Aging Well with a Sense of Well Being
Negative self-concepts fueled by physical aging and the marginalization of older adults contribute to depression and escalation of aging. Responding to stress, fear and disability with positive, hopeful perspectives can build resilience, self-efficacy and the “sense of well-being” that contribute to longevity, higher functionality and joy in later life. This reframing can make all the difference between an older adult with a chronic age-related condition whose condition is “an asterisk in their life” and the one who surrenders their identity to their disease and stops living.
Doe and her colleague, Anne Gerard, an alumna of the Third Age
Initiative™, a retired family therapist and the spouse of a man who
has lived with dementia for a decade, team up to provide workshops to support groups to introduce the positive approach to life and its challenges presented in Look, Ma! No Hands! Connecting these lessons with the concept of “rewiring your brain” may explain the inspiring impact this book and these workshops have on so many people.
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​In 2023, Doe developed “Finding Purpose With Parkinson’s” for the Chase Family Movement Disorders Center, part of the Hartford HealthCare Ayer Neuroscience Institute.
Click here to see the video produced by Hartford HealthCare that featured Doe and two participants in the pilot program “Finding Purpose with Parkinson’s,” the program for Parkinson’s patients and their significant others.
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“A natural storyteller, how Doe talks about her own experiences, relationships and challenges enriches the group’s understanding of what she is trying to share. In our first session, she asked the group, “How are you all feeling?” and almost universally the response was a variation of ‘I’m anxious, I’m uncertain, I’m tense and stressed’ – all the emotions one feels when venturing forward into the unknown of their diagnosis. At the end of the first session, Doe asked the group again, ‘How are you feeling now?’ The response this time was immediate and optimistic: ‘I’m excited! I can’t wait for the next session!’ Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Participants were grateful for Doe’s support and guidance. They felt empowered to move forward, and were excited about how this program will advocate for them and others.”
–J. Antonelle de Marcaida, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor of Neurology Medical Director,
Hartford Healthcare’s Chase Family Movement Disorders Center