Category: wAGING Change

This is a good-bye for now. As of July 1, 2021, the wAGING change blog will go on hiatus. As the primary writer for wAGING change over the past 8 months, I have enjoyed sparking conversations about issues related to aging that prompt us all to entertain new possibilities and ways of thinking. It has…

I recently heard a radio interview with poet and writer Clint Smith, author of How the Word is Passed, who recounted that visiting the National Museum of African-American History and Culture with his grandparents led him to the realization that the history of slavery in the United States was not remote. His grandfather’s grandfather had…

Legacy It is a word that has been assigned to the passage of wealth, to privilege granted those who have connections to important others, and to historical events that influence later generations. It is also frequently invoked as something to be considered and determined in later life: What legacy will you leave future generations? What…

To close out the month of May and our discussion about climate change and aging, we welcome guest blogger Sarah Torgeson, a doctoral student in American Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. Sarah collects oral histories from older adults experiencing climate change, and as you will note below, has a very personal connection to this topic. Welcome,…

Earlier this month on the wAGING change blog, we discussed evidence of the inordinate vulnerability of older adults relative to climate change – particularly climate-related situations that may require evacuation or displacement, and those that affect food and water supplies.  Both U.S. and international agencies report disproportionate numbers of older adult fatalities from climate disasters,…

Each summer energy companies across the United States give away box fans to help consumers cool their residences – AND to help mitigate high levels of energy usage by supplementing cooling through increased air circulation. There are many ways to think about these programs, not all of them benign, if we consider why they are…

The concept Aging-in-Place (AiP) has been for several decades a useful term to describe living through the end of life in places which are familiar and meaningful. It has in some realms been focused primarily on the home environment, spawning numerous business initiatives  and certifications for professionals who consult with older adults about modifying their…

As we continue our focus on home for the month of April, the UNC Partnerships in Aging recognizes Habitat for Humanity of Orange County NC in Chapel Hill, NC, for their innovative work in senior housing. In January of 2018, Habitat for Humanity International unveiled a nationwide initiative to honor the concept of the Beloved…

I recently did an open online search cross-matching the terms ‘home’ and ‘older adulthood’. The top (non-commercial) hits using three different search engines were topics focused on health changes, aging-in-place, and in-home care providers. Not far down the list came recommendations for home safety, home exercise programs, and home modifications. The importance of these things…

A Research Brief from the UNC Partnerships in Aging Program Note: In this writing, the term sexual minority refers to LGBTQ identity, in alignment with the terminology used in some of the research referenced in the post. We acknowledge that the term ‘minority’ is contested, and embrace the work of moving collaboratively toward more inclusive…