The Guide Library
Plain-English guides to the big questions of life after 60 — health, money, scams, home, and staying connected. Seven live now. More added every week. Every guide follows the same twelve-part structure so you always know what you’re getting.
What every guide covers
Every Seniors Mind guide follows the same twelve-part structure — so you always know what’s in it before you start reading.
Medicare, Explained
Parts A, B, C, and D — what each one actually covers, what you pay in 2026, when to sign up, and the questions to ask before you choose a plan.
When to Claim Social Security
The single biggest retirement income decision most Americans make — the math, the exceptions, the spousal strategy, and the 2026 numbers.
Phone Scams: The 7 Red Flags
Every phone scam targeting older adults depends on the same seven things. Know them in advance and you can recognize a scam while it’s still on the line.
Aging-in-Place Home Checklist
A room-by-room guide to making your home safer for independent living — from free fixes you can do today to the structural changes worth budgeting for.
Better Sleep After 65
Poor sleep is common among older adults — but it is not inevitable. What actually changes about sleep as you age, and what the evidence says works.
Video Calling, Without the Headache
Which app to use, how to set it up in plain steps, the tips that make calls actually work, and how to stay safe while doing it.
Grandparents’ Guide to Today’s Phones
What the different phones actually are, which one makes sense for you, the settings that make any phone easier to use, and what to watch out for.
How to Talk to a Parent Who’s Been Scammed
Without shame, without arguing, and without making them hide it from you next time. A short conversational guide for adult children.
The “Medicare card renewal” call is back — and it sounds different this time
A caller claiming to be from Medicare says your card needs updating for the 2026 plan year and asks you to confirm your number. Here’s exactly what they say, why it works, and the two-word response that ends the call.
What we’re writing next
We publish one new guide each week. Here’s the current order.
- SM-008 Reading medication labels correctly Health This week
- SM-009 Downsizing without the regret Home Next week
- SM-010 The IRS impersonation scam, decoded Scams August
- SM-011 Hearing aids: what to try before you buy Health August
- SM-012 Estate basics: wills, POAs, and what actually happens Money August
- SM-013 Senior discounts worth actually using Money September
- SM-014 Managing chronic pain: what helps, what doesn’t Health September
- SM-015 Choosing a Medicare Advantage plan that actually fits you Money Before Oct 15
Have a topic you’d like us to prioritize? Tell us — we read every message.