“Nobody has said to me, you are an old person can you share your wisdom?”
Key Topics
Aging
Aging is not decline but a season of wisdom, resilience, and purpose, where each day is a gift to be lived fully.
Ageism
Ageism strips away dignity and value, and challenging it means affirming the worth and wisdom of every older adult.
Death and Dying
Facing death with honesty and grace can deepen our appreciation of the present and remind us to live with meaning.
Disabilities
Different abilities highlight human strength and creativity, showing that dignity and contribution are not bound by limitation.
Women’s Issues
Women’s lives reflect resilience and multifaceted beauty, yet too often they face inequities that demand advocacy and change.
Faith
Faith grounds us in compassion and purpose, offering strength to endure challenges and inspiration to serve others.
Exploitation
Exploitation in all its forms dehumanizes, and confronting it requires both awareness and action to restore justice and hope.
Loneliness
Loneliness is an international epidemic. It affects the health of all ages. (References)
Upcoming events
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All the Lonely People, Where Do They All Belong?
October 29-31, 2025
National Association of Social Workers
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Loneliness has existed since the beginning of time, but why now do we see such an avalanche of the need to deal with this lack of togetherness? Dr Vivek Murthy, surgeon general for two presidents, states in his book Together, “During my years of caring for patients, the most common condition I saw was not heart disease or diabetes; it was loneliness.”
From the perspective of the emerging adult, through the lives of older adults, the effects of loneliness and isolation are explored with mental health, loss, addiction, and sociological pathology. Through a study of the literature and the results of qualitative interviews, looking at the micro problems of loneliness and some possible mezzo and macro solutions. Also, explore your thoughts and your own experiences.
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Our Search for Well-being: Remembering the Journey, Stimulating Conversation, Capturing Life's Experiences.
November 12-15, 2025
Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting
Boston, Massachusetts
This study employed a narrative phenomenological hermeneutic analysis of the journeys recounted by 15 older adults, examining the relationship between these journeys and their well-being. Older adults were asked to tell the story of their life, conveying the experiences that had the most significant impact. The experience could have been positive or negative, but it had shaped their development, sometimes physical, emotional, or both. These narratives brought forth memories of experiences focused beyond the ‘happy life’ proposed in the positive psychology of Maslow (Motivation and Personality, 1954), related to the ‘meaning of life,’ explored by Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning, 1959) but more focused on the ‘well-being or psychological richness’ explored by Oishi (Life in Three Dimension, 2025). Oishi’s psychologically rich life fits well with one’s life having meaning and was found to be a defining factor in ‘well-being, ’ even though many would hope for a ‘happy life.’ Upon reflection on the narrative, the pattern of conveying happy times tended to be less frequent, and instead, the experiences themselves focused on exploration, creativity, and challenges. This reflected a need for meaningfulness in life, as well as the pursuit of the journey of life itself and each individual’s unique approach.
Hello! I’m Dr. Karen Shilvock-Cinefro.
I am a social worker, professor, researcher, and writer. I have a BA in Psychology from North Park University, an MA in Sociology and Gerontology from Roosevelt University, and a Doctorate in Clinical Social Work from Aurora University.
I am a licensed social worker and a licensed nursing home administrator, with over 40 years of experience working in the field through various agencies, facilities, and in private practice. I enjoy teaching and helping students become excited about a valuable profession. I enjoy reading, running, kayaking, working with charities, mission work, and music. I play the French horn with several music groups. I am blessed with a large family, including my husband, seven children, and fifteen grandchildren. Yes, I’m ‘mature’ and ‘wiser’, but always learning and enjoying life.
Working with the vulnerable and disadvantaged is one of my passions, from helping on a Reservation in South Dakota to a clinic in Honduras. I have also traveled to several distant countries, such as South Africa, to work with primary school teachers and to Nepal, where I went to gain more awareness and help in the rehabilitation of girls who have been rescued from exploitation in the world of sex trafficking. I hope to return to Nepal to visit some of the mountain villages where many of the young girls are taken from, where they then begin the forced, horrific journey into sex trafficking.
On a much lighter note, I love Minions, Star Trek, Owls, and the Chicago Cubs.
