20 Nov
A new study finds people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 50 are nearly twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those diagnosed at 70. Researchers say the link is especially strong in those with obesity.
23 Oct
The divorce rate among people 65+ nearly tripled from 1990 to 2022, and it looks like Baby Boomers are driving the trend.
22 Jul
A new study finds a daily supplement of antioxidants and minerals may slow central vision loss in people with late dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Public concerns about contracting RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) have significantly declined during the past year, a new survey shows.
About 1 in 4 people (26%) are now worried that ...
The Biden administration said Thursday that it has signed deals with drug companies that will lower the prices on 10 of the most popular and expensive drugs used by American seniors.
Taxpayers should save $6 billion because of the new prices, while seniors using Medicare...
Financial stress persists even though rising inflation rates have eased, and the group feeling the pinch most acutely is in its peak earning years, a new poll shows.
"Our biggest surprise from this poll is that the age group most likely to be affected or stressed by pres...
Heart valve disease is much more common in aging adults that has been thought, a new study warns.
More than a quarter of healthy and symptom-free people aged 60 and older had previously undetected heart valve disease, researchers report.
"Our findings showed that m...
In new vaccination guidance issued Wednesday, U.S. health officials now recommend that all Americans aged 75 and older get an RSV vaccine before fall arrives.
However, those a bit younger -- ages 60 to 74 -- should only seek the shot if they are vulnerable to severe RSV ...
Independent living is important for seniors, but a new study shows it might not be the best thing for their health.
Older adults living in senior housing tended to have better health than those who remain in their own homes, researchers found.
People in senior hous...
The legalization of cannabis and the popularity of its edible versions is having an unexpected effect: More seniors landing in emergency departments with overdoses.
A new Canadian study found "cannabis poisonings" in the province of Ontario tripled among older users afte...
People's idea of "old age"is aging itself, with middle-aged folks and seniors believing that old age starts later in life than did peers from decades ago, a new study finds.
The study revolves around the question "At what age would you describe someone as old?"
Dec...
Most seniors have embraced "doc-in-a-box"strip mall clinics and urgent care centers as a means of getting prompt medical care, a new poll has found.
About 60% of people ages 50 to 80 have visited an urgent care center or a retail health clinic during the past two years -...
Some slow-growing cases of leukemia don't need constant surveillance by cancer specialists, a new study claims.
Low-risk patients with slow-growing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and no symptoms fared well even after they stopped seeing doctors for specialized blood ...
Although the pandemic has ended, staffing shortages and employee burnout still plague U.S. nursing homes, a new government report finds.
Pickleball has become the darling of older folks trying to stay in shape, but new research shows that with that popularity has come a surge in serious injuries.
Bone fractures related to pickleball have increased 90-fold over the last 20 years, with most injuries occurri...
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 15, 2023 (Healthday News) -- As U.S. suicide rates continue to rise, new government data shows older men have become the most susceptible.
In a report published Wednesday, researchers fr...
The risk of falls increases in older age, and along with it, the risk for serious physical or psychological damage, but there are steps people can take to help prevent these accidents.
Each year, about 27% of adults 65 and older fall and about 10% of those are injured.
While guidelines for cancer screening have begun factoring in life expectancy, a new poll shows a majority of older adults disagree with age cutoff...
Many older adults are savvy about telephone scams, but a sizable minority remain vulnerable, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that when they simulated a "government impersonation" scam -- contacting seniors and pretending to be federal employees -- over two-thirds...
Bolstering the notion that a strong body equals a strong mind, new research indicates that the more inactive seniors are, the higher their risk for dementia.
The finding stems from a look at the onset of dementia among nearly 50,000 Brits.
All were at least 60 year...
Seniors, pick up those knitting needles, some paintbrushes or that favorite novel, because new research suggests that having a hobby is linked to having lower depression in older people.
Hobbies might include anything from gardening to playing games, arts and crafts, vol...
Hot weather can pose serious health risks for older adults.
Existing medical conditions, problems moving around and medications raise the risk of heatstroke, according to an expert at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Being prepared can help prevent heat e...
After a heart attack, elderly adults have better odds for improved health and survival if all major heart vessels are cleared, not just the one that caused the heart attack.
Because these patients often have other medical conditions and may be frail, doctors frequen...
With 2023 predicted to be the hottest year on record, a new study is pointing to another potential consequence of heat waves: faster declines in older adults' memory and thinking skills.
While both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are considered safe and highly effective, new research finds the Moderna shot has been the safest and most effective for seniors.
"The results of this study can help public health experts weigh which mRNA vaccine might...
The diabetes drug metformin might also benefit older patients after an injury or illness, a small study suggests.
Researchers found that metformin -- a drug that has been around for more than a half-century to regulate blood sugar -- may have a different ability: It can ...
Getting older adults who are failing mentally to relinquish their car keys can be challenging. But those conversations are necessary, said researchers who found a majority of adults with cognitive impairment still get behind the wheel.
Michigan Medicine researchers studi...
Many retirees opt to volunteer as a way to help others, but new research suggests this act can also benefit volunteers' brain health.
Volunteering later in life may provide protection for the brain from both cognitive (mental) decline and dementia, according to researche...
Most older adults think that screening for dementia is a good idea, according to a new poll on aging. But few actually take that step.
Only about 20% of those aged 65 to 80 had a screening test in the past year to see if their memory and thinking abilities have started t...
Pickleball is a hot trend and it's getting folks exercising who haven't been so active in a long time.
It's also racking up injuries -- both overuse type and acute traumas -- often in those aged 50 and up.
A new poll suggests these players are forgoing care when th...
The couch potato life may not be a happy one.
When older adults become more sedentary, their overall quality of life takes a hit, new research cautions.
Sitting still is your enemy, the study suggests. Even slow walking can help improve your mental and physica...
U.S. seniors with mental health needs may not have much access to psychiatrists who could help them, new research shows.
Despite an overall heightened demand for mental health services, nearly two-thirds of Medicare Advantage psychiatrist networks included less than 25%...
Americans ages 60 and up can get their vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this fall, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday.
On Thursday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the outgoing CDC director, gave her signature to a recommendation m...
A new study shows that older Americans with health issues are now staying with their Medicare Advantage managed plans, rather than swapping them for traditional plans through a health insurer.
Although Medicare Advantage has been criticized in the past for "cherry-pickin...
An advisory panel of the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted on Wednesday to recommend the first RSV vaccines for seniors.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already approved the vaccines, one made by GSK called
The benefits of friendships and activity aren't just for the young.
Staying socially active can also help older adults age their best, according to new research that pinpoints volunteering and recreational activities as important for seniors.
"Although the study'...
A federal website intended to help people choose a nursing home not only contains inaccurate information, but those inaccuracies appear to be at least partially driven by race, a new study reports.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established the...
Drinking heavily while younger puts you at risk for muscle loss and frailty later in life, new research suggests.
These findings are another reason to cut back on the booze, according to the research team from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the United Kingdom.
Older Americans are increasingly likely to log into "patient portals"to access their health care information -- but confidence levels vary.
About 78% of people aged 50 to 80 now use at least one patient portal, according to the new University of Michigan (U-M) National ...
Many seniors skip or stretch prescription medications due to costs despite being insured by Medicare, a new U.S. study finds.
Roughly 20% of older adults reported taking less medication than prescribed or not taking medication because of cost, the researchers found.
Older Americans are dying of falls at more than double the rate of 20 years ago -- with women, men and all racial groups showing increases, according to a new study.
In 2020, the study found, just over 36,500 Americans age 65 and up died of a fall-related injury. That wa...
Older drivers using alcohol or drugs are much more likely to be at fault in a car crash.
Researchers studying the issue say that calls for sober-driving campaigns aimed at seniors.
"Our research shows just how much aging increases the risk of being at fault for in...
Over the last decade, an aging American population has increasingly turned away from nursing homes in favor of trained caregivers who can provide critical help in the home with basic daily tasks.
But a new investigation warns the need for at-home care has vastly outpaced...
Drug overdose deaths -- both accidental and intentional -- have quadrupled over the past 20 years among older adults in the United States, a new study finds.
This increase in people ages 65 and older suggests the need for greater mental health and substance use policies,...
For older Americans, a fall is no laughing matter.
According to the National Council on Aging, more than 1 in 4 people over age 65 fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of ...
There's nothing like the comfort and security of home. For many, a home is a place filled with fond memories of happy times.
It's no wonder older adults choose to extend their independence by trying to stay in their homes as they get older, an experience called aging in ...
Practicing yoga might help older adults become a little surer on their feet, a new research review suggests.
The review, of 33 small clinical trials, found that older adults who participated in yoga programs typically gained some lower-body strength and boosted their wal...
On the third anniversary of the pandemic, a new poll shows fewer older adults are experiencing loneliness and isolation though the numbers are still high.
About one-third of adults aged 50 to 80 still sometimes or often experience isolation and loneliness, according to ...
Nearly one-third of older people fall each year, most of them in their own homes. But it's possible to reduce those numbers by a quarter, according to a new study.
Five steps can cut the risk of falls by 26%, the researchers reported in the March 10 issue of the
Many older adults with depression don't respond to their first antidepressant, so doctors will switch them to another one to see if that does the trick.
Now, new research suggests that the best strategy for these folks may instead be to add the antipsychotic drug A...
While the idea of getting 10,000 steps a day is bandied about as a good walking goal, that can be intimidating to some people, depending on how fit they are.
Now, new research in adults between the ages of 70 and 90 finds that a much smaller number of steps can ma...
Following hours of discussion over safety concerns, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Wednesday recommended approval of a second RSV vaccine, this one made by GlaxoSmithKline, for use in Americans ages 60 and older.
The panel's recommendation was base...
While adult bed rails are marketed with safety in mind, they need to be used with caution, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises.
"Many death and injury reports related to entrapment and falls for adult portable bed rail products and hospital bed rails have been ...