senior health – thirdAGE

How Seniors Can Protect Their Health and Finances During the Pandemic

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, health officials have been clear and consistent in their message to seniors: While anyone can fall victim to COVID-19, those who are 65 and older are in an especially high-risk group. That’s why older Americans need to be especially careful and – in the case of the very elderly – family… Continue reading How Seniors Can Protect Their Health and Finances During the Pandemic

5 Wise Things Retirees Can Do With Their Stimulus Checks

Stimulus checks being sent to millions of Americans are seen as a lifeline for many. The economic calamity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in massive unemployment, shrinking bank accounts, and tightened family budgets, and the $1200 check can provide a little breathing room while paying for some essentials. But for retirees who aren’t… Continue reading 5 Wise Things Retirees Can Do With Their Stimulus Checks

New Geriatrics Research Offers Roadmap to “Revolutionary Change” for Person-Centered Care

Published on October 3rd 2018 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), two new research articles and a corresponding commentary from preeminent geriatrics leaders describe ways to make person-centered care–a novel approach to health that puts personal values and preferences at the forefront of decision-making–more actionable for older people. With our national health… Continue reading New Geriatrics Research Offers Roadmap to “Revolutionary Change” for Person-Centered Care

Age and Mobility Predict Death Better Than One’s “Molecular Clock”

Advances in technology allow scientists to measure intricate details about the human body that greatly enhance understanding of health, disease and aging. Yet, when it comes to predicting death, more rudimentary measures—like a person’s age or a person’s ability to climb stairs or walk a short distance—are much more powerful predictors of survival than certain… Continue reading Age and Mobility Predict Death Better Than One’s “Molecular Clock”

Poor Sleep in Seniors Linked to Hardened Brain Arteries

Poor sleep quality in elderly people is associated with more severe arteriosclerosis in the brain as well as a greater burden of oxygen-starved tissue (infarcts) in the brain – both of which can contribute to the risk of stroke and cognitive impairment. The findings were published in the January 2016 issue of the American Heart… Continue reading Poor Sleep in Seniors Linked to Hardened Brain Arteries

New App Helps Seniors Live Better

A new technological solution developed by the University of Notre Dame’s Interdisciplinary Center for Network Science and Applications (iCeNSA) and called eSeniorCare is aimed at enhancing the physical health, vitality, and brain fitness of seniors residing in independent living communities. A release from the university reports that one of the traditional challenges of these communities… Continue reading New App Helps Seniors Live Better

Dying at Home: Pros and Cons

Dying at home could be beneficial for terminally ill cancer patients and their relatives, according to research published in October 2015 in the open-access journal BMC Medicine. On the other hand, an article published the same week in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) contends that home is not always the best or preferred place to… Continue reading Dying at Home: Pros and Cons

Older People Are Getting Smarter, But Not Fitter

Older populations are scoring better on cognitive tests than people of the same age did in the past — a trend that could be linked to higher education rates and increased use of technology in our daily lives, say population researchers at International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. The study was published in August 2015… Continue reading Older People Are Getting Smarter, But Not Fitter

What Vaccinations Should You Get?

As we get older, it’s more important than ever to keep up with the immunization shots we need. Here, from the federal Centers for Disease Control and the SeniorHealth division of the National Institutes of Health, is a helpful list for adults 50 and over: An annual flu shot. Over 60 percent of seasonal flu-related… Continue reading What Vaccinations Should You Get?

Palliative Care in the ER for Seniors Could Reduce Admissions to the ICU

Applying palliative care principles to emergency departments may reduce the number of geriatric patients admitted to intensive care units, possibly extending lives and reducing Medicare costs, according to a three-year analysis by Mount Sinai researchers published online in the May edition of Health Affairs. A release from Mt. Sinai quotes Corita Grudzen, MD, the lead… Continue reading Palliative Care in the ER for Seniors Could Reduce Admissions to the ICU

What’s Really Keeping You From Aging Well?

By Dr. Kevin J. McLaughlin

During my experience as a health care provider, I have realized that, when it comes to aging well, many older women are worried about developing cancer, especially breast cancer, more than any other age-related diseases.

Nutrition Screenings for Older Adults

As older adults typically have one or more chronic health conditions that can affect dietary intake, malnutrition has been identified as a serious for this population. For this reason, nutrition screenings should be a mandatory part of the comprehensive geriatric analysis (CGA), according to a review article published on July 3rd 2014 in the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition’s (A.S.P.E.N.) Nutrition in Clinical Practice journal.

Diuretics Risky for Older Adults

Adults over 65 with high blood pressure who have recently begun taking thiazide diuretics are at a greater risk for developing metabolic-related adverse events including acute kidney injury, according to research done at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco. The study was published in June 2014 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.