“More than 1 in 6 Americans now 65 or older as U.S. continues graying,” by Linda Searing, Washington Post “Some 17 percent of people living in the United States, or more than 1 in 6, were 65 or older in 2020, according to a report from the Administration on Aging. That represents 55.7 million people, an increase of 15.2 million (38 percent) of people 65 and above since 2010, compared with just 2 percent growth in the under-65 population. It also reflects a consistent increase in the nation’s older population since 1900, when there were 3.1 million Americans 65 and older
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“Bridging the Gap: A Discussion of Short-Term and Long-Term Care,” by Jamie Samo,  NAIFA’s Limited & Extended Care Planning Center “Having coverage for a short-term stay can be just as important as coverage for a long-term stay. Especially when LTC insurance is not available due to an individual’s health, age, or finances. But there is a solution — purchasing a Short Term Care insurance plan (STC).”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: And that’s the long and the short of it.   Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
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“Is Applying for Medicaid for Do-It-Yourselfers?,” by Tammy Weber, Marshall, Parker and Weber, LLC  “Yes, there is a cost to hiring a certified elder law attorney, but that cost is typically offset by accelerated eligibility for Medicaid and peace of mind that the applicant’s children will not be held liable for the care costs of their parent.  No, applying for Medicaid is not for do-it-yourselfers.  You need an experienced Certified Elder Law Attorney to get the best result.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Compare that pitch to the sales challenge facing LTC insurance
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“Researchers ID 8 social factors that lead to early death in seniors,” by John Roszkowski, McKnight’s LTC News “The researchers studied 8,250 older adults ages 65 and older over a four-year period. At the end of the four-year study period, 22% of those individuals had died. Based on 183 possible predictors, the researchers developed a Social Frailty Index including age, gender and eight social factors that contributed to early death: poor neighborhood cleanliness, low perceived control over financial situation, meeting with children less than yearly, not working for pay, not active with children, not volunteering, feeling isolated, and being treated
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“Death, Finances and How Many of Us Get Our Money Needs Wrong,” by Josh Zumbrun, Wall Street Journal “The good news is that many Americans live a lot longer than they expect. The bad news is that this often leads to financial regret as they realize, sometimes too late, they might have claimed Social Security too early, passed up the opportunity to buy annuities or long-term-care insurance, or simply undersaved for all those added years of retirement. Demographers and actuaries make the following distinction between life expectancy and longevity: Life expectancy refers to the average number of years someone will
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