What types of foods do very old people often enjoy, and why might they have specific preferences or smaller appetites?

John, businessman, author, accountant, systems analyst, you've worn a lot of hats. As a self-described generalist, what's the one skill or mindset that's carried across all of them?
Does the physical distance between two people during a conversation tell you everything you need to know about their relationship?
How are hospitals and medical institutions across Japan managing the surge in patient numbers given the unusually early timeline of this flu outbreak?