Recent Articles on Aging and Retirement
Old and on the Street: The Graying of America’s Homeless
The homeless in America are getting old.
There were 306,000 people over 50 living on the streets in 2014, the most recent data available, a 20 percent jump since 2007, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. They now make up 31 percent of the nation’s homeless population.
This New York Times article takes a detailed look at the growing number of homeless older people in the U.S.
When seniors stop driving, social isolation looms
Social isolation is one of the primary factors in reducing the quality of life for older adults. Some recent research examined how giving up driving can contribute to such isolation:
When elderly drivers have to stop getting behind the wheel, they run the risk of social isolation, especially if they don’t have an alternative transportation plan, a recent study suggests.
The study looked at driving habits and social activities, like visiting friends and family or going out to dinner or the movies, for more than 4,300 adults over age 65.
Fearing Drugs’ Rare Side Effects, Millions Take Their Chances With Osteoporosis
This article reports on a dramatic drop in the number of patients taking drugs for treatment of osteoporosis because of their fear of rare but severe side effects. But, as the article points out, many more people benefit from the medications than are harmed by them:
“You only need to treat 50 people to prevent a fracture, but you need to treat 40,000 to see an atypical fracture,” said Dr. Clifford J. Rosen, a professor of medicine at Tufts University who has no association with the makers of the drugs.
Be sure to discuss all medications with your health practitioner.
© 2016 by Mary Daniels Brown
Retreading for Retirement 