Today Is a Tough Day
A brief personal note from Bryan Kelly
Hey there,
First I’d like to welcome all of the new subscribers that have joined!
You’re part of a growing community of curious and forward-thinking people who are reconsidering what older age can be — and how to live it with intention.
Today is a tough day and it’s been a trying past couple of weeks.
My mom suddenly passed away three years ago today of an aggressive and unidentified cancer. She received the diagnosis in the final days of September 2022 and by November 4th she had passed.
Now, only a few short years later, my dad was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer and started his first chemo treatment last week.
Between my sister and I, who both travel for work and have busy professional lives, the difficulty of caregiving is real.
In the midst of all of this, my sister is in Bangkok on business. And I just flew to Chicago to deliver a conference keynote about my work as a User Experience professional focused on creating better digital experiences for those over age 50.
Yeah — it’s been nuts!
We’re navigating it all best as we can and thankfully have a wonderful support system of people around us to help.
I’m a little behind on the final installment of my current 5-part series of essays… but promise… it’s coming soon.
In case you any of the previous four parts in the series, you can read them here: Not Retired Yet: My Life in The Villages at 40-something, Welcome to Leisureville, U.S.A., Belonging at the Wrong Age and, What We’re Still Getting Wrong About Aging.
I’m also about to push send on this week’s age/proof Digest, so don’t miss that when it hits your inbox later today.
Until next time,
— Bryan Kelly
P.S. For those of you who don’t know me well yet if you might new here — check out this snippet from my Substack About page…
Bryan Kelly has a front-row seat to the biggest demographic shift in history.
At 45, he moved into The Villages — the world’s largest retirement community — to study how older adults are redefining later life. Not from the outside looking in, but by living among them.
Bryan spent nearly two decades building digital experiences as an entrepreneur, marketer, and UX content designer.
Two moments sparked his curiosity:
First, a VP of Design told his team to “just focus on Gen Z” — even though most of their users were over 50.
Second, he watched a woman in her 70s struggle to navigate a healthcare app. It wasn’t her. It was the design.
These moments raised a critical question:
What if the problem isn’t the age of these users — but our lack of understanding them?
Now Bryan’s exploring aging, retirement, and identity in the context of the 100-year life.
He’s also a competitive middle-aged athlete with USA Track & Field, performing at an elite level in age-graded sprint events:
Silver medalist, 800m – 2023 USATF Masters Outdoor Championships
Silver medalist, 400m – 2025 USATF Masters Indoor Championships
10th place, 400m – 2025 World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships
Through his experiences and writing, he challenges conventional assumptions about aging — and explores how to design for what’s next.
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I am so sorry that this is such a difficult time, Bryan. Sending you and your father love and hope for healing from Boston. Caring for aging and sick parents is one of the toughest things about this stage of life. He is lucky to have such a strong support system. Just remember to take care of yourself too.
So sorry to hear about the really tough stuff you’ve had to walk through Bryan.
Thoughts are with you!
Take care.