Dateline: Seattle, Washington
Just a quick entry tonight. Finishing up that three thousand words on the baby boom and aging earlier today (posted separately) took most of my writing energy. If I can write another dozen or so of those on various topics related to aging, I may have the makings of a book. Feel free to chime in if you have specific topics you would want me to get into. I think I’m going to tackle geropharmacy and the failures of Medicare next. They’re both topics I cover frequently in various lectures.
Spent a leisurely morning this morning with my father in his apartment at Aljoya, the senior community in which he lives. It’s a very nice unit. It’s an end cap so it has windows on three sides, overlooks Thornton Creek and has easy access to pretty much anything he would want as he’s a block and a half from the Northgate Mall. At 86, he’s independent and still drives but knows that’s going to go away soon so he’s learned to Uber and has bought himself a little electric scooter that he can use for short neighborhood hops. His geriatrician son has cautioned him about falls. We went out to see my mother, who lives in a group home a few blocks away. Her Picks disease variant continues to worsen and she’s pretty much non-communicative. She was alert this morning, which isn’t always the case. We ate cookies and she pulled at my hands a lot. She remains quite strong and the staff need to trim her finger nails as she was able to scratch quite hard.
Took myself on my usual city tour in the afternoon. The downtown/Lake Union core continues -to be full of new construction and I can’t say that I like what it’s doing to the city. But I moved away thirty plus years ago so I don’t think I get a vote anymore. I also took a nice walk through the Arboretum which is my favorite place in town.
This evening was family gathering at my brother’s house for dinner and an early birthday cake for me. Everyone appears well, we all caught up on each others lives and then my brother, sister, niece and sister’s SO all gathered around to watch this week’s Game of Thrones. Laughing at the first half and sitting on the edge of our seats for the second half.
Tomorrow is my last full day in town. The only formal plan on the books is giving a talk to the Aljoya residents on aging issues (something I do pretty much every time I come up) so if you’re in the greater Seattle area and you have nothing better to do and want to see me do my professional schtick, come on by at seven tomorrow evening.
Life, The Universe, and Everything 