Age of Aging

At The Age of Aging, we often talk about the importance of physical activity and a healthy diet for brain longevity. However, one of the best things you can do to promote brain health as you age may also seem unlikely: hanging out with your friends.  

In this episode, we explore the growing body of research linking social isolation and loneliness to cognitive decline and dementia risk. We’ll hear from older adults navigating loneliness, researchers studying its effects on the brain, and members of a unique housing community designed to help older adults stay connected. 

Later, Terrence Casey, Jake Johnson, and Executive Producer Dr. Jason Karlawish reflect on what loneliness looks like in clinical practice, why social isolation can complicate dementia diagnosis and care, and what listeners can do to build stronger social connections throughout their lives. 

Inside this episode 

5:35 – Social Isolation and Brain Health 
Dr. Holly Elser explains why social isolation is considered one of the 14 modifiable dementia risk factors and how social connection may help build cognitive reserve. 

7:43 – The Dementia Risk of Isolation 
Dr. Barbara Sahakian discusses research from the UK Biobank showing that socially isolated adults had a 26% increased risk of developing dementia. 

11:13 – Grief, Purpose, and Feeling Alone 
Frank Saar reflects on life after the death of his wife and the challenge of rebuilding a sense of purpose while coping with loneliness. 

15:24 – A Community Built for Connection 
Residents and staff from Morningside Gardens in New York describe how a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) helps older adults stay socially engaged, active, and supported. 

18:13 – The Social Lives of Healthy Agers 
Philadelphia artist Jean Lindsay shares how decades of participation in community arts programs helped him build friendships and maintain a sense of purpose. 

21:40 – “It’s Okay to Ask for Help” 
Doris Kitt explains why loneliness is deeply personal and why older adults should seek support when isolation begins to affect their well-being. 

24:39 – What Loneliness Looks Like in the Clinic 
Jason Karlawish discusses how social isolation often appears early in dementia and why clinicians pay close attention to changes in a person's daily routines and social engagement. 

34:13 – Finding Your Community Before You Need It 
Jake and Jason discuss why building meaningful social connections earlier in life may be one of the most powerful investments people can make in their long-term brain health. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below 

Special thanks to Doris Kitt, Holly Elser, PhD, Barbara Sahakian, PhD, Frank Saar, Dana Minaya, Ron Bruno, Gene Renzi, as well as today's co-hosts, Terrence Casey, Jake Johnson, and Jason Karlawish, MD. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Producer Jake Johnson and Executive Producer Jason Karlawish. Contributors include Morgann Adams, Terrence Casey, Dalia Elsaid, Emily Largent, and Alison Lynn. 

The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund, Lena Chow, and the TIAA Institute. 

Doris Kitt’s Poem on loneliness: 

Life is fraught dear friends  

That’s just how it is  

The challenge is overcoming and 

You don’t have to be a wiz  

It’s okay to be sad  

Just don’t let it linger 

There are lots of things to do  

To give loneliness the finger.  

Remember the good ole days  

And how life used to be  

When things were really simpler  

Now a memory to you and me.  

Doing something different  

And keeping busy too  

Will bring about a change  

You never knew you knew  

Teach yourself a language  

How hard could it be 

Or simply go a fishin’  

Or read a book beneath a tree.  

Take the train to an unknown stop  

Get off and have a cup of tea  

Trying something new  

Will bring a lot of joy to thee  

Volunteer with children  

Oh what a day you’ll have  

And I guarantee that loneliness  

Won’t seem so bad  

The idea is to keep busy  

Within your capable range  

It will make you happy  

And your mind will feel the change  

Ride a bike. Go skating  

Just doing something new  

Will make your body healthy  

I promise you.  

The thoughts that make you lonely  

Will be a thing of the past  

Have faith. Have hope. Be joyful  

And life will be a blast.  

No matter what phase of life you’re in  

Loneliness can be a drag  

It will affect your welfare  

And keep you in a bag.  

Don’t delay in getting help  

If that is what you need  

You deserve to live a life of peace  

So let others intercede. 

What changes when dementia care becomes personal? In this bonus conversation, neuropsychologist Dr. Emma Rhodes sits down with Penn Memory Center Director of Social Work Alison Lynn to talk about caring for her father with Alzheimer’s disease, balancing caregiving with work, and how the experience has changed the way she sees patients and families.

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Producer Jake Johnson and Executive Producer Jason Karlawish. Contributors include Morgann Adams, Terrence Casey, Dalia Elsaid, Emily Largent, and Allison Lynn. 

The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund and Lena Chow. 

At the Age of Aging, we often speak with researchers and clinicians who have devoted their careers to understanding dementia and caring for the people living with it. Less often, we hear what happens when dementia becomes personal for those same experts. 

In this episode, neuropsychologist Dr. Emma Rhodes shares her experience caring for her father, Jack, following his diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. In conversation with Penn Memory Center Director of Social Work Allison Lynn, Emma reflects on grief, stigma, caregiving, and the challenges of navigating life as both a dementia expert and a daughter. Then, Executive Producer Dr. Jason Karlawish and Editorial Director Terrence Casey unpack some of the interview's most powerful moments, connecting Emma's experience to broader lessons about caregiving and dementia care. 

Inside this episode 

4:18 – Daughter First, Neuropsychologist Second: Emma Rhodes reflects on the challenge of balancing her professional knowledge with the emotional reality of caring for her father. 

7:52 – The Uncanny and Ambiguous Loss: Jason Karlawish discusses the profound grief family caregivers experience when a loved one is simultaneously familiar and changed by dementia. 

12:45 – When Professional Calm Breaks Down: Jason shares a candid story about losing his composure while trying to help his father manage his finances. 

16:03 – Dementia Stigma Firsthand: Emma describes how caring for her father revealed just how difficult and often unwelcoming the world can be for people living with cognitive impairment. 

19:48 – Clinicians as Caregivers: Jason and Terrence explore why more healthcare professionals are speaking openly about their personal experiences with dementia in their own families. 

28:15 – The Hidden Work of Caregiving: Emma discusses the emotional, logistical, and physical effort required to attend clinic visits, participate in research, and manage day-to-day care. 

32:48 – “How Are You Doing?” Jason explains why one of the most important questions a clinician can ask a caregiver is also one of the simplest. 

39:26 – “Our Families Are Your Patients Too”: Jason reflects on why healthcare systems must better recognize and support family caregivers as essential partners in dementia care. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below 

Special thanks to Emma Rhodes, PhD, Allison Lynn, LCSW as well as today's co-hosts, Terrence Casey and Jason Karlawish, MD. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Producer Jake Johnson and Executive Producer Jason Karlawish. Contributors include Morgann Adams, Terrence Casey, Dalia Elsaid, Emily Largent, and Allison Lynn. 

The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund and Lena Chow. 

What makes a house a home? And what happens when that home no longer works for the person living in it? In this episode, we explore the emotional and practical challenges of downsizing and moving later in life — from letting go of decades of possessions to navigating dementia, family dynamics, and the fear of what comes next. 

Inside this episode: 

1:06 – Deconstructing Home: Dr. Jason Karlawish explores what makes a home more than just four walls and why dementia can change the way someone experiences their environment. 

8:24 – Professional Downsizers: Move managers Susan Blumenfeld and Charlotte Schutzman explain the emotional and logistical challenges of helping older adults decide what stays, what goes, and what their possessions are really worth. 

13:19 – 10x Harder: Kristi Mabe shares what it was like to move her own mother into assisted living, and why helping a family member can be much harder than helping a client. 

20:56 – “It’s the People, It’s Not the Place”: Mary Ellen Weber shares how moving to a retirement community helped her and her husband find connection, independence, and a richer daily life. 

25:00 – Tied to the Mast of Aging in Place: Dr. Karlawish discusses the risks of being too committed to living in one place when a home becomes isolating or no longer meets someone’s needs. 

36:36 – Coming Home: Jake and Dr. Karlawish turn to The Odyssey to consider what really makes a place home. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below 

Special thanks this episode to Kristi Mabe, Charlotte Schutzman, Susan Blumenfeld, and Mary Ellen Weber, as well as today’s co-host, Jason Karlawish, MD. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Producer Jake Johnson and Executive Producer Jason Karlawish. Contributors include Morgann Adams, Terrence Casey, Dalia Elsaid, Emily Largent, and Allison Lynn. 

The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund. 

Welcome to our annual summer bonus episode of the Age of Aging, where our Penn Memory Center experts reflect on the latest research from the annual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). On today’s episode, Age of Aging Executive Producer and PMC Co-Director Dr. Jason Karlawish sat down with Co-Director Dr. David Wolk and Dr. Chris Brown to unpack their biggest takeaways from their time in London. They discuss everything from new blood-based biomarkers to the latest data on anti-amyloid and tau-targeting therapies as well as what the future of Alzheimer’s treatment may look like.  

The Age of Aging will return for Season 6 in September, so please make sure you’re subscribed wherever you get your podcasts, and we’ll see you soon.  

Inside this episode: 

2:40 – How AAIC Has Changed: The group compares this year's meeting to AAIC 2017 and discusses how the science has shifted to a more clinical focus. 

9:26 – Predicting Brain Health: Dr. Brown and Dr. Wolk discuss where p-tau 217 stands as a biomarker as well as new markers like neuronal pentraxin (NPTX) for measuring synaptic health beyond amyloid and tau.  

22:42 – The Blood-Brain Barrier: The clinicians provide an update on the two anti-amyloid therapies currently available as well as discuss the brain "shuttle" technology, which appears to significantly improve amyloid clearance and safety. 

29:59 – Tau has its Moment: Results from the CELIA antisense oligonucleotide study show a "Goldilocks dose" effect, plus a look at a negative Lilly tau-lowering trial. 

 35:25 – Closing Highlights & What’s Next: Jason spotlights the LiBBY study, testing a THC/CBD combination for agitation in advanced dementia, before the group previews next year's AAIC 2027 meeting in Chicago. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below  

Special thanks this episode to Jason Karlawish, MD, David Wolk, MD, and Christopher Brown, MD, PhD. 

If this episode, or another episode, has resonated with you, please subscribe, leave us a review, or share it with somebody who would appreciate it. This makes a real difference in helping others find the show. And if you have a topic you’d like to hear, email us at [email protected]. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production, hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson. Contributors include Morgann Adams, Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, Alison Lynn, and Mischa Norton.  

The show is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund and Lena Chow. 

At the Age of Aging, we are sometimes lucky enough to have too many great stories to fit into a single podcast episode. We ran into this fortunate circumstance last season with our episode, “Ambiguous Loss,” which shared the stories of two caregivers grappling with their loved one’s decline from dementia. On today's mid-summer bonus episode, we share a third story we recorded that didn’t make the cut – not because it wasn't good enough, but because it was too complete to be a piece of something else.  

Margo Woodacre is an author, teacher, former state senator, and for eight years, the primary caregiver for her husband, Ernie, who was living with Alzheimer's. In this standalone conversation, Woodacre reflects on caregiving, grief, identity, and the slow work of asking, “Who am I now?” that followed the loss of Ernie. 

Inside this episode: 

2:02 – Becoming a Caregiver: Woodacre reflects on the early signs of Ernie’s Alzheimer’s disease, the fear that followed his diagnosis, and the emotional challenge of caring for someone whose personality was beginning to change. 

6:18 – Learning to Dance in the Rain: After a difficult moment in Ernie’s illness, Woodacre shares how a neighbor’s advice helped her reframe caregiving, change her own responses, and meet Ernie where he was. In doing so, she learned how to reduce conflict, preserve connection, and keep finding meaningful moments with him. 

10:26 – Delayed Grief: Woodacre reflects on the surprising sense of relief that followed Ernie’s passing, the administrative work of closing a life, and the delayed grief that emerged once the busyness faded. 

13:49 – Losing and Reclaiming Identity: After years of caregiving, Woodacre found herself asking who she was without Ernie and without the caregiving role that had shaped her daily life. She discusses journaling, meditation, teaching, politics, support groups, and solo travel as part of her path back to herself. 

16:20 – Traveling Alone Again: Woodacre shares the story of her first solo trip after Ernie’s death, a dude ranch vacation that began in loneliness and became a turning point in rebuilding confidence, openness, and independence. 

19:08 – Advice for Grieving Caregivers: Woodacre offers guidance for people beginning the grieving process: take your time, allow yourself to grieve, but don’t stay so long in pain that you miss the next lesson life may still have to offer. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below  

Special thanks this episode to Margot Woodacre for sharing her story with us. 

If this episode, or another episode, has resonated with you, please subscribe, leave us a review, or share it with somebody who would appreciate it. This makes a real difference in helping others find the show. And if you have a topic you’d like to hear, email us at [email protected]. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production, hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson. Contributors include Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, Alison Lynn, Morgann Adams, and Mischa Norton.  

The show is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund and Lena Chow. 

At The Age of Aging, we know that the stories we tell about dementia shape the perceptions, resources, and, ultimately, the lived experience of people with the condition. As such, it is our number one priority to understand what narratives serve an aging population and which ones are better left in the past.  

For the Season 5 finale, our team reflects on a special report from Hastings Center for Bioethics, Living with Dementia: Learning from Cultural Narratives of Aging Societies. Through a series of personal audio essays, some familiar voices from this season explore how cultural narratives influence the lived experience of dementia—and how new stories might help us build a more compassionate, creative, and supportive future. 

Inside this episode: 

4:21 – Managing Dependence: Dr. Jason Karlawish discusses Mercer Gary's essay on assistive technologies in dementia care. He explores the tension between fears of technological dependence and hopes that technology can eliminate dependence altogether. 

11:47 – Creativity, Collaboration, and Dementia: Terrence Casey, editorial director and co-host of The Age of Aging, reflects on Julia Henderson's essay examining participatory arts programs and how projects like Anne Basting's Penelope Project challenge conventional narratives about dementia. 

16:19 – Learning from History: Dr. Emily Largent discusses Jesse Ballenger's essay on the history of dementia. She explores how modern anxieties about cognitive decline are shaped by changing ideas about identity, aging, and selfhood. 

20:15 – New Narratives for a More Just Future: Producer and Co-Host Jake Johnson examines how cultural narratives influence dementia care and why imagining ourselves into the lives of people living with dementia and caregivers is essential to meaningful social change. 

25:34 – Rethinking Housing and Care: Dr. Holly Elser discusses supportive housing as a promising model for people living with dementia, offering an alternative to the traditional divide between aging in place and institutional care. 

28:14 – Season 5 Reflections: Dr. Jason Karlawish, Jake Johnson, and Terrence Casey discuss their favorite episodes from the season, lessons learned from reporting on aging and dementia, and what listeners can expect this summer and in Season 6. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below 

Special thanks this episode to Jason Karlawish, MD, Emily Largent, PhD, JD, RN, Jake Johnson, and Holly Elser, MD, PhD, MPH. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production, hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson. Contributors include Dalia El Said, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, Alison Lynnn, and Morgann Adams. 

The show is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund and Lena Chao. 

Caring for an aging loved one isn’t easy — but you don’t have to do it alone. At Rothkoff Law Group, families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania receive guidance through every stage of the aging journey. Their team of elder care attorneys, geriatric care coordinators, care coordinators, and public benefits specialists advocate for your loved one’s well-being and your peace of mind. 

Rothkoff Law Group — your partner in elder care advocacy and senior care planning every step of the way. Visit RothkoffLaw.com for more information. 

The air around us is invisible, but its effects on the brain are becoming harder to ignore. Research now links long-term exposure to air pollution with increased Alzheimer's pathology, cognitive decline, and greater dementia risk, and older adults face the greatest threat. 

On this episode of The Age of Aging, we go inside that science. Dr. Eddie Lee shares new findings from the University of Pennsylvania connecting lifetime particulate matter exposure to amyloid and tau buildup in the brain. Toxicologists, lung health experts, and clean air advocates explain what air pollution actually is, why Philadelphia's air quality ranks among the most concerning of major American cities, and what individuals and communities can do to protect themselves. And Dr. Holly Elser joins host Terrence Casey to explore the broader relationship between environment, place, and brain health — and why the fight for clean air is also a fight for healthy aging.  

Inside this episode: 

5:45 – Air Pollution and Alzheimer’s Disease: Dr. Eddie Lee explains how his team linked lifetime exposure to particulate air pollution with increased amyloid and tau pathology in the brain. 

9:27 – What Is Air Pollution?: Dr. Trevor Penning and Bev Stewart break down the science of particulate matter, ozone, and toxic gases, and explain why older adults are particularly susceptible to their harmful effects. 

13:06 – Philly’s Air Quality: Clean Air Council advocate Russell Zerbo discusses the biggest contributors to air pollution in Philadelphia, including transportation, industry, and urban density, and what local efforts are underway to improve air quality. 

15:01 – Protecting Yourself: Experts share practical steps individuals can take to reduce exposure to poor air quality, from tracking the Air Quality Index and wearing N95 masks to improving indoor air filtration. 

22:08 – Environment and Brain Health: Dr. Holly Elser joins Terrence Casey to discuss the emerging science connecting environmental exposures and dementia risk, the importance of policy solutions, and how climate and place shape healthy aging. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below 

Special thanks this episode to Eddie Lee, MD, PhD, Trevor Penning, PhD, Russell Zerbo, Bev Stewart, and Holly Elser, MD, PhD, MPH. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production, hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Alison Lynn. 

The show is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund and Lena Chow 

Caring for an aging loved one isn’t easy — but you don’t have to do it alone. At Rothkoff Law Group, families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania receive guidance through every stage of the aging journey. Their team of elder care attorneys, geriatric care coordinators, and public benefits specialists advocate for your loved one’s well-being and your peace of mind. 

Rothkoff Law Group — your partner in elder care advocacy and senior care planning every step of the way. Visit RothkoffLaw.com for more information. 

At the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Center in Philadelphia, our Golden Gems Senior Program offers a welcoming space for older adults to stay active, connected, and inspired. We meet every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for uplifting devotions, engaging activities, educational workshops and a shared lunch. Members also enjoy occasional outings and special trips throughout the year. For just $18 a month, participants gain access to a vibrant community focused on wellness, friendship and purpose. To learn more or join us, visit the Kroc Center and become part of our Golden Gems family. 

A longer lifespan is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. It also raises urgent questions about caregiving, financial security, and how we prepare for life after 65. On this episode of The Age of Aging, we take a look at the financial challenges that come with living longer. 

First, Terrence Casey moderates a wide-ranging conversation with Surya Kolluri of the TIAA Institute and Dr. Mary Naylor of Penn Nursing’s NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health about the financial realities of longevity in America. Later in the episode, financial experts Bode Hennegan and Christine Moriarty share practical strategies for planning ahead, avoiding common financial mistakes, and building long-term stability. 

Inside this episode:  

3:15 – A Different Life Structure: Surya Kolluri and Mary Naylor discuss the financial implications of an extended lifespan and why it will require fundamental changes on individual and societal level. 

18:17 – The Sandwich Generation: Kolluri and Dr. Naylor Examine the growing pressures facing adults caring for both children and aging parents, and the policies needed to support them. 

29:32 – 5 Financial Pitfalls: Bode Hennegan shares her top 5 most common pitfalls she sees older adults make when planning for later life. 

35:24 – Money Peace: Christine Moriarty gives her top 5 financial planning tips for older adults. 

41:24 – Start Saving and Communicating: Terrence Casey and Jake Johnson wrap up the episode by sharing the statistics that stayed with them most, and the changes they plan to make in their own lives.  

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below 

Special thanks this episode to Surya Kolluri, Mary D. Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, Bode Hennegan, and Christine Moriarty 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production, hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Alison Lynn. 

The show is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund. 

Caring for an aging loved one isn’t easy — but you don’t have to do it alone. At Rothkoff Law Group, families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania receive guidance through every stage of the aging journey. Their team of elder care attorneys, geriatric care coordinators, and public benefits specialists advocate for your loved one’s well-being and your peace of mind. 

Rothkoff Law Group — your partner in elder care advocacy and senior care planning every step of the way. Visit RothkoffLaw.com for more information. 

The history of dementia research is a story of scientific progress stalled and derailed for nearly a century. 120 years ago, psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer made a groundbreaking discovery in the brain of a 55-year-old woman named Auguste Deter. Unfortunately, social and political turmoil would mean that his findings would not be widely understood until the end of the 20th century.  

On this episode of The Age of Aging, Terrence Casey and Dr. Jason Karlawish reflect on Alzheimer’s discovery as well as the work of his colleague Oskar Fischer — a scientist on par with if not more consequential than Alzheimer in understanding the neuropathology of dementia — whose work was cut short by antisemitism and Nazi persecution. Together, they uncover how that finding was almost swallowed by the ideologies, politics, and global conflicts of the early 20th century — and the uncomfortable parallels between that time and our current moment. 

Inside this episode:  

0:48 – The First Case: Terrence Casey introduces the story of Auguste Deter, whose 1901 admission to a Frankfurt asylum would become the foundation of modern Alzheimer’s research. 

4:34 – A Disease Without a Name: Why Deter’s symptoms didn’t fit existing diagnoses and how Alzheimer’s early observations challenged assumptions about aging and “senility.” 

13:27 – A Revolutionary Idea: In 1911, Alzheimer proposed that “senile” and “presenile” dementia might be the same disease. 

17:31 – Science Interrupted: How World War I, economic collapse, and political upheaval derailed progress in dementia research across Europe. 

19:10 – The Forgotten Pioneer: How the contributions of Oskar Fischer to dementia research were nearly erased by antisemitism and Nazi persecution. 

23:01 – The “Dark Ages” of Dementia: Why much of the 20th century viewed dementia as inevitable aging rather than disease. 

30:48 – Lessons for Today: Why scientific progress depends on social, political, and economic stability — and what current global trends could mean for the future of dementia research. 

32:41 – Rediscovery and Progress: The late 20th-century revival of Alzheimer’s research, including advances in diagnosis, biomarkers, and treatment. 

Resources available on the episode webpage linked below 

Special thanks this episode to Jason Karlawish, MD. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production, hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Alison Lynn. 

The show is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub Fund. 

Caring for an aging loved one isn’t easy — but you don’t have to do it alone. At Rothkoff Law Group, families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania receive guidance through every stage of the aging journey. Their team of elder care attorneys, geriatric care coordinators, and public benefits specialists advocate for your loved one’s well-being and your peace of mind. 

Rothkoff Law Group — your partner in elder care advocacy and senior care planning every step of the way. Visit RothkoffLaw.com for more information. 

 Opera Philadelphia presents Viva Verdi!, a documentary that takes audiences inside a retirement community. Built by composer Giuseppe Verdi for musicians in their later years, the film follows opera singers, instrumentalists, and conductors as they continue to perform, mentor, and create, proving that passion doesn't fade with age. A screening will be held at 1:00 PM on May 15th at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia followed by a panel discussion on creative aging featuring Penn Memory Center co-director Dr. Jason Karlawish. Details at operaphila.org. 

Opera Philadelphia promotional music – “Requiem,” by Giuseppe Verdi.