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Geriatric palliative care news
Researchers estimate the upper limit of human lifespan determined by somatic mutations
Researchers from Skoltech and co-authors from AIRI have, for the first time, quantitatively assessed how somatic mutations—random DNA changes that accumulate in cells with age—limit the maximum human lifespan. The work was ...
Jul 16, 2026
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High-risk emergency surgery costs older adults about a month of time at home, study finds
Older adults who undergo high-risk emergency general surgery spend significantly fewer days living independently at home after surgery than those undergoing lower-risk procedures, according to a study published in the Journal ...
Jul 15, 2026
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Cannabis-derived treatment eases agitation in hospice-eligible dementia patients, trial finds
In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, U.S. researchers found that people with agitation and dementia in late life who took a special medical formulation of two active ingredients found in marijuana—THC and CBD—had significantly ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Worried about your aging parents? Welcome to the caregiving club
One in 10 Americans say they are a caregiver for a parent 65 or older, according to 2025 Pew research. And many people in the sandwich generation—those who have both children and aging parents—start their caregiving journeys ...
Jul 14, 2026
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Most Americans prefer to die at home, but the US health care system often prevents it
Ask people what they want at the end of their lives, and overwhelmingly the answers will revolve around comfort, dignity and time at home with loved ones.
Jul 14, 2026
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Unpaid caregivers shoulder more dementia costs than health systems in high-income Europe
Researchers found that 58% of total dementia-related costs are linked to unpaid care provided by family members, friends and other informal caregivers, highlighting the substantial burden of dementia beyond health care systems ...
Jul 14, 2026
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A new option for long-term care costs
An estimated 70% of Americans will need long-term care at some point in their lives, but "they haven't planned for it or saved for it," said Cathleen MacCaul, advocacy director for AARP Washington State, which supported the ...
Jul 13, 2026
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Expert urges redesign for aged care systems
Experts are calling for a major overhaul of health and aged care systems to accommodate rising numbers of older people.
Jul 13, 2026
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Economic evaluation supports prophylactic naldemedine for opioid-induced constipation in cancer palliative care
Although opioids remain indispensable for pain relief in patients with advanced cancer, their use frequently results in OIC, which can substantially reduce quality of life and, in some cases, compromise the continuation of ...
Jul 11, 2026
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Research confirms safety in voluntary assisted dying
New research demonstrates that the Victorian model for oral self-administration of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) medication is safe and effective, providing the largest global experience of patient outcomes.
Jul 10, 2026
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Study explores the emotional burden of being a family caregiver
One in four Canadians is a caregiver—often taking on the role overnight, with little time to prepare for what comes next. Sharon Tonner-Clarkson, a patient family partner (PFP) at Unity Health Toronto, knows that reality ...
Jul 9, 2026
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Geriatric patients can independently manage appropriately-designed digital nutrition apps, study shows
In an era where digital health applications are booming, older adults, particularly those facing the physical and psychological toll of post-acute rehabilitation, are frequently left out of the equation because of assumptions ...
Jul 9, 2026
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Simple assessment tools are accurate in predicting older adults' health
Several tools are currently used to assess the health of older people and their risk of future health problems, but it is unclear which perform best. A new study published in BMC Medicine compares seven widely used geriatric ...
Jul 9, 2026
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What do Sardinia's Blue Zone elders do differently that helps them age so well physically and mentally?
People are living longer than they did at the turn of the 20th century, but living well into old age depends on more than a healthy lifestyle. Scientists say it is also shaped by how we think, adapt and connect with others.
Lower diversity and poorer function of gut bacteria linked to frailty in older women
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified clear links between the composition of gut bacteria and frailty in older women. In cases of high frailty, with an increased risk of illness and death, gut bacterial ...
Jul 8, 2026
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Sleep problems in dementia care are linked more to emotional well-being than fear of falling
While fear of falling has long been linked to poor sleep among older adults, new research from George Mason University suggests that emotional well-being may be an even stronger predictor of sleep quality for people with ...
Jul 8, 2026
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Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program may lead to bone problems
The new Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program offers broader, more affordable access to weight loss drugs to address the growing obesity crisis. But there's a catch when it comes to bone health.
Jul 7, 2026
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What death doulas can teach us about dying well without religion
In most Western societies, death has always been the church's job. Nearly everyone wanted last rites, deathbed prayers and a faith leader at their bedside. But for a growing number of people, that template for dying is no ...
Jul 7, 2026
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Multimorbidity highly prevalent among older Australians, clustering into three distinct types
A new nationwide study from the University of Sydney analyzed the health records of more than 4.4 million older Australians (65 years and over) and found that more than three-quarters are living with multiple chronic conditions, ...
Jul 7, 2026
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Pandemic onset stalled reduction of benzodiazepine use among older Americans, says study
Years of progress in reducing benzodiazepine prescribing among older Americans stalled after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a decade-long national study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public ...
Jul 6, 2026
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Australians missing out on 'major gap' between innovation and patient care
Promising health tools that seek to predict a person's risk of serious health problems before they happen are rarely being used in everyday health care, according to new Curtin University research. The review, published in ...
Jul 3, 2026
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Alzheimer's biomarkers may forecast dementia progression in people 80 and older
Cognitive decline in very old adults has been considered for decades to be an almost inevitable consequence of aging. In clinical practice, this has contributed to many memory problems in patients over age 80 being interpreted ...
Jul 1, 2026
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Connection or compulsion: How smartphones can deepen depression in older adults
Compulsive smartphone habits in older adults can be linked to a higher risk of depression, according to a study led by a Rutgers researcher.
Jul 1, 2026
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Canada is getting old—and that's our biggest advantage for 2067
Canada will cross the threshold into a "superaged" society this year, with at least 1 in 5 people older than 65.
Jun 30, 2026
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