Laura Hahn

Biography: Laura Hahn writes about intergenerational friendship on her blog, Arthur & Bernie. Arthur is her friend. He’s a retired English professor who lives in Manhattan. Bernie was her grandfather, Pop Pop, who lived in small-town Pennsylvania. Laura’s work has appeared in People, Good Housekeeping and more. Follow her on Twitter @arthurandbernie

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Laura Hahn 'sPosts

Open Letter To Mom: 12 Truths You Taught Me

Posted on 05/10/2013 by Laura Hahn | Volunteering | Comments

Home & Family | RelationshipsDear Mom, By now, you’ve probably opened the package I sent for Mother’s Day. If not, SPOILER ALERT: I got you those leggings you wanted (like mine) and an oversized tunic to match. Cute? Yes. Thoughtful? Kinda. Special? Not really. Even the card I sent was ordinary. A few months ago, I picked out the perfect one, but then I forgot it at home on Tuesday, the day I had to USPS it all to arrive on time. #mothersdayfail Mom, …

Let’s Dance: Generations Step to the Beat

Posted on 04/4/2013 by Laura Hahn | Volunteering | Comments

Caregiving | VolunteeringIt’s wedding season again, which means… it’s dance season! Or at least that’s how I look at it. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better than the dance floor at a wedding. Old and young, experienced and not (mostly not), everyone comes together to celebrate. Six year olds hear their first Sinatra; 86 year olds hear their first Rihanna, for better or for worse. I say better. A few weeks ago, our DOROT Young Professionals group got a jump on …

How a Random Act of Kindness Helped Me Heal

Posted on 02/21/2013 by Laura Hahn | Volunteering | Comments

Home & Family | Legacy | RelationshipsIt was my first trip to Pennsylvania since Pop Pop passed away, and I was equal parts excited and apprehensive — excited because it was (and is) my favorite place on the planet; nervous because my favorite person wouldn’t be there. My grandfather, the Bernie in my blog Arthur & Bernie, wouldn’t be in his chair in the living room, or a short walk away at the nursing home, where he spent his final year. Would it be depressing? Would …

A Winter’s Tale: Helping Seniors Weather the Cold

Posted on 01/23/2013 by Laura Hahn | Volunteering | Comments

Caregiving | VolunteeringThere’s a woman who sits in the square outside my office. Her name is Anna, and she’s 92. Her caregiver Magda wheels her there, just a couple blocks from her apartment, so she can feed the birds. Or, as Anna, a lifelong New Yorker, says, “the boyds.” Seeing Anna in the square is like seeing my friend Arthur at the theater. It’s her happy place. She could spend hours there, watching the boyds fly up to the rooftops and down …

The Gift I Didn’t Know I Needed

Posted on 12/26/2012 by Laura Hahn | Volunteering | Comments

Caregiving | Home & FamilyBefore my Pop Pop died, we had a conversation about our conversations. “I miss our talks,” I said one night, sitting by his bed. It was August and, though the doctors said he was in good health, he was miserable. During the day, the pain consumed him and I wondered where my grandfather went, but for an hour or so at bedtime, the Pop Pop I knew came back. “I know you’re hurting, and it’s hard to think about anything …

A Modern Family: Bringing Generations Together for Dinner

Posted on 11/20/2012 by Laura Hahn | Volunteering | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | VolunteeringIn the three years I’ve known Arthur, we’ve never once sat at his dinner table — until last Thursday. We’ve eaten together plenty, don’t you worry. Food is very much a part of our visits. On my walks from work to his apartment, I usually pick up something for us to share — Vietnamese summer rolls, maybe, or cheese and a baguette. If the weather permits, we go to the farmer’s market nearby or to the food trucks lined up …