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It Takes a Network to Support a Senior Who Lives Alone March 18, 2025 by Judith Graham - Donald Hammen, 80, and his longtime next-door neighbor in south Minneapolis, Julie McMahon, have an understanding. 
Sex after 65: Friskier but Riskier March 4, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - At 81, Hélène Bertrand, MD, and her 90-year-old husband continue to enjoy a fulfilling sex life. Once every week or two, they share intimate moments that lead to orgasm and, as Bertrand puts it, “a very good night’s sleep.” “Over…
Homebound Seniors Living Alone Often Slip Through Health System’s Cracks February 19, 2025 by Judith Graham - Millions of older people are confined to their homes or can only get out with great difficulty. A surprising number live alone, and their situation can be precarious. For this article, written for KFF Health News, journalist Judith Graham visited…
We Age in Bursts February 4, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - In his early 40s, Vinny Minchillo noticed he needed to work harder in the gym just to maintain his usual level of strength. Then, when he turned 60 a few years ago, he noticed a big change in flexibility. “I…
When Older Men Live Alone, Their Connections to Others Often Wither January 28, 2025 by Judith Graham - At age 66, South Carolina physician Paul Rousseau, MD, decided to retire after tending for decades to the suffering of people who were seriously ill or dying.
When Less Is More: The Need for ‘Deprescribing’ January 7, 2025 by Mary Jacobs - Every time Jodie Pepin’s mother saw another physician, it seemed like she was prescribed yet another medication. Each time Pepin wondered, “Why are they giving her that? She already has dementia.” Pepin, clinical pharmacy program director at Harbor Health in…
Older Americans Are Living Alone in Historic Numbers December 27, 2024 by Judith Graham - Gerri Norington, 78, never wanted to be on her own as she grew old. But her first marriage ended in divorce, and her second husband died more than 30 years ago.
A Hidden Epidemic Threatens Older Adults: Malnutrition December 4, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - For most of her life, Jenny Anne Horst-Martz’s mother worked hard to stay slender. But now, at age 90, her mother struggles to keep enough weight on. The problem started a few years ago when her mother was injured in…
What Makes Older Achievers Tick? October 7, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - In recent years, oncologist Philip Salem, MD, has done some of the best work of his career. Using new combinations of existing cancer therapies—personalized immunotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy—he’s getting remarkable results for patients with advanced lung, pancreatic and other…
Senior Centers Are Evolving September 4, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - The first time Sue and Mike Miller visited their community’s senior center in Portage, MI, several years ago, they found a few people playing pool or bridge—and decided it wasn’t for them. But the couple tried again in 2022, when…
The Burden of Getting Medical Care Can Exhaust Older Patients August 13, 2024 by Judith Graham - Susanne Gilliam, 67, was walking down her driveway to get the mail in January when she slipped and fell on a patch of black ice.
Dementia: A Diagnosis Too Often Delayed August 9, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - Last year, a bank officer phoned Kelli Brown’s brother with a concern: a lot of money was going out of their 87-year-old father’s bank account. Their father, a retired accountant, lived alone in Cincinnati. He seemed to be functioning well…
How to Navigate Our Fragmented Medical System July 3, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - For three years, Lil Banchero’s 86-year-old mother struggled with pain due to advanced arthritis. She tried yoga. Doctors prescribed medications and tried injections. Nothing worked. The pain got worse, and her mother became depressed. “Months passed,” said Banchero. “Nobody was…
Poor Hearing Can Be Frustrating, but So Can Some Hearing Aids June 27, 2024 by Judith Graham - It was an every-other-day routine, full of frustration. Every time my husband called his father, who was 94 when he died in 2022, he’d wait for his dad to find his hearing aids and put them in before they started talking.
Where Are All the Geriatricians? June 11, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - Even though he’s at retirement age, T.S. Dharmarajan, MD, continues to care for older patients as the clinical director of geriatrics at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY. But he’s terrified of the possibility of becoming a patient himself one…
Health Risks Mount When Seniors Are Stranded in the ER June 4, 2024 by Judith Graham - It’s called “boarding” when patients who have come to an emergency room spend hours and hours, lying on a gurney in a hallway, waiting for a bed in the hospital. Studies show that seniors who have been boarded don’t do…
About 25 Percent of Older Adults in the United States Will Fall Within the Next Year May 1, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - At the end of each appointment, Jo Ann Battles’ cardiologist offers a “thought for the day.” Four years ago, it was this tongue-in-cheek advice: “Whatever you do, don’t fall.” Battles didn’t think much about it. At the time, she was…
Should Older People Take the New Weight Loss Drugs? April 3, 2024 by Judith Graham - Corlee Morris has dieted throughout her adult life. After her weight began climbing in high school, she spent years losing 50 or 100 pounds then gaining it back. 
Don’t Forget Your Eyes March 21, 2024 by Bernard J. Wolfson - I vividly remember that late Friday afternoon when my eye pressure spiked, and I staggered on foot to my ophthalmologist’s office as the rapidly thickening fog in my field of vision shrouded passing cars and traffic lights.
When Is It Time to Move to Senior Housing? March 6, 2024 by Mary Jacobs - Even after a diagnosis of vascular dementia, Laura Brancato’s father was able to stay in his own home for years.
A Hidden Epidemic Threatens Older Adults: Malnutrition - For most of her life, Jenny Anne Horst-Martz’s mother worked hard to stay slender. But now, at age 90, her mother struggles to keep enough weight on. The problem started a few years ago when her mother was injured in…
The Parade of Aides - Working as a caregiver for a friend or family member is a rewarding but stressful job. When my mom qualified for an aide (thanks to the pooled income trust and Medicaid), it gave me a break during the day to…