At 86 years old, Carol Takaki still logs on each morning to teach English to students from around the world. From her home in Berkeley, California, where she has lived for more than 50 years, she continues to show up with purpose, curiosity, and a deep sense of connection to others.
That same sense of connection is what led her to support HelpAge USA.
“I can identify with those people,” she says, reflecting on older adults living through conflict. “I just can’t imagine trying to deal with being my age in a war-torn country.”
A Life Shaped by Global Connection
Carol has been teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) for more than 35 years. Today, she teaches online, a shift she embraced during the pandemic that has made her classes more accessible to students balancing work, caregiving, and other responsibilities.
Her classroom is global, with students from Yemen, Guatemala, Morocco, Algeria, and beyond. Many are navigating displacement, instability, or the challenges of starting over in a new country
Through decades of teaching, travel to more than 50 countries, and a richly multicultural family, Carol has built a worldview rooted in empathy and shared humanity.
Why Supporting Older People Matters
Carol began supporting HelpAge USA in 2022, around the time of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. What stayed with her was not just the headlines, but what she understood from her own students.
“I know that they left their parents behind,” she explains. “It’s harder for older people to seek safety, and more difficult for them to navigate a war-torn country.”
At 86, Carol sees herself in those stories.
“I get tired easily. I’m hard of hearing. I just can’t imagine trying to deal with all of that in a situation like that.”
What Aging Has Taught Her
For Carol, aging is not about stepping back. It is about adapting and continuing to engage.
“I’ve had to learn how to take care of myself,” she says. “I understand the importance of keeping my mind and body active. It’s why I have not retired.”
Teaching gives her structure, purpose, and connection. And when challenges inevitably arise, she meets them with resilience.
She recalls a fortune cookie she once received:
“Life is full of waves, so you have to learn how to surf.”
“I’ve learned how to surf,” she says. “I’ve learned how to adjust.”