Aging

Meet Rick Clendenen. He’s one of the 2023 Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes, and he’ll be sharing updates on his health and wellness journey through the rest of this year. Rick, age 72, has always been an active athlete. After a knee issue took him off the volleyball court, Rick discovered the pickleball court and quickly

It might start with pain, stiffness, swelling, or less range of motion in a joint. As it progresses, the pain escalates. Chances are, you could have arthritis. There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions.  But while patients often think of arthritis as a single disease, it’s definitely not.  Actually, there are more

The caller to the STD hotline sounded very worried. He had known for a while about his diagnosis of herpes, a sexually transmitted viral infection. But during a recent holiday gathering, he had used the bathroom at a relative’s home, full of family members of all ages.  “What if the kids used the bathroom behind

Heart health should always be top of mind, but once older adults reach 60 and up, the statistics  can make it seem all the more important. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2020, 8 of 10 heart disease deaths were in those age 65 and above. So, the natural

For the fourth year, Senior Planet from AARP put out the call for “Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes” — adults age 60 and older who are excited about fitness, have identified their wellness-related goals, and are willing to share their experiences to inspire other older adults. After reading some 50 incredible applications, a selection committee from

Physical therapy is often thought about only as a way to recover after surgery or an injury. In reality, physical therapy can help with many more health conditions and situations. Physical Therapy is not just for rehab Here are just a few, non-rehab reasons to use PT: Predicting future movement problems: Assessing a person’s strength

Year Three of the Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete program kicked off at the beginning of 2022 with five more spectacular older adult athletes. The team brought in sports and activities spanning from the ocean to the ice, and everywhere in between! As the 2022 program has now come to a close, we asked our athletes

You’re sneezing, or coughing, or blowing your nose non-stop or popping lozenges to soothe a sore throat. Or maybe all of the above. It’s a winter misery, all right. But which one? And what can you do to make it stop faster? And how can you reduce the risk of a repeat bout? For answers,

Medication errors in the U.S. are common. The FDA receives more than 100,000 reports a year about suspected medication errors—and not all of those come from drug manufacturers or healthcare professionals. Some are from consumers who had a medication issue at home. While the medication issues in hospitals get a lot of press, experts say

If the last time you thought about meditation was when the Beatles made the White Album  – you’re in for a surprise. Research shows that sometimes meditation can be almost as effective as medication. Meditation Benefits Older Adults  Research keeps growing on meditation’s benefits, from boosting the immune system to easing depression to helping mild

Welcome back to this special series featuring the stories of the Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes as they pursue their fitness goals in 2022. You can find all of our Sponsored Athletes’ stories here.  Paul “PJ” Gammarano, Sr., 69, is an ice hockey player, cancer survivor, and advocate for older adult athletes. Get to know PJ

Their ranks are huge, growing…and exhausted. Some 53 million Americans are family caregivers who provide care for an adult or a child with special needs.  Caregiving has always been difficult, but according to a 2020 joint report from the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, the challenge of caregiving has gotten even more difficult recently,

The statistics are sobering and scary – but is there reason for hope about Alzheimer’s? Right now, more than six million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.  By 2060, according to its projections, that number will more than double. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia,

Telemedicine—‘’seeing” your doctor via video, telephone chat or phone conversation—has been around for decades, but boomed in 2020 as the pandemic kept us in lockdown. From February, 2020, right before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, to April, 2020, telemedicine use in the U.S. increased by 78 times, according to a report by McKinsey & Company.

Meet Keo Capestany. He’s one of the 2022 Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes, and he’ll be posting updates on his health & wellness journey through the rest of this year. At age 86, Keo preaches “the gospel of pumping iron.” Today, Keo is sharing a personal story to show that even an octogenarian weightlifter can use

As soon as mid-October, a new category of hearing aids will be available without prescription, sold at retail stores, pharmacies and online.  The FDA announced the action in mid-August, a development urged  and praised by President Joe Biden. Close to 30 million adults in the U.S. could benefit from using hearing aids, the FDA says.

In 2021, we spoke with Ify Nwabukwu*, Founder and Executive Director of the African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association (AWCAA), and pictured on the right; we learned more about her personal life and career leading up to her receipt of the 2022 AARP Purpose Prize. Here, we catch up with Ify to understand the impact of

Welcome back to this special series featuring the stories of the Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes as they pursue their fitness goals in 2022. You can find all of our Sponsored Athletes’ stories here.  Professor Paul “PJ” Gammarano, Sr., 68, is an ice hockey player, cancer survivor, and advocate for older adult athletes. Get to know

Welcome back to this special series featuring the stories of the Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes as they pursue their fitness goals in 2022. You can find all of our Sponsored Athletes’ stories here.  Sally Saenger, 66, is a competitive surfer, fitness instructor, and a new member of the Senior Planet team of fitness trainers! Get

Welcome back to this special series featuring the stories of the Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes as they pursue their fitness goals in 2022. You can find all of our Sponsored Athletes’ stories here.  Carolyn Hartfield, 74, is an Outdoor Adventure Leader, but it wasn’t always that way. Read on to learn about Carolyn’s journey from

Happy September, and Happy Healthy Aging Month! The next 30 days are devoted to this observation, created by Carolyn Worthington and now in its second decade. Her suggestion: It’s never too late to reinvent yourself, to travel, to try something new, to explore your options. Healthy aging, of course, helps to make that all possible.

El órgano más grande de nuestro cuerpo, la piel, representa aproximadamente el 16 % del peso corporal total y cubre aproximadamente 22 pies cuadrados. Sin embargo, nuestra piel se encuentra entre las áreas de nuestro cuerpo más maltratadas, especialmente cuando el sol azota en el verano. Recurrimos American Academy of Dermatology, y a Skin Cancer

In late July, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency of global concern. On August 4, the Biden administration declared monkeypox a public health emergency in the U.S. Those actions, understandably, increased anxiety about the newest health issue. What is it? How widespread? Am I at risk? What to watch for? Is

The largest organ in our body—the skin—accounts for about 16% of total body weight and covers about 22 square feet. Yet, our skin is among the most abused areas of our body, especially when the sun beats down in summer. We turned to the American Academy of Dermatology, the Skin Cancer Foundation and two respected

Seniors who experience unsatisfactory treatment in healthcare don’t have to suffer – they can become their own healthcare advocates. Why? Here are a few likely scenarios: Your doctor won’t call (or email) you back. You aren’t on the same page with your new doctor. You aren’t sure about switching to a new doctor.  How could

Do you have any health questions that you’ve been meaning to research? Nothing you need to call the doctor about, just health info you’d like to know. Relax, we’re on the same page. We rounded up some answers to questions we’ve been puzzling over. Is 5 minutes of meditation enough?   We’ve all heard about

On the list of “First World problems to worry about,” it’s definitely not number one – but for some kareishuu – it holds a spot near the top. Kareishuu is the Japanese term for — literally “the smell of gaining years.” Most Americans refer to it, sometimes with disgust, anxiety, or a sneer, as “old

Worried about your memory slipping? Join the crowd. In a recent poll of more than 1,000 adults over 50, it was a common concern.  Nearly half said they popped a pill, such as a vitamin or supplement, to help their memory. Brain health is big business; one report estimated that by 2023, people will spend