Are Older Americans Optimistic about the Future?
Are older Americans financially prepared for their retirement years? Do they feel optimistic about the future? Several recent news articles have tackled the issue, but with all of the contradictory statistics its hard to draw a clear picture. A recent telephone poll conduced by USA Today in partnership with UnitedHealthcare and the National Council on […]
Simple Home Modification for Aging in Place
This fact sheet produced by Kansas State University provides an overview of easy and inexpensive home modifications that can aid older adults planning to age in place. Simple modifications like adding grab bars and removing throw rugs can help to increase safety within the home. Other suggestions include; adding lighting to stairs and hallways, rearranging […]
Washington Post Reports on ‘Village’ groups, home alterations
An article in the Washington Post highlighted the important benefits of aging-in-place, undertaking home modifications, and joining a “Village” group. The article profiles Bill Cousins, 88, who realized that he was having trouble moving around his home. Cousins installed an elevator, increased the maneuvering space in his kitchen, added a ramp to the back of the […]
Best Cities for Sucessful Aging
This report by the Milken Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan economic think tank, explores the best cities for aging in the US. The report looked at 359 metro areas across the US and generated a composite ranking for each, based on eight sub-components (general indicators, health care, wellness, living arrangements, transportation/convenience, financial well-being, employment/education, and community […]
Aging and Loneliness
If you are planning to age in place, have you considered how you will combat loneliness? A recent study conducted by Cornell and published inPsychology and Aging explores the adverse effects of loneliness on health and aging. According to the study, loneliness produces changes in the body that mimic the aging process and increase the […]
Designing Technology for Older Adults
The Monitor has a wonderful interview with Wendy Rogers, PhD, director of the Human Factors and Aging Laboratory at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, describing how she understands the process of designing and developing technology for older adults. Rogers talks about the labratory’s “Aware Home,” a house-like environment where they can test out new technologies, like […]
Designing Technology for Older Adults
The Monitor has a wonderful interview with Wendy Rogers, PhD, director of the Human Factors and Aging Laboratory at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, describing how she understands the process of designing and developing technology for older adults. Rogers talks about the labratory’s “Aware Home,” a house-like environment where they can test out new technologies, like […]
Vital Signs Camera App
emote monitoring and telehealthcare are topics that often get raised when people discuss the future of the Aging In Place movement, and this app from Phillips may be a sign of things to come. The Vital Signs Camerauses the standard camera in your iPad or iPhone to monitor both your heart rate and breathing rate. […]
Livable Communities: What Good is a UD Home if You Can’t Leave the House?
As Amy Levner, AARP’s manager of education on livable communities, explains, “Universally Designed houses and livable communities must be connected. Universally designed houses enhance mobility and quality of life inside the home and livable communities do the same thing outside of the home.” Livable communities coordinate housing, transportation and land use in order to help […]
Creating Communities to Age in Place
As baby boomers begin tackling aging in place, they are realizing the importance of community in maintaining one’s health, wellness, and independence. Some seniors are choosing co-housing, where a group of people intentionally create and maintain a community. In most co-housing communities the residences, often single family homes or condos, are owned privately and public […]