Health
Seniors in New York City share New Year’s resolutions for 2024: ‘Never too late’
Regardless of age, there is always the opportunity to set and achieve new goals.
That’s the mindset of three women, all in their 90s, who live at Sunrise at East 56th, a senior living facility in Manhattan, New York.
“It’s never too late to improve yourself,” said Barbara Fleischman, 99, who is originally from Detroit, Michigan.
MOST SENIORS IN AMERICA CAN’T AFFORD NURSING HOMES OR ASSISTED LIVING, STUDY FINDS
Along with Lois Hummel, 90, and Dolores Wharton, 96, Fleischman spoke with Fox News Digital via Zoom about their New Year’s resolutions for 2024.
They also shared some advice for younger generations. Their answers may surprise you.
Goals for New Year include, ‘Accept people’
Fleischman’s biggest New Year’s resolution is to be less judgmental of others.
“I want to assume that everyone is trying to be better, just like I’m trying to be better, and so I’m not going to sit in judgment,” she said.
From left to right, Dolores Wharton, Lois Hummel and Barbara Fleischman are all residents of Sunrise at East 56th, a senior living facility in Manhattan. (Sunrise at East 56th)
“I’m just going to accept people and say, ‘They’re trying.’”
WHEN SHOULD OLDER DRIVERS HAVE TO STOP DRIVING?
Fleischman also aims to stop jumping to conclusions this year, she said.
Her resolutions for 2024 are quite different from the ones she set in years past, she indicated.
“Why do I need restraint? I’m 99.”
For example, she used to resolve to not eat so many sweets — but now she feels she’s earned the right to enjoy her dessert.
“Why do I need restraint? I’m 99,” Fleischman said with a laugh. “I’m having pumpkin pie or mint chocolate ice cream, and enjoying it very much.”
Barbara Fleischman, 99, is pictured with Jim Santana, executive chef at Sunrise at East 56th in Manhattan. (Sunrise at East 56th)
Hummel, who grew up in Pennsylvania, said her primary New Year’s resolution is to continue her focus on staying active.
The day after Christmas, to mark her 90th birthday, she accomplished her longtime goal of walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.
“I couldn’t have done it without my trainer, Doug, and my very close friend, Miriam, who went with us and has a great sense of humor,” Hummel said.
“Acceptance is absolutely the key to happiness — but it’s probably the most difficult thing you could possibly achieve.”
The bridge was quite busy that day and not quite as serene as she expected — but Hummel said she still enjoyed the experience.
Looking ahead, she will continue working with her physical therapist and plans to walk around Roosevelt Island, which is about a mile in circumference, she said.
Like Fleischman, Hummel has also resolved to work on mastering the art of acceptance.
“Acceptance is absolutely the key to happiness — but it’s probably the most difficult thing you could possibly achieve,” she told Fox News Digital. “I try, but I haven’t been very successful at it.”
Dolores Wharton, 96, is pictured with her book, “A Multicultured Life.” Wharton is a retired corporate executive who also ran a nonprofit program to advance the careers of women and minorities. (Sunrise at East 56th)
Wharton, a lifelong New Yorker who’s been close friends with Fleischman for over 50 years, also has a resolution to walk regularly.
“I’m using a walker now, after having been in a wheelchair for a while after a fall last week,” she told Fox News Digital.
“So now I want to be able to walk — not with a walker, but on my own — right into Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdale’s, my favorite stores.”
Words of wisdom for all
When asked to share her best advice for younger generations, Fleischman stressed the importance of constantly growing and learning.
“You have to learn from what is happening around you and be smart enough to accept it,” she advised. “Acceptance is very important.”
INTERNET USE BY SENIORS ON REGULAR BASIS COULD SLASH THEIR DEMENTIA RISK, STUDY SUGGESTS
For example, Fleischman said she’s learned to accept the fact that she doesn’t hear or see as well as she once did, and she can’t swim like she used to — but she’s accepted those realities and still considers herself “very lucky.”
Hummel, a retired economist, encourages others to adopt a practice that encourages introspection and reflection.
“The most important thing I ever did for myself was to spend four years doing silent meditation,” she said, a practice that she started in her 60s and wholeheartedly recommends.
Lois Hummel, 90, is pictured crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, which was a longtime goal of hers, she told Fox News Digital. (Sunrise at East 56th)
“It will give you insights into yourself and will serve you for the rest of your life, because you can learn more about acceptance than you can learn any other way.”
She added, “The more you look, the more you see the type of person you really are.”
Hummel also stressed the importance of looking after animals and the environment.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: NO REASON WHY THESE CAN’T INCLUDE FAITH GOALS, URGES PASTOR
Wharton’s advice is for people to “interact harmoniously” with one another.
After working for years on a nonprofit program to advance the careers of women and minorities, she also encourages females “to aspire to go into the corporate world.”
From left to right, Dolores Wharton, Barbara Fleischer and Lois Hummel spoke by video with Fox News Digital from Sunrise at East 56th, a senior living facility in Manhattan, New York. (Sunrise at East 56th)
The three women agreed that giving back to others and to the community should be a primary focus.
Fleischman, who spent many years doing volunteer work, shared a mantra she said her husband used to follow.
“He said if the community has been good to you and you haven’t suffered, you owe something back to it. It’s a joy to help others who haven’t done as well as you have.”
Above all, she added, people should try to be better, whatever that means for them.
“If each individual tries to be better and helpful to others, then the whole world will change.”
“You learn so much by reaching out to others — it’s a wonderful gain.”
Fleischman also advised people to be “less concerned about themselves and more concerned about others,” noting that “self-absorption” is not healthy.
5 WAYS TO STICK WITH YOUR ‘EXERCISE MORE’ NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION IN 2024, FROM A NEW YORK DOCTOR
“We’re here not only to help ourselves, but to help others,” she said.
“You learn so much by reaching out to others — it’s a wonderful gain. And I hope that will be a resolution for many people.”
Benefits of goal-setting for seniors
New Year’s resolutions are especially important for seniors because they represent looking toward the future, according to Dr. Sandi Petersen, VP of health and wellness at Pegasus Senior Living in Dallas, Texas.
“Seniors should be encouraged to look forward, regardless of age,” she told Fox News Digital.
As a geriatric clinician, Petersen considers this a critical factor in her evaluation of older adults.
“Are they looking forward to the future — or are they feeling isolated, alone or hopeless? If individuals are focused on the future, it’s a sign of mental health, whether they are 9 or 90+,” she noted.
“Seniors should be encouraged to look forward, regardless of age,” a geriatric clinician told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
As some older adults with cognitive decline cannot make resolutions on their own, Petersen stressed the need for their loved ones to engage them in future-oriented conversations to promote socialization and improved quality of life.
“And, given the mind-body connection, we know that improved mental health increases the likelihood of improved physical health and a better sense of overall well-being,” she added.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Diana Santiago, clinical supervisor at Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania, noted that future goals for the older adults in her facility are mostly focused on “purpose and quality of life.”
“Family seems most important to these folks, as that is what drives them to seek treatment,” she told Fox News Digital.
A geriatric clinician noted that future goals for the older adults in her facility are mostly focused on “purpose and quality of life.” (iStock)
Some of the most common resolutions among her senior patients include improving relationships with family members, getting physically stronger and healthier, managing anxiety and depression, and managing chronic pain.
“Sometimes goals with this population can even be simply focused on getting home from treatment and seeking to get better quickly,” Santiago said.
“We will use this as a motivation rather than as an obstacle.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
What if your New Year’s resolution could fit inside a tote bag? Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities.
The trend is widely credited to TikTok creator Sierra Campbell, who posted about her own analog bag — containing a crossword book, portable watercolor set, Polaroid camera, planner and knitting supplies — and encouraged followers to make their own.
Her video prompted many others to share their own versions, with items like magazines, decks of cards, paints, needlepoint and puzzle books.
CREATIVE HOBBIES KEEP THE BRAIN YOUNG, STUDY FINDS — HERE ARE THE BEST ONES TO PURSUE
“I made a bag of non-digital activities to occupy my hands instead of the phone,” said Campbell, adding that the practice has significantly cut her screen time and filled her life with “creative and communal pursuits that don’t include doom-scrolling.”
“I created the analog bag after learning the only way to change a habit is to replace it with another,” she told Fox News Digital.
Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities like cameras, notebooks and magazines. (Fox News Digital)
The science of healthier habits
Research on habit formation supports the idea of the analog bag, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics.
“Your brain is a creature of habit,” Amen said during an interview with Fox News Digital. “Neurons that fire together wire together, meaning that every time you repeat a behavior, whether it’s good or bad, you strengthen the neural pathways that make it easier to do it again.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Studies show that habits are automatic responses to specific cues — such as boredom, stress or idle time — that typically deliver some kind of reward, according to the doctor. When no alternative behavior is available, people tend to fall back on the same routine, often without realizing it.
Research suggests that replacing an old habit with a new one tied to the same cue is more effective than trying to suppress the behavior altogether.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“[When] cutting out coffee — you need to have another drink to grab for, not just quit cold turkey. It’s how the pathways in our brains work,” Campbell said.
By substituting a different routine that still provides stimulation and engagement, people can gradually weaken the original habit and build a new automatic response.
Substituting another activity instead of scrolling on your phone can help quell the impulse to reach for it. (iStock)
“Simply stopping a behavior is very challenging,” Amen said. “Replacing one habit with something that is better for your brain is much easier. That’s how lasting change happens, one step at a time.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
If alternatives are within arm’s reach, people will be more likely to use them, the doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.”
Instead of saying, “I’ll stop scrolling today,” the doctor recommends choosing a small habit you can do in a few moments in specific situations, like knitting 10 rows of a scarf on your commute or reading a few pages of a book while waiting at the doctor’s office.
“If alternatives are within arm’s reach, you’re more likely to use them,” a brain doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.” (iStock)
Campbell shared her own examples of how to use an analog bag. At a coffee shop with friends, she said, she might pull out a crossword puzzle and ask others to help with answers when the conversation lulls.
Instead of taking dozens of photos on her phone, she uses an instant camera, which limits shots and encourages more intentional moments.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
In casual outdoor settings, such as a park or winery, she brings a small watercolor set for a quick creative outlet.
“It’s brought so much joy,” Campbell said of the analog bag trend, “seeing how it resonates with so many.”
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A deadly, drug-resistant fungus already spreading rapidly through U.S. hospitals is becoming even more threatening worldwide, though there may be hope for new treatments, according to a new scientific review.
Candida auris (C. auris), often described as a “superbug fungus,” is spreading globally and increasingly resisting human immune systems, Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) researchers said in a review published in early December.
The findings reinforce prior CDC warnings that have labeled C. auris an “urgent antimicrobial threat” — the first fungal pathogen to receive that designation — as U.S. cases have surged, particularly in hospitals and long-term care centers.
DANGEROUS SPIKE IN SUPERBUG INFECTIONS SURGES ACROSS US AS EXPERTS SHARE CAUTIONS
Approximately 7,000 cases were identified across dozens of U.S. states in 2025, according to the CDC, and it has reportedly been identified in at least 60 countries.
Candida auris is a drug-resistant fungus spreading in hospitals worldwide. (Nicolas Armer/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
The review, published in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, helps explain why the pathogen is so difficult to contain and warns that outdated diagnostics and limited treatments lag behind. It was conducted by Dr. Neeraj Chauhan of the Hackensack Meridian CDI in New Jersey, Dr. Anuradha Chowdhary of the University of Delhi’s Medical Mycology Unit and Dr. Michail Lionakis, chief of the clinical mycology program at the National Institutes of Health.
Their findings stress the need to develop “novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens, to improve diagnostic tests and to develop immune- and vaccine-based adjunct modalities for the treatment of high-risk patients,” the researchers said in a statement.
GROWING ANTIBIOTIC CRISIS COULD TURN BACTERIAL INFECTIONS DEADLY, EXPERTS WARN
“In addition, future efforts should focus on raising awareness about fungal disease through developing better surveillance mechanisms, especially in resource-poor countries,” they added. “All these developments should help improve the outcomes and prognosis of patients afflicted by opportunistic fungal infections.”
Candida auris can survive on skin and hospital surfaces, allowing it to spread easily. (iStock)
First identified in 2009 from a patient’s ear sample in Japan, C. auris has since spread to dozens of countries, including the U.S., where outbreaks have forced some hospital intensive care units to shut down, according to the researchers.
The fungus poses the greatest risk to people who are already critically ill, particularly those on ventilators or with weakened immune systems. Once infected, about half of patients may die, according to some estimates.
FLU BY STATE: WHERE THIS SEASON’S HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VARIANT IS SPREADING THE MOST
Unlike many other fungi, C. auris can survive on human skin and cling to hospital surfaces and medical equipment, allowing it to spread easily in healthcare settings.
“It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, and it tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment being used on immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, previously told Fox News Digital.
Scientists say the unique cell wall structure of C. auris makes it harder to kill. (iStock)
It is also frequently misdiagnosed, delaying treatment and infection control measures.
“Unfortunately, symptoms such as fever, chills and aches may be ubiquitous, and it can be mistaken for other infections,” Siegel said.
In September, he said intense research was ongoing to develop new treatments.
Only four major classes of antifungal drugs are currently available, and C. auris has already shown resistance to many of them. While three new antifungal drugs have been approved or are in late-stage trials, researchers warn that drug development has struggled to keep pace with the fungus’s evolution.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES
Despite the sobering findings, there is still room for cautious optimism.
The fungus can cling to skin and hospital surfaces, aiding its spread. (iStock)
In separate research published in December, scientists at the University of Exeter in England discovered a potential weakness in C. auris while studying the fungus in a living-host model.
The team found that, during infection, the fungus activates specific genes to scavenge iron, a nutrient it needs to survive, according to their paper, published in the Nature portfolio journal Communications Biology in December.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Because iron is essential for the pathogen, researchers believe drugs that block this process could eventually stop infections or even allow existing medications to be repurposed.
“We think our research may have revealed an Achilles’ heel in this lethal pathogen during active infection,” Dr. Hugh Gifford, a clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter and co-author of the study, said in a statement.
New research is underway to develop better treatments and diagnostics for C. auris. (iStock)
As researchers race to better understand the fungus, officials warn that strict infection control, rapid detection and continued investment in new treatments remain critical.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Health experts emphasize that C. auris is not a threat to healthy people.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDI researchers and additional experts for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Angelica Stabile contributed reporting.
‘In contact with family’: Indian embassy on murder of Nikitha Godishala allegedly by ex-boyfriend in Maryland – The Times of India
Long-time Michigan assistant coach is reportedly retained under Kyle Whittingham
Western Massachusetts Climbers’ Coalition acquires 70 acres to protect Farley Ledges – Greenfield Recorder
Minnesota investigators say child care centers captured in viral video were operating as expected
Two more Mississippi State players announce decision to enter portal
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Dan Bongino officially leaves FBI deputy director role after less than a year, returns to ‘civilian life’
Hundreds march in silence to honour Crans-Montana fire victims
Here’s a partial list of U.S. elected officials opposing Trump’s invasion of Venezuela
Crans Montana organises solemn march for the victims • FRANCE 24 English
Kamala Harris blasts Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro as ‘unlawful and unwise’
-
Entertainment1 week agoHow the Grinch went from a Yuletide bit player to a Christmas A-lister
-
World7 days agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
Southeast1 week agoTwo attorneys vanish during Florida fishing trip as ‘heartbroken’ wife pleads for help finding them
-
Business1 week agoGoogle is at last letting users swap out embarrassing Gmail addresses without losing their data
-
World1 week agoSnoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, Huntr/x and Andrea Bocelli Deliver Christmas-Themed Halftime Show for Netflix’s NFL Lions-Vikings Telecast
-
World1 week agoBest of 2025: Top five defining moments in the European Parliament
-
Politics1 week agoMost shocking examples of Chinese espionage uncovered by the US this year: ‘Just the tip of the iceberg’