Many older adults are aging without a safety net. The belief that every older adult has a concerned, competent, involved family member to help with medical decisions, legal decisions, bill paying, transportation, and other caregiving responsibilities is being shattered by reality. Current…
Category: Aging Well
The Lives of Elder Orphans
By now, many of us have heard of the term “Elder Orphan.” An elder orphan has no adult children, spouse or companion to rely on for company, assistance or input. This growing issue has captured the attention of the news media in the last…
Lifestyle Management Impacts Dementia
Being poor later in life may boost the risk of dementia by 50 percent, new research suggests. “Our study confirms that the risk of dementia is reduced among well-off older people compared with those who have fewer economic resources,” said lead researcher Dorina Cadar, Ph.D.,…
Setting up a Plan for Aging without Family
“I just turned 74, and I’m still in great health; but I am concerned about my future. My husband died last year after living with dementia for 8 years. We have no children, and my only relative, a nephew, is now living in Alaska. I…
Technology Help for Seniors
Over the last several years, older adults have been the fastest growing segment of the online population. More and more people over the age of 60 are going online and using Facebook, Google, Yahoo and Youtube. They are emailing, texting and blogging—and it is having…
Elder Loneliness and Isolation
Many older adults find themselves in this cycle of compounded loss, but it should never be considered the norm for this stage of life.Loneliness and social isolation are now believed to be as dangerous to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and surpass the mortality…
How to Stop an Older Adult from Driving
“Two months ago a neighbor was killed by an older driver. Now I can’t stop thinking about my own mom and her driving. I know that she shouldn’t drive anymore. She has what seems to be early stages of Alzheimer’s (although, she is in denial).…
Friendships – Good - Sometimes Ending
A conclusion was reached, through 300,000 participants, that people who had strong friendships lived 7.5 years longer than those with weak or few social ties. Brigham Young University reported the conclusion that friendship extends life. Other research by Marla Paul, author of The Friendship Crisis:…
Lessons for Retirement
A few notes from an early retiree, Jonathan Look, are passed on for your enlightenment. For his complete story you can check out his approach to retirement at: www.LifePart2.com. His paraphrased suggestions follow: With retirement, you have more time to do things you love, but…
Wealth and Health for Retirement
A goal for retirement is to be happy, healthy and financially comfortable. To achieve that goal, you want to ask yourself: am I saving enough, how long will my money last and when will I be able to retire? With an average lifespan of 83…