Risking Old Age in America: The Coming Elder Care Crisis

The guest is Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, discussing the current challenges facing Social Security amid governmental upheaval and projected fund depletion. Altman highlights the efforts to privatize and outsource the administration of Social Security, which could create inefficiencies and put beneficiaries at risk. She explains the importance of human decision-makers in the ad...

Harry engages in a detailed discussion with Marylou Sudders, former Secretary of Health and Human Services for Massachusetts, about long-term care and healthy aging. They explore the demographic trends in Massachusetts, with an older-than-average population, and initiatives to make the state more age-friendly. Sutters highlights legislative and policy efforts, including housing adaptation, health...

In this episode, Harry Margolis talks with Paul Irving, the former president of the Milken Institute and current special advisor and founding chair of its Center for the Future of Aging. They discuss Paul's book 'The Upside of Aging' and explore how extended life expectancy impacts society. Paul emphasizes the gift of additional years and the ongoing need to address ageism and the underutilization...

Harry welcomes Helen Dennis, who discusses the innovative concept of 'renewment.' This blend of retirement and renewal supports career women transitioning out of their work lives. The conversation covers various challenges and opportunities of retirement, such as identity, financial security, and caregiving. Helen Dennis, a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and retirement and co-foun...

Lizbeth Heyer, president of 2Life Communities, joins Harry to discuss how the nonprofit organization provides affordable senior housing combined with coordinated services in the Greater Boston area. She highlights their mission to support older adults who cannot afford high-end senior living, emphasizing the importance of dignity, connection, and wellness. Lizbeth and Harry explore 2Life's innovat...

Edward Miller provides insights from his study on Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing homes. The discussion covers the economics of nursing homes, including how Medicaid reimburses only 82 cents per dollar of nursing home costs on average, the impact of these reimbursement rates on for-profit vs. non-profit nursing homes, and the variability of reimbursement across different states. He also e...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis speaks with Deborah Carr, a sociology professor and director of the Center for Innovation in Social Sciences at Boston University. They discuss her book, 'Golden Years, Social Inequality and Later Life,' emphasizing how small disadvantages in finances, education, and health accumulate over time, leading to greater disparities as...

In this episode of Risking Old Age in America, host Harry Margolis explores the implications of an aging population and the youth bulge phenomenon in Africa with Bintu Zahara Sakor, a doctoral candidate specializing in African demography. They discuss the potential security risks and opportunities associated with Africa's large youth population, the impact of structural issues like governance, and...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis discusses the imminent retirement of the baby boomer generation with Catherine Collinson, president of the Transamerica Institute and the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. They explore findings from a longstanding retirement study, highlighting key issues such as income disparities and their impact on retirement confide...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis speaks with Teresa Ghilarducci, director of the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis and author of 'Work, Retire, Repeat.' They discuss the implications of the aging baby boomer population in the United States and the challenges of retirement preparedness. Ghilarducci debunks four major myths about the working longer cons...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis discusses the impending challenges of aging for baby boomers with Taylor Jansen from the Healthy Aging Data Lab at UMass. They delve into the implications of an aging population, the importance of compiling data on older adults, and the role of social determinants in shaping health outcomes. Taylor highlights the Healthy Aging Da...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis speaks with Beth Truesdale, a research fellow at the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, about the realities and challenges faced by America's aging workforce. They discuss why extending working years is not a feasible solution for many Americans due to health issues, family caregiving responsibilities, and job instab...

In this episode of Risking Old Age in America, host Harry Margolis discusses the increasing rates of elder poverty with Tracey Gronniger, a managing director at Justice in Aging. They explore the prevalence and underlying causes of elder poverty, especially among women and people of color, and examine the effectiveness of current support programs like Social Security and SSI. The discussion also h...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis discusses the impending surge in elder care needs as the baby boomer generation ages with Michael Festa, the outgoing State Director of AARP Massachusetts. They explore the evolving landscape of elder care, the challenges facing both paid and unpaid caregivers, and the strain on long-term care systems. The conversation delves int...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' Harry Margolis speaks with Marc Cohen, co-director of the LTSS Center and professor of gerontology at UMass Boston. They discuss the looming crisis as the oldest baby boomers reach age 85, the inadequacies of private long-term care insurance, and potential solutions including public insurance programs. Cohen highlights the importance of combining pr...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis discusses the challenges and implications of aging in the U.S. with Ashton Applewhite, author of 'This Chair Rocks! A Manifesto Against Ageism.' The discussion covers the growing number of baby boomers nearing the 85-year mark, the definition and everyday impact of ageism, and the diverse experiences of aging individuals. They al...

In this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis discusses the impending elder care crisis as the baby boomer population ages, with a focus on the state of Massachusetts. Guest Tara Gregorio, president of Mass. Senior Care Association, provides insights into the challenges and solutions surrounding elder care. They cover the association's role, the future needs of elder care, w...

Joined by elder care expert Bob Blancato, Harry explores the historical reluctance of America to closely address long-term care, despite the growing need due to demographic changes. Blancato, with his extensive background in aging policy, discusses various policy suggestions and the importance of political will in making substantial changes. The episode highlights the necessity of a public-private...

Navigating Long Term Care: Insights and StrategiesIn this episode of 'Risking Old Age in America,' host Harry Margolis and guest Richard Johnson, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, discuss the impending elder care crisis as baby boomers age into their 80s. They cover the statistics on elder care needs, affordability, disparities in income and health, and potential solutions including private in...

Harry engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Irving Stackpole, a consultant to the long-term care industry. The conversation delves into the challenges and insights surrounding elder care and the evolving landscape of long-term care services in the United States. Stackpole shares his expertise on the demographic shifts and supply-demand dynamics in the aging services sector, highlighting t...

Harry discusses the challenges and implications of the aging baby boomer population in the United States with Lisa Ireland, the President and CEO of the Longevity Science Foundation. The discussion revolves around the foundation's focus on early-stage research in the longevity science field, specifically health span and life span. Lisa differentiates between the two terms, explaining that lifespan...

Yimeng Yin is a research economist at the Boston College Center for Retirement Research. Prior to joining the Center, Yin worked as an economic researcher at the Center for Policy Research at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University of Albany. Harry talks with Yimeng about the insurance value of Social Security, particularly focusing on its role in mitigating longevit...

Larry Kotlikoff is an economics professor at Boston University, president of a financial planning software company, served on the President's Council of Economic Advisors and helps tens of thousands of retirees with his website maximizemysocialsecurity.com. Larry's also a prolific author having written dozens of books and hundreds of blog posts, columns, and research papers. His most recent book i...

The guest is Anqi Chen, a research economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Anqi and the Center have done a lot of work on the financial status of baby boomers and what we can expect in the future -- and also what we can expect in terms of long term care needs. Risking Old Age in America

The guest is Amy Lampert, a financial planner with over 30 years experience in the financial services industry. Amy is also the founding principal of the not for profit Women's Financial Network and of Women's Worth, a company whose mission is to demystify the world of money and increase financial literacy and empowerment for women of all ages. This material contains the current opinions of the pr...