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A new vision for the Population Aging Research Center
Two older adults walking outside, wearing cold-weather gear, walking arm in arm across a bridge, trees in the background.

A new vision for the Population Aging Research Center

For more than 25 years, PARC has been a hub for work on disparities in aging and mortality. Co-directors Hans-Peter Kohler and Norma Coe, who took over in July, want to expand its reach.

Michele W. Berger

The hidden COVID-19 health crisis: Elderly people are dying from isolation

The hidden COVID-19 health crisis: Elderly people are dying from isolation

Joshua Uy of the Perelman School of Medicine said isolation increases the aging process in elderly nursing home residents. “You see increased falls, decrease in strength and ability to ambulate. You see an acceleration of dementia because there is no rhythm to your day,” he said. “There isn’t a single part of a person’s life that isn’t affected.”

Older adults deserve to vote too—here's the support they need

Older adults deserve to vote too—here's the support they need

Jason Karlawish and Emily Largent of the Perelman School of Medicine and a George Mason University colleague wrote about the need to support older adults in participating in elections. “The votes of older adults count just as much as the votes of others, and limiting their right to vote diminishes their dignity and their legal standing as U.S. citizens,” they wrote.

Aging and the costs that come with it
Penn student Darcey Hookway

Aging and the costs that come with it

As a high school student, junior Darcey Hookway spent time volunteering on a dementia ward at a local hospital. “The social aspect of their condition really struck me,” says Hookway, who is from London. “They struggled immensely with social isolation. And now with COVID exacerbating that more than ever, I think that’s a huge detriment to their health.”

Katherine Unger Baillie

An improv class that enriches the mind and soul, even remotely
A person facing the camera shrugging with arms wide open. Another person is standing to the right, and two others are in the background.

Much like in traditional improv, participants in the Penn Memory Center’s Cognitive Comedy play off of each other, running scenes or throwing each other imaginary balls of varying sizes, for example. Though some facets changed as the sessions went virtual, the program remains well-loved and well-attended. (Pre-pandemic image: Terrance Casey)

An improv class that enriches the mind and soul, even remotely

The Penn Memory Center’s Cognitive Comedy program gives people with memory impairments and their caregivers a no-pressure space to think creatively, socialize, and be part of a community.

Michele W. Berger