Updated August 2025 According to the Pew Research Center, 98% of Americans age 50–64 are online. Even more surprising, 90% of Americans 65 and older report that they use the internet, up from 63% ten years ago. How Seniors Use the Internet A 2025 report by AARP identifies the ways in which Americans who are […]
Social Security, also known as the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) is a federal program that includes several insurance and welfare programs. The original Social Security Act was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 and the current version of the Act has been amended numerous times. Social Security is funded through […]
A 2020 companion report issued by The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP on Caregiving in the U.S. found that 11% of the 50+ plus caregivers lived a least one hour away from their care recipient. And those numbers are only likely to increase as society continues to be more and more mobile. Providing help […]
Patient advocacy is an area of specialization in health care concerned with advocacy for patients, survivors and caregivers. The patient advocate may be an individual or an organization. The terms patient advocate and patient advocacy can refer both to individual advocates providing services, and to organizations whose functions extend to individual patients. Some patient advocates […]
The 21st century has resulted in an unprecedented movement of older Americans toward aging alone. Some older adults embrace this trend to further their desire to age in place. For others, it is a matter of being able to afford to remain at home alone. In addition, having a broad variety of health care services […]
As the process of aging presents more and more challenges, many seniors become more resistive to help. Ironically, at the very time when a little more help would be useful, families are often faced with frustration and conflict when their older relatives say no to their suggestions for assistance. There are a variety of factors […]
When parents are absent or unable to raise their children, grandparents are often the ones who step in. Raising a second generation brings many rewards, including the fulfillment of giving your grandkids a sense of security, developing a deeper relationship, and keeping the family together. It also comes with many challenges. No matter how much […]
Each year hundreds of thousands of older persons are abused, neglected, and exploited (The National Council on Aging states that one in 10 Americans over the age of 60 have experienced abuse. Some estimates suggest that as many as 5 million seniors experience abuse each year.) . Many victims are people who are older, frail, and […]
The definition of family has been evolving for some time. In 1950, “nuclear” families, two-parent families with children, headed 78% of the nation’s households.1 The United States was primarily a Father Knows Best nation. As a result of the increase in divorce, separation, death, and live-in partners, today’s norm is a “blended” family, defined as […]
The largest segment of home care consists of licensed and unlicensed non-medical personnel who assist individuals with daily tasks such as bathing, eating, cleaning the home and preparing meals. Caregivers work to support the needs of individuals who require such assistance, and this care helps them stay at home versus living in a facility. Oftentimes […]