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My Nephew Died of a Fatal Drug Overdose
My brother’s only son lost his life to heroin at the age of 19This is Sophie’s story as told by Jeanette Summers. Our “Opening Our Hearts” stories are based on people’s real-life experiences. By sharing these experiences publicly, we hope to help our readers feel less alone in their grief and, ultimately, to aid them in their healing process. In this story, Sophie talks about her family’s grief…
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Adrian Brandon’s “Stolen” Honors Victims of Police Violence
A series of unfinished portraits reflects the tragedy of lives cut shortAt first glance, the portraits in Adrian Brandon’s “Stolen” appear to be works in progress. His detailed pencil sketches depict faces young and old, smiling and somber, with small splashes of color that make it seem as though the artist ran out of time — which, in fact, he did. That’s because Brandon times himself…
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“Alone Together: Love, Grief and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19,”
An author collects interviews, essays and poems about the pandemic from writers around the countryWhat do NPR’s poet-in-residence Kwame Alexander, Somali-American poet and essayist Sadia Hassan and “House of Sand and Fog” author Andre Dubus III have in common? They’ve all joined dozens of other poets and writers to share what they’ve experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in a new anthology, “Alone Together: Love, Grief and Comfort in the…
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“Shannon”
An iconic 70s song about love and grief that still resonates todayIn 1975, singer/songwriter Henry Gross was touring with the Beach Boys when he was invited to the home of Beach Boys member Carl Wilson. While visiting, Gross mentioned that he had an Irish setter named Shannon and learned that Wilson had also owned an Irish setter with the same name who had been tragically killed…
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New Alzheimer’s Test May Lead to Early Diagnosis
Recent studies have shown that tau proteins may be key to identifying the diseaseResearchers may have developed a new test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Recent studies in the U.S., Colombia and Sweden found that the disease could be identified with 96% accuracy by running a blood test to screen for a protein called p-tau217. This level of accuracy was previously only possible through much more invasive or expensive…
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The Rise of Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities
Seniors are forming loosely constructed retirement communities to age in placeMore seniors are choosing to age in place — often becoming unwitting members of Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities. Meanwhile, others deliberately move to join such communities, where they can feel more supported in their elder years, while younger residents leave. And as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, experts are predicting an explosion of…
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Fear of Contracting COVID-19 Leads Many to Forgo Medical Visits
Americans are avoiding hospitals for fear of contracting the virusIt’s well-known that COVID-19 has impacted the availability of medical services throughout the country. In regions hard-hit by the virus, hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed with new cases, and patients with less urgent medical conditions are often turned away. However, even where healthcare services are available, the pandemic is causing many Americans to forgo hospital…
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Our Monthly Tip: Make A Shared Playlist To Memorialize Your Loved One
Sharing musical favorites with a personalized playlist is a powerful way to tap into the memories that accompany themOur Tip of the Month Music is profoundly linked to long-term personal memories. Creating a playlist that can be shared among those who are separated by miles but united by grief can be a powerful connecting force. This practice doesn’t have to be limited to long-distance mourning by any means. Creating a memorial playlist to…
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“The Heart and the Bottle”
A touching, wonderfully illustrated children’s book about loss and griefThe Heart and the Bottle is a lovely, beautifully illustrated fable about a young girl grappling with loss and grief. Written and illustrated by acclaimed artist and children’s book author Oliver Jeffers, it is a simple story of a young girl whose “head is filled with all the curiosities of the world.” She shares that…
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