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Aging

A question of word choice: 'long-term care' versus 'long-term services and supports'

Liza Berger January 14, 2010

A new phrase appears to be emerging in the lexicon of long-term care. That phrase is "long-term services and supports." (Notice the omission of the word "care.")

HHS to release $27 million to fight chronic disease among older adults

December 17, 2009

The Department of Health and Human Services is disbursing $27 million in stimulus package funds to bolster care and prevention of chronic conditions among the elderly through the HHS' Administration on Aging (AoA), it said Wednesday.

Everyone needs a long-term care plan

Ken Dychtwald November 18, 2009

My parents wisely purchased long-term care insurance. They have showed me that now more than ever, it's important to think ahead.

Theory about health and two-drink minimum debunked in new study

October 15, 2009

It's last call for those who think two drinks a day can stave off functional decline in old age. New research suggests that it's lifestyle, not liquor, that really helps to determine how we age.

Old age hurts body's ability to slow muscle loss

September 14, 2009

The elderly experience a sort of "double-whammy" when it comes to muscle loss. Not only is it harder to build muscle, but the suppression of muscle loss is blunted in old age, according to newly published research.

Editors' Blog: Animated film 'Up' shows adventure of aging

July 24, 2009

Growing older doesn't have to mean holing up in the house and settling into your favorite chair. There can be plenty of discoveries still in store, as the movie "Up" shows.

Researchers to present biological cause of aging at upcoming world gerontology summit

June 25, 2009

At the quadrennial meeting of the World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics in Paris this July, researchers will give a presentation describing for the first time the underlying causes and origins of aging.

CMS proposes granting states more flexibility with Medicaid HCBS waivers

June 23, 2009

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to propose a rule allowing states to combine waivers for three separate home and community-based services target populations. This continues the federal government's push to expand Medicaid funding to home- and community-based care.

House committees release healthcare reform plan outline

June 22, 2009

Chairmen of three House committees Friday released a draft outline of healthcare reform legislation as Democrats push to pass a bill by August.

Brain imaging technique could help identify those who will develop Alzheimer's

June 17, 2009

Researchers have discovered a way to predict whether someone with cognitive decline will develop Alzheimer's disease: They measure the size of certain areas of that person's brain, according to a new report.

Promising discovery could help prevent age-related macular degeneration

June 16, 2009

Researchers at the University of Kentucky have announced a major breakthrough in the prevention and early detection of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The condition affects between 10 million and 12 million Americans and is the number-one cause of blindness among seniors.

Number of nursing home beds, residents decreasing, report finds

June 11, 2009

The number of both nursing home beds and nursing home residents in the United States declined between 1999 and 2004, according to the recently released results of the National Nursing Home Survey: 2004 Overview.

Who needs sleep? Not seniors (at least not much), studies find

June 11, 2009

Two different studies presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggest the following: most seniors aren't sleeping well, and sleep deprivation doesn't affect cognitive performance.

Study: No racial disparity in life expectancy for dementia

June 10, 2009

Although previous studies have indicated that blacks with dementia tend to live longer than whites with the disease, a new study finds that the condition decreases life expectancy equally among the races.

GPS shoes under development may help locate wandering Alzheimer's patients

June 09, 2009

Shoes protect our feet, but who knew they might serve to protect seniors? A sophisticated tracking device in footwear could, one day, help locate wandering Alzheimer's disease patients, according to a news report.

Nighttime urination may increase risk of death among elderly, new study suggests

May 07, 2009

Frequent nighttime urination, or nocturia, is common among elderly people, but recent research has linked it to a heightened risk of death.

Study: Expectations, motivation may affect post-hospitalization mobility for seniors

April 08, 2009

Seniors hospitalized for illness experience greater functional decline than surgical patients. The difference could be a function of expectations and personal motivation, a recent study suggests.

Muscle growth appears to stop after 80, new research suggests

April 03, 2009

Women in their 80s did not build muscle mass after participating in a three-month weight lifting program, a recent study found.

Computer use boosts brain power for tech-savvy seniors

March 30, 2009

Whether it's checking e-mail, playing games or downloading music, using computer programs appears to keep the aging mind nimble, suggests new research.

Study: Heart bypass surgery less dangerous for seniors with diabetes

March 24, 2009

Elderly patients with diabetes fare better with heart bypass surgery than with angioplasty, according to a recent study.

Think happy thoughts: views on aging tied to poor health later in life

March 04, 2009

Younger people who believe negative stereotypes about aging are more prone to suffer poor health when they themselves reach old age, new research suggests.

Funding issues hit the spotlight as nursing home advocates gear up for Aging Committee hearing

March 03, 2009

The Senate Special Committee on Aging will convene tomorrow to discuss the inclusion of improvements to long-term care as part of overarching national healthcare reform.

House passes Silver Alert Act, arbitration act reintroduced

February 18, 2009

The ball is back in the U.S. Senate's court on the issue of financing a system to help find missing seniors. The House last week passed the National Silver Alert Act (H.R. 632), which would establish an infrastructure for alerting both law enforcement and the public when a senior goes missing.

Come again? Hearing loss among elderly may be linked to brain function

February 18, 2009

New research finds that age-related hearing difficulties are, in some cases, the result of structural changes in the brain, not just normal hearing loss.

House passes elder abuse legislation

February 13, 2009

Economic stimulus legislation hasn't been the only item on Congress's plate lately. The House of Representatives Wednesday passed a bill that would fund elder abuse prosecution and establish education and therapy programs for victims and their families.

Dementia type helps determine rate of cognitive decline, study finds

February 13, 2009

The rate of dementia-associated cognitive decline varies depending on the type of dementia a person has, new research suggests.

Medicare coordinated-care pilot programs fail to live up to expectations, study finds

February 12, 2009

Most Medicare test programs designed to cut costs and keep elderly patients with one or more chronic conditions out of the hospital have failed, according to a recently published analysis of such programs.

Brain protein could help halt Alzheimer's disease

February 10, 2009

The key to slowing, or even stopping, the progression of Alzheimer's disease may lie in a naturally occurring protein produced by the brain, according to recent research.

Flu season less harsh than last year, but bacterial infections still pose threat

February 05, 2009

Although this flu season is shaping up to be milder than last season, health officials are still worried about the rate of potentially fatal influenza-related bacterial infections.

Fall prevention training shows positive results in research environment

February 05, 2009

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have been working on a way to "inoculate" seniors against falls. Those efforts appear to be paying off, according to recent reports.