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 10, 2022 —
From the beginning of the pandemic, much attention has been paid to older adults, who are at highest risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and who have faced isolation and an interruption to their regular activities as they practiced social distancing. Recent figures show that 75% of people who died from the virus are age... Read More
June 1, 2021 —
Older adults were hardest hit by the effects of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, facing the highest risk of serious illness and death from the disease. Social distancing helped protect them, but posed a threat to their physical and mental health. Geriatric experts around the world continue to study the status of the older population... Read More
April 26, 2021 —
The new vaccines to prevent COVID-19 are a real game changer! With more than three million doses being administered each day, we’re making progress toward achieving the estimated 70 – 90% of people who need to be immune before the pandemic is truly turned around. People who have been vaccinated may have a lot of... Read More
April 5, 2021 —
While most people think of COVID-19 as primarily affecting the lungs, the data on millions of patients shows it can damage other body systems, including the brain. Some patients have experienced serious brain inflammation, delirium, hallucinations, psychotic symptoms, and strokes. Others report a milder, but still troubling, set of symptoms that some experts are referring... Read More
February 15, 2021 —
In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors noted that a loss of smell was a noticeable symptom. Dr. Carl Philpott of the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK has studied this effect for months and learned that while the loss of smell during a cold or allergies is caused by congestion,... Read More
February 2, 2021 —
Sense of Purpose Makes a Big Difference in Older Adults Gerontologists tell us that feeling we make a difference in the world provides a powerful healthy aging boost. A 2019 study of 7,000 older adults published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science showed that those who engaged in activities they consider worthwhile have... Read More
January 11, 2021 —
The holidays are over, and we’re returning to normal life—or, what passes as normal during the time of a pandemic. Most of us are excited about the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, and hopefully we are continuing to follow the guidance of health experts to protect ourselves and others from exposure to the virus. Though... Read More
December 21, 2020 —
There is exciting news these days about the progress being made toward distribution of the vaccine targeting the virus that causes COVID-19, which has taken the lives of so many people worldwide. Older adults have been hardest hit by the virus, and it’s expected that they will be among the first on the list to... Read More
November 30, 2020 —
During 2020, prevention has been top of mind for many of us! Though we can and should be immunized against seasonal influenza (“the flu”), a vaccine for COVID-19 isn’t available yet. The tools at our disposal for lowering our risk include wearing a mask and practicing physical distancing. Many of us also are thinking of... Read More