According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hearing loss affects one-third of older adults. As difficulty hearing can lead to communication challenges and social withdrawal, it can also increase the risk of dementia. Dementia includes diseases affecting memory, thinking, and the ability to perform daily activities and affects 55 million people worldwide, per the World Health Organization.

Hearing loss accounts for 8 percent of the world’s dementia cases. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that global dementia cases will triple by 2050.

The 2023 Senior Report recently issued by America’s Health Rankings sheds light on the latest trends in the health and well-being of older Americans.

Highlighting the good news – and the bad – for aging adults in the U.S., the findings call attention to some of the greatest needs facing seniors in recent years.

Homelessness rates are rising among people aged 65 and over. In addition to the dangers unhoused people face on the street, there are exponential effects on their access to health care.

Inflation affects all consumers, but older Americans are facing an especially dramatic loss of buying power. A recent survey by the Senior Citizens League shows that Social Security benefits have seen a 36 percent loss in buying power since 2000. That number is actually an improvement from 2022, when the loss of buying power was at 40 percent.

Elder law attorneys may specialize in estate planning, incapacity planning, and end-of-life care for seniors. These practitioners are essential because they work to protect a vulnerable population. To plan for their future and their care, seniors and their families should consider hiring an elder law attorney.

Seniors who need assistance with everyday activities such as dressing, bathing, and eating are eligible for Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS). Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of people who qualify for these services – but wish to receive them in their homes or a community setting – end up on extended waiting lists.

Using survey data from more than 8,000 adults aged 65 and older, researchers have identified eight social factors that may lead to early death in older adults.

As part of the study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco, developed a tool called the Social Frailty Index to examine factors that predict mortality, including age, gender, and medical conditions, as well as social characteristics.

Guardianship is for those who need help handling money. Depending on the jurisdiction, financial guardianship may also be called guardianship of the estate or conservatorship.

In cases where individuals need help with personal and financial decisions, the court can order guardianship of the person and estate. The guardian makes both personal and financial decisions for the protected person.