December 18, 2024
(Washington Post via MSN) – A panel of independent health experts recommended Tuesday against older adults using vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent falls and fractures, citing inadequate evidence to support their effectiveness. The guidance from the U.S. Preventive … Read More
December 17, 2024
(Wired) – The protective proteins in our bodies aren’t just great for fending off infection—they could also fight the effects of getting older. The antibodies can gum up the workings of a marauding germ or mark it for destruction by … Read More
December 13, 2024
(New York Times) – A trio of relatives in New Jersey defrauded the state’s Medicaid program out of millions of dollars while neglecting patient care, the state comptroller found. Three men running a group of nursing homes in New Jersey … Read More
December 6, 2024
(Wall Street Journal) – Patients who leave Medicare plans run by private insurance companies in favor of traditional Medicare end up costing the government much more than typical patients, according to a new analysis by health-policy nonprofit KFF, raising the … Read More
December 4, 2024
(Nature) – Survey of scientists who study ageing finds no consensus on the fundamentals. Researchers studying ageing disagree on just about everything — including what ageing is, whether it is a disease and when it starts — according to a … Read More
December 2, 2024
(Wall Street Journal) – America’s drug crisis has many survivors. Jerry Schlesinger, 72, is among the longest tenured. He tried heroin at 15. Today, he has been sober for two years. In between, decades of illicit drug use wrecked his … Read More
November 25, 2024
(New York Times) – Medical care can be wearying and time-consuming, especially for seniors. Researchers are beginning to quantify the burdens. Analyzing data from traditional Medicare for 2019, her team reported that beneficiaries over 65 averaged about 17 contact days … Read More
November 22, 2024
(Plough) – A husband caring for a loved one with dementia finds dark valleys, but also limitless spiritual resources. Sherwin B. Nuland, MD, in How We Die, describes the experience of dementia caregivers as “spiritually exhausting.” At times, that was my … Read More
November 18, 2024
(Medscape) – The prevalence of and number of deaths from alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are growing among people age 70 and older in the United States, according to the results of a new study. Even … Read More
November 12, 2024
(New York Times) – What should be expected of an intimate partner when a companion suffers a health crisis? Seniors and their families increasingly confront the question. “We have a clear and shared understanding of what it means to be … Read More
November 11, 2024
(Wall Street Journal) – While marijuana can help calm agitation, there are risks Roughly 20% of the people who come for a cannabis consultation now are dementia patients, says Dr. Jeffrey Hergenrather, a general practitioner in Sebastopol, Calif., who has … Read More
October 28, 2024
Bioethics (vol. 38, no. 9, 2024) is available online by subscription only. Articles include:
October 23, 2024
(CNN) – A CNN investigation reveals how deceptive political fundraising has misled elderly Americans into giving away millions of dollars More than 1,000 reports filed with government agencies and consumer advocacy groups reviewed by CNN, along with an analysis of … Read More
October 21, 2024
(9 News) – An 86-year-old with terminal lung and heart problems has applied to end his own life because of blown-out wait times for federal government assistance. Cyril Tooze is one of 70,000 elderly Australians left waiting to receive at-home … Read More
October 15, 2024
(KFF Health News) – Portacolone got to work and now leads the Living Alone With Cognitive Impairment Project at UCSF. The project estimates that that at least 4.3 million people 55 or older who have cognitive impairment or dementia live … Read More
October 15, 2024
(Axios) – What they found: While doses are calculated individually based on patient weight, the current vial sizes could lead to 5.8% of the dispensed drug being wasted, the UCLA researchers calculated. That comes out to $1,619 of unnecessary spending … Read More
October 7, 2024
Nursing Ethics (vol. 31, no. 6, 2024) is available online by subscription only. Articles include:
September 26, 2024
(Undark) – The rate of antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes has remained stubbornly high. Experts are concerned about misuse. A new analysis of more than 12,000 nursing homes by the Long Term Care Community Coalition, or LTCCC, a New … Read More
September 17, 2024
(TIME) – AMR is becoming an especially large problem for the elderly. Adults above the age of 70 have experienced an over 80% increase in deaths attributed to AMR from 1990 to 2021, while deaths among children have decreased by … Read More
September 17, 2024
(KFF Health News) – Norington is part of a large but often overlooked group: the more than 16 million Americans living alone while growing old. Surprisingly little is known about their experiences. This slice of the older population has significant … Read More
September 10, 2024
The New England Journal of Medicine (vol. 391, no. 6, 2024) is available online by subscription only. Articles include:
September 3, 2024
(Wall Street Journals) – The oldest millennials have entered their 40s and are noticing the effects of aging. It might not be in their heads. A growing body of research says the aging process might resemble rolling hills more than … Read More
September 3, 2024
(NPR) – A third of Americans 65 and older will need a year of nursing home care in their lifetime, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. A semiprivate room today can cost some $8,700 per month — … Read More
September 2, 2024
(New York Times) – In one recent study, the challenging regimen added 77 days of life after three years. Often, kidney disease can be managed in other ways. Ms. Outlaw was mistaken on one point — dialysis can prolong the … Read More
August 27, 2024
(MIT Technology Review) – The longevity scene is having a moment, thanks to a combination of scientific advances, public interest, and an unprecedented level of investment. A few key areas of research suggest that we might be able to push … Read More
