The coronavirus pandemic has affected every aspect of day-to-day life for all of us. With this abrupt change comes uncertainty about the future, and concerns abound over how well healthcare systems, financial markets, supply chains, careers and relationships can withstand the current crisis.
The three pillars of SCL’s research — mental sharpness, physical fitness and financial security — have become even more important during the pandemic, so in this special issue of our newsletter, we offer some Center on Longevity articles as well as access to some other relevant articles and resources.
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2020 Longevity Design Challenge Finals | April 7
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The in-person 2020 Stanford Center on Longevity Design Challenge have been cancelled due to COVID-19. As a result, we will be holding a “virtual” version of the Finals,
with winning teams being selected on April 7, 2020, which was the original date for the in-person Finals.
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Coping With Social Isolation During the Pandemic
By Carol Hymowitz, SCL Visiting Scholar
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More than two-thirds of Americans across 30 states have been directed not to leave their homes or apartments except to buy food, pick up medical prescriptions or get some exercise, and more may soon be told to stick to the same restrictions. This is especially threatening for older adults who’ve had to halt activities many say keep them physically and mentally fit. What are some ways to combat social isolation and loneliness during the pandemic? Here is what mental and public health experts advise.
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Census 2020 and Older Adults – Help Spread the Word!
By Susan Nash, SCL Visiting Scholar
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Census 2020 is underway and for the first time ever, the Census is online. That’s good news for technology users but not for people without the computer access or digital literacy skills to go online without help. COVID-19 has derailed plans to help older adults and others by providing computer access and assistance at libraries, community centers, grocery stores and other gathering spots. Here's what you can do to help spread the word.
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Combatting Covid-19 Misinformation
By Susan Nash, SCL Visiting Scholar
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Misinformation about COVID-19 runs the gamut from false lists of symptoms to outrageous claims of miracle cures. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director of the World Health Organization, warns that “we’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus, and is just as dangerous.”
It’s especially tough to figure out what’s true and what’s not given the amount of “real” news about the virus coming out every day. Here are some places you can go to get the facts and debunk the rumors.
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Older Workers Most at Risk of Virus Least Likely to Telework
By Carol Hymowitz, SCL Visiting Scholar
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Older workers who are most at risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19 are the least likely group able to work from home. Three- quarters of U.S. workers who are 65 or older—or about five million men and women—can’t telework, according to a new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Economic Policy Institute.
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Strategies Retirees and
Pre-Retirees Can Use to Safeguard Their Retirement Income
By Steve Vernon, SCL Research Scholar
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As a result of the recent downturn in the economy and stock market due to the coronavirus epidemic, many pre-retirees and retirees might be understandably anxious and worried about their financial security in retirement. During these scary economic times, older middle-income workers and retirees can address their fears by deploying a careful strategy to balance the goals of protecting and maximizing their retirement income.
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What Impact Could the Coronavirus Epidemic Have on the Retirement of Gen X and Millennials?
By Steve Vernon, SCL Research Scholar
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Despite the fact that their retirements are most likely a few decades away, many Gen Xers and Millennials still might be understandably nervous about the economic impact of the coronavirus on their 401(k) balances and other retirement savings. That’s not surprising: Their retirement security really depends on whether the economy and stock market can bounce back from the current crisis. In turn, this will depend on how soon the health threat of the virus is reduced significantly through public health measures and the development of vaccines and medical treatments.
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It’s a Critical Time to Protect the Finances of Retirees and Seniors
By Steve Vernon, SCL Research Scholar
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According to the Centers for Disease Control, people age 65 and older are at a high risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Not only are seniors and retirees’ physical health particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, but they face another threat that’s been lurking all this time: Their financial health is more vulnerable to losses caused by fraud, unethical relatives, or simply making mistakes, often due to cognitive decline and increasing frailty.
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March 25, 2020
| Encore.org
A Long List of Free Resources to Help You Get Through This Crisis
An extensive list compiled by Encore.org that includes free resources for those who are looking for ways to support their neighbors, their communities and themselves in the weeks ahead. It is regularly updated as new information comes in, and includes everything from online events to volunteering opportunities to self care and more.
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March 26, 2020
| Bloomberg Businessweek
Coronavirus Shock Is Destroying Americans’ Retirement Dreams
For older people, the coronavirus crisis has been an appalling shock. Many can’t travel or see grandchildren. Even buying groceries is a risk. Their life savings are melting as the global economy shuts down and financial markets plummet. The pain may be particularly acute in the U.S., where Americans rely on a retirement system that was broken well before a pandemic dashed it to pieces.Almost half of U.S. households 55 and older have nothing saved for retirement. Many of the rest were already doing worse than earlier waves of retirees. After a 40-year-long shift from traditional pensions to individual 401(k) retirement accounts, Americans’ financial security is now defenseless against whatever crisis comes along.
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March 31, 2020
| Better Business Bureau
BBB Scam Alert: Scammers Targeting Seniors During Pandemic
Better Business Bureau (BBB) is receiving reports from seniors reporting that they are receiving text messages from scammers posing as the U.S. Department of Health, about taking a mandatory online COVID-19 test in order to receive the recently approved stimulus payment. Others are receiving emails stating they qualify for a payment and to click on a link to claim a check. During this time of uncertainty, it is the ideal time for a scammer to prey on fear. With the current coronavirus pandemic, scammers will constantly change their tactics to catch people off guard. Here are some tips from BBB for seniors to protect against scams.
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March 30, 2020
| MarketWatch
COVID-19 Draws Retired Doctors Back to Work
Governors in numerous states are counting on retired health care professionals to rejoin or stay with the workforce to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is also recruiting. Examples like these are multiplying quickly, reflecting the deep stress many hospitals and medical facilities are under as they struggle to keep up with COVID-19. Evidence that retired health care professionals are answering the call to medical arms also brings to mind a critical insight, driven home by Dr. Laura Carstensen. Instead of sidelining retirees, Carstensen often says, remember that they’re knowledgeable, emotionally stable and care about making a meaningful difference in the world.
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March 30, 2020
| World Economic Forum
4 Ways COVID-19 Could Change How We Educate Future Generations
Not since World War II have so many countries around the world seen schools and educational institutions go into lockdown at around the same time and for the same reason. While we know that the impact of this virus will be far-reaching, what might it mean in the longer term for education? For a while now, educators around the world have been talking about the need to rethink how we educate future generations. This might just be the disruption that the sector needed to get us all to rethink how we educate, and question what we need to teach and what we are preparing our students for.
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March 27, 2020
| The Telegraph
(UK)
Meet the Baby Zoomers: How Older Britons are Finally Getting to Grips With Technology
Deprived of face-to-face contact, the over-65s are turning to video chat - often for the first time - to keep up to date with loved ones. Baby Boomers and the generations that came before them are often thought of as “tech averse." But now, many of them are being forced to grapple with online technology if they want to continue their work or hobbies, or keep speaking to their family. From FaceTime to multi-screen social apps like Zoom and Houseparty, some once-technophobic Boomers are now organising everything from virtual dinner parties to digital quiz nights.
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March 13, 2020
| Stanford School of Medicine Blog
Even If You Are Virus-Free, Covid-19 Is Affecting Your Health. Here’s What to Do
COVID-19 is harming public health, clearly affecting those who have tested positive. But its reach is much more widespread. The fallout is likely to exceed the direct harms of COVID-19, but worsening health and well-being also makes us more susceptible to the novel coronavirus and its complications. It's a good time to take both a break from the news and a few deep, meditative breaths. One place to start is giving yourself time and compassion around learning new social-distancing habits.
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March 13, 2020 |
Vox
Why COVID-19 Is so Dangerous for Older Adults
Older people and people with chronic illness are at greater risk, and how we respond to the threat affects everyone. Even before the Covid-19 coronavirus reached more than 100 countries around the world, early data from China — where the outbreak started — suggested that older adults were the most vulnerable to the worst effects of the disease.Now, that data, along with emerging research from Italy — the second-most-affected country in the world — is showing just how dangerous Covid-19 is for older people, and others with with heart, lung, and immunological conditions.
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LONGEVITY BRIEFINGS
ARCHIVE
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The
Century Lives
podcast provides a platform for informed discussion on a wide range of topics, between leading experts in academia, business and public policy. These conversations foster a better understanding of the state of current research, and provide fresh perspectives on how best to optimize longer lives.
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