As parents grow older, their adult children may be called upon to help them make decisions about their future. Those decisions can be complicated with a parent suffers from a disabling health condition. Surveys show that most older Americans want to age in place. Staying in the family home can be challenging when parents can […]
Parents who reach their retirement years often ask their children for advice about the future. Should they remain in the family home or downsize? If they downsize, should they buy or rent? Should they remain in their present community or move to a different city? Would they be happier in a traditional neighborhood or in […]
Businesses need consumers to buy their products. While consumers who have worked their way up the employment ladder might be in the best position to spend money, advertisers have long targeted the youth market — consumers between 18 and 34. They reasoned that older consumers already have what they need and are saving rather than […]
Updated July 2025 During the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, older Americans dramatically slowed the rate at which they moved into senior housing facilities. By the end of 2024, occupancy rates in most facilities approached or exceeded pre-pandemic levels. The industry projects 90% occupancy by 2026, with older adults turning to senior housing […]
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are growing in popularity as a senior housing option. An ADU (also known as a “granny flat” or “granny pod”) is a secondary residence that occupies the same land as a primary home. It may be a free-standing building, such as a detached garage that has been converted into living quarters. […]
Updated December 2025 Older adults have been a frequent target of fraudulent investment schemes. The FBI reports a 46% increase in complaints of financial scams targeting the elderly between 2023 and 2024. In 2024, more than 147,000 older victims were swindled by financial scams. They lost at least $4.8 billion. Since many seniors never report […]
Older adults who suffer from disabling health conditions often require assistance with their activities of daily living, including eating, bathing, and getting out of bed. In many cases, family members provide that assistance. Other seniors depend on an assisted-living facility to help them live a comfortable life. Medicare does not cover long-term care in a […]
Updated May 2025 Retirees have many options when they decide whether and where to relocate. Some decide to remain in their family home. Some cash in their home equity by downsizing while remaining in the same community. Some move closer to their adult children. Some move to a retirement community. Retirees who need care might […]
Retirement communities (sometimes known as retirement villages) are designed with older residents in mind. The occupancy of housing units is restricted to older adults. A minimum age of 50 or 55 for at least one resident is common. Some communities allow a younger spouse or adult children to live with the senior resident. Gated retirement […]
Updated August 2025 Weather-related disasters have increased globally in the last fifty years. Fortunately, weather-related deaths have not increased at the same pace. Scientists have improved their ability to predict extreme weather events and governments have become more adept at issuing warnings while there is time to avoid a catastrophe. Measured by economic loss of […]