I have turned to some biographical narrative in order to consider how older people themselves narrate the meanings of age. Perhaps it is not surprising to discover that women do this much more creatively (and I think honestly) than men. This short book is quite amazing in its eloquence, honesty, wisdom and rigour. Reading Heilbrum […]
Presbyterian Homes
Posted on by James Woodward
Ever keen to connect with the developing culture of care and housing for older people I am invited to travel north of the city to visit Presbyterian Homes – or more precisely – Westminster Place in Spokie (an Indian word) in Evanston. My guide is Dr Celia Berdes who is the Director of Research […]
At Seventy
Posted on by James Woodward
At last – a text as rich in wisdom about age as I have seen. May Sarton At Seventy is a journal of the poet and writer’s life. She takes us through the ordinary ups and downs of life in Maine starting in on the 3rd of May 1982 (her birthday) and ending a year […]
The Beulher Centre on Ageing,Health & Society
Posted on by James Woodward
The Centre is somewhere in this picture! Part of the joy of sabbatical time is the opportunity to network with people who are leaders in your area. I have tried to balance my interests – pastoral theology; housing and care for older people; Church life and the spiritual journey and my main focus – the […]
The thing about life is one day you’ll be dead
Posted on by James Woodward
I was going to have a rant about the annual accounts from the Church of England (see news item 6 May on at www.cofe.anglican.org) and how much it costs us to keep Bishops – if someone can explain it to me without causing a minor stroke I should be grateful – but I resist […]
Montgomery Place
Posted on by James Woodward
About a mile or 15 minutes brisk walk from Brent House is Montgomery Place – a continuing Care retirement community and (much to my surprise) a place where I thought I could live. I am invited to lunch by the Director of Pastoral Care, Bob Petite, an Episcopal priest who has been working here for the last fifteen […]
Successful Ageing?
Posted on by James Woodward
On the 25th of April I shared with you some random musings about age – let me try this concept which is all the rage here in the USA – successful Ageing. Close your eyes and think of an image that best captures this concept. Or perhaps you can think of a person that encapsulates […]
What is he doing with all that time??
Posted on by James Woodward
Well – you may wonder and so do I!! Time passes by – sometimes we notce and sometimes we don’t. This space has given me valuable time to read and listen …. and that leads for me into writing. I have started some reflections on age for the more general reader and I thoughT that […]
Learning what is important as we age ?
Posted on by James Woodward
There are some great liberations that surround old age. Abraham Maslow once suggested that wisdom was the accumulation of knowledge and experience and then living long enough to reflect on it, make sense of it, and apply it to oneself and others. Well not all older people are wise. However I have come to see […]
Creative Ageing and learning new tricks!!
Posted on by James Woodward
Be careful – learners around here! They are a hospitable, open, positive and friendly lot the Americans that I have had the joy of meeting so far. On Tuesday (yesterday!) I took the Metro train out towards the National Cathedral to meet Dr Gay Hanna. She is the Director of the National Centre for […]
The Way we Age?
Posted on by James Woodward
Do you ever wonder what old age has in store for you? How old do you feel inside? Where would you like to age? The way we answer these questions – our perspectives on age and growing older are shaped by our life story. Our parents and grandparents will have shaped our views. Those around us […]
Not at my Age?
Posted on by James Woodward
Those who know me will recognize this phrase probably used so often that its originial intention to amuse has worn off a little! I have had a rather mixed day not helped by very heavy rain all night which kept me awake – my room is at the top of the building so it felt […]
Who would you vote for?
Posted on by James Woodward
The Aging in America conference is over and the delegates left the Marriot ballroom in good order telling each other that they would meet again in Las Vegas next March! I wonder if I could get away with that trip on parish expenses? I wondered about home and Temple Balsall on the Sunday that is […]
Is it good enough for us?
Posted on by James Woodward
The conference continues with the most breathtaking array of material and an ethusiasm about older people and their care which is very powerful. I wonder if it would be possible for such an event to take place in the UK? I move between workshop and lecture interested in story telling, successful aging and spiritual care. […]
A Tender Heart
Posted on by James Woodward
Picture the scene. 3,600 delegates crammed into the Ball Room of a Washington Hotel listening to a choir of ‘seniors’ as they call them over here. I am feeling the after effects of too little sleep and some jet lag having just flown from London yesterday. It is the Aging in America conference and the start […]
Too Old?
Posted on by James Woodward
And I thought that the Lib Dems were the nice lot in politics? All of us should take an interest in what has happened to Sir Menzies Campbell because deep down there is some shameful ageism at work. If we do not tackle it then we will suffer from the way our society views and […]