September 7, 2022 —
Natural disasters are devastating. They cost lives. They cost communities. They cost money. But they are particularly deadly for seniors. Gustavo E. Flores, M.D., a member of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Emergency Cardiovascular Care committee, explains, “During and after a storm, many people experience extreme stress and trauma, which research shows can lead to... Read More
August 8, 2022 —
Who – When – How? Moving to an assisted living facility is an important life decision for older adults and their family. How do you know when it’s the right time? What is the difference between assisted living and independent living? And how do you pick the best option? Like most important decisions, researching the... Read More
May 18, 2022 —
With all the advances of modern medical science, it can still be useful to look at the health practices of our species over time. We evolved in a far different environment than most of us live in today, and our brains and bodies may not have caught up yet. Sleep has been deeply impacted by... Read More
April 18, 2022 —
A February 2022 study from the University of Florida showed that when it comes to your memory health, your dog is indeed a very good boy! For that matter, your feline friends and even fish and turtles provide a brain boost. Sociology doctoral candidate Jennifer Applebaum led the study of 1,300 seniors, which found that... Read More
April 11, 2022 —
Timothy Leary’s “turn on, tune in, drop out” … hippies passing around a joint at a music festival … rock bands taking drug-fueled “trips.” That’s the stereotype of the baby boomers, and several studies from 2022 suggest that many members of the generation—people born from 1946 to 1964—have not given up illicit drug use, most... Read More
March 14, 2022 —
The old cliché is that older adults should take it easy—maybe even take to their rocking chairs. Today, we know how wrong that is! “It’s a widespread idea in Western societies that as we get older, it’s normal to slow down, do less, and retire,” said Harvard evolutionary biologist Daniel E. Lieberman. In fact, he said,... Read More
February 28, 2022 —
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, only following heart disease. Each year, almost 1,800,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer, and close to 600,000 people will die of the disease. Just as the CDC’s name implies, “control and prevention”... Read More
February 11, 2022 —
During February, we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Gerontologists report that during the pandemic, older couples have been providing a great deal of support for each other’s well-being. At any time, the health of couples can be closely intertwined. For example, the American Heart Association reports that couples often share certain heart-health traits, such as blood pressure,... Read More
January 31, 2022 —
Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been experiencing another epidemic—this one of misinformation! Spreading unsubstantiated rumors is never a good thing, and in the case of health information, it can be life-threatening. For most of us, it feels good to know we’re sharing factual, accurate information—but how can we be sure we really are? “Health... Read More
January 17, 2022 —
For many of us, the holidays are a hectic time! We put hours of preparation into selecting, purchasing and wrapping gifts, decorating our homes, cooking and baking, and perhaps getting ready for guests or traveling to our destination. This year, as in last year, many of us had to pivot a bit. If it wasn’t... Read More
