Happy birthday to the approximately 11,400 Americans turning 65 today and everyday throughout 2025. America’s Peak 65 Zone, which kicked off in 2024, will remain through 2027. While 2025 marks the peak in which the United States will see a record number of its citizens reaching retirement age, in less than 5 years, every baby boomer will be 65 or older. 

If you haven’t already, it might be a good time to restock your birthday card and $2 bill stash.

This past week, we exited the internet echo chamber we’ve been blissfully living in. Our recent Parenting Parents post received a few comments that inspired reflection. The purpose of our weekly posts are to give those caring for aging loved ones a safe space to share their thoughts, experiences, and feelings. Frankly, it comes from the need for an outlet we felt when caring for our own mom and father-in-law. The internet saw it differently.

In our best Carrie Bradshaw voice, we asked ourselves and Google, “how does society view caregivers?”. Google’s AI Overview reports that society often views caregivers, especially family caregivers, with a mix of appreciation and sometimes, unrealistic expectations, often overlooking the challenges and strain they may face. It goes on to share the positive and negative perceptions society has on caregivers, who are disproportionately women. Not great. 

In previous newsletters, we’ve highlighted how mindful a caregiver must be as losing agency and independence while also faced with health challenges is overwhelmingly difficult. And the person, often an adult child, who’s responsible for helping navigate it all, well it’s not easy on them either. Our society deeply cares about the treatment of our aging population but are quick to show little empathy for those doing the actual caring. Harvard refers to the story of caregiving in the United States as a “cautionary tale as troubling forces collide”.

So, what can be done about it?

Step one, you’re already doing it. You’re reading this newsletter. Educate yourself and your loved ones. The parent to child to parent shift can be fraught with challenges and frustration for all involved. Start the care conversations early and have them often. Here are a few tips on how. Get ahead before falling behind.

Step two, leverage tech. Look, there really isn’t a replacement for the time you spend with your mom or dad. It’s likely you know them better than most. And even if budgets allow, depending on their health, tagging someone in to support can, at times, feel more troublesome than helpful. But by utilizing devices and services to monitor movement, track meds, appointments, and tasks, you can lighten the caring load a bit. 

Step three, talk. Talk to someone - your neighbor, your best friend, your spouse, your sibling, a therapist - anyone really. Only child? Don’t let it be a solo mission. Caregiver isolation is real yet can be mitigated if you share what you’re experiencing. It’s not weak, it’s normal. You’re helping, you’re already a hero.  

By 2034, for the first time in U.S. history, there will be more seniors than children. And while advances in tech and healthcare afford some seniors the ability to age in place, it’s likely we’ll see a continued increase of unpaid familial caregiving. So let’s normalize it. Talk about it. Readily share resources. It’s our mission to improve the caregiving experience for all, and we don’t want to go it alone.    

💰Cigna cashed in. In a sale valued over $3 billion, Cigna sold its Medicare business to Health Care Service Corp., the parent company of five Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance plans.

🎚️According to a recent Carewell survey, 11% of seniors prefer EDM to any other genre. Having seen heard Diplo too, we understand. 

🍿He’s played iconic roles, but perhaps his most important one was caregiving for his father. Bradley Cooper partnered with PBS to produce Well Beings, a documentary highlighting the caregiving crisis. Former Orange is the New Black star and caregiver to her mom, Uzo Aduba narrates.

🍻Pub crawl for all. Seniors living in a retirement community in Sioux Falls, South Dakota celebrated St. Paddy’s like many Americans do - day drinking. The activities director definitely needs a raise.