More than 550,000 veterans live in Illinois, according to the most recent numbers from the U.S. Census. That’s a lot of people who could benefit from programs specifically for veterans. Yet, many are unaware of the available benefits, says Jay Latona, chief of the Specially Adapted Housing program for the Veterans Benefits Administration. The Department of […]Read More
Reconnecting with self and others through art The C wing of Westminster Place, an assisted living community in Evanston, used to be a sleepy corridor with dull, mass-produced artwork. Framed prints of stale subjects broke up the walls’ neutral tones — but barely. The scene changed eight years ago, when Gordon Guth, 88, a retired industrial […]Read More
While degrees add a level of formality to studies, not all students have the time or desire to pursue a degree in their later years. Some want to experience a variety of classes at their leisure. Huntley resident Patricia Sukel, 77, took organ lessons from age 11 to 17. Four decades later, she started lessons […]Read More
Many LGBTQIA+ seniors face challenges with healthcare, housing, and other necessities Before she moved, Carolyn Davis, 65, remembers thinking about nursing homes, knowing she wouldn’t want to live in one. She feared she wouldn’t be able to exist there as her true self. “If I had to go to a nursing home, I would have to go […]Read More
Finding humor in tough times eases the pain The old maxim “laughter is the best medicine” may not be far off track. Research shows that giggles and guffaws come with physical benefits. In fact, specialized therapies designed to induce laughter can reduce stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to one large-scale review of […]Read More
Older adults navigate travel with mobility issues Call her a globetrotter extraordinaire. Sarah Campbell, an 84-year-old Chicago resident, has been on 100 international trips and counting. And despite her newest travel companion — a cane, which she started using last year due to back problems — Campbell isn’t slowing down. “I’m having to pick and […]Read More
Oral health may decline with age, but nutritional needs do not Christine Wehrli, of Naperville, says that her mom has never been the best teeth brusher. Now age 93, her mom can no longer eat some of her favorite dishes. “She loves lamb chops but can’t chew meat very well anymore,” Wehrli says. Her chewing challenges […]Read More
Gunter Nitsch documents his life as a refugee in post-war Europe Growing up in East Prussia during World War II and then in a West Germany refugee camp after the war, Gunter Nitsch didn’t envision the books he’d someday write. He was simply trying to get by. “The teachers I had in West Germany, they were […]Read More
If your senior years aren’t quite what you expected, focus on finding your own path Based on television advertisements targeted at older adults, everyone over 60 is leading a charmed life: feeling healthy, traveling, and spending quality time with grandchildren. “Retirement is portrayed as a dream and fantasy, where you are 80 and able-bodied. You […]Read More
Virtual voice assistants provide crucial services for older adults For younger generations, technology is as normal as air. With smartphones, smart cars, and smart homes, it’s hard for anyone born after the 1990s to imagine what life was like before the internet. While many older adults don’t have the same relationship with technology, tech can […]Read More
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