On Aging

Gratitude Is Good For The Soul And Helps The Heart, Too

4:27pm November 23, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

This Thursday, people all over the country will sit around the dinner table discussing what they're thankful for. And being grateful may also reduce the risk of heart disease.

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Teresa Valko and her mother, Evelyn Wilson, in 2011.

Health & Safety

Conversations Turn Into Monologues As Alzheimer's Robs Family Of Memories

5:48am November 13, 2015

by NPR Staff

Teresa Valko's family has been battling Alzheimer's disease for generations. She remembers when her mother's memory faded: "I've essentially lost my mother, although she's still living," Valko says.

Nursing home residents can be at risk, but so are people living at home with a spouse or adult children.

10 Percent Of Older People Have Been Victims of Abuse

6:48pm November 11, 2015

by Shefali Luthra

Elder abuse is underestimated, researchers say, and includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse as well as financial exploitation. Doctors, lawyers or banks are often the first to spot problems.

At 72, Robert McSherry says he's not yet ready to quit driving or ready to plan how he'll get around when that time arrives. But he's happy to get the insurance discount that comes with taking a driver safety class.

It's Never Too Soon To Plan Your 'Driving Retirement'

5:10pm November 09, 2015

by John Daley

Families should rethink how seniors give up driving, researchers say. Figuring out transportation alternatives long ahead of time can help preserve independence and avoid painful confrontations.

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Hormones May Help Younger Women With Menopause Symptoms

1:22pm November 09, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

Thirteen years after a study on hormone therapy was abruptly halted due to concerns about cancer risk, some doctors say that it's safe for most younger women if they take hormones short term.

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Miller examines Donald Lacross, 48, who has had multiple sclerosis for almost 20 years. Miller has been his home care physician for three years.

Doctor Treats Homebound Patients, Often Unseen Even By Neighbors

8:11am November 08, 2015

by Misha Friedman

"You can evaluate the person as a whole," says Dr. Roberta Miller, who has been a home care physician for more than 20 years. The traditional house call may be the future of medicine.

How One Woman Changed The Way People Die In Mongolia

2:41pm November 05, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

When Dr. Odontuya Davaasuren saw how much her father and mother suffered, she was determined to bring palliative care to her homeland.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 86 million Americans over age 20 have abnormal blood sugar levels. Over the long run, that can seriously damage the eyes, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels.

Task Force Urges Screening Of Overweight Adults For High Blood Sugar

7:53pm October 26, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

In response to a big jump in diabetes in the U.S., a federal advisory panel advises tens of millions of overweight Americans to get their blood tested, and intensive counseling if sugar's too high.

African-American patients with chronic kidney disease were half as likely to use an electronic health portal than were non-black patients.

Online Health Tools Might Not Help The People Who Need It Most

1:18pm October 23, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

An online portal to manage chronic kidney disease sounds great, but poor, older or black people were less likely to use it. That means the shift to e-health could make health disparities worse.

It's the time of year when seniors make choices about Medicare coverage that can affect how much they'll pay for medicines.

Health & Safety

The Right Medicare Drug Plan Can Help Control Price Shocks

11:35am October 21, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

Drug plans offered by private insurers under Medicare change from year to year. It pays to check around for the best deal during open enrollment season.