GBONEWS: PBS-Defunded Next Avenue’s Final Staff Exit; MLK Jr.’s Generational Legacy; Toronto Star’s Live to 100 Podcast; Immigration Cuts Affordable Eldercare; Privateers Pilfer Rural Nursing Homes; NPF’s $10,000 Award Reporting Deadline; Protecting Dual-Eligibles from Budget Cuts; Fitness Writer Larkin, 77, Pumps Iron; & MORE
GENERATIONS BEAT ONLINE NEWS
E-News of the Journalists Network on Generations.
January 15, 2026 — Volume 33, Number 1
EDITOR’S NOTE: GBONews, e-news of the Journalists Network on Generations (JNG), publishes alerts for journalists, producers and authors covering generational issues. If you have difficulty getting to the full issue of GBONews with the links provided below, simply go to www.gbonews.org to read the latest or past editions. Send your news of stories or books (by you and others), fellowships, awards or pertinent kvetches to GBO News Editor Paul Kleyman. [pfkleyman@gmail.com]. To subscribe to GBONews.org at no charge, simply send a request to Paul with your name, address, phone number and editorial affiliation or note that you freelance. For each issue, we’ll email the table of contents and links to the full issue at www.gbonews.org. GBONews does not provide its list to other entities.
In This Issue: We’re Ba-a-ack! Starting GBONews.org Vol. 33 and kick-starting the generations beat since 1993.
1. GEN BEATLES NEWS: ***Julie Pfitzinger’s Finale at PBS-Defunded Next Avenue; ***Active Aging Writer Marilyn Larkin, 77: She’s Cut and Pumping Iron.
2. MLK’S GENERATIONAL LEGACY: *** “Faith, National Leaders Celebrate King’s Birthday: ‘Champion the Cause of His Life’ A Generational Legacy of Humility, Leadership, Admiration,” by Jada Ingleton, Washington Informer:
3. AGING IN AMERICA NEWS: *** Protecting “Dual-Eligibles” from Medicaid Cuts; *** “What’s Next” Innovation Summit Takeaways; ***Privateering Investors Pilfer Public Goods.
4. EYES ON THE PRIZE: *** Age-Beat Fellowships in No. Carolina, Maine, Nevada, Among JAWS Winners; *** Report for America 2026 Job Applications Open Jan. 20-Feb, 16; *** Applications Due by March 6 for National Press Foundation’s $10,000 Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting.
5. THE STORYBOARD:
*** “How to Live to 100 or Die Trying,” by Moira Welsh, Toronto Star’s new weekly podcast;
*** Chris Farrell’s 4-Part Marketplace Series on Social Security’s Vital Role;
*** “How Immigration Curbs Make Care Less Affordable for Seniors and Others,” by Howard Gleckman, plus Gleckman’s take on New Medicare Payment Plans, both in Forbes.
1. GEN BEATLES NEWS
*** Julie Kane Pfitzinger wrote, “I’m sharing my latest and last story for Next Avenue. Following the cuts to funding for public media in July, my job was eliminated [as managing editor]. I’m grateful that I was able to remain in the role for a few months, but Friday [Jan. 7] is my last day. On to whatever is next!”
A casualty of federal budget slashing, Next Avenue and its staff had been a PBS website serving 50-plus audiences, created by the network’s prime Minnesota affiliate. Pfitzinger, who leaves the website after eight years, explained, “Next Avenue will become part of the Twin Cities PBS website in February with a collection of some of our best stories from the past several years.”
In an email reply to GBONews, she commented, “I’d definitely like to stay in the aging space — I think that the loss of new content on Next Avenue will have impact.”
Pfitzinger’s final Next Avenue post on Jan. 7, offered words of wisdom on “How To Cultivate Resilience: Have Faith and ‘Be Still in the Boat,’”. In part, she wrote that although resilience “has a bit of sparkle to it, it’s a soft word, at odds . . . with what it means: to be tough, to bounce back from challenging circumstances, to find a new shape to life after a trying period.”
That definition describes a defining moment in her life: “As I mentioned in a recent story I wrote about downsizing, I lost my husband to cancer in 2023. Last fall, I sold the house where we had lived together for 31 years, but I have found some brightness – I’m in a new place that makes me happy and is beginning to feel like home.”
Pfitzinger continues, “As I focus on looking for a job and figuring out what the new shape to my life will be, I decided that I wanted to talk to two women I’ve met through Next Avenue, who have faced challenges that tested them, formed them and helped them to walk forward in new ways.”
Her article shares insights from Rosanne Corcoran, the creator and host of “Daughterhood The Podcast: For Caregivers,” and Angela Burton, founder of Feet to the Fire Writers’ Workshops, a licensed global writing program for older adults in senior living communities and wellness organizations.
Pfitzinger noted, “Corcoran’s operative word during her time as a caregiver was ‘adaptability.’” She quoted her sagacious counsel, “Whether we’re talking about caregiving or grief, things change. . . you can stomp your feet and say, ‘I don’t like this, I can’t believe this, this isn’t fair.’ I don’t use fair. Life isn’t fair. What are we going to do?”
Burton reflected, “I think about one of the things my Aunt Mary Katherine, a very Irish woman, used to say: ‘Be still in the boat.’ And what I’ve learned is when I panic, it doesn’t serve me well. If I can be calm and patient and understand that I will get up tomorrow and deal with whatever is happening, then I’m not going to completely implode.” GBONews regulars may reach her now at jkpfitzinger@gmail.com.
*** “Strong at 77: Her Simple Routine for Epic Strength,” video profile by Sierra Clark of former GBONews “Larkin’s Links” web columnist (and a cancer survivor) Marilyn Larkin.
In proudly posting the 21-minute YouTube link, Colin Milner, Larkin’s longtime editor at the Journal on Active Aging, wrote, “What sets Marilyn apart is that she truly lives what she writes about. Clark’s profile offers more than inspiration or motivation—it is a real-world example of what’s possible when you stay committed, refuse to give up, and show up for yourself every single day. I think you’ll find her story both powerful and deeply affirming.”
He noted that Marilynn Larkin has written, edited, and contributed to the Journal on Active Aging and its related newsletters and reports for over 20 years. A recognized authority on healthy eating, her work has also appeared in publications such as The Lancet and numerous other respected outlets. She’s also been a competitive ballroom dancer.
2. MLK’S GENERATIONAL LEGACY
*** “Faith, National Leaders Celebrate King’s Birthday: ‘Champion the Cause of His Life’ A Generational Legacy of Humility, Leadership, Admiration,” by Jada Ingleton, Washington Informer (a leading voice of Black media in the nation’s capital, Jan. 14, 2026):
The Lede: “In the days leading up to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK’s) [97th] birthday, Cliff Beckford, pastor of Living Word Church in Southwest D.C., was among those reflecting on the legacy born January 15, 1929. During a Jan. 12 kickoff for MLK Holiday DC celebrations – the District’s historic tradition in honor of the late civil rights champion – Beckford framed the day of celebration as both a remembrance and a charge for those carrying King’s mantle forward.”
A Quote: “Today we gather not merely to commemorate a birthday, but to confront a burden,” Beckford said at the Jan. 12, prayer service at Living Word Church. ‘Dr. Martin Luther King [Jr.] does not belong to history alone – he belongs to responsibility. They are often reduced to a moment of reflection without movement, admiration without imitation, memory without mandate.’”
The Scope: “‘Times like these make me think of Dr. King’s beloved community. From Southeast, D.C. to the Sudan and Valley Green to Venezuela, we are all connected for the same cause of justice and liberation,” the Rev. Tony Lee, pastor of Community Of Hope AME Church in Temple Hills, Maryland, told The Informer.”
The Media: “What TV host and journalist Joy Reid once coined “the age of Don Crow” – a poignant reference to President Donald Trump and his administrative acts within less than a year in office – translates to a nearly 50-year parallel – arguably, a continuum – of threats to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).”
3. AGING IN AMERICA NEWS
Protecting “Dual-Eligibles” from Medicaid Cuts — “What’s Next” Innovation Summit — Privateering Investors Pilfer Public Goods
Here’s a sampling of recent posts from our friends at the up-and-coming site, Aging in America News (AiANews), as it celebrates its first year of online publication. (Full disclosure: I’m a fan and occasional contributor.)
*** “Minimizing Harm for ‘Dual Eligibles,’” by Mark Swartz, Aging in America News (Jan. 13, 2026):
The Lede: “Amber Christ, a senior attorney at Justice in Aging, says the $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and SNAP funding over the next decade—the fallout of H.R.1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Act—poses a number of interlocking threats. The challenge is particularly acute because nearly all the services dual eligibles depend on through Medicaid are optional for states to provide.”
What: “While Medicare covers basic medical care, Medicaid provides crucial wraparound services, including long-term care, transportation, and in many states, dental, vision, and hearing benefits. For those only partially eligible, Medicaid helps pay Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs through Medicare Savings Programs. Christ has been tracking these cuts since her law school days. . . . She points to housing instability, poverty, and food insecurity as major drivers of the high costs associated with this population.
Christ added, “Now, as states face unprecedented budget shortfalls, those same individuals are being hit from multiple angles as both Medicaid and SNAP funding shrinks.”
Hope: “Despite the grim outlook, Christ finds reason for optimism in the fact that states across the political spectrum generally want to support their residents. She’s encouraged by recent guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that may give states enough flexibility to navigate the cuts.”
*** “The Next Care Transformation: Our Takeaways from the 2025 What’s Next Longevity Innovation Summit,” by Jane Nam, founder, AgeTech Journal, and Mark Swartz, editor, AiANews (Jan. 8, 2026).
What: “Researchers, funders, entrepreneurs and policymakers gathered in mid-December at the National Press Club for the What’s Next Longevity Innovation Summit. . . . When we pooled our notes, we discovered a number of worrisome trends in the national picture. ‘These pain points,’ maintained Jason Resendez of the National Alliance for Caregiving, ‘are policy choices that we make as a society.’” (Read more.)
Mary Lazare, principal deputy administrator, Administration for Community Living, acknowledged, ‘Our system of institutional care cannot accommodate all the people who want to age at home.’ Mary Furlong, producer of [What’s Next, said], ‘Every dissonance of aging is a market opportunity.’”
The Numbers: Among a slew of relevant figures cited in this story:
* 63 million — Number of Americans who provided ongoing care for an adult or a child with a complex medical condition or a disability in the past year, according to a 2025 report by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving
* 60% — Percent of family caregivers who are managing complex medical tasks, such as feeding tubes. And 20% — Percent who have received medical training.
5 million+ — Number of older adults and people with disabilities nationwide who rely on health and supportive services through Medicaid’s Home- and Community-Based Services program, according to the SCAN Foundation. Cuts to the program mean avoidable hospitalizations will rise, contended SCAN’s Sarita Mohanty.
*** “Privateering Our Public Goods,” by Paul Kleyman, Aging in America News (Dec. 21, 2026); adapted for LA Progressive (Jan. 5, 2026):
The Lede: “Two recent articles document efforts by private equity firms to gouge the tiny budgets of volunteer fire departments, the heartbeat of small-town America, while other investors are buying public rural nursing homes with a record of slashing staff levels and virtually ripping the support stockings off of patient care.
“Underlying these news reports, similarly to reporting on other sectors of public service, is the question of whether or not private enterprise should be able to privatize—that is, privateer—at the expense of public goods?”
You’re Fired: “First came Mike Baker’s Dec. 14, 2025 investigation in The New York Times, “Private Equity Finds a New Source of Profit: Volunteer Fire Departments.” He wrote, ‘Rural departments have long relied on cheap software solutions to keep their operations running. But fire chiefs report sharp price increases as investors have entered the market.”
Baker went on, “The Norfolk (Connecticut) Volunteer Fire Department operates on an annual budget of $132,000, barely enough to sustain its aging rigs, train unpaid crews and keep the lights on. . . Not long ago, it faced a different kind of emergency: The software system it relied on . . . was no longer going to be usable.
“A company backed by private equity investors, ESO Solutions, had acquired the platform and planned to shut it down. The alternative software it was offering would raise the community’s costs from $795 per year to more than $5,000.”
Nursing Homes: “For her story, “Wisconsin Communities Fight to Save County-Owned Nursing Homes from Privatization,” on The Daily Yonder rural news site (Dec. 16, 2025), reporter Madeline de Figueiredo wrote, “Across Wisconsin, County Boards have been voting to sell their skilled nursing facilities as local communities fight the sales, especially in rural counties.”
The Harm: “A 2022 report by the Center for Medicare Advocacy warned that privatizing county-owned nursing homes often led to lower staffing levels and diminished quality of care, as for-profit operators prioritized revenue over residents’ needs. The report found that promised cost savings rarely materialized, while accountability and public oversight were significantly reduced.”
4. EYES ON THE PRIZE
*** Among the 8 Awardees of the 2026 JAWS Health Journalism Fellowships from the Journalism and Women Symposium, for new and emerging health reporters, are:
*Ashley Fredde, North Carolina Health News, Project: Uncovering how financial consolidation and weakened oversight of nursing homes intersect to endanger older North Carolinians.
*Rose Lundy, Maine Monitor (Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting), Project: Unpacking the outlook of Northern Light Health, which serves Maine’s northern and rural half, and is currently experiencing financial strain. (Lundy is also a past Journalists in Aging Fellow.)
*Lucia Starbuck, KUNR Public Radio, Northern Nevada, Project: Investigating how anti-immigrant sentiments are affecting caregivers and their clients who come from different countries.
With its fellowship focus on disparities and inequities in United States health care, JAWS selected in-depth article proposals on topics ranging from maternal health to eldercare.
Support by the Commonwealth Fund, the fellowships provide those selected a $4,000 reporting grant, plus registration and travel expenses to the JAWS annual conference. Further, they benefit from one-on-one mentoring, access to educational programs, and networking with veteran journalists.
*** Report for America (RFA) will accept applications for new reporter positions from Jan. 20 through Feb, 16, 2026. Their national service program places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.
These full-time positions are for two-to-three years tenure with employment beginning the first week in July of 2026. RFA pays about half the salary with the remainder paid by the local news organization.
RFA also assists participating news organizations with fundraising for their share. Selected reporters “get world class training, at the beginning of the term and throughout the service years.” Contact recruitment@reportforamerica.org. Report for Americais an initiative of The GroundTruth Project.
*** The Deadline is March 6, 2026, for the National Press Foundation’s (NPF) Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting. The award, which carries a $10,000 prize, is open to U.S.-based journalists, in any media. They require a non-refundable $20 fee for each application. For questions or tech issues with the application, contact Jason Zaragoza at jason@nationalpress.org.
5. THE STORYBOARD
*** “How to Live to 100 or Die Trying,” by Moira Welsh, The Toronto Star, weekly podcast (beginning Jan. 1, 2026).
Introduction: The Toronto Star’s Moira Welsh hosts “How to Live to 100 or Die Trying,” an uplifting, shocking, and illuminating conversation for all ages on growing older. You’ll hear from a 40-something football star turned mobility mentor, a skateboarding impresario focused on death, but a good one. And a scientist who says he can measure biological age. But don’t fear the reaper because he also shares a startling secret to longevity.
We give traditional topics like ageism a millennial twist and go deep into the future of work. Call it freedom 75. Keeping it real throughout is blunt insight from a geriatrician who says most of that data on your wearable device is poppycock. It’s quite a ride, this arc of life. You can find it on thestar.com or wherever you listen, to your favourite podcasts.
Below are links. It can be found opening available on Apple and Spotify, which provide transcripts. Episodes will also be on the Toronto Star’s paywall-protected landing page, as they run.
* https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-live-to-100-or-die-trying/id1865833115
* https://open.spotify.com/show/2Ui7nDTNiEYyMeYgZtMiep?si=qhcRVFCzS32RtK7gAX00Pw
* How to Live to 100 or Die Trying | Podcasts | The Star .
*** Marketplace’s 4-Part Series by Chris Farrell on the Vital Role of Social Security
* Part 1 — “Many retirees get by on nothing but Social Security,” by Chris Farrell, Marketplace Morning Report (Nov. 25, 2025). The Dek – “One in seven recipients ages 65 and older depend on Social Security for nearly all of their income.”
The Lede: “Social Security benefit payments reach more than 55 million retirees ages 65 and older. If not for Social Security, more than 37% of older adults would live below the official poverty line, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. But even with Social Security benefits, about 10% of older adults still live in poverty.”
* Part 2 – “Social Security income is vital to the middle-class retiree,” (Nov. 26): The Dek – “Still, the typical retiree also relies on other sources of income to boost everyday budgets.”
In Fact: “Social Security replaces only a portion of pre-retirement income, averaging some 40%. That’s why most retirees rely on other income sources, including 67-year-old Todd Kneebone.
* Part 3 — “Social Security payments to disabled workers keep families afloat,” (Nov. 28): The Dek – “The money is critical when grandparents raise grandkids.”
A Stat: “More than 900,000 children of disabled workers count on Social Security benefits.”
* Part 4 – — “The Social Security safety net protects children, not just retirees,” (Nov. 28): The Dek – “Survivor benefits include the young children of deceased workers.”
Survive: “Approximately 1.3 million minor children receive survivor benefits after the loss of a parent or parents who worked and paid Social Security taxes. The benefit can be life changing.”
*** “How Immigration Curbs Make Care Less Affordable For Seniors And Others,” by Howard Gleckman, Forbes (Dec. 16, 2025):
In a Nutshell: “As the Trump Administration’s immigration policies become more restrictive, shortages of care aides, as well as nurses and physicians, may be getting worse. The result: The cost of care is rising far beyond the ability of most families to pay. And adult children, often lower-income women, are being forced to leave their own jobs to care for parents.”
The Cost: “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly pay of a personal care aide last year was $16.78, up by almost one-third from $12.71 in 2019. And it very likely will be even higher in 2025.
“But that is only part of the story: . . . The Genworth/CareScout cost-of-care survey reports the cost of an aide rose from $23/hour in 2019 to $34/hour in 2025. And in many communities, the cost of is $40 an hour or more. Genworth/CareScout found the annual cost of home care aides for a typical family approached $78,000 last year.”
What’s Up: “The main reason costs are rising is the supply of aides is falling. More than 300,00 left the work force during the pandemic. Many never returned. Other aides are aging out, finding the work too physically challenging as they reach their 50s. And about one-third of home care workers are immigrants. Many now face deportation themselves or fear for family members.”
* Also see Gleckman’s “How New Medicare Payment Plans May Improve Patient Care And Save Money,” Forbes(Dec. 29, 2025): The journalist and Urban Institute policy analyst describes a possible cushion of hope for the most vulnerable Medicare and Medicaid recipients, but . . .
The Lede: “The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is rolling out several experimental payment models aimed at better coordinating care and, perhaps, saving Medicare money. .”
DOGED: “Yet, these initiatives seem inconsistent with other changes at the Department of Health and Human Services, which runs CMS. . . Earlier this year, it moved to abolish the Administration for Community Living and fired nearly half its staff. That office manages the Older Americans Act and the RAISE Act, both key federal initiatives aimed at providing social and other supports for older adults and their families.”
Maybe, Baby: “All these initiatives will evolve over time. Some may fail. And it is hard to square them with the budget law’s cuts to Medicaid that will limit care for low-income older adults and younger people with disabilities. But they have the potential to change the way doctors and hospitals think about their role in caring for patients. . . .”
*** “The Power of a Click: Digital Literacy Is a Necessary Tool for Healthy Aging,” by SweSwe Aye, Myanmar Gazette/American Community Media (Dec. 30, 2025, see original in-language version here). The Dek – “In the 21st century, digital literacy has transitioned from a luxury to a fundamental necessity for healthy aging. However, a significant digital divide persists, particularly among minority and low-income senior communities.”
The Lede: “In Oakland, Calif., 102-year-old U Mya uses YouTube and Messenger to maintain spiritual and social connections. ‘When I talk to my friends online, I don’t feel lonely anymore.’ he said. Within the U.S. Burmese community, digital literacy has become a lifeline.
Where?: “At [last November’s] Gerontological Society of America 2025 symposium, University of Central Florida researchers Dr. Ladda Thiamwong and Chitra Banerjee highlighted how digital health’s portability and real-time feedback empower underserved seniors.
A Quote: “‘Integrating digital health technologies that offer reminders and progress tracking can motivate low-income older adults to stay active and enhance both physical function and mental health,’ noted Dr. Thiamwong.”
But: “Despite the benefits, social inequalities persist. Dr. Su-I Hou utilized data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to expose a stark disparity: 93% of health-literate seniors come from financially secure backgrounds, compared to only 65% among those facing financial hardship. . . . ‘By bridging these digital gaps, we can lead our entire aging community toward healthier, more empowered lives,’ Dr. Hou explained.
The Journalists Network on Generations (JNG), founded in 1993, publishes Generations Beat Online News (GBONews.org). JNG provides information and networking opportunities for journalists covering generational issues, but not those representing services, products or lobbying agendas. Copyright 2026 Paul Kleyman. For more information contact GBO Editor Paul Kleyman.
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