TOPIC: THE CURRENT - AS WE AGE
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Seniors, sex — and what happens in long-term care homes
Most people don’t like to think about their parents having sex, but their grandparents? Educator Mary Connell helps long-term care workers get comfortable with talking about the sexual needs of seniors, especially when it comes to issues around sexual health, dementia and consent.
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'Aging is not for the meek' — what we don't say about aging
In the conclusion of our series As We Age, we bring together a panel of guests navigating emotional and complex conversations — from how to care for their aging parents, negotiating moves into retirement homes, to what it means to grow old yourself while caring for someone else. It’s an intimate look at the realities many Canadians are quietly managing behind closed doors.
Why more Canadians are getting divorced later in life
Grey divorces, when a couple older than 50 end their marriage, are on the rise in Canada. When couples reassess their relationship, the end of careers, kids and cost of living all factor into their decisions.
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Getting older is hard. Does doing it alone have to be worse?
Getting older is difficult, but it can be even harder on your own. We look at the complications of aging without friends or family nearby — and where people can find the support they need.
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What this young designer learned, disguised as an 85-year-old
Back in the 1970s, the young designer Patricia Moore travelled the U.S. disguised as an 85-year-old — and experienced the real struggle of navigating the world as an older person. Moore went on to become a leading figure in inclusive design, and finding practical solutions to create a world that doesn't leave seniors behind.
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Caring for an aging parent, when you live hundreds of miles away
Shirley Gignac is 73 and living with dementia, but she lives hours away from her two daughters, Annette and Natalie Goerner. The sisters share how they’ve navigated hard conversations and found ways to care for their mom from a distance.
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Did you hear the one about the old comedian?
Getting older isn’t always easy, but sometimes it can be hilarious. As part of our series As We Age, we talk to older comedians about finding humour in everything from senior sex to Old Age Security — and tackling aches and pains when stand-up is literally the job description.
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What's it like to have dementia? This simulator can teach you
Burnout is a very real challenge faced by caregivers for aging folks. That’s why educators are finding innovative ways to help caregivers better understand the conditions their patients or loved ones are living with. As part of our ongoing series As We Age, Matt Galloway visits an aging education centre for himself — and test drives a dementia and frailty simulator.
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Putting dignity at the centre of long-term care
Kay Carter is 101 and lives in a care home that uses the “butterfly” model of dementia care — a resident-centered approach that emphasizes dignity. As part of our series As We Age, we visit Carter and her daughter Donna Hicks at the care home in Ottawa.
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How to keep seniors safe from dangerous falls at home
Many people want to stay in their own homes as they get older, but things like stairs and slippery bathtubs can lead to falls and injury. As part of our ongoing series on getting older, we look at what kind of improvements and modifications can keep seniors safe — and in their homes longer.
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Our aging parents face hard choices. Here's how to talk about it
Everyone’s getting older, but not everyone wants to think or talk about it. In a new series, The Current looks at aging well and the hard choices facing older adults and their loved ones. We start with a conversation many people have been avoiding: how to talk to our aging parents about getting older.