Sleep, sleep, and more sleep! You probably hear about sleep frequently. It’s a common headline in the news and often a topic of conversation. A question I ask my family most mornings is, “How did you sleep?” Sleep is universal—we all need sleep and we’ve been sleeping since the beginning of time! Most individuals don’t get enough.
Stress presents itself in many ways. It may show up as headaches, pressure between the shoulder blades, fatigue, insomnia, or irritability. Stress is the body’s reaction to a situation; because stress responses are unique to individuals, stress management must also be personalized.
Each spring when I teach my class on aging, I ask young students–who are usually in their early 20s–what we should call people over the age of or around 65.
I hear pretty much the same list year after year: elderly, senior citizens, aged, elders, senile and geriatrics.
If you ask older people about their preferred living situation in the future, most will say that they would like to remain living in their current home for as long as possible. This is because for many people, homes have much greater meaning and sentimental value, far beyond the “bricks and mortar” they’re made from.
© March 2025
