10 creative older women find fans on the web, and more news from the week online

From news you should know to finds you might love, click through our picks from the week online.

Why he loves older women “Because pop culture insists on making every woman believe that she isn’t beautiful if she isn’t a teenaged size zero, and on making every man doubt his virility if he’s not chasing (and catching) supermodels, I decided to break the man code and tell you the truth about what I find attractive.” So begins a wonderful ode to older women by Good Men Project executive editor James Stafford. He pays homage to wrinkles and gray hair, soft bellies and reading glasses, along with kindness, humor and intelligence. Read and enjoy!

Celebrity and digital media – a powerful combination Actor-comedian Seth Rogan testified to Congress last week about the need for more attention to be paid to Alzheimer’s disease; not just funding for research, but also help for families who bear the financial burden of caring for a relative. Here’s his speech:

Unfortunately, only two senators stayed to hear his testimony. Rogen tweeted a photo of the empty chamber; it was re-tweeted by almost 10,000 of his Twitter followers:

and the video of Rogen’s speech has already been viewed 4,947,933 times on YouTube. How’s that for using your celebrity to spread the word?

Could we do better, do you think? Outdone by by Canada, Australia, several European countries and South Korea, the U.S. ranked 19th in retirement security based on health care, finances, economic well-being and quality of life. Health-care spending is higher per person in the U.S. than any other country; life expectancies are lower than in most advanced Western countries. We also bear more of the burden for our financial security in retirement. Read more on Marketwatch.

File under tearjerker  Thanks to The Senior List for posting this video. It shows how simple gestures can break age barriers and connect us.

 

Is the fashion industry really embracing older models? The Guardian published a sharp analysis of that question by Ann Karpf. Her answer: Well, kind of. Older models make the cut if they fit a certain template: youthful slimness and exuberance, not too sexy, minimal wrinkles or lots of makeup and/or cosmetic surgery… And you’ll still be labelled a “mature model.” Why are advertisers still more afraid of alienating a younger audience than an older one? Read Karpf’s brilliant essay at the Guardian.com.

Creative older women In the wake of the new documentary about Elaine Stritch, Flavorpill paid tribute to “10 Creative Women Over 80 You Should Know,” including Toni Morrison, Yoko Ono, Faith Ringgold, Yayoi Kusama,  and, yes, Betty White, along with some lesser known painters and other artists. The list received an enthusiastic response from Flavorpill’s mainly younger readers.  Click here to see the slideshow.

 

3-D fixes hearts Doctors have come up with a way to use simple 3-D printers, like the ones hobbyists use at home, to create an embedable membrane that can treat heart ailments including the most common, atrial fibrillation. They say they’ll also be able to use the membrane to monitor heart health and predict minor and major heart attacks.  Click here to read more.

More news on the health front New research suggests that some 40 percent of people over 70 have some measure of color blindness (click here for more).  Blood pressure meds may lead to falls  Older people who take drugs to lower their blood pressure may be more likely to fall and end up with a broken hip or head injury, Yale University researchers report. That’s because the drugs can cause dizziness and problems with balance. Click here to read more.

Color us stylish CNN reported on Ari Seth Cohen’s new Advanced Style Coloring Book, a new product from the blogger who created Advanced Style designed to offer grandparents and kids an activity they can do together. Here’s one spread from the book, featuring New Yorker Jane Folds. Click through to CNN to see more spreads from the book.

 

It takes a village On NBC Nightly News, Brian Williams interviewed his in-laws about their experience with the “village” model for aging in place.

 

Aging in place at 112 One of the oldest men in the world, Brooklynite Ernest Peronneau who turns 112 on March 6, disappeared from his home in Clinton Hill last week and was “missing” for nine hours, as reported by the New York Post. It turns out Peronneau had hopped on the B38 bus, gotten off at the Fulton Mall and headed into the Duane Reade drugstore.  Click here to read more.

Happy clicking!