An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, “Your […]

I saw fear in the eyes of an aged loved one and it was painful to watch because it was unexpected…it caught me off guard. It’s difficult to see that fear—whether it’s the fear of the dying process, or fears related to being dead: Fear of pain… Fear of physical distress and suffering… Fear of […]

Having parents in their late eighties who’ve been married for 67 years, I can appreciate the following short story about getting older: A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a […]

The impending death of a parent is a ‘big picture’ wakeup call. As we watch our parents deteriorate physically, and maybe mentally, we think of ourselves and wonder what will happen to us as we age. And our roles change. Sometimes they are the glue that holds a family together…a reason to get together for […]

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Tampa, Florida, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. When the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found a poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to […]

Wilf was a sweet 60-year-old man suffering from Huntington’s chorea. I visited Wilf every week. I took him (and his wheelchair, which folded into the trunk of my little car) wherever he wanted to go…to the mall…to the park…to visit friends…. He always insisted I join in any fun or conversations with his friends. Sometimes […]

Imagine retiring or finding yourself unemployed after years of service (losing your role as a productive individual; experiencing a decline in income or earning power). And imagine losing your independence, health or ability to care for yourself on a day-to-day basis. Then imagine losing long-time friends or associates, one after the other…with increasing frequency. And […]

The later years of a person’s life can be filled with loneliness (social isolation), psychological distress, dissatisfaction with life, uncontrollable pain and physical illness (and an unspoken fear of dying a prolonged death or a fear of being institutionalized), and a hopelessness to change their situation. And there are those who suffer with untreated depression—sometimes […]