News & Insights

Just under 20% of seniors who responded to a recent survey were unaware of reverse mortgages — despite showing an overwhelming desire to stay in their homes and potentially make renovations into old age. Among homeowners aged 60 to 70, 44% said they would keep a mortgage through retirement, according to a study on retirement…

Rising interest rates could make reverse-mortgage lines of credit more appealing to younger retirees. A reverse mortgage is a type of loan taken against equity in a home, available to borrowers who are at least 62. It requires no monthly payments, with interest charges instead added to the loan balance and paid only after the…

Even months after recovering from the flu, older people remain at increased risk for a heart attack, stroke or disability, a doctor who specializes in infectious diseases warns. “We all know about the illness influenza causes — obviously fever and making you feel poorly, aches and pains — and that is because it sets up…

For older homeowners worried about falling short on their retirement savings, home equity can provide a much needed boost if they play their cards right using a reverse mortgage. The strategy involves obtaining a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) line of credit at the earliest eligible, and then letting the loan balance in the credit…

The minimum age for homeowners to take out a reverse mortgage loan is 62. But what about the maximum age? Is anyone ever too old for this type of home loan? How a reverse mortgage loan works Formally called home equity conversion mortgages, or HECMs, reverse mortgage loans allow borrowers to tap the equity in…

Like it or not, a little housework is good for you. Researchers found that simple daily activities such as doing the dishes or folding clothes may help older women live longer. “Doing something is better than nothing, even when at lower-than-guideline recommended levels of physical activity,” said study lead author Michael LaMonte of the University…

Don’t try saying you’re too or too busy to exercise, especially after that calorie-laden Thanksgiving dinner. Any level of physical activity can reduce seniors’ risk of heart disease, researchers report. The 18-year study included more than 24,000 adults ages 39 to 79. They found a link between physical activity and reduced risk of heart disease…

A low-fat diet may lower older women’s risk of pancreatic cancer, a new study suggests. The study included more than 46,000 overweight and obese women between the ages of 50 and 79 who ate high-fat diets when they joined a clinical trial between 1993 and 1998. Some were assigned to eat less fat and more…

Ladies, slip on your sneakers and walk briskly every day, and you might prolong your life. In a new study, women who logged an average of nearly 70 minutes daily had up to a 70 percent lower risk of death compared to the least active women, who moved just eight minutes a day. The study…