One of the best parts of a new year is pausing to reflect on the stories that truly connected with readers — the ones they came back to, shared, and remembered. Our most-read stories of 2025 reveal the caregiving, aging, and health topics that mattered most. From everyday challenges to safety, nutrition, and policy, these stories captured the conversations that shaped the year.

10) Finding Balance

by Kathleen Aharoni, Jennifer Billock, and Cathy Cassata
January 3, 2025

How do family caregivers juggle competing demands on their time, energy, and emotional well-being while caring for loved ones? Three caregivers share their experiences of trying to stay grounded in their crucial roles, offering perspectives on finding balance emotionally, physically, and socially.

9) The Power of Interdependence

by Sarah Rasby, PhD
November 10, 2025

When Sarah Rasby found herself unexpectedly caregiving for her twin sister, she realized just how vital community support can be. “When I felt most alone, what brought me back were small kindnesses: a text message from a friend, a coffee from a stranger, a quiet afternoon when someone stepped in so I could rest,” she writes. Yet many struggle to ask for help, and for them, Sarah issues a challenge: “What if we stopped wearing our exhaustion as a badge of honor and instead embraced our reliance on one another?”

8) Slaying Stereotypes

by Wes Livezey
January 3, 2025

Sheila Solomon didn’t slow down at 72; she shifted into a new chapter that defies stereotypes of later life. The longtime journalist uses her voice and experience to host a podcast that spotlights older adults who stay curious, active, and engaged.

7) Winter Safety

by Cathy Cassata
January 27, 2025

In this Q&A, Rene Roberts, MD, a family medicine physician at Oak Street Health, answers common questions about how older adults can stay safe in winter’s cold. From how they experience cold differently to steps loved ones can take to ensure their safety, the piece explores ways older adults can make the most of the frosty season.

6) Cure vs. Care

by Ezra Maille
January 3, 2025

Chaplains play a unique role when patients and families are navigating terminal illness. Sometimes they serve as intermediaries between the patient and the care team; other times, they offer comfort as people grapple with difficult news and decisions. In either case, the physicians in this story reflect on the value of their partnership, ultimately enabling better care.

5) Processed Foods

by Rebecca Stiles, RD
May 19, 2025

Though food processing involves any method that alters food from its original state (think: drying, fermenting, or milling), many processed foods today undergo extensive processing. They contain added sugars, synthetic dyes, and more. With 60% of older adults in the U.S. managing at least two chronic conditions, local experts weigh in on the impacts of ultra-processed foods and how to make dietary choices with health in mind.

4) Falling Fears

by Nancy Maes
March 4, 2025

Fear of falling affects more than balance — it can undermine confidence and independence. And though older adults are at increased risk of falls, due to medications, health conditions, and declining physical balance, falls aren’t inevitable. Find out how older adults can prevent falls and increase their sense of safety.

3) Op-Ed: Don’t Blow Out the Candles on the Older Americans Act

by Diane Slezak
May 25, 2025

2025 marked the 60th anniversary of the Older Americans Act — and a year it came under threat of defunding. Here, Diane Slezak, president of the Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging, makes the case not only for preserving this federal law, but also strengthening it.

2) Green Travel in Retirement

by John F. Wasik
August 18, 2025

Ever wondered how to see the world in retirement without leaving a big carbon footprint? Explore how retirees can travel thoughtfully — from choosing trains over flights to biking through local towns — with practical tips and expert advice for enjoying new adventures while caring for the planet.

1) Alzheimer’s Research Cuts

by Anushree Vashist
July 13, 2025

Chicago researchers share how federal funding cuts are slowing Alzheimer’s studies, delaying clinical trials, and forcing labs to scramble. The ripple effect is already affecting patients and families awaiting breakthroughs and new treatments.