Latest Senior Health News

6Aug
2020

Are Baby Boomers Less Sharp Than Previous Generations?

Are Baby Boomers Less Sharp Than Previous Generations?THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Aging baby boomers may not be as mentally sharp as their parents were, a new study suggests -- raising questions about what the pattern could mean for future dementia rates. Looking at two decades' worth of data on U.S. adults, the study found generational differences in tests of cognitive function. That refers to essential mental abilities such as remembering, reasoning and problem-solving. On average, Americans born in the early- to mid-boomer generation -- between 1948 and 1959 -- fared a bit worse on those tests than previous generations. The pattern reversed what had been an improving outlook: Americans born between 1942 and 1947 had generally outperformed those born between 1890 and 1923. On one hand, the findings are surprising,...

Many Older Adults Can't Connect With Telehealth: Study

6 August 2020
Many Older Adults Can`t Connect With Telehealth: StudyTHURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The coronavirus pandemic has fueled big increases in video visits between patients and doctors, but older Americans haven't easily taken to the trend, a new study finds. More than one-third of those over 65 face difficulties seeing their doctor via telemedicine -- especially older men in remote or rural areas who are poor, have disabilities or are in poor health. "Telemedicine is not inherently accessible, and mandating its use leaves many older adults without access to their medical care," said lead author Dr. Kenneth Lam, a clinical fellow in geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. "We need further innovation in devices, services and policy to make sure older adults are not left behind during this migration," he...

Many Older Americans Getting Cancer Screens They Don't...

6 August 2020
Many Older Americans Getting Cancer Screens They Don`t Need: StudyTHURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to recommendations set by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, many Americans are getting screened for cancer even when old age or poor health would likely render such screenings risky and pointless, new research finds. The task force notes that screening always entails some degree of risk, and cancer treatment can be harsh. So the reasoning is that neither the risk nor the ordeal are worth it for those who don't have long to live anyway. But after reviewing the 2018 screening histories of over 176,000 patients, Penn State investigators determined that many patients were getting "overscreened." At an average age of 75, roughly 55,000 men and women got tested for colorectal cancer, 83,000 women for cervical cancer and 38,000...

More Education May Slow Start of Early-Onset Alzheimer's

5 August 2020
More Education May Slow Start of Early-Onset Alzheimer`sWEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Among people who have the gene that carries a heightened risk for early-onset Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests that more education might slow the development of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. About 1% to 6% of people with Alzheimer's disease have genes that put them at risk for early development of the disease, which can start in their 30s to 50s, the researchers said. "Because we've assumed that the effects of these genes can't be changed, very little research has been done on whether we can modify the trajectory of the disease," explained researcher Sylvia Villeneuve, of McGill University in Montreal, Canada. "It's exciting to see that education may play a role in delaying the start of this devastating disease, which...

Obesity Ups Odds for Severe COVID-19, But Age Matters

5 August 2020
Obesity Ups Odds for Severe COVID-19, But Age MattersWEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- If you're younger than 65 years old and obese, COVID-19 poses a special danger to you. A new study reports that the more obese you are, the more likely you are to either die from infection with the new coronavirus or require lifesaving mechanical ventilation to survive. Morbidly obese COVID-19 patients are 60% more likely to die or require intubation, compared with people of normal weight, researchers found. Patients who were mildly obese were 10% more likely to die or need a breathing machine, while those who were moderately obese were 30% more likely, according to the study. "Increasing obesity was associated with an increased risk of lung failure or death in COVID-19," said lead researcher Dr. Michaela Anderson, a pulmonologist at...
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