May 19, 2020

Get Moving, Seniors: It's Good For Your Brain

FRIDAY, May 15, 2020 -- Want to give your brain a boost? Go for a swim, take a walk, or spin your partner on the living room floor.

A new study finds that aerobic exercise can improve older adults' thinking and memory, even if they're longtime couch potatoes.

May 19, 2020

Healthier Heart, Better Brain in Old Age

MONDAY, May 18, 2020 -- Preventing heart disease may protect you from dementia, researchers say.

The new study looked at nearly 1,600 people, at an average age of 79.5, who were followed for 21 years. Their heart disease risk was assessed at the outset, and participants had annual memory and thinking tests.

May 5, 2020

Common Treatment May Not Help Seniors With Underactive Thyroid

MONDAY, May 4, 2020 -- The medication Synthroid (levothyroxine) is often used to treat a condition called subclinical hypothyroidism, but a new study suggests the treatment might be a waste of time.

For the study, researchers followed 638 people aged 65 and older with subclinical hypothyroidism, also known as mild thyroid failure. About half of the patients were given the medication, and half were given an inactive placebo.

April 9, 2020

How Pets Can Be True Lifesavers for Seniors

FRIDAY, April 3, 2020 -- Having a furry, fluffy or feathered friend can have a profound effect on seniors' mental health, possibly even helping prevent some suicides, new research suggests.

In a group of 35 older people who were pet owners, more than one-third said they were "actively suicidal" or "significantly traumatized," but their pets gave them a reason to live.

April 3, 2020

AHA News: Health Emergency? Don't Hesitate to Get Help

MONDAY, March 30, 2020 (American Heart Association News) -- With hospitals across America focused on people who have developed COVID-19, some people with unrelated but still urgent health problems are feeling awkward about reporting to emergency rooms.

They shouldn't, doctors say.

March 30, 2020

When Is Surgery Not Safe for Seniors?

THURSDAY, March 12, 2020 -- Poor physical function, dementia and depression all raise seniors' risk of death after a major operation and should be factored into their pre-surgery assessments, researchers say.

In a new study, investigators analyzed data on more than 1,300 U.S. patients, aged 66 and older, who had one of three types of major surgery (abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, coronary artery bypass graft or colectomy) between 1992 and 2014.