Martha Worcester – Website & Late Life Business Owner
My goal in my work is to foster communication and connection between the generations and dispel the
age-related biases of young and old alike. I enjoy listening to each person tell their life story and discover their own unique journey.
In Late life Design my work includes guiding individuals and families in life planning, facilitating groups, consulting with organizations, writing, and research.
In planning my own life I consider what is important to do in my time alone, with family, and with groups.
I develop and grow as I refine my overall approach to living in response to changes in my own life, those around me, and the world in which we all live.
- In my time alone I enjoy walking to enjoy the outdoors and remain fit, creating plans for my life, reading, reflecting, and writing.
- Family and friends are important parts for my life. With my family, I enjoy my roles as sibling, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and relative of many extended family. Making time for connecting with my family is important to me. I am fortunate to be the middle child of a family of five and have four children who enrich my life with their own families. I value building friendships through shared times together.
- My connections with groups include weekly volunteering at Senior Services of South Sound, and participating in Toastmasters-Dawn Talkers Chapter, choir and worship services.
Monthly I participate in the Council of Neighborhoods Associations, and my writing group, WIT-Writing in Tandem. - My ABCs for living are to: Appreciate the variety in persons and gifts on our planet earth, to find Balance in my energies, and Contribute to life and receive what life offers as long as I am able. My greatest joy is to listen, laugh, and lament with others as I travel through life.
Purpose of Late Life Design
- to enrich others understanding of aging processes, stages, and what to expect,
- to assist others in meeting challenges and finding enjoyment in the last decades of life,
- to assist agencies and organizations in designing their services and products for and with older adults
Education
- Ph.D. University of WA. Growth & Development Across the Life Span, Gerontology, Nursing, and Community Health
- Nurse Practitioner Certification: University of Colorado Medical Center, Denver
- MSN. University of California at San Francisco.
- BSN. Chico State College, CA – now California State University.
Past volunteer and career roles
- Volunteer activities have included
– counseling older individuals,
– facilitating and working with groups in community and health care settings to address concerns of older adults and their families
– assisting families and caregivers with social and health care concerns at the end of life. - My past career roles have included
– Educator – Director of A Nurse Practitioner Program and taught nursing courses, and growth and development in late life courses for students across all disciplines.
– Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner – specializing in Adult and Gerontological nursing in hospitals, clinics, and community settings
– Researcher on caregiving and receiving of families working with physical and mental concerns of their relatives.
– Consultant with the State Nursing Commission for Nurse Practitioner
– Director and Manager of Hospice Organization and Resource Advocates for a Senior Center.
– Writer – of articles, newsletters, and booklets on nursing and issues related to aging.
History and Future of Keys to Aging – Late Life Design –
The Keys to Aging – Late Life Design – website has been in development for the past ten years but only officially launched on January 1, 2023 revisions are ongoing as needed. It continues to be improved. Comments are welcome by users to improve the site.
Phases in beginning the website and business began with workshops and presentations and grew into ways to best use the energies and talents I am given to share with others as I live out my own late life. As I have received so much from life, so it is I am committed to return in some measure to life what has been given to me without my asking by so many as long as I am able.