This Is Getting Old: Moving Towards an Age-Friendly World Podcast with Dr. MELISSA BATCHELOR

America is getting older, and as people age, their bodies change. They're likely to have multiple chronic illnesses, and when they come into hospital care—that can be a vulnerable time.  Considering that almost 60% of hospital beds are occupied by adults aged 65 and over, receiving specialized geriatric care in the healthcare system is critical. Learn with us today on This Is Getting Old as we exp...

Crooks exploit these vulnerabilities but make no mistake: All of us — young and old — are susceptible to the bad actors who show up uninvited in calls, emails, mail, texts and social media accounts. Some are so bold as to knock on our front doors. Everyone wants to protect their loved ones, and Cameron Huddleston offers the perfect solution—a journey into This Is Getting Old: Moving Towards An Age...

Taking care of legal matters before a crisis helps ensure that you, not lawyers or courts, remain in control – it may even save countless disagreements further down the line. Make sure these essential legal documents don't cause wrinkles in your plans by tuning into This Is Getting Old: Moving Towards An Age-Friendly World and my guest this week, Cameron Huddleston. Key points covered in this epis...

As we age, we may need help managing our finances for a myriad of reasons – including cognitive decline. How to start that conversation with an adult child may be challenging for both parties, but it's a critical conversation to have to prevent costly errors or even losses along the way. Ready to tackle the difficult conversations about money with your adult children? This episode of This Is Getti...

Money's a taboo topic that no one wants to touch, but when it comes to our aging parents – let's face it – we all have to tiptoe around the bank account. Ignoring those chatty conversations about financial security with Mom and Dad could put us in an awkward spot down the line if they need assistance managing their money or require help making decisions.  If you're looking for the scoop on your pa...

With the holiday season upon us, many may be looking forward to traditions that will bring joy and warmth - but if your family member is living with Alzheimer's or related dementia, this time can become overwhelming. If you are a caregiver, take care of yourself and allow yourself to maintain the traditions you can and not feel bad if you can't do everything you usually would. 'Tis the season for...

Many things count as grief and loss – from the actual death of a loved one to the loss of a significant relationship. As cliché as it may sound, there's not one way to deal with grief and loss during the holidays. We've all just lived through a pandemic that took a lot of lives and loved ones away from us. As the holidays approach, it may be more challenging to deal with the celebrations—decoratin...

For adult children who do not live close to their aging parents, the holidays can be a good time to visit to make sure things are good as they seem. In addition to staying connected throughout the year by phone or Zoom calls, a personal visit may give you more information that things are ok – or  confirm any suspicions you may have had that there is truly a problem. Many of these suspicions may be...

Over the past five years, more than 20 million Americans aged 65 and over had elective surgery . This number is expected to grow to more than 27 million by 2030. While elective surgery can be life-changing and even life-saving, it's not without its risks. There are many things to consider before elective surgery – from the cost of the procedure to who will provide caregiving afterwards during reco...

Around 10,000 boomers today are turning 65; by 2029, all boomers will be 65 or older - that milestone's seven years away.  Historically, the boomers have always been the largest generation in the US. That changed two years ago when the Millennials became the largest generation. Marketers need to be aware of this demographic shift because there are now more adults over 40 than children under 18 for...

Death, dying and the funeral business are all inevitable parts of life that we will all deal with at some point - either for ourselves or someone we love.  I had a fascinating conversation a few months ago with someone who had been training to become a mortician. As someone who has helped families navigate end-of-life care for nearly my entire career, I hadn't really ever thought about what happen...

A lot of people don't want to talk about death and dying. Yet, talking about death doesn't mean it's going to happen, and it's usually better to talk about it before it happens – for everyone involved. Death and dying are something that a lot of people don't have a lot of experience dealing with. That's because, over the past several decades, as a society, we have moved death out of the home and i...

In today's world, there are advances in many age-friendly products and services — meaning that when things are age-friendly, they are friendly for everyone.  Another term I've learned for designing age-friendly products is "universal design". Universal design means products that are accessible for all people — regardless of age, disability or other factors.  Over the years, I've noticed many advan...

Social media has developed into a valuable resource for knowledge in the healthcare arena. A poll found that 76% of participants used social media "at least a bit" to research COVID-19, but the majority of those respondents (63.6%) indicated they were reluctant to check with a health expert about the accuracy of that information. Healthcare professionals can use social media to educate the public...

Alzheimer's disease is a syndrome that impacts a person's ability to think, problem-solve, and function every day. It can influence a person's memory, language, behavior, decision-making, visual and spatial skills, and ability to pay attention.    It happens slowly, over time, so often it may take family and friends – and even the person experiencing the disease – years to recognize these problems...

In 2022, it is estimated that 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease.     The number of people per 100,000 newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease per year (incident rate) appears to be declining, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease (prevalence) is expected to continue to grow (2022 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures Report, p. 19).        If you are or someone you...

Alzheimer's disease is becoming more common in the United States. All ages combined, more than 6 million Americans struggle with Alzheimer's, and according to studies, that number will reach about 13 million by 2050. A diagnosis like Alzheimer's disease often leaves everyone involved at a loss about what to say or how to act when they hear the news. Many people do not understand Alzheimer's diseas...

The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that colon cancer, after skin malignancies, is the third most prevalent cancer diagnosed in the United States. Last year alone, the ACS reported that 104,270 Americans were diagnosed with colon cancer.    While it's true that colon cancer typically affects older adults, it can happen at any age. Statistically, the rates of colon cancer have been increasing...

One American researcher discovered that older adults (approximately 3000 older adults aged 57-85) with reduced smell (hyposmia) had more than 50% risk of acquiring dementia within five years, regardless of other risk factors. Those who had the worst smell loss (full anosmia) were the ones who would be most likely to acquire dementia within five years.  Furthermore, the severity of dementia was lin...

You may recall that Maya Angelou said something along the lines of "people will forget what you say, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel". Well, there's a reason for that and that's what I'm going to talk about today. We can all use the concept of emotional memories to make new memories or to recall old ones. We can create moments that last a lifetime a...

We've all lost keys, forgotten contact details, or missed someone's name. When you're young, you don't give these lapses much thought, but you could be concerned about what they indicate as you become older. The numbers say that age-related memory impairment affects roughly 40% of older adults aged 65 and above, or approximately 16 million people in the United States. Furthermore, it is estimated...

You'll never be completely prepared to place your parents or a disabled loved one in a nursing home. But, it's best to be ready if and when that moment comes. It is estimated that 50% of the older adults in the U.S. will spend at least a night in a nursing home. However, it's sad to note that many families only check out a nursing home when forced by a medical emergency. As a result, they are ofte...

According to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, almost 600,000 older adults quit driving each year . This makes doctor's appointments, shopping for needs, visiting relatives, and attending social events more difficult for older adults. As a result, they become more isolated, which has a negative impact on their health and well-being. One of the most prevalent forms of assistance o...

Facilitating greater participation — specified as engagement in social activities that provide opportunities for social interaction with others in the community — is pivotal for granting older adults to fulfill their basic socialization needs, self-actualization and supporting society in dealing with population aging.   In the United States, almost a quarter of community-dwelling older adults are...

The state of health of the individual receiving care is connected to the forms of help and care provided by caregivers. Yet despite this analogy, Federal employment statistics indicate that long-term care workforce concerns remain at a 'crisis' level . As per American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living statistics from the January Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Situa...