Last update:
Geriatric palliative care news
Common drugs older adults might be overusing
The scenario often unfolds like this: Medical researchers investigate a frequently used drug and report that it's less effective for older patients than previously thought, or that its risks outweigh its benefits in older ...
Sep 21, 2026
0
7
Government-owned aged care homes linked to fewer hospital visits in Australia
Experts have raised concerns about a gradual shift in ownership and management models in Australia's aged care facilities—and the subsequent impact this has on the quality of care and resident health outcomes.
Sep 21, 2026
0
19
Dementia survey finds caregivers overwhelmed as one-third provide 70 hours of care
New national survey findings show that while many Australians living with dementia report positive well-being and support from family and friends, the pathway to diagnosis can be complex and support services can be difficult ...
Sep 21, 2026
0
10
One-third of older adults with cognitive disorders are taking prescription drugs that could harm them
Adults 65 and older with cognitive disorders such as dementia are more likely to suffer negative effects from drugs that treat central nervous system conditions, including anxiety, sleep problems and psychosis. This means ...
Sep 20, 2026
0
45
Personalized programs to prevent falls may make no difference
Personalized programs designed to reduce falls in older people may make no difference to how often people fall, according to the most comprehensive research review to date.
Sep 20, 2026
0
7
Australians support voluntary assisted dying, but with clear limits
New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found that Australians broadly support voluntary assisted dying (VAD) as an end-of-life choice, but most believe access should remain limited to people experiencing terminal ...
Sep 16, 2026
0
2
How South Korea is tackling its super‑aging problem—and what other aging nations can learn from its experience
In December 2024, the share of South Koreans ages 65 and older surpassed 20% for the first time, making it what demographers like us call a "super-aged society." By August 2026, that share had risen further to 22.1%.
Sep 15, 2026
0
5
Giving up the car keys can feel like grief for older Australians
Researchers are urging families to start conversations about driving retirement years before an older person is forced off the road, warning that waiting for a crash or near miss can make the transition harder.
Sep 15, 2026
0
3
Why so few older Americans get counseling—and how it could help
People are living longer, reshaping what it means to grow old. By the late 2060s, an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide will be 60 or older—more than the number of people who are under 18. The population ages 80 and older ...
Sep 14, 2026
0
3
Where 9/11 responders live may influence frailty, PTSD and depression decades later
Twenty-five years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that environmental conditions where World Trade Center responders live may influence their ...
Sep 11, 2026
1
7
Blocking a protein may reduce buildup of harmful aging cells
A team led by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University investigators has identified a protein that may hide aging cells from the body's immune system, allowing them to build up and contribute to age-related health problems.
Sep 10, 2026
0
39
Potentially harmful drug combinations prescribed to older adults identified
A new Ontario-wide study reveals that common medications, from statins to iron supplements, are quietly setting off prescribing cascades that leave older adults unknowingly taking drugs to treat side effects of other drugs.
Sep 10, 2026
0
27
New caregiver resource focuses on quality of life in later stages of dementia
Much of the progress in Alzheimer's disease research in recent years has focused on preventing or slowing the disease in its earliest stages. But for millions of people already living with advanced dementia—and the families ...
Sep 10, 2026
0
14
Ketone supplement trial tests whether it can slow aging in older adults
For Judy Donnelly, participating in a UConn Health research study meant driving from Windham to Farmington, drinking four packets of a supplement each day and undergoing a comprehensive series of tests designed to measure ...
Sep 10, 2026
0
9
From sadness to relief: How families cope with assisted dying grief
New research exploring how people cope when a family member chooses assisted dying highlights the "roller coaster" of emotions they often experience.
Sep 10, 2026
0
4
Six-month community program improves attention and diet scores in older adults
As aging populations drive rising global health care demands, finding scalable ways to prevent cognitive decline has become a public health priority. While intensive clinical trials have shown that multidomain lifestyle interventions ...
Sep 6, 2026
0
10
Systems-level approaches crucial to translating research into aged care practice
Research continues to improve knowledge and understanding, but translating this research into clinical practice remains a challenge.
Sep 4, 2026
0
4
Study highlights fragmented dementia care across health and social care systems
A new University of Liverpool–led study has highlighted widespread fragmentation between health care and social services for people living with dementia and their unpaid caregivers across eight European countries.
Sep 3, 2026
0
4
Level of education most strongly linked to survival after hip fracture
Level of education is the socioeconomic factor most strongly associated with survival rates after acute hip surgery. This is shown in a Linköping University study of 58,000 people. The results can be used to better identify ...
Sep 2, 2026
0
3
Smart walker boosts walking efficiency and dynamic balance in older adults
Researchers have evaluated a novel smart wheeled walker designed to enhance mobility and safety for aging populations. Published in JMIR Aging, the randomized crossover trial revealed that the smart wheeled walker significantly ...
Sep 1, 2026
0
919
Gut bacterium and its metabolite found to delay aging
A new study published in Nature Aging on Aug. 25 reports that a single gut bacterium—Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (BP)—together with a small molecule it produces, 5-aminovaleric acid betaine (5-AVAB), can alleviate multiple ...
Sep 1, 2026
0
77
Number of people with dementia living at home could double by 2040
A study conducted at the University of Helsinki indicates that the total number of people with dementia will grow significantly in the coming years, and the number of those living at home may even more than double after 2018.
Sep 1, 2026
0
4
Four disease profiles reveal uneven benefits from lifestyle programs after age 70
Older adults living with several chronic diseases, a condition known as multimorbidity, may respond differently to interventions aimed at preventing disability, depending on the combination of diseases they have. A new study, ...
Aug 31, 2026
0
7
Magic mushrooms in palliative care: Clinicians are keen but ill-equipped
Once relegated to the counterculture, psilocybin—the psychoactive compound in "magic mushrooms"—has been receiving renewed scientific attention. A growing body of research points to its potential for treating depression, ...
Aug 29, 2026
0
8
The hidden role of a cell-cycle regulator in senescent cells that don't divide
In a tale of identities as divergent as "The Prince and the Pauper," a well-known cancer-causing gene also influences cells in a zombie-like state meant to prevent cancer.
Aug 28, 2026
0
10
