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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Classic Forums Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Women in Business Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Customer Service Advertise With Us Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map Email Story to a Friend October 20, 2006 Elders take on role of cultural glue Harvard gerontologist tells group of seniors about their value to the community By Bill kettler Mail Tribune There's a reason humans live twice as long as our nearest biological cousins, says a Harvard-trained gerontologist who visited Medford Thursday. Old people are "the glue that holds us together," Dr. Bill Thomas told a crowd of nearly 400 seniors gathered at Medford's Red Lion Inn. He said humans passed on their accumulated wisdom through elders for thousands of years before there was writing. "You cannot have a healthy human community that does not have the voice of elders in it," he said. "You cannot teach young people how to live without elders." Thomas spoke during a seniors' health and wellness conference organized by Sen. Gordon Smith and at least a dozen local sponsors. Thomas writes and speaks widely on the role of seniors in modern society and the need to create a new elderhood that fits the way we live now. He's also a visiting scholar at AARP. Smith chairs the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Kimberly Collins, committee spokesperson, said Smith plans to make the senior wellness conference an annual event that will be scheduled in a different city every year. Advertisement Other speakers gave seniors tips for keeping the brain young and encouraged them to share the stories of their lives with family members. Thomas illustrated the intergenerational role of grandparenting by asking his audience how many of them had a close relationship with a grandparent. When at least half the elders in the room raised a hand, he observed "Those men and women long gone are still in this room. Their influence is with you even now in this room." Thomas said it's important for people in their 60s, 70s and beyond to take responsibility for their own health care as a step toward changing society's view of them as broken-down versions of their former younger selves. "You need to be an equal partner with your doctor," he said. "You have to know as much about your medicines as your doctor does." Thomas said too many elders take more drugs than they should, and the resultant side effects and drug interactions cause more health problems than they cure. He said Americans spend more treating those drug interactions and side effects than they spend on the medicines themselves. He said elders often fall prey to television advertising for new drugs that are far more expensive, but no more effective, than their older, generic counterparts. "Those advertisements are really toxic," he said, noting that over the past 10 years, one in every five new drugs that came to market has been withdrawn or had warnings added to their labels. He said elders should give each of their physicians a list of all the medicines, supplements, herbs, and vitamins they take. "They're going into your body," he said. "Your doctor needs to know." Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492 or e-mail: [email protected] Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Online Casino Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary