Americans are unprepared for the expensive and complex process of aging – a geriatrician explains how they can start planning

By: Kahli Zietlow, University of Michigan, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: November 18, 2025

Words: 1,438

Last Updated: 6 days, 21 hours ago

Body Text Preview

By Kahli Zietlow, University of Michigan

Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in February 2025. Hackman had been living with Alzheimer’s and depended on Arakawa as his full-time caregiver.

Disturbingly, postmortem data suggests that Arakawa died of complications from pulmonary Hantavirus several days before her husband passed. The discordant times of death point to a grim scenario: Hackman was left alone and helpless, trapped …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us