https://medicalxpress.com/gerontology-geriatrics-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Geriatric Palliative Care Sexuality is an important part of life—even when we grow old. The idea that desire disappears with age is a myth that needs to be debunked, argues a psychologist who has researched older adults' sex lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-elderly-people-sexually.html Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:07 EDT news698412081 Despite their crucial function, public hospitals often face limited resources and financial distress, and an aging population can further exacerbate any imbalances in medical resource distribution. Furthermore, the proportion of aging individuals is not uniform across the country; in Japan, this has led to regional disparities in health care for the elderly. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-hospitals-elderly-patients-local-beds.html Thu, 14 May 2026 14:40:01 EDT news697987895 Routine high-tide flooding in coastal communities could lead to thousands of deaths among older adults by the end of the century, according to a new study co-authored by Florida State University researcher Mathew Hauer. Published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the study projects that without significant adaptation, premature deaths among adults aged 65 and older linked to high-tide flooding could increase 43-fold by 2100. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-routine-coastal-deadly-older-adults.html Wed, 13 May 2026 16:19:51 EDT news697907942 Onerous caring responsibilities reduce brain function for people aged 50 and over, whereas light caring duties can actually be beneficial to middle-aged and older people's mental abilities, finds a new study led by University College London. For the study, published in Age and Ageing, the researchers used 2004–05 to 2021–23 data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), a long-running, UCL-led nationally representative survey that gathers a wide range of information from around 20,000 people aged 50 and older in England who are re-interviewed every two years. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-heavy-responsibilities-hasten-cognitive-decline.html Tue, 12 May 2026 19:10:02 EDT news697814821 Predicting whether a healthy 45-year-old will struggle to climb stairs or walk a decade later has long been a challenge for geriatric medicine. Now, a study published in JMIR Aging, reveals that early mobility decline can be predicted using a simple set of home-based measurements and artificial intelligence. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-simple-home-mobility-decline-older.html Tue, 12 May 2026 16:20:01 EDT news697810109 When care teams screen older adults undergoing surgery for risk factors such as falls and delirium, they are able to improve the care and outcomes of this rapidly growing and uniquely vulnerable patient population, according to findings published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-fall-delirium-screening-interventions-surgical.html Tue, 12 May 2026 15:20:07 EDT news697814281 A new framework to prevent and manage frailty in older Australians has been developed in a national project led by University of Queensland researchers. The Australian Consensus Statements are recommendations designed in consultation with health care professionals, older adults with lived experience of frailty, and caregivers across the country. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-annual-frailty-screening-65s.html Mon, 11 May 2026 11:20:07 EDT news697713841 Packing in the protein is all the rage. From cereal to pasta to nacho chips and more, food manufacturers are trying to get as much of the stuff into their products as possible, and one of the benefits they tout is that protein increases muscle mass and strength. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-older-adults-adding-whey-protein.html Mon, 11 May 2026 10:40:02 EDT news697713242 Across Medicare beneficiaries, primary care visit rates and access decreased from 2017 to 2023, and telemedicine accounted for a small proportion of visits, according to a study published online in JAMA Health Forum. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-decrease-primary-access-older-adults.html Fri, 08 May 2026 19:00:01 EDT news697444909 Nature-based group activities can reduce loneliness, improve sleep and cognition, and increase a sense of connection to nature in older adults living in care homes. Focusing on nature, including outdoor excursions and contacts with the natural world, the activities boosted well-being and health through peer support and activity content. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-nature-based-group-outings-loneliness.html Thu, 07 May 2026 21:40:02 EDT news697359268 A study highlighting key advances in the complexity of aging has been published in Science Advances. The work is titled "The longevity effects of reduced IGF-1 signaling depend on the stability of the mitochondrial genome." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-reshapes-complexity-aging.html Thu, 07 May 2026 18:00:06 EDT news697391883 The use of dietary supplements has increased sharply in recent years. Vitamins, minerals and other nutritional products are often marketed as simple ways to boost energy, support immunity, protect brain health or even promote longevity. For many people, taking supplements can feel like a sensible, proactive health habit. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-supplements-shortcut-healthy-aging.html Thu, 07 May 2026 12:40:01 EDT news697374122 Can a compound derived from a common kitchen ingredient help support muscle health during aging? A new study suggests it can. The study reveals that S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine (S1PC), a bioactive compound found in aged garlic extract, shows potential anti-aging effects. S1PC promotes inter-organ communication between fat tissue and the brain, ultimately enhancing muscle strength, pointing to its potential in improving muscle frailty in aged individuals. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-garlic-derived-compound-potential-muscle.html Thu, 07 May 2026 11:00:04 EDT news697279659 As the global population ages, smart homes are often touted as the ultimate solution for independent living. However, a new study published in JMIR Aging, suggests that technology developers and policymakers may be missing the mark by treating older adults as a monolithic group. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-lifestyle-age-smart-home-success.html Wed, 06 May 2026 20:20:04 EDT news697279899 The robot pauses at the edge of the room as an engineer checks its sensors. Then, with a soft mechanical hum, this humanoid machine begins to move. It lifts a mannequin from a bed, slowly and carefully. The engineers hold their breath. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-japan-robots-fully-fledged-caregivers.html Wed, 06 May 2026 12:20:01 EDT news697280762 New research led by the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) Research Center at SAHMRI and Flinders University has revealed older Australians receiving home care services are significantly less likely to be hospitalized when they continue seeing a regular health provider. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-health-hospital-older-people-home.html Wed, 06 May 2026 10:20:03 EDT news697278661 As Alzheimer's disease and other dementias continue to rise nationwide, new research shows that equipping primary care providers with focused dementia training and embedding clinical decision-support tools directly into the electronic medical record (EMR) can significantly improve dementia diagnosis and care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-primary-dementia.html Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:01 EDT news697182961 A new study from health policy researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health suggests that while regulators have several tools at their disposal to penalize insurance plans that break the rules, they rely mostly on relatively small financial penalties that may do little to deter violations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-minor-federal-fines-deterrence-medicare.html Tue, 05 May 2026 07:40:02 EDT news697178401 Intimacy doesn't disappear in long-term care, but clear guidance on how to support it often does. A new paper outlines a practical framework for how organizations can move from uncertainty and inconsistency to a structured, ethical approach that respects residents' autonomy while protecting their safety. At the heart of the model is the creation of a dedicated sexual health committee, a multidisciplinary team charged with developing policies, guiding staff, and helping communities navigate one of the most sensitive—and often avoided—aspects of care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-guidelines-term-communities-residents-intimacy.html Mon, 04 May 2026 17:20:02 EDT news697125122 Some 80% of Mississippi counties have no adult day service centers, and even counties that do have centers cannot meet the needs of people with dementia and their caregivers, a new University of Mississippi-led study indicates. This shortage leaves thousands of people with dementia—and their caregivers—without daily support. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-major-gaps-dementia-mississippi.html Mon, 04 May 2026 15:40:05 EDT news697119662 Older people who experience unstable finances, poor housing and fuel poverty are at increased risk of more rapid physical and mental decline as they age, a study suggests. Research following more than 15,000 people in England has found that living in precarious social or financial circumstances is a key predictor of frailty in later life. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh, Harvard Medical School and the University of Strathclyde made the discovery using data from men and women aged over 50 taking part in a long-term study of aging. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-economic-insecurity-linked-frailty-life.html Mon, 04 May 2026 14:40:06 EDT news697115161 As Australia and the world face rapidly aging populations, technology is increasingly promoted as the answer to helping older people live safely, independently and well—but experts warn that innovation alone is not enough. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-aging-digital-world.html Mon, 04 May 2026 10:00:03 EDT news697106882 More than 40% of older people admitted to U.S. hospitals have dementia, yet only half of them have been diagnosed with memory and cognitive difficulty. Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University investigators have developed a comprehensive screening method that identifies previously undiagnosed cognitive impairment and dementia in hospitalized patients. Their findings were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-hospital-screening-method-cognitive-issues.html Mon, 04 May 2026 07:40:04 EDT news697097162 For an elderly patient facing end-stage kidney disease, the default answer has long been dialysis. But a new study by Duke-NUS Medical School and its collaborators at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and the National University Hospital (NUH) suggests that giving patients and their families the right information, at the right time, can meaningfully change that calculus. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-app-decision-mykidney-patients-choices.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:00:01 EDT news696744481 Older adults with type 2 diabetes face a difficult trade-off: they are among the most vulnerable to medication-related harms yet are often underrepresented in the clinical trials that guide treatment decisions. A new study led by Yuan Lu, ScD, helps address this gap by providing large-scale, real-world evidence about the safety of commonly used diabetes medications. The study was co-led by Marc Suchard, Ph.D., of the University of California, Los Angeles, who also served as the study's corresponding author. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-safer-diabetes-medications-older-adults.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:40:06 EDT news696681721 Published in BMC Medicine, the study analyzed data from over 150,000 participants and found the strongest associations in people who experienced adversity in both childhood and adulthood. These individuals were more frail than those exposed during only one life stage or not at all, and they also showed a biological age older than their chronological age. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-adversity-life-linked-greater-frailty.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:40:06 EDT news696603603 Initial prescriptions for medications affecting cognition, such as antipsychotics, are disproportionately likelier to come from acute and post-acute settings such as emergency rooms, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities than they are from doctors' offices, new UCLA research suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-older-patients-dementia-psychotropic-drugs.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:09 EDT news696493981 A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham suggests that complementary health approaches (CHA)—including massage, yoga, tai chi, herbal products, acupuncture, spiritual practices, cannabis and psychedelics—are now a routine part of health and wellness for many older adults, even though they are not always discussed with health care providers https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-results-cosmos-trial-reveals-older.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:00:04 EDT news696231938 New research using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) reveals that employment stability and in-person work buffered older adults against depression during the first year of COVID-19. Older adults who continued working outside the home during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced better mental health than those who shifted to remote work or lost their jobs, according to a study published in Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-home-mental-health-older-adults.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:40:06 EDT news696176562 This week, we learned older people in home-based aged care will no longer have to pay out-of-pocket for showering, dressing and continence care. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-free-shower-older-people-aged.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:20:03 EDT news696161402