Green Burials
We talk about the importance of being involved in the death process of loved ones and learning about what burial options are available when that time comes.
Aging and Death Sub-categories:
Grieving Amidst the Holidays
We speak with psychologist Mary Lamia about how to sit with your emotions, communicate with loved ones and set realistic expectations this month.
Discovering Death: Answers From a Mortician
What happens if you pass away in the Arctic, or in outer space? How do people in Thailand or India mourn their dead differently than people in the U.S.? Mortician Caitlin Doughty gives us the answers.
Conversations About Loss and Death
We speak with a psychiatrist and expert in grief and trauma about how parents, caregivers and adults in general can best have conversations with young people about loss and death.
Caring For an Aging Population
So often we talk about the healthcare system and the patients themselves, but what about the caregivers who provide these services to the aging population? In many cases, this role falls on family members' shoulders, and for this group, it can be all too easy to quickly lose sight of personal health, wellness and relationships.
Advancements in Anti-Aging
By 2030, 74 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. will be 65 or older. As people age, this means bigger burdens on the healthcare system, senior housing and care. But, what if one day, we could slow down this process of biological aging? Two researchers from Northwestern University join us this week to share some of the latest innovations in the anti-aging field.
The Mysteries of Alzheimer’s Disease
For many decades, scientists have been trying to decode this disease with no avail. Instead, more questions keep popping up as we learn more about this complex disease and face dead ends in treatment exploration. Two experts in the field join Viewpoints this week to shed some light on modern Alzheimer’s research.
The Caregiver Crisis
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employee turnover at nursing homes in an average year is 74 percent. With high rates of turnover and not enough new workers entering the caregiving field, the U.S. is deep in a senior care crisis that’s only set to get worse. Two senior care experts join Viewpoints to discuss why no one wants these jobs and how …
End-Of-Life Planning: Have You Gotten Your Affairs In Order?
About 60 percent of Americans don’t yet have a written will in place. People spend a lifetime working hard, saving money, building assets, but often never think about what would happen in case they suddenly passed away. Viewpoints speaks with life planning expert, Abby Schneiderman, about the importance of organizing your life both on paper and online.
The Lasting Legacy of Alex Trebek & Jeopardy!
Alex Trebek hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons until his passing last month from pancreatic cancer. The trivia quiz series is unlike any other show on TV – and some would argue that a big part of what made it so entertaining was Trebek’s talent for leading the game. We explore his career legacy and what’s next for Jeopardy!.
Culture Crash: The Life of Alex Trebek
Alex Trebek, the host of Jeopardy, passed away at age 80 earlier this month. We remember his finesse, humor, genuine personality and decades-long dedication to the popular game show.
Examining the Death-Care Industry
Planning for death is an important part of life. Getting your affairs in order and communicating your final wishes to your loved ones are two vital steps in this process. We speak with John Keith, the owner of Keith Monument, to better understand the field and some of the ways that COVID-19 has changed the way we celebrate life.
Culture Crash: The Lasting Legacy of Actor Chadwick Boseman
Chadwick Boseman passed away from cancer at the age of 43 on August 28. We honor his legacy and his many contributions to film from starring in Black Panther to his portrayal of baseball player, Jackie Robinson in the 2013 movie 42.
Culture Crash: The Passing of Director Joel Schumacher
Prominent Hollywood director Joel Schumacher died on June 22, 2020 at the age of 80. We discuss his legacy and some of the films he’s best remembered for.
Culture Crash: Remembering the Legend: Kobe Bryant
It can sometimes still feel unreal that NBA superstar Kobe Bryant is gone. The retired Los Angeles Lakers player was more than just an athlete, but a tremendous idol to millions of people across the world. We discuss his legacy and the fragility of life.
World War II: The Women of the OSS
More than 75 years ago, a diverse set of men and women making up the Office of Strategic Services were united together in their determination to win World War II. Some served as government spies or propagandists and others gathered terrain intelligence for army invasions. Whatever role they played, the OSS staff worked tirelessly for years and rose to the …
Aging In America: The Senior Care Industry
Each day, 10,000 Americans will hit retirement age. With millions of people growing older every day, the need for home health aides is set to expand by 47 percent between 2016 and 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So - what are the best senior care options out there? How much does it cost per year? What's it like working in home health aide …
Top Dog: Helping Senior Dogs Find New Homes
Did you know that only one out of every five dogs will finish their life with the family who originally took them home? Top Dog Foundation, specifically helps find new homes for senior dogs through a variety of programs. We speak with the founder of the organization, Jean Stelten-Beuning about the current need and how owners can plan ahead to ensure the …
The Complicated Role of Caregiving
Many Americans place a heavy emphasis on finding and arranging care for their loved ones. This can mean shifting to a nursing home, hiring in-home professional care or even becoming the caretakers themselves. And if people take on this role of caregiver, it can be easy to quickly lose sight of one's own personal health, wellness and relationships. We discuss …
Discovering Death: A Mortician’s Guide To Life
What happens if you pass away on an airplane or in outer space? Why do bugs only eat certain parts of your body? These are some of the questions Caitlin Doughty answers everyday and in her new book "Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?" Viewpoints spoke with Doughty about why discussing death is still such a taboo topic in the U.S. and how our burial and funeral …
One Scrub Does Not Fit All: Male Nurses & The Future of the Profession
Around 10 percent of nurses today are men. As aging Americans place a greater strain on the healthcare system, the nursing industry faces a growing shortage and is responding by finding new ways to recruit nurses early on. We dispel some of the myths around the profession and some of the new medical technology in the works aimed at improving efficiency and …
The California Norco Shootout
We cover the Norco shootout of 1980 – an extravagant bank robbery by five heavily armed criminals ending in multiple lives lost, several wounded and a police helicopter shot down from the sky. We speak with author, Peter Houlahan about that fateful day and how it forever changed police response to organized crime.
No Happy Endings: Moving Forward After a Monumental Loss
We speak with Nora McInerny, the author of No Happy Endings: A Memoir about enduring the loss of her husband and accidentally finding love again. McInerny discusses the grief and despair she felt and how she learned to embrace those feelings rather than tuck them away.
The Storm on Our Shores: A Story of War, Loss & Forgiveness
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Mark Obmascik shares the incredible story of two men fighting for opposing sides and tangled in the complexities of World War II in his book The Storm on Our Shores: One Island, Two Soldiers, and the Forgotten Battle of World War II.
