Family caregivers usually work without compensation. They often devote much of their day to helping older family members with their activities of daily living. The work of caregiving is stressful and often unappreciated. The self-sacrifice associated with caregiving comes with a cost. Apart from giving up the opportunity to earn a fulltime income, family caregivers […]
Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) allow residents to change their housing environment to meet changing needs without relocating to a new community. Healthy retirees live in a part of the CCRC campus that is devoted to retirement community housing, complete with amenities that may include swimming pools, housekeeping, and dining halls. The community takes care […]
May is Older Americans Month. Every year, the Administration for Community Living designates a theme that underlies celebrations of older Americans’ contributions to society and reaffirms the importance of serving their needs. The theme in 2024 is Powered by Connections. The theme calls attention to the important role that social connections and meaningful relationships play […]
Caregivers help people who have disabling impairments with their activities of daily living. The nation’s shortage of caregivers is tied to rising demand as the population ages. The shortage is exacerbated by the low pay that caregivers have traditionally earned. Most caregivers are unpaid family members. They provide transportation to medical appointments, monitor medications, administer […]
When does old age begin? Science does not define any specific age as “old.” The answer is a matter of opinion, but opinions have changed in recent years. Lifespans Influence Perceptions of Old Age Perceptions of “old age” have changed as lifespans have increased. A 15-year-old girl in 1901 might have expected to live to […]
Based on census data, the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC) estimates that by 2026, the United States will have one million additional households with a member who has reached the age of 80. Another two million 80+ households are expected by 2029. The NIC projects that the Southwest, the mid-Atlantic, and […]
Awe is an overwhelming emotional response to something that a person perceives. The earliest appearances of the word “awe” were rooted in fear or dread, often associated with the divine. In a more modern sense, awe is a feeling of reverential respect, admiration, and wonder. Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of […]
Hospice care provides services that increase the comfort of people who are dying from an untreatable health condition. Hospice care is intended to manage the patient’s pain while promoting a peaceful death. Adult children of a dying parent often turn to hospice care when the parent wants to die at home. Hospice care also be […]
Adult children face difficult decisions when their parents are approaching the end of their lives. An advancing cancer that no longer responds to treatment is one example of a health condition that leaves parents and their children with few options. The family’s primary goal is usually to make the parents’ last days as comfortable as […]
A recent study concludes that moving into a senior living community promotes longevity. Research conducted by the nonpartisan organization NORC at the University of Chicago found that older adults who move into senior living communities — including independent living communities, assisted-living facilities, and memory care facilities — live longer than comparable adults who live in […]