The Elder Beat

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The Elder Beat

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And it connects seniors with each other to combat loneliness and social isolation.

The Elder Beat connects older adults in Happy Valley and Clackamas with local resources, services, and information to help them age with dignity, independence, and joy.

09/10/2026

Most of us know we should "get our affairs in order." Fewer of us know what that actually means.

Our latest post on The Elder Beat website breaks down the three documents at the heart of legal planning — the Advance Directive, the Power of Attorney, and the Will — what each one does, and why the differences matter more than you'd think. We also cover what to do if you don't have an obvious family member to turn to for these roles and how to pick an elder law attorney.

None of this involves a complicated process. Mostly it requires a willingness to start.

What's the one document on your own list you've been meaning to get to?

08/21/2026

More than one in four older adults falls each year. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults 65 and older. And the majority happen at home, during ordinary activities, in familiar surroundings.

Here is the thing that often goes unsaid: most falls are preventable.

Yesterday on The Elder Beat we published a guide to fall prevention for older adults — practical, specific, and locally grounded.

We cover the home modifications that make the biggest difference, from grab bars and lighting to rugs and stair handrails. We talk about the medical risk factors worth raising with your doctor — including medications that increase fall risk and vision problems that often go unaddressed. We share evidence-based exercise programs that build strength and balance, including free virtual classes available right now through OSU Extension. And we highlight local programs that can help cover the cost of home modifications for qualifying residents.

One thing we found particularly striking in our research: more than half of older adults who fall never tell their doctor. A fall without injury is still important information — and your doctor cannot address a risk they don't know about.

This one is worth reading and worth sharing with someone you care about.

Have you made changes to your home that have made you feel safer? Tell us in the comments — your experience might help a neighbor.

08/11/2026

There are conversations most families know they need to have — about where an aging parent wants to live, what medical care they would or would not want, who handles the finances if something happens — and most families keep not having them.

We understand why. These conversations are hard. They involve confronting things no one wants to confront. And the fear of doing it wrong — of overstepping, of damaging the relationship — can feel like a good reason to wait a little longer.

Yesterday we posted Navigating Family Conversations About Aging on The Elder Beat. The post covers how to start the conversation when you are the older adult who wants your wishes known. How to start it when you are the adult child who doesn't know how. What the conversation needs to cover over time. What to do when it goes badly. When to bring in outside help. And what to do if you don't have family.

This is one of the most personal posts The Elder Beat has published. We hope it is useful to someone in our community who needs it.

And if you have navigated these conversations in your own family — what helped? What do you wish you had done differently? We would love to hear from you in the comments.

08/02/2026

The August edition of The Elderbeat Newsletter is out. It includes lots of helpful information for elders in our community including: 1) An info tip about advance directives; 2) A health tip about medications; 3) A spotlight on ReFIT, a nonprofit that helps elders make accessibility modifications. And more!

07/29/2026

August is just around the corner — and The Elder Beat has another month of content planned. In the newsletter on August 1st: important health and info tips; information about the local nonprofit ReFIT, a review of the book Joyspan, and more.

On the blog: Navigating Family Conversations About Aging (August 10) and Fall Prevention: Practical Steps for Staying Safe at Home (August 20).

We are always looking for your ideas. Is there a topic you would like us to cover? A local resource you think more neighbors should know about? A question you have been sitting with that you have not been able to find a good answer to? This page exists to serve our community in Happy Valley and Clackamas. Your input genuinely shapes what we do. What would you like to see from us?

07/21/2026

Something happens at pharmacy counters across America every day. Someone hands over a prescription, the pharmacist names a price, and the person on the other side of the counter goes quiet — doing the math, wondering if they can manage it this month. If that moment is familiar to you, our new post is for you. Yesterday on The Elder Beat we published a guide to prescription drug costs and the programs that can help — focused specifically on what is available to older adults in Happy Valley and Clackamas.
Here is what most people don't know: the price quoted at the pharmacy is not necessarily the lowest price available. Oregon has a free statewide discount card program called ArrayRx — no income limits, no age requirements, available to every Oregon resident — that can save up to 80% on generic drugs. Medicare Extra Help is worth an estimated $5,700 per year to people who qualify, and millions of eligible people never apply. And manufacturer patient assistance programs can provide brand-name medications free or at dramatically reduced cost to people who meet income criteria.
We also cover Medicare Part D plan comparison, generic alternatives, and the NCOA BenefitsCheckUp tool for finding programs you may qualify for.
No older adult in our community should have to choose between their medications and their other needs. This post is our attempt to make sure more neighbors know what is available.
If you have found something that has helped you manage prescription costs — we would love to hear about it in the comments. Your experience might help a neighbor.

07/11/2026

Most of us know, somewhere in the back of our minds, that we may need some help at home someday. What most of us don't know is what that help actually looks like, what it costs, or how to find it. Yesterday on The Elder Beat we published a plain-language guide to in-home care services for older adults in Happy Valley and Clackamas.

Inside the post: the difference between non-medical home care and skilled home health care, and why it matters. What services are typically included. What you can realistically expect to pay. How to evaluate an agency and what questions to ask. How to have the conversation with a family member who may not want to hear it. And what to do if you don't have a family support network.

This is one of the most practical things we have published. We hope it helps someone in our community make a decision with more confidence and less stress.
If you have navigated in-home care for yourself or someone you love — what do you wish you had known going in? Tell us in the comments.

07/01/2026

The July edition of The Elder Beat Newsletter is out today. Inside this month's issue: A local resource spotlight on the Clackamas County Area Agency on Aging, the County's hub for programs supporting older adults and people with disabilities. An information tip about the Medicare annual enrollment period. A review of Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, a surgeon's exploration of end-of-life care. Recaps of recent blog posts and a look at what's coming in July. And a fun feature called Earlene on the Lighter Side, because aging well includes laughing well. If you are not yet a subscriber, today is a good day to join. The newsletter is free, arrives on the first of every month, and is written specifically for older adults and families in Happy Valley and Clackamas.
What is one topic you hope we cover this summer? Tell us in the comments.

06/27/2026

We have a new feature on The Elder Beat. Starting this month, we are posting a Question of the Month on our website. One question, asked in genuine curiosity, inviting older adults and families to share what they know, what they have learned, and what they think.
This month's question:
Is there something you have started doing in the last few years that you wish you had started sooner?
We would love to hear your answer — and so would your neighbors. Selected responses will be featured in a future edition of The Elder Beat newsletter.
You can submit your answer at the Question of the Month page on our website. Or if you would rather just answer right here in the comments, we are listening either way.

06/21/2026

Medicare has four parts, dozens of plan options, and enrollment deadlines that can result in permanent penalties if you miss them. No wonder so many older adults find it overwhelming.

But here is something many people in Happy Valley and Clackamas do not know: Oregon offers a free service called SHIBA — Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors — where trained volunteer counselors will sit down with you, review your specific situation, and help you make confident Medicare decisions. No cost, no sales pitch, no agenda.

We put together a plain-language guide to Medicare basics — Parts A, B, C, and D explained clearly, Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage, key enrollment deadlines, and how to get free one-on-one help right here in Clackamas County. The Annual Enrollment Period opens in October, which means now is exactly the right time to make sure you understand your options.

Do you have a Medicare tip that has saved you time or money? Share it in the comments — our community learns best from each other.

Address

Clackamas, OR
97015

Website

https://theelderbeat.org/

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