Firsthand | Experiences with aging
By Kristine Mortensen
My mother had excellent hearing. Our family used to joke that Nana was able to hear children whispering, well into her 90s, no matter where they were hiding in her house. (It’s true, she could.) But my dad needed hearing aids, as did all of his siblings. And because I physically resemble my dad’s side of the family, I long assumed the day might come when I would need hearing aids, too. And, so it has.
Fortunately, just as I came to that realization, I learned about a hearing loss and successful aging study that was seeking volunteers at the U of M. I applied for and was accepted into the ACHIEVE study, and, soon after my initial screening, was fitted with a pair of sleek, “smart” hearing aids in June 2018.
My hearing loss is moderate. Nevertheless, I am amazed by the difference I experience with my hearing aids. It’s simply wonderful. I can now easily hear the soft-spoken elementary school students I tutor; I have no trouble conversing with a small group of people in a noisy public place; and I can easily understand dialog, even poorly recorded, on TV—I simply stream the audio directly through my hearing aids!
In addition to hearing aids, the study equipped me with several communication strategies for making it easier to hear and understand. Foremost among them: Don’t bluff!
Hearing loss affects about one-third of all adults in the U. S. between ages 65 and 74 and more than half over age 75. In other words, hearing loss is nothing to be embarrassed about. It is normal.
Did you know that untreated hearing loss can increase your risk of falls? It can also lead to social isolation and cognitive decline, neither of which is conducive to healthy aging.
If you suspect you’re experiencing hearing loss, I encourage you to get your hearing tested by a qualified audiologist. A thorough evaluation includes testing to produce an audiogram—which charts your hearing at low, mid, and high frequencies—and to determine your ability to discriminate between similar sounding words. I did that annually for about three years before I eventually got my hearing aids, and it really helped when it came time to decide that hearing aids, for me, were no longer a “nice to have” but a “need to have.”
News
Declining government funding, inflation, loss of purchasing power, low birthrates, and lack of trust in the nation’s institutions have combined to create a confidence crisis in higher education not seen for decades. Minnesota is no exception.
Since its inception 40 years ago, the University Retirees Volunteer Center has focused on identifying where help is needed within the University community and has provided opportunities for thousands of retirees to use their skills, experience, and interests to help address those needs.
Meet UMRA member Nancy Carpenter. She grew up in the American heartland; nevertheless, she was surprised by the frigid, snow-covered landscape when she visited Minnesota for the first tine to interview for a job teaching chemistry at UMN Morris.
UMRA’s Professional Development Grants for Retirees are intended to support projects related to University of Minnesota retirees' research, instructional or work history, or new scholarly interests that contribute to the academic reputation of the University.
After working decades in communications for the U’s Center for Transportation Studies, Pam Snople perks up whenever she sees transportation news. It’s usually the salacious stuff that makes the headlines. But, behind the scenes, vehicle automation research keeps rolling along — including key work by UMN researchers.
Renée Good was killed in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, during Operation Metro Surge. One month later, a community memorial to mourn her death and celebrate her life was held. Susan Ranney attended the ceremony and wrote an evocative essay on the service, which was published recently in UMRA’s Journal of Opinions, Ideas & Essays.
Professor Emeritus Alan Kagan has played many roles in his nearly 30 years of service with the University Retirees Volunteer Center. From assisting with phone calls to becoming office manager and eventually serving on and chairing the Volunteer Center’s board, Kagan helped build the organization into the robust operation it is today.
We’re already getting organized to identify and recruit members to step into leadership roles in 2027. As a well-informed and engaged UMRA member, you are invited to play a role in the process.
I’ve been an UMRA member for more than a decade and each year I’m impressed anew by the energy and dedication of the volunteers who do the work of the organization. I invite you to join in their efforts. But if that’s not possible, there’s something else you can do to help support UMRA: Renew your membership.
You don’t have to go far, and you don’t have to drink coffee. It’s the conversation that matters. It’s a new, experimental effort being organized by the wizards of UMRA; a meet-up of members who live in the same zip code.
UMRA will be collecting hats, mittens, and scarves at our November 17 Luncheon Forum to help keep Minnesota kids warm this winter.
Beginning January 1, 2027, the University of Minnesota is making updates to medical plans, the pharmacy vendor, and the Wellbeing Program incentive that apply to retirees and dependents enrolled in these plans.
The University of Minnesota has had a presence at the Great Minnesota Get-Together for 167 years. And on September 3, 2026, UMRA made its Minnesota State Fair debut to talk with fairgoers (on Seniors Day) about retirement and to promote opportunities to volunteer through our University Retirees Volunteer Center.
Like all of us, UMRA member Barbara Heinemann has been reflecting on 9/11 and life in the 25 years since then, with mixed feelings.
December 31 is the application deadline for UMRA’s 2027 Professional Development Grants for Retirees competition. Retirees from all five University of Minnesota campuses are eligible to apply. We invited Brad Hokanson, professor emeritus, UMN Department of Design Innovation, to tell us about the work supported by his 2026 grant to promote teaching creativity in high schools.
Meet UMRA member and volunteer extraordinaire Kay Louis. She devoted her career as an Extension educator — “bringing the University to the people” — to developing and providing programming for adults and youth.
The UMRA membership year runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. If you haven’t yet renewed your membership for 2027, it’s definitely time to do so!
UMRA has a Facebook group that is open to UMN retirees and others with close ties to the University, for posting messages about anything University- or retiree-related. Learn more.
This will be a new regular column where you can find organizational tasks that need your help! We are currently looking for help researching a new UMRA Membership Database and URVC volunteer database, and a co-producer for UMRA's Zoom webinars. See more details: