Your Daily Aging Population Briefing

Aging Policy Takes Center Stage at NASHP's 2026 Annual Conference

• States are increasingly focused on aging policy, with recent discussions at the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) conference highlighting significant challenges such as direct care workforce shortages, rising demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS), and shifting Medicaid budgets. Policymakers are exploring improvements including better coordination between Medicare and Medicaid, planning for older adults who cannot afford long-term care but do not qualify for Medicaid, and leveraging data for informed resource allocation.

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• In a surprising scientific development, new research published on October 13, 2026, indicates that the body's cellular recycling system, known as autophagy, behaves differently during aging than previously understood, with higher activity sometimes linked to worse physical health. This challenges the long-held belief that autophagy simply slows down over time, suggesting that even gentle exercise could help restore more youthful cellular recycling patterns in older adults.

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• UPDATE: Northern Ireland Demographic Shift: A report from the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland, Siobhan Casey, issued a "wake-up call" to the government, projecting that older people will outnumber children by next year. The report forecasts a 44.7% increase in the population aged 65 and over by 2049, emphasizing the need for coordinated, long-term planning across all aspects of life in the region.

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