We started the second camping trip of the summer at 6 a.m. from the Goleta Valley Senior Center. This wonderful group of women from our center were gung-ho for the journey, if not a little bit sleepy.

By Kathy Sykes

by Sandra von Doetinchem, Dipl. Paed.

The 2012 Aging in America conference has now passed.... Looking back to great workshops, excellent speakers, and highly interesting poster sessions.

This year, the Students and Emerging Professionals Group (STEP) put together a great schedule of networking and peer group opportunities for all students and emerging professionals.

How does America rate when it comes to taking care of its older adults? In this year of election grandstanding and ongoing heated rhetoric about the nation's deficit, it's difficult to sort out face from hyperbole. The May/June 2012 In Focus section—as well as other feature articles in this issue of Aging Today—explores some of the realities of life for elder's in today's United States, and peeks into future issues for the many baby boomers who are reaching older age and anticipating use of our national entitlement programs.

Daniel Tepfer’s journey to full-time advocate began with a life-changing admission and an ingrained tendency to serve.

By Gary Koenig

About 3.5 million Americans ages 65 and older lived in poverty in 2010. An additional 2.3 million older Americans were “near poor,” with incomes below 125 percent of the poverty line. For these poor and near-poor older adults, life is often a constant struggle to meet basic needs.

Statistics exist on the number of elders who are homeless, and how many might be mentally ill or drug addicted, but it might be a bit harder to find statistics on the effects of social isolation. What seems rare is to hear directly from those enduring this condition and how those in the aging services network offered them a way toward reconnection. Aging Today spoke with three older adults who talked about life on the fringe, and about how giving back helps them to hang on.