This is a guest post written by Jolina Flowers of Expat Prepper. She lives in Mexico. Wondering about eldercare in Mexico? Many people are. With the cost of medical expenses and nursing homes rising, while pensions and social security benefits dwindle, it’s no wonder that many older adults are considering Mexico for their golden years. Traditionally reliant on families for eldercare, Mexico has begun transitioning away from home care in many areas to accommodate the influx of expats. Senior Living Care Options in Mexico The choices seniors have for eldercare in…
Category: Aging in Society
Protecting Older Adults from Coronavirus Covid-19
The coronavirus outbreak is all over the news and there are no signs the outbreak is letting up anytime soon. Just the opposite, actually. All indications are it’s just getting started. Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that our seniors, older adults, are in the highest risk category along with people who have underlying conditions (heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease). Older adults with underlying health conditions are particularly at-risk if they contract Covid-19. There is no guaranteed approach to staying safe from the virus, but there are…
Panama Eldercare and Senior Care for Expats
Panama eldercare and senior care is a topic that might cross the mind of retirees looking to become expats in popular places like Boquete, Panama or other spots in this retirement-friendly country. According to one source, between 20,000 and 30,000 Americans and Canadians live in Panama. If you’re hoping to be one of them, you might be wondering about eldercare should you need it, whether for yourself or any loved ones going with you. It’s one thing to retiree abroad, and another to grow old abroad. Before you pick your destination,…
Senior Loneliness Helplines to Combat Isolation
Senior loneliness helplines in the United States seem to be non-existent, but there are alternative helplines that can help. Senior Loneliness is a Problem According to the Administration on Aging’s 2017 Profile of Older Americans, around 28 percent of older adults in the United States, or 13.8 million people, live alone. Remember, loneliness and isolation are two different things. One person can be surrounded by others and feel lonely, while another could be physically isolated and not feel lonely at all. Loneliness and isolation are often linked, however. Heath Effects…
Why More Seniors are Going Back to School
It seems that these days, entering retirement is no longer just about kicking back and pursuing leisurely activities. More and more seniors are finding reasons to go back to school and pursue higher education. Experts point out several reasons why this trend is currently spreading across America. In her Forbes article, Laurie Quinn cites the need for seniors who are still in the workforce to stay competitive. Rather than allowing their skill set to become outdated, or being replaced by younger talent, one way for seniors to remain relevant is by going…
Career Paths to Jobs in Aging Services Beyond Nursing
When people aspire to work with seniors, they often default to thinking job options are largely limited to nursing care. While I’m sure the vast majority of jobs in this wide and growing sector are centered around nursing-type services, there is a whole world of other options to getting work in aging services. For my part, the path was never even intentional. I’d graduated from college with a BA in English. From that, desperate to find a “real” job, I applied for work as a social worker at a nursing…
Families Caring for an Aging America Report
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has released a report called Families Caring for an Aging America. Their press release on the report states, in part: The committee that carried out the study and wrote the report found that by 2030, 72.8 million U.S. residents – more than 1 in 5 – will be 65 or older. According to the National Survey of Caregivers, in 2011, 17.7 million people – or approximately 7.7 percent of the total U.S. population aged 20 and older – were caregivers of an…
Older Americans Act Signed Into Law (Again)
President Obama recently reauthorized the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016. The act re-signs into law and updates the Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA). The new OAA is valid for three years. The goal of the act is to help seniors live as independently as possible in their communities. The OAA funds essential services for older adults, including: Senior Centers Transportation Caregiver Support Meals Health Promotion Enrollment in Benefits Falls Prevention Disease Prevention The OAA also highlights economic welfare, elder justice and legal services, and modernizing senior centers.…
New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Tomorrow
When you picture a retirement community, do you think of modern and sustainable architecture, allowing residents to age in place and engage with others? Architect Matthias Hollwich of New Aging does. When Hollwich turned forty, he began to prepare for aging. He researched the designs of current retirement communities and realized he wanted to create something new. So he set his firm, HWKN, to work. “A retirement community could become an empowerment environment,” Hollwich writes on the website for his recently released book New Aging. “[A] nursing home could turn…
Aging Well In The 21st Century
How can we make the future better for aging adults? The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recently released a report (which you can read in full here) on how to improve life for older Americans long-term. Their recommendations intend to “reduce the burden of illness, enhance quality of life, and maintain health among older adults.” With a population of 72 million Americans over 65 expected by 2030, the NIA’s strategies are both timely and promising. The NIA plans to: Better Understand the Aging Process Investigate the biology of aging as…
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Events for Professionals
ASA’s Annual Aging in America Conference What: The American Society on Aging (ASA) hosts an annual conference to share knowledge on topics aging professionals face today. Learn about aging and community, the economics of aging, the next 50 years of Medicare and Medicaid, culturally competent services, and much more. Who: Professionals working within the aging community, including ASA members, nonmembers, seniors, and students. When: March 20-24 Where: Marriott Wardman Park and Omni Shoreham Hotels, Washington, D.C. Register here. Health Management Associates Webinar What: This webinar will focus on targeting readmissions.…
The Latest Updates on Alzheimer’s Research
Brain Protein May Hold Alzheimer’s Treatment Key New findings by neurological researchers unearthed a brain protein that could offer “a whole different approach to aging” according to lead researcher Dr. Aron Buchman. Seniors with high levels of a gene called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, displayed a 50 percent slower loss of memory than those with lower levels. Buchman believes the study’s results mean BDNF may protect against dementia. The study, published this January in the journal Neurology, observed that BDNF’s positive effects lasted despite the “plaques and tangles” in…