Last update:

Geriatric palliative care news

For mind and body: Community gathering places may counteract cognitive disability

Community gathering places, where residents lead group activities, have been promoted across Japan as part of long-term care prevention efforts to extend healthy life expectancy. These often involve exercise and social interaction ...

Study reveals deep divide over AI health care priorities for older adults

While artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense promise for transforming health care for older adults, a new study published in JMIR Aging reveals significant friction between those who use AI health tools and those who ...

Frailty could be key to early dementia diagnosis

Being frail appears to accelerate the onset of dementia, particularly in people who show little or no signs of the disease, a University of Queensland-led study has found. Dr. David Ward from UQ's Frazer Institute said the ...

Elderly people living at home have less control, not more

Today, most older people with disabilities receive help at home, and there are limited places in nursing homes. At the same time, politicians claim that living at home provides independence and control over everyday life.

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 ...

Voting is linked to living longer

A new study co-authored by Femida Handy of the School of Social Policy & Practice at the University of Pennsylvania finds that, among older adults, voting predicts a lower risk of mortality for up to 15 years.

Greater optimism tied to 15% lower dementia risk over 14 years

The more optimistic a person is, the lower their risk of developing dementia, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The research, published April 8 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics ...

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 ...

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 ...