Anxiety Is Another Stage of Grief

(This article is excerpted from Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief by Claire Bidwell Smith.) What is anxiety? Where does it come from, and how can you gain control over it? And why is it so frequently spurred by the loss of a loved one? These are ofte… Continue reading

Building a Strong Home Care Workforce

 (Advances in science and public health are increasing longevity and enhancing the quality of life for people around the world. In this series of interviews with the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, 14 visionaries are revealing exciting… Continue reading

Identifying the Unique Challenges of Solo Agers

Over 30 years ago, researchers and geriatricians identified an “elder orphan” (sometimes called a “solo ager”) as a person aging alone with little support. But when my Elder Orphan Facebook group targeting this population launched over 2 1/2 years ago,… Continue reading

The Steep Cost of Tech Products for Mobility

(This article appeared previously on the website Tech50+.) According to the website Pants Up Easy, which tracks disabilities, some 3.6 million Americans over the age of 15 use a wheelchair for mobility. Perhaps that seems kind of low, but it doesn’t in… Continue reading

Electronic Assistants Like Alexa Might Let You Live at Home Longer

Every morning, my kids ask Alexa about the weather for the day. It amazes me that this rather charming part of our get-ready-for-the-day routine is so new. We just put the Amazon Echo in our kitchen several months ago. Already it feels as natural and n… Continue reading

Technology Can Help Us Age in Place, If We Let It

You’ve mastered the computer, you readily text friends and family and you live stream with aplomb. Technology also offers products that can help ensure your safety at home. Are you ready to let technology help you age in place? New monitoring products … Continue reading

Anne Tumlinson: Transforming Long-Term Care for Older Adults

Next Avenue 2018 Influencer in Aging Anne Tumlinson is a nationally recognized expert in the economics of an aging society. She is the founder of Daughterhood, an organization dedicated to building community around the experience of caring for aging pa… Continue reading

L.A. Wants to Be the Age-Friendliest U.S. City: How’s It Going?

A little over two years ago, the leaders of Los Angeles and L.A. County unveiled Purposeful Aging Los Angeles, their plan to make L.A. “the most age-friendly” place in the world. The idea is more than nice; it’s essential: The LA region’s older adult p… Continue reading

Understanding Your Fall Risk and What to Do About It

September is Falls Prevention Awareness Month, which marks a good time to reflect on how older adults can reduce the risk of falling. The statistics on falls are sobering. Every 13 seconds a person over 65 requires emergency room treatment because of a… Continue reading