More patients with cancer use hospice today than ever before, but there are indications that care intensity outside of hospice is increasing, and length of hospice stay decreasing. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) examined how hospice affects health care utilization and costs and found that in a sample of elderly Medicare patients with… Continue reading Cancer Patients in Hospice Avoid Aggressive Care and High Costs
Tag: elderly
Older Trauma Patients Would Benefit from Palliative Care
Half of older adults who sustain injuries severe enough that they could die in the hospital or become unable to function independently are not asked in the intensive care unit (ICU) if they wish to speak with palliative care specialists about their preferences for end-of-life care, according to a study done at Rutgers University. The… Continue reading Older Trauma Patients Would Benefit from Palliative Care
Rich Vocabulary Protects Against Dementia
Some people suffer incipient dementia as they get older. To make up for this loss, the brain’s cognitive reserve is put to the test. Researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela have studied what factors can help to improve this ability and they conclude that having a higher level of vocabulary is one such… Continue reading Rich Vocabulary Protects Against Dementia
A New Therapy to Help with “Complicated Grief”
Targeted therapy may help millions of older women afflicted with a kind of grief that could lead to suicide. “Complicated grief,” as it’s known, affects an estimated 4 million women in the U.S. Beginning after the loss of a spouse or a close relationship, the condition can lead to an increased risk of suicide. Symptoms… Continue reading A New Therapy to Help with “Complicated Grief”
Why the Elderly Have Trouble Sleeping
As people grow older, they often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and tend to awaken too early in the morning. In people with Alzheimer’s disease, this common and troubling symptom of aging tends to be especially pronounced, often leading to nighttime confusion and wandering.