Skip to content
Skip to main menu
Left Behind in the ‘Cruel’ Race for Vaccines March 24, 2021 by Will Stone - With millions of older Americans eligible for COVID-19 vaccines and limited supplies, many continue to describe a frantic and frustrating search to secure a shot, beset by uncertainty and difficulty. 
Older COVID Patients Battle ‘Brain Fog’ February 26, 2021 by Judith Graham - “Lord, give me back my memory.”
For months, as Marilyn Walters has struggled to recover from COVID-19, she has repeated this prayer day and night.
The Doctor Is In (Virtually) December 9, 2020 by Mary Jacobs - As a retired registered nurse, Donna Bening, 81, has known for decades that telemedicine was coming. Her expectations have been realized this year. Bening had two virtual visits via videoconference: first with her primary care physician for a routine checkup,…
Older People Are Having Second Thoughts about Where to Live November 25, 2020 by Judith Graham - Where do we want to live in the years ahead? Older adults are asking this question anew in light of the ongoing toll of the coronavirus pandemic—disrupted lives, social isolation, mounting deaths.
Bob Blancato: Fighting Elder Abuse through Politics November 11, 2020 by Leigh Ann Hubbard - In 1981, a US Senate committee released the first congressional report on a problem that was gradually coming to light—one that was “shameful” and “alien to the American spirit.” It was being called elder abuse. 
Will Lifelong Learning Change the Way We Age? October 7, 2020 by Mary Jacobs - Six years ago, Laura Rich signed up for a continuing education class in Chinese art history and archaeology at Stanford University. Her children were grown and she was wrapping up a full-time stint on the local school board. “Most of…
Why Black Aging Matters Too September 9, 2020 by Judith Graham - Old. Chronically ill. Black. People who fit this description are more likely to die from COVID-19 than any other group in the country.
COVID-19 Sets Off a Pandemic of Despair for Older People August 6, 2020 by Judith Graham - As states relax coronavirus restrictions, older adults are advised, in most cases, to keep sheltering in place. But for some, the burden of isolation and uncertainty is becoming hard to bear.
Why the New Public Charge Rule Could Hit Older Immigrants Hard July 29, 2020 by Jaya Padmanabhan - Devyani Dave immigrated from India to California in 1995 in her early 60s to live near her son and his family. Her green card was sponsored by her son
Older and Wiser—but Dizzier July 8, 2020 by Mary Jacobs - Carol Kuhlman vividly remembers a weekend trip with friends about two years ago—because that’s when she started feeling dizzy. The lightheaded, unsteady sensation came on gradually and quickly got worse. “It was very uncomfortable,” said Kuhlman, 66. “I had to…
Where Should You Go to Recover after a Hospitalization? April 7, 2020 by Judith Graham - Every year, nearly two million people on Medicare—most of them older adults—go to a skilled nursing facility to recover after a hospitalization. But choosing the facility can be daunting, according to an emerging body of research.
Health Care Costs: Want an Estimate? Good Luck with That March 10, 2020 by Mary Jacobs - When Linda Stallard Johnson’s husband had pain in his shoulder, he suspected he might be having a heart attack. His sister had just had one, with similar symptoms. The couple went to a hospital emergency room, where he underwent an…
Has Your Doctor Asked You about Climate Change? January 8, 2020 by Martha Bebinger - When Michael Howard arrived for a checkup with his lung specialist, he was worried about how his body would cope with the heat and humidity of a Boston summer.
Wearable Technology Has Great Potential November 5, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - A small wristband device is helping Randy Miltenberger prepare for a knee replacement. His doctor wants him to strengthen his leg muscles to prepare for the upcoming surgery and rehab, so Miltenberger, 73, wears a FitBit fitness tracker. The device…
Lethal Plans: Suicides in Long Term Care Facilities October 8, 2019 by Melissa Bailey and JoNel Aleccia - When Larry Anders moved into the Bay at Burlington nursing home in late 2017, he wasn’t supposed to be there long. At 77, the stoic Wisconsin machinist had just endured the death of his wife of 51 years and a grim new diagnosis: throat cancer, stage 4.
Getting Older, Sleeping Less? October 8, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - Until age 45, Mary Jo Anderson says, she was a “champion sleeper.” “It’s like someone flipped a light switch,” she said. “When I entered menopause, I suddenly couldn’t fall asleep.” At age 64, she had less trouble falling asleep but…
Starving Seniors: How America Fails to Feed Its Aging September 13, 2019 by Laura Ungar and Trudy Lieberman - Army veteran Eugene Milligan is 75 years old and blind. He uses a wheelchair since losing half his right leg to diabetes and gets dialysis for kidney failure.
And he has struggled to get enough to eat.
Are Pets Really Good for Older People? September 9, 2019 by Mary Jacobs - An older couple put aside some of the food delivered by Meals on Wheels in order to have enough to feed their dog. A widow delays an important visit to the doctor, fearing no one will care for her cat…
Loneliness in Older Adults: It’s Complicated July 30, 2019 by Judith Graham - For years, Linda Fried, MD, offered older patients who complained of being lonely what seemed to be sensible guidance. “Go out and find something that matters to you,” she would say.
What If You Don’t Want Dialysis? July 10, 2019 by Judith Graham - Susan Wong, MD, sat down with an 84-year-old patient in the hospital, where he’d been admitted with a flare-up of a serious auto-immune condition and deteriorating kidney function.
‘It’s Becoming Too Expensive to Be Alive’ - Economic insecurity is upending the lives of millions of older adults as soaring housing costs and inflation diminish the value of fixed incomes.
Why Are Nursing Homes So Depressing? - Parents beg their children, and spouses entreat each other, “Promise you’ll never put me in a nursing home!” It’s a promise hard to refuse and harder to keep. Newcomers to the Alzheimer’s caregiver support groups I lead often will make…