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NY Times writer Hope Reese recommends five books on caregiving, each from a different perspective: Rosalynn Carter's 'Helping Yourself by Helping Others', Gail Sheehy's 'Passages in Caregiving', Nancy Mace/Peter Rabins's 'The 36-Hour Day', Dasha Kiper's 'Travelers to Unimaginable Lands', and 'When the Time Comes' by Paula Span.

Generativity is "a developmental need older people experience, assisting younger generations to create a better world that they themselves won't live to see." Thousands of older/younger adult programs are springing up across the country, with benefits accruing to all. Studies are measuring significant health benefits to the older adults. Read more in this Paula Span article, part of "The New Old Age" series.

Nina Lynch is interviewed by Becky Tyre about Rhinebeck at Home and aging in Rhinebeck

NY Times writer Paula Span outlines the challenges and approaches for the herculean task of downsizing and moving, which most of us do in order to be closer to other family members. Helpful resources include the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers.

NY Times writer Patrick Sisson explores emerging residential building models that include an age-diverse community, keeping costs down and lessening social isolation among older adults by mixing with rental units for younger residents. Options may include communal dining, spa and co-working spaces.

NY Times editorial board member Michelle Cottle explores how our "caregiving work force is fraying," with paid workers being "overworked and undervalued, often forced to take on multiple jobs or turn to public assistance just to scrape by." And family caregivers are contributing more than at least $450 billion worth of free labor to the economy each year -- and are getting worn out in the process.

Proposed legislation in the form of the Fair Pay for Home Care Act addresses the growing crisis in the home care industry, where inadequate pay is shrinking the availability of highly-valued, highly qualified care workers. Learn more about the challenge, recent research, and the proposed legislation.

In her series 'The New Old Age,' NY Times writer Paula Span explores the evolving landscape for shared living arrangements -- and includes discussions of the 'Villages' movement. Read more here: nytimes.com/2019/09/27/health/seniors-housing-sharing-villages.html

Nina and Anne testify before the NYS Assembly Committee on Aging (Donna Lupardo, chair) on programs and services that help older New Yorkers who want to remain in their homes and communities as they grow older

Practical guidance and referrals to sources of support make this NY Times article by Susan Garland a worthwhile read.

The Boston Globe explores the phenomenon of "villages" and the variety of models among the 350+ existing organizations. “It’s about matching the village to the nature and culture of your community." Each village has its own character and structure...Some villages also function as local lobbying groups, advocating for public improvements like sidewalk curb cuts and other “age-friendly” policies. Most offer referrals, helping members connect with area businesses, care providers, and senior services. And for many, social activities, from book groups to lectures to museum visits, are a popular draw.

This 3-part series by NPR's Ina Jaffe on the Village movement highlights a few of the very different "village" models in the U.S. Rhinebeck at Home is a proud -- and unique -- part of this phenomenon in which we older citizens help ourselves as we make our way through these transitional and occasionally challenging times.

If you need home care, you may find it more challenging than you had thought, even if you're willing to pay out of pocket for it. Not only are home care workers in short supply -- those individuals committed to their work generally find themselves underpaid, underappreciated -- and even not even paid for their entire workday. Read more in this excellent piece of investigative reporting for Crains NY Business.

Does Your Current Home Meet Your Future Needs?
Will Your Support System Be in Place?
Are Your Finances Adequate?
What Are Your Other Retirement Goals?
What Is Your Plan B?
Read more...

NY Times' Paula Span, in her series on The New Old Age, highlights the potentially financially-damaging impact of being placed on "under observation" status in a hospital. Read this important article carefully!

Jonah Triebwasser and Kathy Kruger talk to Nina Lynch and Anne Brueckner about Rhinebeck at Home.

In the New Old Age series running in the New York Times, Paula Span outlines recent developments in the move toward making it possible for us to try out new hearing aids (all meeting newly established federal requirements) in a store, and at hugely lower prices than are available today through audiologists. "If you want assistance, you might pay an audiologist to provide customized services, like adjusting frequencies or amplification levels. But you won’t need to go through an audiologist-gatekeeper, as you do now, to buy hearing aids."

Paula Span reports for the NY Times' "The New Old Age" series on the practicalities of designing - or redesigning - your home according to principles of universal design so that access to and navigation of your living space "works" for everyone, even those who are wheelchair-bound. Less than 4 percent of all U.S. housing stock has entrances without steps, single-floor living, and wide hallways and doorways that can accommodate wheelchairs.

View video clips from our 2nd annual Thriving in Rhinebeck Showcase of Services & Resources for Older Adults, held at Rhinebeck High School on November 5, 2016.

First annual conference / discussion of a forthcoming series of events focused on issues of shared concern in our community, ranging from healthcare, home care services to housing opportunities, as recorded and viewable on PANDA:

Constance Gustke of the New York Times writes compellingly about the emotional and financial drain caregivers may encounter, resulting in their needing care as well, both during and after their role as caregivers. Read more here.

Years ago, reverse mortgages gained a reputation for been inappropriately promoted and sold to vulnerable older adults. More recently, regulatory changes and more responsible local community bankers have made these products worth a new look. Read more about reverse mortgages in this cautious article in the New York Times YOUR MONEY column by Ron Lieber.

Rhinebeck Is Aging 2016: Is Your Home Fit for Your Future? Adapt... or Move! View the 3-part recording of this community event sponsored by Rhinebeck at Home and co-sponsored by our host, Northern Dutchess Hospital.

PBS ran an 8-minute segment on May 10 highlighting an intergenerational program involving pre-schoolers and residents of a senior nursing home facility in Seattle. The Atlantic also ran a story on the project; and a documentary film titled Present Perfect is due to be released in 2017. Click on the button to link to the stories.

Paula Span writes about palliative care programs and explains why they should not be viewed as "giving up." Span notes: "Because most people with serious illnesses are older, seniors and caregivers should understand that palliative care offers more care as needed, not less. Unlike hospice, patients can use it at any point in an illness — many will 'graduate' as they recover — without forgoing curative treatment." Click above to read the story.

Learn more about the outlook for improving geriatric medicine in this NY Times article. You'll even pick up a couple of useful tips, such as “Elevate your legs for 30 minutes before going to sleep and you’ll need to go to the bathroom during the night less often,” about the need to stay well hydrated, then having sleep disrupted by frequent trips to the bathroom. “Instead of iron pills, buy a cast-iron skillet, one of the best ways for the body to absorb iron.”

Thriving in Rhinebeck: a Showcase of Services and Resources for Older Adults attracted close to 200 people to Rhinebeck High School on Saturday, Nov. 14. Co-sponsored by Rhinebeck at Home, the first-time event featured 40 exhibitors and included presentations and demonstrations on aging, memory sharpening, and exercise techniques.

Here is what happens at a Death Cafe - people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counseling session.

To tell us more about Death Cafes in our region – WAMC welcomes: Barbara Sarah - Founder of the Circle of Friends for the Dying, which has sponsored 21 Death Cafes in Ulster County, and Laurie Schwartz, a Founder of Circle of Friends for the Dying. Click on button above to listen to the full segment on WAMC's Roundtable, May 19, 2015

Daniela Lamas, MD, writes for the New York Times about hospital systems experimenting with a program to hospitalize people with certain diagnoses in their own homes. Heart failure, certain types of pneumonia, cellulitis, and exacerbations of emphysema can often be treated equally well at home, often at lower cost and with quicker recovery. The primary challenge is to be careful about evaluating the patient on the front end. Click above to read the full article.

Anna North writes for the NY Times Opinion Pages about how single people who relish their autonomy way want to have companionship without entering into a romantic relationship -- and look to cohousing for that purpose. Ms North writes that "removing some of the barriers to communal living would give America’s growing population of single people the opportunity, at least, to decide if living with other people works for them. It might also encourage Americans in general to think more creatively about our homes, our cities and our social networks." Read the full article by clicking on the button above.

FRONTLINE follows renowned New Yorker writer and Boston surgeon Atul Gawande as he explores the relationships doctors have with patients who are nearing the end of life. In conjunction with Gawande's new book, "Being Mortal," the film explores how the medical profession can better help people navigate the final chapters of their lives with confidence, direction and purpose. Click READ ARTICLE to watch the program.

Ai-jen Poo talks about her book, The Age of Dignity, about the increase in the number of senior citizens in the U.S. and the ability of our caregiver system to handle it. Click READ ARTICLE to watch the CSPAN program.

Anne Saylor, Community Development Administrator for the Dutchess County Planning Federation, writes compellingly about "Starting a Community Conversation about the Importance of Embracing Housing Choices."

Developed by the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development, this checklist serves as an excellent outline of things to think about and plan for as you move through later life stages.

Reporting on aging in place organizations continues to spread, with a new article in the New York Times on "virtual villages", which foster social connections through shared activities like potlucks and group trips.
Dr. Marc Agronin, a geriatric psychiatrist in Miami and author of “How We Age,” notes that “as people get older, they face the major dilemma of isolation. Having a local network of people to engage with opens up whole new worlds. It’s about discovering your strengths and the joy of living.”

On April 8th's Vox Pop segment on WAMC radio, Nina Lynch of Rhinebeck at Home and Karl DeKeukelaere of Hudson Valley Home Matters talk about the aging in place movement and the role their "villages" are playing in the Hudson Valley. Listen to the entire one-hour segment!

A 2-part news report by Al Jazeera America on the village movement shows activities in New Hampshire, where some seniors struggle to make it through winter on their own.

The Washington Post's Tara Bahrampour reports on the growing Village (aging in place) movement and shows the diversity of villages across the U.S. Members of Rhinebeck at Home will know that our organization is unique and that our member/volunteer model makes it possible for us to have a relatively modest dues structure compared to other Villages.

NBC Nightly News and Brian Williams take you to the home of Brian's inlaws in New Canaan, CT, where they are benefiting from membership in Staying Put, a member of the Village to Village Network.

Fran Hawthorne of The New York Times writes about housing / living options available to people as they age, including group homes, “villages” of individual households and other hybrid arrangements.

PBS’s Ray Suarez reports on how the village “aging in place” concept may help people retain their independence.

Keith Schneider writes for the New York Times about nonprofit service organizations (like Rhinebeck at Home) that provide rides, do errands and repairs, and facilitate social events and interaction among their dues-paying members. Builders, healthcare grups, technology gurus and even community planning boards, recognizing this trend, are taking action to facilitate the ability of people to live independently in their own homes as they age.