Older Adults Stealing the Show

What do a trio of true-crime podcasters in a New York City high-rise and a group of British retirees have in common?

They’re the stars of some of today’s most popular shows, and they’re proving a simple truth: older adults are everywhere, and they’re dismantling ageism, one mystery at a time
Streaming series Only Murders in the Building and the book-to-screen sensation The Thursday Murder Club have captivated millions by featuring older characters who are sharp, funny, and full of life.

They defy the tired stereotype that aging means becoming frail or irrelevant, using their wisdom and energy to prove that a sharp mind and a vibrant life have no age limit.

What We Can All Learn: Solving the Mystery of Aging Well

These stories feature older characters as the heroes of their own stories. This isn't just great entertainment; it's a powerful lesson in solving the mystery of aging well. It’s a reminder we champion at Hackensack Meridian Health: the goal isn’t just to live longer, but to live better.
We believe that, just like your favorite characters, you should be the active, capable protagonist of your own health journey. That’s why we’re committed to challenging ageism in healthcare and building a system that helps you thrive at every stage of life.

From the Silver Screen to Your Doctor's Office: How We Make "Living Better" a Reality

As a nationally recognized Age-Friendly Health System, we’re not just talking about it - we’re putting it into practice. Here’s a glimpse of our commitment to you:

• Smarter, Safer Care: We’re rethinking how medications are prescribed for older adults to ensure your treatment plan is safe and personalized. Our specialized surgical programs are designed to help you recover faster and stronger.
• Keeping You Sharp: A hospital stay can be disorienting. We use advanced tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to predict and prevent confusion (delirium), helping protect your cognitive health while you’re in our care.
• Emergency Care That Understands You: Our accredited Geriatric Emergency Departments are specifically designed to provide well-coordinated, quality care that addresses the unique needs of older adults in a calm and supportive environment.

Our Promise: Care That Respects You as an Individual

When you come to Hackensack Meridian Health, you are the center of your care. You can always expect us to:

• See the person, not just the age. We’ll address you with respect and make decisions based on your overall health, not just a number.
• Speak to you, not about you. You are our most important partner, even when family or caregivers are in the room.
• Never dismiss your concerns as “just part of getting old.” Every symptom you have is worth investigating.
• Always ask, “What matters most to you?” Your priorities guide your care plan, always.

“Our teams and I strive to understand what matters most for our patients, their goals and values, to help guide every plan of care through shared decision making,” says Zeeshan Khan, M.D., FAAFP, FASAM, CMD, chief of Geriatrics, Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. “Our person-centered care is focused on helping our patients feel safe, heard, and supported, as emotional safety is just as important as physical recovery.”

This October, let’s celebrate the vibrant, capable, and complex individuals that older adults are - both on-screen and in our own communities. Just like the characters we love, they are the protagonists of their own incredible stories.

Join us in challenging ageism. Click here to learn more about our nationally recognized age-friendly programs and how we’re helping our community live better at every age. And join HMH’s experts for a discussion about the science and medicine of healthy aging and hear how we can live a longer, healthier lives Tuesday, December 2, by scanning the QR Code above.