This page has quotes from the 2026 Dignity Digest issues ordered by newest first. Older quotes are accessible at the bottom of the page.
April 7, 2026
March 31, 2026
“I’ve had this sense, all the time, that the clock is ticking, and as you get older it seems to tick faster. It’s not that I’ve always thought aging is going to be graceful or peaceful or wise. I just know that every minute, no matter what age you are, is fleeting. I just want to grab on to all of it.”
Diana Nyad, 76 year old long distance swimmer, She set a world record in her 60s — and says she’s stronger than ever at 76(*Washington Post, March 28, 2026)
“The stereotype of an older person is that they’re dependent, that they have cognitive impairment. [While that may sometimes be true,] “the vast majority of older people don’t have any cognitive impairment. The vast majority of older people do not have a need for assistance.”
Mark Lachs, co-chief of the division of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital and professor of medicine at Cornell’s medical school, People 65 and older can get better with age, study shows. This is the key.(*Washington Post, March 25, 2026)
“This legislation[summary] provides the accountability these executives, often backed by private equity, have dodged for too long. Vulnerable nursing home residents with complex needs, and the compassionate nursing staff caring for them, deserve comprehensive, enforceable staffing standards to ensure their safety, health, and dignity.”
U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, Doggett, Schakowsky Introduce Brand New “Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act”(U. S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, March 26, 2026)
“What’s going to happen when I die? It’s like OK, I died, so you are going to have to put him in an institution or a host home.”
Cindy Stevens, whose son, Evan, has issues with short-term memory, executive processing delays and some physical disabilities, lived with his parents for 33 years, until the family moved him into his own apartment with the help of a housing voucher that took Stevens nine years to secure, A waitlist for 24/7 care for Colorado adults with disabilities is 7 years long. State Medicaid cuts could double it.(Colorado Sun, March 27, 2026)
“Patients get the best care when they have a true partnership with their care team. I know this from my time as a nurse – patients need to be able to speak up, and we need to listen.”
Kathleen Campanirio, Community Co-chair of the Southcoast Health Patient Family Advisory Council, New report supports effort to reinvigorate Patient and Family Advisory Councils in Massachusetts(Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, February 12, 2026)
Studies have found that patients with dementia are at greater risk for problematic, preventable emergency care outcomes, including long hospital stays, readmission to the emergency department, and increased mortality.
Emergency departments are not equipped to help patients with dementia(STAT, March 25, 2026)
“Do not bring a patient with dementia to the emergency room unless she is turning blue.”
A neurologist acknowledging the difficulties seeking emergency care poses for patients with dementia, Emergency departments are not equipped to help patients with dementia(STAT, March 25, 2026)
“We have had an ongoing concern in that building regarding staffing. Honestly, it’s a concern in many buildings when they’re accepting individuals, some will say that they’re staffing at the minimum, but it’s just that – it’s a minimum.”
Mairead Painter, Connecticut’s long-term care ombudsman, Long-term care ombuds shares update on Bickford nursing home closure(CT Mirror, March 25, 2026)
“Only 19% of nursing facilities met all the new [staffing] standards at the time they were issued, making the standards a vital step toward reform. Yet, in 2025, President Trump and his allies in Congress set about dismantling the new standards, which were projected to save roughly 13,000 lives annually.”
From a 2024 study commissioned by Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dems blast staffing rule repeal, other gov’t ‘harms’ putting seniors ‘at risk’(McKnights Long Term Care News, March 25, 2026)
SNAP remains Massachusetts’ largest anti-hunger program. As of January 2026, an average of 975,000 Massachusetts residents, including families, children and older adults, relied on SNAP each month.
AG Campbell Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Holding Hostage Billions in Critical USDA Funding(Office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, March 23, 2026)
Severe loneliness is linked to increased rates of heart disease, anxiety and depression, experts say, as well as health risks comparable with smoking, excessive drinking and lack of exercise.
“Positive social interactions can influence our biology in the opposite direction, lowering cortisol while increasing feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, cannabinoids and oxytocin.”
Calla Kessler, a social strategist with Matter Neuroscience, A ‘Zoomer-to-Boomer’ Pay Phone Hotline Gets Two Generations Chatting(*New York Times, March 27, 2026)
“[Professor Talukdar’s] work reveals an unexpected interconnectedness between diverse genetic causes of autism, but [it] also suggests new ways of directing therapies toward these X chromosome genes that might help affected autistic children.”
Harvard Medical School Professor Christopher Wolf, Why Is Autism More Common in Males?(The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, March 27, 2026)
Under H.R. 1 work requirements and six-month redeterminations. . . [Medicaid] enrollment is expected to decrease in every state that has fully or partially expanded Medicaid by 18% to 33% with high mitigation efforts and by 37% to 68% with low mitigation efforts.
Projected Reductions in Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Under OBBBA’s Work Requirements and Six-Month Redeterminations(Urban Institute, March 25, 2026)
Recent studies tracking older adults without dementia have found that those who experience persistent difficulties in activities of daily living (like preparing meals, shopping or driving) face a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in the years ahead.
When everyday tasks become harder: Early clues to Alzheimer’s disease(The Conversation, March 24, 2026)
In 2024, a study conducted by Drs. Ashvin Gandhi and Andrew Olenski estimated that 75% of nursing homes reported related-party transactions, and that the average nursing home used this practice to hide $380,000 in profit each year. . .
To illustrate how related party companies potentially hide profits and make nursing homes look less profitable, Consumer Voice documented one home in New Jersey that reported a loss of $60,400 over three years, while at the same time, that home paid to its owners $8.1 million through related party transactions, potentially disguising millions in profits.
Consumer Voice Submits Comments to CMS on CRUSH Initiative to Address Suspicious Healthcare Practices(Consumer Voice, March 27, 2026)
In just over a month’s time, governments with populations of 50,000 people or more must have their websites be accessible and comply with a section of federal disability law. . . It’s still unclear how the federal government will enforce the rule for larger jurisdictions under the Americans with Disabilities Act, while small jurisdictions have another year to comply.
Governments’ website accessibility deadline is fast approaching(Route Fifty, March 18, 2026)
A 25% increase in the arrival of immigrants in the United States would result in 5,000 fewer senior deaths nationwide, largely by improving community healthcare and reducing nursing home use.
Save lives of 5K US seniors by allowing more foreign-born healthcare workers: study(McKnights Long Term Care News, March 30, 2026)
Trump has granted clemency to several figures in major health care fraud cases. In 2020, he commuted the 20-year federal prison sentence of Philip Esformes, a Florida nursing home magnate convicted in a scheme that prosecutors said involved about $1.3 billion in fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid claims. . .
That same year, Trump commuted the sentence of Judith Negron, convicted in a $200 million Medicare fraud case. Trump’s clemency grant said the “ends of justice” did not require her to serve another two decades in prison. . .
Trump has also nominated nursing home owner Benjamin Landa as ambassador to Hungary. The nomination has remained in place even as a facility Landa co-owns faces a federal audit alleging there were more than $31 million in Medicare overpayments.
Nursing Home Owner Got a Trump Pardon. The Families of His Patients Got Nothing.(ProPublica, March 30, 2026)
[Researchers] found that annual antipsychotic prescription claims decreased from 10.8 million to 7.8 million for psychiatrists and from 7.4 million to 5.7 million for primary care physicians during the study period. Over the same span, claims prescribed by advanced practice registered nurses or physician assistants more than tripled, increasing from 3.1 million to 9.5 million.
Shift in antipsychotic prescribing in nursing homes raises questions about provider roles, data limits(McKnights Long-Term Care News, March 29, 2026)
“All the evidence points to the fact that primary care is the only specialty of the healthcare system that results in longer lives and more equity,” [Barbara Rabson , [President and CEO of Massachusetts Health Quality Partners,] said.
Yet, just 6 cents of every dollar in health care spending in the state went to primary care in 2023, she noted. Fewer than 20 percent of all medical school graduates in Massachusetts end up practicing in primary care, she said, even though primary care makes up about 50 percent of all ambulatory visits in this country.
Trying to measure primary care’s downward spiral(CommonWealth Beacon (The Codcast), March 30, 2026)
March 24, 2026
In Massachusetts, it is estimated that caregivers provide more than 730 million hours of unpaid care valued at over $15 billion each year. It is also estimated that family caregivers spend an average of $7,242 each year on care for their loved ones…The typical family caregiver in Massachusetts age 30 and over is caring for a parent – most likely their mother. These caregivers on average are 54 years old, care for someone on average who is 74 years old, and likely to be a woman.
Family Caregiving in Massachusetts (AARP Research, February 2026)
[A]dmitting 1,000 new immigrants would lead to 142 new foreign healthcare workers, without evidence of crowd out of native health care workers. We also find striking effects on mortality: a 25% increase in the steady state flow of immigrants to the US would result in 5,000 fewer deaths nationwide. We identify reduced use of nursing homes as a key mechanism driving this result.
New study links more immigrants with lower elderly mortality (Harvard Gazette, March 20, 2026)
When disasters strike, nursing homes face uniquely high stakes. Residents often depend on power, medications, mobility assistance, and continuous care — all of which can be disrupted by hurricanes, wildfires, or other emergencies. Federal regulations require facilities to meet detailed emergency preparedness standards, and families often assume that passing inspections means residents will be protected. But does compliance translate into safety?
Safeguarding Older Adults: Rethinking Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness (Yale School of Medicine, March 20, 2026)
Staffing shortages have pushed facilities to their limits. Nurses are stretched thin. Residents sometimes wait not for specialized procedures, but for the routine medications they rely on every day to manage pain, blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. . . Nursing homes today care for residents with increasingly complex medical conditions. At the same time, the pipeline of licensed nurses has not kept pace with demand. Without thoughtful regulatory modernization, the gap will widen — and access to timely, high-quality care will suffer.
Let medical techs help solve the nursing home staffing crisis | Guest Opinion (Rochester Business Journal, March 20, 2026)
“Haitian TPS [Temporary Protected Status] holders are essential to the fabric of our communities, contributing every day as neighbors, workers, caregivers and leaders. Without this community, critical industries in Massachusetts, like elder care and health care, would face grave workforce shortages.”
Attorney General Andrea Campbell, AG Campbell Urges Supreme Court To Preserve Block On Trump Administration’s Unlawful Termination Of Temporary Protected Status Protection For Haitian Nationals (Office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, March 16, 2026)
“Accessory dwelling units [ADU] give homeowners the flexibility to meet their housing needs by creating an additional housing unit on their property for intergenerational family housing, or to create rental income.”
MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay, Governor Healey and MassHousing Launch Affordable ADU Financing for Massachusetts Residents (Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, March 17, 2026)
“If you are trying to gauge your own chances of getting to 100, I would say look at the longevity in your family.”
Dr. Thomas Perls, a geriatrician and the director of the New England Centenarian Study at Boston University, Genes May Control Your Longevity, However Healthily You Live (New York Times (free access), January 29, 2026)
“The narrative that we have about older adults not having sex is, really, ageism,” said
“Many people start to enjoy their sexuality a lot more as older adults. There’s this idea that they say, ‘Screw it. I’m not waiting around. I’m going to say what I want.’”
Rosara Torrisi, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of the Long Island Institute of Sex Therapy, How Older Adults Are Improving Their ‘Sex Span’ (New York Times (free access), March 6, 2026 (updated))
Personal care attendants provide the essential labor that allows seniors and people with disabilities to live with dignity in their own homes. Over 50,000 people in Massachusetts rely on PCAs for the basic activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and meal preparation. The PCA workforce is majority women, people of color, and immigrants.
By allowing residents to stay in their homes, PCAs prevent the need for more expensive medical interventions, such as long-term nursing home placements or frequent, avoidable emergency room visits.
Proposed rollback of Mass. health aide program previews the coming pain of Medicaid cuts (CommonWealth Beacon, March 22, 2026)
The private pay cost of long-term services and supports (LTSS) increased dramatically between 2019 and 2024.
Long-Term Care Affordability is Worsening for Middle-Class Americans (AARP Public Policy Institute, March 12, 2026)
The Long-Term Care Ombudsmen Program (LTCOP) is the sole federal program dedicated to receiving and addressing the complaints of these residents. In 2024, the LTCOP processed over 200,000 complaints. The LTCOP depends on a dedicated network of volunteer ombudsmen — yet concerning trends in volunteerism and workload have emerged in recent years.
Long-Term Care Ombudsmen Program: New Data and Trends (AARP Public Policy Institute, November 4, 2025)
Unlike in a hurricane or war zone, much of covid’s toll happened out of public view, inside the crowded hospitals where people died on ventilators, often without families by their side in the early months…Seniors were the ones always at highest risk of death, and they are overwhelmingly the ones who still die from the virus. But at least 275,000 who died of covid were under the age of 65, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Covid was not as severe as feared in children, but the death toll of more than 1,600 is also higher than fatalities from other diseases that prompted aggressive public health responses to spare children from preventable death.
Four truths about covid that have become clouded over time (*Washington Post, March 22, 2026)
[Relative to Covid:] “These are traumatic experiences, and in many ways the ways we deal with it is to forget and move on. A lot of Americans don’t really remember those days, but we lived each one of them.”
Ziyad Al-Aly, a physician-scientist and senior clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis who treated covid patients and has been extensively researching the long-term consequences of the virus, Four truths about covid that have become clouded over time (*Washington Post, March 22, 2026)
“People with mental health disabilities are entitled to a safe, appropriate and non-discriminatory emergency response in the same way and to the same extent that the general public receives. When armed law enforcement officers are the sole or primary responders to mental health emergencies, there is an increased risk of escalation, trauma and injuries, as well as increased likelihood of arrest, incarceration and death, with even higher risks for people of color.’’
From the suit filed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts (NAMI), NAMI of Central Massachusetts, and the Parent-Professional Advocacy League, Cops and the mental health crisis: Reset needed (*Boston Globe, March 22, 2026)
Today, many Americans take the fundamental right to refuse unwanted treatments for granted and put off planning for life’s end. These are not easy conversations to have. According to a 2020 University of Michigan study, only 59% of adults ages 50-80 have discussed their treatment preferences with family members or another trusted person, and less than 50% have completed an advance care planning document…[T]his anniversary is an occasion to appreciate these important rights and to consider putting wishes for end-of-life care in writing.
50 years ago, Karen Quinlan’s coma sparked the movement for patients’ rights near the end of life (The Conversation, March 23, 2026)
March 17, 2026
Long COVID affects millions worldwide, yet the long-term trajectory of healthcare costs remains poorly characterized.
Progressively Widening Healthcare Costs in Long COVID Over Five Years (medRxiv, February 26, 2026
In 2025, baby boomers made up the largest slice of sellers [of homes], representing 53 percent, and were 42 percent of all buyers, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. Of any generation, it might appear that baby boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — enjoy more housing stability than any other age group.
Aging into uncertainty (*Boston Globe, March 15, 2026 (Updated))
“We keep thinking about this population in terms of statistics, and not thinking about this population as our grandparents and mothers and fathers. These are human beings that deserve to age with dignity, and right now do not have the ability to.’’
Alex Martin, marketing director for Rogerson Communities, Aging into uncertainty (*Boston Globe, March 15, 2026 (Updated))
“I think there’s a stigma that if older people are in any way in need of something that they don’t have resources to get, it’s because of something they did wrong or something they didn’t do right and that’s usually not the case. It doesn’t take extreme circumstances to find yourself in need of affordable housing, or higher levels of care than you can afford. It’s very expensive, and most people aren’t prepared for it.’’
Alex Martin, marketing director for Rogerson Communities, Aging into uncertainty (*Boston Globe, March 15, 2026 (Updated))
The gap between how long Black residents are living compared to the rest of Boston has doubled. Black residents are twice as likely to die before age 65, largely due to preventable deaths, such as dying of drug overdose or cancer, according to a new city report.
Life expectancy gap between Black residents and other Bostonians has doubled over the past decade (*Boston Globe, March 12, 2026)
Bigger, better and probably earlier ought to be the IPC’s goals for future Winter Paralympics.
What should future Winter Paralympics look like? Bigger, better and maybe earlier (The Athletic, March 16, 2026)
During the 2024-2025 heating season, the HEAP program provided financial assistance to more than 159,000 Massachusetts households.. The majority of households served by HEAP- 54 percent- are seniors living on fixed incomes.
Governor Healey Increases Home Heating Assistance Benefits for Tens of Thousands of Massachusetts Households (Office of Governor Maura Healey and lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, March 10, 2026
“Policies that expand legal authority over a veteran’s decision making risk undermining trust between veterans and the systems designed to support them if they are not implemented with extreme care and transparency.”
VA announces plan to put some veterans in guardianships (Task & Purpose, March 15, 2026)
According to federal data, 33,000 veterans are unhoused, out of more than 770,000 Americans who experience homelessness according to the 2024 point-in-time homelessness count.
VA announces plan to put some veterans in guardianships (Task & Purpose, March 15, 2026)
March 10, 2026
“As the daughter of a school nurse, I know firsthand the critical importance of nurses and educators.”
Governor Maura Healey, Healey-Driscoll Administration Calls on Trump Administration to Reverse Graduate Student Loan Limits for Health Care and Social Workers, Educators (Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, March 2, 2026)
Technology caregiving is the act of helping someone use digital tools. While this isn’t entirely new — people have long helped grandparents program VCRs and connect parents’ desktop computers to the internet — the stakes have changed. Today, digitization is ubiquitous. Helping with these tools is no longer just occasional unpaid tech support; it is a form of continuous caregiving essential for maintaining independence. . . In the age of AI, innovation shouldn’t be a tax on the aging brain. It should help bridge the digital divide.
I’m a computer scientist. Here’s how we should help aging parents with technology. (*Washington Post, March 8, 2026)
While positive relationships have long been linked to healthier, longer lives, hasslers (defined as those “who create problems or make life more difficult”), seem to have the opposite effect, increasing chronic stress and elevating epigenetic biomarkers associated with aging.
Difficult people in your life might make you age faster, study suggests (*Washington Post, March 8, 2026)
Movements like this remind us that public health isn’t just built on data. The graphs and studies matter, but sometimes stories matter more. When people hear firsthand what these diseases once did to children, they stop feeling like distant, abstract medical facts and start feeling real. If we want today’s younger generations to understand why immunizations matter, we need to keep these memories alive — and make sure they’re heard.
What life was like before vaccinations (You Can Know Things, March 8, 2026)
“No one is exempt from acquiring a disability in this life. We are not asking for a favor. We’re just simply reminding everyone of our rights as persons with disabilities, that we too should have access to our environment freely and comfortably.”
Casandra Xavier, a 36-year-old disability advocate who was born with blindness and hearing loss, For people with disabilities, two major snowstorms were big challenges (*Boston Globe, March 8, 2026)
“I had to sit on my butt to get down my stairs, because that’s how bad it was. If everywhere you call you’re getting the runaround, it’s almost feeling like the door is being shut.”
Daniela Depina, a disability peer advocate at the Boston Center for Independent Living, For people with disabilities, two major snowstorms were big challenges (*Boston Globe, March 8, 2026)
“Massachusetts is one of the more secretive states. The governments have learned to game the system, and the law has little enforcement.”
David Cuillier, the director of the Freedom of Information Project at the Brechner Center for the Advancement of the First Amendment at the University of Florida, ‘They don’t even pretend to comply’: Mass. agencies, cities, and towns openly flout open record law (*Boston Globe, March 4, 2026)
Unlike falls, pressure injuries, or infections, sustained functional decline—such as failure to improve or unexpected worsening in Section GG mobility or self-care scores over the course of a skilled stay—rarely triggers investigation, corrective action, or enforcement. The data exist. The governance signal does not.
When Falls Are Regulated But Function Is Not: How Measurement Incentives Undermine Post-Acute Care (Health Affairs, March 4, 2026)
Lawsuits challenged the NIH’s cancellation of vaccine-related grants, including one by the American Public Health Association (APHA) and another filed by state attorneys general representing the interest of the states and their public universities. In June 2025, a Massachusetts federal court ruled that terminating grants on the basis of politically sensitive topics was likely “arbitrary and capricious,” and ordered the grants be reinstated while the case proceeded.
Attacks On Vaccine Hesitancy And Promotion Research Undermine Public Health (Health Affairs, March 3, 2026)
March 3, 2026
[Baby Boomers (those born from 1946 through 1964)] accumulated more wealth ($85 trillion by some accounts) than previous generations of older Americans. . . Baby Boomers’ wealth is not equally distributed. As is the case for other age groups, Boomers’ wealth is concentrated in a relatively small share of households. In 2022, all Boomer households combined owned $77 trillion in wealth. The top 10% of Boomer households held 71% of that total wealth.
Are Baby Boomers wealthier than previous generations of older adults? (Pew Research Center, February 11, 2026)
What totally predictable crisis will start in just five years? The doubling of the need for elder care. And Massachusetts is not prepared for it. A dangerous demographic cliff lies just ahead: There’s been a lot of chatter about the vast demographic bulge that we call “baby boomers” passing 65; but the real news is that the oldest baby boomers will begin celebrating their 85th birthdays in 2031.
Massachusetts has an elder care crisis – and it’s about to get a lot worse (CommonWealth Beacon, February 28, 2026)
[Tony Francis], the former CEO of the non-profit Edgar P. Benjamin Health Center (“EPBHC”), pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to charges arising from his improper use of EPBHC funds.
Former CEO of Non-Profit Nursing Home Pleads Guilty to Misapplication of Property (U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, February 27, 2026)
“The reality is that any of us at any point in time could become disabled. What kind of quality of care would we want?”
Amber Grant, mother of Matty, a nineteen year old who was born with brain damage and cerebral palsy before suffering a spinal cord injury when he was 10, Families Defend Disability Services Amid Medicaid Cuts (KFF Health News, March 2, 2026)
The state’s largest health insurer [ Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts] on Friday reported it had an operating loss of $380.5 million for 2025, second only to the year before. And once again, a large portion of that tide of red ink was attributed to the popularity and high costs of GLP-1 weight loss drugs.
GLP-1 weight loss drugs help drive another year of historic losses at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mass. (*Boston Globe, February 27, 2026)
The vast majority of U.S. adults 65 and older (93%) say they currently live in their own home or apartment. Within this group, 9% say someone provides care for them in their home,
Most older adults who live at home want to age in place, but they aren’t entirely confident they’ll get to (Pew Research Center, February 26, 2026)
“Using hunger as a political weapon is unacceptable, and I will continue fighting to ensure that the federal government complies with federal laws so that families can feed their children without having their privacy violated or fearing that accessing benefits will lead to ICE at their doorstep.”
Attorney General Andrea Campbell, AG Campbell Secures Second Order Blocking Trump Administration From Cutting Off SNAP Funding Because of States’ Refusal to Turn Over Personal Data of SNAP Applicants and Recipients (Office of the Attorney General Andrea Campbell, February 27, 2026)
“The challenge is that families often need clearer information, as staffing adequacy can look very different depending on the facility’s resources, management, and local labor market.”
Elena Martin, a long-term care policy analyst who studies resident safety and workforce conditions, Nursing Home Abuse Center Responds to CMS Repeal of Federal Nursing Home Staffing Minimums (Business Insider, February 25, 2026)
10% of all U.S. adults say they are a caregiver for a parent age 65 or older. Another 3% are caregivers for a spouse or partner age 65 or older. A very small share (less than 1%) say they care for an aging parent and an aging spouse or partner. The shares of Americans who see themselves as caregivers rise to 24% among those with a parent age 65 or older and 25% among those with an aging spouse or partner.
Family Caregiving in an Aging America (Pew Research Center, February 26, 2026)
The United States saw a total of 76 million births during the boom, with the annual number surpassing 4 million in 1954 and remaining above that level until 1965. The annual number of births would not surpass 4 million again until 1989. . .
So, how many Boomers are there today? As of July 1, 2024 – the most recent available data – there were an estimated 67 million Boomers, accounting for only 20% of the nation’s population.
The oldest Baby Boomers turn 80 in 2026 (Pew Research Center, January 26, 2026)
Long COVID is a complex illness, with some 200 possible symptoms and effects on virtually every organ system, ranging from palpitations to difficulty breathing to digestive distress. . . Women are more likely than men to develop long COVID, with those between 40 and 54 at highest risk, according to recent research. This may be because of differences in women’s immune systems and hormones.
A doctor watches his 28-year-old daughter suffer from long COVID. He clings fiercely to hope. (Boston Globe (free access), February 20, 2026)
The main problem [with receiving hospice care at home] was funding. In 2024, the average per-patient Medicare payment to hospice agencies was about $200 a day, with an annual cap of $33,500. That outlay would barely pay for a part-time aide, yet it is also needed to cover medications, medical equipment and nurse visits. . . Ironically, we could have put my father in an acute-care hospital bed costing $3,000 a day without any pushback from Medicare.
Our Hospice System Subverts the Very Point of Hospice Care (*New York Times, March 2, 2026)
Parity is not charity. It is recognition that caregiving labor retains its economic value even when the caregiver is older. Massachusetts has led the nation in many areas of child welfare reform. Recognizing and correcting the structural ageism embedded in kinship support would be another step forward. Grandparents are not asking for applause. They are asking that when they become parents again, the commonwealth treat them as part of the system it already depends on, not as invisible volunteers in the final chapter of life.
When grandparents become the safety net (Daily Hampshire Gazette, February 25, 2026)
What if, instead of “age-friendly,” we spoke of “age-responsive” governance? “Age-responsive” suggests that public systems adjust intentionally to demographic facts.
From “Age-Friendly” to “Age-Responsive”: Rethinking the Language of Aging Policy, (from articles appearing in the American Geriatric Society Member Forum and the Gerontological Society GSA Connect Open Forum, February 2026)
February 24, 2026
Across thousands of facilities, countless seniors who walk in with assistance leave in wheelchairs. Patients who could previously stand up from a chair, move to a bed or walk short distances with help now require mechanical lifts and two staff members. The decline happens quietly, without alarm, in a system that measures almost everything but fails to make mobility measures consequential.
Seniors should be walking. These regulations discourage it. (*Washington Post, February 17, 2026)
“I’d like to see a world without Parkinson’s, and I think that will happen. I think in 30, 40 years, this will be done. Optimism is a powerful thing.”
Michael J. Fox, Why Michael J. Fox Sees Parkinson’s as a ‘Gift That Keeps on Taking’ (Time, February 20, 2026)
In March 2025, it was 21-year-old Hector, who has developmental disabilities, left confused and unable to communicate in an immigrant detention facility in Tacoma, WA. Then that August, a 15-year-old boy with disabilities was handcuffed by ICE agents in what they now claim was a “mistake” while the child waited for his sister in a car with his mother outside a school.
The Danger ICE Poses to the Disability Community (NPQ, January 14, 2026)
[The] eight [quality] measures [tracked by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)] include: infections requiring hospitalization, staffing hours per resident day, staff turnover, discharge to community, percentage of residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury, discharge function score, number of hospitalizations per 1,000 long stay resident days, and potentially preventable readmissions.
CMS Clarification Increases Risk of Nursing Homes Falling Below 90% QRP Threshold (Skilled Nursing News, February 20, 2026)
[In Michigan,] Bridge’s investigation documented at least 5,915 cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation or quality of life and care violations among the 15,471 total citations for violations ranging from incomplete paperwork to poor care. In all, homes have been fined $21.5 million over the past three years and been denied a total of 6,451 days of Medicaid reimbursements.
Reporter’s series on Michigan nursing homes spurs legislative action (Association of Healthcare Journalists, February 20, 2026)
“Our population in Addison County [Vermont] is aging, and we’re seeing more and more individuals with chronic conditions and disease processes that are impacting their quality of life, which is leading to the need for more care. . . Our goal is to provide a home for eight individuals who really are medically frail, are really unable to live at home alone, or require some increased assistance for their care.”
Deb Wesley, CEO of Addison County Home Health & Hospice, New ‘care home’ for seniors aims to bring alternative to home health care (WCAX3, February 19, 2026 (updated))
If finalized and implemented, this proposal would cause nearly 80,000 families to lose their housing assistance, including nearly 37,000 children.
HUD Publishes Proposed Mixed-Status Rule (National Low Income Housing Coalition, February 20, 2026)
February 17, 2026
I worked in 2 nursing homes for most of my life. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who live on Medicaid and use every penny they get as what they refer to as their allowance. Most don’t have family to visit and help with necessities, so they spend their ‘allowance’ to buy personal items. I can honestly say the 2 nursing homes I worked at most of the nursing staff constantly bought items for their elderly residents out of their own pocket. At Christmas time staff would make gift baskets for their elderly residence so they would have new clothes and personal items or a candy bar or a trip to the beauty shop which made so many happy to get their hair shampooed and set (women), haircut (men).
Linda, a nursing home aide in Wisconsin, Michigan’s $60 personal needs allowance hasn’t changed in decades(Detroit Free Press, February 14, 2026 (updated))
Ensuring the strength and resilience of Medicaid is not only a matter of policy, but a moral imperative to support our older population. As the safety net for millions of older adults and their caregivers, Medicaid must be prioritized and protected to meet ongoing and future needs.
Medicaid at 60: Its Essential Role for Older Adults (Generations Journal, February 10, 2026)
“It’s a no-brainer that Americans in nursing homes should have safe, high-quality care.”
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Wyden, Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Restore Quality Care in Nursing Homes After Trump Gutted Staffing Standards (U. S. Senate Committee on Finance, February 12, 2026)
What is worse for the clients and their families than not being on . . . a [waiting] list (and waiting years for a placement when you are already old)? There being no waiting list at all. Then hope dies too.
America’s Home-care Crisis: Will vulnerable elders be forced into nursing homes?(Generations Now, February 10, 2026)
“Daughterhood makes motherhood look like a walk in the park.”
Daughterhood 10th Anniversary Letter (Daughterhood, Undated blog post)
“A lot of us who work here are in for murder. This is an opportunity for us to be decent human beings.”
Allan Krenitzky, pastoral care worker in the hospice unit at the California Medical Facility, ‘This Place Is Love’: A Prison Unit for the Dying — in Pictures (Prisoner Journalism Project, February 11, 2026)
“[The Marsters settlement] is recognition that each of us has a right to live as freely as possible with reasonable accommodations.”
Paul Lanzikos, Coordinator, Dignity Alliance Massachusetts, A long journey home: Hundreds of disabled people have new homes thanks to court settlement(WGBH News, February 12, 2026)
Private equity ownership is a growing concern because an increasing number of studies have found that the companies tend to suck profits out of the nursing homes, while depleting staffing levels and quality of care. Then the companies file for bankruptcy, and buy more nursing homes to essentially wash, rinse, and repeat that cycle.
Private equity and the money behind nursing homes (Association of Health Care Journalists, February 12, 2026)
“When people are on Medicaid, an unmarried person would generally turn over all of their income except $60 per month to the nursing home. People just can’t take care of all the things they need to take care of.”
Alison Hirschel, director of the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative, Michigan’s $60 personal needs allowance hasn’t changed in decades(Detroit Free Press, February 14, 2026 (updated))
“Voting is a fundamental right, not a privilege. The SAVE America Act moves our country away from its foundational principles and will make it more difficult for disabled people, rural, low-income, and voters of color to participate.”
Alexia Kemerling, AAPD’s Director of Accessible Democracy, American Association of People with Disabilities Response to House Passage of the SAVE America Act (American Association of People with Disabilities, February 13, 2026)
[G]randparents [raising grandchildren] are poorer, have more food insecurity, and are more likely to be disabled than the general population, state and federal reports show. Meanwhile, the children in these families are more likely to experience mental and behavioral health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
These grandparents saved their grandkids. Now they need Mass. to help them.(*Boston Globe, February 4, 2026)
February 10, 2026
“We urge CMS to enact a replacement regulation that mandates tailored quantitative minimum staffing requirements, which would prevent Medicare and Medicaid fraud, protect vulnerable long-term care residents, and improve access to care. Despite the evidence that sufficient staffing improves patient outcomes and understaffing risks severe patient harm, too many for-profit facility owners and operators across the country have violated qualitatively expressed minimum staffing rules and deliberately operated chronically understaffed facilities to extract profits.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D, States push CMS for new staffing rule targeting for-profit nursing homes, related party payers(McKnights Long-Term Care News, February 3, 2026)
“We have long believed that transparency around the medical director role is very important and that’s why we have fought hard and introduced legislation to have the name and credentials of the medical director easily available for the public.”
Alex Bardakh, PALTmed senior director of advocacy and strategic partnership, Compliance spotlight turns to medical directors as responsibilities grow(McKnights Long-Term Care News, February 4, 2026)
“ADUs [accessory dwelling units] are one of the most practical ways to add homes and lower costs. They allow older adults to age near their loved ones and young adults to live independently while starting their careers.”
Governor Healey Announces More Than 1,200 ADUs Approved in First Year with More to Come(Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, February 5, 2026)
Our Haitian residents fill critical roles in our health care and elder care industries, enrich our culture, and strengthen our Commonwealth.
AG Campbell Celebrates Court’s Decision To Pause Trump Administration’s Decision To End Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status(Office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, February 3, 2025)
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in 2023, 8.4 million Medicaid beneficiaries received assistance paying for care at home or in assisted living facilities – a substantial increase of 8 percent from 7.8 million in 2022. In comparison, 1.5 million beneficiaries received institutional care – mostly in nursing homes – a more modest 3-percent increase over 2022. However, the overall costs for institutional services grew by 17 percent compared to 13 percent for HCBS.
Medicaid Coverage of Home Health Care is Growing: But Will the Trend Last?(Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, February 5, 2026
The nursing home industry may see more of a buyer’s market in 2026, with expectations for private equity to be a primary source of financing and the largest buyer of skilled nursing assets. But despite transaction optimism, staffing remains the dominant challenge this year with recruitment, retention, labor costs, and inflation topping operator concerns.
Skilled Nursing Outlook 2026: Nearly 40% of SNF Leaders Plan Acquisitions, With PE [private equity] Seen as Top Buyer(Skilled Nursing News, January 30, 2026)
By one estimate, the staffing rule could have saved 13,000 lives of nursing home residents per year. . . Research has suggested that the [nursing home] industry relies on a warren of corporations to conceal profits — profits that could have been used to improve care.
After Donations, Trump Administration Revoked Rule Requiring More Nursing Home Staff(*New York Times, January 27, 2026)
“It’s clear CMS has no interest in ensuring adequate [nursing home] staffing. They’re repealing a regulation that could have saved 13,000 lives a year”, citing an analysis by University of Pennsylvania researchers.
Sam Brooks, the director of public policy for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, These 3 Policy Moves Are Likely To Change Health Care for Older People(KFF Health News, January 23, 2026)
“Communities that have delayed capital improvements or struggled with staffing may see short-term occupancy gains simply due to scarcity, but that success will be fragile. Families today are more informed, more vocal, and quicker to share their experiences. Reputation now travels faster than occupancy ever did.”
Christie Stukenholtz, co-founder and CEO at Senior Care Finder, Key Senior Living Trends to Watch in 2026(i Advance Senior Care, January 26, 2026)
“These findings underscore the strong association between falls and nursing facility placement, particularly among older adults with poorer health and multimorbidity. Preventative strategies targeting modifiable fall risk factors, such as strength and balance training, chronic disease management, and home safety intervention, could reduce fall incidence and the need for placement in nursing facilities.”
Falls raise risk of nursing facility placement among older adults, large study finds(McKnights Long-Term Care News, January 27, 2026)
February 3, 2026
The knock on the door is already happening. The only remaining question is whether we will answer it in time.
Does Long-Term Care in America Need a Wellness Check?,( Published in My AGS Online (American Geriatric Society), February 1, 2026)
The question isn’t whether aging in place matters. It’s whether our commitment to choice and dignity extends to all the ways people might age well, including together.
The Missing Middle: Why Aging Policy Needs Congregate Living Models (Generations Now (American Society on Aging), January 27, 2026)
It appears that, in this no-campaign-contribution-limits state [Virginia], paying politicians and lobbyists is much cheaper than paying nurses and physicians to care for nursing home residents.
Out-of-State Donors Push Nursing Home Campaign Contributions to New Heights (Bacon’s Rebellion, February 1, 2026)
“For countless residents across the Commonwealth, these programs [SNAP and MassHealth] offer access to everyday items they need, including food and medical services. Through the work of our fraud examiners, we continue to help ensure they operate with transparency, accountability, and equity.
State Auditor Diane DiZoglio, Auditor DiZoglio’s Bureau of Special Investigations Identifies Nearly $12 Million in Public Benefit Fraud in FY25 (Office of State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, January 30, 2026)
In health care, Haitian TPS holders serve as nurses, home health aides, certified nursing assistants, technicians, and support staff in hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes and home-based care settings. Massachusetts and much of the nation are already facing workforce shortages in this sector, and if these workers suddenly lose their legal status and work authorization, the result will be more severe staffing shortages, increased health care costs, reduced access to care, and additional strain placed on an already stressed health care system.
Governor Healey Demands Secretary Noem Extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians (Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, January 30, 2026)
January 27, 2026
“[I]t’s clear CMS has no interest in ensuring adequate staffing. They’re repealing a regulation that could have saved 13,000 lives a year.”
Sam Brooks, the director of public policy for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, These 3 Policy Moves Are Likely To Change Health Care for Older People(KFF Health News, January 23, 2026)
“There was a misinterpretation [by the U.S. Department of Labor] of home care work as being casual, nonprofessional, non-skilled,” the equivalent of teenage babysitting.
Kezia Scales, a vice president at PHI, a national research and advocacy organization, These 3 Policy Moves Are Likely To Change Health Care for Older People(KFF Health News, January 23, 2026)
“[WISeR, a prior approval program] injects some of the worst of Medicare Advantage into traditional Medicare.”
David Lipschutz, co-director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, These 3 Policy Moves Are Likely To Change Health Care for Older People(KFF Health News, January 23, 2026)
“We need to make sure that every Medicare beneficiary has fair access to the rehabilitation they need without barriers and bias. Decisions should never be driven by cost cutting at the expense of care.”
Angeline Brunetto, MD, appeals medical director for Acentra Health, a Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) serving 29 states, Medicare Advantage nursing home denial practices shredded by appeals contractor research(McKnights Long-Term Care News, January 21, 2026)
“Our study suggests that nutrition as a potential modifiable factor in cognitive aging, with diets richer in fiber, carotenoids, unsaturated fats, and lean protein with lower amounts of refined grains may support better cognitive outcomes.”
Diet, exercise habits rarely change after retirement, study finds(McKnights Long-Term Care News, January 23, 2026)
“The defendants engaged in violation of laws, rules and the Medicaid contract and manipulated financial and compliance reporting, to evade government oversight of their illegal conduct. Family members and other beneficial owners were deliberately embedded throughout this structure as owners, officers, and principals of related entities, allowing defendants to maintain effective control, while obscuring true ownership and accountability.”
Comptroller for the state of New Jersey in a court filing, Nursing Home Owners Sued Over Alleged $124M Medicaid Misuse in Two Nursing Homes(Skilled Nursing News, January 20, 2026)
“I’m doing more work and having more fun and excited than ever in my life, Your world can be a young world or stable world completely based on the health of your brain. People don’t realize that.”
Rudolph E. Tanzi, Harvard neurology professor and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, Six daily habits to slow aging, from a Harvard brain expert(*Boston Globe, January 21, 2026)
The best solution is not eliminating or escaping the system we have now but fixing it. We should be thinking about how to improve access to primary care and timely specialty care. We should discuss how to make the insurance system simpler and shore up the health care workforce. Simultaneously, we need to ensure people can afford both insurance and care. If our health care system isn’t affordable or accessible, patients will continue seeking alternatives.
Why more patients are paying doctors directly — and what it says about our health system(*Boston Globe, January 19, 2026)
Many people assume [frailty] is a natural part of the aging process. But there’s good news: Not only is frailty avoidable as we age, it’s also something we can reverse if it starts settling in.
Is frailty inevitable with age?(Ohio State University Health & Discovery, June 30, 2025)
January 20, 2026
“It’s clear C.M.S. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] has no interest in ensuring adequate staffing. They’re repealing a regulation that could have saved 13,000 lives a year.”
Sam Brooks, director of public policy for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care citing an analysis by University of Pennsylvania researchers, 3 Policy Moves Likely to Change Health Care for Older People (New York Times (free access), January 17, 2026)
“[ The sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Spirit’s] ministry at the House of Loreto was a profound witness to the Gospel. It is painful to see their legacy overshadowed by the serious concerns that have emerged under the new ownership [by Hari Group LLC].”
Youngstown, OH Bishop David Bonnar, Private Equity And American Lives (Health Affairs Forefront, January 16, 2026)
Patients can get stuck in the hospital for several months or indefinitely. If you’ve ever spent time in a hospital, you know they’re not designed for long-term care. It’s not a comfortable place to live.”
Brian McGarry, PhD, assistant professor of Geriatrics & Aging at the University of Rochester Medical Center, Diminished US nursing homes capacity may limit access to long-term care, slow hospital release (CIDRAP, January 15, 2026)
“I can’t believe Donald Trump is cutting funding for mental health and addiction services. I don’t know a family in America that hasn’t been touched by one or both of these issues.”
Governor Healey Condemns President Trump’s Cancellation of Millions in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Grants (Office of Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, January 14, 2026)
Skilled nursing facilities do not experience emergencies as isolated technical failures. They experience them as cascading events, where power, climate control, clinical systems, and human decision-making converge under intense pressure. In these moments, preparedness is defined less by what equipment a facility has and more by how well its systems are prioritized and how staff respond when assumptions break down.
Why skilled nursing preparedness breaks down under real-world stress (McKnights Long-Term Care News, January 16, 2026)
[W]e found that a Medicaid policy that incentivized high staffing levels was associated with modest improvement in some dimensions of patient health. However, even modest effects are extremely meaningful at scale.
Health Impacts of Nursing Home Staffing (JAMA Health Forum, January 16, 2026)
At the height of the pandemic, capacity had fallen by 14.7% nationally; it had rebounded to just 5.1% below 2019 levels by the fourth quarter of 2024. On the rural front, 14% of counties had declines in operating capacity of 25% or more. Worse, counties with the largest declines also had a higher share of their population aged 75 and older.
US nursing home capacity declines twice as steep as estimated: JAMA study (McKnights Long-Term Care News, January 12, 2026)
The federal government approved $60 billion worth of extra Medicaid funds for hospitals, doctors, nursing homes, and other medical providers in the closing months of 2025 — money that will gradually get cut under Republicans’ tax law. The new approvals lock in Medicaid payment rates that are on par with the lofty prices paid by commercial insurers until 2028.
Government approves $60 billion of enhanced Medicaid funding for hospitals, other providers (*STAT+, January 12, 2026)
“[The nursing home] is a setting where the consumer is so vulnerable. Nothing against the workers themselves, but rather, it takes some time to build a connection with a patient. That’s important, and when you see a facility relying heavily on contract labor, it’s kind of a red flag that something’s wrong.”
Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Samuel Antill, How Nursing Home Bankruptcies Make Patients Sicker (Havard Business School, January 9, 2026)
Healthcare firms are filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy at record rates. We find that bankruptcies increase healthcare staff turnover, worsen care, and harm patients.
Healthcare Provider Bankruptcies (*Harvard Business School, April 2025)
At its essence, the “dignity of risk” framework promotes self-determination and the right to take reasonable risks as essential for a person’s autonomy and self-esteem.
The Dignity of Risk: Empowering Support for People with Disabilities (Health Affairs, January 11, 2026)
Assisted living is an important option, and with an aging population in Massachusetts, the need for safe places for seniors to live is only going to grow. But facilities need to be honest about what they cost and what they provide, and must offer a safe living environment for all residents. Enacting the commission’s recommendations would be an important step toward making sure those expectations are met.
Gabriel House fire shows need for oversight of assisted living (*Boston Globe, January 15, 2026)
Here’s the bottom line: Virtue signaling is no substitute for being virtuous. Trust isn’t claimed; it’s earned. That means accountability, transparency and calling out bad behavior, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Virtue signaling is no substitute for actual virtue (McKnights Long-Term Care News, January 18, 2026)
January 13, 2026
I am not confined to a wheelchair; I am liberated by one.
Penelope Ann Shaw, Liberated by a Wheelchair, Liberated by a Wheelchair (Disability Issues, Winter 2026)
The tax rules for partnerships were created in the 1950s, when such vehicles were used to operate, say, family grocery stores — not multibillion-dollar investment vehicles with partners across the globe. Business activity has moved increasingly from traditional corporations to partnerships — or “pass-throughs.”
Profits reported by partnerships exploded to $2.6 trillion by 2022, from $267 billion in 2000, the most recent I.R.S. data shows. Profits reported by traditional corporations grew at about half that pace.
But the I.R.S. failed to keep up.
Push to Audit Private Equity and Venture Capital Falters Under Trump (*New York Times, January 8, 2026)
“This is a hospital that’s supposed to be for the community, and it does not feel safe. This is supposed to be a healing space. This is supposed to feel like a space where I should feel safe. This is my place of work, and it 100% does not feel that way.”
Veronica Velasquez, a physical therapist at a California hospital, who has been granted temporary protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) program, Many Filipino healthcare workers in the US live in fear of ICE: ‘This is my place of work. I should feel safe’ (The Guardian, December 29, 2025)
“Most of the caregivers who are here, we are not here to harm America. We are a help in this country.”
Bella, a 57 year-old Philipina undocumented health care worker, Many Filipino healthcare workers in the US live in fear of ICE: ‘This is my place of work. I should feel safe’ (The Guardian, December 29, 2025)
January 6, 2026
“Why is it so hard to provide care in this country? Why is providing care so insanely complicated?”
U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ), Policy relief for family caregivers seems stalled out. But there are signs of change( NPR – What It Takes, December 30, 2025)
“We know that people in our rural communities face unique challenges when it comes to health care access.”
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Governor Healey Secures $162 Million to Improve Rural Health Across Massachusetts (Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, January 2, 2026)
“This agreement ensures that critical medical research projects are able to continue, paving the way for lifesaving medical advancements, driving job creation, and fostering academic competitiveness at Massachusetts’s world class research institutions.”
Attorney General Andrea Cambell, AG Campbell Secures Agreement With Trump Administration Preventing Further Delays In Medical And Public Health Research (Office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell, December 30, 2025)
“Honestly, I’m kind of puzzled by the whole thing, but I think 80 must sound really old to people. That’s the only thing I can figure. I don’t feel old. So to me, it just was a race.”
Natalie Grabow, at 80, the oldest woman ever to finish the140.6-mile competition Ironman World Championship triathlon, The 80-year-old Ironman triathlon finisher who isn’t slowing down: ‘This is my passion’ (NBC News, November 13, 2025)
Health care policy is often discussed in abstractions—budgets, subsidies, market dynamics. But at its core, it is about who gets care, when they get it, and at what cost. When Congress chooses delay over action, inequality fills the gap. A system this large, this expensive, and this unequal does not fail quietly. It fails in bodies, budgets, and lives. And every time lawmakers walk away, Americans are left to pay more—for less.
Congress Went Home. Health Care Didn’t Get Fixed. Americans Pay the Price. (Milwaukee Courier, January 3, 2026)
And my mom is still going strong at 92. She still has her sense of humor and her political engagement but no “diseases that will kill her,” as she puts it.
Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, the Co-Director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute and the Diane S. Levy and Robert M. Levy University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, My Parents’ Secret for Living Well Into Their 90s: Embracing Strangers (*Wall Street Journal, December 31, 2025)
“[T]he people who were happiest, stayed healthiest as they grew old, and who lived the longest were the people who had the warmest connections with other people.” By contrast, social isolation is as dangerous to longevity and cognitive decline as being obese.
Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, the Co-Director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute and the Diane S. Levy and Robert M. Levy University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, My Parents’ Secret for Living Well Into Their 90s: Embracing Strangers (*Wall Street Journal, December 31, 2025)
Although senior citizens make up about 17 percent of the state’s population, they accounted for nearly 55 percent of the fire deaths, Davine said. Two dozen people who were 65 or older lost their lives in fires in 2025.
Despite deadly Gabriel House blaze, fewer people died in fires in 2025, state officials say (*Boston Globe, January 2, 2026)
Death and dying aren’t the same—the process of dying is still something to be lived.
Former U. S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE), Sasse Raises the Bar—Again (*Wall Street Journal, December 29, 2025
Health care costs too much in Massachusetts, leaving residents increasingly unable to afford it. The situation is likely to worsen as baby boomers age. At a recent state hearing on health care costs, hospital CEOs warned that reducing health care costs will mean cutting services.
Can health providers save money while improving care? (*Boston Globe, January 5, 2026)
The most important reason for older adults to be vaccinated against the respiratory infection R.S.V. is that their risk of being hospitalized with it declines by almost 70 percent in the year they get the shot, and by nearly 60 percent over two years.
Vaccines Are Helping Older People More Than We Knew (*New York Times, January 3, 2026)
At least 1 in 10 community-dwelling older adults experience abuse annually, with rates significantly higher among those with cognitive concerns such as dementia or mild cognitive impairment. The true prevalence of elder abuse is underestimated, with research suggesting only 1 in 24 cases comes to the attention of authorities, making elder abuse one of the most underreported public health concerns affecting individuals in later life.
Intimate Partner Violence and Elder Abuse in Later Life: Educational Brief (National Center for Equitable Care for Elders, December 9, 2025)