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    The Last Word

    Words of Wisdom About Aging

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    “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.”

    — Amelia Earhart, 20th-century American aviation pioneer and women’s rights activist, whose plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean as she attempted to be the first woman to circumnavigate the globe

    “I believe we’re mainly on our own in our last phase of life and need to create our own personal reason for being.”

    — Judith Viorst, beloved American writer and humorist, known for her children’s books, humorous poetry, commentary on the various stages of life, and author of the recently published book, Making the Best of What’s Left: When We’re Too Old to Get the Chairs Reupholstered

    “Old age is not a defeat but a victory.”

    — Ethel Percy Andrus, a long-time educator and high school principal in California, who later became an elder rights activist and founded the organization The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

    “Even under the best of circumstances – in twenty-first century America at least – caring for elderly parents ain’t no place for sissies.”

    — Roz Chast, an American cartoonist and author who has published over 1000 cartoons in The New Yorker. Among the books she has produced is Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, a graphic memoir, combining cartoons, text, and photographs to tell the story of an only child helping her elderly parents navigate the end of their lives

    “We all think we want to surround ourselves with people who love us, but the key is to surround yourself with people you feel love for. To me, it’s all about love. Everything we do is about love.”

    — Ina Garten, American author, commentator, and culinary expert who has risen to international prominence through her television shows, cookbooks, and food products

    “The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.”

    — Andy Rooney, American Journalist, Humorist, and Television Pundit