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Geriatric palliative care news

Waist circumference, not BMI, can predict mortality in older adults

In a Journal of the American Geriatrics Society analysis of nationally representative data from 6,905 U.S. adults age 65 or older followed from 2011 to 2024, higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with lower mortality ...

Racism directly shapes and intensifies how people experience grief, study finds

Racism directly affects how people experience grief and bereavement, according to the largest study of its kind. Bereavement services must adapt to be anti-racist, avoid making assumptions based on race and accommodate individual ...

Chronic pain is missing from America's heat warnings

When a heat wave arrives, the public health advice follows a familiar script: Drink water, watch for heat stroke, check on people with heart or lung conditions. That list saves lives. But it leaves out something that shapes ...

Poor housing conditions can raise fall risk for older adults

Older adults living in homes with electrical or plumbing problems, insufficient space or poor lighting are more likely to experience a fall, according to a new study published Aug. 5, 2026, in the open-access journal PLOS ...

One in six hospital beds filled by dementia patients

The study is the most comprehensive review of dementia hospitalizations ever undertaken in the UK. The researchers outline how delayed discharges, lack of communication among NHS staff and hospital environments unsuitable ...

Dementia care: Re‑envisioning the role of music

As a certified music therapist, I have observed firsthand the many ways music can bring meaning and beauty into people's lives, even under very difficult circumstances. Much of my clinical work and research has occurred in ...

At 85 and healthy? Why more medicine may do more harm

When a patient has made it to 85 years old in reasonable health, their instinct—and often their physician's—is to redouble prevention efforts, optimize every number and close every gap. I want to argue the opposite.

Statin use linked to lower risk of frailty in older veterans

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have demonstrated that older U.S. veterans who initiated statin therapy were significantly less likely to develop frailty over time, suggesting that the cholesterol-lowering medications ...

Life after work: Why social connections matter

Social networks may help protect cognitive functioning in later life, particularly among older adults who are no longer working, according to a new IIASA-led study. Drawing on data from 27 European countries, the researchers ...

How hospital admission affects persons with dementia

Dementia makes most things in life more difficult, including hospital care. Though often essential for patients with severe acute illness, hospital care can be confusing for persons with dementia (PWD). Compared with older ...