Census likely to show increase in adults over 55 | Questions to consider as you prepare for retirement | Age-friendly initiative adds race, ethnicity equity measures
Demographic trends likely to be confirmed by results of the 2020 US Census include more pronounced population aging, along with decreasing geographical mobility, writes William Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Frey, who analyzed US Census Bureau data leading up to the 2020 count, said from 2010 to 2020, the population over age 55 increased 27%, compared with 1.3% for the population under age 55, suggesting increases in the over-55 crowd can be expected in all states and metro areas, and most counties.
Many older adults want to age in place but that decision can have drawbacks, especially for adult children, writes Sara Zeff Geber, author of "Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers." She cites concerns such as the need for in-home care and misconceptions about assisted living facilities.
Preparing to retire means having thorough understanding of financial and nonfinancial aspects of your situation. Here are seven questions to ask yourself, including how you will spend your time and how you will cover the cost of health care.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement, as part of its Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative, is integrating racial and ethnic data into how it measures equitable care, writes Faith Mitchell of the Urban Institute. The goal is that health systems that are age-friendly will apply the initiative's "4M" framework -- What Matters, Medication, (docu)Mentation and Mobility -- by race and ethnicity among older patients.
Changing US policy on offering COVID-19 vaccinations to adults over age 65 has caused widespread confusion, with many people unsure of where to go for help, Judith Graham writes in a Kaiser Health News article. She answers some of the questions about the COVID-19 vaccination rollout that she has received.
A study published in the European Heart Journal linked alcohol consumption of as little as one drink per day with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation. The risk was found regardless of age or other cardiovascular risk factors.
Digital content writer and marketer Misan Etchie writes that there are myths about differences between older and younger adults related to their attitudes and behaviors regarding tech passwords and authentication activities. He says it's not necessarily true that older adults are "novices" at technology and that research suggests they may be more willing to replace passwords with better methods of authentication.
President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday proposed a plan to provide $1.9 trillion in COVID-19 relief, which would include $20 billion in funding for a national vaccine program, $350 billion for state and local governments, $50 billion for COVID-19 testing, and $170 billion for K-12 schools, colleges and universities. The American Rescue Plan would also provide $1,400 in direct payments to most Americans, boost federal unemployment benefits to $400 per week, raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, and extend the eviction and foreclosure bans until the end of September.
ASA Public Policy Committee co-chairs Paul Downey and Amy Herr host this new episode of LeverAGE about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and ageism in the political world. Listen now.
