Medicare’s Response to the Coronavirus

  Medicare is the leading healthcare insurance program for individuals in the United States age 65 years and older. Now that the coronavirus has hit the United States, with older adults and those with chronic serious medical conditions at a higher risk, what is Medicare’s response to the coronavirus?   Medicare has dedicated a page…

Read More

Is Dad Depressed?

Lonely Woman

  You’ve seen Dad shuffling around his apartment irritable and snappy. When he’s not complaining about his persistent aches and pains, he’s sleeping or eating excessive amounts of food. He has little interest in his old woodworking hobby and no longer plays racketball with the guys. You wonder — Is Dad depressed?   While depression…

Read More

Malnutrition in Older Adults

  Malnutrition and unintentional weight loss are commonly associated with older adults age 65 years and older. While the risks for malnutrition increase as we get older,  caregivers can take steps to address these risks. According to the Mayo Clinic, malnutrition can lead to serious health issues including:   Muscle weakness and decreased bone mass Poor…

Read More

This Year’s Flu is Especially Strong, but so is the Flu Vaccine

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2019-2020 flu season has not only begun, but is at elevated levels throughout the country. The CDC estimates that 2.6 million People have already contracted the flu in the US, with 23,000 of them requiring hospitalization, and 1,300 dying from the flu. Typically, over…

Read More

5 Tips for Staying Healthy with Diabetes

The American Diabetes Association reports that more than one-quarter of US seniors have diabetes, and a full half have prediabetes. Diabetes is associated with higher mortality rates, higher risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced function, and decreased ability to live independently, especially in seniors, However, it is possible to stay healthy if you have diabetes. Follow…

Read More

High LDL Cholesterol is Bad for You. So is Low LDL.

High cholesterol is directly linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in particular are directly associated with increased risk of heart attack. In an effort to fight cardiovascular disease, a variety of strategies and medications have been developed to lower cholesterol. However, recently it was discovered that these measures…

Read More

Feeling Busy Helps People Make Healthy Choices

An international study found that people around the globe, whether in California or in Hong Kong, make healthier choices for themselves if they feel they are “busy.” This aspect of a “busy mindset,” as it is known in the research, was conducted by researchers at the global business school INSEAD, the Fox School of Business…

Read More

Why Your Knees Buckle

  Knee buckling — and even the feeling that one’s knee might buckle — is common among older adults. Studies show that nearly 12% of adults between 36 and 94 reported at least one episode of knee buckling within the last three months. Since the age range included in these studies was relatively large, the…

Read More

Do You Know the Facts about Flu Vaccines? Take Our Quiz and Find Out.

It’s flu season. See if you know what’s true and what’s false about the flu vaccine. 1.      You only need a flu shot once. False. Every year, a different strain of flu is dominant, and therefore every year the flu shot is different. You need to get the flu vaccine every year. 2.      Only people…

Read More