Men’s military service may shape wives’ experience of widowhood
Among older widows, wives of military veterans are less likely to say they feel lonely and more likely to report…
Mental health declining among older U.S. adults, poor hardest hit
(Reuters Health) – Many older Americans have experienced more days of poor mental health in recent years, particularly individuals with…
End of life planning tied to longer survival with terminal illness
(Reuters Health) – (Reuters Health) – Terminally-ill patients who discussed their options for end-of-life care tended to survive longer than…
Supplements touting brain benefits may contain unauthorized ingredient
(Reuters Health) – Many supplements marketed for brain health may contain piracetam, an ingredient not proven effective for preventing or…
Large waist in normal-weight elderly tied to higher dementia risk
(Reuters Health) – Older adults with normal weight but a wider waist may be at a higher risk of developing…
Poor hand hygiene may be biggest transmitter of superbug E.coli
(Reuters Health) – One of the best ways to cut down on antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections would be making sure…
Poll finds older adults not fully prepared for emergencies
(Reuters Health) – While most older adults say they are confident they’re ready to handle emergencies like natural disasters or…
Medicare Advantage home healthcare may not be best quality
(Reuters Health) – Older Americans who get home healthcare through traditional Medicare plans may have access to better quality services…
Hospitals treat patients without admitting them, to avoid penalties
(Reuters Health) – Hospitals appear to be treating Medicare patients in emergency departments (EDs) and observation areas to avoid readmissions…
VA facilities offering cochlear implants to vets are few and far between
(Reuters Health) – Even though American veterans are at high risk for the type of hearing loss that may be…
Dementia caregiving takes toll on sleep
(Reuters Health) – Family caregivers for dementia patients don’t sleep as long or as well as other adults of the…
Cutting back on vegetable protein tied to unhealthy aging
(Reuters Health) – Older adults who cut back on the amount of vegetable protein in their diets may be more…
High levels of exhaust pollutants may raise risk for degenerative eye disease
(Reuters Health) – Exposure to high levels of exhaust may raise the risk of the vision robbing disease called age-related…
Major surgeries linked to small decline in mental functioning in older age
(Reuters Health) – Major surgery may be tied to a small decline in cognitive functioning when we are older –…
In extreme heat, electric fans inadvisable unless it’s humid
In extreme heat, electric fans may offer some relief when it’s very humid, but when temps are dangerously high and…
More than 1 in 10 U.S. elderly are binge drinkers
(Reuters Health) – – Binge drinking, often associated with young adults, isn’t as rare as some might think among older…
Yellow lens glasses don’t improve drivers’ night vision
(Reuters Health) – – Touted to improve nighttime eyesight, yellow lens glasses don’t help drivers see better and may, in…
Active sex life tied to long-term survival after a heart attack
(Reuters Health) – Heart attack survivors who have an active sex life are less likely than celibate counterparts to die…
Home health care aides often face verbal abuse from clients
For many home healthcare aides, verbal abuse from clients or clients’ family is a real problem, a U.S. study suggests.…
Poor diet quality tied to frailty in older adults
(Reuters Health) – When older people eat a poor-quality diet, they may be increasing their odds of becoming frail, a…
Vehicle infotainment systems dangerously distracting, especially for seniors
(Reuters Health) – Many of the interactive information and entertainment systems turning up in newer cars may be distracting enough…
Nursing home residents often have preventable complications after hospital stay
(Reuters Health) – Many nursing home residents who are hospitalized develop preventable health problems after they go back to the…
Pets may help older adults manage chronic pain
(Reuters Health) – People with pets may be able to use their companion animals to practice techniques for managing chronic…
Sex less likely and less satisfying as women hit older age
(Reuters Health) – The number of women who have sex regularly falls off with age as does the number who…
Caregiver depression tied to more ER visits for dementia patients
(Reuters Health) – Dementia patients may go to the emergency room more often when their caregivers are depressed, a recent…
WHO keeps key lung cancer drugs off its essential medicines list
GENEVA/ZURICH (Reuters) – Immunotherapies that have emerged as a breakthrough in treating lung cancer have been rejected for inclusion on…
Older women have higher heart disease risk with ‘apple’ shape
(Reuters Health) – Older women who are at a healthy weight may be more likely to develop heart disease when…
U.S wages lost to unpaid family care to hit $147 billion by 2050
As the U.S. population ages, the total annual cost of lost wages for unpaid family caregiving is on track to…
Music playlists could help dementia patients
Personalized music playlists that rekindle memories of childhood and happy moments may bring joy to dementia patients, because music can…
Heart problems may hasten cognitive decline
(Reuters Health) – Adults with clogged arteries carrying blood to the heart may be more prone to cognitive decline than…
When elders leave hospital, falls are big reason they return
(Reuters Health) – Preventing falls among elderly patients who’ve just left the hospital is an important part of keeping them…
Financial scam victims have higher risk of Alzheimer’s
(Reuters Health) – Older adults who are victims of financial scams may be more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s…
Frailty before surgery tied to more complications, higher costs
(The March 28 story was refiled to correct the source URL at end of the story) By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters…
Seniors increasingly breaking bones while walking dogs
(Reuters Health) – Older adults who walk their dogs on a leash have been breaking bones at an increasing rate,…
Yoga linked to lowered blood pressure with regular practice
(Reuters Health) – Adults who practice yoga with breathing and relaxation exercises at least three times a week may have…
One-floor living helps seniors ‘age in place’
(Reuters Health) – Older adults are less likely to need to change residences if their homes have certain features, including…
Women’s sexual health after menopause may be best treated by gynecologists
(Reuters Health) – Postmenopausal women who experience problems like vaginal dryness, painful intercourse or urinary incontinence may want to see…
Dementia risk doubles right after a stroke
(Reuters Health) – People who have recently experienced a stroke may be more than twice as likely to develop dementia…
Shingrix vaccine makes shingles less severe, disruptive to quality of life
(Reuters Health) – The vaccine Shingrix prevents shingles, and if people do contract the virus, it reduces the severity of…
Southeast Asia haze tied to hospitalization for breathing problems
(Reuters Health) – People are more likely to be hospitalized for respiratory disorders during the annual haze season in Southeast…
VA health systems vary widely in heart disease death rates
(Reuters Health) – Heart disease death rates vary substantially at Veterans Affairs hospitals nationwide, and a new study suggests that…
Fewer dementia patients die after surgery when nurses more educated
(Reuters Health) – Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia may be less likely to die after surgery when they’re treated…
Income, education tied to physical function in old age
(Reuters Health) – People with lower socioeconomic status may have fewer years of good physical functioning in old age than…
Top-quality nursing homes harder to access with mental health issues
(Reuters Health) – Even people with common and often treatable mental health problems like depression and anxiety may have a…