Dr. Bill Thomas

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July 2008 Archives

July 1, 2008

Co-Housing Explained

Here is a sharp short video that does a good job of explaining Co-housing-- what it is and how it works...

Click Here to Watch'

(h/t Alex M)

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 1, 2008 6:14 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 2, 2008

Arkansas Green House

Some good news in Arkansas...

"One size doesn't fit all," Congressman John Boozman, a strong advocate for improvements to senior care, told a group gathered to celebrate the first shovels of dirt turned for the Green House Assisted Living project in November. "These are the kinds of projects that really do change people's lives."
Now that the finishing touches are being put on the exteriors of the first four Green Houses, a stateof-the-art assisted living environment at Legacy Village, the calls are rolling in. For the past several months, visual progress on the Green Houses has prompted a growing list of seniors and their loved ones to inquire about what will be the first project of its kind in Arkansas.

The Green House model was developed by Dr. Bill Thomas, a nationally recognized geriatrician dedicated to eliminating institutionalstyle nursing homes in America. The Green House success story began with the opening of Thomas' pilot project in Tupelo, Miss., in 2002. There are now 10 such projects across the country.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 2, 2008 6:22 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

European "Baby Bust"

[Editor's Note: The following is a guest-post from ChangingAging blogger Al Power]

Before I share my promised post about social capital and dementia, I’d like to point out a fascinating article in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine, and hopefully get some comments from our community “across the pond."

This article concerns the current “Baby Bust” in Europe, where birth rates have dropped to record lows. A birth rate of 2.1 babies per woman is considered the number needed to maintain a country’s population. This is currently our number in the US. In Europe, however, the level has dropped significantly, and is only 1.3 in southern and Eastern Europe.

There is an interesting contrast between these countries and northern Europe, where the rate is relatively higher at 1.8. The southern countries have more women who stay home after childbirth, yet the birth rate is lower. Social scientists suggest the reason is that although these countries have more traditional views about childrearing, they have fewer social supports.

By contrast, the Scandinavian countries have more social welfare in the form of maternity and paternity leave, childcare coverage, etc. It is felt that these social supports actually encourage women to have more children.

There is also an attitudinal change occurring, especially in Germany and Austria, where greater than 1 in 8 young women feel the ideal number of children to have is “none”.

Rates are also dropping significantly in Japan, Korea and Thailand, and to a lesser extent worldwide. It is felt that the higher US level is due to (1) a more conservative, religious-based view on family size, and (2) greater flexibility with work hours and return to work after long absences offsetting the fewer social supports available here.

With the population aging, this fans the flames of concern about the inability of the workforce to support our elders. Many countries are encouraging people not to retire as early as people do in much of Europe. Incentives, financial and otherwise, are also being given to have more kids.

Of course, many people do not see this trend as a bad thing, especially in terms of environmental impact. And those of us who blog on these pages would look at the last quote, “You can’t have a country where everyone lives in a nursing home”, as further evidence of the need to change aging and raise social capital.

-- Al Power

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 2, 2008 8:09 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 3, 2008

Quarterstaff Revolution

The New York Times took a look at the research AARP was doing on walking canes in 1992...

Many people who use canes injure themselves because they don't do the necessary research before buying one. That is an early conclusion of a continuing study on canes sponsored by the American Association of Retired Persons.

According to Dr. Margaret Wylde, vice president of the Institute for Technology Development in Oxford, Miss., which is conducting the study, the conclusion is based on a review of recent medical and rehabilitation literature and on more than 1,000 letters solicited from A.A.R.P. members who are regular cane users.

Some of the most serious damage, Dr. Wylde said, can result from the cane's grip. Carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful ailment, can result from any repetitive motion like typing or using a cane.

There are two reasons people use walking canes.

1) To improve balance by providing a third contact point with the ground.
2) To redistribute weight away from an injured or arthritic lower limb.

As a physician I have never really liked walking canes. Here is one patient's experience...

I noticed several problems within the first five minutes. My triceps were quickly fatigued as they worked to hold my weight up. As a result, my scapula elevated to relieve the triceps, putting strain on my rotator cuff. This "shrugging" effect could be somewhat offset by lowering the height of the handle below my waist, which served to extend the arm and reduce the amount of elevation in the shoulder.
The handle of the cane was designed in such a way that the grip increased in broadness from the neck of the handle to the end, providing a wider, flatter surface where the palm would rest. Unfortunately, the result was not a more comfortable feel, but rather a terrible dorsiflexion combined with ulnar deviation in the wrist and a bruised hamate bone where the weight was concentrated. I felt tweaks of pain all day long in my wrist and shoulder which continued into the night, long after I had ended my experiment.

Aside from design problems, there were several functional problems as well. For instance, each step was accompanied by a jarring vibration which was transferred up the entire length of the arm every time the rubber cane tip struck the concrete. The swing of the cane often had to be initiated by a flick of the wrist, resulting in a constant repetitive oscillation between ulnar and radial deviations. Furthermore, adjusting the cane to the correct height was difficult due to a simultaneous push of a button and pull of the shaft requiring relatively dexterous fingers; arthritic hands would be pitifully ineffective.

PREDICTION!

Elders of today and tomorrow are going to give up on the cane, abandoning it in favor of the quarterstaff.

Gandalf the Grey carried about with him a spike brown staff which served partly as an agency of his power, as can be seen when he faced the Balrog in Moria. Besides functioning as a useful walking stick, it was also thought to symbolise what he was and his position in the Istari.

There are three reasons that I think elders can and will retire the old time walking cane and embrace the quarterstaff.

1) The cane places the greatest strain on the smallest muscles and joints (the wrist and forearm) repetitive use can easily lead to wrist and forearm injury.

2) The quarterstaff transfers the weight into the shoulder girdle itself. The shoulder joint and its surrounding muscles are much better prepared to handle the load than are the wrist and forearm.

3) Imagine a scene, an older woman using a bent top walking cane crosses a building lobby, trying to make the elevator before the doors roll closed. Now imagine that scene with the older woman striding across the lobby with a seven foot oak quarterstaff at her side. People hold the door open not because of chivalry, not out of a desire to help little old ladies but rather because she just looks so damned cool.

Elders are obligated to give younger people clues about how deep and mysterious elderhood can be.

I would like an any elders or elders to be who read this post to go out and get a walking staff. Go out in public with it and follow your normal routine and have somebody take a picture of you using it. Send the photo to Ronni.

I'll close my appeal with a quote from one of America's greatest walkers...

"Although the vast majority of walkers never even think of using a walking staff, I unhesitatingly include it among the foundations of the house that travels on my back. I still take my staff along almost as automatically as I take my pack. It is a third leg to me - and much more besides. On smooth surfaces the staff helps maintain an easy rhythm to may walking and gives me something to lean on when I stop to stand and stare. Over rough going of any kind, from tussocky grass to pockety rock, and also in a high wind, it converts me when I am heavily laded from an insecure biped to a confident triped. ... It may well be, too, that the staff also gives me a false but subconsciously comforting feeling that I am not after all completely defenseless against attack by such enemies as snakes, bears and men."

- Colin Fletcher, The Complete Walker III, 1984, p. 78

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 3, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 7, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: First we take Manhattan........

[Editor's Note: Eden Alternative Europe Coordinator Christa Monkhouse guest-posts on a weekly basis from across the Big Pond. Christa helped introduce 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'.]

“They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom*
For trying to change the system from within
I’m coming now, I’m coming to reward them
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin”

Leonard Cohen’s song has long been the unofficial Eden-in-Europe anthem, starting small (with one home in Switzerland = Manhattan) then spreading out over Europe (= Berlin).

This song comes to life in Denmark, where national coordinators Aase Porsmose (aaseporsmose@mail.dk) and Karin Dahl (karindahl@stofanet.dk) are truly taking “Berlin”. Here is their report on bringing the Eden philosophy to “almost the whole country” of Denmark (Note: the charming Danish/English comes to you unedited):

“Our project involves 25 nursing homes from three municipalities across Denmark. The aim is quality-improvement for both residents and staff, due to a culture change to a new focus on every day living, health promotion and relationships. We challenge the present culture in Danish nursing homes. Even though we have worked with a Danish ‘Live and stay’ culture for several years the institutional culture is still dominating. We regard Eden as a necessary superstructure to eliminate the confirmed loneliness, boredom and helplessness.
In the project we have been on a 'preparation tour' to all of the homes making interviews with leaders, staff and users, board members and politicians. We also made 2-hours information meetings about both the project and Eden on the same day.

Right now we are teaching about 30 leaders and 300 chosen staff members their first 3 days course about Eden. In the autumn we make a second 3 days course for the 300 staff members who will have a process-role as 'Eden key-person'. The leaders will have three separate days during the project period, because we wish to be able to support them during the implementation.

We are also going to visit every nursing home 3 times in the education and implementation period, to support the local Eden-group during their Eden-process - the aim with these days is to support the educated Eden-key persons in a way that will make them able to continue the process without having to ask for help from us every now and then.

The project is financed by funds from the Danish Ministry of Social Welfare. More funds have been given to other smaller projects across the country which also involves the Eden principles.

The Eden power-team: Karin Dahl/Aase Porsmose/ nurtured by Jane Verity, Eden Scandinavia Mentor

Christa Monkhouse, Switzerland

*The editorial of the May 2008 Issue of the “International Journal of Older People Nursing” by Jan Reed (p 79 – 79) has the same title (Volume 3, Issue 2)

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 7, 2008 6:28 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

New Old Age

Jane Gross from the New York Times has a new blog.

It's called The New Old Age.

I like it so far.

Here are a couple of posts...

Coming Home for Herbie

The Car Key Conversation

It well written, loaded with content and is likely to become a frequent stop for all of us.

The New York Times done a good job in covering aging for the past few years and I think that this blog is a sign that the paper continues to see the issue as important.

So far, the focus is clearly on "Caring For Your Parents" and the legendary difficulties that such caregiving can entail.

Now for a quibble.

This quote from "Coming Home for Herbie," while clearly accurate, is a bit off key.

That was the moment, Ms. Winokur said, when she knew she was truly in charge, the role reversal complete. “The time for discussion was over, and I was like a parent talking to a child,” she said. “You can clean up your room or you can’t have dessert.”

(Emphasis Mine)

The idea that adult children experience a "role reversal" idea is both common and not very helpful. In my experience, this kind of thinking can easily lead to a profound loss of dignity on the part of the older relative. It can also make caregiving more, rather than less, burdensome.

It is better, I think, to conceive of the caregiving relationship as a new phase in the original parent child relationship.

Adult children are often relieved when I say to them, "You are still your mother's child and you will always be her child but the time has come for you to become a different kind of daughter/son."

Not better, not worse, just different...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 7, 2008 8:04 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 9, 2008

Leisureville

The author digs into a little understood dimension of aging:

How does the segregation of Elders change the lives of the young?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Most people see retirement communities as places where older people can keep busy while feeling safe, but a 39-year-old author says these "geritopias" have serious consequences for the rest of society.
In his new book "Leisureville," Andrew D. Blechman explores this issue, which piqued his interest when his neighbors decided to move to the world's largest gated community for the 55-and-older set.

Blechman, who has a young daughter, wondered why the couple was leaving a charming town in rural Massachusetts for a place where children can visit for no more than 30 days a year. But he later found that the "active adult" sector had become the fastest-growing part of the U.S. housing market.

During his own one-month stay at his former neighbors' new home in central Florida's The Villages, Blechman threw himself into the lifestyle of golf carts, a myriad of social activities, and bars where last call is at 9:45 p.m.

The author, whose previous book was about pigeons, says he enjoyed himself sometimes, but was disturbed by the insularity of such developments and their influence on local governments.

He spoke to Reuters about segregated living and the future of retirement communities.

Read the full interview here..

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 9, 2008 10:36 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 10, 2008

McCain's Not So--- Social Security

McCain is against social insurance programs. He thinks that the way Social Security was designed to operate and has operated since its creation is a "disgrace."

At a town hall meeting on Monday, McCain said:

Americans have got to understand that we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers in America today. And that's a disgrace. It's an absolute disgrace, and it's got to be fixed.

Steven Benen writes

OK, let’s take a deep breath here. Social Security is a pay-as-you-go system. Current workers pay into the system to provide benefits for retirees, and when those workers retire, the next generation will pay their benefits. That’s what Social Security is. That’s how it works. That’s how it’s always worked.

If McCain wants to argue that privatization is a good idea, fine. He’s wrong, but we can have the debate (again). But it appears that McCain is desperately in need of some kind of remedial Government 101 education, because he literally described the Social Security system as a “total disgrace.”

At this point, John McCain is starting to make George W. Bush look like a sophisticated policy wonk.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Maybe McCain just slipped up. He was tired and said something he didn’t mean to say. This couldn’t possibly reflect his feelings on the Social Security system. He knows he’d lose Florida if it got out that he considers the system a “total disgrace.”

But it’s true. Here’s how he talked about Social Security on CNN yesterday morning:

“On the privatization of accounts, which you just mentioned, I would like to respond to that. I want young workers to be able to, if they choose, to take part of their own money which is their taxes and put it in an account which has their name on it. Now, that’s a voluntary thing, it’s for younger people, it would not affect any present-day retirees or the system as necessary. So let’s describe it for what it is. They pay their taxes and right now their taxes are going to pay the retirement of present-day retirees. That’s why it’s broken, that’s why we can fix it.” [emphasis added]

It’s literally breathtaking. As Nick Baumann put it, “McCain is saying, again, that the problem with Social Security is that Social Security is Social Security, instead of something else.”

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 10, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

Gribbin on McCain

The Erickson School's Dr. Joe Gribbin has commented on my post on McCain's comments regarding Social Security.

Dr. Gribbin offers a generous interpretation of what McCain might have meant to say.

While it is possible that this is just a flubbed line, it is definitely true that McCain supports the same kind of privatization schemes that the Bush Administration wanted but did not get.

Here's Dr. Gribbin's comment...

Having studied closely the comments made and the positions taken by both candidates for president I can say with absolute certainty that what McCain meant to say (and he fumbled it) was that it is a disgrace that young people are supporting older generations without the certainty that the program will pay them 100% of promised benefits.
I strongly disagree with Dr. Thomas' characterization of McCain's position. While I think that the positions taken by both McCain and Obama are seriously lacking in addressing issues in such a way to equitably share the pain of resolving the financial issues with the program while preserving its core principles of social adequacy and social equity, it is patently unfair to state or imply that McCain is against Social Security. Ideology can be a dangerous and counter-productive thing when trying to heal this program.

--Dr. Joseph Gribbin
Former Associate Commissioner, Social Security Administration and currently Professor at the Erickson School of Aging Studies.

Dr. Gribbin feels that "it is patently unfair to state or imply that McCain is against Social Security"

Here are the key Social Security votes of the last 10 years...

McCain Voted for Bush’s 2006 Social Security Privatization Plan. In 2006, McCain voted for the Social Security Reserve Fund. The proposal would shift Social Security’s annual surpluses into a reserve account that would be converted into risky private accounts. [SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06; SCR 83, Vote #68, 3/16/06]

In 2000 McCain Wanted to Divert Social Security Money to Private Accounts. The Wall Street Journal reported that “[a] centerpiece of a McCain presidential bid in 2000 was a plan to divert a portion of Social Security payroll taxes to fund private accounts, much as President Bush proposed unsuccessfully.” The plan would put workers’ retirement money into the risky market and reduce the amount of Social Security payments they would receive from the government. The plan would undermine the Social Security system. [Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]

McCain STILL Proposes Privatizing Social Security—Despite What His Website Says. McCain told the Wall Street Journal he still backs a system of private retirement accounts that he supported in 2000 and President Bush pushed unsuccessfully. The Journal reported he “disowned” details of a proposal on his 2008 campaign website that says he would “supplement” the existing Social Security system with personally managed accounts. But when asked about the position change he denied it and promised to change the website to reflect his true position. “I’m totally in favor of personal savings accounts… As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it—along the lines that President Bush proposed,” McCain told the Journal.[Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08; Campaign Website, accessed 3/3/08]

McCain Might Raise the Retirement Age and Reduce Cost-of-Living Adjustments. “[T]he McCain campaign says the candidate intends to keep Social Security solvent by reducing the growth in benefits over the coming decades to match projected growth in payroll tax revenues. Among the options are extending the retirement age to 68 and reducing cost-of-living adjustments, but the campaign hasn’t made any final decisions. ‘You can’t keep promises made to retirees,’ said Mr. Holtz-Eakin, McCain’s chief economic aide.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/3/08]

McCain Supported Deep Cuts That Put Social Security Benefits at Risk. In 2005, McCain supported a Social Security plan that would require deep benefit cuts or a massive increase in debt. That same year, McCain voted against prioritizing Social Security solvency over tax cuts for the wealthy. [SCR 18, Vote #49, 3/15/05; S. Amdt. 144 to SCR 18, Vote #47, 3/15/05]

McCain Voted to Use Social Security Money to Pay Off National Debt. In 2003, McCain voted to use Social Security funds to pay off federal debt. [HJR 51, Vote #201, 5/23/03]

McCain Voted Against Protecting Social Security Solvency with a Strategic Reserve. In 2001, McCain opposed reducing tax cuts for the wealthy to create a strategic reserve for Social Security. In the same year, McCain voted against a proposal to create “lockboxes” to protect Social Security and Medicare. [H.R. 1836, Senate RPC, Vote #145, 5/22/01; S. Amdt. 29, Vote #22, 3/13/01]

McCain Voted to Replace Social Security with Risk-Based Investments. In 1998, McCain voted twice to replace Social Security’s guaranteed benefits with income from risk-based private investments. [SCR 86, Vote #56, 4/1/98; SCR 86, Vote #77, 4/1/98]

Are these the votes of a supporter of Social Security?

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 10, 2008 2:39 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 11, 2008

Power-Up Friday: Rekindling the Spark of Life

As promised, more on social capital and dementia:

Did everyone see the NY Times on 6/24? More and more people are recognizing the dangers of using antipsychotic medications in dementia.

In my last installment, I discussed how increased social capital leads to many improvements in quality of life and health outcomes, and that increased social integration may even slow memory loss.

We also saw the remarkable results that can occur with interactions that validate the person with dementia and facilitate his engagement with the world (see Jane Verity and Hilary Lee's video posted on Monkhouse Mondays 5/6/08). There is an important message here:

I believe that there are two major morbidities in dementia. The first is the well-recognized progressive damage to the brain cells that occurs as a result of the disease process. This is, as far as we know, irreversible, (though recent studies showing new nerve pathways in stroke patients may give us hope for future therapies).

But there is a second morbidity. This is the excess disability that is caused by our clinical approach to people with dementia. This arises from the defeatist view of the disease that causes us to socially isolate people with dementia, strip them of all autonomy, take a "declinist" attitude toward their future capabilities and resort to giving sedating medication. We often rationalize the latter as reducing suffering in what we view as terminal disease.

However, by creating transformed care environments that re-engage people with dementia and using skilled care partners to bring forth the capabilities they still possess - coupled with removal of those medications - we can effectively reverse their disease, bringing them to levels of function and engagement that they have not enjoyed in many months.

Cecil, who is seen speaking, singing and joking in the Spark of Life video, had not spoken for over a year before being involved in this program. His brain anatomy may not have changed, but one would have to conclude that his dementia had effectively been reversed, by removing these excess disabilities.

Make no mistake about it, these are truly life-saving interventions. While we struggle to find a cure for dementia, we must not overlook the very real transformation of people's lives that we can accomplish for millions of people today!

-- Al Power. MD, FACP
Eden Mentor
St. John's Home
Rochester, NY

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 11, 2008 8:23 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Social "Disgrace" Security Backlash

It has begun

Seniors for Obama

We know Obama has the "youth vote" thing going, and I suspect many Democrats think that seniors (particularly white seniors) are more inclined to support McCain and have written them off. I think that's a mistake - in just the past day, McCain has famously dismissed Social Security as a "disgrace," and in what I think is a monumental blunder, McCain was the ONLY senator missing from yesterday's vote in the Senate to prevent a devastating cut in payments to physicians treating Medicare patients. Even Ted Kennedy took a break from cancer treatment to show up and vote, for the first time since his diagnosis. Where was McCain? Campaigning.
So, the next time your elderly parents, friends, associates, or relatives express doubts about Obama and/or support for McCain, tell them that Obama took a break from the campaign trail to save Medicare but McCain couldn't be bothered. If they rely on Medicare as so many seniors do, they need to know this.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 11, 2008 9:30 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 14, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: Timeless Beauty

In Zürich the European soccer championship has just ended and with it the endless (female) celebrity photos in the newspapers. At a function recently, I was with some of them and noticed that I felt uncomfortable. They are my age (over fifty) and look thirty-something due to botox and surgery. I asked myself some questions: “If I am irritated, how do other people feel about this? What are we doing to the clues our looks reveal about our experience, worldliness and seniority? Do we compete with younger woman for looks? While they need guidance, admiration and support from us older women, do they need more “rivals” which are probably abound in their own generation? "

After this experience I decided to age gracefully. I want to look old, wise and warm. I don’t want to leave any doubt about who I am. I hope that I will be able to offer a warm smile and share wisdom gained from my rich life in gratitude. I want to become a timeless (not ageless) beauty like Mrs. Lydia R. from Switzerland, pictured here at age 94, intently listening to a lecture.

-- Christa Monkhouse

Lydia%20R.jpg

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 14, 2008 3:30 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 15, 2008

Eldercare Learnings

This is an interesting and useful site. It is like a seedling and will grow over time.

Eldercare Learnings

The Eldercare Learnings website is dedicated to people who are committed to providing intensive care to their aging parents.

This site has been launched to encourage the sharing of eldercare stories. Share your stories---if you have lots of experience or if you are just getting started and feel somewhat overwhelmed. This community needs you!

The focus is on stories and stories have the power to change everything.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 6:03 AM |Permalink |Comments (5)

Race versus Age

Which is more likely to make a candidate less effective if elected president?

Obama's Race

McCain's Age

The answer should be that neither age nor race can be viewed as disqualifying characteristics per se, but...

More than 8 out of 10 Americans say Obama's race would make no difference in terms of his effectiveness in the White House. Of the rest, just as many say his being black would make him more effective as president as say it would make him less effective. Thus, as far the public is concerned, Obama's race appears to be a wash in terms of perceptions about his ability to serve effectively as president.

Now, in interest of fairness, there are probably some who answer this way but feel differently. Race, after all, is a sensitive subject. But I suspect the numbers wouldn't change that much.

John McCain's age, however, is a different story:

There is more expressed concerned about McCain's age. As is the case with Obama's race, the majority of Americans say that McCain's being 72 next January would not make any difference in terms of his effectiveness in the White House. But 23% say McCain would be less effective as a result of his age, while 11% say he would be more effective. The net result is a slightly negative view of the impact of McCain's advanced age.

This could be a guess, but I think that 23% number is going to increase in the fall when people start paying attention. I'm not trying to be an ageist about this, but as someone with an elderly parent, I do have my questions about someone taking on the toughest job in the world in his 70s...but that's just me. And at least 23% of the American population.

The whole post, with a nice graph is here.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 6:41 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Hats Off

This is good advice...

Hats%20off.JPG

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 11:51 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

World's Oldest Blogger: Dead at 108

Remembering "The Life of Riley"

Wash Day A Century Ago...

You 21st century people live a different life than the one I lived as a youngster in the early 1900s. Take Washing Day, for instance. These days you just toss your dirty clothes into a washing machine, press a few switches, and it's done.

I remember scratching around to find a few pieces of wood to fire the copper for Mum. Sometimes I'd find a broken wooden fruit box that I'd split with a tommyhawk. Sometimes I'd gather some twigs and dead branches, and use them for firewood.

When the water in the copper began to boil, Mum would add a cupful of soap chips, and throw in a cube of Reckitt's Blue wrapped in a muslin bag to whiten the clothes. Then she put in all the dirty clothes, first rubbing out the stains with a bar of Sunlight soap. She used a corrugated washing board for that. .

Some time later, when the fire had gone out, Mum would haul the clothes, dripping wet, out of the hot water with a strong wooden copperstick, and that was jolly hard work. The clothes weighed a lot more sopping wet than when they were dry.

Then she would feed the wet washing into a machine called a mangle. It had two large rollers with a narrow gap between them, and a big metal wheel that had to be turned by hand. That was my job - and it was real hard work for a small kid.

We hung the clothes out to dry on a line strung between two trees and held up with a prop made from a forked branch. Sometimes a crow or a magpie would leave a visiting card on a clean sheet, which would have to be washed again.

Mum used to starch the collars and cuffs of Dad's shirts to make them stiff and neat. He was a big man, and she was proud of the way he looked in his Sunday best, with his freshly ironed shirt.

When we remember, we grow stronger...

(H/T Dorothea Johnson)

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 1:28 PM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 16, 2008

Too Much Information?

Kevin Drum writes...

QUOTE OF THE DAY....From John McCain spokesman Taylor Griffin, distancing the campaign from remarks about Social Security made by the almost comically gaffe-prone Carly Fiorina:
"The lesson of history is that too many specifics at this point polarize the debate, that is the argument Carly was trying to make."

Uh huh. Mark Kleiman translates: "If we told the retirees how completely we plan to shaft them, they might not vote for us."

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 16, 2008 5:54 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 18, 2008

Power-Up Friday: “Jim Crow” Dementia?

[Editors Note: Power-Up Friday is a weekly guest-blog by Dr. Al Power]

On July 7th, the Civil Rights Museum On Wheels, visited St. John’s Home. Van White, a Rochester, NY attorney, purchased a 1950s vintage bus from the movie set of “Hairspray”, and had it refurbished into an exact replica of the Montgomery city bus where Rosa Parks took a stand by staying seated.

Two days later, I was asked my opinion about whether people with dementia should live in specialized units or housing. In my upcoming book, I have a section that lists a number of reasons why I feel that the “dementia unit” is an idea whose time has come… and gone. But the biggest reason of all, I realized, is an issue of civil rights.

Most “memory care units”, as they are often called, are staffed by highly competent, caring people. But the basic concept stems from an institutional mindset that places people into an environment largely defined by their disease, not by who they are. It presumes that people with dementia are enough alike that they should share a common living space, and an approach to care and activities that reflects their illness more than their individuality. Segregating people due to a physical attribute – sound familiar?

Furthermore, there is a deep prejudice in elder care environments that is shared by other elders and families. “People with dementia should have good care – separate, but equal, and not in our neighborhood”. This reflects underlying fears and misconceptions about the disease, and sells short the potential for growth and engagement that still exists in people with dementia, as surely as it does in someone who is blind or has lost a limb.

In 1955, a widespread boycott of the Montgomery buses was begun. If everyone with dementia suddenly boycotted all segregated living environments, what changes would organizations make to regain their support?

Such a boycott is unlikely. Let’s make those changes anyway.

-- Dr. Al Power

Civil%20Right%20Bus.JPG
Bus%202.JPG

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 18, 2008 11:48 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 21, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: The “Chocolate Side”* of Bike Riding, Swiss Made

[Editor's Note: Christa Monkhouse blogs weekly from across the "Big Pond" on Monkhouse Mondays.]

In the German language we have imported a lot of anglicisms, which there is a lot of debate about, for instance in France, where a computer should be called an
“ordinateur” etc. Not debatable, because it is a big “hit” (another anglicism) among all ages is the “Flyer” (another angli…you know by now). It is a Swiss made battery powered bicycle and a real “declaration of independence” (advert of the company), for older cyclists. You pedal and an electric motor silently supports your work up to 150%, uphill.

So I won’t be blogging for some time because we are going on a seven-day tour into the Swiss mountains. We will be circling the Unesco protected center of the country, Interlaken, Jungfrau, up to 2700 meters, and expecting to see many cyclists with white hair. The "Flyer" makes it possible.

-- Christa Monkhouse, back on the blog on August 11th

*In German (auf Deutsch) = “Schokoladenseite”

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 21, 2008 9:48 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

"Old Person" is the Ultimate Other

[Editor's Note: below is a post by the editor]

I like this -- a blog post about old bodies from the Poetry Foundation's blog Harriet:

It’s scary to think about what your body is going to look like in forty years
At the swimming pool, I am an honorary old person—I get to swim with the senior citizens, who play volleyball in the shallow end and use the deep end for water exercise.
--snip--
Though at first I felt estranged from (let’s face it: scared of) my swimming partners, I’ve come to treasure being part of the group and making friends across a wide swath of life. The lifeguards sometimes play big band music, which annoys me because most of these people came of age with the early Beatles and Stones.

What I like best is the chance to see bodies. The girls on the synchronized swimming team are in the locker room when we leave, and though they are beautiful their bodies are not as compelling as old bodies, on which you can read the story of childbirth and illness and simply age, which lends interesting variegations and falling-(or-not-)ness to the flesh.

It seems to me that "old person" is the ultimate Other. Old person=not me.

Which, I imagine, is why it's so damn hard to embrace getting old.
(h/t to El Lewis)

--Kavan

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 21, 2008 2:31 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 22, 2008

Be Happy...

The happiness parade.

America has too few such parades.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 22, 2008 6:01 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Old Age Gaffe Gaffe

From Politico...

Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said “Iraq” when he apparently meant “Afghanistan” on Monday, adding to a string of mixed-up word choices that is giving ammunition to the opposition.

Just in the past three weeks, McCain has also mistaken "Somalia" for "Sudan," and even football’s Green Bay Packers for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ironically, the errors have been concentrated in what should be his area of expertise – foreign affairs.

McCain will turn 72 the day after Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) accepts his party’s nomination for president, calling new attention to the sensitive issue of McCain’s advanced age, three days before the start of his own convention.

The McCain campaign says Obama has had plenty of flubs of his own, including a reference to "57 states" and a string of misstated place names during the primaries that Republicans gleefully sent around as YouTubes.

McCain aides point out that he spends much more time than Obama talking extemporaneously, taking questions from voters and reporters. "Being human and tripping over your tongue occasionally doesn't mean a thing," a top McCain official said.

But McCain's mistakes raise a serious, if uncomfortable question: Are the gaffes the result of his age? And what could that mean in the Oval Office?

Gaffes are not the result of age, they may be the result of...

fatigue
stress
loss of focus

Laying them on the doorstep of age and age alone is wrong.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 22, 2008 9:43 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 23, 2008

Use it or Lose it...

Martial arts expert Keiko Wakabayshi, nicknamed the "Samurai Granny", has been hired by the country's military to train recruits in hand-to-hand combat.

Miss Wakabayshi, who stands exactly 5ft tall, looks tiny compared to her charges who are mostly over 6ft.

But the pensioner is a trained master in an array of martial arts disciplines including jujitsu, jojitso, kenjitso, judo, kendo and karate.

She wipes the floor with soldiers of the Folgore brigade at their barracks in Livorno on a daily basis.

Miss Wakabayshi was born in Japan but now lives in Northern Italy.

She tells her students to look at her and believe that nothing is impossible.

After flooring an opponent she tells them: "Don't think it's unbelievable. The physique doesn't matter."

Sparring is regarded as the most effective method of teaching martial arts and senior Italian military officers hope the experience of being humiliated by Miss Wakabayshi will toughen up their soldiers.

Miss Wakabayshi trained for many years to achieve her level of expertise and believes she can carry on defeating brawny soldiers for years to come.

The term martial arts is synonymous with the Far East, but actually derives from Mars, the Roman god of war and literally means the "arts of war".

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 23, 2008 6:58 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 24, 2008

Old Women Know Better...

I am sure that some readers will be able to file this under, "Been There Done That."

Advice on walking in high heels offered by a future podiatry patient...

There are few more pleasurable feelings than walking gracefully in high heels and also few less pathetic sights than some one stumbling along in obvious pain.
The most important consideration is balance, especially when wearing stiletto heels. These have two balance aspects to them. Firstly, the small scale issue of transverse balance (side to side movement of the heel) which is adjusted by small movements in your calves and ankles to keep the heel vertical. Secondly, there is the larger issue of longitudinal weight distribution - that is adjusting your body weight back and forth with the larger muscles in your hips and back. This has a fundamental effect on your walking style. With more chunky, stable, heels, only the second of these aspects is really present, transverse rocking not really being a problem because of the larger heel area. You may decide to start with a chunky heel - its certainly easier - but on the other hand you will then lack confidence in the thinner heels. Its better master the balance exercises in section four previously - then you can concentrate on the distribution of weight and wear any type of heel.

As you walk, you must continuously adjust your center of weight to maintain your balance. The correct position when standing is a slight backwards lean and relaxed position so that the weight is evenly split between your heel and sole. Try to imagine your center of weight coming down your legs in line with the heels, but just forward (1-2in) of them. Another way to think of this, is the first movement up on tip toe puts all the weight on your toes, but then you just shift it back slightly, settling half of it onto the heel. A common fault is leaning too far forward which causes small mincing steps in order to prevent over-balancing. The remedy is to lean back. Of course, leaning back too far will have disastrous consequences too. You should try to imagine your weight settled into your hips and a smooth even stride leading from your hip and pelvic region which are more prominent than when walking in flats. Try not to exaggerate this movement and keep your bottom still - unless you particularly want to project a sexy image.

You will find that the way that your leading foot makes contact with the ground is related to your posture and stride length. I have seen it suggested in quite a number of places that the sole of the foot should come down first or perhaps together with the heel - this is pretty crap advice. In practice, this leads to you leaning too far forward and taking short steps. It can also be a strain to try and twist your foot further forward so that the sole comes down first, not to mention being uncomfortably off balance in the process. The best way is to make sure that your heel contacts the ground first, but the sole follows through very shortly afterward. Try not to put too much weight on the heel as it contacts the ground and make sure that sole follows through quickly and smoothly. If you lean too far back, then you will develop a large swanking stride and will tend to land fairly heavily on the heel, which is a good way to bend or break it.

And what about the foot?

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 24, 2008 5:07 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 25, 2008

Christa Monkhouse

I bet Christa is having a great holiday biking in the Alps.

swiss%20alps.jpg

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 25, 2008 5:03 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

Power-Up Friday: Prognosis -- Negative

[Editor's Note: Al Power guest blogs weekly for Power-Up Fridays.]

According to the BBC News, the US health report card is out, and the results aren’t good. The American Human Development Report was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, Oxfam America and the Conrad Hilton Foundation.

This study found that the world’s richest nation has slipped almost to the bottom of the industrialized countries – 42nd – in overall life expectancy. In the overall “human development” score, which takes into account factors of health, education and income, we slipped to 12th.

Further analysis reveals great disparities in outcomes in different geographic or socio-economic groups. We all know this, but the numbers are startling. The Development Index of people in Mississippi is 30 years behind those in Connecticut. In life expectancy, African-American male life spans were 14 years shorter than Asian-American males. African-American life expectancy today trails what it was for the average American in the 1970s.

We have the highest percentage of children living in poverty, the highest percentage of people in prison and our infant mortality rate continues to rank near the bottom. It was estimated that if our infant mortality rate were equal to #1 Sweden’s, an additional 20,000 babies a year would survive!

So how can the world’s richest nation with the highest health care expenditures do so poorly? I would offer the following contributing factors: (1) Poor access to health care, with 47 million uninsured and an equal number with inadequate coverage, (2) inadequate social capital in the realms of maternity and childcare assistance, nutrition programs, etc., (3) money spent promoting high cost pharmaceuticals and filling the coffers of private insurers, rather than giving good preventive care and treatment to all, and (4) concentrated poverty and worsening recession without any sound economic or social policy.

I know some people are going to decry any suggestion of “socialized” health care. I would just point out that the people in those countries that have it are living longer and better than we Americans, and saving money in the process. Maybe it’s time to stop regarding these systems so dismissively and find out why they are so much better than what we have.

-- Al Power

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 25, 2008 9:15 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

Cell Phone Cancer Concerns

From the New York Times

Prominent Cancer Doctor Warns About Cellphones

The head of a prominent cancer research institute has warned his faculty and staff to limit cellphone use because of a possible cancer risk, The Associated Press reports.

Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, notes that while the evidence about a cellphone-cancer link remains unclear, people should take precautions, particularly for children.

“Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn’t wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later,” Dr. Herberman told The Associated Press.

Earlier this year, three prominent brain surgeons raised similar concerns while speaking on “The Larry King Show.” Their concerns were largely based on observational studies that showed only an association between cellphone use and cancer, not a causal relationship. The most important of these studies is called Interphone, a vast research effort in 13 countries, including Canada, Israel and several in Europe.

Some of the research suggests a link between cellphone use and three types of tumors: glioma; cancer of the parotid, a salivary gland near the ear; and acoustic neuroma, a tumor that essentially occurs where the ear meets the brain. All these tumors are rare, so even if cellphone use does increase risk, the risk is still very low.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 25, 2008 1:00 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 26, 2008

Sir Mick Jagger turns 65

It seems ageism is somewhat less of a problem for white male rock stars...

From the Telegraph

The Rolling Stones frontman, known for his pouting lips and energetic performances, officially becomes a pensioner today when he turns 65.

Once famed for his wild party antics, it seems Sir Mick may have toned down his ways and is thought to be planning a quiet celebration at home with family and friends.

Age, it seems, is also no barrier when it comes to dating some of the world’s most glamorous women.

Sir Mick is dating model L'Wren Scott, who is more than two decades his junior.

During his life he has been linked to a string of women, including Marianne Faithfull and Carla Bruni, now the wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Once known as the bad boy of rock’n’roll, Jagger was born in Dartford in the south of England on July 26, 1943, the son of a school games teacher and a hairdresser. He grew up in suburban England.

He attended the London School of Economics, but never completed his course, leaving to pursue his musical dreams.

Sir Mick has been reaping the financial rewards of the band’s highly-successful A Bigger Bang tour.

While the band continues to wow audiences, its members' offstage performances continue to make headlines.

Fellow Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood recently entered rehab after being pictured with a Russian cocktail waitress.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 26, 2008 8:45 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 27, 2008

Green House Revolution

This an op-ed Al Power wrote for the Democrat and Chronicle...

A June 13 letter writer ("Offer our elders family-style care) asked why elders cannot have the same "family-style" care that has been provided to those with developmental disabilities in the community. She cited the need for a home that is warm, open and allows elders to direct their own care.
What she describes is the Green House, a new model of care designed by Dr. William Thomas, founder of the Eden Alternative nursing home movement. About 40 Green House homes are operating in 10 states, and more than 30 more organizations have received grants to develop them.

St. John's Home and the Rochester Presbyterian Home are the only Eden Alternative providers in upstate New York. St. John's has received a grant to develop Green Houses locally, and we plan to open our first Green House by late 2009. We will be the country's first organization to place Green Houses throughout the community, rather than on one separate campus. Our main campus will be transformed into a multi-story Green House community as well.

The Eden Alternative process transforms the traditional nursing home in three ways: interpersonal, organizational and physical. The process begins with changing our attitudes about aging and aged care, and developing close, continuous relationships throughout the home. This is followed by a "leveling" of the organizational hierarchy, bringing more decision-making to the elders and those closest to them. The Green House represents the physical aspect of transformation and further evolution of the care environment.

A Green House is a large ranch-style home for eight to 10 people, each with a private bedroom and bath. A central area contains a kitchen, dining area with a communal table for meals, and a living room/hearth area. There is no nursing station; care is taken to remove institutional trappings.

Direct care is provided by a universal worker, charged with helping to bring forth each elder's abilities. These workers have training in personal care, safe food handling, cooking, activities and light housekeeping. They work collaboratively with a clinical support team of nurses, doctors and social workers who visit the house.

Green Houses also use smart technology, such as paperless record systems, induction cooktops and ceiling-mounted lifts to provide safe and comprehensive care. There is easy access to outdoor space.

Studies of the first Green Houses in Tupelo, Miss., showed that elders who moved there had equal or better outcomes in many health and quality-of-care measurements, with the same reimbursement rate as the comparison nursing homes. They also saw greater family satisfaction, fewer medications and less staff turnover and injuries.

Since that first Green House opened in 2003, similar models of small homes for elders have been developed, both for those in nursing homes and in assisted living communities. Our project team has visited eight Green House communities around the country, as well as other similar models.

It is important to stress, however, that the Green House is more than a building. If such homes are built and operated the way we operate nursing homes, they would simply be small institutions. St. John's Home has adopted the Eden Alternative because we feel it is the most comprehensive model for transformation. We have learned that the most successful of these homes have followed this pathway to create a truly person-directed habitat, where even the frailest elders can experience growth and full engagement with life.

Power is Eden Alternative mentor, St. John's Home.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 27, 2008 10:22 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 29, 2008

Primary Care

From the Daily Kos...

In every other industrialized nation, the medical care system is based on a solid foundation of primary care (generally defined as family medicine, primary care internal medicine, and general pediatrics). Specialist consultants are called in as needed. In England, for example, neary one half of practicing physicians are in primary care. In the United States, by contrast, the number is 35%; and it's falling like a stone. Among current medical school graduates, only 14% plan to enter primary care practice. Yet even this depressing number overestimates the future supply; an exploding percentage of graduates entering internal medicine residencies choose to specialize prior to graduation. Worse yet, the largest cohort of family doctors and internists—the idealistic graduates of the 1960's and 1970's—is on the verge of retirement. The number of doctors practicing primary care is about to go off a cliff. The immediate consequence is a spiralling workload for those still in practice. In the last two years, two of my partners left the practice to go into more lucrative areas of medicine. Their patients are now shoe-horned into my overbooked schedule. Three more docs in our group are on the verge of retirement. At best, we may get one young doc to replace them. Now, add a new national health insurance scheme or mandate—without addressing the dwindling supply of primary care docs—and things may quickly collapse. The pent-up demand for medical care among the uninsured and underinsured is huge. We have absolutely no reserve capacity to serve them.

Why is this happening?

Read the answer here...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 29, 2008 7:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 30, 2008

Pre-Dementia

Pre-dementia rising, especially in men

New research shows that a milder type of mental decline that often precedes Alzheimer's disease is much more common than thought.

Nearly a million older Americans slide from normal memory into mild impairment each year, doctors have reported at a medical conference in Chicago.

That's in addition to the half million Americans who develop full-blown Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.

The problem is sure to grow as baby boomers age.

Ralph Nixon, a New York psychiatrist and adviser to the Alzheimer's Association, was blunt.

"We're facing a crisis," he said.

I have mixed feelings about this. I do understand that many types of dementia have long "subclinical" phases where the brain is changing but their is no overt sign of memory loss or cognitive decline. It makes sense that there would be many people who have only very mild impairment now but will go on to have real problems later.

I have blogged on the age issue related to presidential candidate and in those posts I have rejected the idea that a voter can legitimately argue that John McCain is simply "too old" to be president.

Age is not the issue.

At the same time, I do think that it is fair to ask, "How robust is this candidate's memory, his grasp of detail, his ability to integrate new facts into novel situations?" These are, I think, fair questions (that can be asked of both major candidates).

If the recent string of McCain gaffe's continues or worsens, I expect that some will begin to argue that John McCain, the man, is experiencing some kind of "pre-dementia." As a doctor, I am wary of diagnosis by press clipping. A real diagnosis would require careful clinical testing in order to be valid.

One last thought. Some of the major drug companies have been pushing "pre-dementia" as a way to increase sales of their Alzheimer's drugs. So far there is little evidence to suggest that the drugs are useful in this population.

(H/T Alex M)

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 30, 2008 6:32 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

On Blogging

If you are reading this blog then you have already discovered and decided to make use of blogs.

This video explains the phenomenon in an interesting way.

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 30, 2008 2:21 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 31, 2008

The World of Eden

The successful design of Macclesfield's new village for older people has brought a windfall for a town charity.

The money was donated by CLS Care Group, the charity which runs the new Belong village for older people in Kennedy Avenue. CLS Operations Director, Tracy Paine, explained that they had received the money as a result of the village being shortlisted in the national Pinders Healthcare Design Awards.

“It is very exciting as the village now has the opportunity to go to the national final. But we receive cash for getting this far in the competition and we are able to nominate a charity to receive it. Some of the village residents will be cared for in our special dementia household so we are pleased to make this donation to the Alzheimer’s Society in Macclesfield”.

The Design Award ceremony was held at Lord's Cricket Ground this spring where it was announced that Belong Macclesfield, a home that is implementing the Eden Alternative principles, won the award for Best Traditional Design.

For More about Eden in the UK go here.

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July 2008 Archives

July 1, 2008

Co-Housing Explained

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 1, 2008 6:14 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 2, 2008

Arkansas Green House

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 2, 2008 6:22 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

European "Baby Bust"

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 2, 2008 8:09 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 3, 2008

Quarterstaff Revolution

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 3, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 7, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: First we take Manhattan........

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 7, 2008 6:28 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

New Old Age

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 7, 2008 8:04 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 9, 2008

Leisureville

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 9, 2008 10:36 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 10, 2008

McCain's Not So--- Social Security

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 10, 2008 6:42 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

Gribbin on McCain

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 10, 2008 2:39 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 11, 2008

Power-Up Friday: Rekindling the Spark of Life

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 11, 2008 8:23 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Social "Disgrace" Security Backlash

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 11, 2008 9:30 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 14, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: Timeless Beauty

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 14, 2008 3:30 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 15, 2008

Eldercare Learnings

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 6:03 AM |Permalink |Comments (5)

Race versus Age

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 6:41 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Hats Off

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 11:51 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

World's Oldest Blogger: Dead at 108

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 15, 2008 1:28 PM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 16, 2008

Too Much Information?

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 16, 2008 5:54 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)

July 18, 2008

Power-Up Friday: “Jim Crow” Dementia?

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 18, 2008 11:48 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 21, 2008

Monkhouse Mondays: The “Chocolate Side”* of Bike Riding, Swiss Made

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 21, 2008 9:48 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

"Old Person" is the Ultimate Other

Posted by Kavan Peterson on July 21, 2008 2:31 PM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 22, 2008

Be Happy...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 22, 2008 6:01 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

Old Age Gaffe Gaffe

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 22, 2008 9:43 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 23, 2008

Use it or Lose it...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 23, 2008 6:58 AM |Permalink |Comments (0)

July 24, 2008

Old Women Know Better...

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 24, 2008 5:07 AM |Permalink |Comments (2)

July 25, 2008

Christa Monkhouse

Posted by Dr. Bill Thomas on July 25, 2008 5:03 AM |Permalink |Comments (1)