Don Akchin

Gary Allen Foster, an executive recruiter and career transitions coach, thinks traditional retirement is a bad idea. At 80, he considers himself semi-retired, working as much as he wants and keeping his mind sharp and his body fit. In this interview he discusses his thoughts on a variety of topics related to the last stage of life: His discovery that high achievers never stop creating. How retirement resembles an iceberg – most of its shape invisible until you’re upon it. Why the traditional 20-40-20 pattern of education, career, and retirement is being replaced by a cyclical model... Continue Reading

Photo by Online Marketing on Unsplash It’s open enrollment season for Medicare through December 7, which means it’s open season on the elderly or those hoping to become so. Last year, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a nonprofit health policy organization, 643,000 Medicare ads ran on television during the nine-week enrollment season, most of them for Medicare Advantage plans. That doesn’t include the bombardments of direct mail and internet ads. The EndGame is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming... Continue Reading

No. 43/October 25, 2023 NewScan is a biweekly briefing on news relevant to readers of The EndGame. NewScan is a premium feature exclusively for paid subscribers. Who’s Old: 80 is the new 60 The latest study from Age Wave, The New Age of Aging, finds that the rising tide of older adults has already changed perceptions about aging. In previous generations, 6… Read more  Continue Reading

Photo by Carlos Torres on Unsplash Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and author, points out that older adults have been systematically neglected and underserved by the American healthcare system. This neglect is reflected in our healthcare institutions: Pediatricians and pediatric hospitals to treat children, internists and mainstream hospitals treat adults. For older adults we have…nursing homes. The EndGame is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. The neglect goes deeper. Medical students receive... Continue Reading

Just a few thoughts about the fight against distraction and life as a limited-time offer. Leave a comment  Continue Reading

Photo by Damian Barczak on Unsplash Fifty years ago, when I was young and stupid, marijuana was hands down my drug of choice. For a straight-laced, straight A, rule-following, risk-averse young fellow, the thrill of doing something illicit was part of its appeal, but the real attraction was the way the drug made me feel. It allowed me to let go of deadlines and responsibilities for a few hours. It also lowered my stress levels (when it didn’t make me paranoid). But most of all, it made me feel creative and free from linear thinking in a way that I longed to be but couldn’t muster... Continue Reading

No. 42/October 11, 2023 NewScan is a biweekly briefing on news relevant to readers of The EndGame. NewScan is a premium feature exclusively for paid subscribers. Most Depressing Headline of the Week For me, a person inclined to take life sitting down, this was the undisputed winner: “Sitting more than 10 hours a day could increase dementia risk, study show… Read more  Continue Reading

Photo by Unsplash in collaboration with Getty Images The EndGame is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. On a half dozen occasions this past June, I would be in the middle of a conversation when, without warning, my voice would turn hoarse. By July, my voice was raspy more often than it wasn’t. I thought the cause might be changes in temperature, or a high pollen count. Maybe it was a new symptom of acid reflux. Or maybe – “You know what it is?” a friend said. “You’re just getting old.” I... Continue Reading

Raymond Jetson, a church pastor, Harvard fellow, and former state legislator, founded Aging While Black to explore the unique experience of Black Americans, particularly how social, political and economic inequalities have a bearing on aging. As the driving force behind Metromorphosis, a social change nonprofit, he has developed an approach built on engaging and convening community stakeholders, looking for ways to correct systemic issues, and changing the narrative around inner-city communities. Among the points discussed in this interview: Why family caregiving is a valuable tradition, but... Continue Reading

Photo by Jeremy Wong on Unsplash It must be true that I have mellowed with age. This is a good thing, as the angry-young-man schtick looks pretty ridiculous on genial old Pop Pop. But bullying is one exception that always makes my blood boil. I respond viscerally whenever I learn of the strong terrorizing the weak just because they can. The EndGame is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. That’s why I get worked up whenever I read about elder abuse. Abusing an older adult weakened by illness,... Continue Reading