Doctor warns Boomers’ screen time habits may be mimicking dementia symptoms

Excessive screen time for adults can cause “digital dementia.”

Apr 6, 2026

Photo credit: Canva – Doctor warns Boomers' screen time habits may be mimicking dementia symptoms

Millennials have noticed a problem with their Boomer parents’ phone addiction, and they’re calling it out. At first, it seemed like harmless teasing about role reversal, but their excessive screen time just might be an issue. Dr. Sue Varma, Board Certified Psychiatrist, reveals the risks related to increased screen time in adults.

The negative effects of too much screen time have been discussed ad nauseam when it comes to children and teens. However, rarely talked about is the cognitive impact it has on adults of all ages. Given that Boomers have reached senior status, cognitive lapses are already a heightened concern for many.

Boomers, screen time, digital dementia, Millennials, culture — Elderly woman smiling at phone
Photo Credit: Canva

It turns out that screens might be mimicking a serious issue. This can create concern and anxiety for Boomers and their children. The psychiatrist joined the CBS Mornings co-hosts for a candid chat about the research on screen time.

When discussing the impacts of screen time on adults, Varma drops a bombshell, saying, “We end up getting something called digital dementia or digital fog, where the symptoms of poor attention span, memory, concentration all go down, and it very much mimics a real dementia where you walk into a room and you’re like ‘why am I here, what did I come for, where are my keys?’ The tip of the tongue feeling, like there’s a word, there’s a name, ‘I know that person, I can picture them in my head,’ and the word doesn’t come to mind.”

Researchers Rinanda Shaleha and Nelson Roque from the Pennsylvania State University Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Center for Healthy Aging, report concerning findings. “Digital engagement among older adults also carries risks, including attention deficits, disrupted sleep patterns, social isolation, reduced physical activity, and structural brain changes that could accelerate cognitive decline and dementia onset. Extended screen exposure may further contribute to visual fatigue, chronic distraction, and sedentary behaviors, potentially exacerbating cognitive vulnerabilities,” the duo writes in a recent study.

Dr. Varma tells CBS Mornings that the symptoms can “very much look like dementia,” invoking the “if you don’t use it, you lose it” warning. This isn’t just a quirky thing that happens and stops when the phone is put down.

According to Dr. Varma, “There are real structural changes in the brain for people who are using excessive screens, and we see that a lot of older adults are using 10 hours a day. That’s seven and a half hours of TV plus four hours of phones.” She later adds that 63% of seniors “find that social media strengthens their connections.”

Not all Boomers fall into this category. Many are connecting with their community physically, but those with chronic illnesses tend to be on screens more often. Pew Research found that 41% of all adults report being online constantly, 84% say they’re online multiple times a day.

If people are interested in breaking their phone habit, she advises them to put their phone in grayscale mode. Varma adds that replacing digital things with their analog counterparts will also help break a phone habit. Finding ways to connect in person instead of passively scrolling also reduces screen time. Varma says that these small changes can help limit your screen time and re-engage your brain.

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In Partnership With Habitat For Humanity →

Homeowners celebrate the completion of their new home in Cambodia's Siem Reap Province alongside Habitat for Humanity volunteers and staff.

Culture, Family

A safe, stable home can change lives for the better. Here’s how Habitat for Humanity wants to make that possible for everyone.

Better health, better jobs, and a brighter future all start with access to a safe, affordable home.

Sarah Watts

3/25/2026
A single door can open up a world of endless possibilities. For homeowners, the front door of their house is a gateway to financial stability, job security, and better health. Yet for many, that door remains closed. Due to the rising costs of housing, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing.

Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has made it their mission to unlock and open the door to opportunity for families everywhere, and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Through their work over the past 50 years, more than 65 million people have gained access to new or improved housing, and the movement continues to gain momentum. Since 2011 alone, Habitat for Humanity has expanded access to affordable housing by a hundredfold.

A world where everyone has access to a decent home is becoming a reality, but there’s still much to do. As they celebrate 50 years of building, Habitat for Humanity is inviting people of all backgrounds and talents to be part of what comes next through Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign that builds on this momentum and encourages people everywhere to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for those who need it most. Here’s how the foundation to a better world starts with housing, and how everyone can pitch in to make it happen.

Volunteers raise a wall for the framework of a new home during the first day of building at Habitat for Humanity’s 2025 Carter Work Project.

Globally, almost 3 billion people, including 1 in 6 U.S. families, struggle with high costs and other challenges related to housing. A crisis in itself, this also creates larger problems that affect families and communities in unexpected ways. People who lack affordable, stable housing are also more likely to experience financial hardship in other areas of their lives, since a larger share of their income often goes toward rent, utilities, and frequent moves. They are also more likely to experience health problems due to chronic stress or environmental factors, such as mold. Housing insecurity also goes hand-in-hand with unstable employment, since people may need to move further from their jobs or switch jobs altogether to offset the cost of housing.

Affordable homeownership creates a stable foundation for families to thrive, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood for good health and stable employment. Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs homes with individual families, but it also strengthens entire communities as well. The MicroBuild® Initiative, for example, strengthens communities by increasing access to loans for low-income families seeking to build or repair their homes. Habitat ReStore locations provide affordable appliances and building materials to local communities, in addition to creating job and volunteer opportunities that support neighborhood growth.

Marsha and her son pose for a photo while building their future home with Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity in Georgia.

Everyone can play a part in the fight for housing equity and the pursuit of a better world. Over the past 50 years, Habitat for Humanity has become a leader in global housing thanks to an engaged network of volunteers—but you don’t need to be skilled with a hammer to make a meaningful impact. Building an equitable future means calling on a wide range of people and talents.

Here’s how you can get involved in the global housing movement:
- Speaking up on social media about the growing housing crisis
- Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in your local community
- Travel and build with Habitat in the U.S. or in one of 60+ countries where we work around the globe
- Join the Let’s Open the Door movement and, when you donate, you can create your own personalized door
- Shop or donate at your local Habitat ReStore
Every action, big and small, drives a global movement toward a better future. A safe home unlocks opportunity for families and communities alike, but it’s volunteers and other supporters, working together with a shared vision, who can open the door for everyone.

Visit habitat.org/open-door to learn more and get involved today.
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Photo credit: Canva – Depluralized movie titles have brought out people's wordplay skills.

Culture, Pop Culture

Responses to silly ‘depluralize a movie’ prompt showcase how delightfully clever people can be

These went so much harder than expected.

Annie Reneau

4/10/2026

For all of the downsides of social media, one of its biggest upsides is how it highlights how incredibly funny some people are. Short form posts are a perfect place for quippy wit and humor to shine, and when you toss in a prompt with a grammatical twist, the result is a showcase of human cleverness.

A perfect example is the “Depluralize a movie” prompt, which has made its way around various social media sites and brings out the most concisely skilled word nerds among us.

“JAW.” Cute, simple, straightforward. You can take any movie with a plural “s” and just remove it for a tiny chuckle. “The Avenger.” “Star War.” “Heather.” But the best responses make you think for a minute before the light bulb goes on and the belly laugh hits:

“Lion and Prejudice.”

“Tree Gump.”

“Snow White and no one else.”

“A Crow on the Orient Express.”

“Gone with the Air Molecule.”

“The Breakfast Individual.”

“Fish of rock.”

“Indiana Jone.”

“Child of the kernel.”

“Clause of Endearment.”

“Cheaper By Myself.”

“Chitty Bang”

“Monster, Sole Proprietor.”

“BRICK-E.”

@dadchats
Currently the only thing keeping me going
♬ original sound – dadchats

“Inchloose.”

“A Single Ado About Nothing”

“One Good Man.”

“Something, Somewhere, Once”

“Saturday at Bernie’s”

“One Dollar Baby.”

“Mario Only Child”

“The Postman Rang Once The One Time He Stopped By.”

“I for Vendetta”

“Malcom I”

“Jumanjus.”

That last one is a perfect example of why people are loving the responses to this prompt. “Jumanji” isn’t even plural, but applying the rule that gives us cactus/cacti and octopus/octopi, we get “Jumanjus.” Cleverly hilarious.

Some adjustments are just so silly, you can’t help but laugh, like “Indiana Jone.” Many of them use animal groups (pride of lions, murder of crows, school of fish) that you have to decipher or stretch your logic to break down things we don’t think of as plural (wall to brick, wind to air molecule, corporation to sole proprietor). And “I for Vendetta” and “Malcolm I”? Perfect. (As one person said, we don’t have enough Roman numeral humor in the world.)

People loved seeing how creative others were in their responses:

“This thread is for the ‘pleasure to have in class’ kids only and I love it. 😂”

“Gods everyone is so much smarter than me. I’m just over here trying to think of titles ending in S.”

“I’ve never been more ok with everyone been smarter than me. 😂”

“I cannot read this thread while my partner is trying to sleep beside me. I am SHAKING the bed, laughing.”

Why do we find wordplay so funny? Photo credit: Canva

Why do people find these depluralized titles so funny, though? Likely the same reason we delight in puns and spoonerisms. Wordplay tickles our brains and our funny bones.

As neuroscientist Dean Burnett shared with BBC Science Focus, “Humor is essentially our brain going ‘This isn’t how things usually work… but I’m okay with it!’”

Burnett explains that humor happens in our brains when there’s incongruity between what we expect to happen and what actually happens and we resolve that incongruity.

“Basically, thanks to these complex systems in our brains, humour can be derived from things being surprising, unexpected or wrong in some form, as long at it’s resolved, without negative consequences,” he writes.

That’s essentially what’s happening when we see a familiar movie title altered in a way that we don’t expect but that ultimately makes sense. Whatever the humor trigger, it’s so fun to have so many people enjoy some wordplay together.

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Photo credit: Canva – Fishnet stockings have multiple purposes.

Culture, Identity

Man explains the counterintuitive reason Norwegians love fishnet underwear

It’s not in case they trip across a nightclub.

Annie Reneau

4/10/2026

When you think of mesh shirts and fishnet stockings, you might picture a goth, punk, or other brands of night club fashion. Most wouldn’t associate fishnet garments with hiking, skiing, or dogsledding.

But as Michael Kristy from The Iron Snail Clothing Co. explains, fishnets are the underwear of choice for many. In particular, Norwegians who want to enjoy the great outdoors in all temperatures wear them. It may seem counterintuitive to wear something holey to stay warm, but there’s a reason it works better than most base layers.

Kristy explains that Norwegians have been wearing fishnets under their clothes for over 100 years. And they’re not the only ones. The first people who summited Mt. Everest wore a fishnet layer under their clothing to stay warm.

Mesh undergarments were popular around the 1950s, but they weren’t called fishnets. They were called “health vests” or “string vests” and they were touted as being “recommended by medical professionals.”

What’s the big deal with mesh? It’s all about the air layer it creates. Wearing it under clothing serves as both an insulating layer and a moisture wicking layer.

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“It really helps regulate your overall body temperature and makes you feel a lot more comfortable when you don’t have wet, clammy clothes sticking to you at all times,” says Kristy.

The Norwegian company Brynje manufactures mesh under layers and claims they are four to six times warmer than other base layers.

So under other clothing, the fishnet fabric keeps you warmer. But conversely, if you get too hot, stripping down to only the mesh layer will quickly cool you down.

In addition to plenty of punk/goth approvals, the comments included corroboration from Norwegians and others who have first-hand experience with the magic of mesh base layers:

“Norwegian here, and proud wearer of «netting» as we call it in the military!”

“Can confirm, most Norwegians (and neighbours) that do outdoors stuff use ullnetting/woolnet. It’s basically a cheatcode for staying warm, so I have a ton of these. The words fishnets or health/stringvests is never used. You can find very old farmers that use the word healthvest/helsetrøye, mostly people just call them ullnetting or netting if talking to outdoors people.”

“I’m a veteran. I did training with the Norwegian army on a base north of Norway. I had so many layers and was constantly freezing my ass off. I noticed the Norwegian army guys had these fishnets as their first layer. And asked em why they all had that. He told me it was to keep them warm. Luckily i have not been in that kind of cold since. But getting those fishnet layers has been on my mind since.”

Fishnet leggings add a surprising amount of warmth as an underlayer. Photo credit: Canva

“Our guide on a glacier tour in Norway had these and told me about them, so I decided to give them a go for a recent vacation to go figure skating on wild ice in northern Sweden. I wore these nets under a merino wool baselayer and a thick Norwegian wool sweater (plus an outer synthetic hard shell to keep out the wind) and it was fantastic. Spent all day outdoors at -20°C combining intense workouts with picnic breaks and never got cold thanks to my base layer always being dry. 11/10 would recommend, I haven’t shut up about these since then.”

“Yeah, it’s absolutely true too. I’m an avid outdoorsmen, so I’ve watched lots of tests on this. Fishnets outperform even the best wool base layers in absolutely every single category except for odor. Unless we’re talking niche applications there’s nothing better than the fishnets.”

“I’ve been wearing mesh shirts under my normal clothes for about a year now—and without knowing this was exactly what they were used for, I found it helped me keep cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Imagine my surprise when this video teaches me I’ve been continuing a longstanding Norwegian tradition as a necessity for working in a warehouse (and for punk fashion lol).”

With as many advancements as we’ve made, sometimes the traditional methods still work best.

You can follow The Iron Snail on YouTube for more fun clothing facts.

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Photo credit: Raph_ph, Ella Mullins/Flickr – Robert Plant, then and now.

Culture, Pop Culture

56 years after it first debuted, Robert Plant performs a majestic version of ‘Ramble On’

“It’s why this man is on the shortest of short lists of the best front men of all time.”

Cecily Knobler

4/10/2026

In 1969, the Juggy Sound Studio in New York City was forever changed. It was that year and place that Led Zeppelin recorded (at least part of) their album Led Zeppelin II, with the song “Ramble On” its 7th track. The song, co-written by front man Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page (who also produced the track), has remained a staple in their extraordinarily rocking catalogue for over half a century.

So when Robert Plant, at the ripe young age of 77, casually strolled onto the set of The Late show with Stephen Colbert and flawlessly belted out the song, fans sure noticed. Yes, his face has more wrinkles – time will do that to a person. But it’s time itself that made the lyrics to this particular song all the more meaningful.

“Like he wrote it this morning”

Guitar Gods Unleashed took to X to share the video, writing “’Ramble On’ is 56 years old, and Robert Plant just walked onto The Late Show and made it sound like he wrote it this morning.”

The comments are so fitting for such a powerhouse performance. One X-er notes that some rock stars age. But Robert Plant? “You see the aging rock star trying to replay their youth, then you have Robert Plant being Robert Plant, and it rivals the original from a half century ago. Just incredible.”

Lord of the Rings

Another points out the lyrics, which reference J.R.R. Tolkien’s popular book series turned movies, Lord of the Rings. “I like that ‘Ramble On’ has Lord of the Rings references from back when Robert was reading the book series. I had no idea what Lord of the Rings was back when I first became a fan of the song, but eventually I said, “wait…did he mention Gollum and Mordor?”

In a piece for Far Out Magazine, Jack Whatley discussed the fact that many bands are influenced by authors. “The singer used moments throughout the lyrics to express his connection; lines like ‘the darkest depths of Mordor’ and ‘Gollum and the evil one’ are both doffs of the caps to the writer. Many artists have made references to great literature in their time; whether it is The Beatles and C.S. Lewis’ influence on ‘I Am The Walrus’ or The Cure’s nod to Albert Camus.”

The lyrics

The lyrics are so hauntingly beautiful and even more impactful now that Plant is older.

“Leaves are fallin’ all around
It’s time I was on my way
Thanks to you, I’m much obliged
For such a pleasant stay

But now it’s time for me to go
The autumn moon lights my way
For now, I smell the rain, and with it, pain
And it’s headed my way

Ah, sometimes I grow so tired
But I know I’ve got one thing I’ve got to do

Ramble on
And now’s the time, the time is now
Sing my song
I’m goin’ ’round the world, I gotta find my girl

On my way
I’ve been this way ten years to the day
I’m gonna ramble on
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams

Got no time for spreadin’ roots
The time has come to be gone
Though our health, we drank a thousand times
It’s time to ramble on

Ramble on
And now’s the time, the time is now
Sing my song
I’m goin’ ’round the world, I gotta find my girl

On my way
I’ve been this way ten years to the day
I’m gonna ramble on
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams

I ain’t tellin’ no lie

Mine’s a tale that can’t be told
My freedom I hold dear
How years ago in days of old
When magic filled the air

‘Twas in the darkest depths of Mordor
I met a girl so fair
But Gollum and the evil one
Crept up and slipped away with her, her, her, her, her, yeah

And ain’t nothin’ I can do, no
I guess I’ll keep on

Ramblin’, I’m gonna say
Sing my song, I’ve gotta find my baby
I’m gonna ramble on, sing my song
Gonna work my way, gonna ramble on
Gonna ramble on, yeah-yeah”

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“A completely new composition”

Another fan shares their thoughts on just how brilliant the performance was. “To craft a new arrangement of a rock classic – a completely new composition – centered around the limitations your aging 80-year-old voice… and create something still so artistic and beautiful… it’s why this man is on the shortest of short lists of the best front men of all time.”

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Photo credit: @WeddingsbyVara on YouTube – Volleyball players kept a wedding celebration in the air.

Culture, Wholesome

Tornado forces couple to have their wedding in a gym next to an active volleyball game

“They made us feel like royalty.”

Erik Barnes

4/10/2026

A lot of things can go wrong at a wedding, but for Visha and Ankeet Shah, what went wrong was rather unique. During their wedding, a tornado forced them and their guests to leave an upper floor of the Oklahoma City Convention Center to take shelter downstairs. Nearly 400 wedding guests had to share the first floor with a junior volleyball tournament that was taking place. Thankfully, all that went wrong ended up so right as the players celebrated the couple.

Prior to the tornado sirens going off, the wedding reception was in the middle of dancing the Garba, a traditional Indian dance.

“I remember them saying, ‘We have an emergency! There’s a tornado watch happening, and we need to take shelter and go downstairs,’” Ankeet Shah, the groom, told People. “I thought it was a joke at first, but then it turned into a reality, and we headed downstairs.”

Bump, set, celebration

In under 15 minutes, the wedding attendees were downstairs at the courts where the volleyball players were stretching before their match-ups. As everyone sheltered in place, the players started to notice what was going on. Wedding guests and players started mingling, with some players taking photos with the happy couple.

@weddingsbyvara
You never know when unexpected bad news can create one of the most heartwarming moments imaginable. This is the story of how a tornado warning in OKC caused us to take Visha and Ankeet’s Garba in the volleyball gym, where we celebrated with some unexpected guests! Thank you so much to the ladies of the Lonestar Classic Volleyball Tournament, Oklahoma City Convention Center, the friends and family of our bride and groom, and of course, Visha and Ankeet for a weekend we will never forget! 🌪️💕 #okc #okcwedding #tornadowedding #foryoupage #indianwedding
♬ Of Joy – DJ Seinfeld

“We started kind of chatting with one of the coaches, and before we knew it, the girls ran onto the court taking pics with the couple and started chanting and lifting them up,” said Sydney Ore, the Shah’s wedding planner.

One thing led to another, creating a lively party atmosphere. Players joined in with guests to celebrate, clapping and chanting the bride and groom’s names. A mass of happy volleyball players lifted them both up into the air to celebrate.

“The girls were basically singing with us, dancing with us. They made us feel like royalty,” Ankeet said to KOCO News 5.

Shelter in place turned party in place

The volleyball players soon helped recreate the Garba with the guests.

“There’s usually music playing around and folks singing around with it, as well, but we did a silence dance with it, as well, and we looked over and saw the volleyball girls across the net doing a silent dance with us, as well, and that was super fun and memorable,” said Visha Shah, the bride.

What could have ruined the day turned out to be a wedding celebration that was more memorable than expected. A community of kind strangers came together, refusing to let the weather ruin the wedding or the volleyball tournament’s good time.

“It was amazing. It was the kindness of strangers truly. My tears were sad in the beginning but then towards the end it was happy tears,” concluded Visha.

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Photo credit: Craig Bowerson – Chef Craig Bowerson takes a picture with a nursing home resident.

Culture, Generations

Chef creates nursing home menu sourced from the family recipes of senior residents

Please turn this into a cookbook.

Cecily Knobler

4/10/2026

Chef Craig Bowerson had a wonderful idea. He had noticed that the residents in the nursing home where he oversaw the dining menu had quite a few complaints about the food. So, it dawned on him to let their own personal recipes do the talking. He asked them for their favorite homespun dishes, and what happened next was downright lovely.

In a TikTok video, food podcaster Owen Roy shared a clip of Bowerson explaining his program for getting recipes from the residents. He asked them questions like, “How did you make spaghetti? How did you make lasagna? How did you make your chicken Cordon Bleu?” There is clear emotion in his voice, as he expresses the importance of embracing and cooking the food that might make the residents feel the most at home.

@owenbytheoven
Ultimate hospitality. Chef Craig Bowerson talks about how he personalized the menu at the nursing home he used to work at for the residents that lived there. He took their old recipes from their parents and built the food program around them. I think more nursing homes should follow suit! Episode 17 is out now on all major streaming platforms. #chef #nursinghome #food #menu #owenbytheoven
♬ original sound – Owen by the Oven

What mom used to cook

He shared, “As you’re pulling all these recipes from the 1920s, 1930s, I’ve had residents give me index cards that their mother had written like in the 1920s. They’d say, ‘These are all my mom’s recipes. Find one that you like. This is what my mom used to cook for me. I cooked this for family.’ So we ended up incorporating all of our resident recipes into our menu, where we were actually reproducing all the family recipes. And my complaints went from almost 75 percent to almost no complaints whatsoever.”

Under the clip, there were over 2,500 comments on TikTok alone. One person shares, “This is what dignity looks like.”

Another points out how incredibly thoughtful the idea is. “Can you imagine tasting your comfort food from childhood as an aging, reliant, invalid person? A time when you miss your mom the most. This is beautiful.”

And this TikToker, as many of the commenters do, believes this should be incorporated everywhere. “Every retirement home, nursing home, memory care home should do this. I bet it’s really comforting and brings back great memories for them. Beautiful idea.”

Chef Bowerson dreamt of becoming a chef

Upworthy had the opportunity to learn more about Bowerson, his love of food, and his admiration and respect for nursing home residents he serves. He also addressed a few of the questions that were repeatedly asked in the comment section.

Upworthy: What drew you to the art form of cooking?

Bowerson: “I have dreamed of being a chef since I was 6. My grandmother started cooking with me around then. Currently, I’ve worked in food service for 31 years, and would say maybe the last 14, I’d consider myself a chef.

Food has always made sense to me. I love food, I love to talk about food, think about food, and I love the emotions that food can create. When you’re sick, you want grandma’s soup, or during a holiday it doesn’t feel right without that one dish that gets passed on and passed down. Food, I think, has been the ultimate expression of appreciation for nature as the ingredient maker. And the eater, who is the person receiving from the chef, (gets) the full expression of themselves, presented in a dish.”

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Getting to know the residents

Upworthy: How and when did you begin working with nursing homes?

(Bowerson first explains it was trial and error when he first began working with nursing homes.)

Bowerson: “Covid hit and my focus shifted from having to deal with administrative duties to developing relationships with residents to help make the ‘lockdown’ period better. It was during this time that I started talking more one-on-one with residents and learning about their backgrounds. I found many of the women were homemakers and ran the house prior to coming to the nursing home. Many reminded me of my own grandmother, who initially was the first person to teach me how to cook.

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Working for contract services, we had to follow menu plans and recipes that designated ingredient inventories and so on. Residents at my home felt like they were receiving someone’s idea of ‘showing off.’ They said the food they received was nothing like what they had made at home, and it was a hard adjustment for them to make. Long story short, I learned how to submit substitute recipes into our menu system to receive CDM and dietitian approval for facility use. Then, as we could, we would substitute previous menu items. Let’s say (we would sub) the company’s potato salad recipe, for Peggy Sue’s potato salad recipe and notate it on the menu.”

Sopapillas

Upworthy: Do you have a favorite recipe so far?

Bowerson: “One of my favorite recipes is only my favorite because of the story behind it. Sopapillas. I had a pair of residents who were from New Mexico and had been moved to Kansas. I used to have conversations about food with the wife. Her husband was not doing well at this point and was almost nonverbal. She used to tell me how much she missed sopapillas and green chili enchiladas. She gave me her favorite sopapilla recipe and said if I could make it for her sometime, she would enjoy that. At times her husband would wake up and could eat on occasion, so one day when I knew he was awake, I converted a food cart into a buffet line and made her enchiladas and her sopapillas. For the next few weeks, until his passing, he would wake up and request green chili and sopapillas.

A resident’s handwritten note, c/o Bowerson

I received a personal handwritten letter from her describing how much they enjoyed having their personally prepared upscale meal.”

Recipes and stories

Upworthy: Any plans to create a senior cookbook?

Bowerson: “I’ve had some people request one on social media. I have thought about collecting all the recipes, adding in copies of letters and notes I’ve received from residents, and stories on what made the recipe stand out to me. I hope I can follow through and put one together.”

Upworthy: My mom resides in a senior living home in Dallas, and I know she would just love giving recipes to the chef/cook. Have you encouraged others to do this?

Bowerson: “I have tried to champion this type of approach for some time. I actually designed a food service program that helps convert kitchens into a more ‘home design’ type menu. I submitted it to one company but don’t know of another way to submit it without it being lost in the shuffle of large corporations.”

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I trained my cooks to look at food from a resident perspective and remember that a lot of those we serve feel like their choices are being lessened and restricted. And if giving them control of their menu, their food, and how it’s cooked helps with the transition, then that’s what needs to happen. I have seen a lot of people say I must have struggled maintaining my budget, but I found as a chef it’s my job to learn ways to make better food and at lower costs without compromising the quality of what is being served. Homemade is always better than premade.”

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Photo credit: Commonwealth Club via Wiki Commons – Jimmy Carter at the Commonwealth Club

Culture, Identity

President Jimmy Carter’s thoughts about the Bible and homosexuality resurfaces

“Jesus never said a word about homosexuality.”

Tod Perry

Upworthy Staff

4/9/2026

Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States (1977 to 1981). Looking back on his achievements both in and out of office, it’s easy to say that he was a man ahead of his time. He was far ahead of the mainstream when it came to advocating for social justice, human rights, and the environment.

Carter famously installed solar panels on the White House in 1979, only to have them removed by Ronald Reagan.

The former peanut farmer and Navy Lieutenant from Plains, Georgia, was also far ahead of his time when supporting gay rights. In 1976, while running for president, he said he would sign the Equality Act, an amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. “I will certainly sign it, because I don’t think it’s right to single out homosexuals for special abuse or special harassment,” he said.

He continued to advocate for gay rights as president. In 1977, the first gay delegation visited the White House. He also campaigned against California’s Proposition 6, which would have barred gays and lesbians from teaching in the state’s schools and was the first Democratic president to endorse gay rights in the party’s platform in 1980.

It may seem unusual for Carter, a confessed born-again Christian, to be a staunch advocate for gay rights. But he has publicly said that he believes that being pro-gay is wholly aligned with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Carter’s advocacy found itself in the spotlight once again after a meme featuring his thoughts about Christ and homosexuality from 2012 went viral on Reddit’s MadeMeSmile forum on April 8, 2024.

Jimmy Carter
byu/PR0CR45T184T0R inMadeMeSmile

The viral quote was taken from an interview with the Huffington Post in 2012, during which Carter promoted his book, NIV, Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter. At the time, LGBTQ rights were the subject of heated debate in Washington, and President Obama had just “evolved” and began publicly supporting same-sex marriage.

“A lot of people point to the Bible for reasons why gay people should not be in the church or accepted in any way,” the interviewer Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush said. But Carter responded by correctly noting that Jesus Christ never said anything about homosexuality.

“Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things—he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies,” Carter said. “I draw the line, maybe arbitrarily, in requiring by law that churches must marry people. I’m a Baptist, and I believe that each congregation is autonomous and can govern its own affairs.

“So if a local Baptist church wants to accept gay members on an equal basis, which my church does, by the way, then that is fine. If a church decides not to, then government laws shouldn’t require them to,” he continued.

Jimmy Carter in the White House.

Three years later, Carter shared the same sentiments in another interview with the Huffington Post, this time shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. “I think Jesus would encourage any love affair if it was honest and sincere and was not damaging to anyone else, and I don’t see that gay marriage damages anyone else,” Carter said.

Jimmy Carter’s belief in gay rights stems from his faith as a Christian, but it’s also in complete alignment with his values as an American. Carter believed that the United States was a “beacon” for human rights, and in his 1981 presidential farewell address, he reminded the nation that the job was an ongoing struggle.

“The battle for human rights–at home and abroad–is far from over,” Carter said. “If we are to serve as a beacon for human rights, we must continue to perfect here at home the rights and values which we espouse around the world: A decent education for our children, adequate medical care for all Americans, an end to discrimination against minorities and women, a job for all those able to work, and freedom from injustice and religious intolerance.”

Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100 years old. He was the longest-lived U.S. president. After his passing, President Joe Biden wrote that Carter, “stands as a model of what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose, a life of principle, of faith and humility. His life was dedicated to others.” He will forever be remembered as a man who fought for human rights both at home and abroad.

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: NASA – Jeremy Hansen, right, is the lone Canadian on the Artemis II mission.

Culture, Identity

Canadian astronaut shares ‘Seven Sacred Laws’ Indigenous elders sent with him to space

The seven animals on his personal patch each represent specific attributes.

Annie Reneau

4/9/2026

Like the space flights before it, the Artemis II mission revolves around hard science and data. But what has captivated us most here on Earth is the beauty and humanity it reveals. We’ve enjoyed the astronauts’ joyful camaraderie as they reach farther into space than any humans have gone before. We’ve been touched by the reminder that we are all one people. And we’ve wept at the naming of a moon crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife.

And now, we’re hearing from the lone Canadian onboard, sharing how Indigenous elders’ wisdom has helped guide him through this mission.

@hiphopgeronimo
Sit with your elders #JeremyHansen #ArtemisII #Indigenous #teachings #elders
♬ original sound – Malcolm Roulette 🇨🇦

In preparation for the Artemis II launch, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen said he sought advice that led him to Indigenous wisdom. Asked what he learned from Indigenous elders, Hansen shared his response from space.

“I’ve had many Indigenous elders spend time with me in my travels across the country, and I’ve always enjoyed it,” he said. “If I can give you one piece of advice, sit with your elders and ask questions. But listen intently. Every time I’ve stopped to listen, I’ve just learned these amazing things.”

Hansen pulled out the personal mission patch he carried onboard.

‘This encompasses a few of the things I learned from the elders,” he said. “But when I left the vision quest, I had a better understanding of it. These animals in this patch, that was created by Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond from the Turtle Lodge, these animals represent some things that I try to think about every day. My mantra when I wake up is I am just going to try to spend my day walking with these attributes. And so I start with courage, humility, respect, love, honesty, wisdom, and truth.”

Hansen said the crew named their Orion spacecraft “Integrity,” which he says encapsulates those attributes.

“For me, being ‘in integrity’ is walking in accordance with these seven sacred laws, and it’s just something that helps guide me through life,” he said.

For over 10 years, Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers have blessed @Astro_Jeremy with knowledge and teachings that he carries with him as he prepares for the #Artemis II mission to the Moon. #NIHM2024 About Jeremy’s mission patch: https://t.co/TDUkxwv1CF pic.twitter.com/JujEHs44OW
— Canadian Space Agency (@csa_asc) June 25, 2024

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) explains the “Seven Sacred Laws” represented by the animals on Hansen’s patch. The following descriptions come from Sabe, Leader of Turtle Lodge, and have been edited for concision by the CSA:

Buffalo – Respect

The buffalo represents respect. It gives its entire being to feed the people, for them to live. Elders teach that when you respect others, you give of yourself, you give your life to help people around you to create a better existence for all.

Eagle – Love

The eagle represents love. Grandmothers say that one of the most powerful medicines we have is love, that love is a powerful healer. The eagle also symbolizes vision and sight. It is important to see ahead, to have a vision of one’s purpose and to work towards it. Elders teach that one’s true purpose is always rooted in love and in support of others.

Bear – Courage

A very physically powerful animal, the bear represents courage. A mother bear is fearless in the protection of her cubs. It is natural for her to display courage and strength, to do what is right in life. It is not always easy to face challenges, follow one’s purpose and do the right thing. Only with the courage and resilience of the bear will you be able to face and overcome the challenges that could prevent you from living out your life’s purpose.

Sasquatch – Honesty

Sasquatch or Bigfoot – Sabe or ‘giant’ in the Ojibway language – represents the importance of honesty and being true to one’s word. Say what you mean and be honest with yourself and others. Elders often exemplify this trait; when they say something, their word is a commitment and can be counted upon. Honesty is also speaking true and good words about others and avoiding gossip.

Beaver – Wisdom

The beaver represents wisdom. It has an incredible gift to build and create, as well as the wisdom of how to use this gift. The beaver’s creation harnesses life-giving water to create important ecosystems that support and enable life. It can even channel water back into an area following a devastating forest fire, renewing and revitalizing that ecosystem.

Like the beaver, we all have a special gift to offer others. Use the wisdom of the beaver to acknowledge your gifts and put them to use in the service of others: this is the source of life satisfaction and happiness.

Wolf – Humility

The wolf represents humility, acknowledging that there is a higher power and natural laws governing the universe. Showing gratitude for our life and our existence, while acknowledging that we are all equal is a sign of humility. The sun shines on us all equally, and no one is better or less than others.

Turtle – Truth

The turtle is truth. The Elders say that in order to know and understand truth, we have to learn to understand the six other teachings: respect, love, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility. The turtle leaves a trail, truth, for us to follow. As we are constantly faced with challenges, we should do our best to follow that trail and live truthfully.

Ahead of #NDTR on Monday, we invite you to reflect and learn about the diverse cultures of the Indigenous Peoples. You can also read about the Seven Sacred Laws depicted on @astro_Jeremy’s personal mission patch for his journey to the Moon on Artemis II. https://t.co/TDUkxwv1CF
— Canadian Space Agency (@csa_asc) September 27, 2024

The patch has some obvious symbols, such as the Big Dipper, the North Star (with five points to represent Hansen’s five family members), the Canadian flag, and the Royal Canadian Air Force astronaut wings.

But it holds other symbolism as well, the CSA explains. The bow represents Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo and the goddess of the moon and the hunt. She launches her arrow with the astronauts, taking off from Turtle Island—the Indigenous name for the Americas—toward Grandmother Moon. The silver border represents the Orion spacecraft. The blue border beneath it represents the light, or spirit, in all living things that travels with the crew through space.

What a beautiful reminder of our connection to Earth, and of the meaningful lessons we carry with us when we leave it.

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Photo credit: the.scotsman/Instagram – Marie McLaren is proving age ain’t nothing but a number.

Culture, Generations

88-year-old Scottish grandmother absolutely nails her first set as a stand-up comedian

“I might be 88 but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying new things.”

Erik Barnes

4/9/2026

At 88 years old, Marie McLaren has done a lot in her life. Before retirement, she worked as a sales assistant, a factory worker, and a cleaner—all while raising three children, who now have kids of their own. But in her golden years, she’s pursuing a new challenge: stand-up comedy.

Most up-and-coming comedians make their debut at small shows or open mics. McLaren, however, had the added pressure of performing a five-minute set as part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. It would be understandable to flop or fumble under those conditions. Instead, McLaren nailed it like a pro.

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How did this senior get into stand-up?

McLaren decided to give stand-up comedy a try after years of encouragement from family and friends. In fact, she was practically pushed into it. Her daughter signed her up for a four-week stand-up comedy course for seniors.

“I’ve always liked making people laugh. I’ve been a bit of a joker all my life and I’ve never had much time for folk that just complain and moan,” McLaren told Chortle. “My friends used to say I should try stand-up, so when my daughter signed me up for this I thought, ‘Well, I’ll give it a go.’ I might be 88 but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying new things.”

The class, taught by award-winning Scottish comedian Viv Gee, teaches senior students how to write and develop original material. It also focuses on building confidence and controlling the room in front of a live audience. The course is promoted in partnership with Age Scotland.

@thecomediansparadise
Is this point about hosting by Viv Gee true? #comedyadvice #standupcomedyadvice #thecomediansparadise #standupcomedy
♬ original sound – thecomediansparadise

Age Scotland is a charity focused on the social and mental well-being of older adults. It helps fund and promote programs that provide activities, care, and companionship. These efforts aim to address the loneliness epidemic among elderly communities.

A new star is born

Once the course ended, McLaren and her classmates performed at the Social Hub in Scotland. The class and the show were organized in partnership with Age Scotland. The name of the seniors’ comedy show? The Old Ones Are the Best.

McLaren credits her successful debut to her teacher.

“Viv has been brilliant. She explains everything properly and gives you the confidence to try it,” she said. “You come in thinking you don’t know what you’re doing and then suddenly you’re writing things down and thinking, ‘I can do this.’”

While this was her first time writing and performing stand-up comedy, McLaren has always had a performance bug. Prior to her comedy debut, she and her husband joined a talent agency for walk-on roles in film and TV. Most notably, she appeared in a music video for The Proclaimers, directed by Matt Lucas.

While the class is over, McLaren’s journey into the comedy world is just beginning.

“If I was asked to do more, I would definitely say yes. As long as I can still stand up and make people laugh, I’ll keep going,” she said. “I don’t think you should ever stop. If something comes along and you fancy it, just do it.”

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