LOS ANGELES—Loneliness is reaching epidemic proportions in America, particularly among those over 50, but there is hope for the issue coming from surprising places: scientific laboratories. This month’s issue of ATM includes a look at the new science of loneliness: who is most likely to succumb to it, the effects it has on physical health and surprising new approaches to tackle the problem that go far beyond simply more social interaction.

Other content perfect for the new year includes:

Live Longer

Fitness monitors and smart watches are all the rage, and other clever devices that instantly and constantly measure all aspects of your health are proliferating, from smart shoe inserts to small sensors on your back to constantly alert you of your posture. But do they really help? AARP outfitted six people with the latest gear and sent them off to see if they made any difference. Their first-person tales are fascinating and, ultimately, hopeful. Read about their discoveries, and how journalist Andrea Collier lost weight and lowered her blood pressure significantly in just one month.

PLUS:

ATM shares its annual “Life Made Easier” roundup of new products that can help solve everyday problems. Running low on storage for your smartphone? There’s a simple solution for that. Constantly misplacing your glasses and other items? There’s a device and app to help with that. Check out which other game-changing products can help make your life easier.

How Well Do You Know Your Body?

Test your knowledge of you and your body with this surprising and original AARP quiz. Then with each answer, learn what to do to improve your muscles, brain, skin and more.

Also in this issue of AARP The Magazine:

Annette Bening on Personal and Professional Freedom

Annette Bening – the two-time Golden Globe®-winner, Screen Actors Guild Award®-winner and four-time Academy Award®-nominee – opens up on the importance of family, professional freedom and navigating aging in Hollywood in an exclusive interview for the December/January issue of AARP The Magazine. On January 11, 2020, Bening will receive the Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award at AARP The Magazine’s 19th Annual Movies for Grownups® Awards in Los Angeles. The Awards ceremony will be broadcast by Great Performances on January 19, 2020, at 6 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/gperf, and the PBS Video App.

Fraud

Once, scammers tried to sweet talk you out of your money. That’s mostly changed: today, phone scammers are turning to hostile threats and scare tactics. AARP fraud AARP fraud expert Doug Shadel shares why this is happening, and why illogical threats are so effective in the moment in getting you to part with your money. Psychologist Roy Baumeister points out that the “mind is hardwired to react more strongly to negative than to positive things,” which seemingly plays into this new tactic. Read more about ways to avoid falling prey to these frightening scams in this month’s AARP issue.   

Money Saver

When was the last time you changed your checking account? The average person stays with the same financial institution for over 15 years; however, such loyalty may be misplaced. AARP shares findings from S&P Global Market Intelligence to help decide which bank and savings account is best suited for you and your needs. Find out if you prefer a major national bank, small community bank, credit union or online bank.

PLUS:

One of the greatest frights of single people in their later years is who they can rely on if their health or mind begin to fail. Finance expert Jean Chatzky provides tips and insights on what type of services and options are available, and whether you can trust them with such important matters.

Personal Best

For the past 37 years, ‘Wheel of Fortune’ co-host Vanna White has enjoyed spending her spare time crocheting. To the TV personality, the hobby is a form of therapy. She has even passed on her knitting knowledge to her 22-year-old daughter, making it a family tradition.

Hip Hop at Middle Age

Many of the pioneers and legends of hip-hop music are now past 50. In this exclusive AARP exploration of the world’s most popular musical style, we talk with many of the original legends (including Kurtis Blow, Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC, and Chuck D of Public Enemy) about their legacy, and how they have evolved as performers and people. 

The A List

Golden Globe®-winning actor Don Johnson takes on a new role in the recently released comedy-thriller Knives Out, playing a murder suspect driven by greed alongside co-stars Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Plummer. Although Johnson turns 70-years-old in December, he claims, “I don’t feel any different from the way I did when I was 16, basically – unruly and ill mannered, ya know?” Also in the A-List, keep dry for the holiday season and elect to be the designated driver. You’ll save thousands of calories and possibly some lives, as well.

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About AARP

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.