Research Shows 

Your Morning Coffee Habit 

May Also Be 

Good for Your Liver

By Stephanie Anderson Witmer  

According to a recent study, this common morning habit is associated with a lower risk of liver disease, liver cancer, and liver-related death. The research also suggests that coffee itself—rather than just the caffeine is contains—is likely responsible for those benefits, 

A Deep Dive Into Coffee Consumption and Liver Health...

Family relationships are enduring and consequential for well-being across the life course. We discuss several types of family relationships—marital, intergenerational, and sibling ties—that have an important influence on well-being. 

Experts say healthcare after 80 should focus more on quality of life and individualized care rather than automatic testing schedules. Here’s what you need to know about what doctors are now recommending for older patients.

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Older adults 

living at home 

experience more boredom 

and fewer 

meaningful activities

"We wanted to look at these questions: How are the patients really doing? What do they think about their quality of life, and how much do they feel they have control over their everyday lives?" 

The results show that:

A third of older people who receive home care services feel they have little or no control over their everyday lives.

“What we actually want is both more years and more of those years lived in good health,”

Learn how five everyday patterns — how you move, eat, rest, relax, and connect — can add more healthy years to your life.

Positive perceptions of aging may extend life by nearly eight years. This finding emerged from a long-term study of adults aged fifty and older. Researchers observed a significant difference in longevity between positive and negative outlooks. While not proving causation, the link suggests attitude plays a role. This research highlights the importance of how we view growing older.

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Retiree Healthcare Costs 

Hit $185,500 in 2026 Report

According to Fidelity Investments,  a 65-year-old retiring in 2026 can expect to spend an average of $185,500 on medical expenses throughout retirement. This figure marks a 7.5% increase from the previous year, driven by rising healthcare prices, greater utilization of medical services, and growing costs associated with chronic conditions, according to the report data.

Medicare coverage of long-term care 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 Penelope Wang

In today’s economy, with rising consumer prices, job instability and a lack of affordable housing, many younger adults are struggling to find their financial footing. Those pressures are prompting older generations to offer a hand, though sometimes at a cost to their own financial well-being.  

Being there when they are young and cute is easy. Being there when they are hormonal and sullen isn’t. Be there anyway.  Your teenage grandchildren will likely participate in extracurricular activities as they discover their talents and abilities. If you are able, be there to cheer them on.  

Every grandparent has been there. You know exactly what happened. The cookie is missing, the lamp is tilted, or the story just does not add up. And the little one standing in front of you is looking anywhere but at you.

How you handle that moment matters more than you might think. Two psychologists say the right words can open a child up and the wrong ones can shut them right down.

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Empathy is associated 

with older adults’ 

social behaviors 

and verbal emotional expressions

 throughout the day

By  Meng Huo, Kate A. Leger, 

Kira S. Birditt & Karen L. Fingerman 

Empathy plays a crucial role in promoting older adults’ interpersonal experiences, but it remains unclear how these benefits of empathy occur. To address this gap, we examined associations between empathy and how older adults behave and express emotions during their daily interpersonal encounters.

Most people slow down in their elder years, but Idanna Abignente decided to climb a pole instead.

At 82, she has earned the title of the world’s oldest competitive pole dancer, 

When I was young, I rarely thought about old people. Other than my grandmother and grandfather, I had almost no contact with anyone over the age of 70.

Of course, I saw them. They were the bent-over, slow-moving, oddly dressed people making their way down the sidewalk or struggling to cross the street before the light changed. I didn't dislike them—I simply didn't notice them. They were part of the background.

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    • They weren't always blue. Before 1971, many U.S. mailboxes were painted dark green, a color that had been used for decades by the Post Office Department.

    • Blue improved visibility. When the Post Office became the United States Postal Service (USPS) in 1971, it adopted blue as part of its new image. The brighter color made mailboxes easier to spot from a distance.

    • It matched the new USPS logo. The switch to blue coincided with the introduction of the USPS's modern branding, giving the nation's mail service a fresh, recognizable look.

    • Blue symbolizes trust and reliability. Marketers often associate blue with dependability and security—qualities the Postal Service wanted to project.

    • Not every mailbox is blue. While the familiar collection boxes are blue, specialty mailboxes—such as historic boxes in some cities or decorative mailboxes on federal property—may be painted different colors to preserve their historic appearance.

ELDER BULLYING

Dr. Fauci Deserved Tough Questions

—Not Personal Attacks

By Arthur Inglish

When Dr. Anthony Fauci testified before Congress, lawmakers had every right to ask difficult questions. Congressional oversight is an essential part of our democracy, especially after a public health crisis as devastating as the COVID-19 pandemic. Americans deserved answers about what worked, what didn't, and what lessons should be learned.

What they did not need to see was an 85-year-old man being verbally abused by a group of foul-mouthed Republican thugs whose main purpose was to demean the character and reputation of an American hero.

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Trump administration 

to end Medicare Part D 

subsidy program in 2027

By Michelle Stoddart and Arthur Jones II

Medicare Part D -- the government health insurance program's prescription drug benefit -- is used by tens of millions of older or disabled beneficiaries.

The Trump administration is ending a key health insurance subsidy program that aimed to keep premiums for seniors' prescription drug plans in check, claiming that it benefits corporate insurance companies, according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz.

Policymakers have taken steps to strengthen the nation’s aging system, which provides services to millions of older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers. However, progress has been slow, and the existing challenges are worsening as the baby boomer generation ages. Continued inaction will leave Americans without the supports they need to age with dignity, harming older adults and their families while driving up avoidable federal and state costs.

This legislation puts patient care and outcomes first. By passing the bipartisan Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, we can make it easier for seniors to receive the care they are entitled to while alleviating unnecessary administrative burdens on physicians and hospitals. 

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How the 

Federal Fair Housing Act 

Protects Older Adults

By Lee Pruitt 

Although age is not a protected category under the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), many older adults are protected from housing discrimination through the law’s disability protections. The FHA applies to many types of housing and prohibits discrimination, including denied reasonable accommodations, denied reasonable modifications, unequal treatment, and certain overly broad criminal-record policies.

Who and What the FHA Covers...

When we think about what it means to be an elder law attorney, many people think about drafting wills and trusts, preparing and signing advance directives, and navigating long-term care costs and care planning. This is certainly a part of what we do as elder law attorneys, but there is a deeper part that many people may not realize...

Seniors receive remote monitoring equipment never requested.

A provider offers "free" monthly telehealth not requested or needed.

Medicare claims for Chronic Care Management (CCM) are listed as telehealth services.

Medicare is billed monthly for services not recognized or weren't medically necessary

How Seniors Can Protect Themselves Against These Scams:

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Exploring the Connection 

Between Nutrients and 

Hearing Health 

in the Golden Years

By Keith Darrow 

If you’re over 60, you might already be familiar with how age-related hearing loss can creep up on you. This condition is pretty common, affecting roughly one-third of people aged 65 to 74 and about half of those older than 75.

But did you know that vitamins, specifically B-12 and folate, might play a role in this?

Clinicians can improve sleep in older adults by screening more carefully for sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) becomes more common with age and is associated with chronic conditions, yet the breathing disorder frequently goes unrecognized. Untreated OSA disrupts breathing during sleep, which leads to drops in oxygen levels and frequent awakenings. Over time, these disruptions increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cognitive problems, and daytime fatigue.

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How to make sure 

your end-of-life wishes 

are followed

By Jim Miller 

About 40 percent of older Americans have an advance directive. This usually includes a living will that spells out the care you want if you become incapacitated, and a health care power of attorney (or proxy) naming someone to make decisions for you.

To give your instructions more weight, talk with your doctor about completing a POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) – sometimes called MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) or POST (Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment), depending on your state. 

The fear of becoming a burden can encompass far more than needing help with daily tasks, Irving added. Older adults often worry about the physical demands placed on family members, the financial costs of care and the prospect of losing control over their finances, medical decisions or conversations with doctors.

What they all had in common was wanting a home that fit the life they wanted today – not the one they had 20 years ago.

That’s why there isn’t a single “best” type of home. The right choice depends on your lifestyle, priorities, finances, health, family, and future plans.

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Does Medicare 

Cover Cannabis? 

A New Pilot Program Explained

By Tamara E. Holmes & Stacia Woodcock, PharmD

While Medicare historically has not covered cannabis, a pilot program that began in April 2026 allows some enrollees to receive up to $500 per year in hemp-derived products for medical purposes. Hemp is a type of cannabis plant. To qualify, Medicare enrollees must be 18 or older, healthy enough to participate, and have a prescription from a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. 

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- Your Body Chemistry – Mosquitoes are attracted to certain chemicals on your skin. People naturally produce different scents, and some are simply more appealing to mosquitoes.

- You Breathe Out More Carbon Dioxide – Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide from quite a distance. Larger adults, pregnant women, and people exercising tend to exhale more CO₂, making them easier targets.

- Your Body Temperature Is Higher – Warm bodies attract mosquitoes. If you've been exercising, have a fever, or naturally run warm, you're more likely to get bitten.

- You Have Type O Blood – Research suggests mosquitoes prefer people with Type O blood over those with Type A or Type B. They can even detect chemicals your body releases that hint at your blood type.

- You're Wearing Dark Clothing – Mosquitoes use their eyesight as well as their sense of smell. Dark colors like black, navy, and red make you stand out more, especially at dusk when mosquitoes are most active.