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For many people, old age is a time of significant personality change—but not necessarily in a good way, Faith Hill reports: https://theatln.tc/fVAD7Ykz
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Psychologists have identified certain major, measurable personality traits called the “Big Five”: agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, openness to experience, and neuroticism— that can change over time. New studies show the strongest personality changes tend to happen before age 30—and after 60. “In truth, personality can likely be nudged by our environment and our relationships—our commitments to other people, and their expectations for us—at any age. But before older adulthood, people might commonly be less pressed to change themselves; they can usually change their habits and environments instead,” Hill writes. “If someone is no longer strong enough to go to dinner parties every week, they might grow less extroverted; if someone needs to be more careful of physical dangers like falling, it makes sense that they’d grow more neurotic.” ⁠
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“At the same time, not all of the changes that come with old age are inevitable. And if older adults had more support from their communities and society, perhaps they’d be better able to command their circumstances—rather than having to compensate for factors slipping out of their grasp,” Hill continues at the link in our bio. “There’s a stereotype that older people are grumpy shut-ins—withering away inside while yelling at some kid to get off their lawn. That judgment is obviously sweeping and unfair, but perhaps it’s also emerged, in part, from some real tendencies—tendencies that might be better understood as justified reactions to a harsh and inaccessible world. America’s population is rapidly growing older … Perhaps we’d do well to consider what older people’s living conditions can push them to become.” ⁠
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📷: Martin Parr / Magnum

‘The Cash Monster Was Insatiable’: How Insurers Exploited Medicare for Billions By next year, half of Medicare beneficiaries will have a private Medicare Advantage plan. Most large insurers in the program have been accused in court of fraud.

Congratulations Melissa Allen! Melissa passed the Idaho State Bar this week. So while McCool Law will lose a great law clerk, we gain one awesome lawyer. Welcome to the Bar, Melissa.