Spotlight on: “The Later Daters”

Michelle Obama’s new docuseries follows six older adults, ages 56 to 71, as they wade back into the dating pool. Helping them stay afloat are their children, close friends, and a relationship expert. Does dating get easier as one ages? No, but there can be some unexpected rewards. Streaming now on Netflix.

A More Resilient Brain and the Science of Longevity

It’s not too late to register for the Buck Institute’s December 11th Seminar on Aging. Tickets are still available for joining via Zoom. And, while you’re at their site, you can also get a leg up on January’s seminar.

First up, this Wednesday, Tara Tracy, PhD, will be highlighting how clearing a toxic protein in the brain can help promote the resilience of synapses, which send information between neurons. Already successful with restoring memory in mice, her focus offers great promise. 

Kicking off the new year, Eric Verdin, MD, will lead a talk centered around the evolving science of longevity, parsing out what is fact versus fiction. That seminar will take place January 8, 2025.

A New Vision for a Less Ageist Society

Join the Stanford Center on Longevity for Century Summit V taking place January 22-23, 2025, in person at Stanford University, and online via a virtual platform. The conference will focus on the challenges of ageism, and the importance of bringing generations together to create a more inclusive society. Guest speakers include Anne Lamott, Louise Aronson, and Ashton Applewhite. The conference is free of charge, but in-person attendance is by invitation or application only. Follow the link below to learn more.

Inside Ted Danson’s New Netflix Series

Cheers to Danson & Co. for creating a show that doesn't shy away from the topic of aging. “A Man on the Inside” is a comedy, but one that also highlights some weighty themes, including the fact that life doesn’t stop just because you get older. Streaming now.

What we’re reading this week: “The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Big Questions of Midlife and Beyond.”

Author Debra Whitman, an economist and aging expert, offers a roadmap for living a healthier and more meaningful second half of life. Two key insights:

1. Mind Over Matter – Yes, healthy habits are critical to longevity, but mindset has a significant impact as well. Researchers found that those with positive attitudes of aging can live more than seven years longer than cohorts with negative outlooks.

2. Older Workers Are a Force – More older Americans are working than ever before, and contrary to what many believe, studies show they are a benefit to the economy and to their employers, activating both productivity and innovation.

Staving Off Loneliness with Intergenerational Relationships

"What is the Intergenerational Future?" On November 14^th @ 12PM PT, join the Stanford Center on Longevity for its final webinar on ageism. Experts will discuss how fostering intergenerational relationships can combat loneliness, and create more empathetic, productive communities.

In this month’s Live Better Longer Community Seminar Series from the Buck Institute, geroscience experts examine the innovations and interventions extending human healthspan. Next up on November 6^th (in person and on Zoom): “The Mechanisms of Brain Aging,” led by Ashley Webb, PhD, Buck Professor.

In Season 6 of the Stanford Center on Longevity’s podcast, “Century Lives,” host Ken Stern explores “The Century Club,” a collective of nations focused on societal solutions to aging and longevity, particularly those addressing loneliness. Traveling the world, Ken learns how other countries are confronting social isolation, perhaps the number one detriment to healthy aging, and an issue largely ignored in the U.S. Subscribe and/or follow the link below. 

Health care providers, and other field professionals, recommend five books on caregiving—for the many who find themselves caring for family members, yet have no medical training or experience.

A global research initiative called The Dog Aging Project is embarking (pun intended) on a vast health study that brings together dogs and their owners, scientists, veterinarians and others to learn more about factors affecting canine health, longevity, and aging. Read on to learn more about the effort or to see if your dog qualifies for participation.

Ageism not only impacts older adults, but can have a negative effect on younger folks too, particularly women. Check out how @asaging is raising awareness of the ways age-focused bias can compromise mental and physical health, financial security, and personal interactions, and what you can do about it.

The Stanford Center on Longevity is taking a year-long, deep dive into the impacts of living in an ageist society, as well as potential solutions and innovations. The project’s second webinar, “Ageism & Women,” discusses gendered ageism and how it undermines women’s careers, health, societal dynamics, and everyday lives.  To register for the October 8^th program, click the link below.

Ageism’s Roots Run Deep

The Stanford Center on Longevity is taking a year-long, deep dive into the impacts of living in an ageist society, as well as potential solutions and innovations. The project kicks off with the September 26th webinar, “How Ageism Affects Our Lives,” which examines the deep roots of ageism in the U.S., and its influence across work, healthcare, and community. To register for the program, click the link below.

Finding peace in controlling your own destiny can be powerful. But when it comes to choosing when and how to die, not everyone has the privilege of making those choices . In his short documentary for the New York Times, Guillermo F. Flórez focuses on an 86-year-old woman in Spain who is ready to leave, while those around her struggle to understand.

Teaching Communities How to Address the Loneliness Epidemic

The U.S. Surgeon General declared social isolation an urgent public health concern, noting it impacts half of all American adults, with younger and older cohorts experiencing the most severe effects. The nonprofit, CoGenerate, is offering an innovators’ program designed to teach communities how to bring the two age groups together to bridge the loneliness gap. Apply to be part of the free, 5-week learning experience (applications due September 6).

A Horror Movie About Ageism in the Workplace–And No, It’s Not a Documentary

A new movie focused on ageism in the workplace melds sci-fi and horror as protagonist Demi Moore pursues cloning science to create a younger and more perfect version of herself. Covered by The Hollywood Reporter, the film also stars Randy Quaid and is directed by Cannes Award-winner Coralie Fargeat.

Buck your preconceived notions of aging with the Buck Institute’s Live Better Longer Community Seminar Series. The monthly conversations with geroscience experts examine the innovations and interventions extending human healthspan. Next up: Eat Your Way to Extra Years: Nutrition and Healthy Aging, September 4.

Community-based partnerships can apply to the CVS Health Foundation for monies to strengthen healthcare systems for older adults in 14 eligible states. Applicants must focus on 1. Improving detection and treatment of brain, heart, or mental health conditions, or 2. Increasing positive mental and physical health outcomes for unpaid caregivers. The deadline is August 16, and grant guidelines can be found here:

The BrightFocus Foundation- funding bold ideas for a brighter future- is accepting grant applications for its Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program. The foundation will award significant funds to established researchers in the field, as well as to postdoctoral students in the final stages of mentored training. Letters of intent are due August 2, 2024.

“Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs,” by CBS Sunday morning correspondent Mo Rocca, is a heartening anthology of individuals whose second acts are just as inspiring as their first. Rocca features artists, activists, architects, and athletes, and one actual rock star, Queen guitarist Brian May, who earned his PhD in astrophysics at age 60. The collection also includes cautionary tales about those who fell (some quite hard) from grace in the latter part of their lives. We see you Rudy Giuliani.