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Staffing Shortages at Nursing Homes Continue: Report

Although the pandemic has ended, staffing shortages and employee burnout still plague U.S. nursing homes, a new government report finds.

But the problems didn't end there: The report, issued Thursday by the Inspector General's Office at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services...

As Pickleball's Popularity Has Soared, So Have Injuries

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 occurring in adults ages 60 to 69, finds a new analysis presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Or...

As Suicide Rates Climb, Older Men Are Most Vulnerable

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 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found there were about 30 suicide deaths for every 100,000 men ag...

Take These Steps to 'Fall-Proof' Your Home

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.

“If you've experienced a fall or have a fear of falling, you are at a higher risk of falling. Once an older adult...

Most Older Americans Object to Cancer Screening Cutoffs Based on Life Expectancy: Poll

While guidelines for cancer screening have begun factoring in life expectancy, a new poll shows a majority of older adults disagree with age cutoffs based on how long a person is expected to live.

The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging querie...

Experiment Shows Many Seniors Falling Prey to 'Impostor Scams'

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 knew how to handle the situation: They ignored it.

The rest, however, "engaged" with the "scammer." They either c...

Dementia Risk Rises as Activity Rates Fall

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 years old when information about typical daily activity routines was entered into the UK Biobank database at some point betw...

Your Hobby Could Help Keep Depression at Bay

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, volunteering, reading or being part of a club, according to the study, which spanned numerous countries and included more t...

Old Age & Heat Can Be Deadly Combo: Tips to Stay Safe

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 exhaustion and heatstroke.

“As we age, we become less efficient at noticing and adjusting to the heat,” geriatr...

Opening All Arteries Best When Heart Attack Strikes in Old Age: Study

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 frequently opt to open only the "culprit" blood vessel and leave other partially blocked vessels alone.

But new research...

Extreme Heat Taxes the Brain, and Some Face Higher Risks

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.

The study, of nearly 9,500 older U.S. adults, found that those with greater exposure to heat waves over 12 year...

Moderna or Pfizer? One COVID Shot May Be Safer for Older Adults

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 be preferred for older adults and older subgroups, such as those with increased frailty,” said lead study author

Could Metformin Help Seniors Bounce Back After Surgery?

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 target senescent cells that affect muscle function. These "zombie-like" cells release chemicals linked with inflammation...

Many Seniors With Thinking Declines Still Drive

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 studied this issue in a South Texas community. They found that more than 600 adults over age 65 in Nueces County had cognitiv...

Volunteering Late in Life May Keep Alzheimer's Away

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 researchers. Their findings were presented this week at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, in Amsterdam, in th...

While 8 in 10 Seniors See Wisdom of Dementia Screening, Few Have Been Tested: Poll

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 to decline, according to the University of Michigan's National Poll on Healthy Aging.

“As many as half of Am...

As the Popularity of Pickleball Soars, So Do Related Injuries, Poll Finds

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 they hurt their knees, wrists and rotator cuffs. Sports medicine experts are urging them not to ignore their nagging pai...

Want a Healthier, Happier Old Age? Get Moving

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 physical health, say the British researchers who tracked more than 1,400 adults age 60 and up.

“We set off to look at ...

Psychiatrists Tough to Find for Seniors in Medicare Advantage Plans

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% of all psychiatrists in a given service area.

“This means that many people who have coverage through Medicare A...

CDC Gives Full Approval to RSV Shots for People Over 60; Vaccines Available This Fall

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 made last week by an advisory panel of outside experts for a single dose of the vaccines made by Pfizer and GSK. The FDA ...

Reversing a Trend, Sicker Americans Are Staying With Medicare Managed Care Plans

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-picking” healthy patients, that's no longer the case, according to the research.

"This is not what a lot of people w...

CDC Panel Backs RSV Shots for Seniors

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 Arexvy and a v...

Seniors: Stay Social, Active for 'Optimal Aging,' Study Shows

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's observational nature prohibits the determination of causality, it makes intuitive sense that social activity is asso...

U.S. Nursing Homes Fail to Report Many Serious Falls, Bedsores: 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 Nursing Home Care Compare website in the 1990s to publicly report patient safety indicators for every nursing facility ...

Heavy Drinking Could Raise Your Risk for Frailty: Study

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.

“Losing muscle as we age leads to problems with weakness and frailty in later life,” said professor

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 25, 2023
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  • More Older Americans Use Online 'Patient Portals' to Access Care

    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 Poll on Healthy Aging.

    Five years ago, just 51% in this age range used patient portals, the researchers sai...

    1 in 5 U.S. Seniors Now Skip Meds Because of Cost

    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.

    "We also found that most respondents wanted to talk with their doctors about medication costs and would want their d...

    Rate of Fatal Falls Among U.S. Seniors Doubled in 20 Years

    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 was up from roughly 10,100 deaths in 1999.

    Adjusted for age, those numbers translated into a more than twofold incre...

    Drinking & Driving in the Senior Years: A Recipe for Disaster

    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 injury or fatality in a drug- or alcohol-related traffic accident," said lead author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 28, 2023
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  • In an Aging America, a Looming Shortage of Home Health Care Workers

    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 a much smaller growth in the pool of home care workers.

    The result: between 2013 and 2019, the number of availabl...

    Fatal Drug ODs Among U.S. Seniors Have Quadrupled in 20 Years

    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, the authors said.

    “The dramatic rise in overdose fatalities among adults over 65 years of age in the past two ...

    How to Prevent Falls: Tips for Older Adults

    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 fatal and non-fatal injuries among the elderly. However, falls are not a normal part of aging.

    So why do the elder...

    Injury-Proof Homes: Creating Safe Spaces for Older Adults

    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 place.

    But as a person ages, what used to be ordinary in the home can be challenging or even a hazard. Almost one-...

    Yoga Can Help Seniors Regain Their Strength

    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 walking speed.

    Experts said the findings suggest that yoga might help older adults manage some of the strength and m...

    After 3 Years of the Pandemic, Loneliness May Be Ebbing for America's Older Adults

    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 the University of Michigan researchers. They may go a week or longer without social contact from someone outside the hom...

    Reducing Home Hazards Cuts Seniors' Risk of Falling

    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 Cochrane Database of ...

    For Seniors on Antidepressants, Adding a Drug May Work Better Than Switching

    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 Abilify (aripiprazole) to the original antidepressant.

    “This is good news for older adults with difficult-to-trea...

    70 or Older? An Extra 500 Steps a Day Could Do Wonders for Your Heart

    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 make a difference in heart health.

    It's possible, according to researchers, that just 3,000 steps a day has benefit...

    FDA Panel Backs Second RSV Vaccine for Older Americans

    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 based largely on the results of a trial that tested the GlaxoSmithKline vaccine in the same age group. Those findings, publi...

    Bed Rails Can Help and Harm: FDA Gives Guidance

    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 reported to the FDA and the CPSC [U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission]," the FDA said in a new

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 1, 2023
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  • FDA Panel Backs Pfizer's RSV Vaccine for Older Americans

    In a tight vote, U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisors on Tuesday recommended the approval of an RSV vaccine that could be used in Americans ages 60 and up.

    The vaccine, known as RENOIR, was developed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. The same panel of advisors will weigh the potential approval of another respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, this one from GlaxoSmithKline, on...

    Two Vaccines May Soon Shield Seniors Against RSV

    Older people have vaccines available to prevent severe influenza and COVID-19, but there's been nothing to protect against the third respiratory virus that contributed to this season's wretched “triple-demic.”

    Until now.

    Two major pharmaceutical companies published clinical trial results this week that pave the way for an RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine to be available...

    There's Been a Big Decline in the Rate of Americans Hit by Disability

    A new study delivers some great news to older Americans, something many likely already realize in their daily lives.

    The prevalence of disabilities among seniors is down sharply from what it was just a decade before, researchers say.

    Fewer older adults have limitations in the activities that are an important part of daily life, from climbing stairs or walking without difficulty to...

    Golf Is Healthy Exercise for Seniors, Study Confirms

    Want to stay healthy well into your golden years? Grab a bag of clubs and hit the green, new research suggests.

    Golfing beat walking or even Nordic walking (a full-body workout that consists of walking using specialized poles) when it came to improving several key measures of heart health in the small study.

    “The results of this study are meant to encourage older adults to spend m...

    Sports-Linked Cardiac Arrest Rare in Seniors, Study Finds

    The saga of Damar Hamlin's recent collapse during a football game has thrown the dangers of sports-related cardiac arrest into the spotlight.

    What about this happening to someone much older?

    A new study brings reassuring news: It's rare for an older adult to have a sudden cardiac arrest during exercise, and those who do tend to have fewer health issues than those who experience ...

    Many Seniors Shunned In-Home Care During Pandemic, Worsening Health

    The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on older Americans.

    A new study finds that many older adults declined medically necessary in-home care during the height of the pandemic in 2020 for fear of contracting the coronavirus, but doing so may have led to new or worsening health conditions.<...

    'Spare Tire' in Middle Age Could Mean a Frail Old Age

    Any 'middle-age spread' of excess weight around your tummy could raise your risk of becoming frail decades later, a new study suggests.

    Obese folks who've packed on pounds around their waist are more likely to develop symptoms of frailty, including exhaustion, weak grip strength, slow walking speed and reduced physical activity levels, researchers say.

    Those symptoms can make a per...

    Feds to Investigate Overuse of Antipsychotic Drugs by Nursing Homes

    U.S. health officials say they plan to investigate whether some nursing homes are falsely labeling patients as schizophrenic so they can administer sedating antipsychotic drugs to them.

    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) noted that evidence of this abuse has grown over decades. It plans to launch an investigation of select nursing homes this month, the Associated Pre...

    Seniors, Make This Winter an Active & Healthy One

    Winter may feel like a time for hibernation, but it's important for seniors to safely keep up their hobbies and physical activity in the cold weather.

    “It's important to get outside as much as possible, whether it's temperate or even if it's colder, as long as it's safe to do so,” said Dr. Angela Catic...

    For Seniors, Declining Sense of Smell Could Signal Frailty

    Doctors already test seniors' hearing and vision. Sense of smell could be added to screenings one day, according to researchers who found links between its loss and risk of frailty in older adults.

    “We use our sense of smell to identify the threat of a fire or to enjoy the fragrance of flowers on a spring day. But just like vision and hearing, this sense weakens as we age,” said study...