Jill Marshall

If you've started driving an parent to appointments, sorting through Medicare bills, or quietly worrying about what comes next — you're already caregiving. Most families don't plan for this moment. They stumble into it. This post is about how to do it differently — and how to approach family caregiving for aging parents with more intention . 56% of adults helping an aging parent say caregiving strengthened their relationship — yet it can also take a real toll on well-being, finances, and...

First, the Good News About Getting Older Research shows that happiness improves with age. According to the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study—one of the largest longitudinal studies on aging in America—life satisfaction rises in our 60s and remains high well into our 70s and beyond. In fact, 91% of adults in their 70s and older describe themselves as “pretty happy” or “very happy.” Older adults report being happiest when they are socializing, volunteering, staying active,...

A look at why preparation is the ultimate gift to yourself or a loved one. In middle school, I loved solving math problems. Quadratic equations were my favorite. There was something deeply satisfying when everything ticked and tied, and you arrived at the answer—especially when it was a nice, round number. Today, I still enjoy solving complex problems. But when it comes to aging, the math often doesn’t resolve so neatly. For many older adults, the outcome isn’t positive. I try to see the...