Golden Girl in her golden age

By now you have likely heard much about Betty White’s 90th birthday celebration.  She celebrated with a start studded television special. Jokes were cracked, clips shown, well-wishing video messages were played, and through it all Betty smiled graciously.  


This American television icon has been in the business for over 70 years. From her commercials, to the Mary Tyler Moore Show, to Golden Girls, Hot in Cleveland, numerous other shows and guest spots, a Super Bowl Snickers ad, sharing a shower with Hugh Jackman, getting a lap dance on Ellen, hosting Saturday Night Live, and so much more, we have seen Betty White take on just about everything. The tributes were funny and heartfelt and the special was good clean fun.
 
To prove she’s not done yet, the birthday special was followed by Betty’s new series, Off Their Rockers, a show about older people punking younger people. I decided to watch the show just to see what Betty had decided to devote her efforts to. To sum things up (since this isn’t a television show review site) there were some funny bits and some bits that fell flat. The sketches between the punking were forced. That said, I liked the show because it didn’t try to make anyone look bad and it didn’t hurt anyone like a lot of these formulaic shows do.
 
What I really ended up reflecting on was Betty herself. She is well known and well loved. She is the friend next door we want to have. She has remained so for more than 70 years because she has found a way to remain relevant. She has changed with the times, but not in a way that abandons who she is or what she values doing. She’s got this aging thing figured out! No, I don’t really know her, but this is my take on her. 
 
Near the end of her birthday special Betty commented that she was fortunate to have spent so many years doing what she loves with people she loves and getting away with it. To me, that is a great statement about her life. It caused me to reflect on my life, its path, and where the road leads in my future. I want to be 90 and saying the same thing she did. Easier said than done?  I don’t know…what do you think? Are you on your path of bliss? How are you staying relevant as you age?  Do you think you will be able to look back and see a joyous journey? If not, what is the one small step you can take to move in that direction? 
 
It may be overused right now, but Betty, you are an inspiration.  Thank you for being a friend.

Kristin Huff

Senior Projects Director

In addition to being the Center's Senior Projects Director, Kristin Huff teaches courses for the Center's new Project Management Certificate for Human Services Professionals. 

The masterpiece of age

Over the holiday break, I watched a movie on Netflix called “The Cats of Mirikitani” produced by Linda Hattendorf.  I’m a cat lover and was drawn to the film for that reason, but the story told is much more than feline fancy. 

In 2001, Linda took an interest in the art produced by an elderly homeless man living on the streets in her neighborhood in Soho, New York. Much of his work included cats and when she expressed to him how she admired the pictures, he offered to draw a special one for her.

When the winter weather turned worse, Linda offered the old man blankets and warm food and drinks, but he was very stoic and self-sufficient. When the 9/11 attacks occurred and covered their city in ashes, Linda found the old man alone and coughing in his usual spot on the street which had been abandoned after the disaster. She introduced herself and invited him into the shelter of her little apartment where she lived with her cat. Normally the old gentleman refused any assistance but on that day, he agreed and followed Linda home. Little did either of them realize that their relationship would be a special and lasting one.

Ms. Hattendorf patiently provided care and support for her elderly guest in her home. She learned that his name was Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani. He told her that he had been born in America and moved to Japan with his mother’s family when he was three years old. He was trained as a master artist in Japan and returned to the U.S. at the age of 18 years. 

Linda respected Jimmy’s artistic talent and more importantly, she valued his dignity as a human being. Despite his refusal to pursue Social Security or any other form of assistance within the system, Linda diligently sought out resources to help him become self-supporting and independent so he would not have to return to the streets. She listened to his sad stories about his entire family being wiped out by the bomb dropped on Hiroshima and continued to obtain art supplies that he went through voraciously, depicting the scenes from his memories.

As the months went by, Linda researched from the information Jimmy shared about being born in Sacramento, California. She wrote letters to find documentation of his true identity as an American citizen. She made calls to locate Jimmy’s sister whom he lost track of in World War II when they were all enslaved in the internment camps. Eventually he was able to reunite with his sister, her family and several cousins.

Linda also got Jimmy connected with a nearby senior center residential facility where he started giving art lessons to the residents and where he eventually moved into his own apartment. Over the course of time Jimmy no longer looked haggard and slumped over but walked with intent and had a confidence in his tone and behavior. Jimmy’s art reverted from angry colors that included war scenes and sad images of the internment camp to more peaceful imagery. His faith in himself and in other people that had been so deeply wounded and suppressed was restored to him.

In 2002, Linda took Jimmy to the 60 year reunion at the Tule Lake internment camp where he and 18,800 other Americans of Japanese ancestry were held without cause as prisoners by the government. The reunion visit and ceremonies there helped Jimmy to make peace with the past and honor those he had loved, lost, or left behind. It was a gift of healing and it allowed him to move forward with his life.

Sometimes it can be extremely difficult to work with and care for older adults, especially when they refuse to cooperate or accept much assistance. Rather than get frustrated or give up on someone who resists our efforts, it is important to remember that it not simply the years that make people grumpy or difficult to deal with. We each have the layers of a variety of experiences built over time. By exercising patience and showing respect to our elders, we can uncover the masterpiece within them; and in so doing we add fresh strokes of color to the canvas of our own character.

Do you have a story of renewed hope to share?


Tamara Wolske, MS
Academic Program Director 

When blue is your aging loved one’s Christmas color

For most of us, the holidays are a time for friends, family, parties, joy and reflection on past, present and future. However, sometimes for older individuals, the holidays can be a difficult time. During this time many older adults acutely feel the loss of loved ones, the passing of time, or sadness at the distance between themselves and family living far away.  Often the holiday traditions of the past are no longer observed for many reasons.  This can make the holiday season feel somewhat devoid of meaning. 

It is normal for people, aging or not, to sometimes feel subdued and sad in the face of change.  People can usually carry on with regular activities and and these feelings are generally temporary.  However, friends or family members may notice “the blues” in a senior that lasts longer than normal.  This may be more than simple sadness.  It may be a serious case of depression.

According to the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation (GMHF), some major factors contributing to  holiday depression for seniors are financial limitations, loss of independence, being alone or separated from loved ones, loss of mobility (inability to get to religious services), and failing eyesight (inability to read or write holiday correspondence).  

Recognizing depression in older persons is not always easy. They often have difficulty expressing how they feel.  Additionally, the current aging generation came of age in a time when depression was not recognized as a biological illness, and was often stigmatized.  Today’s seniors don’t want to be labeled difficult or bothersome. 

When clinically depressed, an older individual may lose the will to live, have no interest in regular activities, have diminished self-esteem, have dimished appetite, suffer sleep disruptions, or a number of other symptoms. Untreated depression can lead to aggravated illness, loss of independence, or premature death.   

Treatment is key for depression in aging individual.  If you notice a senior in your life who fits this description perhaps you can help.  There are a variety of treatments available, both through medication and psychotherapy (talk therapy).  Part of your role is to help them understand that depression is treatable and that treatment can lead to a better life. Please talk with your loved one’s physician to explore these options.  

In addition, the GMHF suggests these things that you can do:

• Acknowledge the feelings and listen to the senior
• Mention the difficulty of holidays and ask if there is something they would like to do that you can help facilitate (go to church, take a drive to see festive lights, etc.)
• Find out if there are activities with which the person might become involved.  Many assisted living and nursing home facilities offer special activities such as wrapping parties, cookie baking, concerts, etc.

Depression is not an inevitable part of growing older. Openly communicate your concerns to your loved one.  Offer to contact a clergy member or physician.  Most of all, let them know they are important to you at this time of year, as always.

Note:  If you need help finding mental health assistance for your friend or loved one, The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry has a network of members--experts in the treatment of late-life mental illness--across the country who are affiliated with universities, hospitals, nursing homes or related facilities. If you would like a referral to one of these doctors, contact AAGP's Foundation at (301) 654-7850.

Kristin Huff

Senior Projects Director

In addition to being the Center's Senior Projects Director, Kristin Huff will teach courses for the Center's new Project Management Certificate for Human Services Professionals. 

Ethnogeriatrics on the rise

We hear a lot about the immigration debate, but seldom do we hear about the elders in our nation’s ethnic communities. Students in my Aging In Place course recently read articles about the future of aging, including one focused on ways in which culturally diverse communities are developing long-term care facilities, and other long-term care facilities in communities with very large ethnic populations (e.g., East Indian, Slavic, Hispanic) are assigning floors in some facilities to specific cultural groups. 

The readings elicited a great deal of discussion among students, with some feeling these culturally specific settings were exclusionary and did not foster inter-cultural communication and community. Other students felt, after some reflection, it made sense to want to be near others who share your cultural views, dress, foods, spiritual and cultural practices, holidays, etc. Even how care is provided during old age and at death is culturally specific.

Rosenfeld and Popko (2010) state, while aging in place in the past has been largely confined to homogenous neighborhoods where neighbors were of similar income, status, and lifestyles, “by 2025…the quest for community could also involve the search for culturally sensitive communities. By this we mean places where residents share a common culture, language, and belief system.” These authors note this change, along with increasing diversity among elders, will lead to the continued growth of “ethnogeriatrics.”

Rosenfeld and Popko mention the desire of Vietnamese elders to live near Vietnamese groceries and churches; India Home in New York is providing culturally sensitive day care services, with activities from Bollywood movies to Indian vegetarian meals. Muslims in Toledo, Ohio are raising funds to build a nursing home and Chinese Americans are served at Aegis Gardens in Fremont, CA. Around the world, in Japan, India, and other countries where family care of the old was the norm, we are seeing a rise in acceptance of specialized housing and community planning for elders.

So, what do you think? As the population of diverse elders grows with the larger aging demographic, is ethnogeriatrics the answer? How can we prepare ourselves and our communities to address the culturally diverse needs of older adults? It would be great to hear your ideas.  

Sharon Baggett, PhD

Associate Professor

Dr. Baggett teaches gerontology courses in CAC's undergraduate and graduate Aging Studies programs and is extensively involved in program evaluation and issues related to planning for livable communities for people of all ages.

Bringing smiles to seniors, one flower at a time

Do you ever hear a little voice inside your head?  You know, the one that puts thoughts and ideas in your mind?  Have you ever acted upon one of these suggestions and seen the results? A couple of years ago while I was driving down Main Street in Zionsville, I heard this voice inside my head.  I was driving along, singing to the radio and minding my own business when I heard this voice interrupt my thoughts.  I dismissed it and kept traveling down the road just going along with life.  

Another day, while traveling down the road I heard it again. This time I sort of listened, but wondered what is was asking of me. I thought that this voice had the wrong person. But in my mind I kept hearing this voice tell me what I was supposed to do.  The more I tried to ignore it, the stronger the voice became.  I kept thinking to myself, “Please don’t ask me to do this.”

The question the voice was asking: “What do you think Nana’s (a local flower shop) does with the flowers they can’t sell?”  

I had never thought about what florists do with the leftover flowers.  So one Saturday my mother-in-law and I went in and asked.  They said the staff would take home the flowers they couldn’t sell. I asked if they would be willing to donate them to our local nursing home. Right away they said yes -- and I didn’t even have to beg!  

I began picking up the extra flowers once a week and delivered them to the residents at Zionsville Meadows, a long-term care facility. When I gave the residents the flowers, their faces lit up with beautiful smiles. I was able to communicate with them in a way that was new and exciting to me.  

As the weeks went on, my daughter began helping me. Then a friend and her children joined us. The older adults loved seeing the kids and their spirits were truly uplifted by the flowers and the companionship. These seniors were becoming my friends. I looked forward to seeing them as much as they wanted to see me.  Many of them have no one who visits with them so they always looked forward to and enjoyed our visits.  Truthfully, I think I received more out of it then they did.  

Looking back, listening to that voice and responding to it changed my life for the better.  It gave me the realization that our elders need help in many ways, both big and small.  Since I’m no longer able to deliver flowers to the nursing home, I recruited other members from my church to take on the task. They truly love being able to brighten the days of these older adults as well.  

So the next time you hear that voice in your head, take a moment to consider what is being asked of you.  Who knows, you just might make a difference in someone else’s life.  And you just might make a difference in you own life too.

Katrina Kappel 

Katrina, on the left in the picture above, is a graduate assistant at the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community, as well as a student in CAC's aging studies program.

Free webinar on physical activity for those with chronic disease

On Thursday, December 15, the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community  will host a free webinar to discuss "The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines and Additional Recommendations for Individuals with Chronic Health Conditions." CAC Associate Professor Constance McCloy PT, EdD will be the presenter for this session.

The webinar, which will take place from 1:00-2:00pm EST, is sponsored by CAC and is offered through the American Society on Aging. 

The content will address the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, particularly as they relate to adults and older adults. Additional information will be provided regarding physical activity recommendations for older individuals who have the following health challenges: history of falls, knee osteoarthritis, osteoporosis.

Participants in this webinar will:

1. Learn the history of how the 2008 Guidelines were established;
2. Through case study examples, integrate the evidence supporting participation in specific amounts and types of physical activity associated with preventing chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer; also evidence re: prevention of falls, hip fracture and osteoporosis, loss of functional mobility, and depression;
3. Comprehend application of physical activity recommendations for individuals with common health-related challenges such as knee osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and history of falls.  

Dr. McCloy has been a practicing physical therapist for more than 30 years. Dr. McCloy’s research has included the implementation and evaluation of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) in Indiana and the identification and prevention of sports-related injuries in nationally-competing senior athletes.

One hour of CEU credit is available from the following:

• National Academy of Certified Care Managers
• National Board of Certified Counselors
• California Association of Drug and Alcohol Counselors (with reciprocity with other states)
• Association of Social Work Boards
• California Board of Behavioral Sciences (with reciprocity with other states)
• California Board of Registered Nursing (with reciprocity with other states)
• American Occupational Therapy Association

 To register for this free learning event, please click here.

Thankful for aging

One quick Google search turns up a number of reflections worth reading about giving thanks for aging:

I Am Thankful for Aging Gracefully -- "There is nothing miserable about getting older as long as you are still living.  Oh, I don’t mean just breathing and still on top of the earth.  I mean living — participating in life, taking part, being a part of life, and enjoying it."

Seven Things to be Thankful for as You Age --  Did they leave anything off of this list?

What Older Adults Are Thankful for this Year --  Laughter. Large print books. Health. Medicines for those not so healthy.

Thankful Thursday: Age -- "With aging, I am thankful for realizing that life is not about me."

Women over 50: Thankful for the Gifts of Age -- The gift of perspective tops the list.

Happy Thanksgiving to you from the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community. We are thankful that you choose to spend time with us here on this blog.