Act of Aging
“Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.”
David Bowie
Photo by Paolo Bendandi on Unsplash
Act of Aging is a blog about … the act of aging. It’s not about aging as comedy, or as tragedy. It’s just an exploration of some of the aspects of aging, what it looks like at mid-life, and what it means – if it means anything. I hope you enjoy the blog posts!
Here are some recent posts:
“Let’s End Ageism:” insights from Ashton Applewhite
In this dynamic TED Talk, author and activist Ashton Applewhite takes a hard look at ageism, and the impacts on people of all ages.
Jane Fonda and aging: a TED talk on “Life’s Third Act”
Jane Fonda has re-invented herself, and her career, multiple times. Actor, fitness guru, activist … and she’s not done yet. In this TED Talk, she talks about the extra 30 years that have been added to our life expectancy, with insights and suggestions on how we can make the most of them.
Caring for your aging parents
As you get older, your parents are aging too (if you’re lucky enough to still have them!) For most of us, this means that we need to provide more and more care to help look after them. Whether they’re still living independently, or they’ve moved to a retirement or nursing home, there are a lotContinue reading “Caring for your aging parents”
Should you take out a reverse mortgage?
Sounds like the perfect setup – take out a reverse mortgage on your home, age in place and have the funds to do whatever you want. Travel, buy a convertible, even start up that consultancy. So what’s the downside? Well, the first caution is that interest rates on reverse mortgages can be sky-high compared toContinue reading “Should you take out a reverse mortgage?”
Ready to retire?
Some of us start dreaming of retirement in our 40s, while others want to keep on working until the end. There are pros and cons to either approach, of course. We all know the stories about people who died shortly after retiring, never having the chance to enjoy their retirement. And we’ve heard the storiesContinue reading “Ready to retire?”
When your knees hurt
Do you still have your original knees? More than 70,000 Canadians had a knee replacement last year, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The main reason? Osteoarthritis, or degenerative arthritis, which can cause significant pain and mobility issues. More than half of those who had a knee replaced were over the age ofContinue reading “When your knees hurt”
Co-housing to combat the loneliness of growing old
Canadians are getting older. The 2016 census showed that there are more people aged 65 and older than there are under the age of 15. That marks the first time this has happened in over 100 years. In an article in the Globe and Mail, “Census 2016: Canada’s Seniors Outnumber its Children for First TimeContinue reading “Co-housing to combat the loneliness of growing old”
Is it harder to make friends after 50?
Sadly, the answer is yes – it is harder to make new friends as we age. As humans, we tend to bond over shared experiences. So it’s easy to make friends at pivotal life stages – when we start kindergarten, for example, or when we go to university, or when we have children and makeContinue reading “Is it harder to make friends after 50?”
When are we at our prime?
Is it when we look our best, or when our minds are the sharpest they’ll be during our lifespan? Or is it when our feelings of happiness are at their highest? If we’re lucky, most of us will be around for close to 100 years. Over the course of that time, it turns out thatContinue reading “When are we at our prime?”
Fast forward
Why does time seem to speed up as we get older? The months and years seem to roll by, faster and faster. We just put the holiday ornaments away, and it’s time to pull them out again. Same with the summer clothes – even though the winter seems to drag on, day-to-day, with a snapContinue reading “Fast forward”
About me
I’m a Toronto-based communications professional at the mid-point of life – in my mid-fifties. I find I’m thinking about aging, what it means and how it affects us, a lot more now than I did 10, 20 or 30 years ago. The “Act of Aging” blog is a way to explore the topic of aging,Continue reading “About me”
