Older Americans Among “The Unseen” In The Opioid Epidemic | The Fix
Opioid misuse nearly doubled for Americans older than 50 over a 12-year span. The focus of the opioid crisis tends to be on younger generations. But this could be problematic, as, according to the Washington Post, older generations are increasingly at risk to develop opioid use disorders.
Fighting Isolation to Support Rural LGBTQ Elders | Next Avenue
Potluck dinners may not solve the challenges faced by rural LGBTQ elders, but they are a frequent tool to fight the isolation faced by this vulnerable group. They include a monthly discussion group organized by older lesbians in Montpelier, Vt. Dinners put on by the national group SAGE — which stands for Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders — connecting older and younger members of the community are held each year. Last year’s events attracted more than 3,500 participants across the country. And in Northern California, a group of gay men initially formed to support others dying from AIDS in rural settings continues to meet 30 years later. They, too, hold potlucks and other gatherings to create a support network to help with new problems as they age.
Actor with disability takes on Crutchie in Axelrod’s ‘Newsies’; Free movies at State Theatre | App
The first production of “Newsies” at the Jersey Shore also features what the show believes to be another first — an actor with a disability playing Crutchie.
They’re Out of Prison. Can They Stay Out of the Hospital? | New York Times
The night Ronald Sanders turned his life around, he had been smoking crack for two days in a tiny, airless room. His infant son, Isaiah, was breathing in the fumes. “His chest was beating really hard,” Mr. Sanders recalled. “So I pray: ‘If my son makes it through the night, that’s it.’”
Mr. Sanders quit using drugs and stopped cycling in and out of prison more than two decades ago. He is now a community health worker who helps people getting out of prison deal with a host of medical, psychiatric and substance abuse disorders.
An Overlooked Skill in Aging: How to Have Fun | Wall Street Journal
Where are all the experts on having fun? Ken Dychtwald, CEO of Age Wave, a consulting firm specializing in age-related issues, was compiling a list of thought leaders around the world in the aging field. He found plenty of experts in ethics, social welfare, grief, illness, palliative care and geriatric health, among others. He looked for experts on fun. “There weren’t any,” he says. He sees this as a lost opportunity because older adults have more time to have fun—7½ hours of leisure a day compared with 35-to-44-year-olds, who have only around 4 hours, according to a 2016 study by Merrill Lynch and Age Wave
Growing advocacy and awareness bringing accessible design to more people than ever | PBS News Hour
Years of advocacy in the disability community along with technological advances have spurred the creation of more products for people with a range of abilities. NewsHour Weekend’s Megan Thompson talks to New York City’s Digital Accessibility Coordinator about the importance of accessible design and tours an exhibit at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum that highlights these advancements.
Xbox just got more disability-friendly | Aleteia
Microsoft’s latest release has received praise from a wide variety of gamers.
If you don’t live with a disability, it’s easy not to notice just how many everyday tasks are affected by our ability to do what we’re used to doing — such as playing video games. But Microsoft hasn’t forgotten their customers with disabilities.
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