On My Mind
Only a small share of how long we live is written in our genes. The rest is shaped by how we move, eat, sleep, connect, and even how we think about getting older. It’s never too early or too late to start aging better, but what to do and where to start can be discouraging.
A leading thinker on taking the reins to influence our second half of life is Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., gerontologist, psychologist, and co-founder and CEO of Age Wave. I asked Ken what advice he wanted to share with readers of The Primetime Edit.
“Based on nearly 50 years of research, dialogue, analysis and activism, I have come to believe that there are four essential -- and achievable -- course corrections that are needed if we are to capitalize on our newfound longevity.”
Create a new purpose for maturity
Invest consistently in healthy aging — across physical, social, and economic dimensions
Assume responsibility for a lifetime of fiscal fitness
Reset the obsolete marker of 65 as a line of demarcation
I have learned so much from Ken’s research and wisdom; please explore Age Wave and engage him in your organization’s longevity journey.
And please share with friends and colleagues, or unsubscribe below. We welcome your feedback — send comments on The Primetime Edit to [email protected].
Managing Partner
Table of Contents
📋️ New Recommendations on Aging Well
Adults 65+ are recommended to get enhanced flu shots by the end of October; ask your doctor or local pharmacy for free shots under Medicare Part B.
NCOA's updated flu guides for older adults note that people 65+ account for 70–85% of flu deaths and highlight the CDC's recommendation that this group gets Fluzone High-Dose, Fluad (adjuvanted), or Flublok (recombinant) by the end of October.
A multi-cancer blood test takes a big step closer to FDA approval, with a 7-2 vote that the benefits of the test outweigh its risks for screening adults 50+.
The FDA's device advisory committee voted 10–0 that GRAIL's Galleri multi-cancer early-detection test is safe, 6–4 that it is effective, and 7–2 that its benefits outweigh the risks. The FDA's final decision is expected in the coming months.
Analysis of 51 studies questioned the effect of supplements on epigenetic age and emphasized exercise, healthy diet, and select Rx.
A research team at Yale pooled data from 51 intervention studies and assessed more than 110 DNA methylation biomarkers. Exercise plus healthy diet consistently lowered epigenetic age regardless of diet type, while prescription drugs produced the largest decreases. Supplements generally showed little effect.
🎯 AgeTech News
Meta's AI glasses now double as an FDA-cleared hearing aid.
Meta's new Hearing Enhancement feature turns supported Meta AI glasses into a self-fitting over-the-counter hearing aid for adults with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. It costs $149.99 one-time (or comes with a Meta One subscription), is HSA/FSA-eligible, and launches in the US "later this year."
Uber now lets you set up your own Senior account with a simpler screen and pickup preferences.
Uber's Senior accounts can now be set up independently from the Senior icon on the Account page. New settings include a "Simple Mode" interface, pickup-signal preferences, and a flag telling drivers you travel with a cane or walker; Easy Entry vehicles remain available in pilot cities.
Ultrahuman now pulls your full medical record into its smart-ring app.
The HealthEx PowerPlug inside Ultrahuman’s app uses TEFCA to pull records from clinics, hospitals, and labs into one timeline with ring metrics like resting heart rate, HRV, and sleep. It maps conditions, flags missed follow-ups, and builds a doctor-ready "Visit Pack."
🚀 AgeTech Snapshot: New Startups to Watch
AskSAMIE: A two-sided marketplace connecting families who need adaptive equipment and expert occupational therapy advice with vetted OTs, promoting home safety and independent living.
CircadiaOS: An iOS app that links your wearable and smart thermostat to run a personalized overnight temperature curve for deeper sleep — software-only, live since August.
Quiltt: Helps senior living communities spot when residents may be feeling lonely or isolated, so staff can find ways to keep them connected.
Senior Shield Technologies: Developing a wearable pad that alerts caregivers when an older adult experiences incontinence, reducing the need for routine checks.
The Care Hack: Supports families caring for a loved one with complex needs at home through training, check-ins, and coaching from people assisted by AI.
🔬 Longevity Science Breakthroughs
Menopause leaves a blood-protein signature linked to faster brain aging and higher dementia risk.
UCSF researchers profiled blood proteins in 80 women aged 43–58 and found menopause itself — more than age — shifted inflammatory, metabolic, and Alzheimer's-related proteins. Women with higher "menopause protein scores" showed steeper cognitive decline and higher dementia risk.
Additional proof: More REM sleep is tied to 54% lower dementia risk in ~96,000 adults.
Researchers tracked ~95,559 UK Biobank participants wearing wrist monitors and linked sleep stages to more than 1,000 conditions in PLOS Medicine. More REM sleep was associated with a lower risk of 83 diseases. Sleeping under five hours was associated with a higher risk of 37 conditions.
💡 Insights on Consumers Age 50+
Poverty among adults 65+ rose to 15.4% in 2025, the highest of any age group and the fifth straight annual increase.
AARP Foundation's analysis of the Census Bureau's new Supplemental Poverty Measure found the 65+ poverty rate climbed from 12.7% in 2019 to 15.4% in 2025 even as overall U.S. poverty hit a record low. For ages 50–64, the rate is about 1 in 8, and women fare worse at every age.
As age 80+ households will double by 2045, the number of houses given up by older adults passing will increase from 1.3 million to 1.9 million per year by 2045.
Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies found that households headed by baby boomers fell from 43.2 million in 2015 to 39.7 million in 2025 as mortality and disability now outpace solo living. Households headed by someone 80+ are projected to grow by 5.5 million by 2035 and double by 2045.
⚖️ Older American Policy Updates
Starting next spring, Medicare will pay for tech-supported programs to help you manage heart failure/COPD from home.
CMS is adding heart failure, COPD, substance use disorder, and tobacco cessation to its ACCESS Model with the new tracks starting in spring 2027. CMS says three in four Medicare beneficiaries qualify for at least one track. Ask your doctor about a referral or visit Medicare.gov/ACCESS.
💸 Special Invites & Offers for Our Community
About 51% of women aged 65 and older experience bladder leakage, and rates can rise up to 75% in older age groups. Attn: Grace makes plant-based bladder-leak products designed for women. Click the link below for a unique offer for Primetime Edit readers:
