https://medicalxpress.com/gerontology-geriatrics-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Geriatric Palliative Care 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 study has found. Delirium is often triggered by infection, surgery, pain, dehydration or medication, which affects up to 1 in 4 older adults during a hospital stay. However, many of its long-term health impacts have not been fully understood. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-hospital-delirium-red-flag-severe.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:00:03 EDT news695374861 Unionization and working for a public employer are associated with significantly lower turnover among direct care workers (DCW), a group that provides daily care for older adults and those who are disabled and unable to care for themselves, UCLA-led research suggests. The findings on the role of DCW unionization, published in the peer-reviewed JAMA Network Open, apply to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, suggesting that unionization can play a significant role in keeping DCWs in the workforce—and save the health care system $1.5 billion a year in turnover costs. It can also lead to improvements in care quality due to increased job satisfaction and lower stress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-unions-play-key-role-workers.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:20:01 EDT news694860430 In nursing homes, influenza spreads quickly. Even in facilities with separate wings, staff move throughout the home, caring for medically complex older adults who often share rooms. In this way, a single case of influenza can rapidly become a facility-wide outbreak. National guidelines recommend treating all eligible nursing home residents with antiviral medications at the start of an outbreak to reduce the spread of disease and prevent serious outcomes. But the evidence is limited on how fast nursing homes need to act, and how many of their residents should be treated. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-nursing-home-flu-outbreaks-statistical.html Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:40:01 EDT news694191301 Older adults who develop delirium during a hospital admission face a substantially higher risk of dementia in later years, even if they had no prior health conditions, according to a major new population study appearing in The Lancet Healthy Longevity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-hospital-delirium-linked-dementia-healthy.html Fri, 27 Mar 2026 06:00:09 EDT news693745561 Nationally, heat-related mortality has risen by nearly 17% per year since 2016. As a result, New York City now issues heat alerts and opens cooling centers when the heat index is forecast to reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for at least two consecutive days or a heat index of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for any length of time. Meanwhile, older adults are known to have a higher risk of heat stroke and related death, to have more heat-sensitive chronic conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes, and to be more likely to take medications that impair heat regulation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-older-adults-illness-health.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:10 EDT news693154137 Stem cells are gaining attention for their potential to treat leukemia, certain solid tumor cancers, and inherited metabolic disorders. Now, a clinical trial reports that a single dose can significantly improve physical strength and key signs of aging in older adults with frailty. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-stem-cell-therapy-reversing-aging.html Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:20:03 EDT news692876929 For an estimated 11% of Americans over age 65 who have dementia and the over 11 million unpaid caregivers supporting them, there is no instruction manual for navigating life after diagnosis. A team of College of Nursing researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina is working to fill that gap. The team is led by Diana Layne, Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor, and her mentor, Teresa Kelechi, Ph.D., associate dean for Research. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-week-virtual-early-palliative-roadmap.html Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:00:05 EDT news692517243 Older Americans are willing to travel far for medical care—sometimes much farther than policymakers and experts assume, according to researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. As hospitals close in some areas, practices consolidate and telehealth expands, older adults may tolerate long trips for care—but not equally. The study suggests socioeconomic status affects willingness to travel. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-seniors-doctor.html Fri, 13 Mar 2026 17:40:01 EDT news692631425 Adults over age 65 experience greater numbers of emergency hospitalizations for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases during and after power outages, reports a new study by Heather McBrien of Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, U.S., and colleagues, published in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-power-outages-linked-emergency-hospital.html Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:00:17 EDT news692523061