Aging Expert

The many problems of long term care

Listen to this Morningstar interview of an expert who will give you a great deal of valuable information.

The Long View: Howard Gleckman - We Pretend This Isn’t a Problem An expert on aging discusses the status of long-term care in the U.S., including the toll on caregivers, innovations in Alzheimer’s treatment, and the financ...

Multivitamins and Memory

A new study reported that adults 60 and older who took a daily multivitamin for two years scored higher on memory and cognitive tests than those who took a placebo.

Multivitamins can be useful for certain people, such as those with conditions that affect their ability to absorb nutrients, Dr. Cohen said, but most healthy people don’t need one.

What We Know About Multivitamins and Memory New research suggests a daily vitamin can improve cognition. But that doesn’t mean everyone should take one.

Dying Broke
Facing Financial Ruin
As Cost Soar for Elder Care

Millions of families are facing daunting life choices — and potential financial ruin — as the escalating costs of in-home care, assisted-living facilities and nursing homes devour the savings and incomes of older Americans and their relatives. The cost of a spot in an assisted-living facility has soared to an unaffordable level for most middle-class Americans.

Medicare covers the costs of medical care, but generally pays for a home aide or a stay in a nursing home only for a limited time during a recovery from a surgery or a fall or for short-term rehabilitation.

Half of the nation’s assisted-living facilities cost at least $54,000 a year. Home care is costly, too. Agencies charge about $27 an hour for a home health aide and this can add up to $60,000 a year.

THE toll of care giving is on children, especially women. The median lost wages for women providing intensive care for their mothers is $24,500 over two years.

Facing Financial Ruin as Costs Soar for Elder Care The United States has no coherent system for providing long-term care, leading many who are aging to struggle to stay independent or to rely on a patchwork of solutions.