For decades, Americans have generally lived longer lives thanks to advances in medicine, nutrition, and public health. Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused a temporary decline in life expectancy, overall longevity has continued to rise, allowing many people to reach their 80s and 90s. Alongside this success, however, is a mounting challenge experts call a “dementia … Read more

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is understandably on everyone’s mind right now. As confirmed cases rise and businesses and schools close, concern is growing—and with good reason. Last week I explained why the senior living industry is generally better prepared than many other sectors to manage a highly contagious virus. Communities such as continuing care retirement communities … Read more

This week I read about human motivation and decision-making. I’m not a psychologist, but I found it interesting to consider what prompts people to move to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) or another type of senior living community. I was specifically looking at Abraham Maslow, often called a founder of humanistic psychology. Popularized in … Read more

The demand for home health care services in the United States is rising quickly, driven by several demographic and social trends. One major factor is the aging of the baby boomer generation, which has increased the number of older adults needing assistance. The COVID-19 pandemic has also shifted preferences: many seniors and their families grew … Read more

A major factor in deciding to move into a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also called a life plan community, is security. Residents make a significant financial and emotional commitment, expecting a reliable continuum of care if their needs change. Prospective residents want assurance that their investment is secure and that the community will honor … Read more

Spring brings graduation season and a growing trend: more older adults returning to school. The National Center for Education Statistics projects that by 2020 nearly half of college students will be 25 or older. Among this cohort are many seniors who are rediscovering formal education and embracing lifelong learning. Lifelong learners Recent stories highlight older … Read more

Deciding to move into a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also known as a life plan community, is a major life choice that requires careful research and planning. You want confidence that the community you choose will honor its contractual commitments to provide a continuum of care if circumstances change, and that it will remain … Read more

From hotels and retail stores to workplaces, society is increasingly pet-friendly—and that attitude is spreading into long-term care (LTC) settings. More LTC facilities now allow residents to keep pets or arrange regular visitations, and staff report numerous benefits for residents’ health and well-being. Recent research has shown that seniors who own pets tend to make … Read more

You’ve weighed your options—staying in your current home, downsizing, or moving to a retirement community—and decided a retirement community best fits your needs. The next step is choosing which community aligns with your goals. Cost matters, of course, but what other priorities should guide your decision? To simplify the process, many people use a top-down … Read more

On a jog last week I listened to a Freakonomics podcast hosted by Stephen J. Dubner. The episode, “How to Make a Bad Decision,” featured Yale economist Toby Moskowitz, co-author of a paper titled “Decision-Making Under the Gambler’s Fallacy,” which examines how the order in which decisions or events occur can shape the choices people … Read more