Getting urgent or emergency care when you need can be a stressful ordeal. When someone is sick or injured, it could mean reshaping daily life to get care, and for some, that simply isn’t doable. At best, the disruption is temporary. But for older adults, busy families, people with mobility limitations, or those who are […]
Helen Hames, Certified Senior Advisor and the Founder of Age Ambassador
Helen Hames is a Certified Senior Advisor and the Founder of Age Ambassador, where she
helps families navigate the complexities of senior living and aging in place. Based in Newport,
RI, Helen has extensive experience serving families across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and
Connecticut. You can learn more at AgeAmbassador.com.
Posted inColumns
The Importance of It All: Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island
There is a refreshing vibe of positivity and connection when you visit Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island headquarters in Providence. All around you is a spirit of pride and purpose for what is both a logistically complex and emotionally demanding mission. I was taken aback, not because it seemed unbelievable, but because the energy […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: A movie night with Angela Lima
On October 24, 1975, an entire country experienced an abrupt wake-up call that would change the course of gender equality for women around the world and eventually help pave the way for progress here in Rhode Island. The awakening happened in Iceland when women, many in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, decided to take a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Rail Explorers celebrates one-millionth rider with lesson in aging well
On Friday, October 17, a simple, joy-filled celebration took place in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, as Rail Explorers marked its one-millionth ride. This achievement represents more than a milestone–it reflects how we can still find wonder in new experiences, the beauty of nature, and the shared happiness that comes from doing something together in the open […]
Posted inColumns, Environment & Health
Helen Hames: Access to quality care, a shared responsibility
Today, more than 24,00 Rhode Islanders over the age of 65 are living with some form of dementia. That’s one in eight older adults. The BOLD Act, signed into law in 2018, positioned Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as a public health issue, not just a private family struggle. It provided states like Rhode Island with […]
Posted inColumns
Coming Home: At 89, Alice Bowman finds purpose in life’s fifth season
In this country, more than one million older adults live in over 30,000 assisted living communities and those numbers continue to grow as our population ages. The options can feel overwhelming. And just like no two people are exactly alike, no two senior living communities are either. Throughout my career helping older adults and families, […]
Posted inBusiness
Helen Hames: Vince Burks on retirement – Don’t sit out the chance to dance an unmistakable path to purpose
Vince Burks of Kingston, RI has a favorite expression drawn from the Lee Ann Womack hit song “I Hope You Dance”: “When you get the chance to sit out or dance, I hope you dance.” He doesn’t recall where he first came across the words, but they resonated so deeply that today the words hang […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: Elder Abuse – The silent epidemic
The silently simmering epidemic of elder abuse has drawn together a powerful coalition of organizations determined to turn up the volume–raising awareness and driving action. Earlier this week, representatives from the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI (SACRI), the Rhode Island Coalition for Elder Justice (RICEJ), the Rhode Island State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office, St. Elizabeth […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion
Helen Hames: Peter Martin Is winding up a good guy’s life in overtime
I met Peter Martin at his first-floor condo on another humid day in the heart of Newport. It didn’t take long to see that Peter set himself up thoughtfully for this stage in life. At 84, Peter is surrounded by memories–just steps away from the neighborhood where he grew up and the school he once […]
Posted inColumns
Unseen and Unsheltered: The rising crisis of homelessness among Rhode Island’s older adults
It was just before boarding a plane to visit my grandchildren in Kentucky when my phone rang. A young woman found my name through a Google search and hoped I could help her. Her 79-year-old grandmother had recently become homeless. “She’s been sleeping outside for two nights. I can’t have her live here. I’m a […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: Age potential in the third act – what ageism does to your independence
In her TED Talk “Life’s Third Act,” Jane Fonda describes aging not as a time of decline, but as a “staircase–a time for the upward ascension of the human spirit, bringing us into wisdom, wholeness and authenticity.” And yet, many people fear that aging after 60 means a slow loss of independence. But that fear […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: Where you live matters–even in a nursing home
I first heard from Michael in April. He called me from Los Angeles, and we met virtually not long after. That first call lasted over an hour. Soon after, I met with Michael and his sister, Kristin and that’s when I got to know more about their 83-year-old mom—a woman they described as a force […]
Posted inColumns
From Suffrage to Solidarity: The League’s enduring call for equality and inclusion
Rise up and unite. Like democracy, it’s a rallying cry that has stood the test of time. It goes beyond partisanship and borders. It’s a call that is rooted in decency, equality and inclusion. In February 1920, at the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) convention in Chicago, a critical turning point occurred when 61-year […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: The strength to Age: Movement, mindset and meaning
77% of adults age 50 and older want to age at home as long as possible (AARP). While much of the focus has been on modifying homes and managing costs, there is another piece of the puzzle that is often overlooked: building the strength and the confidence to stay at home. And for some, “home” […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: More than music, a CHIME to open hearts
One recent afternoon, a little-known musical debut occurred at The Edward King House Senior Center in Newport. It featured a new maestro of sorts and a most unusual orchestra–made up of a human keyboard, if you will. The conductor, 25-year-old Lauren Ceres of Newport, made her debut as an apprentice to Heidi List Murphy, founder […]
Posted inNews
Helen Hames: Time to treat mental health like heart health – a wake-up call for aging well
Mental health has come a long way—but for older adults, it’s still too often a hidden struggle, fueling isolation at a time when connection matters most. According to AARP, between 2019 and 2023, mental health diagnoses among adults 65 and older jumped by over 57%—the highest increase of any age group in the U.S. And […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: From your house to the State House – How SACRI connects your voice to action
At a time when many feel their voices aren’t heard, the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI) provides a “collective of wisdom, experience, and outrageous transparency,” said Carol Anne Costa, Executive Director of SACRI. “Our board is robust, full-throated, and we speak our minds–with focused participation and a shared passion to connect a single […]
Posted inOpinion
Helen Hames: Listening inside a nursing home- we can’t fix what we don’t face
In Rhode Island, 29% of people age 65 and older live alone (American Community Survey; U.S Census Bureau 2021). Many are facing complex and urgent health or life events with no clear guidance or support. Each lives with the risk that life as they knew it could change in an instant–with the possibility of calling […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Helen Hames: Palliative Care – A misunderstood piece to the life planning puzzle
It’s important to respect the natural aging process and recognize that oftentimes the medical system prioritizes treatment over true well-being, sometimes offering interventions that may not improve quality of life. While we all face the end of life eventually, educating ourselves now, allows us to focus on living well and making informed choices for a […]
Posted inColumns, Environment & Health, Opinion
Helen Hames: The power of preparation: Navigating Alzheimer’s with knowledge and support
“Education is power.” It’s a phrase we hear often, but nowhere does it ring truer than in the realm of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Early detection isn’t just a medical advantage–it’s a pathway of ensuring the best quality of life and honoring a person’s wishes throughout the progression of the disease. It’s also about building […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: Leadership Rhode Island Senior Fellows Program – Rethinking aging with possibility and purpose
In Rhode Island–and beyond–there exists a largely untapped group of individuals armed with life experience, wisdom and curiosity. These older adults offer a fresh perspective and potential to help tackle some big challenges we face at every stage of life. What if there were a dedicated outlet empowering them to examine, collaborate and solve some […]
Posted inEnvironment & Health, News
Aging with Agency: Aquidneck Island Village empowering older adults
A literal light bulb moment occurred when, in her mid-50s, Mary Alice Smith of Newport, RI was living alone and attempted to change a lightbulb in a closet with a 10-foot-high ceiling. Balancing on a step stool, she hesitated. What had once been a simple task now felt uncertain. “If I wanted to remain in […]
Posted inColumns
Helen Hames: Mission Possible – What Martin Luther King Jr. teaches us about aging
Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 95 on January 20, 2025. Considered a Renaissance man and a leader ahead of his time, we continue to learn from his teachings and leadership. This year’s theme for the King Center’s annual Martin Luther King observance is “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy in the Spirit […]