Gray Matters
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Asked & Answered: Gray Matters
Addressing pessimism about retirement savings
By Tom MooneyJune 19, 2012
A reader is skeptical that 401(k)s can provide enough to live on in retirement, so we followed up with financial advisor Tom Mooney for some help. The bottom line:Savings is a sacrifice, and everyone needs to find a level they are comfortable with. More »
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Gray Matters
Who do you want to be when you grow old?
By Maiken Scott and Jeanette WoodsMay 31, 2012
How do you envision your life as you grow older? Who are the older people in your life who inspire you?For Jeanette Woods, NewsWorkscommunity media editor, her godmother, Ida Ghee, is a constant source of inspiration. More »
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Gray Matters
Slowly, seniors in the media begin to reflect reality
By Taunya EnglishMay 31, 2012
On casting calls, model Rob White often wears a blue blazer to set off his blue eyes, silver hair -- and white teeth. More »
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NEWSWORKS TONIGHT FEATURE
In media, seniors fight old and new stereotypes
By Taunya EnglishMay 30, 2012
Senior Health Writer Taunya English spoke with Mady Prowler, assistant director of Coming of Age, about the changing image of older adults. Coming of Age, is a Philadelphia-based initiative that promotes 50 plus civic engagement. The group is a partnership between Temple University, WHYY, the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and AARP Pennsylvania. More »
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EssayWorks: Gray Matters
Conjuring the dead alive
By Lisa MeritzMay 30, 2012
In this season when we celebrate first Mother's and then Father's Day, when I pass by my dad's old bar, I imagine him coming out to greet me and giving me a big hug. Then I'd show him my beautiful home close-by; he'd love it. But sadly I know that no matter how long I stare at that door, he will never emerge. More »
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EssayWorks: Gray Matters
The magic of Dottie
By Mona Forman DoyleMay 23, 2012
I see how animated my mother is and realize how wonderful it is that she is able to have such fun in her 90s, especially considering the terrible ordeal she has been through. Dottie has given my mother a new friendship. Dottie has enabled her to have fun. More »
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Gray Matters
In Pa., a struggle to pay for some long-term care
By Carolyn BeelerMay 23, 2012
Last June, Rene Green got the phone call children of aging parents everywhere dread. It was the paramedics, and it was about her mother. More »
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Gray Matters
Saving for retirement after a financial crisis
By Carolyn BeelerMay 22, 2012
This is part of a series on aging in the Delaware Valley called "Gray Matters: New Tools for Growing Older" from the WHYY Health and Science Desk. The six-week series features audio and video stories as well as personal essays. The global financial crisis hit corporate and government pensions hard and exacerbated concerns about the future of the social security program. With 401(k)s ... More »
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Gray Matters
Web chat: Retirement planning
By Carolyn BeelerMay 21, 2012
UPDATE: Thank you for joining our live chat on Wednesday afternoon. Please check out the transcript below. Maybe our financial expert answered your question. More »
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Gray Matters
'Always certain, often wrong' - how does who we are impact how we age?
By Maiken ScottMay 16, 2012
How does who we are impact how we age? Psychologists believe that certain traits contribute to happy aging — optimism, a sense of humor, generosity of spirit and so on. More »
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Gray Matters
How does who we are affect how we age? Personality matters, but is not set in stone
By Maiken ScottMay 16, 2012
Plato wrote that "he who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition, youth and age are equally a burden." But are we stuck with who we are as we age — or do we continue to change? More »
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Gray Matters
Preventing falls key to independent living
By Taunya EnglishMay 10, 2012
Millions of Baby Boomers are marching into old age, and it turns out many are unsteady on their feet. Each year, one in three Americans age 65 and older takes a fall, and 64-year-old Philadelphia resident Alice Foley can have trouble staying upright. More »
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Gray Matters
Talking about falls with older adults
By Taunya EnglishMay 10, 2012
Among adults 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury death and injuries from falling send two million older Americans to the emergency room each year. Experts say countless people never report those falls to their doctor — or anyone else. More »
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What should docs know about treating older patients?
By Maiken ScottMay 9, 2012
America's 78 million baby boomers are turning 65 at a rate of one every 10 seconds. Many experts warn that the country's healthcare system is not ready to deal with their medical needs. More »
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NEWSWORKS TONIGHT FEATURE
New communities allow urban seniors to age in Center City
By Carolyn BeelerMay 3, 2012
With 10,000 baby boomers a day turning 65, a central question facing those planning for the silver tsumani:Where will they all age? Nearly 10 years ago, somewhere around dessert and coffee at a potluck dinner, a group of friends a generation older asked themselves the same thing. More »
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EssayWorks: Gray Matters
How will I know when my parents need help?
By Kim Fitzsimmons, RN, BSNMay 3, 2012
If you're a son or daughter with aging parents, you might have noticed a gradual shift in who's taking care of whom. There are signs, both obvious and subtle, that your parents are ready for assistance beyond what the family can provide. But what should you look for? More »
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As seen on 'First': Gray Matters
The burden of dementia on caregivers
By NewsWorksApril 27, 2012
In the second part of our series Gray Matters, Maiken Scott of the WHYY Health and Science Desk joins us to talk about the burden of caring for those suffering from dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. It often falls on family members and it's a physically, and emotionally exhausting task. More »
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Doctors miss low-cost chances for preventive care with older adults
By Taunya EnglishApril 25, 2012
Older Americans may not be getting some of the basic "low-tech, high impact" care that can ward off a cascade of serious and costly health problems. More »
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Gray Matters
Living with dementia's costs, financial and otherwise
By Maiken ScottApril 24, 2012
The World Health Organization estimates that the number of people living with dementia world wide will triple by 2050. Those numbers affect the economy and health care cost, but they also mean a lot more people will become caregivers. More »
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Gray Matters
Brain fitness regimens promise strong memory as we age — but do they work?
By Maiken ScottApril 24, 2012
The threat of age-related memory loss and dementia holds a special terror for most people. Who are we, if we don't have our mental facilities? More »
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EssayWorks: Gray Matters
The circle of life in Alzheimer's
By Kerry L. LuksicApril 24, 2012
For my mother, Bobbie Lonergan, seeing the bright side of life was part of who she was, and she made a point to instill her core value of positive thinking in me and my 12 siblings.In our home, she focused on teaching us to be strong, to fix our own problems, and to take charge of life with a glass-half-full attitude. Mom lived this way into her early 70s, bringing her positive energy to everyone ... More »
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