The Maze of Vision Loss and Depression in Older Adults

The association between vision loss and depression is a complex conundrum, as I wrote in a commentary on the challenges of vision loss and depression in older adults, published May 30th, 2019 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The commentary is a response to a study by Sarah E. Jackson, PhD, University College London and co-authors, published in the… Continue reading The Maze of Vision Loss and Depression in Older Adults

Scar Treatments Can Improve Patients’ Quality of Life

Editor’s note: Although scarring may seem like a minor problem, it’s more than skin deep. Here, the American Academy of Dermatologists (aad.org) explains why it occurs and what you can do about it: Whether it’s from sudden trauma, scheduled surgery or serious acne, scarring can have a profound impact on patients. “While some may consider… Continue reading Scar Treatments Can Improve Patients’ Quality of Life

How Long Do You Want to Live?

Researchers have found that more than one in six younger people would prefer to die before they are 80. The team of investigators from the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, Mailman School of Public Health, said there no indication that the relationship between preferring a life shorter or longer than average life expectancy depended… Continue reading How Long Do You Want to Live?

Couples’ Quality of Life Linked Even After One Spouse Dies

When one spouse passes away, his or her characteristics continue to be linked with the surviving spouse’s well-being, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings also indicate that this link between the deceased spouse and surviving spouse is as strong as that between partners… Continue reading Couples’ Quality of Life Linked Even After One Spouse Dies

Palliative Care and Heart-Failure Patients

Inpatient palliative care helped heart-failure patients to have a better quality of life, according to a trial conducted by researchers at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, part of the Allina Health system. As a result of those findings, bbott Northwestern conducted a new study, “A Description of Inpatient Palliative Care Actions for Patients with Acute Heart Failure,”… Continue reading Palliative Care and Heart-Failure Patients

Older Couples and Quality of Life

  Older adults’ quality of life is linked with the health and cognitive functioning of their spouse, according to new research. The conclusion came from University of Arizona researchers who looked at data from more than 8,000 married couples, with an average age in the early 60s. The investigators said that the findings have implications… Continue reading Older Couples and Quality of Life

Health Care Costs Can Harm Cancer Patients

Financial stress related to medical cost can affect the health of cancer patients, even those who have finished their treatment. The finding, by researchers from Duke University, was published in the Journal of Oncology Practice. It builds on earlier research from Duke Medicine that has analyzed “financial toxicity” from cancer care. “Our focus has been… Continue reading Health Care Costs Can Harm Cancer Patients

Improved Quality of LIfe for Lung-Cancer Patients

African-American and older patients with advanced lung cancer can be effectively treated with a new, federally approved therapy, according to researchers from the University of Cincinnati. Such patients are not good candidates for chemotherapy. The findings were published in the journal Libertas Academica. The treatment the researchers focused on is gefitinib, a drug that’s already… Continue reading Improved Quality of LIfe for Lung-Cancer Patients