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Geriatric palliative care news

Hospital delirium a 'red flag' for severe health decline

A single episode of delirium—a state of confusion and agitation—in hospitalized older adults is a significant risk factor for other serious health complications including fractures, stroke and sepsis, a University of Queensland ...

Expanding access to palliative care for patients with advanced liver disease

Advanced liver disease (ALD) occurs when significant scarring causes the liver to lose function. Patients with ALD often have serious health challenges but have limited access to palliative care that could improve their quality ...

Should people over 75 continue colonoscopies?

The American Cancer Society recommends screening for colorectal cancer in adults beginning at age 45 and continuing through age 75. However, adults over the age of 75 with a history of precancerous polyps—also known as adenomas—are ...

The dark side of music as 'therapy'

A violinist plays in a cancer ward. A playlist loops in the waiting room. A surgeon hums along to the radio mid-operation. We assume, almost without thinking, that music helps. But what if it doesn't—or worse, what if it ...

Do genes dictate how lifestyle choices impact aging?

Lifestyle-behavioral factors and socioeconomic status play an important role in shaping healthy aging, but their effects may differ depending on the individual's DNA, according to a new international study led by Adelaide ...

How life stories shape the path to assisted death

The debate surrounding the provision of assistance to those wishing to die has long centered on abstract notions such as individual choice and personal autonomy. What is often missing from the discussion, says sociologist ...

Robotic pets help dementia patients recover and return home

For a person living with dementia, a hospital stay can be a terrifying whirlwind of strange faces, loud noises and confusing tests. This disorientation often leads to a condition called delirium, which can slow down recovery ...

Heart attack study reveals 'survival paradox'

Research from the University of Leicester and NIHR challenges the "one-size-fits-all" approach to heart attack care, adding critical nuance to the debate on sex disparities. A new study involving more than 900,000 patients ...

For women over 60, muscle strength matters

You don't need to look like a bodybuilder, but for healthy aging, maintaining muscle strength is likely just as important as getting enough aerobic activity, according to the findings of a University at Buffalo-led study ...

A crisis in the making: Can America afford the elderly?

An increasing number of Americans are living well beyond the average life expectancy. It presents new and complex challenges about how to care for a vulnerable, often ignored demographic that is aging largely on its own.

Commonly used drugs could help prevent delirium after surgery

A new study has found that several commonly used drugs could significantly reduce the risk of delirium in older people following surgery. Delirium—a sudden state of confusion and memory problems—affects around one in seven ...

Smart vest to prevent hypothermia deaths in elderly

Scientists have developed a smart textile vest which can monitor body temperature and detect risk of hypothermia in older people. The technology aims to mitigate the increased risk that elderly people face due to losing body ...