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Games for the 50+: A New Outlet for Mentoring

Posted on 05/13/2013 by | Home & Family blogger | Comments

Home & Family | Technology | Your LifeOver the past few weeks, I’ve written about the gaming study by Dr. Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, associate professor and department chair, and Dr. Aaron Delwiche, associate professor, of the Department of Communication at Trinity University. For the final installment in this series, I want to focus on a very interesting insight from Drs. Henderson and Delwiche — many older gamers really like the mentoring aspect of multiplayer online games. It’s not about the competition but about helping others. As we …

Open Letter To Mom: 12 Truths You Taught Me

Posted on 05/10/2013 by | 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, …

5 Tips for Caregivers: Better Medical Relationships

Posted on 05/9/2013 by | Caregiving | Comments

Caregiving | Home & FamilyOne of the lessons I learned early on in my time as a caregiver for my father was that he and I weren’t alone. I’m not talking about the support — both logistical and emotional — we received from family, neighbors and the amazing senior center in our little Cape Cod town. I’m talking about the doctors and nurses who, one by one, became a regular part of our lives. Their help was irreplaceable, but each relationship required its own …

Call Your Mom! Wait, What Do You Mean You Already Did?

Posted on 05/9/2013 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

AARP Research | Home & FamilyWith Mother’s Day around the corner, let me add my praise for mothers. I applaud the efforts every mother makes to try to ensure their children live a well-balanced life. I also applaud aunts and grandmothers too, as more and more it takes a village to raise Millennials! Mother’s Day is a huge day for retailers who sell flowers and chocolates. In my own qualitative assessment, these sellers are in for another banner holiday. At a big warehouse store this …

Games for the 50+: Games Provide Family Caregivers With Time to Recharge

Posted on 05/6/2013 by | Home & Family blogger | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | TechnologyI’ve been writing about the landmark gaming study by Dr. Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, associate professor and department chair, and Dr. Aaron Delwiche, associate professor, of the Department of Communication at Trinity University. Their study is based on over 32,000 users of  Wizard101, an online multiplayer game that surprisingly has a large number of 50+ users. One of the biggest surprises to us at AARP are the findings that show gaming benefits for caregivers and those who have gone through a …

Games for the 50+: Benefits Include Socialization, Activity

Posted on 04/8/2013 by | Home & Family blogger | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | Relationships | TechnologyAt a conference last year, several of us at AARP had the chance to hear about the ways in which the 50-plus and those not quite 50 find benefits in playing online multiplayer games.  There are several parts of that last statement that tend to elicit pushback from others — first, many believe online multiplayer video games are played by teens or young millennial men.  Second, the idea of a multiplayer video game may elicit images of violent games which …

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