Aging is a normal part of life. No fountain of youth prevents it. At the same time, few people want to age more quickly than nature intends. A new study suggests that “accelerated aging” may be a byproduct of living in extreme heat. Medical researchers have established that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can harm […]
While retirement communities and independent living facilities are popular choices for older adults who want to downsize or can no longer manage the upkeep of their family home, surveys confirm that most Americans hope to age in place. Unfortunately, barriers to remaining in a home after children move out can make it difficult for seniors […]
While retirement communities and assisted living facilities are the right choice for many seniors, surveys show that most older Americans hope to age in place. In some cases, aging in place means downsizing but staying in a beloved neighborhood. Other seniors choose to remain in their family home. Unfortunately, a home that was perfect for […]
Each year, about 14 million older adults in the United States report that they have fallen. Unreported falls are estimated to bring the total number of falls by seniors to about 36 million. About 37% of reported falls cause an injury that requires medical treatment or that causes a senior to restrict her activities for […]
Surveys consistently show that most older adults hope to age in place. Maintaining community and family ties are common motivations to remain in a family home after retirement. Better weather and convenient amenities provide an incentive for other seniors to move to a retirement community, while an assisted-living facility might be the right choice for […]
As parents grow older, their adult children may be called upon to help them make decisions about their future. Those decisions can be complicated with a parent suffers from a disabling health condition. Surveys show that most older Americans want to age in place. Staying in the family home can be challenging when parents can […]
About 6.9 million Americans who are 65 or older are living with dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease. About two-thirds of those individuals are women. Almost three-quarters of people with dementia are age 75 or older. The NIH estimates that 13.8 million Americans will suffer from dementia by 2060. Alzheimer’s is the most prevalent cause of […]
The risk of serious illness or death associated with an infection increases with age. The body’s mechanisms that resist infections begin to weaken, on average, at age 50. The risk to seniors associated with SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19) is primarily associated with a compromised immune system. Fatality rates associated with COVID-19 begin to […]
Geriatrician Louise Aronson set out to write a book that promises to “look at old age in new ways.” But the first challenge, she explained recently, was the title she chose. “I wanted to call it ‘Older,’” she says. “But then a woman in the publishing industry took me aside and said: ‘I think you […]
