Why I’m So Glad I Ran for Congress

It’s the day after the day after I completed a run for Congress, and I’m just beginning to sort through the extraordinary experience I’ve had. I ran as a Democrat in North Carolina’s 13th District and I knew it would be an uphill battle; the district h… Continue reading

All About the Veterans Benefit for Long-Term Care

(This article previously appeared on APlaceforMom.com.) Millions of veterans who need long-term care are missing out on the benefits they’ve earned because they don’t know about them. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Aid & Atte… Continue reading

The Veterans Benefit for Long-Term Care

(This article previously appeared on APlaceforMom.com.) Millions of veterans who need long-term care are missing out on the benefits they’ve earned because they don’t know about them. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Aid & Atte… Continue reading

Midterm Elections: What’s the Verdict for Aging Policies?

Yesterday, one of the most significant midterm elections in recent history occurred, with significant implications for the outlook on public policies and legislation affecting aging and older Americans. Health and aging issues drove the midterms more t… Continue reading

Universal Home Care Is On the Ballot in Maine

There’s an old political slogan: “As Maine goes, so goes the nation.” Well, if that’s true, and if Maine residents approve a long-term care ballot initiative on Election Day, families across America may get help paying for vital home care and home care… Continue reading

Prescription Drug Prices: A Bitter Pill in the Midterm Elections

All the campaign rhetoric leading up to Election Day 2018 next Tuesday is enough to give you a headache. Maybe that’s one reason why high prescription drug prices have become a major concern among older voters for the midterm elections. “This is a pain… Continue reading

These Retirees Are Pushing to Save Their Pensions

Let me tell you about three long-time truck drivers and Teamsters who I met recently. They have a sad and interesting tale I think you’ll want to know if you’ll be retiring soon or are already retired. Bob McNattin, now 80, lost his job and his house d… Continue reading

The Truth About 2019’s Social Security Cost-of-Living Increase

(The following article originally appeared on the PBS NewsHour site.) The nation’s 67.6 million Social Security beneficiaries will receive a 2.8 percent cost next year, the Social Security Administration announced recently. That translates to a monthly… Continue reading

The Next Retirement Crisis: America’s Public Pensions

Back in 2013, I blogged on Next Avenue about the excellent PBS FRONTLINE documentary, The Retirement Gamble, where correspondent Martin Smith reported on America’s troubling retirement savings crisis. He’s now back with a riveting sequel airing Tuesday… Continue reading

Why Do Climate Change Discussions Ignore Boomers?

(This article was written by a member of the 2018-2019 Encore Public Voices Fellows Program.) The landmark report issued last week by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,  the international body for assessing climate change, w… Continue reading