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My father spent the last years of his life in a long-term care residence, suffering from dementia. My brother was his primary caregiver, which means he took greater responsibility for our father’s day-to-day care. I was involved more as a manager of social support. I communicated...

I moved from Montreal to Toronto at age 71 because I wanted to live closer to my daughters and their families. We love spending time together and I enjoy being part of their lives. However, I missed having a few intimate female friends my age to share life experiences and to do...

Recently, I went forest bathing (also known as nature therapy) which is adapted from the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku. It originated in Japan in the 1980s and has become popular around the world. In fact, some research suggests it is becoming as popular as the...

Photo: Flickr/Creative Commons, ccyhan. When I was growing up, my parents constantly reminded my brothers and me to say, “Thank you.” It became so automatic that I didn’t appreciate what it meant. I thought it was their way of teaching us good manners. However, as I...

Photo: Flickr/Creative Commons, W. Tipton. I don’t adapt easily to travel because I enjoy the comfort of my home and daily routines. Travel takes me out of my comfort zone into a world filled with unexpected experiences. That being said, I decided to accept an invitation to spend...

Photo: Flickr/Creative Commons, whologwhy. As we age, many Boomers are seeking a spiritual way of being that moves beyond religious practices. This may include everything from integrating eastern and western philosophies and meditation, to journal writing, bodywork, yoga, tai...

Myra presented at a Second Generation symposium at the Neuberger Holocaust Education Week on the topic of Recovering from Genocidal Trauma. As a social worker and daughter of Auschwitz survivors, Myra talked about her family history and life’s work with Holocaust survivors. Using...

Photo: Flickr/Creative Commons, Joseph B. In November 2016, at age 69, my life changed in a split second and my world turned upside down after I suffered a fall that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. On my road to recovery, I tapped into my resilience and learned important...

Dr. Robert Butler, first director of the National Institute on Aging, coined the term “ageism” in 1989. It refers to stereotypes of and discrimination against older people. Ageism can lead to myths about older people and the aging process. I often ask students at the beginning of...

A Person-Centred Approach for Working with Aging Survivors of Genocidal Trauma: The Case of Aging Holocaust Survivors in Canada. Symposium, Diverse Stories of Marginalization and Resilience: Perspectives from Social Work. Canadian Association on Gerontology, Montreal. This...