Topics

Polypharmacy Risks May Be Greater for People with AD

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
Polypharmacy—defined as taking five or more medications daily—is common among older adults and is associated with a range of complications. People who have Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are especially vulnerable to these negative health outcomes, warns a recent study (Biological Research for Nursing, January). For the study, researchers from Drexel University … Read More

Home Alone

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
One of this month’s Newsbriefs points to a link between dementia risk and loneliness. It’s not the first study to find a connection, but it’s important to note that an association does not prove cause and effect—you shouldn’t panic that feeling lonely means you are destined to develop dementia. However, … Read More

Experiencing Chronic Pain?

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
During 2023, 36 percent of U.S. adults ages 65 and older reported suffering chronic pain and 13 percent reported having high-impact chronic pain, according to survey results published by the National Center for Health Statistics in November 2024. The analysis defined chronic pain as pain that occurred every day or … Read More

Here’s to Helping Hands

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
Many older adults find that their grip strength declines after age 65—it’s thought that men lose about 3 percent of their hand strength annually, while women lose about 2.4 percent. “A decline in hand strength can impact your ability to perform daily activities,” says David Thomas, MD, PhD, professor of … Read More

When Warfarin Makes Sense

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
Millions of Americans take blood thinners: drugs that help prevent potentially lethal blood clots that can form in the heart if you have the abnormal heart rhythm atrial fibrillation or have undergone heart valve replacement, or in the legs if you are sedentary due to illness, injury, or surgery. Blood … Read More

Preventing Foodborne Illnesses

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
In the last six months, numerous states have reported an uptick in cases of foodborne infections. In June 2024, 25 states saw an outbreak of Salmonella that resulted in 54 hospitalizations and was traced back to cucumbers. In September 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that … Read More

Ovarian Cancer Blood Test

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
Q: Given there is a blood test for ovarian cancer, why is the disease so hard to diagnose? A: Ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose early because the symptoms (which include chronic abdominal bloating, constipation, urinary urgency, and low back pain) are nonspecific enough for many women to either ignore … Read More

Cardiac Imaging Scans After Cancer

Jan 24, 2025 · · Aging & Independence
Q: I recently received a mailing that advertised affordable cardiac imaging at a location near my home. I’m interested, but as a cancer survivor who previously had radiation treatment, is it safe for me to undergo imaging tests? A: Imaging scans can be invaluable tools for accurately diagnosing health conditions … Read More

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