Pumping Irony

All the time we spend staring at screens could be shortening our lifespan, according to a new study. We do have options, though returning to the typewriter is not one of them.

Can we cure dementia by zapping our brains with electrical currents? Some enterprising researchers would certainly like us to think so.

I’ve discovered plenty of good reasons for postponing retirement and continuing to pursue purposeful work, but a new study suggests I may have overlooked an important one: It could help prevent a stroke.

The Inflation Reduction Act will make some prescription drugs much more affordable for strapped Medicare beneficiaries. But will it deepen our dependence on Big Pharma?

A new study suggests that people mired in low-wage jobs for long periods of time may suffer cognitive decline earlier in life than those favored with a more affluent life. My checkered career leaves me wondering where I stand.

Elderly patients are often tagged with a “failure to thrive” label when doctors simply don’t want to spend the time and energy to determine a specific diagnosis. While leading geriatricians continue to argue against the designation, others point to its more salutary effects.

As Big Pharma continues to flail away on the Alzheimer’s front, new research increasingly turns toward identifying lifestyle changes that can lower the risk of falling prey to the disease.

Some 5 million elderly Americans fall prey to scam artists each year, and those who struggle to maintain social connections may be more vulnerable than most. A new evaluation program designed to measure an individual’s ability to make good choices could offer some help.

A trip to hospice typically means you’ve given up on life. But what if you could receive in-home palliative care while still pursuing treatments for your afflictions? A Medicare pilot program suggests it could prolong lives — and save the agency money.

Cultural messages about the perils of old age often make it tempting to assume the worst about what lies ahead, but a new book argues that an upbeat view of aging can actually lead to a longer, more fulfilling life.

COVID, interest rates, and a tight housing market have dampened the appeal of downsizing for many empty nesters. But that only partially explains why we’re adding a second bathroom 10 years after the kids moved away.

The first comprehensive review of U.S. nursing homes in more than 35 years reveals an industry that has done little to improve resident care. And while policymakers talk about reform, everyone else seems to be talking about robots.

U.S. seniors have rolled up their sleeves for the initial rounds of COVID vaccines at a rate far above average, but as COVID-related deaths among vaccinated Americans continue to rise, public-health officials worry that too many have stopped short of the booster.

The thousands of retirees lured back into the workforce by companies desperate for workers are experiencing the kind of job security they could only dream of in pre-pandemic times. They may also be accruing some surprising neurological benefits.

The pandemic has pushed pharmacists into primary-care territory traditionally dominated by physicians, and some policymakers believe convenience and expense argue for giving them even more latitude to test and treat. The American Medical Association begs to differ.