Category Archives: aging

Our brains on exercise

Posted on February 27, 2013 by stillalife

In the course of getting physical therapy for a hamstring strain, I learned that my hamstrings and quadriceps (muscles in the upper leg) were weak. Hard to believe since I had started to ski again and was walking regularly. Well, maybe … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, exercise, personal reflections | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Spring, a change for the better

Posted on February 8, 2013 by stillalife

We’re starting to see a few signs of spring.  The warning signals usually start below ground or just above it.  I’ve seen one-inch-tall iris bulbs in front of a neighbor’s house, and the moles in a nearby park are excavating very quickly, … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, aging and appearance, seasons | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Who cares for the caregivers?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by stillalife

What to do with baby boomers as we age?  Sunday’s sermon began with a series of quotes from a Japanese economist and government minister, who suggested that any of his countryman who were elderly and sick should curl up and … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, personal reflections, support and caring | 1 Comment

Ready for robots?

Posted on December 3, 2012 by stillalife

MIT Professor Sherry Turkle has interviewed a lot of people who say they’re ready for robot mates, robot care givers and robot friends.  Is this because they’re lonely and believe having a robot around would be better than no company … Continue reading →

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Cultivating flexibility

Posted on September 8, 2012 by stillalife

Many of us lose flexibility as we age. We know that unless we stretch, our spines become more rigid. But what about flexibility in our attitudes? I’ve  been thinking about both kinds of flexibility lately.  I’m working with a Feldenkrais … Continue reading →

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Handwriting to help the brain

Posted on June 15, 2012 by stillalife

Let’s hear it for handwriting.  If yours is as difficult to decipher as mine this is not a cheer you’ll take up. However, various studies show that substituting a pen in hand for the computer keyboard is good for our brains. … Continue reading →

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Give me a break

Posted on May 30, 2012 by stillalife

The poem, “What She Said,” by former Poet Laureate Billy Collins (found in his most recent book, horoscopes for the dead), opens this way: When he told me he expected me to pay for dinner, I was like give me a break.  Collins goes … Continue reading →

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Sleep, the elixir

Posted on May 25, 2012 by stillalife

If Hamlet had lived longer, instead of saying “to sleep perchance to dream,” he might have said, “to lie in bed, perchance to sleep.” The latter happens to me more often than I’d like. Sleep is underrated, despite the badge … Continue reading →

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Months for every age, disease, and body part

Posted on May 23, 2012 by stillalife

May is “Older Americans Month.” (OA) Let’s celebrate, like we do when National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month rolls around, along with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month, and Brain Awareness and World Breastfeeding weeks. (Note which body parts receive recognition for the … Continue reading →

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Giving up control to gain it?

Posted on May 3, 2012 by stillalife

It’s hard to let go of control at any stage in life. Retirement age is no exception, although I’ve found that this period gives me a much stronger sense of control.  I don’t have a boss, deadlines are those I … Continue reading →

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