6:30 AM: Samantha wakes up to the alarm from her phone’s sleep tracker app. Still half asleep, she picks up her phone and glances at the screen — it looks like she got a good night’s sleep last night. Five full REM cycles, and she only woke up once, at 2:21 AM. As she makes breakfast, she’s careful not to put too much butter on her toast — her daily calorie counter app will adjust by suggesting a smaller allowance of calories for the rest of the day. As she walks out the door, she almost forgets...

Caregiving is more than just occasionally helping another person — it’s a lifestyle, and in many cases, a full-time job. In the midst of a growing need for caregiving resources nationwide, Santa Barbara County is taking critical steps to help community members first self-identify as caregivers and then reflect on the areas in which they need support. By quantifying and visualizing caregiving, Santa Barbara County hopes to learn how their local organizations and institutions can innovate...

When it comes to the typical American caregiver, most may envision a sweet, motherly, nurturing woman. They’d be surprised, then, to learn that 40 percent of America’s family caregivers are actually men. There are 16 million male caregivers in America, making up 2 of every 5 caregivers, according to a new groundbreaking study by AARP.

With Japan’s aging population and a changing society, caregiving is a complex issue. But new technological innovations may provide solutions that were once unimaginable. Dr. Michael Birt, PhD in Japanese Studies and Atlas of Caregiving advisory council member, has worked as a consultant for many large, multinational healthcare companies, a thriving sector in Japan. In 1990, Birt and a friend decided to open their own healthcare company focused on Japan’s aging population. He has since traveled

By focusing on the power of foresight, Institute for the Future (IFTF) has created a system of groundbreaking tools and techniques for providing the most accurate predictive information on society’s most pressing issues. One such issue is that of a rapidly aging society — and with it, a severe lack of caregivers. Richard Adler, a distinguished fellow at the IFTF, sees the country’s aging population as an economic challenge and an exciting opportunity for innovation. Whether it means creating co

Atlas of Caregiving and AARP share a common vision: creating a society in which caregiving is valued, supported and viewed as essential to a thriving population. Both organizations know that the statistics about America’s caregiving situation are daunting. First, there are the numerous health and emotional issues plaguing America’s 40 million-plus caregivers who don’t have the time to care for themselves — in fact, according to the Family Caregiver Alliance, approximately 40 to 70 percent of ca