Sources & Tools
Tools
Aging Smart Tips builds its guides on primary sources: government agencies, official program pages, and established nonprofits. This page collects the tools we have built, the datasets behind our data-driven guides, and every organization our sourced guides cite, so you can check our work or go straight to the source.
Tools
Each tool sits inside the guide it belongs to, next to the data it uses.
Data we use
These are the public datasets and official publications our data-driven guides rely on.
| Dataset or publication | Publisher | What we use it for | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Time Use Survey, 2025 results | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | How people 65 and older spend an average day, by activity | How Americans Over 65 Spend Their Day |
| Domestic Migration of Older Americans: 2015-2019 | U.S. Census Bureau | Where people 65 and older move, by state and region | Where Retirees Are Moving: What Census Data Shows |
| Federal per diem rates | U.S. General Services Administration | Benchmarks for lodging and meal costs on a long stay | What a Month Away Costs: A Slow-Travel Budget Built on Federal Per Diem Rates |
| Digest of Education Statistics, Table 303.50 | National Center for Education Statistics | How many older adults are enrolled in college | Learning After 60: How to Explore Classes, Degrees, or Just-for-Fun Learning |
| Older Adult Falls Data | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | How common falls are among adults 65 and older | Fall Prevention: Making Your Home Safer |
| Get the Facts on Senior Centers | National Council on Aging | How many senior centers there are and who uses them | What Senior Centers Offer Today and How to Try One Near You |
| U.S. Pickleball Participation | Sports & Fitness Industry Association | How many people play pickleball, by year | Pickleball After 60: Rules, Gear and Where to Start |
| National Senior Games rules and history | National Senior Games Association | Age rules, qualifying standards and participation at past Games | National Senior Games: Who Can Compete and How to Qualify |
Sources we cite
This directory lists 62 organizations cited across 29 guides, with the pages we used and the guides that cite them. Use the buttons to narrow the list to one section of the site.
source groups shown
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Older Adults: Adding Activity Recommendations
- Benefits of Physical Activity
- Older Adult Falls Data
- Patient & Caregiver Resources (STEADI - Older Adult Fall Prevention)
- Telehealth Interventions to Improve Chronic Disease
- Older Adult Activity: An Overview
- Physical Activity Benefits for Adults 65 or Older
- Facts About Older Adult Falls
- Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults
- Older Adults and Healthy Travel
- Mall Walking: A Program Resource Guide
Cited in: Staying Active After 60: Low-Impact Exercises That Work, Fall Prevention: Making Your Home Safer, Technology for Seniors: Staying Connected in the Digital Age, Walking vs. Strength Training After 50: What Experts Say Matters Most (and How to Combine Them), How to Prevent Winter Falls: Shoe Traction, Lighting, and the One Thing to Keep by the Door, 9 Smart Ways to Reduce Fall Risk at Home—Room by Room, Slow Travel in Retirement: Fewer Stops, Longer Stays, Walking Clubs for Older Adults: Types, Costs and How to Find One
National Institute on Aging
- Loneliness and Social Isolation — Tips for Staying Connected
- Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity
- Three Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability
- Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room
- Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Prevention
- Participating in Activities You Enjoy As You Age
- Long-Term Care Facilities: Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, and Other Residential Care
- How To Choose a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Care Facility
- Telehealth: What Is It, How to Prepare, Is It Covered?
- Cognitive Health and Older Adults
- Cold Weather Safety for Older Adults
Cited in: Loneliness Isn’t Inevitable—Here’s How to Build Connection at Any Age, Staying Active After 60: Low-Impact Exercises That Work, Fall Prevention: Making Your Home Safer, Volunteering Opportunities That Make a Difference, Thinking About a Retirement Community? Here’s What to Know Before You Move, Technology for Seniors: Staying Connected in the Digital Age, Learning After 60: How to Explore Classes, Degrees, or Just-for-Fun Learning, How to Prevent Winter Falls: Shoe Traction, Lighting, and the One Thing to Keep by the Door, 9 Smart Ways to Reduce Fall Risk at Home—Room by Room
Amtrak
National Senior Games Association
- 2027 National Senior Games, Tulsa
- National Senior Games frequently asked questions
- 2027 National Senior Games Rules (PDF)
- Registration
- State Games Information
- Florida Senior Games
- History of the NSGA
- Pickleball
Cited in: National Senior Games: Who Can Compete and How to Qualify, Pickleball After 60: Rules, Gear and Where to Start
AARP
- Make a Difference Through Virtual Volunteering
- Discover the Lasting Rewards of Volunteering With AARP in Your State
- How Continuing Care Retirement Communities Work
- Senior Planet, AARP's Virtual Community Center Offer Free Classes About Smartphones
- Free or Cheap College Courses for Older Adults in All 50 States
- Work and Jobs - Tools, Tips and Resources For The 50+
- Start a Walking Group
Cited in: Volunteering Opportunities That Make a Difference, Thinking About a Retirement Community? Here’s What to Know Before You Move, Technology for Seniors: Staying Connected in the Digital Age, Learning After 60: How to Explore Classes, Degrees, or Just-for-Fun Learning, Encore Careers: How to Start a Second Act in Retirement, Walking Clubs for Older Adults: Types, Costs and How to Find One
AmeriCorps
- AmeriCorps Seniors
- AmeriCorps Seniors
- AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program
- AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP
- AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program
- Fit Finder
Cited in: Loneliness Isn’t Inevitable—Here’s How to Build Connection at Any Age, Volunteering Opportunities That Make a Difference, How AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteer Programs Work
Federal Trade Commission
- How To Avoid a Scam
- What To Do if You Were Scammed
- Protect Your Personal Information From Hackers and Scammers
- Donating Safely and Avoiding Scams
- Before Giving to a Charity
- Avoid Scams When You Travel
Cited in: Protecting Yourself from Financial Scams and Fraud, Technology for Seniors: Staying Connected in the Digital Age, How to Avoid Holiday Charity Scams: The Red Flags Consumer Experts Want You to Know, Slow Travel in Retirement: Fewer Stops, Longer Stays
U.S. Census Bureau
Administration for Community Living
- Preventing Falls at Home
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities
- Senior Centers and Supportive Services for Older Adults
- Eldercare Locator
Cited in: Fall Prevention: Making Your Home Safer, Thinking About a Retirement Community? Here’s What to Know Before You Move, What Senior Centers Offer Today and How to Try One Near You
Cohousing Association of the United States
Cited in: Senior Co-Housing: What It Costs and How to Find a Community
National Council on Aging
- The Top 5 Financial Scams Targeting Older Adults
- Winter Fall Prevention Tips for Older Adults
- Get the Facts on Senior Centers
- Facts and Benefits About Senior Centers You Probably Didn't Know
Cited in: Protecting Yourself from Financial Scams and Fraud, How to Prevent Winter Falls: Shoe Traction, Lighting, and the One Thing to Keep by the Door, What Senior Centers Offer Today and How to Try One Near You
National Park Service
Cited in: The National Parks Senior Pass: What It Covers and How to Use It, Walking Clubs for Older Adults: Types, Costs and How to Find One
Transportation Security Administration
Cited in: Passport, TSA PreCheck and Global Entry: Which Are Worth It for Occasional Travelers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Older workers: Labor force trends and career options
- American Time Use Survey: 2025 Results
- Table 3: Time spent in primary activities by age and sex
- Table 11A: Time spent in leisure and sports activities by selected characteristics
Cited in: Encore Careers: How to Start a Second Act in Retirement, How Americans Over 65 Spend Their Day
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- How to Apply for Global Entry
- Trusted Traveler Programs Fee Changes
- Global Entry Frequently Asked Questions
- Mobile Passport Control
Cited in: Passport, TSA PreCheck and Global Entry: Which Are Worth It for Occasional Travelers
U.S. Department of State
Cited in: Slow Travel in Retirement: Fewer Stops, Longer Stays, Passport, TSA PreCheck and Global Entry: Which Are Worth It for Occasional Travelers
Internal Revenue Service
- Taxpayers can find legitimate charities using the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool
- Topic no. 420, Bartering income
- Bartering and trading? Each transaction is taxable to both parties
Cited in: How to Avoid Holiday Charity Scams: The Red Flags Consumer Experts Want You to Know, Trading Skills Instead of Cash: How Bartering Works in Retirement
StoryCorps
Cited in: Recording a Family Member's Life Story: A Step-by-Step Guide
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Social Connection
- Top 10 Things to Know About the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
- Top 10 Things to Know About the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
Cited in: Loneliness Isn’t Inevitable—Here’s How to Build Connection at Any Age, Staying Active After 60: Low-Impact Exercises That Work, Walking vs. Strength Training After 50: What Experts Say Matters Most (and How to Combine Them), Walking Clubs for Older Adults: Types, Costs and How to Find One
USA Pickleball
Cited in: Pickleball After 60: Rules, Gear and Where to Start
American Volkssport Association
Cited in: Walking Clubs for Older Adults: Types, Costs and How to Find One
Library of Congress
Cited in: Recording a Family Member's Life Story: A Step-by-Step Guide
National Archives
Cited in: Recording a Family Member's Life Story: A Step-by-Step Guide
National Institutes of Health
- Dr. Roger Fielding on Strength Training for Older Adults
- Stay connected: Tips from the National Institute on Aging for combating social isolation and loneliness
Cited in: Walking vs. Strength Training After 50: What Experts Say Matters Most (and How to Combine Them), Trading Skills Instead of Cash: How Bartering Works in Retirement
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Cited in: Recording a Family Member's Life Story: A Step-by-Step Guide
U.S. General Services Administration
Cited in: What a Month Away Costs: A Slow-Travel Budget Built on Federal Per Diem Rates
American Heart Association
Cited in: Walking vs. Strength Training After 50: What Experts Say Matters Most (and How to Combine Them)
BBB Wise Giving Alliance
Cited in: How to Avoid Holiday Charity Scams: The Red Flags Consumer Experts Want You to Know
Charity Navigator
Cited in: How to Avoid Holiday Charity Scams: The Red Flags Consumer Experts Want You to Know
City of Phoenix
Cited in: What Senior Centers Offer Today and How to Try One Near You
City of Santa Clara
Cited in: What Senior Centers Offer Today and How to Try One Near You
Federal Register
Cited in: Passport, TSA PreCheck and Global Entry: Which Are Worth It for Occasional Travelers
Harvard Health Publishing
Cited in: Learning After 60: How to Explore Classes, Degrees, or Just-for-Fun Learning
Medicare.gov
Cited in: Loneliness Isn’t Inevitable—Here’s How to Build Connection at Any Age
National Center for Education Statistics
Cited in: Learning After 60: How to Explore Classes, Degrees, or Just-for-Fun Learning
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Cited in: How to Prevent Winter Falls: Shoe Traction, Lighting, and the One Thing to Keep by the Door
Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes National Resource Center
Cited in: Learning After 60: How to Explore Classes, Degrees, or Just-for-Fun Learning, Auditing College Classes After 60: How It Works at Universities in 10 States
Pew Research Center
Cited in: Technology for Seniors: Staying Connected in the Digital Age
Recreation.gov
Cited in: The National Parks Senior Pass: What It Covers and How to Use It
Sports & Fitness Industry Association
Cited in: Pickleball After 60: Rules, Gear and Where to Start
The Bernard Osher Foundation
Cited in: Auditing College Classes After 60: How It Works at Universities in 10 States
TimeBanks
Cited in: Trading Skills Instead of Cash: How Bartering Works in Retirement
U.S. Department of Justice
Cited in: Protecting Yourself from Financial Scams and Fraud
U.S. Geological Survey
Cited in: The National Parks Senior Pass: What It Covers and How to Use It
U.S. Small Business Administration
Cited in: Encore Careers: How to Start a Second Act in Retirement
USAging
Cited in: What Senior Centers Offer Today and How to Try One Near You
University of Essex
Cited in: Loneliness Isn’t Inevitable—Here’s How to Build Connection at Any Age
Walk with a Doc
Cited in: Walking Clubs for Older Adults: Types, Costs and How to Find One
State universities (senior audit policies)
- University of Minnesota
- Ohio State University
- University of Maryland Global Campus
- University of Central Florida
- George Mason University
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- University of Connecticut
- University at Buffalo
- Appalachian State University
- University of Kansas
- University of Maine
Cited in: Auditing College Classes After 60: How It Works at Universities in 10 States
How we check and correct
Our sourced guides link to the pages their facts come from and list them at the end of the article. We are adding source lists to our older guides, and we update a guide when the rules, prices, or figures behind it change.
If you find something that is wrong or out of date, email us through the Contact page with the subject line "Correction or Update".
Last reviewed: November 13, 2026.
