Living Your Best Possible Life After a Dementia Diagnosis

Takeaways

• A dementia diagnosis changes life — it does not define it. A strengths-based approach helps people living with dementia keep purpose, identity, and dignity at the center of care.

• Person-centered, palliative dementia care looks at the whole person. It supports emotional well-being, spiritual needs, physical health, medical comfort, social connection, and family relationships — not just symptoms or decline.

• Support groups are a practical, high-impact resource for both patients and caregivers. They reduce isolation, provide real-world coping strategies, and create a space where people can speak openly and feel understood.

• Supporters can make day-to-day life better with simple, consistent actions. Listen patiently, focus on preserved abilities, stay connected, include the person with dementia in decisions, and keep routines and meaningful activities in place.

• Caregivers need to find support, too — and planning helps. Preventing burnout and learning what to expect (including future decision-making needs) can reduce crisis-driven choices and strengthen the whole care network.

A dementia diagnosis can feel like a door closing. But for the millions of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as for their family members and friends, a growing movement in care is pushing back against that narrative. The message: a diagnosis does not define a life.

Seeing the Whole Person

Traditional approaches to dementia care have often focused on what is lost, such as memory, independence, and cognitive function. That can leave people feeling like their future has been decided for them.

As explained in a recent webinar led by the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center (NADRC), a more compassionate and effective approach turns that lens around. Palliative care (specialized medical care focused on comfort, symptom relief, and quality of life) and person-centered care models begin with a simple but powerful premise: a person living with dementia is still a full human being with emotional needs, spiritual beliefs, physical health, social connections, and family relationships that matter deeply.

Rather than addressing solely what is wrong, this approach asks questions like “What is important to you? What brings you joy? What do you still want to accomplish?” The answers vary widely from person to person, and that’s the point.

Care built around individual goals and strengths not only looks different from a one-size-fits-all plan, but the outcomes are also better.

What Person-Centered, Palliative Dementia Care Looks Like

Person-centered care is a philosophy woven through every interaction, from medical appointments to daily activities at home. It is built around the individual’s routines, values, and goals — not just the diagnosis — and addresses several interconnected areas of a person’s life:

• Emotional well-being. Dementia can bring fear, grief, frustration, and social isolation. Acknowledging and validating these feelings, rather than minimizing them, helps people feel seen and reduces anxiety.

• Spiritual life. For many people, faith, meaning, and purpose are central to identity. Honoring spiritual practices, rituals, and beliefs provides comfort and continuity, even as one’s memory changes.

• Medical care. Comprehensive medical support includes not just treating the disease but also managing pain, monitoring medications, and addressing other health conditions that affect quality of life.

• Physical health and activity. Movement, nutrition, sleep, and sensory engagement all affect mood, cognition, and function. Modified exercise, meaningful activities, and time outdoors can make a significant difference.

• Social connection. Human beings need one another. Peer support groups, where people with dementia meet others who truly understand their experience, can help reduce isolation and foster resilience, humor, and hope.

• Family and caregiving relationships. Dementia affects entire families. Caregivers can benefit from education, support groups of their own, and practical tools for navigating the emotional and logistical demands of the role.

The Power of Support Groups

One of the most practical and powerful resources available to both people with dementia and their caregivers, according to the webinar presenters, is peer support groups. These gatherings, whether in person or virtual, offer something that professional care alone cannot: the knowledge that you are not alone.

For people living with dementia, support groups provide a space to share experiences, exchange coping strategies, and simply enjoy social connection with others who understand what they are going through. For caregivers, they offer a lifeline in the form of a place to receive encouragement, learn new skills, and speak honestly about the exhaustion, grief, and love that define the caregiving experience.

What Supporters Can Do

Friends, family members, and professional caregivers can play an essential role in helping someone with dementia live their life to the fullest. Some of the most meaningful things supporters can do include:

• Listen without rushing. Give the individual time to express themselves. Patience communicates respect.

• Focus on what they can do, rather than on what they can’t do. Celebrate preserved abilities and interests rather than emphasizing limitations.

• Stay connected. Regular visits, phone calls, or simple shared activities maintain the relationship and reduce isolation.

• Ask the person what they want. Involve the person who is living with dementia in decisions about their life as much as possible.

• Take care of yourself first. Caregiver burnout is real. Seeking your own support is not a luxury — it is a necessity.

• Learn and prepare for the future. Understanding the stages of dementia and what to expect helps families plan proactively and reduces crisis-driven decision-making.

Resources

The following organizations offer resources, education, and support for individuals living with dementia and those who care for them.

For People Living With Dementia and Their Caregivers

• Alzheimer’s Association. The largest voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Offers a 24/7 helpline (800-272-3900), local support groups, care consultations, and an extensive online resource library.

• Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Provides education, support services, and a free memory screening program. Reach its national toll-free helpline at 866-232-8484.

• Alzheimers.gov. The federal government’s central resource for information on Alzheimer’s and related dementias, including finding local services, caregiver resources, and clinical trials.

• Caregiver Action Network. Provides education, peer support, and resources for family caregivers.

• AARP Caregiver Resource Center. Offers tools, guides, and a helpline (877-333-5885) to assist family caregivers with planning, communication, and self-care.

Specialized Programs

• NADRC. Offers free webinars, toolkits, issue briefs, and resources for individuals, caregivers, and community organizations. Resources include guides on person-centered care, faith-based dementia programs, and support for people living with dementia.

• Riverside Health Martha W. Goodson Center. Offers comprehensive, person-centered memory care services, including free Memory Care Navigation, caregiver support groups, a GUIDE model program for eligible patients, and an e-Learning Resource Center.

• Eldercare Locator. Connects older adults and caregivers with local services including transportation, meals, respite care, and support groups. Contact trained staff by phone or text at 800-677-1116.

A Final Word

A dementia diagnosis means a change in life, not the end of life. With the right support, the right mindset, and access to the right resources, people living with dementia can continue to find meaning, connection, and joy. The goal of strengths-based, person-centered care is not to deny the challenges of the disease. It instead seeks to ensure that the whole person, not just their diagnosis, remains at the center of every decision, every relationship, and every day.

For additional reading on topics related to dementia, check out the following articles:

• New Research on Screenings, Risk Factors for Dementia

• Getting Help for a Parent With Memory Loss

• 9 Types of Dementia

• Resources for Caregivers of Older Adults With Dementia

• Why Estate Plans Need Dementia-Specific Advance Directives

• After a Dementia Diagnosis: Planning for the Future

TV Show Explores Senior Housing and Long-Term Care Options

Takeaways

• Senior Spaces is a new TV show that follows older adults making real housing and care decisions.

• Most families weigh four paths: aging in place, downsizing, joining a senior living community, or moving to assisted living or nursing care.

• The best choice depends on health, finances, support network, and what independence means to the senior.

• Starting the conversation before a crisis helps families make clearer decisions.

Rick and Mary Williams had happily lived in their home in California for 22 years but began to question whether it was the right place for them to grow old.

That question sits at the heart of Senior Spaces, a new television series that follows real older adults as they navigate one of life’s most emotionally charged crossroads: deciding where and how to live the next chapter of their lives.

Hosted by Bryan Devore, a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), the show airs on the Senior Lifestyle Network, KUSI News in San Diego, and on YouTube. Senior Spaces is not a renovation show, a real estate competition, or a retirement fantasy but an honest look at the intertwined mix of love, loss, practicality, and hope that shapes one of the most significant decisions aging adults and their families will make.

Difficult Decisions

By 2030, all baby boomers will be over 65, making seniors the fastest-growing segment of the American population. Millions of families are asking a question previous generations rarely faced: What happens when staying at home becomes complicated?

The answer differs for everyone. Whether to age in place, downsize, join a 55-plus community, or move into a nursing or assisted living facility depends on health, finances, family proximity, social connection, and personal values around independence.

The decision rarely arrives cleanly. Often, it follows a fall, a diagnosis, the loss of a spouse, or a slow accumulation of moments when managing the house stops feeling manageable. By then, the emotional and practical weight can be overwhelming.

The Four Paths: Understanding Your Options

Aging in Place

For many older adults, remaining in one’s home is not just a preference but a deeply felt need. The home holds memories, identity, and routine. Aging in place can be a rich and workable option but living independently requires honest planning.

Common challenges include:

• Physical accessibility. Stairs, narrow doorways, and bathrooms not designed for mobility challenges can become serious safety hazards.

• Isolation. Without social infrastructure, aging at home can lead to loneliness, which research links to cognitive decline and poor health outcomes.

• Home maintenance. Upkeep can become exhausting or unaffordable.

• Caregiver burden. Family members stepping in to help may experience significant emotional and physical strain.

• Emergency response gaps. Living alone without reliable access to help is a real and underappreciated risk.

Resources for aging in place include the AARP HomeFit Guide, the National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC), and Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), which connect seniors with local services including transportation, meal delivery, and in-home care.

Downsizing or Relocating to a New Home

Some seniors choose to downsize to a smaller, more manageable property. This path can unlock home equity, reduce maintenance burdens, and open a new chapter of life in a community that fits better.

Common challenges include:

• Letting go of decades of belongings, a home where children were raised, and a familiar neighborhood can be emotionally challenging.

• Simultaneously buying and selling real estate is stressful at any age; navigating the process later in life adds complexity.

• Adjusting to a new living environment and community and starting over socially in a new place takes energy and time.

• Getting the market timing right can create financial pressure.

Working with an SRES can make a significant difference. These professionals are trained to understand the unique financial, emotional, and logistical dimensions of senior transitions.

Moving to a Senior Living Community

Active adult communities, 55-plus neighborhoods, independent living communities, and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) offer a range of options for seniors who want the independence of their own home or apartment within a community designed for their life stage.

Common challenges include:

• Cost. Entry fees and monthly charges for CCRCs and independent living communities can be significant and vary widely.

• Giving up a sense of home. Trading a house full of personal history for an apartment or condo requires psychological adjustment.

• Navigating the options. The spectrum from active adult communities to independent living to memory care is broad; finding the right fit requires research.

• Waitlists. High-quality communities often have long waiting lists, making early planning essential.

A Place for Mom and Caring.com are two popular online tools that help families research and compare senior living communities. Many communities also offer trial stays, which can ease the transition and help seniors make informed decisions.

Assisted Living and Nursing Home Care

When daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, managing medications, and eating require consistent support, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities provide round-the-clock structured care. For seniors with dementia or complex medical needs, these settings offer safety and specialized attention that home environments often cannot.

Common challenges include:

• Cost of care. Assisted living averages $6,200 per month nationally and a semi-private room in a nursing home can exceed $9,000 per month.

• Quality variation. The quality of care varies from one facility to the next, making thorough research and visits essential.

• Emotional difficulty. For seniors and families, the transition to a care facility often carries grief, guilt, and a sense of finality that deserves acknowledgment.

• Advocacy. Family members often must serve as active advocates to ensure their loved one receives attentive, respectful care.

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program helps residents of care facilities resolve complaints and understand their rights. Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare tool provides inspection reports, staffing data, and quality ratings for facilities nationwide.

What Senior Spaces Brings to the Conversation

What sets Senior Spaces apart from other housing or lifestyle programming is its commitment to showing the full picture, with its uncertainty, second-guessing, and surprises. In the pilot, Rick and Mary’s story unfolds in ways that challenge assumptions about what seniors want and what ultimately feels right.

The show treats older adults as thoughtful, complex people making consequential decisions, not as a demographic to be managed or a problem to be solved — a meaningful framing in a culture that often sidelines the voices of people in later stages of life.

The show goes beyond square footage and market value. It explores the emotional landscape: the attachments people carry, the family conversations that don’t always go as planned, and the relief that often follows a decision everyone was afraid to make.

Starting the Conversation Early

One consistent insight from senior housing specialists, geriatric care managers, and social workers: families who navigate these transitions best are those who started the conversation before a crisis hit.

That means asking while everyone is still well: What matters most about where you live? What would have to change for you to consider a move? What does a good day look like at 80? These conversations aren’t always comfortable, but they’re far less painful than making the same decisions mid-crisis, without consensus and against a deadline.

Resources such as the National Institute on Aging and ElderCare Locator can help families identify local resources and care managers. Those managers, now often called Aging Life Care Professionals, specialize in comprehensive care planning and navigating complex housing decisions.

The Human Side of a Practical Decision

The question of where to live later in life is not purely logistical. For most people, a home is not just shelter — it is a repository of identity, a symbol of independence, and a place where the self feels continuous across time. Leaving it, even for something better, involves a form of grief.

This dynamic makes Senior Spaces valuable viewing not just for seniors, but for the adult children, spouses, siblings, and friends who stand alongside them during their later-life transitions. Watching someone else move through the process can make it easier to imagine walking the same path yourself.

The show also offers a quiet but important message: there is no shame in needing more support, wanting community, or choosing safety over sentiment. These are not failures of aging but acts of wisdom.

Rick and Mary’s story, like so many others, does not end with a simple answer. It ends with a decision that feels right — not because it was obvious, but because they thought it through together with honesty and care. That is the kind of conversation Senior Spaces is trying to make easier for everyone watching. And in a country where millions of families are wrestling with the same questions, that matters more than most people realize.

Long-Term Care Costs Are Hollowing Out Generational Wealth

Takeaways

• Long-term care is common and expensive — and for many families, a few years of paid care can erase decades of savings.

• Medicare coverage is limited, and Medicaid often requires “spending down” — leaving many middle-class households exposed until they’re near poverty-level assets.

• Planning ahead can reduce the financial shock — by learning what programs do (and don’t) cover and exploring options like long-term care insurance and state-specific Medicaid planning.

For most Americans, the plan goes something like this: work hard, save diligently, pay off the house, and pass something on to the kids. This quiet promise at the heart of the American Dream is that a lifetime of effort can translate into security for you and the next generation.

A study published by the Roosevelt Institute in April suggests that for most Americans, that promise is being broken — not by bad luck or poor choices, but by the crushing, largely unseen cost of long-term care.

The report lays out a stark picture: The long-term care system in the United States isn’t just failing older Americans in their final years but systematically draining the wealth of middle- and lower-income families and making it nearly impossible for the next generation to get a financial foothold.

What Is Long-Term Care and Why Does It Cost So Much?

Long-term care refers to the ongoing help people need when they can no longer fully care for themselves. It can encompass home health aides, adult day care programs, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.

Over half of Americans aged 65 will need long-term services and supports in their lifetime, and one in five of those adults will need care for more than five years. This is not a fringe issue; it is, statistically speaking, a near-universal part of aging in America — and the costs are staggering.

In 2025, the national annual median cost of in-home, long-term care was about $80,000. The annual cost of community and assisted living ranged from $25,000 to $74,000, and nursing home care was between $115,000 and $129,000 per year.

Meanwhile, the median household income for Americans aged 65 and older is approximately $57,000 — meaning a single year in a nursing home can cost more than twice what a typical senior household earns in a year.

Why are prices so high? Over the past two decades, long-term care costs have risen sharply as the over-65 population has grown rapidly.

Demand for long-term care services is increasing as American adults age, but the industry has long had problems attracting and retaining workers. Long-term care workers often face low pay and poor working conditions, with 36 percent living at or near the poverty line, which makes recruiting and retaining staff difficult. When demand outpaces supply, prices rise — and have been rising for years.

Why the System Leaves the American Middle Class Exposed

You might assume that government programs like Medicare and Medicaid would provide a safety net. However, the reality is far more complicated and far less generous than most people realize.

Medicare, the federal health insurance program for adults 65 and older, provides only short-term skilled nursing or rehabilitation care after a qualifying hospital stay. It does not cover ongoing assistance with daily activities like using the bathroom, eating, or getting in and out of bed. For the millions of Americans who need help with these basic tasks for months or years, Medicare offers essentially nothing.

Medicaid does cover long-term care but only after a family has nearly run out of money. To access Medicaid long-term care, adults must fall below income and asset thresholds that vary by state. As of mid-2025, monthly income limits range between $967 and $2,901 for a single individual and asset ceilings are generally around $2,000 in most states. In other words, a person must spend down their savings to near-poverty levels before the government steps in to help.

This leaves many middle-class Americans in a difficult position. They have too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but nowhere near enough to comfortably afford years of private care. After the onset of care needs, middle-class individuals face permanent wealth reductions to just 42 percent of their original levels and lower-income individuals realize reductions to just 11 percent of their original levels. However, the top quartile of earners eventually recover 94 percent of their assets.

Even families who consider themselves financially comfortable are not immune. Among upper-middle-class couples with lifetime earnings over $4.75 million, nearly half will spend down their assets paying for long-term care and eventually enroll in Medicaid if they require long-term care for five years or more.

The Ripple Effect on the Next Generation

Much has been made in recent years about the so-called “Great Wealth Transfer,” the enormous sum of money that Baby Boomers are expected to pass down to their children and grandchildren. The Roosevelt Institute’s findings puncture that narrative for most families.

The spend-down process required to qualify for Medicaid leaves little to be passed on to younger generations. This interrupts the potential for building generational wealth after what is often a lifetime of work and saving, perpetuating cycles of wealth inequality.

The consequences ripple outward in another way, too: through the unpaid labor of family caregivers, who are overwhelmingly women. In 2021 alone, unpaid caregivers provided an estimated $600 billion in economic value, often at the expense of their own career growth and retirement savings.

When someone steps back from their career to care for an aging parent, sacrificing promotions, raises, and retirement contributions, the long-term financial cost to them and their family can be enormous. So, the care crisis doesn’t just affect the person receiving care — it spreads.

Long-term care is not just an individual health issue; it is also a structural driver of wealth inequality. By maintaining a system that depends on unpaid family caregiving, provides public support only after families have nearly exhausted their savings, and allows private, profit-driven companies to capture rising care costs, the U.S. effectively penalizes aging.

What Families Can Do

While systemic change is needed, there are practical steps that families can take to reduce their exposure:

• Plan early, before a crisis hits. Long-term care insurance exists specifically to cover these costs and is most affordable when purchased in your 50s, before health conditions make premiums prohibitive or coverage unavailable. Hybrid life insurance policies that include long-term care riders are another option worth exploring with a financial advisor.

• Have the hard family conversation. Discussing aging, care preferences, and finances before a health crisis is uncomfortable but is far less painful than making those decisions under pressure. Who will provide care? Where will funding come from?

• Understand what Medicare actually covers. Many families are blindsided when they discover how little Medicare pays for custodial care. Knowing the limits in advance allows you to plan accordingly rather than scramble when a crisis arrives.

• Learn the Medicaid rules in your state. Medicaid planning rules vary by state. An elder law attorney can help family members understand what assets are protected (a primary home, for instance, often is) and how to plan ahead within legal boundaries.

• Don’t assume the “Great Wealth Transfer” will apply to you. If your parents haven’t accounted for long-term care in their financial planning, a significant portion, or all, of what you expected to inherit may go toward care costs. Adjusting your own savings strategy accordingly is prudent.

A System That Needs Reform

Individual planning can only go so far. The Roosevelt Institute’s report is ultimately a call to recognize long-term care as a systemic policy failure, not a series of individual misfortunes.

The result of the current system is a force shaping who gets to grow old with security and who bears the financial cost of care. Wealthier Americans can absorb the costs and recover; most others cannot.

Other wealthy nations have approached this problem differently, such as through public long-term care insurance programs, stronger workforce investment, and universal coverage models. The U.S. has long treated elder care as a private responsibility. The Roosevelt Institute’s data show the price that ordinary Americans pay for that choice: a lifetime of savings wiped out, and a next generation left with less of a foundation than it might otherwise have had.

Additional Reading

• The Costs of the Rising Cost of Long-Term Care

• Skilled Nursing Facilities vs. Nursing Homes

• Why Aren’t More Older Adults Thinking About Long-Term Care?

• How to Use an Annuity in Your Individual Retirement Account

The Family Caregiver's Legal Checklist: 10 Things to Do Now

Takeaways

• Long-term care is common and expensive — and for many families, a few years of paid care can erase decades of savings.

• Medicare coverage is limited, and Medicaid often requires “spending down” — leaving many middle-class households exposed until they’re near poverty-level assets.

• Planning ahead can reduce the financial shock — by learning what programs do (and don’t) cover and exploring options like long-term care insurance and state-specific Medicaid planning.

For most Americans, the plan goes something like this: work hard, save diligently, pay off the house, and pass something on to the kids. This quiet promise at the heart of the American Dream is that a lifetime of effort can translate into security for you and the next generation.

A study published by the Roosevelt Institute in April suggests that for most Americans, that promise is being broken — not by bad luck or poor choices, but by the crushing, largely unseen cost of long-term care.

The report lays out a stark picture: The long-term care system in the United States isn’t just failing older Americans in their final years but systematically draining the wealth of middle- and lower-income families and making it nearly impossible for the next generation to get a financial foothold.

What Is Long-Term Care and Why Does It Cost So Much?

Long-term care refers to the ongoing help people need when they can no longer fully care for themselves. It can encompass home health aides, adult day care programs, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.

Over half of Americans aged 65 will need long-term services and supports in their lifetime, and one in five of those adults will need care for more than five years. This is not a fringe issue; it is, statistically speaking, a near-universal part of aging in America — and the costs are staggering.

In 2025, the national annual median cost of in-home, long-term care was about $80,000. The annual cost of community and assisted living ranged from $25,000 to $74,000, and nursing home care was between $115,000 and $129,000 per year.

Meanwhile, the median household income for Americans aged 65 and older is approximately $57,000 — meaning a single year in a nursing home can cost more than twice what a typical senior household earns in a year.

Why are prices so high? Over the past two decades, long-term care costs have risen sharply as the over-65 population has grown rapidly.

Demand for long-term care services is increasing as American adults age, but the industry has long had problems attracting and retaining workers. Long-term care workers often face low pay and poor working conditions, with 36 percent living at or near the poverty line, which makes recruiting and retaining staff difficult. When demand outpaces supply, prices rise — and have been rising for years.

Why the System Leaves the American Middle Class Exposed

You might assume that government programs like Medicare and Medicaid would provide a safety net. However, the reality is far more complicated and far less generous than most people realize.

Medicare, the federal health insurance program for adults 65 and older, provides only short-term skilled nursing or rehabilitation care after a qualifying hospital stay. It does not cover ongoing assistance with daily activities like using the bathroom, eating, or getting in and out of bed. For the millions of Americans who need help with these basic tasks for months or years, Medicare offers essentially nothing.

Medicaid does cover long-term care but only after a family has nearly run out of money. To access Medicaid long-term care, adults must fall below income and asset thresholds that vary by state. As of mid-2025, monthly income limits range between $967 and $2,901 for a single individual and asset ceilings are generally around $2,000 in most states. In other words, a person must spend down their savings to near-poverty levels before the government steps in to help.

This leaves many middle-class Americans in a difficult position. They have too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but nowhere near enough to comfortably afford years of private care. After the onset of care needs, middle-class individuals face permanent wealth reductions to just 42 percent of their original levels and lower-income individuals realize reductions to just 11 percent of their original levels. However, the top quartile of earners eventually recover 94 percent of their assets.

Even families who consider themselves financially comfortable are not immune. Among upper-middle-class couples with lifetime earnings over $4.75 million, nearly half will spend down their assets paying for long-term care and eventually enroll in Medicaid if they require long-term care for five years or more.

The Ripple Effect on the Next Generation

Much has been made in recent years about the so-called “Great Wealth Transfer,” the enormous sum of money that Baby Boomers are expected to pass down to their children and grandchildren. The Roosevelt Institute’s findings puncture that narrative for most families.

The spend-down process required to qualify for Medicaid leaves little to be passed on to younger generations. This interrupts the potential for building generational wealth after what is often a lifetime of work and saving, perpetuating cycles of wealth inequality.

The consequences ripple outward in another way, too: through the unpaid labor of family caregivers, who are overwhelmingly women. In 2021 alone, unpaid caregivers provided an estimated $600 billion in economic value, often at the expense of their own career growth and retirement savings.

When someone steps back from their career to care for an aging parent, sacrificing promotions, raises, and retirement contributions, the long-term financial cost to them and their family can be enormous. So, the care crisis doesn’t just affect the person receiving care — it spreads.

Long-term care is not just an individual health issue; it is also a structural driver of wealth inequality. By maintaining a system that depends on unpaid family caregiving, provides public support only after families have nearly exhausted their savings, and allows private, profit-driven companies to capture rising care costs, the U.S. effectively penalizes aging.

What Families Can Do

While systemic change is needed, there are practical steps that families can take to reduce their exposure:

• Plan early, before a crisis hits. Long-term care insurance exists specifically to cover these costs and is most affordable when purchased in your 50s, before health conditions make premiums prohibitive or coverage unavailable. Hybrid life insurance policies that include long-term care riders are another option worth exploring with a financial advisor.

• Have the hard family conversation. Discussing aging, care preferences, and finances before a health crisis is uncomfortable but is far less painful than making those decisions under pressure. Who will provide care? Where will funding come from?

• Understand what Medicare actually covers. Many families are blindsided when they discover how little Medicare pays for custodial care. Knowing the limits in advance allows you to plan accordingly rather than scramble when a crisis arrives.

• Learn the Medicaid rules in your state. Medicaid planning rules vary by state. An elder law attorney can help family members understand what assets are protected (a primary home, for instance, often is) and how to plan ahead within legal boundaries.

• Don’t assume the “Great Wealth Transfer” will apply to you. If your parents haven’t accounted for long-term care in their financial planning, a significant portion, or all, of what you expected to inherit may go toward care costs. Adjusting your own savings strategy accordingly is prudent.

A System That Needs Reform

Individual planning can only go so far. The Roosevelt Institute’s report is ultimately a call to recognize long-term care as a systemic policy failure, not a series of individual misfortunes.

The result of the current system is a force shaping who gets to grow old with security and who bears the financial cost of care. Wealthier Americans can absorb the costs and recover; most others cannot.

Other wealthy nations have approached this problem differently, such as through public long-term care insurance programs, stronger workforce investment, and universal coverage models. The U.S. has long treated elder care as a private responsibility. The Roosevelt Institute’s data show the price that ordinary Americans pay for that choice: a lifetime of savings wiped out, and a next generation left with less of a foundation than it might otherwise have had.

Additional Reading

• The Costs of the Rising Cost of Long-Term Care

• Skilled Nursing Facilities vs. Nursing Homes

• Why Aren’t More Older Adults Thinking About Long-Term Care?

• How to Use an Annuity in Your Individual Retirement Account

ABLE Accounts for Housing Without Losing Benefits

takeaways

• An ABLE account can pay for rent, utilities, and other housing costs while helping preserve means-tested public benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

• To avoid SSI reductions tied to housing support, pay housing bills from the ABLE account within the same month the funds are withdrawn.

• A special needs trust can fund the ABLE account, which can then pay housing expenses.

Why Housing Creates Benefit Problems — and Why ABLE Is Different

Housing is often the single biggest barrier to independence for eligible individuals with disabilities who rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. Even when families have resources, paying for rent or utilities the “wrong” way can cause an SSI payment reduction, create overpayment notices, or raise questions about continued eligibility.

This is where Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts shine. These are tax-advantaged savings accounts. One of the most practical uses of an ABLE account is paying housing costs such as rent and utilities directly while staying aligned with SSI and Medicaid rules.

Families sometimes try to solve housing through special needs trusts (SNTs). However, housing support from a trust can create SSI complications because SSI treats certain third-party payments for shelter as support that may reduce the monthly SSI payment.

An ABLE account can be the “housing spending tool” that helps families fund stable living, cover immediate needs, and plan for future expenses, without triggering the same level of friction with means-tested eligibility.

What Counts as a Qualified Disability Expense for Housing

ABLE accounts are designed to pay for qualified disability expenses (QDEs), broadly defined costs related to living with a disability and maintaining or improving quality of life, health, or independence.

Housing-related QDEs commonly include:

• Rent payments

• Utilities (electricity, gas, water, trash)

• Home modifications such as ramps or grab bars

• Certain moving costs tied to relocating to appropriate housing

• Basic household items needed to live safely and independently

Because “housing” is a major expense category, keep documentation that shows how the expenses support the person’s independence and stability — leases, utility bills, invoices, and payment confirmations.

The SSI Timing Rule That Families Miss Most Often

The biggest avoidable mistake is not the expense — it’s the timing.

For SSI purposes, housing support can reduce SSI payments when treated as “in-kind” support. ABLE accounts are often used to prevent that reduction, but only when housing payments are handled correctly.

A Practical Rule of Thumb

Withdraw funds from the ABLE account and pay the housing bill in the same calendar month.

If ABLE money is withdrawn and then “sits” into the next month (for example, in a personal checking account), it may be treated as a countable resource for SSI in the following month. That can create a benefits problem even if the original intent was perfectly legitimate.

A Simple System for Paying Rent and Utilities From an ABLE Account

Many families succeed by choosing one consistent method and sticking to it. The goal is a clean paper trail and predictable timing.

Option 1: Pay housing providers directly

If the ABLE program allows it, pay rent and utilities directly from the ABLE account to the landlord or utility provider.

Option 2: Use a dedicated “housing-only” checking account

Use a separate checking account as a pass-through, but keep the balance low and avoid carrying withdrawn ABLE funds past month-end.

Option 3: Schedule recurring payments

Recurring payments reduce missed deadlines and make it easier to show that withdrawals were used promptly for QDEs.

Real-World Housing Scenarios Where ABLE Accounts Can Change the Outcome

Scenario 1: A young adult moving into an apartment

A 22-year-old on SSI wants to move from a family home into a shared apartment. The person can manage daily living tasks but cannot afford rent and utilities on SSI alone.

ABLE account funds can:

• Cover the portion of rent that SSI doesn’t reach

• Pay electric and internet reliably

• Fund a basic “move-in” plan (application fees, moving costs, essential household setup)

This can be the difference between independence and being forced into a less stable or less appropriate arrangement.

Scenario 2: Keeping housing during a temporary income gap

An SSI recipient works part-time, but hours fluctuate. One bad month can trigger missed rent, late fees, and housing instability.

An ABLE account can act like a stabilizer:

• Cover rent shortfalls during low-hour months

• Prevent eviction risk

• Avoid relying on informal family payments that may create SSI reporting complications

Scenario 3: Using a special needs trust and ABLE account together

An SNT may be holding settlement funds or inheritance meant to support a person long-term. The family wants to help with rent, but they also want to reduce the chance of SSI payment reductions tied to shelter support.

A common strategy is:

1. The trust contributes to the ABLE account (within annual contribution limits, currently $20,000 in 2026).
    

2. The ABLE account pays rent and utilities.

This approach can simplify administration because the ABLE account is designed for day-to-day quality-of-life spending, including housing-related QDEs.

How to Structure ABLE Contributions Alongside Other Income

Most people paying for housing will have multiple income sources. The key is coordinating them so benefits remain stable and bills are always covered.

Common funding sources include:

• The beneficiary’s earnings (when working)

• Family gifts (within ABLE contribution rules)

• Transfers from an SNT (when appropriate)

• Refunds or reimbursements tied to disability-related expenses

Best Practices That Make ABLE Housing Spending Easier to Defend

Save housing documentation in one place

• Lease agreements and renewals

• Utility bills

• Proof of payment (transaction history, confirmations)

• A short written budget showing the purpose of withdrawals

Use clear transaction descriptions

If the ABLE program provides memos or categories, label transactions “Rent,” “Electric,” “Internet,” and so on. Clean labeling reduces confusion later.

Avoid cash withdrawals for housing

Cash is hard to document. When possible, use traceable electronic payments or checks tied to the ABLE account.

How ABLE-Enabled Housing Can Increase Independence

Stable housing is not just a roof. It can unlock:

• Consistent employment or job training

• Better adherence to medical care and health care routines

• Reduced caregiver strain

• Safer living conditions

• A realistic stepping-stone to fuller independence

When used strategically, an ABLE account becomes a housing security tool that supports independence while protecting the benefits that make long-term stability possible.

When to Get Individualized Guidance

Consider professional help if:

• The person receives SSI and you’re worried about reductions or overpayments

• You are coordinating a SNT and ABLE account together

• You’re planning a move, roommate arrangement, or supported housing

• A family member wants to contribute significant funds and you want it structured correctly

Special needs planning is often about doing simple things in the right order. A coordinated plan for rent, utilities, and independent living can be one of the most meaningful improvements you make — for stability now and for quality of life long-term.

Proposed Rule Threatens Housing Assistance for Older Adults

Takeaways

• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed a new rule that would allow local housing agencies to require work and set time limits on federal rental assistance for nonelderly, nondisabled residents in public housing and voucher programs.

• Supporters argue the rule promotes self-sufficiency and frees up housing for others in need, citing positive results from pilot programs.

• Critics warn the change could cause millions of people, including many children, to lose essential housing aid. They argue that the proposed rule’s expectation for recipients to rapidly double their income is unrealistic and that the plan lacks funding for necessary support services.

For millions of Americans, federal housing assistance means the difference between a stable home and living on the street. A proposed rule announced in March 2026 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) could change the terms under which that help is provided. The rule would introduce, for the first time on a broad scale, work requirements and time limits across the country’s major rental assistance programs.

What the Rule Would Do

The proposed rule would allow Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and HUD-assisted property owners to require certain adults to work to receive housing assistance. It would also let them set time limits on how long some families can stay in the program. The rule would apply to residents in public housing and those receiving assistance through:

• Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV),

• Project-Based Vouchers (PBV), or

• Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA).

In plain terms, some working-age adults without disabilities could be required to have a job to keep their housing, and some families could face limits on how long they can receive assistance. The proposed rule would allow work requirements of up to 40 hours per week, and term limits as short as two years.

HUD defines “work-eligible” as residents ages 18 to 61 who are not disabled, pregnant, primary caretakers of children under 6, or college students, among other exempted categories. Acceptable “work activities” include not just employment, but also job training, education, community service, and child care.

Importantly, this rule gives PHAs and property owners the flexibility to implement work requirements, term limits, both, or neither. It establishes guardrails that agencies choosing to act must follow, while still allowing flexibility to adopt alternative standards within those boundaries.

Why HUD Says the Rule Is Needed

HUD Secretary Scott Turner has framed the proposal as a way to promote self-reliance and make housing available to more families. “Housing assistance was never meant to trap work-able individuals on government support their entire lives,” Turner said. Instead, he described it as a temporary stepping stone toward financial independence. He added that the proposal would “expand access for deserving families on waiting lists, while still preserving protections for elderly and disabled households.”

HUD notes that it currently serves only about a quarter of those eligible and in need of housing support. The agency argues that helping some working-age residents move toward self-sufficiency could free up housing for others on long waiting lists.

The department also points to results from pilot programs. For example, the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino, part of HUD’s “Moving to Work” initiative, tested a five-year term limit for nonelderly, nondisabled households using vouchers. According to HUD, the program was associated with higher earned income, increased full-time employment, and a drop in unemployment among participants.

What Critics Are Saying

Not everyone is convinced that the proposal is a good idea. The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), for example, strongly opposes the rule. One recent analysis estimates that a two-year time limit would cause 3.3 million people to lose their rental assistance, including more than 1.5 million children.

Some economists have also questioned whether the rule’s requirements are realistic. To qualify for housing assistance, households typically earn very low incomes – often around 30 percent of their area’s median income. But the proposal assumes that within two years, participants could raise this income enough to no longer need help.

In practical terms, that would mean more than doubling their income in a very short time – something that rarely happens in the U.S. job market. Experts say this kind of sustained wage growth is highly unlikely for most workers.

Critics also note that the rule does not include additional funding to help residents meet these new expectations. At the same time, housing agencies and property owners would still be expected to provide support services, but without clear funding to pay for them.

What This Means for Older Americans

On the surface, the rule appears to protect seniors. It clearly exempts seniors and people with disabilities from any work or time limits. That means a retiree in public housing or using a housing voucher would not, under the proposed rule, face a work requirement or a deadline to move out.

But advocates for older adults say the reality is more complicated. LeadingAge, a national association representing aging services providers, has expressed concerns about how the rule could affect the workforce that supports older adults. Many home health aides, nursing assistants, and other caregivers rely on affordable housing themselves. If they are subject to new work requirements or time limits, they could lose housing stability, potentially making it even harder to recruit and retain workers in an already short-staffed field.

There are also concerns about people in their late 50s. Under the rule, “work-eligible” adults include those between the ages of 18 and 61. That means someone who is 59 or 60 years old (too young to qualify as a “senior” under HUD’s definition) could still be required to work up to 40 hours per week. This could be difficult for people dealing with age-related health challenges that don’t meet the official definition of a disability.

In addition, advocates worry the rule could create new bureaucratic hurdles. Because disability status would now affect eligibility, more residents may need to formally document their conditions. For older adults, this could create paperwork burdens and uncertainty in an already complex system.

What Happens Next

After the public comment period, which ends on May 1, 2026, HUD will review feedback before deciding whether to finalize, revise, or withdraw the proposal. Anyone can submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal.

Given the scale of the changes and the volume of opposition already emerging from housing advocates, the rule is likely to face significant scrutiny, and possibly legal challenges, before it takes effect.

For now, residents of public housing and voucher programs, especially older adults living close to the age thresholds, should pay close attention to what their local housing authority decides and consider making their voices heard before May 1.

Additional Reading

For additional reading on topics related to housing and older adults, check out the following articles:

• Affordable Housing Options for Low-Income Older Adults

• Older Adults Struggle to Meet the Dual Burden of Housing and Care

• Innovative Long-Term Care Housing Solutions for Seniors

• Home Safety for Aging in Place: A Guide for Older Adults

• HUD Housing Programs That Support Aging in Place

• Affordable Housing Is Getting Scarce for Older Adults

• Tax Break Helps Pay for CCRC Fees

What to Do If You Lose Your Medicare Advantage Plan

Takeaways

• If your Medicare Advantage plans ends, you won’t be left without coverage; you’ll typically move back to Original Medicare (Parts A and B).

• Your biggest immediate risk is a prescription drug gap, so make sure you have Part D or other creditable drug coverage lined up.

• A plan termination usually gives you a Special Enrollment Period, plus possible guaranteed-issue rights for certain Medigap policies — but these windows are time-limited.

Imagine opening your mailbox and finding a letter that says your Medicare Advantage plan won’t be available next year. No negotiation, no appeal — just a notice that your insurer is leaving, and you need to figure something out before January 1.

That’s what recently happened to tens of thousands of older adults in Vermont, and it’s becoming an increasingly common reality across the country.

Vermont: A Cautionary Tale

Nearly the entire Medicare Advantage market in Vermont collapsed heading into 2026. According to a recent study, about 92 percent of Vermont’s Medicare Advantage enrollees were forced to disenroll after insurers exited their areas. By February 2026, only about 21,000 Vermonters, roughly 12 percent of the state’s eligible adults, remained enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Vermont’s situation is an extreme version of a trend playing out nationally. Estimates suggest that roughly 10 percent (around 2.9 million) Medicare Advantage enrollees in standard HMO and PPO plans faced forced disenrollment for 2026. For context, from 2018 through 2024, the average annual rate was just 1 percent.

Why Is This Happening?

Medicare Advantage, often called “MA,” is the private insurance alternative to traditional government Medicare. Insurers receive payments from the federal government to provide your Part A and Part B benefits. For years, many MA plans attracted seniors with enticing extras like dental, vision, and hearing benefits, often at low or zero monthly premiums.

But those attractive benefits came with a financial reality that is now catching up with the industry.

Rising medical costs have squeezed insurer profit margins significantly. At the same time, the federal government has tightened oversight of how insurers calculate patient health risk scores, which is a key factor in determining how much the government pays the plans.

As a result, insurance companies are cutting benefits, shrinking service areas, and in some cases pulling out of markets entirely. UnitedHealthcare, the largest MA provider in the country, is on track to lose between 1.3 and 1.4 million Medicare Advantage members in 2026.

The drastic drop in MA enrollment in Vermont was partly driven by state-specific factors. The state’s health care landscape is dominated by a single large health care system, making it hard for insurers to negotiate favorable rates.

Vermont is also one of the most rural states in the country. Research shows that rural beneficiaries are disproportionately affected by plan terminations. While rural residents make up 14 percent of typical Medicare Advantage enrollees, they represent nearly 23 percent of those whose plans were terminated in 2025. Idaho, Wyoming, and South Dakota also each saw disenrollment rates of at least 40 percent in 2026.

Vermont may be more canary than outlier. When plans exit a market, their less healthy and more costly enrollees get pushed into whatever plans remain, thus potentially making those remaining plans less profitable, triggering further exits, in a process that could continue to spread.

What This Means for People With MA Plans

Medicare Advantage now covers more than half of all Medicare-eligible Americans (over 34 million people). The program’s rapid growth over the past decade was fueled by aggressive marketing, generous extra benefits, and zero-premium plans that made traditional Medicare look comparatively spartan.

But the current pullbacks mean many of those extras are disappearing. Across the country, MA plans are reducing dental and vision benefits, raising copays, and narrowing their networks of doctors and hospitals. Some major hospital systems have also cut ties with Medicare Advantage insurers in 2026, citing frustrations with prior authorization denials and slow reimbursements. This means that even seniors who keep their plans may find that their preferred doctors or hospitals are no longer covered.

The broader picture reveals an MA market in the process of a painful correction, with seniors caught in the middle.

What to Do If You Lose Your Medicare Advantage Coverage

If your Medicare Advantage plan terminates, you won’t fall off a coverage cliff. You will automatically revert to Original Medicare (Parts A and B), which covers hospital care and medical services. However, Original Medicare alone doesn’t include prescription drug coverage, so you’ll need to act to avoid a lapse.

Read Your Termination Letter and Save It

When your Medicare Advantage plan exits your area, the insurer must notify you in advance, typically by September 30 for changes taking effect January 1. The letter should tell you when your current coverage ends and what your options are. Keep this letter; it may be useful if you have to prove you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) or other protections.

Use Your Special Enrollment Period

If your Medicare Advantage plan terminates through no fault of your own, you typically qualify for an SEP. An SEP gives you extra time to:

• Choose a different MA plan (if available), or

• Return to Original Medicare and pick a Part D plan.

If you receive notice that your plan will not renew, you generally have from October 15 through the end of February of the following year to select a new plan or switch to traditional Medicare. Don’t wait until the last minute; the earlier you act, the less you risk a gap in coverage.

Consider Your Three Main Paths

• Pick a new Medicare Advantage plan. If there are other MA plans in your area, compare your options using Medicare’s Plan Finder tool. Compare plans by your medications, doctors, and budget.

• Switch to Original Medicare + Part D. Traditional Medicare with a standalone Part D prescription drug plan to cover your medications gives you more flexibility in choosing doctors. However, consider whether you need supplemental (Medigap) coverage to help with deductibles and coinsurance.

• Consider Medigap if you’re leaving MA. In some situations, losing your MA plan can trigger “guaranteed-issue” rights for certain Medigap policies. This means you may be able to buy a policy without medical underwriting, so insurers cannot deny you coverage or charge you more based on health conditions. This window is time-limited, so act quickly.

Protect Your Prescription Drug Coverage

This is urgent: If you go 63 days or more without creditable prescription drug coverage, you may face a Part D late enrollment penalty. That penalty can last as long as you have Part D. When you switch plans, make sure drug coverage is in place and continuous.

Verify Your Doctors and Prescriptions Are Covered Before You Commit

Before enrolling in any new plan, confirm that your primary care doctor, specialists, and regular medications are covered under the new plan’s network and formulary (drug list). Do not assume; call the plan directly or check through the Medicare Plan Finder tool.

Get Free, Unbiased Help

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) that provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling. These counselors can help you compare plans and avoid missing any deadlines. Find your local SHIP at shiphelp.org or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Keep Records of Everything

Hold on to termination letters, enrollment confirmations, and notes on any communications with your insurer or Medicare. If billing errors or coverage disputes surface during a transition, documentation is essential.

The Bigger Picture

What’s unfolding in Medicare Advantage plans is a collision between decades of rapid expansion and the financial realities of covering an aging, higher-need population against a backdrop of government payment adjustments and tightening regulatory oversight.

For now, the program remains, in many parts of the country, robust. But Vermont shows what can happen when the economics stop working for insurers in a given region. Seniors in rural areas, in markets dominated by a single health system, or in states already seeing significant plan exits should pay especially close attention to their coverage as each annual enrollment period approaches.

The annual open enrollment window is when most Medicare beneficiaries can make changes for the following year. Use this window to compare different plans in your area and switch if that makes sense. Even if your plan isn’t ending this year, it’s worth reviewing your coverage each fall. Benefits, networks, and premiums can change, and what worked this year may not be the best option for next year.

Caring for Grandkids: A Way to Slow Cognitive Decline?

Takeaways

• Grandparents who provide some child care scored higher on tests that measure key cognitive abilities, like memory and word-finding, than those who didn’t.

• More babysitting time wasn’t linked to bigger benefits; even occasional care may help.

• What you do matters: homework help and active leisure (like games) were the strongest standouts.

• Mixing up activities may be better than repeating the same routine every visit.

• Enjoyment and balance also matter; stressful, involuntary, or overwhelming caregiving may not have the same effects.

New research suggests that helping care for grandchildren may improve memory and strengthen overall brain function, and you don’t have to babysit every day to benefit. These benefits may be modest, but they may still prove meaningful over time.

If you’ve ever come home from an afternoon with the grandkids feeling both exhausted and somehow energized, science may have an explanation for that second feeling. A new study published in January 2026 in the journal Psychology and Aging suggests that grandparents who care for their grandchildren score higher on tests of memory and verbal skills than those who don’t. For grandmothers especially, that involvement may actually slow the brain’s natural cognitive decline over time.

The findings are good news for the millions of American grandparents who already play a central role in their grandchildren’s lives.

What the Researchers Did

To take a deeper look at how grandparenting affects the brain, lead researcher Flavia Chereches, a Ph.D. candidate at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, and her team examined data from 2,887 grandparents, all over the age of 50 (with an average age of 67), who participated in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Between 2016 and 2022, participants completed cognitive tests (simple tests of memory and thinking skills) and answered survey questions.

The survey asked whether participants had provided care for a grandchild at any point during the past year, how frequently they provided care, and what kinds of care they provided. Types of child care included watching grandchildren overnight, caring for them when they were sick, helping with homework, playing or doing leisure activities with them, driving them to school and activities, and preparing meals.

What the Researchers Found

The team found that, overall, grandparents who provided any care for their grandchildren scored higher on tests of memory and verbal fluency (how easily you can find and use words) compared with those who didn’t. The results held even after accounting for differences such as age and health.

The brain boost didn’t require a major time commitment. Among grandparents who provided care, how often they babysat made no measurable difference to their brain health. A grandmother who looked after her grandchildren once a week exhibited the same cognitive performance as a grandmother who cared for hers several days a week.

What mattered more than the time they spent together was what they did during that time. Of the seven caregiving activities that were examined, two activities stood out: helping with homework and doing leisure activities, such as playing games. Only these activities were associated with better performance on both the memory and verbal fluency tests.

Helping a child with homework often requires explaining concepts in different ways, problem-solving on the fly, and adapting to how the child learns. Playing games and doing activities together require more mental activity than passive interaction and involve creativity, planning, and constant social interaction.

The study found that engaging in a variety of activities was beneficial. Grandparents who rotated through different types of activities, such as homework help one day, cooking together another, and outings on weekends, showed better cognitive functioning overall.

Why Grandmothers Seem to Benefit More

One of the study’s most striking findings involves a gender gap. Grandmothers who provided care experienced slower cognitive decline than those who didn’t babysit. Grandfathers also enjoyed cognitive benefits from interacting with their grandchildren but showed no slowing of cognitive decline compared with men who didn’t babysit.

Researchers suspect that traditional gender roles may account for this difference. Grandmothers typically engage in more hands-on caregiving, such as preparing meals, planning activities, and managing schedules. Meanwhile, grandfathers tend to occupy a more supportive role by providing care alongside their spouses.

Another possibility for the difference in benefits between the genders could be that grandfathers may feel more obligated to help, while grandmothers more often choose to be involved. It could be that caregiving done out of a sense of duty rather than desire might not deliver the same mental benefits.

Enjoyment and Balance Matter

The researchers were careful to note that not all caregiving is equal. Study author Chereches noted that providing care voluntarily, within a supportive family environment where another family member can share the load when needed, may have different effects than caregiving that feels unsupported, involuntary, or like a burden.

This is an important distinction for some American grandparents, many of whom are shouldering significant caregiving responsibilities. In 2023, about 1 million children in the United States were being raised in households headed by grandparents, with no parents present. This type of scenario presents a different situation from the occasional afternoon of babysitting and the stress involved in full-time, unplanned caregiving may offset the cognitive benefits that grandparents get from occasional caregiving.

What This Means for You

The study has not proven with certainty that babysitting causes better brain health; it’s possible that grandparents who are already cognitively sharper are simply more likely to take on active, part-time caregiving roles. It also doesn’t mean caregiving prevents dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. But the results of the six-year study are encouraging. Grandparents can benefit from spending time with their grandkids, regardless of the amount of time – and with the biggest benefits showing up in more mentally engaging activities. The broader experience of being engaged and involved, it seems, is what counts.

For grandparents who want to make the most of their time with their grandchildren, the study points to a few practical takeaways. Activities that actively engage the mind, like helping with homework, playing board games or card games, working on creative projects, and spending time outdoors together, may be the most mentally stimulating. Variety may also help; rotating through different types of activities from visit to visit can challenge different thinking skills.

Just as important, the caregiving context matters. Time with grandkids is most likely to feel beneficial when it’s enjoyable and manageable, not overwhelming or done out of obligation. And because this research can’t prove that caregiving causes better cognition, it’s best viewed as encouraging evidence that staying socially and mentally engaged – in ways that feel positive and sustainable – may support brain health over time. In other words, your grandchildren may be doing as much for you as you’re doing for them.

Additional Reading

For additional reading on topics of interest to older adults, check out the following articles:

• Giving to Grandkids? Consider Gift Tax, 529 Plans, and More

• Pass Assets to Grandchildren in a Generation-Skipping Trust

• Home Safety for Aging in Place: A Guide for Older Adults

• Promoting Healthy Aging During Financial Literacy Month

• Getting Help for a Parent With Memory Loss

April Fool's Guide to Messing Up Social Security Benefits

Editor’s Note:

In honor of April Fool’s Day, this article uses satire to highlight common Social Security mistakes. The “Reality Check” sections explain what to do instead. If you’re making a claiming decision, speak with an elder law attorney or trusted financial advisor about your specific situation.

The humor is intentional; the goal is to help you avoid costly mistakes.

Takeaways

• If you are hoping to spoil your Social Security benefits, this tongue-in-cheek guide will tell you how to do just that.

• Better yet, consider this a list of what not to do and instead work with an elder law attorney to make the most of your retirement.

So, you’re nearing retirement and ready to collect your Social Security benefits. You’ve spent decades working, paying into the system, and now it’s finally time to cash in. But before you go making any smart or responsible decisions, consider how to truly mess things up.

This satirical guide will walk you through the best ways to botch your retirement benefits, shortchange your future, and give yourself a solid case of retiree regret. Think of this guide to missing out as a public service announcement — in reverse.

1. Sign Up for Social Security Benefits As Early As Humanly Possible

Why wait until full retirement age — or worse, age 70 — when you could start collecting at 62? Sure, your monthly payments will be reduced by as much as about 25 percent to 30 percent forever (or more, depending on your full retirement age), but you’ll get that smaller check right away.

Reality Check: Claiming early makes sense for some, but it’s one of the most financially impactful decisions you’ll make. Waiting until your full retirement age (age 67 for most people born in 1960 or later) or even age 70 can significantly increase your monthly benefit — for life. If you expect to live into your 80s or beyond, delaying can pay off.

2. Completely Ignore Spousal and Survivor Benefits

If you got married for love, not Social Security strategy, don’t even bother looking into spousal or survivor benefits.

Reality Check: Spouses (and ex-spouses, if the marriage lasted at least 10 years) may be eligible for up to 50 percent of their partner’s benefit — even if they never worked themselves. And if your spouse passes away, survivor benefits could be a crucial part of your income. Ignoring these options is like turning down free money.

3. Assume Social Security Will Be Gone Anyway

If Social Security is going bankrupt, it’s better to assume the whole system will collapse and make decisions based on panic, right?

Reality Check: While the Social Security trust fund may face shortfalls in the 2030s, the system will still be able to pay most benefits from ongoing payroll taxes. Experts estimate around 77 percent of promised benefits will still be payable even without reform. Planning based on doom-and-gloom headlines can sometimes do more harm than good.

4. Forget About Taxes — You’re Retired Now!

Taxes are a working person’s problem. You must be off the hook for paying taxes once you retire, right? Collect your benefits and tap those retirement accounts with wild abandon.

Reality Check: Up to 85 percent of your Social Security benefits can be taxable, depending on your total income. Withdrawals from retirement accounts, pensions, or side gigs can push you over the threshold. Smart tax planning can help reduce how much you owe — and help your money go further.

5. Never, Ever Check Your Earnings Record

Why bother logging into the Social Security Administration (SSA) website to check your earnings history? The government definitely must have all your information perfectly correct. What are the chances they missed a year or two?

Reality Check: Your benefit is calculated based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If there are gaps or mistakes in your record, your benefit could be lower than it should be. Verifying your earnings history is a small task that helps ensure you don’t leave money on the table.

6. Don’t Coordinate With Your Spouse’s Strategy

You’ve made it this far without having to align your retirement plans; why bother starting now? Just claim your benefits when you feel like it and let your spouse do their own thing.

Reality Check: Coordinating when and how you and your spouse each claim benefits can optimize your combined income, especially if one of you has significantly higher lifetime earnings. A good joint strategy can maximize spousal or survivor benefits and help stretch your income through your later years.

7. Forget About Asking a Professional — You’ve Got This

You’ve read a couple of articles about financial planning and heard a few things in the dentist's office waiting room; surely you know all you need to know.

Reality Check: Social Security is surprisingly complex. The difference between a good strategy and a great one can mean thousands of dollars over your lifetime. A brief conversation with a knowledgeable advisor — or even a visit to a local SSA office — can help you avoid irreversible mistakes.

8. File Based on What Your Friends’ Friends Did

A friend of your buddy Steve filed at age 62 and bought a boat, while your neighbor’s cousin’s sister-in-law Marlene waited until age 70 and still watches cable. Just do what they did; it’ll probably be fine, right?

Reality Check: Your Social Security strategy should be based on your health, earnings history, marital status, other income sources, and life expectancy — not someone else’s. What worked for them could be completely wrong for your situation.

Ready to Wreck Your Retirement?

If you’re still reading and planning to do everything wrong, you’ve certainly got a foolproof way to leave money on the table, stress out your future self, and regret skipping the fine print.

However, if you’re the type who prefers to retire with confidence and financial stability, do yourself a favor: Don’t wing it. Check your SSA records, run the numbers, talk to an experienced elder law professional in your area, and build a strategy that fits your life.

Social Security payments aren’t just about a check — they’re about the freedom to enjoy the next chapter on your own terms.

Your Quick Checklist for How to Actually Do Things Right

• Check your earnings record on the Social Security Administration website.

• Understand how claiming age affects your monthly benefit amount.

• Learn about spousal benefits and survivor benefits.

• Know your tax exposure.

• Coordinate with your partner.

• Get professional input before filing. Contact your local Social Security office or consult with an elder law attorney near you today.

April Fool's Guide to Messing Up Social Security Benefits

Editor’s Note:

In honor of April Fool’s Day, this article uses satire to highlight common Social Security mistakes. The “Reality Check” sections explain what to do instead. If you’re making a claiming decision, speak with an elder law attorney or trusted financial advisor about your specific situation.

The humor is intentional; the goal is to help you avoid costly mistakes.

Takeaways

• If you are hoping to spoil your Social Security benefits, this tongue-in-cheek guide will tell you how to do just that.

• Better yet, consider this a list of what not to do and instead work with an elder law attorney to make the most of your retirement.

So, you’re nearing retirement and ready to collect your Social Security benefits. You’ve spent decades working, paying into the system, and now it’s finally time to cash in. But before you go making any smart or responsible decisions, consider how to truly mess things up.

This satirical guide will walk you through the best ways to botch your retirement benefits, shortchange your future, and give yourself a solid case of retiree regret. Think of this guide to missing out as a public service announcement — in reverse.

1. Sign Up for Social Security Benefits As Early As Humanly Possible

Why wait until full retirement age — or worse, age 70 — when you could start collecting at 62? Sure, your monthly payments will be reduced by as much as about 25 percent to 30 percent forever (or more, depending on your full retirement age), but you’ll get that smaller check right away.

Reality Check: Claiming early makes sense for some, but it’s one of the most financially impactful decisions you’ll make. Waiting until your full retirement age (age 67 for most people born in 1960 or later) or even age 70 can significantly increase your monthly benefit — for life. If you expect to live into your 80s or beyond, delaying can pay off.

2. Completely Ignore Spousal and Survivor Benefits

If you got married for love, not Social Security strategy, don’t even bother looking into spousal or survivor benefits.

Reality Check: Spouses (and ex-spouses, if the marriage lasted at least 10 years) may be eligible for up to 50 percent of their partner’s benefit — even if they never worked themselves. And if your spouse passes away, survivor benefits could be a crucial part of your income. Ignoring these options is like turning down free money.

3. Assume Social Security Will Be Gone Anyway

If Social Security is going bankrupt, it’s better to assume the whole system will collapse and make decisions based on panic, right?

Reality Check: While the Social Security trust fund may face shortfalls in the 2030s, the system will still be able to pay most benefits from ongoing payroll taxes. Experts estimate around 77 percent of promised benefits will still be payable even without reform. Planning based on doom-and-gloom headlines can sometimes do more harm than good.

4. Forget About Taxes — You’re Retired Now!

Taxes are a working person’s problem. You must be off the hook for paying taxes once you retire, right? Collect your benefits and tap those retirement accounts with wild abandon.

Reality Check: Up to 85 percent of your Social Security benefits can be taxable, depending on your total income. Withdrawals from retirement accounts, pensions, or side gigs can push you over the threshold. Smart tax planning can help reduce how much you owe — and help your money go further.

5. Never, Ever Check Your Earnings Record

Why bother logging into the Social Security Administration (SSA) website to check your earnings history? The government definitely must have all your information perfectly correct. What are the chances they missed a year or two?

Reality Check: Your benefit is calculated based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If there are gaps or mistakes in your record, your benefit could be lower than it should be. Verifying your earnings history is a small task that helps ensure you don’t leave money on the table.

6. Don’t Coordinate With Your Spouse’s Strategy

You’ve made it this far without having to align your retirement plans; why bother starting now? Just claim your benefits when you feel like it and let your spouse do their own thing.

Reality Check: Coordinating when and how you and your spouse each claim benefits can optimize your combined income, especially if one of you has significantly higher lifetime earnings. A good joint strategy can maximize spousal or survivor benefits and help stretch your income through your later years.

7. Forget About Asking a Professional — You’ve Got This

You’ve read a couple of articles about financial planning and heard a few things in the dentist's office waiting room; surely you know all you need to know.

Reality Check: Social Security is surprisingly complex. The difference between a good strategy and a great one can mean thousands of dollars over your lifetime. A brief conversation with a knowledgeable advisor — or even a visit to a local SSA office — can help you avoid irreversible mistakes.

8. File Based on What Your Friends’ Friends Did

A friend of your buddy Steve filed at age 62 and bought a boat, while your neighbor’s cousin’s sister-in-law Marlene waited until age 70 and still watches cable. Just do what they did; it’ll probably be fine, right?

Reality Check: Your Social Security strategy should be based on your health, earnings history, marital status, other income sources, and life expectancy — not someone else’s. What worked for them could be completely wrong for your situation.

Ready to Wreck Your Retirement?

If you’re still reading and planning to do everything wrong, you’ve certainly got a foolproof way to leave money on the table, stress out your future self, and regret skipping the fine print.

However, if you’re the type who prefers to retire with confidence and financial stability, do yourself a favor: Don’t wing it. Check your SSA records, run the numbers, talk to an experienced elder law professional in your area, and build a strategy that fits your life.

Social Security payments aren’t just about a check — they’re about the freedom to enjoy the next chapter on your own terms.

Your Quick Checklist for How to Actually Do Things Right

• Check your earnings record on the Social Security Administration website.

• Understand how claiming age affects your monthly benefit amount.

• Learn about spousal benefits and survivor benefits.

• Know your tax exposure.

• Coordinate with your partner.

• Get professional input before filing. Contact your local Social Security office or consult with an elder law attorney near you today.