanta for their opinions.
Nikia Clark, a mother of a 2-year-old, thinks “it’s a great idea.” She’s concerned that as her child gets older, she doesn’t want him “seeing those kinds of commercials… on regular network shows.”
Janice Habersham agrees. She says while the “ads are tastefully done” they shouldn’t be aired at “the time when children are watching TV.”
On the other hand, Bruce Jackson says ED ads “should be run 24 hours a day.” And Louis Tesser says banning the ads “is clearly unconstitutional… it’s a viewpoint. It’s something that people are interested in, and you can’t change that.”
Rep. Moran does have some perspective on the issue. “While it’s not as important as the economy, or what’s happening militarily around the world, it is an intrusion into the quality of life that we like to experience.” He says that his bill is “a shot across the bow” of the drug companies. “You know enough is enough. This is inappropriate.”
Click here for source and video:
http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/07/erectile-dysfunction-ads-too-hot-for-tv/
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