Written by Chris Frey, LCSW, Your Next Move course instructor As an educator and counselor, my interest in how we navigate transitions of all shapes and sizes has grown significantly through the years. As I have aged, my journey to understand both the familiar and unique aspects of life changes that call on us to […]
Category: Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging
Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging Blog Posts
“Kids these days”: Why youth-directed ageism is an issue for everyone
Written by Morgan Van Vleck, MSW candidate (’22) and Masters Research Fellow in Aging at the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging As we become an increasingly aged society, it is important to understand how stereotypes and bias against both younger and older age groups functions and leads to fractures in intergenerational relationships. Ageism against […]
Ageism – the unnoticed -ism
Written by Michele Dinman, project coordinator for the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health “She looks so good for her age”…“I was having a senior moment”…“50 is the new 30”…“Old people go there”….“You don’t look 70”… “Millennials have an inflated sense of entitlement” …“She is too young to be […]
The endeavor towards healthy attitudes in aging
Paresa Chowdhury, a Summer Research Program participant, discusses the insight she gained on aging and ageism while working in the PATH Lab.
Return to normal
Mateo Blair, a Summer Research Program- Aging and Neurological Diseases Track participant, discusses her experiences in Dr. Susan Stark’s lab.
Remembering the people behind the disease
In this blogpost written by Sophia Tu, a Summer Research Program student in the Aging & Neurological Diseases Track, studies concerning dementia and Alzheimers are discussed.
Summer Research Program Experience 2.0
This blogpost written by Summer Research Program, Aging & Neurological Diseases Track student, Danielle Friz discusses various presentations on chronic diseases in aging adults.
Purpose for life over a lifespan
This blog post by Summer Research Program student Aja Jones assesses the connection between healthy aging and a continuous development of an individual’s purpose for life.
An exciting experience
In this blogpost written by Summer Research Program student, Josie Wright, the COMPASS program and home modifications for stroke patients are discussed.
Multifaceted effects of an aging society on public health
The multidimensional affects of aging on our population is the topic of this blogpost by Summer Research Program student, Lindsey Debosik.
Older American’s Month: The impact of aging on society
Guest author Behnaz Sarrami reviews area older adult service agencies and the need for a “voice” for adults as they age.
Friedman Center welcomes project coordinator
The Institute for Public Health & its Friedman Center for Aging welcome our new Project Coordinator, Michele Dinman.
COVID-19: Age & Race Lead to Compounding Risk
Issues affecting older adults during the time of COVID-19 are the topic of this blogpost by guest author, Morgan Van Vleck, masters research fellow in aging.
Calculating Your Lifespan: Reflections on “When I’m 64”
Students in the class, When I’m 64, have developed a Lifespan Calculator. Learn more in this blog by guest author, Donna Springer.
The growing intergenerational nature of social media
Social media isn’t just for kids anymore. Older adults today are adeptly winding their way through the social sphere more than ever.
Why older people are among the first to get the vaccine
By Nancy Morrow-Howell, MSW, PhD, the Bettie Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy, Brown School of Social Work and director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging On December 8, 2020, the first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine went into the arm of a 90-year-old woman, Margaret Keenan, with the second delivered to an 81-year-old […]
New Retirement Includes Purpose as Well as Leisure
Friedman Center for Aging “Your Next Move” Seminar Summary Written by Kim Furlow, Institute for Public Health Being in my early 50’s and thinking about “many years from now” when I’ll retire, (not really; it’s probably coming sooner than we all expect!) I decided to attend the Friedman Center for Aging “Your Next Move” Seminar […]
COVID-19 and Compounding Losses
by Barbara L. Finch, MLA, Alumna, Washington University in St. Louis The older adults I know are scared. In the independent living retirement community where I live, eight months of isolation because of Covid-19 is beginning to take its toll. While we are no longer “locked down” like we were during the first few months of […]
Aging: Something we all experience and should not be afraid of
Written by Mason Basler, BS candidate in biochemistry, Rockhurst University; participant in the Summer Research Program,- Aging and Neurological Diseases Track During the online summer internship in aging and neurological conditions, I attended an online presentation given by Brian Carpenter, PhD, who is a professor and researcher of psychological and brain sciences. During this presentation, […]
Music to my ears: Learning on Zoom
Written by Sophia Tu, BS candidate at Saint Louis University; participant in the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program- Aging and Neurological Diseases Track I was sitting in front of my computer screen with the volume turned up, listening intently as the words coming through the speakers gave me goosebumps. Some nights I would catch […]
Bridging the gap: How purpose-driven research impacts everyday lives
Written by Lindsey Debosik, B.S. candidate in Public Health and Health Management at Saint Louis University and participant in the 2020 Institute of Public Health Summer Research Program For the longest time, I did not understand the value of research to society or to oppressed individuals within that society. As a public health student, I […]
Exploring a human-centric field in our remote society
By Kyla Kikkawa, B.A. Candidate, Washington University in St. Louis Participant, Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program, Aging and Neurological Diseases Track As we concluded our virtual program, each of us were shown versions of our “older selves” created by a digital application, which would have been printed on our name placards had we […]
Neurological diseases: The more I know, the more I want to know
Written by Josie Wright, BA candidate in psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; participant in the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program- Aging and Neurological Diseases Track The virtual Summer Research Program in Aging and Neurological Diseases was an amazing experience. I loved learning about everything we discussed throughout the program. I was especially […]
How a transformative summer research opportunity in brain aging changed my outlook on life
Written by Paresa Chowdhury, BS candidate in psychology at Loyola University Chicago; participant in the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program– Aging and Neurological Diseases Track When the COVID-19 crisis struck our country, everything felt uncertain. I could only hope that things would take a turn for the best, whichever way they go. Luckily, […]
Zooming and aging: Empirical research in the time of COVID
Written by Nahom Zewde, BA candidate at Earlham College, Indiana; participant in the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program– Aging and Neurological Diseases Track I am currently a pre-medical student at Earlham College, studying Biochemistry and Mathematics. Alongside my academics, I am involved in many volunteering activities, at a skilled nursing facility and a […]
Best of a bad situation: Discovering new interests and learning new skills
Written by Mateo Blair, B.A. candidate in Biochemistry at Washington University in St. Louis & participant in the 2020 Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program The Covid-19 pandemic has made the past couple of months hectic. before I got news that it would be entirely virtual this summer, the Summer Research Program – Aging […]
Reflection: COVID-19 exacerbates ageism in our society
by Danielle Friz, BSN Candidate, ’21, University of Missouri – St. Louis; participant Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program- Aging and Neurological Diseases Track In a seminar led by Dr. Nancy Morrow-Howell, director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, I was very interested to learn about how ageism has played such a […]
Interpreting Alzheimer’s Disease through both a personal and educational lens
Written by Aja Jones, B.A. candidate in Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis & participant in the 2020 Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program In an online seminar for the summer program’s Aging and Neurological Diseases Track with Matthew Wynn, a graduate student focusing on Geropsychology, I was able to […]
Emergency departments, older adults & coronavirus part two: What older adults need to know about their treatment in emergency departments
Written by Tanner Meyer, Masters Research Fellow in Aging, Class of ‘21, Friedman Center for Aging Embed from Getty Images Recap: At the start of our conversation with Barnes-Jewish Emergency Department Physician, Dr. Chris Carpenter, we asked how emergency departments are working to modify their methods of care to treat older adults. Dr. Carpenter, alongside […]
Perspective: Warning-don’t define us by our age!
Written by Barbara L. Finch, MLA Depending upon where you are in life’s journey, birthdays have a different meanings. For children and teenagers, they are exciting milestones: ready for school (6), obtain a driver’s license (16), able to vote (18), legally buy a beer (21). Between 21 and 50 there don’t seem to be many […]
Warning: Don’t define us by our age!
Depending upon where you are in life’s journey, birthdays have a different meanings. For children and teenagers, they are exciting milestones: ready for school (6), obtain a driver’s license (16), able to vote (18), legally buy a beer (21). Between 21 and 50 there don’t seem to be many age-related occasions to celebrate (although when […]
Emergency Departments, Older Adults & Coronavirus Part I: What are the Geriatric Emergency Department (GED) Guidelines?
Written by Tanner Meyer, Masters Research Fellow in Aging, Class of ‘21, Friedman Center for Aging As we have written about before, ageism continues to rear its ugly head during the Coronavirus pandemic. The media has depicted older adults, ranging from age 60 to 100, as a homogeneous, frail group, destined to contract the virus. […]
COVID-19 double jeopardy: The intersection of race and age
Written by Emma Swinford, Natalie Galucia and Nancy Morrow-Howell Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health, Washington University in St. Louis The American Society on Aging recently released a statement, which begins, “Age offers no immunity to racism and violence.” In fact, age often magnifies the impact of structural inequalities like racism. […]
Perspective: Broadening the scope as the country re-imagines policing
Written by Ron Long, head of Wells Fargo Aging Client Services In the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, there has been a call to reimagine policing. As an African American male who has been stopped over 20 times in my life thus far, I fully support having those conversations. Some […]
Aging: Enlarging the Frame
Written by Ellen C. Boone, PhD, Chair, Potpourri 2020 Committee Yes, as Galucia, Morrow-Howell, and Swinford have written, the coverage of COVID-19 does distort perceptions of the older adult population, especially the 95 percent who do not reside in nursing homes. To counter this distortion, I composed the following lines, with the intention of enlarging […]
COVID-19: Viewing the Virus from Senior Living and Senior Living
Written by Barbara L. Finch, MLA and alumna, Washington University in St. Louis Shortly before my husband and I moved into an independent living retirement community three years ago, a friend asked: “Will this be like living in a college dorm?” In some ways it is. There are a number of people (in our case, […]
Won’t you be my neighbor? Inter-generational living in St. Louis
Written by Emma Swinford, MPH, MSW, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging Embed from Getty Images The Back Story My experience in the world of inter-generational living started when I began working as a research assistant with the Friedman Center for Aging in my second year of grad school. The Friedman Center’s work on inter-generational […]
Older Americans Month: Invaluable Members of Our Society – Older Adults
Written by Behnaz Sarrami, MS, PharmD, TL1 Predoctoral Clinical Research Program alumnus Older Americans Month (OAM) was established in 1963 to give recognition to older adults as invaluable members of our society. Older adults have gained much wisdom and experience as they have endured life’s many challenges. Many have already lived through one pandemic, the […]
Opinion: Ageism in COVID coverage shrouds full picture of older adult population
Written by Nancy Morrow-Howell, Natalie Galucia and Emma Swinford of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health, Washington University in St. Louis News coverage of the pandemic addresses everyone in later life as one monolithic group – “the elderly” – vulnerable, lonely, living in retirement facilities. Of course, attention […]
COVID-19 & older adults: Time Management & self-care skills
Written by Kim Furlow, Institute for Public Health; Natalie Galucia, MSW; Nancy Morrow-Howell, MSW, PhD; and Emma Swinford, MPH, MSW, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging Embed from Getty Images Stay-at-home orders have meant that the routines of millions of people have been disrupted. To stay safe at home, many older adults have been disconnected […]
Preparing for a Career in Aging: Part III
By Natalie Galucia, MSW, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging & Annie Wright, MSOT ’21, School of Medicine Washington University has a variety of options available to students who are looking to pursue careers in aging. Throughout many different schools across both the Danforth and School of Medicine Campuses, students are focusing their learning to […]
Preparing for a Career in Aging: Part II
By Natalie Galucia, MSW, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging & Roger Wong, MPH, MSW, PhD, Brown School of Social Work Washington University has a variety of options available to students pursuing careers in aging. Across both the Danforth and School of Medicine Campuses, students are preparing for this field. To get a taste of the […]
A Letter to Caregivers during a Pandemic
My Perspective as a First Year MSW Working in the Field of Aging By Tanner Meyer, MSW ‘21 When applying to the Brown School, my personal statement promised that I would pursue a career in LatinX health care. This is still my goal, though I have paired it with another: to work with aging […]
Careers in Aging Week 2020: Insights from the Friedman Center for Aging
April 19-25 marked 2020 Careers in Aging Week (CIAW). CIAW is hosted every year by the Gerontological Society of America to raise awareness about the diverse careers available in the field of aging. As people are living longer, populations are aging worldwide and the demands for professionals with expertise in aging grows, the Harvey A. […]
Preparing for a Career in Aging: Part I
Written by Natalie Galucia, MSW, Center Manager, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging & Meghan McDarby, M.A., Psychological & Brain Sciences Washington University has a variety of options available to students pursuing careers in aging. Across both the Danforth and School of Medicine Campuses, students are preparing for this field. To get a taste of […]
A lived experience: Pursuing a career in aging while residing with older adults
Written by Annie Wright, MSOT ‘20, School of Medicine I am currently an occupational therapy student pursuing a Master’s degree. My current goal is to work in a community setting on the population level, which includes all ages. I haven’t narrowed my passion down to a specific topic yet, but I’m hoping that my future […]
Ageism in the time of coronavirus
Written by Jeff Brandt, MSW, Brown School; Natalie Galucia, MSW; Nancy Morrow-Howell, PhD, MSW; and Emma Swinford, MPH, MSW There is no denying it: the threat of COVID-19 looms large for older adults. According to a CDC study, 80% of Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. between February 12 and March 16 occurred in adults age […]
Long-term care: Costs, insurance and reform
Written by Jeff Brandt, MSW ’20, the J. Benjamin Miller Masters Research Fellow in Aging & the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Student Award for Social Work Leaders in Healthcare American consumers tend to hold some misconceptions when it comes to long-term care. Think Medicare will cover the cost of a nursing home? Think again. […]
New city? Try home sharing
Written by Annie Wright, Occupational Therapy candidate at Washington University in St. Louis and HomeShare St. Louis participant In the months before moving to St. Louis for graduate school, I was in full panic mode because I had not yet nailed down a housing situation. The panic was not helped by the fact that I […]
The next raison d’etre
Written by David Krausch I live in the Missouri countryside near Labadie; too far away from the city to hear about Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) in my normal social circles. I learned it in casual conversation with other participants at an open house for St. Louis Public Radio. I mentioned that I enjoy coming out […]