York County Community Foundation’s Embracing Aging initiative contributes a monthly column to the local Sunday newspaper. Scroll below to read some of our past articles. Most articles are written to help us broaden our awareness and views on aging.
Catch up on EA articles from our EA newsletter. Why not also sign up for Embracing Aging’s newsletter? Just email Cathy Bollinger, managing director of Embracing Aging, at cbollinger@yccf.org. Please put “Sign up for EA Enews” in the subject line and provide your name and email address.
September 2017
A Resource for the Unsung Heroes – Caregivers
There are 45 million family caregivers in the United States, 70% of whom are women. Nearly 18 million people care for a relative who is 65 or older.
These caregivers are unsung heroes. They often juggle schedules, appointments, and errands, while flooded with feelings of guilt, sadness, and even resentment. Their patience is strained as they help an older adult in the most personal of acts, like toileting. Burnout seems inevitable, yet pausing is not an option, as there is no one else to care for their family or friends. It’s their unconditional love that keeps them going. READ MORE…
August 2017
Ten years have passed since the last major recession and the housing market is returning to normal levels. However, a segment of the housing market that continues to experience record highs is the number of people on wait lists for affordable and low-income housing. Quality housing is the lynchpin to aging well. Embracing Aging is concerned about the impact of this housing shortage locally, as over one-third of York Countians age 65 and older are struggling to meet their basic needs. READ MORE…
June 2017
Senator Casey Invites Embracing Aging to Washington D.C. to Advocate for Age-Friendly Communities
Have you ever found yourself in the midst of an experience when you need a pinch to make sure it’s not a dream?
That’s how I felt the morning of May 17, 2017, when I had the opportunity to testify on behalf of York County Community Foundation’s Embracing Aging initiative and its many partners, as one of four witnesses selected from across the United States to provide testimony before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. READ MORE…
March 2017
More People, More Places, More Possibilities
Transportation – it’s important for getting to and from, so I can do what I need or want to do at any given time. Living in a suburb, I rely on my car most of the time, as I don’t live close to the office, grocery store, physician, theater, or shopping center. I know I’m fortunate; when I desire to leave my home, the only thing I need to be concerned about is making sure the car is in working condition and the tank has gas. I don’t need to worry about aligning my schedule with that of public transportation. READ MORE…
February 2017
Community Engagement Impacts Well-being of All Residents
Feelings of isolation, lack of purpose, and disconnectedness impact the well-being of all residents, especially as people grow older.
Regardless of your age, in the past month, have you felt:
• Pleased about having accomplished something?
• Lonely or remote from other people?
• Bored?
• Proud because someone complimented you on something you had done?
• Particularly excited or interested in something?
• That you are contributing to something that matters? READ MORE…
January 2017
Worth Repeating – A New Year’s Resolution to Make Aging Positive
While purging some files last week, I stumbled upon my article written two years ago, when we ushered in the year 2015. The content was inspired by the book, Sailing the Mystery: My Journey into Life’s Remaining Chapters, by Ed Merck, who shared five secrets he learned on his journey toward embracing his own aging. READ MORE…
December 2016
When We Should Stop Using the Word “Still”
“My uncle is 83 and still drives.”
“My grandma is 90 and still goes out dancing.”
“My step-father is approaching 74 and still runs a mile each day.”
Do you see anything wrong with the language above? It’s the word “still.” READ MORE…
June 2016
Everyone is the Perfect Age Today
“You only need a mirror to create an aging change,” said Dr. Bill Thomas last month as he addressed a crowd of almost 400 people of differing ages in the Waldner Performing Arts Center at York College of Pennsylvania. The reason? Because looking in the mirror and declaring you are the perfect age for you today is the first step in shifting attitudes on aging. READ MORE…
February 2016
Expanding Age-Inclusive Thinking
Winter storm Jonas helped bring out the good in us all. Neighbors helped neighbors by checking in on each other and shoveling out sidewalks and driveways so that we could get on with our routine lives.We can all agree that a clear sidewalk is good for everyone and important to going about our daily routines. Whether free of snow, ice, wet leaves, puddles, broken cement, or clutter, age limits don’t apply to a desire for walkable sidewalks. Ensuring sidewalks are walkable is an example of age-inclusive thinking in action. READ MORE…
December 2015
Tips for Best Engagement of People Living With Dementia
By Cathy Bollinger, managing director of Embracing Aging, York County Community Foundation
Contributions by Tina Hess, president/CEO, GOOD NEWS CONSULTING, Inc.
The numbers are staggering. Alzheimer’s disease, an irreversible, progressive brain disease that affects nearly 47 million people worldwide, is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Of the top ten causes of death, it is the only one that cannot be prevented, cured or slowed. In America, someone develops Alzheimer’s disease every 67 seconds.
As York County Community Foundation’s Embracing Aging initiative works to make York County a great place to age, we recognize that a variety of barriers may exist to older adults having quality of life, including a lack of awareness and understanding of forms of dementia, and how to best engage with people living with dementia. READ MORE…
“Envision a world where all individuals flourish across their lifespan through creative expression.” That wonderful and thought-provoking message was shared by Dr. Greg Finch of The National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) at a special Creative Aging day on June 25 leading into the Cultural Alliance of York’s 2015 IMPACT Arts and Culture Conference.
York County Community Foundation knows the importance of this message. Our Embracing Aging staff understand how engagement with the arts preserves mental health and acuity. So it didn’t surprise us when Cultural Alliance of York came to us with this idea for a pre-conference day leading into their biggest conference of the year… READ MORE…
June 2015Embracing Aging Goes to Washington
You may recall reading one of our past articles in which we shared some of the pushback we have received regarding the name of our initiative, Embracing Aging.
That’s why when the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) called to invite York County Community Foundation’s Embracing Aging initiative to speak about the strategies we’re working on to address attitudes around aging at its May 6 event in Washington, DC, we were thrilled to accept. The event, which took place at the DirksenSenate Office Building, showcased n4a’s research on the growth of the Livable Communities of All Ages movement… READ MORE…
May 2015
Coming Soon- A Program to Help Change the Perceptions of Aging Question: What’s wrong with this language?
- She’s 82, but she’s really young at heart!
- My dad is 87, but he still drives.
- My aunt is 90, but she’s still sharp.
- He’s still working, despite being 74.
- You’re 83? You don’t look your age.
Answer: Each statement contains a bias towards age. It’s implied that it’s quite out of the ordinary that older people can still be young at heart, can still drive, can still be sharp, can still work, or can still look… READ MORE…
April 2015How Old Would You Be If You Didn’t Know How Old You Are? By Cathy Bollinger, Managing Director of Embracing Aging
I recently attended the American Society on Aging’s Aging in America conference in Chicago, IL. The opening sessions featured JoAnn Jenkins, CEO, AARP, and Dr. Ken Dychtwald, CEO, Age Wave, who shared keynote addresses on the topics of re-imagining aging. Both addressed the important need to change the conversation around aging… READ MORE…
January 2015
A New Year’s Resolution: Make Aging Positive
With the turn of the calendar to 2015, York County Community Foundation’s Embracing Aging initiative says it’s time to STOP dreading aging! Instead of viewing aging as a sense of loss, view it as a sense of gain. In this month of setting resolutions and thinking anew, we encourage everyone to check their personal views on aging. Although everyone is entitled to age the way they choose, a positive view on aging transforms one’s experience of aging. In other words, when we embrace our age… READ MORE…
October 2014
What Do You See?
What are your first thoughts when you see an older person? Are they positive or negative? Do you see the potential and value in an older individual?
Understanding York County’s responses to these questions is one way York County Community Foundation’s Embracing Aging initiative is building awareness of what it’s like to be an older adult…. READ MORE…
