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May 2008 Archives

May 1, 2008

Ancient Elders

Liam Keene sends along this quote from Eckhart Tolle

AWAKENING AND THE RETURN MOVEMENT

In most ancient cultures, there must have been an intuitive understanding of this process (onset of the spiritual dimension), which is why old people were respected and revered. They were the repositories of wisdom and pro vided the dimension of depth without which no civilization can survive for long.

In our civilization, which is totally identified with the outer and ignorant of the inner dimension of spirit, the word old has mainly negative con notations. It equals useless and so we regard it as almost
an insult to refer to someone as old. To avoid the word, we use euphemisms such as elderly and senior.

The First Nation's "grandmother" is a figure of great dignity. Today's "granny" is at best cute. Why is old considered useless? Be cause in old age, the emphasis shifts from doing to Being, and our civilization, which is lost in doing, knows nothing of Being.

It asks: Being? What do you do with it?

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 1, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 2, 2008

13 Grandmothers

WE, THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF THIRTEEN INDIGENOUS GRANDMOTHERS, represent a global alliance of prayer, education and healing for our Mother Earth, all Her inhabitants, all the children, and for the next seven generations to come. We are deeply concerned with the unprecedented destruction of our Mother Earth and the destruction of indigenous ways of life. We believe the teachings of our ancestors will light our way through an uncertain future. We look to further our vision through the realization of projects that protect our diverse cultures: lands, medicines, language and ceremonial ways of prayer and through projects that educate and nurture our children.

Their work meshes with my most recent thinking on neo-tribalism as an alternative social organizing principle.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 2, 2008 11:09 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

May 5, 2008

Glass Half Full

Here is a more optimistic view of the security of Social Security...

Social Security: False Alarm Or False Hope?
A recent Wall Street Journal MarketWatch column by Dr. Irwin Kellner entitled “False Alarm” concludes Social Security is not likely to run out of money any time soon.

Kellner’s conclusion contradicts the findings of the fund’s Trustees in their 2008 report “Status of the Social Security and Medicare Programs”. As described in their summary: “The financial condition of .. Social Security …. remains problematic. Projected long run program costs are not sustainable under current financing arrangements. Social Security's current annual surpluses of tax income over expenditures will begin to decline in 2011 and then turn into rapidly growing deficits as the baby boom generation retires. …. Growing annual deficits are projected to exhaust …. Social Security reserves in 2041.” Furthermore, his conclusion also disagrees with the findings of the Congressional Budget Office which estimates Social Security insolvency will occur in 2052.

Full text is here...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 5, 2008 6:26 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Power-Up Tuesday: Antipsychotic Restraints Part II

[Editor's Note: Continued from Al Power's April 25 post Antipsychotic Restraints]

My good friend (and restraint reduction pioneer) Dr. Bernie Shore once said to me, “You know, Al, we have a lot of people with dementia who are calm and engaged when you sit and interact with them, but they get agitated again after you leave, and you can’t do one-to-one care all day.” We have all had this experience. Here’s my explanation:

“That person is sitting on a ledge, 50 stories up. And you can crawl out on the ledge and put your arm around him, tell him he’s okay, and calm him for a moment. But when you leave, he’s still on the ledge.”

This is why simple algorithms like a weekly hand massage and daily washcloth folding don’t quite do the job. Until the environment feels safe and comfortable, not toxic and foreign, one can never make great inroads into serious medication reduction.

But it’s happening out there, as we speak. Some people have moved below 5 - 10% prevalence of antipsychotics, and a few homes keep the number near zero.
Three steps to transforming the care environment: (1) create meaningful, continuing relationships. These allow everyone to be well-known, and provide care partners with vital clues to the experiences of the elder. (2) create an environment filled with positive, affirming interactions that provide the elder with choice, engagement and meaning, and respect her basic personhood. (3) Move our frame of reference to enter the elder’s world, rather than to drag her into our reality.

This last step bothers many people, who feel that it means “giving up” on the person, or allowing her to slip further. Some of us have found, however, that much of the psychic distress people experience is caused by trying to force them back into a pattern of “normalcy” that they can no longer process. In fact, when you go to the elder’s point of view and relate on their terms, providing a safe, validating approach and reducing their medications, people usually improve their cognition and engagement to a greater extent than we see when we try to force the improvement.

Ironic, isn’t it?

Is it easy? No! Is it critically important? Yes!!

I’m collecting success stories of people working in this realm. Feel free to share them or pass on any questions; here, or to apower@stjohnshome.com.

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 5, 2008 3:29 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 6, 2008

Political Predictions

I was off by ten points when I attempted to predict the outcome of the PA Democratic Primary. I said Clinton would lose by one, instead she won by nine.

If at first you don't succeed...

Obama 55
Clinton 45

Obama 52
Clinton 48

You read it here first!

Actually, it will be fun seeing what the actual numbers turn out to be.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 6, 2008 6:29 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Eldertopia and What Are Old People For?

Thanks to Ronni for also posting this excellent video of Bill -- HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended:

Dr. William H. Thomas, who was the subject of a two-part TGB Interview last fall and who blogs at Changing Aging, is an extraordinarily good and influential advocate for elders. I consider his book, What Are Old People For?, one of my personal bibles on aging. Anyone who is old, getting old, knows old people or is concerned with issues of aging in terms of our culture, public policy and politics needs to read this book.
But maybe, like me, you already have too many unread books stacked up. If so, at FORA.tv, there is at a lecture Dr. Thomas gave at the Chautauqua Institution last summer that covers some of the high points of the book. It’s long, worth every minute of your time and Dr. Thomas’s enthusiasm for his subject is infectious. If you don’t have time to view it now, do come back later to watch it.

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 6, 2008 10:53 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Monkhouse Monday: Dementia, Diversity and Eldercare

[Editor's Note: (Below is this week's edition of 'Monkhouse Mondays', accidentally postponed to Tuesday -- Sorry Christa!)
Dr. Thomas has invited Eden Alternative's Europe Coordinator Christa Monkhouse to guest-post on a weekly basis from across the Big Pond. Christa is personally responsible for introducing the Eden Alternative to Europe, first in the UK, then Denmark, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and soon in Sweden, Finland and other European nations. Stay-tuned for regular updates on 'Monkhouse Mondays'.]

Persons with Dementia (PwD), do they need "Special Care“ or simply to be part of our "Cultural Diversity?“

Presenting the Eden Philosophy to varied audiences of professionals I am often asked: "Which model of care do you use for people with dementia?“, implying that surely they must be treated "specially“, given the proliferation of "special care units“.

My answer, informed by experience is: "Intentional and informed diversity-management.“

What do I mean by this? Some context: We know that people with dementia are overmedicated (see Al Power’s post on Antipsychotic Restraints), at conferences we hear about solutions for "wandering“, "aggression“, "unrest“ and "violence“. We keep PwD in "secure“ or "special care“ units. Research has shown that overmedication causes more deaths, that wandering is a normal and purposeful reaction to "feeling out of place“ in an institution, so are aggression, restlessness and violence. Secure units and chemical restraints keep people with dementia away from mainstream society. In Swiss law and medical ethical guidelines (www.samw.ch, english version/ethics/guidelines = coercive measures in medicine) a person can only be "secured“ for a short time if she is a danger to herself or others. Anecdotal evidence shows that people with dementia are actually very cautious, perceiving different colour flooring as "gaps“ and stopping in front of them. The question arises if "secure units“ are a severe infringement of human rights?

The answer? Why not educate the general public, schoolchildren in how to deal with PwD? How to serve them with attention and compassion at the supermarket checkout, the bus, the train, the cafe? If a person has "eloped“ from a care home, educated police will know what to do, normal, everyday business, calm, professional, warm. As there will be more and more people with dementia, they have the potential to add to the diversity of our society, visible at parties, restaurants, parks, hairdressers, beauty parlours, banks and hotels. They should not be marginalized, segregated and hidden. No, they can remind us how being, not just doing, is valuable in our lives and that tenderness and compassion can be practiced every day. This would be a true recovery approach to dementia care as outlined in Dr. T. Adams’ insightful and practical new book on Dementia care(p. 283). PwD would so re-cover the ground they have lost through the socially constructed segregation from mainstream society.

An empathic, practical and useful approach to dementia recovery on a personal level is the Spark of Life program developed by J. Verity, Eden Mentor for Scandinavia and Dementia-care pioneer from Australia. Watch the Demo-Video on YouTube and be moved (I was) to tears

--
Christa Monkhouse, www.eden-europe.net

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 6, 2008 11:10 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

Dr. Bill Blogs as The TGB Geriatrician

Ronni Bennett at www.timegoesby.net has an exciting announcement that will interest ChangingAging.org readers:

I am pleased and excited that Dr. Thomas has agreed to become The TGB Geriatrician. Because there are already too few geriatricians in the U.S. and the number of elders will increase dramatically over the coming decades, I'm convinced that we ourselves must take more personal responsibility for our health by educating ourselves and working in collaboration with our physicians who may not have a lot of experience with elder medicine. Dr. Thomas is going to help us do that.
Beginning later this month, his column will appear twice monthly at Time Goes By covering such topics as the myths of aging, exercise, medications, supplements, adaptation to changes, how our bodies age, and our minds, and much more. And as long as you keep it to general topics and not your personal health problems, you will have an opportunity to suggest health issues Dr. Thomas might tackle for us.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for us to learn from one of the most knowledgeable, experienced and visionary aging experts in the world - and, a guy who really likes old people.

We'll keep you posted as Bill's column is published, and feel free to email your suggestions for general health topics you'd like Bill to discuss to changingaging@gmail.com.

---
Kavan, Blog Meister

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 6, 2008 11:34 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 7, 2008

A Double Edged Sword

Ageism cuts both ways...

This video features Dan Schawbel, find "Personal Branding" blog HERE

On his personal blog he notes...

Dan Schawbel is the leading expert on personal branding for the Generation-Y audience. He is also the first Social Media Specialist at EMC Corporation and has accumulated almost 7 years in marketing at the age of 24.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 7, 2008 6:34 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 8, 2008

World of Warcraft

This is the person thought to be the oldest elite World of Warcraft player, he started off with Dungeons and Dragons.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 8, 2008 6:44 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 9, 2008

My Flying Car

When I was a kid, I was sure that my 21st Century self would have a flying car.

It didn't really work out.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 9, 2008 6:51 AM |Permalink |Comments (3)

Power-Up Friday: International Eden Conference

For anyone who enjoys reading these pages, I hope you will seriously consider joining us at the 4th International Eden Alternative Conference, June 3-6 in Columbus, Ohio. Every two years, leading innovators from around the world gather at a different city to share exciting developments in changing aging in society. Columbus is easy to
get to, and it should be a fabulous time!

Eden Founder Dr. Bill Thomas will be on hand, and will give the opening Keynote address, and Executive Director Nancy Fox and Board member Sara Rowan will convene the conference. There will be dozens of speakers throughout the meeting, including Jane Verity and Hilary Lee (see the "Spark of Life" video on the 5/6 Monkhouse Monday post). There will be a presentation on Green Houses(R), and one about using computer technology to enhance the lives of elders. Bloggers Christa Monkhouse and myself will have presentations as well.

There will be a dinner/dance which will also include a theatrical performance by Howling At The Moon, a company of 8 women over 60 who write and perform sketches about what it means to be older. An International Reception kicks off the event with a convergence of Eden Associates from all corners of the world. The closing Keynote speaker will be Richard Pimentel, a prominent disability rights advocate recently profiled in the documentary film "Music Within".

In between all of this, you can learn about culture change from Europe to Australia, about aromatherapy, intergenerational experiences, changing roles of nurses and others in the elder care workforce, and many, many other topics.

A discounted "early bird" registration deadline has been extended to May 16th. Your fee covers the whole conference, plus breakfasts and lunches, the Tuesday reception, the Wednesday dinner/theater/dance, and a free showing of "Music Within". It's an incredible deal!

To see the whole program and to register, go to www.edenalt.org, and click on the conference link. See you there!
-- Al Power

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 9, 2008 8:05 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 12, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: Care Capitals of Europe?

[Editor's Note: Dr. Thomas has invited Eden Alternative's Europe Coordinator Christa Monkhouse to guest-post on a weekly basis from across the Big Pond. Christa is personally responsible for introducing the Eden Alternative to Europe, first in the UK, then Denmark, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and soon in Sweden, Finland and other European nations. Stay-tuned for regular updates on 'Monkhouse Mondays'.]

From the European Culture Capital to the European Care Capital* – What else?

Every year the European Union (EU) selects and celebrates a cultural capital of Europe. They spend considerable amounts of money to polish them up and promote tourism. In fact, several "B-Cities“ have, through this program, become permanently attractive European tourist destinations. One such city is Graz, the capital city of Styria (Arnold Schwarzenegger was raised nearby), and Linz has been chosen for 2009. It's the capital of Upper Austria, on the (blue) Danube close to where I was born and raised. It boasts galleries, musical performances -- such as the impressive "cloud of sounds" -- and the new and well known solar-city, an energy sustainability experiment, with community and neighbourhood-building projects attached to it.

The time is now right to begin selecting the European Care Capital. Cities could apply to show how they have provided an excellent quality of life for their Elders, how they make them welcome, safe and how they promote growth by providing integrated services, imaginative housing, prevention, education for elders and carers, families and integration for people with dementia into society (see my post last Monday). Money would be proudly invested to motivate other communities to strive for the same excellence.

An inspiring example is the "generation-village“ in Burgenland, Austria, near the Hungarian border. The Strem-Village senior center is now being extended into an intergenerational village, bringing back Elders, creating work places mainly for women and thus benefitting the local school, the kindergarden, local businesses and making this rather remote village in wine growing country among rolling hills and open skys an attractive place to raise families. More housing is being built and population is on the increase while neighbouring villages are losing people. Mr. Peter Kalman (peterkalman@aon.at), the CEO of the development, will speak at the Lahsa-Vienna conference in May. He will explain how their approach makes perfect business sense in addition to preserving and enhancing local culture beyond measurement.

So why not copy, copy, copy on a grander scale.

[*Footnote: The European Care Capital is not my idea, but was put forward to me in 2005 by Mr. Rainer Bensch, a politician from Bremen, Germany. He met with me to talk about the Eden Alternative and how it could be the "blanket“ for our society to care for Elders and how European Care Capitals could become it’s gold standard.

--- Christa Monkhouse

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 12, 2008 1:43 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Age and Ageism

Senator Obama's recent suggestion that Senator McCain was "losing his bearings" offers an interesting window into age and ageism in American society.

From the Times

"Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Thursday that Republican John McCain was "losing his bearings" for repeatedly suggesting the Islamic terrorist group Hamas preferred Obama for president.

That brought an angry response from McCain's campaign, which accused Obama of trying to make an issue of McCain's age.

Age is a touchy subject for McCain, who turns 72 in August and would be the oldest person to be sworn in as president if elected.

The two senators have focused more intently on one another in recent weeks as Obama has moved closer to becoming the Democratic nominee. Thursday's back and forth between Obama and surrogates for both candidates foreshadowed a likely argument for the fall campaign."

The McCain campaign realizes that age is their "third rail."

A recent ABC poll found that...

"Age continues to look like a major hurdle for McCain. Thirty-nine percent of Americans say they'd be uncomfortable with a president first taking office at age 72, far more than say they'd be uncomfortable with a woman (16 percent) or African-American (12 percent) as president."

McCain's campaign's angry response accused Obama of trying to divert attention from a legitimate question by raising McCain's age.

"He used the words 'losing his bearings' intentionally, a not-particularly-clever way of raising John McCain's age as an issue," McCain adviser Mark Salter said. "It is more than fair to raise this quote about Senator Obama, because it speaks to the policy implications of his judgment."

Obama campaign's fired back...

"Clearly, losing one's bearings has no relation to age."

Here is my take on the issue...

1) Age will play more of a role than race in this election.

2) While people can find real reasons to oppose McCain's election, his age is not one of them. It is just not correct or accurate to say that McCain's-- by itself-- should disqualify him as a candidate.

3) Our language and culture are LOADED with negative ageist stereotypes. Obama promises that he will not talk about age. He will find this an easy promise to keep. Deeply embedded ageist stereotypes will allow him to raise the issue obliquely. The "lost bearings" flap is just the beginning.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 12, 2008 6:04 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 13, 2008

Political Predictions

Last week I made the following predictions about the NC and IN primary elections...

NC
Obama 55
Clinton 45

IN

Obama 52
Clinton 48

The actual results were...

Obama 56
Clinton 42

Obama 49.5
Clinton 50.5

I did very well in NC, the differences are due mostly to the fact that I did not account for the other (very minor) candidates on the ballot. They took a couple points out of the total.

In IN, I knew it would be tight but thought that a late surge by Obama would carry the day. It did not.

So now it is on to WV.

My prediction...

Clinton 65
Obama 35

Obama loses by thirty-- maybe even more.

Does it matter?

No. The nomination has already been decided. Obama will face McCain in the fall.

Clinton gets a late in the game touchdown that doesn't even come close to changing the outcome.

Let's see how it goes!

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 13, 2008 6:23 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 14, 2008

Age Progression Portraits

This a cool fusion of art and aging.

The text below was written by the artist, stop by and take a look.

HOW I DO AGE PROGRESSION PORTRAITS by D'Lynn Waldron ©07
There is no software that will age-progress a photo in either a scientifically accurate or artistically realistic way.
I am a classically trained portrait artist who has studied the medical forensics of aging.
I have been a developer of computer technology for the arts since the 1984 Mac.
I use a high end Mac, 30-inch cinema displays and most important a Wacom pressure sensitive tablet with a digital stylus that is used like a traditional brush
I now prefer digital technology to conventional media for most artwork.
( I also use my computer to edit my videos of symphony orchestras using Final Cut Pro and that in finitely superior to a Moviola and opticals for effects)

I am a third-generation conventionally trained artist. My portraits were first published in a book when I was 22 in 1959.
During my travels to such then remote places as the Cambodian jungle, the Himalaya Mountains and the Congo River, I worked in fine line pen & ink and watercolor (examples of this work are on my Web site.) I originally gave away all my watercolor portraits to the subjects until The Chenya Lama signed his portrait and handed it back to me advising I must keep some of my artwork. He was right and that watercolor portrait is in the British edition of my book.
I later became principally a photographer and I was one of the first photographers with the worldwide agency, The Image Bank.

I began doing age-progressed portraits when an advertising agency asked if I could do such a thing for a cosmetics company, because I had already done some medical illustrations related to effects of aging on the skin.

In doing age progressed portraits, I begin with the bone structure and then build the muscles over it using highlight and shadow in much the same way I would build up volume with clay in sculpting. Then I do the eyes, skin and hair.

The appearance of aging is determined by many factors including:
Genetics ~ Lifestyle ~ Health ~ Personality ~ Environment ~ Gravity's cumulative effects

Whenever I can, I work from as much information as possible about the person, family and ancestors.
I try to show in the eyes and the set of the mouth, the personality and perhaps just bit of the soul.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 14, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Pinnacle of Adaptation

[Editor's Note: Below is a teaser to Dr. Thomas' new health column to be published bimonthly on www.timegoesby.net. Thanks to Ronni Bennett for inviting Bill to become the TGB Geriatrician.]

I am excited about guest blogging here with Ronni Bennett. TGB is a terrific blog and if I can add something of value to this community, I will be happy.

I am a physician and my background is in Family Medicine and Geriatrics.

My approach to medical issues tends to focus more on the big questions of emphasis and interpretation and less on specific remedies. (Although I do get into that from time to time.) In medical school we used to joke that certain professors seemed to have favorite molecules that they studied exhaustively. That's never really been my thing.

What do I mean by big ideas? Well, how about this: I believe that older people are the healthiest people on the planet.

Huh?

Aren't old people sick most of the time? What about all of the billions of dollars we spend on Medicare? What about the statistics that show older people using the most health care resources per capita of any age group?

Those objections are valid, but they miss the deeper reality.

Click here to continue reading the TGB Geriatrician...

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 14, 2008 9:38 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

May 15, 2008

Melatonin Nonsense

This book is misleading and, when you think about it, very very sad...

The discovery of our body's aging clock and melatonin's role as its regulator is a revolutionary medical breakthrough-- one that can give you the power to reverse the effects of aging and lead a longer, healthier life. Written by two key scientists at the forefront of this groundbreaking research. The Melatonin Miracle is the first book to reveal these remarkable findings to the public. Here the experts explain clearly and simply what you should know about the natural hormone that everybody has-- and everybody wants to know more about. Find out how melatonin works, and how to use it, and what to expect when you begin to reset your aging clock. Research suggests that melatonin can: guarantee a good night's sleep as a natural, nonaddictive sleeping agent; overcome jet lag; boost the immune system; increase resistance to cancer and other diseases; lower cholesterol; prolong sexual vitality; ease stress, and more. Melatonin is readily available as a supplement in heath food stores. Discover how easy it is to restore your youthful levels of melatonin--and not just look younger, but grow younger.

The Melatonin Miracle
Nature's Age-Reversing, Disease-Fighting, Sex-Enhancing Hormone
By Walter Pierpaoli

This Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Publication Date: March 1, 1996

Please note that it was published in 1996

Here is a recent photo of the author...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 15, 2008 6:48 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Kansas Meets Eldertopia

Last week Dr. Thomas was invited to Kansas to speak at the Governor's Conference on Aging Services. Kansas Public Radio reporter Bryan Thompson visited with Bill to discuss his ideas on a new kind of aging, which he calls Eldertopia, where the Golden Years take on a whole new set of possibilities. Listen Here.

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 15, 2008 9:18 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 16, 2008

Power-Up Friday: Enough Mickey Mouse Health Care

Reporting from Disney World, where I'm speaking at a conference:

Associated Press reporter Linda Johnson reported Wednesday in the Washington Post that 51 percent of all insured Americans are on at least one prescription drug for a chronic medical condition. The breakdown includes: two-thirds of women 20 and over, one quarter of children and teens, 52 percent of men and three-quarters of people age 65 and over.

In the final group, 28 percent of women and 22 percent of men are on 5 or more prescription drugs!

In spite of spending more money per capita than any other nation, the US continues to lag many other countries in life expectancy and other important health indicators.

Experts interviewed attributed this trend to poorer public health and more aggressive early treatment of conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol. Average body weight in US adults and children is higher than ever.

Yes, BUT...

- How many of these early treatments truly improve quality and quantity of life, and how many are fueled by relentless advertising by the pharmaceutical companies, and ready reimbursement through Medicare D and other plans? People in other industrialized nations don't treat so aggressively, yet they live longer. We need more evidence-based studies that are not sponsored by the people selling the drugs!
- How much of the pile of health care dollars do we spend for prevention, education and public health improvements? Have we decided that it's just easier to prescribe (or take) one more pill?
- Everyone runs away from the idea of universal coverage because of the fear that it will place too much of a financial burden on companies and taxpayers. Has anyone considered what it costs us all to have such poor public health and 50 million uninsured people?

-- Al Power

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 16, 2008 6:23 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Old Man

This clip of Neil Young performing "Old Man" begins with a great explanation of how the song was written...

Don't we all...

"Need someone to love me the whole night through..."

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 16, 2008 6:55 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

May 17, 2008

Why I Blog

I sat down this morning and read this blog. I really liked it. That sounds funny but it's true. I love the insights that Christa Monkhouse (reporting from Europe), Al Power (reporting from America, mostly) and thirty something blog master Kavan Peterson (reporting from the first half of adulthood) offer me when I read their posts..

Thank you Al. Thank you Christa. Thank you Kavan.

I'll also admit that I like my posts as well.

Here's why...

Aging, questions related to aging, and the reality of human longevity have suffered from an age related intellectual apartheid

Over here, ladies and gentleman, we have mainstream media, the conventional wisdom and the status quo. Each of these entities perceives the world through the lens of youth, each interprets age as a falling apart, the loss of all that is good and right.

Over there, are all those strange people who are older or interested in the lives that older people are living. You know the drill. People make jokes about getting an AARP card in the mail, people say things about age that are both unthinking and unkind.

What I enjoy most is reconnecting aging with the whole of life. For example, look at my recent post on flying cars. What the heck do flying cars have to do with aging?

1) When I was a boy I loved space travel, astronauts and rocket science.

2) As I grew up I became less worshipful of technology and developed a better appreciation for what it can and can not do to improve our lives.

3) I can now freely admit that some of my childhood dreams were wildly impractical. I enjoy the video of the "flying car" because it helps me understand how I have changed, how I have grown. The machine looks silly to me, it is loud, clumsy and entirely impractical. I wouldn't want one even if the inventor gave it to me for free. I know better.

4) I have reached a point in life that allows me to value the things that technology and industry have gotten right and reject the things it has gotten wrong. Blogging -related technology is an example of something good. I like it because it connects me to others, makes it possible for me to communicate with tens of thousands of people who share my interests. It allows my readers to communicate with me.

Aging isn't about aging, aging is about everything.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 17, 2008 6:21 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 19, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: Care Ambassadors – Honors and Medals

We all know what an ambassador is and the prestige attached to this function. We also know that providing care as a care-assistant or "paraprofessional“ is less glamorous, invisible, prestige-wise close to stacking shelves in a supermarket or cleaning. Work where mostly women "end up“, without career prospects or career planning.

If we take a closer look, it is these carers that often make up the social environment for old and frail persons in care plus their close friends and relatives.

The notion of the Shabaz in the Green-House, the Daily Living Assistant in Canada's Sherbrooke Community Center and Life-Assistants in Switzerland, where a few care managers see them as complementary to nurses, doctors, therapists and not subordinated in the hierarchical structure of long term care facilities. Switzerland, a country of 7 Million people, will need an additional 30,000 Life Assistants in the next two decades. And so we had better change the image of this work NOW! (see also Monkhouse Monday post from April 28th, 2008).

In the United Kingdom, the Care Ambassadors train social carers to go out to schools and communities to let young people, who are looking for a career, know that there are worthwhile and rewarding careers awaiting them in the long term care sector.

My vision is to bring this idea to the European continent, It fits perfectly with the paradigm of the Eden Alternative philosophy. And who knows, we may one day have honors and medals available for the special people who excel as carers.

-- Christa Monkhouse

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 19, 2008 1:56 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Growing Bolder

This is new to me.

Thoughts?

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 19, 2008 6:33 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

What is the Eden Alternative?

Bill gives a great explanation and overview of the Eden Alternative philosophy in an interview broadcast this morning on ReachMD. Listen Here.

It's worth noting ReachMD is an interesting new media news outlet combining satellite radio and online streaming content to better reach the medical community. From the website:

ReachMD, an innovative communications company, provides thought-provoking medical news and information to healthcare practitioners. Established to help increasingly time-constrained medical providers stay abreast of new research, treatment protocols and continuing education requirements, ReachMD delivers innovative and informative radio programming via XM Satellite Radio Channel 157 and online streaming developed by doctors for doctors.

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 19, 2008 11:34 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 20, 2008

No Predictions

No predictions this week, though I did pretty well last week. The race is over.

Obama will face McCain in the fall.

So here is a nice photo and caption from Reuters.

Myrtle Strong Enemy, 101, waits for US Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Barack Obama, (D-IL), to speak in Crow Agency, Montana May 19, 2008. Strong Enemy is the oldest woman in the Crow Nation. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 20, 2008 9:24 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

Yelling at a Cloud

A blogger who goes by the name Attaturk examines the tight link between Bush and McCain and speculates on how this might play out at the Republican Convention. Here...

I predict, the 2008 GOP Convention is going to be George Bush's love note to himself. It's possible we will see John McCain read badly from a teleprompter at some point...and yelling at a cloud.

Yelling at a cloud?

How many people will pass over the weird cloud reference not knowing what Attaturk is really saying.

Remember, Mr. Google is your friend..

The point is that there is an enlarging digital and entertainment generational divide. Many people (almost all people) McCain's age would not have seen the Blog on which the reference was made or get the joke even if they had seen it.

The coming generational struggle is less about mass media and more about inside cultural generational touch points.
.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 20, 2008 2:41 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 21, 2008

Bridging the Gap

I am at an interesting point in my career. Looking back, I can measure the influence that the ideas like the Eden Alternative and the Green House have had in the field. Looking forward, I can see the need for new leaders with new voices and new perspectives.

The Erickson School is dedicated to growing a new generation of leaders who will take the aging adventure farther than we can even imagine today. That's why I joined the faculty, that's why I think the school will, in the not too distant future, be world famous.

Carrie Ryan will, I expect, be one of those leaders. With her permission, I have posted a message that she recently sent to me. I'm hoping that Carrie stays in touch and keeps me, and the readers of this blog, up to date on her personal and professional growth.

I'd be thrilled if she made Erickson/UMBC her top pick for undergraduate school. She'd be an amazing student and I'd love to have her in class.

See if you agree.

Dr. Thomas,
I was thrilled to come upon your book and your blog Changing Aging. I am a senior in high school at Westridge School for Girls in Pasadena, California and am interested in pursuing a career in the field of gerontology. With my interest and passion for the elderly, I have decided to create an organization: Bridging the Gap between Generations.

Over my years in high school, I have noticed my peer’s lack of regard and fear for the elderly. In order to vanquish this fear and to inspire a more accommodating and respectful attitude for the elderly among my generation, I am trying to increase the interactions between the elderly and the young. I have matched a local retirement community, Monte Vista Grove homes, with my high school and I am beginning to set up a computer lab at their community.

Students will be tutoring the retirees on this new technology and as the students tutor them, the retirees will act as a mentor for their tutor throughout their years in high school.

Two nights ago, I came across your book, What Are Old People for? in the bookstore and was astounded to find the same idea. I just wanted to email you about my excitement in finding our similar ideas and to also ask for your input on how to best carry out this organization.

Do you have any other ideas I could possibly do to bridge this gap? I would love to hear from you!

Thank you for your time!

Carrie Ryan

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 21, 2008 6:25 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

Digby's Dad

Digby blogs on politics. If you don't know her, you should.

Her blog is called Hullabaloo.

She recently put up an interesting post on ageism and older people where she talks about her father's attitude toward John McCain.

Some of you may remember me writing about my conservative Dad --- retired military, very right wing, very political. He's the type of guy who thinks General Curtis Lemay had the right idea about bombing Hanoi back into the stone age.

He and I were just talking about the presidential race and he astonished me by saying that he won't vote for McCain because he's just too old. This, from a man who is nearly 15 years older than him! In his case, this translates into just not voting rather than a vote for Obama or Clinton (completely out of the question, of course) but for those elderly who aren't so rigid in their politics, this really could be a big deal. McCain should be my Dad's dream candidate --- naval war hero POW, military obsessive, "go-to-hell" macho attitude. That his age overrules all of that good stuff says something.

Emphasis mine.

Older people, as a group, are among the most ageist of all Americans. This is going to be a problem for McCain as he attempts to woo voters his age (71) and older.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 21, 2008 4:24 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 22, 2008

Pathetic

The following quotes were pulled from a mass e-mail that goes out to primary care doctors. There are no attributions and (I hope!) these statements were just made up by some marketing person...

Drug Reps - To See or Not To See "Unlike some doctors, I actually like seeing pharmaceutical reps in my office. After all, they do leave free samples for my patients, occasionally take me out to lunch, and may be the last group to show us some respect."
Testosterone - The New Wonder Drug?
"I read in Medscape Family News than low testosterone levels are linked with a higher risk of depression in older men. There are many limitations in the study, but their bottom line seems to be that having a low "free" testosterone level is associated with the higher risk, not the total testosterone. So does this mean that a free testosterone should be part of our depression screening in the senior citizen set?"

Mid-Levels Playing Doctor
"Is it my imagination or is the line between mid-levels and physicians in office based practice becoming non-existent? FNPs can practice without a doctor on-site as long as one is available to back them up and sign their charts. In my community, some list themselves with physicians in the yellow pages under Family Medicine…have we lost our turf for good, or can we get it back?"

The last group to show us some respect?
The senior citizen set?
Have we lost our turf for good, or can we get it back?

This is just amazingly inept, stupid and misguided.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 22, 2008 6:21 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

May 23, 2008

Beating Old Age in the UK

Gillain McKeith's offers her readers insights into "How to Beat Old Age."

"The problem is I think we are fixated with age in this country." says Gillian, "I think we need to get away from age and deciding we should be a certain way by a certain age. So what I've done in my new book is I've written a whole section on age and I've made the point that you need to do about your health when you get to a certain age rather than do less."

What she has to say is pretty good common sense stuff.

My problem is the wrapper she puts it into.

The war (battle, military) metaphor is unhelpful and points us away from the real challenge--- how do we make peace with old age.

By the way, here is a picture of Gillain McKeith.

She does have her critics...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 23, 2008 5:40 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Power-Up Friday: BE all that you can BE

This week, I’m reporting from Rochester’s Oak Hill Country Club and the Senior PGA Championship, where being 50 makes you a “senior”. My brother’s old high school classmate, Jeff Sluman, made the roster this year. My YOUNGER brother…

Elsewhere, the sports world was rocked by the retirement announcements of two of the greatest women in modern sports history – Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam and Belgium’s Justine Henin.

Sorenstam is the dominant woman golfer of the last quarter century. Although plagued with neck problems last year and bumped out of the #1 ranking by Mexican superstar Lorena Ochoa, Sorenstam has already won three times this year. Her 72-win total puts her one behind Jack Nicklaus, a mark she could easily beat before year’s end. She stands ahead of Palmer, Hogan and Woods in victories, and since Annika’s only
37, Kathy Whitworth’s all-time record of 88 was well within reach.

Henin, who has been #1 on the tennis circuit for 18 months, pulled out right before this week’s French Open, which she has won three straight times. She won 10 tournaments last year and is only 25 years old. She alluded to the fact that she had “hit the wall”.

All of us must deal with some decline in our physical abilities as we age. It must be incredibly difficult to maintain the competitive edge required to compete at such an elite level.

Readers of Bill Thomas will know that the move from adulthood to elderhood involves a gradual transition from a life rich in “doing” to one rich in “being”. But long before we start collecting Social Security checks, many of us make adjustments in this dynamic of our lives, in little or big ways. Elders are the best mentors helping us to navigate
these waters.

Somewhere in the recent past, a voice of experience may have told these women that, while it’s great to make a “run for the roses”, it’s important at some point to stop and smell them too.

We could all learn a lesson here. It’s a good time to reflect on our lives, see if the balance is getting off-kilter, and find ways to readjust our priorities. We could take a tip from the US Army, who might have coined the slogan, “Do all that you can do”, but instead opted for “Be all that you can be”.

Good luck, Annika and Justine, in the next phase of your lives!

-- Al Power

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 23, 2008 10:00 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 24, 2008

Gray Male

Brent Green keeps a terrific blog on Boomers and marketing.

Watch and wonder as he deconstructs then explains an advert for male hair coloring.

Full Post Here.

This ad is a perfect example of generational pandering. The creators probably assume that their brazen appeals to nostalgic feelings will function more or less like the ringing bell that causes the operantly trained dog to salivate. Very Pavlovian.

Requisite peace gestures, the traditional victory V using the index and middle fingers, provide further caricature of the generation's culture. (How many Boomers have flashed you the "peace sign" recently?)

The ad also communicates an underlying message that Boomer men haven't grown up ... by choice. We're living an extended adolescence in the summer of our lives, even though most of us are actually in the autumn of our lives.

Good stuff. I encourage you to read the whole thing.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 24, 2008 8:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 26, 2008

Aging in Community

This competition was organized by the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and I think it really hit the mark.

Take a look at the web summary.

More universities should be doing community-based collaborations like this.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 26, 2008 1:42 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 27, 2008

Divine Caroline

This is new to me. I like the concept. It was put together by the Real Girls Media Network.
Divine Caroline is the first of three planned websites focused on user generated content.

Here's the plan.

Who's Caroline? And what's so Divine about her?

We knew early on that we wanted to use a woman's name. It so happens that one of our founders has a dear friend whose name is Caroline. She's a warm, smart, adventurous woman who you'd like instantly. "Caroline" rhymes with Divine - a word that describes every single woman we know who's working to compose a life. So we went with it. But the site isn't about any "one" woman. It's about every woman and the bonds that connect us even though we've never met.

"DIVINE" ISN'T ABOUT BEING PERFECT.

We don't know any perfect women and if we did, we probably wouldn't want to hang around with them. At DivineCaroline, you'll be spending time with women who embrace the fact that life isn't always easy or beautiful or fair. Our dream is to give you a place to come together and express yourselves. What brings you joy. What breaks your heart. Makes you giggle. What pisses you off. Confuses you. Entertains you. What keeps you strong. And if all that sounds too heady, remember we're also discussing stuff like sketchy relatives and good kissers.

YOU'RE ENTIRELY WELCOME.

Thanks to DivineCaroline's advertisers, it's free to join, read, write, start Forums and pass things along to your friends. In turn, we do ask that you complete a short registration form. We'd also love for you to be on our email list so we can keep the conversation going, but that's entirely up to you.

WHAT ABOUT MEN?

Generally speaking, we love them. But we wanted to design a place where women rule and all the things that matter to them could be covered every which way. So, while we won't make a big fuss about them, men are welcome to visit and even contribute. In fact, some men probably won't be able to resist coming and seeing what we're up to.

ANY THOUGHTS?

This site is truly a reflection of its Members, so everyone here is eager for your feedback. Just contact us and let us know what you like or dislike. If there's a story you want us to pursue or a poll you want us to take, please let us know. And finally thank you for taking the time to read about us.

This page offers brief bios of the Divine Caroline Team.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 27, 2008 5:40 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Power-Up Tuesday: Aging in Place... at What Cost?

[Editor's Note: Guest post from Al Power below.]

An article in the New York Times on May 25th describes the emerging technology that is allowing older adults to live alone in their homes, (“High Tech Devices Keep The Elderly Safe From Afar”). New monitoring devices, communication aids and medication reminders are helping those whose relatives live far away in our increasingly mobile society.

The article quotes Eric Dishman of Intel Corporation, a leader in new technological research. I heard Eric speak last year, and Intel is doing some amazing things.

Nevertheless, while technology has much to offer, there is a larger picture which concerns me. Technology can be an adjunct to good medical treatment, but it can also be used to perpetuate flawed ideas about “aging in place”. Let me explain:

The article describes an 88 year-old woman whose family who lives several states away. She has macular degeneration and can no longer drive. She takes medication for memory loss, seizures and restless legs.

She is also recently bereaved, as her husband died last summer. Her monitoring system tells her family when she gets out of bed, and whether she uses her medication dispenser as instructed. There is an emergency call system as well. Presumably, someone would find out if she fell, became ill or missed her medication doses. Hopefully, this would help prevent complications, though much of the notification would happen after the fact.

But a person who cannot drive, and who has low vision and memory problems, becomes isolated and disengaged in that home which she is trying so hard to keep. What are the effects on her well-being? Her medications for seizures and restless legs could cause further changes in gait and cognition. She is also grieving the loss of her long-time
spouse. Is this living situation actually better for her in the long run?

Let me put it this way: How many elders have become “prisoners of independence”?

The dread of institutionalization drives many people to keep themselves in living situations that are counterproductive to their long-term health and well-being. Many such people dramatically improve when they finally move to an enlightened nursing home or another environment which provides opportunities for a greater human connection.

Technology should be the servant of a larger continuum of care and well-being. And “aging in community” offers greater opportunities for staying engaged with life than aging alone.

-- Al Power

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 27, 2008 6:52 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Utah Phillips

Utah Phillips caught the westbound....

Obituary here.

(h/t Al Power)

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 27, 2008 11:09 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 28, 2008

Why I Blog: Reason 229,495,832

A little while back I did a post about how I had outgrown the desire to own a flying car.

I posted a video of a prototype vehicle trying to ----fly.

The commenter known as hypotheek offered this gem in response...

Very cool thing... but in 2003, the SEC sued Moller for civil fraud for making unsubstantiated claims about the performance of the Skycar. Moller settled by agreeing to a LIFETIME! injunction and paying $50,000. In the words of the SEC complaint, "As of late 2002, MI's approximately 40 years' of development has resulted in a prototype Skycar capable of hovering about fifteen feet above the ground. Maybe the "insurance company required" cable provides electric power, because the device is has no battery or alternator
to bad to bad... but still, cool movie and idea!

hypotheek's comment led me to the SEC filing...

1 This matter involves a fraudulent, unregistered offering and the filing of a fraudulent Form 10-SB by Moller International, Inc. ("MI" or "the company"), a California company engaged in the development of a personal aircraft known as "the Skycar."

2 From at least 1997 until October 2001, Paul S. Moller ("Moller"), a university professor and inventor, sold unregistered shares of MI stock directly to the public, raising approximately $5.1 million from more than 500 investors.

3 MI fueled investor interest through materially false and misleading statements about the company's imminent listing on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and the Nasdaq Stock Market, the projected value of MI shares after such listing and the prospect for product sales and revenue.

4 Later, in September 2001, MI filed with the Commission a Form 10-SB registration statement, which contained misleading claims about patents held by the company relating to Skycar technology.

Paul S. Moller

Wikipedia adds...

Moller has been claiming to be attempting to build a flying car since 1974, constantly promising delivery dates that are just "around the corner". [9] Each time the deadline approaches, Moller has postponed it.

The only demonstrations approaching flight have been hover tests performed by a Skycar prototype that for insurance reasons was tethered to a crane.[10]

Why blog? One reason is that it allows me to communicate with smart people like hypotheek. His comment offered me a new perspective and led me to take another look. I like things that lead me toward a more complete understanding of the world in which I live.

Thanks hypotheek!

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 28, 2008 5:57 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 29, 2008

Culture Change

The main nursing home trade association shines a light on culture change.

Interesting.

It’s no secret that adopting culture change principles in a nursing home is the right thing to do. But a new report from the Commonwealth Fund finds that it may be better for business too.
Take staff retention. Researchers found that 59% of nursing homes who implemented seven or more culture change intiatives, like letting residents determine their daily schedule or asking nursing assistants to participate in care planning, had improved their staff retention rate since they implemented these initiatives.

That’s not all. Occupancy rates went up and operating costs fell as nursing homes adopted more programs that empowered direct care staff and focused on residents’ needs and preferences.

That’s not to say these programs aren’t costly. 31% of nursing homes surveyed reported that cost was the biggest barrier to implmenting more culture change programs in their facility. This survey, however, begs the question: does embracing culture change give nursing homes a better “bang for their buck?”

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 29, 2008 10:04 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 30, 2008

Elder Co-Housing

Caring.com reports on Co-Housing

Researchers -- and the rest of us -- know a couple of things about older folks: They need community, and they fiercely want to hold on to a sense of control.

The problem is, many seniors see these two values as on a collision course. By moving to a retirement community, they fear they'll give up control over basic decisions about where and how they live.

One innovative solution is elder co-housing. Communities such Boulder's Silver Sage Village or Virginia's ElderSpirit are conceived, planned, and run by the seniors who live in them, offering all the community -- and many of the amenities -- of traditional retirement communities but with a greater sense of dignity and control.

These communities are one part '60s commune flashback (Silver Sage has a meditation room) and two parts future-forward. Wildflower Village, still on the drawing board in Texas, is being designed 100 percent eco-friendly, because the group of retirees planning the community value growing old with a light carbon footprint.

(h/t Alex M)

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 30, 2008 6:02 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Political Reverse Ageism

From the New York Times

by Micheal Luo

Now who’s making age an issue?

Senator John McCain mocked Senator Barack Obama here today at an airport rally, repeatedly calling him a “young man” with “very little experience.”

Mr. McCain, 71, who would become, if he is elected, the oldest first-term president in history, has been laying out a case against Mr. Obama based upon judgment and experience.

But this time he introduced a new moniker for Mr. Obama, repeatedly calling him “young man.”

“I admire and respect Senator Obama,” Mr. McCain said, his voice full of sarcasm. “For a young man with very little experience, he’s done very well.”

It is true that that ageism operates in both directions. I remember once meeting a very talented and highly professional who happened to be a woman and who also happened to appear younger than her sated age. She struggled constantly against the unfair bias people held against people who looked as young as she did. Some might say that "looking too young" is nothing to complain about but that fact is that her youthful appearance caused others to judge her via a stereotype rather than by her performance.

And that's never a good thing.

McCain is playing with fire here. Near the end of May, his campaign lashed out at Obama after Obama wondered if McCain was "losing his bearings." They objected to injecting age into the campaign.

So now we have...

“I admire and respect Senator Obama,” Mr. McCain said, his voice full of sarcasm. “For a young man with very little experience, he’s done very well.”

This might just be McCain attempting a classical Rovian political maneuver by attacking his opponent's greatest strength with his own greatest weakness. The classic example of this came in 2004 when George (Where was he during Viet Nam?) Bush questioned John (Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart) Kerry's patriotism.

I don't think age should be an issue in the campaign. We have much more important things to argue about. However, if McCain succeeds in making age a campaign issue he will be very sorry that he did so. It is not right, it is not wise but the truth is that America's presidential elections are about the future not the past.

John McCain was born during FDR's first term in office.
Barack Obama was born when JFK was president.

Here is a sample of the world of hurt that McCain can expect if age becomes central to the campaign.

Things Younger than John McCain...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 30, 2008 8:53 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Power-Up Friday: Is Grandma Drugged Up?

Check out the news article on CNN.com, "Is Grandma drugged up?". This is important information, especially for older health care consumers.

The article states that 38 million older Americans suffer from drug complications every year, 180,000 of which are life-threatening.

It adds that people over 65 have a "risk for drug errors" that is seven times greater than those under 65. I'm not sure if their wording is correct here. This ratio might actually reflect the risk of drug complications, not errors. Either way, it is an important caution for older people on multiple medications, (see my post from April 25).

New drugs are rarely tested on older people before FDA approval. The study populations are carefully selected to minimize risk. That's not necessarily a bad thing; but after approval, the companies will often take drugs tested in healthy 40 and 50 year-olds, and promote them for people in their 70s and 80s. It is NOT a valid assumption that these pills will have the same efficacy and safety in older people.

I'm not a big fan of CNN-TV, which seems to use a lot of fearmongering and histrionics to peddle its news. However, this article is a good read. It has lists of potentially harmful drugs and drug interactions, instructions for doing a "brown bag review" of your pills, and suggestions for discussing these concerns with your doctor. Check it out!

--Al Power

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May 2008 Archives

May 1, 2008

Ancient Elders

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 1, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 2, 2008

13 Grandmothers

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 2, 2008 11:09 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

May 5, 2008

Glass Half Full

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 5, 2008 6:26 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Power-Up Tuesday: Antipsychotic Restraints Part II

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 5, 2008 3:29 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 6, 2008

Political Predictions

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 6, 2008 6:29 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Eldertopia and What Are Old People For?

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 6, 2008 10:53 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Monkhouse Monday: Dementia, Diversity and Eldercare

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 6, 2008 11:10 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

Dr. Bill Blogs as The TGB Geriatrician

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 6, 2008 11:34 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 7, 2008

A Double Edged Sword

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 7, 2008 6:34 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 8, 2008

World of Warcraft

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 8, 2008 6:44 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 9, 2008

My Flying Car

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 9, 2008 6:51 AM |Permalink |Comments (3)

Power-Up Friday: International Eden Conference

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 9, 2008 8:05 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 12, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: Care Capitals of Europe?

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 12, 2008 1:43 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Age and Ageism

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 12, 2008 6:04 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 13, 2008

Political Predictions

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 13, 2008 6:23 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 14, 2008

Age Progression Portraits

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 14, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Pinnacle of Adaptation

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 14, 2008 9:38 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

May 15, 2008

Melatonin Nonsense

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 15, 2008 6:48 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Kansas Meets Eldertopia

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 15, 2008 9:18 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 16, 2008

Power-Up Friday: Enough Mickey Mouse Health Care

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 16, 2008 6:23 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Old Man

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 16, 2008 6:55 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

May 17, 2008

Why I Blog

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 17, 2008 6:21 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 19, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: Care Ambassadors – Honors and Medals

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 19, 2008 1:56 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Growing Bolder

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on May 19, 2008 6:33 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

What is the Eden Alternative?

Posted by Kavan Peterson on May 19, 2008 11:34 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

May 20, 2008

No Predictions