The University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation conducted a National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA) in January 2023, which asked 2,563 people between the ages of 50 and 80 about their social connections and any feelings of isolation they were experiencing in their lives. The poll’s findings revealed that many older people, [...]
Although COVID may never be completely gone, many aspects of life have returned to our pre-pandemic “normal.” A recent poll shows that this normalcy includes levels of loneliness reported by seniors. Yet these latest statistics around senior loneliness are still nothing to celebrate, according to experts. Quantifying senior loneliness The January 2023 National Poll on [...]
We’ve written before about how common loneliness is among seniors in this country. In fact, a 2018 study conducted by AARP Foundation found that 35 percent of Americans over age 45 say they are lonely — more than 1 in 3. That number is even higher among low-income groups (earning less than $25,000 per year) [...]
The holiday season is a joyful time for most people as they spend time with friends and family, eating delicious food and reminiscing about good times in years past. But for others, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is particularly difficult as they struggle with loneliness and grief for loved ones who are no [...]
A few weeks ago, Bluespire Insider, a marketing group that focuses on promoting senior living communities, hosted a virtual roundtable conversation about innovative ways to encourage social connections for residents of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs, or life plan communities), a subject I’m always interested in learning about. The roundtable was led by John Franklin [...]
Isolation is the “silent killer” affecting an estimated 8 million seniors in the U.S., but it is an epidemic that often goes unnoticed and untreated, according to a panel of experts who testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging in April of this year. On average, 40 percent of seniors are impacted by the [...]
Making decisions about senior living and long-term care is rarely simple. Whether you’re an older adult planning your next chapter or an adult child helping an aging parent, the process often involves emotional conversations, financial reality checks, and deeply personal preferences. A 2026 U.S. News & World Report survey of more than 400 currently independent [...]
The most recent AARP Home and Community Preferences Study found that 80% of Americans age 65 and older would like to remain in their current home as they age. This is despite acknowledgement by a majority of respondents that their home may not meet all of their needs as they grow older. There’s no question [...]
As more Americans reach retirement age, the number of senior living options continues to expand. Two of the most popular choices are independent living communities and active adult communities, also called 55+ communities. These two senior living options can seem similar at first glance. Both are age-restricted communities designed for older adults who want to [...]
As people live longer and remain active well into retirement, many older adults are rethinking what they want from a retirement community. In the past, senior living options were often designed primarily around assistance with daily activities and/or medical care. Today, however, a growing number of communities are embracing a different philosophy, one that focuses [...]
