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Geriatric palliative care news

Greater optimism tied to 15% lower dementia risk over 14 years

The more optimistic a person is, the lower their risk of developing dementia, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The research, published April 8 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics ...

Loneliness highest among older Australians without partners or children

As Australia's population ages and loneliness becomes a growing public health concern, new research from Monash University has found that older Australians without close family ties face significantly higher rates of loneliness. ...

Hospital delirium a 'red flag' for severe health decline

A single episode of delirium—a state of confusion and agitation—in hospitalized older adults is a significant risk factor for other serious health complications including fractures, stroke and sepsis, a University of Queensland ...

Should people over 75 continue colonoscopies?

The American Cancer Society recommends screening for colorectal cancer in adults beginning at age 45 and continuing through age 75. However, adults over the age of 75 with a history of precancerous polyps—also known as adenomas—are ...

The dark side of music as 'therapy'

A violinist plays in a cancer ward. A playlist loops in the waiting room. A surgeon hums along to the radio mid-operation. We assume, almost without thinking, that music helps. But what if it doesn't—or worse, what if it ...

Do genes dictate how lifestyle choices impact aging?

Lifestyle-behavioral factors and socioeconomic status play an important role in shaping healthy aging, but their effects may differ depending on the individual's DNA, according to a new international study led by Adelaide ...

How life stories shape the path to assisted death

The debate surrounding the provision of assistance to those wishing to die has long centered on abstract notions such as individual choice and personal autonomy. What is often missing from the discussion, says sociologist ...

Why aging shouldn't be classified as a disease

In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases—a global, standard-setting guideline for how institutions should understand and organize health information. ...

Palliative care and hospice poll reveals major gaps

A new poll reveals large gaps in older adults' knowledge about two types of care that could help them or their loved ones cope with a major illness or the end of life: palliative care and hospice.

How nursing home residents got caught in the opioid backlash

Since the height of the opioid epidemic, doctors have been prescribing fewer of these medications. A new study from UC San Francisco shows that this trend extends to nursing home residents who may need opioids to manage chronic ...

Oldest-living dogs reveal potential key to fighting frailty

Frailty threatens older individuals because it increases their vulnerability to detrimental health outcomes, such as falling, longer hospitalization, or even shortened life expectancy. New research exploring the linkage between ...

When a hearing aid isn't enough

Hearing loss among older adults remains vastly undertreated. Federal epidemiologists have estimated that it affects about one in five people ages 65 to 74 and more than half of those over 75.