Here are two eye-popping facts: Someone turning 65 will have a nearly 70% chance of needing long-term care in the future. And the annual cost of a private room in a nursing home (national median) is over $100,000 a year, according to the recent Genwort… Continue reading
Recently, an 88-year-old member of my family underwent elective spinal surgery for disabling back pain. While the duration of hospitalization for anyone after surgery can be unpredictable, we were surprised to find out our family member would be discha… Continue reading
Moving from home to a residential care facility can be a difficult transition for older adults. But for those with dementia, leaving the familiar surroundings of home often proves to be especially challenging. A recent study by researchers at the Unive… Continue reading
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, one of two dozen Democratic candidates for president in 2020, has not become a breakout star. But the Minnesota senator is one of the few hopefuls who released a plan addressing concerns of older adults and family caregivers, as wel… Continue reading
At Next Avenue, a public media website for people 50+, we know our readers care deeply about the 2020 presidential election. To find out which election issues matter most to them, we asked readers to tell us their top three. Some 209 readers responded,… Continue reading
Nursing home residents and their families rely on social workers to help navigate the maze of decisions required to meet their often-changing health needs. Social workers also provide emotional support and interventions to help residents adapt and cope… Continue reading
Until recently, aside from talking about Medicare for All, most Democratic presidential hopefuls haven’t said much about issues of keen interest to older voters. That all changed last week, though, when they answered pointed questions at the AARP Presi… Continue reading
George Vrandenburg, the co-founder and chairman of the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s advocacy group is a man on a mission. And he is in a hurry. He’s not prepared to wait until 2025, the federal government’s deadline to recommend next-step solutions for Alzheim… Continue reading
(Editors’ note: Since this article was published on July 11, 2019, Democratic presidential hopefuls Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Amy Klobuchar released long-term care proposals. Booker’s long-term care plan would make it easier to qualify for Medicaid cov… Continue reading
Two U.S. senators recently released a bipartisan report that included a list of over 400 nursing homes with health and safety violations serious enough to warrant additional government oversight. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) put a spot… Continue reading