On January 15, 1929, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. King’s family always knew that he was special, but no one knew how special he would turn out to be, with his influence still being felt today. As one of the most prominent leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King united Americans to fight racism and oppression via civil disobedience and nonviolent protesting. What is less well known about Dr. King is that his vision for a better America included abolishing health injustice.
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhuman.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Pneumonia Vaccination: Protect yourself by asking the right questions
It’s a new year, and here at the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), we’re resolving to make 2020 the healthiest year yet for NHCOA’s constituents and staff. Hopefully by now you have been vaccinated for influenza and the immunization will keep you healthy over the winter months. Equally important is another vaccine currently available for your protection — the pneumococcal vaccine – which prevents a serious illness, pneumococcal disease or pneumonia.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that pneumonia is just a bad cold or the flu or that it can be prevented with the flu vaccine. In.... Read More
New Report Showcases the Nation’s Leading Gen2Gen Cities
by Corita Brown. This article originally appeared on Encore.org.
Encore.org releases #Gen2Gen Cities, a guide to intergenerational strategies for public sector innovators seeking solutions to community challenges.
Across the country, innovative city and county leaders see an aging population as an opportunity for intergenerational strategies that help meet multiple challenges with a single intervention. Here are a few examples:
In New York City, nonprofit and city leaders launched an effort to pair youth living in homeless shelters with low-income older adults who have an extra room. The goal: to help stabilize two of.... Read More
Bridging generations, Cherry Creek students act as volunteer “geek squad” for retirement community
Every Saturday, a sort of “geek squad” sets up shop at a Centennial retirement community to help residents stream, surf and connect.
Unlike professional troubleshooters, however, the members of this tech-support team are supposed to linger to catch up on whatever happened during the week, and they know their repeat customers’ names and stories.
Zachary Wang and Simar Chadha, both seniors at Cherry Creek High School, started Generation Tech in December 2018, after Wang saw a need while volunteering with an adult day program. More than 50 students volunteer on Saturdays at Holly Creek Living, teaching residents to use their devices and hopefully.... Read More
by Jaya Padmanabhan. This article originally appeared in India Currents.
“What did you eat today?” my mother, Sarada, begins her phone conversation with my twenty-three-year-old daughter in New York. When my daughter explains that she made rasam and sautéed cauliflower over the weekend, Sarada’s face lights up. Later she tells me she’s happy that all her grandchildren love rasam, a staple broth from the south of India.
Eighty-six-year-old Sarada immigrated to America in her 70s, and finds equanimity performing activities and engaging in conversations that hinge around food. When she meets people she doesn’t know, she connects through food conversations, often recalling.... Read More
Diverse Elders Coalition receives $1,199,763 in renewed funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation to support diverse family caregivers
Contact: Jenna McDavid, National Director 646-653-5015 / email@example.com
New York, NY – The Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC) has been approved for a two-year, $1,199,763 grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation to implement the programs and solutions the coalition has developed to support diverse family caregivers. This grant builds off the DEC’s previous planning grant, awarded by The John A. Hartford Foundation in 2018, to identify and address the unique needs of family caregivers in racially and ethnically diverse communities, American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT) communities. Through the planning grant, the DEC has been able to.... Read More
Supporting Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) as they Age
Nationally, the number of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) over the age of 60 is steadily increasing and by 2030, the number of adults with I/DD aged 60 and older.... Read More
by George Lorenzo. This article originally appeared on Next Avenue.
Family caregivers of loved ones with disabilities and chronic illnesses experience life transformations that are often unexpected. Their altered lifestyles, frequently resulting in dramatic changes to their personal identities, can last for many years, depending on their circumstances.
Being uprooted from their former selves over long periods of time can bring isolation and loneliness. And that can have negative physical and mental ramifications for both the caregiver and their loved one. How caregivers deal with their newly transformed lives, and how much assistance they may or may not get, can make a huge difference in their well-being. Here are stories of three family caregivers and their.... Read More
SAGE Partners with United Way Worldwide to Provide Hotline Services for LGBT Elders This Holiday Season and Beyond
The SAGE Hotline offers national, 24/7 health and human service information and referrals for LGBT elders
The holidays can be a lonely time, especially for older LGBT people, who are less likely to have children and more likely to suffer from social isolation. That’s why SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBT elders, has partnered with United Way Worldwide to provide a national support hotline for LGBT older people and those who care for them. The SAGE Hotline provides information about community support resources such as healthcare, transportation, counseling, legal.... Read More
Social Isolation and the Holiday Blues for LGBTQ+ Older Adults
In normative aging, the evolution from adult to older adult often parallels exposure to ageist societal attitudes and behaviors. Seniors are adapting to changing circumstances of bereavement, relocation, and the digital divide of technology. Some are exploring social media to close the gap of connection to family and friends, while adjusting to retirement and smaller social circles. With all these moving pieces, the holidays come and may cast a shadow of isolation and potential loneliness to once vibrant, active and engaged individuals.
The holiday season can bring on holiday blues or ‘winter blues’ for vulnerable populations of older adults and elders. Triggers for social isolation during the holidays included changes in family structure that may result in more significant numbers.... Read More