In last week’s blog post, I covered steps families can take before a healthcare emergency to ease stress—what’s often called “pre-crisis planning.” From touring assisted living options nearby to working with a financial advisor to organize assets, there are practical actions seniors can take now to feel more prepared for life’s uncertainties. Another increasingly common … Read more

For retirees in the mid-stages of retirement—often beginning around age 70, depending on health—now is the time to plan for later years while you are still active and able. Postponing important decisions about future needs can leave you and your loved ones facing difficult and costly situations down the road. One of the most important … Read more

A quick look at the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, which records life expectancy at birth for every country, reveals a surprising fact: in 2016 the United States, with a life expectancy of 79.8 years, ranked only 42nd out of 224 countries. Many might expect the U.S. to be higher. For example, Monaco, the top-ranked … Read more

As retirement approaches, many older adults consider moving closer to their grandchildren. Such a move can bring emotional rewards and strengthen family ties, but it also carries practical and personal trade-offs. Thinking through the benefits and challenges will help you decide whether relocating is the right step for this phase of life. Emotional and social … Read more

In a prior career, before founding myLifeSite, I worked as a financial advisor for nearly 14 years. Many of the older clients I advised were curious about the benefits of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), also known as life plan communities—particularly the on-site access to a continuum of care. Yet this senior-living option often complicates … Read more

Over the summer, I wrote about the challenges of long-distance caregiving, defined as living more than an hour from the person receiving care. Caring for a loved one is difficult under any circumstances, but long-distance caregiving brings its own distinct set of hardships. According to AARP research, long-distance caregivers face the highest annual expenses, averaging … Read more

When considering a move to a retirement community, many factors matter: location, amenities, lifestyle, available care, and — perhaps most importantly — the comfort and well‑being of residents. One feature that is sometimes overlooked but can greatly improve the experience for current residents, their families, and prospective move‑ins is the retirement community guest suite: a … Read more

I recently heard an interesting story on Charlotte’s NPR station about the influx of retirees moving to North Carolina and the resulting demand for more senior living and care options. The report highlighted several continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), also known as life plan communities, being built or expanded in the greater Charlotte area, including … Read more

It’s graduation season, and schools and universities nationwide are honoring their graduates. But for many people, the passion for learning continues well beyond young adulthood. One inspiring example comes from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York: 93-year-old retired optometrist Lewis Taub has just audited his 50th class at the college. Taub has been auditing … Read more

What age group of adults do you think is the happiest? Many would assume people in their 20s and 30s are the most content. They are young, generally healthy, and have much of life ahead of them—full of potential and possibility. Yet recent research challenges that assumption. A study conducted by researchers at the University … Read more