30 million. 1.4 million. 11 million. 86 million. These numbers on their own may mean nothing, but in the context of diabetes, they paint an entirely different picture. More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, with 1.4 million new cases diagnosed each year in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 11 million older adults have diabetes, while 86 million Americans have prediabetes. So what’s the bright side?

Dementia affects about 4 to 5 million elderly American adults, according to the authors, adding the number of adults in the U.S. and abroad with dementia is expected to grow three-fold by 2050 because of the increasing population of elderly individuals.

The need for a family caregiver often is unexpected. A baby might be born prematurely with long-term medical needs, or an adult may face long-term rehabilitation from injuries after an accident. Cancer patients often need assistance during long months of treatment, and older relatives with progressive dementia gradually become unable to care for themselves.

The ability to perform the simple activities of daily living–dressing, bathing, toileting, preparing simple meals, and doing light housekeeping, for example–is crucial to an older adult’s independence and quality of life.

The head of the House Budget Committee said Thursday that lawmakers are eying an overhaul of Medicare next year.

Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) said he expects lawmakers to push forward with an overhaul “within the first six to eight months” of President-elect Donald Trump's administration.

He said it would be tackled through the budget tactic in the Senate called “reconciliation,” which allows major spending-related bills to pass the upper chamber without a veto.

Odds are high that someone in your family will need a nursing home sooner or later. More than two-thirds of people over age 65 will require some type of long-term care services during their lifetime, and over 45 percent of people will need a period of care in a nursing home, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The cost of that care can financially cripple a family. But there are steps you can take – whether a nursing home is needed now, next month or next decade – to minimize the strain.

Social Security income is critically important to most of the people who receive it. Indeed, according to the Social Security Administration, the majority of elderly beneficiaries get 50% or more of their income from Social Security, while 21% of married elderly beneficiaries and 43% of unmarried ones get fully 90% or more of their income from it. Thus, many retirees are quite reasonably interested in exactly when their checks will arrive.

We are now in an uncertain world, and the markets are reacting accordingly. Dow futures fell 800 points overnight as the US presidential election was called for Donald Trump. But the markets quickly calmed themselves and then some; on the day after Election Day, the blue-chip index touched an all-time high of 18,648.41.

Your parent planned to age in-place at home, but the plan is no longer working. Maybe mom has had a series of falls. Maybe dad often forgets to take his medicine. Moving a parent to an assisted living facility or a nursing home is often the next step when you’re concerned about the safety of living alone.

Q. I’m 66 years old. I’m considering the timing for taking Social Security. I am comfortable waiting until age 70. I understand my cash requirements going forward and I have the money assets outside of Social Security to support deferral.