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Older people said they empathized with and welcomed President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race—finding parallels in their own lives when they grappled with the right time to walk away. People who have wrestled with when to step back say the reckoning is difficult, especially when the stakes are high. They don’t always recognize or want to admit that they are no longer up to their former tasks. Some who foresee that possibility ask confidants to tell them if they’re not functioning as well as needed. (Ansberry, 7/23)

President Biden was seen boarding Air Force One in Delaware on Tuesday, marking the first time he has been seen in public since being diagnosed with COVID-19 on July 17. The president held a mask in one hand as he gave onlookers a thumbs-up and a salute before disappearing into the plane. (Rudy, 7/23)

When people choose to retire, it’s generally a positive experience, without a sizable effect on mental health. But stepping away from a high-powered job, whether toward full retirement or a substantial reduction in work, is fraught for many Americans. And it’s especially difficult for Biden’s demographic: highly educated men who have continued working far past 65, the average retirement age for men. (Locke, 7/23)

The United States is facing crunch time for its Social Security program: In a decade, according to the latest projections, the trust fund for this massive safety net for retirees and the disabled will be depleted, triggering sharp cuts to benefits unless lawmakers take action to bring more money in, spend less or do both. So far, neither Democrats nor Republicans have made shoring up Social Security central in this year’s elections. But some American policy experts are looking abroad for lessons. (Weil, 7/21)