The demand for caregivers will continue to grow as the American population continues to age. Baby boomers have been entering their senior years at a time when medical advances have extended lifespans. The expanding population of older adults who are coping with chronic disabling conditions has increased demand for certified nursing assistants in assisted-living facilities […]
Social Security benefits are the only source of income for about 20% of Americans who are 65 or older. Retirees struggle when they must live on their Social Security benefit alone. The average benefit is less than $1,800 per month. About half of all Americans who are 65 or older receive 50% or more of […]
Long-term care can be critical to the health and emotional well-being of older adults. The adult children of aging parents are often called upon to provide that care, but they do so at a cost to their own quality of life. Family caregivers who work long hours without compensation may be sacrificing careers, incurring expenses, […]
One of the most difficult decisions an older couple can make is whether to remain in the home they own or to sell the home and move to a retirement community. Aging in place allows the couple to continue relationships with neighbors and local friends, to participate in community activities they enjoy, and to feel […]
Older adults are frequent targets of schemes to swindle people out of their money. The FBI reports that 92,371 older adults were victimized by fraud in 2021. They lost $1.7 billion, a 74% increase from 2020. Many older adults have accumulated substantial savings that attract financial scammers. Regardless of their wealth, older adults are seen […]
President Biden took office in 2021 with an ambitious plan to improve the post-pandemic economy and to reduce the level of poverty among older adults. His proposals included increasing Social Security benefits, updating cost-of-living adjustments, reducing drug costs, and expanding Medicare coverage. Unfortunately for seniors, presidential authority to improve their Social Security and Medicare benefits […]
Most older Americans receive Social Security and participate in Medicare. Those programs help people meet their financial needs while assuring that they receive affordable healthcare. Yet those programs, combined with private retirement plans, are not always sufficient. The Census Bureau reports that, prior to the pandemic, one in six seniors relied on a needs-based assistance […]
Updated June 2025 Recent reports issued by the Census Bureau reflect a depressing reality for older Americans. A 2022 report found that, between 2020 and 2021, the official poverty rate increased for people who were 65 or older. That increase contrasts with a decrease in the official poverty rate for people younger than 18. The […]
Updated May 2025 To avoid late enrollment penalties, seniors who are eligible for Medicare usually sign up at their earliest opportunity. Seniors rarely have a reason not to enroll. Retirees earned Medicare’s hospitalization benefits by paying FICA taxes during their working lives. They are not required to pay a monthly premium to receive those benefits. […]
Inflation is making headlines, not just in the United States but around the world. As the pandemic winds down, consumers are returning to their former buying patterns, create a surge in demand. Suppliers are having difficulty meeting that demand, in part because it takes time to gear up production, in part because the economy is […]