As we prepare for our next CircleTalk Leader Certification Course on November 11th, I came across a wonderful piece of writing. It was written by Jack Williamson, a newly trained CircleTalk leader who was reflecting on his recent experience. Here’s what he had to say: When lights come on… I am gratified when I […]
Building an Infrastructure to Combat the Loneliness Epidemic
While browsing the New York Times a few weeks ago, I came across an article that profiled the loneliness epidemic among senior populations. It left me with mixed emotions, heartened by the picture of progress it painted, yet daunted by the reminder that this problem is on an enormous scale. The article explained how the […]
Age Doesn’t Matter – What Does Matter is Connection
Today I visited a Circle that has been meeting for over one and a half years at an assisted living community. The theme this week was the importance of quality of life vs quantity of life. Frances, 96, and a longtime Circle member offered this particularly compelling observation: “For where we are now…. age gives […]
A Growing Problem for All of Us as We Age: Loneliness and Isolation
CircleTalk was innovated over six years ago based upon our belief that relationships and connection matters to all adults as they age and run the risk of loss, loneliness and isolation. Almost ever day, I hear news stories and read of studies in professional journals that continue to substantiate that both isolation (not having a […]
In Defense of Living Until Ninety
Dr. George Vaillant, long-time director of the Harvard Grant Study of human development, wrote a critical commentary on Ezekiel Emanuel’s much-discussed article asserting that he planned not live beyond age 75. Vaillant has a different point of view: “For myself, once frightened of aging, I retired at 72, turning the directorship of the Harvard Study […]
Looking for Purpose
Yesterday, as I sat in my home office looking out the front window, I noticed my neighbor of 25 years standing in her driveway waiting and watching the mailwoman deliver mail to everyone around her but not to her house. After 61 years, Barb and her husband Frank had moved into an assisted living community a […]
