Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Visiting the Bathroom Is Risky Business

Photo by J. Star.
People of all ages risk falling in the bathroom.  It's an oft-used room, filled with hard surfaces from floor to tub to toilet to sink.  Then add water to the mix! And soap. Also loose rugs, flimsy towel racks and sliding shower doors decrease stability.

Injuries range from abrasions to lacerations to concussions to fractures.

According to a summary of a CDC report on non-fatal bathroom injuries for persons 15 and older,

"Almost one-third (30 percent) of adults 65 and above who were injured in bathrooms were diagnosed with fractures. Among adults aged 85 and older, 38 percent were hospitalized as a result of their injuries."

Monday, July 1, 2013

A Midsummer Midlife Midwest Dream

Midwest Boomer Bloggers with our hosts.
Disclosure: I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

The "L" and buses
311 S. Wacker
I just returned from several days of travel, which included time spent in Chicago near the summer solstice--or "midsummer" as Shakespeare calls it.

I was in the heart of downtown Chicago, aka the "Loop," which includes many shops, restaurants, buildings and artwork.

My trip included two nights in the beautiful Allerton Hotel and two days in the John Hancock Center.

Like Shakespeare's characters, I had a rollicking good time near the longest day of the year.  During my stay in Chicago, I got to meet 15 other midlife bloggers from the Midwest.  It was a dream come true.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Positive Aging Day 2013

Photo by WSU Aging Studies
Earlier this week, I had the chance to attend Positive Aging Day here in Wichita, KS. This event is supported by a number of organizations, including the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging.

In addition to 20 sessions in concurrent sessions, we enjoyed a keynote speaker (Rip Gooch, member of the Black Aviation Hall of Fame) during lunch.  Find a detailed program here.

I attended the following sessions:

Friday, June 14, 2013

Movies Set in Nursing Homes

Photo by North Dakota National Guard. 
Most movies focus on the characters. Sometimes, however, the setting exerts considerable influence.

The setting looms large for many movies filmed in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or even active living retirement communities.

Often the conflict for movies with such settings stems from an environment populated primarily with people in late adulthood.

Below find a sampling of such movies, which mainly feature films but two documentaries as well.