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Deluxe LinksWATCHING: David Hilfiker, a retired physician in Washington, DC, is chronicling his journey through Alzheimer's Disease. He wants to de-fear this most fearful of diseases. Good job.
Watching the Lights Go OutGREEK COFFEE is one clue to extra-long life. Say the Greeks. Lighten up your day with this happy news from
DeathIsObsolete.comBIG DATA, BIGGER MISTAKES: This is David Brooks, who's pretty good, at his best.
New York TimesPLUCKING MEMORIES: This study says we remember things by flitting from "patch to patch" in our memories, and we shouldn't move on too soon.
U. of Warwick (UK)TAKE THIS. Nursing homes, especially in the south, are dosing old people with risky medications.
New York Times "Well" blogFUTURES: Will Old People Take Over the World?
io9.comDUH: People with money live longer.
Washington Post
Hold on. Let go.
I offer a quote, from David Hilfiker, a retired physician from Washington, D.C. He's in the news because he's writing a blog about his journey into Alzheimer's Disease.
Buddhist teachings remind us that there is no constant "self." ... The Western idea that our self stays the same throughout our life just isn't very accurate. In fact, our self changes continuously and dramatically throughout our life. The Buddhist teachings point out that clinging to any particular self-image is sure to bring suffering because the self will not fit the desired image forever. Let it go!With this in mind, David Hilfiker has found a way to face his Alzheimer's. It makes perfect sense for any time of life, but particularly the time after age 50. I'm working on my attitude about getting old. You could find worse role models than David Hilfiker.
The point.
I had a routine eye exam last week. My doc, who is 76, told me he's still working because he wants to "stay purposeful." One of my business partners, who's over 60, just spent a week in a Central American village, on what he called a "mission." Since I retired, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what to do next, and how to do it. The real question, it seems to me now, is "Why?" What better time to ask?
| — Dave Newton |
