So Proposition 8 is back in the news as it's constitutionality is under judicial review. Yesterday I officiated at a funeral for a wonderful man who had a committed relationship with another man. The older adults in attendance were somewhat disturbed by the almost continuous outpouring of love that came from his friends in the gay community. They were eager and driven to get up and talk about their friend and his life, while the seniors sat passively and tried to keep their jaws off the floor. It was one of the few times I was negatively impressed with the culture of age. I think for gay and lesbian citizens to be fully accepted, they must have full rights. In order for their in group support system to be blended with the family of origin, there has to be routine, traditional events that are inclusive.

Back in the field of aging?

So I thought I was done with older adults.A year ago I accepted a job in correctional treatment and turned my back on elders. But I found my knowledge and experience followed me. I was assigned duties that built on what I brought to the job. And I found a bunch of social workers that need to have a ten hour training on "Aging and Long Term Care" so they can get a license. Part of my old assignment was to teach such a class. And the social workers in jail work really hard. They deserve to have the class provided, instead of having to pay hundreds of dollars to take it on their own time. So this week I am teaching a class on older adults. I will draw heavily on material I presented here, and in past presentaions that I refer to in past blogs. But there is news. Older Adults continue to make the news. The most recent event to make a headline was the death of Dr William Butler. He was the psychiatrist that coined the term "ageism" in 1969 and with his wife, a social worker, wrote the first text book I had on aging. They also wrote a book together called Sex over 60. He died of leukemia at 83 years old on Independance Day. He will be missed.

A throwback to the times some of our more senior seniors can remember is the victory garden. Instead of watering a lawn, an status symbol of excess created to show we are too rich to count the money we trow away, the yard is devoted to a patch of soil meant to grow food, herbs and flowers for our homes. In the past, hard times would encourage creativity in taking care of ourselves- in world war two, the produce you grew was an indirect support of troops who recieved the commercial crops. In the dustbowl era of the great depression, it was the only way to get fresh food for many families. Older adults have the farmers most valuable asset, experience. Failed experiments- trials that didn't end in product. Ask the old lady next door if she knows when to plant, and what needs sun. She will teach you things that you didn't know that you didn't know. Ask the senior why he cuts his roses back on New Years and the details of deadheading and five versus three leaf clipping will make your own head swim. And the exercise you get in a day of gardening is better for you than watching a whole week of Food Network on TV.