elderly

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Feds Slam Nursing Homes for '1-Star' Care

(Newser) - Rife with mistreated patients and poor conditions, nearly one quarter of US nursing homes received 1 out of 5 stars in a new Washington rating program. “The conditions described are grim and, at times, deadly,” Sam Roe writes in the Chicago Tribune of Illinois’ one-star homes. Cold food,...

93-Year-Old Left to Freeze Leaves $500K to Hospital

Estate may be worth more than $500K

(Newser) - The 93-year-old Michigan man who froze to death last month after his electricity was cut off was a World War II medic who left his estate—possibly more than $500,000—to a local hospital, CNN reports. Despite the savings, Martin Schur was $1,000 behind on his utility bill....

Elderly Man Freezes to Death Over Unpaid Bill

Mich. neighbor finds 93-year-old in house after city cut power

(Newser) - A 93-year-old Michigan man who failed to pay his electricity bill froze to death in his home after the city cut his power supply, the Bay City Times reports. Marvin Schur suffered what a pathologist called "a slow painful death" from hypothermia several days after city workers installed a...

Seeking Surgery at 80? You're Not Alone

Operations on elderly patients raise questions about aggressive treatments

(Newser) - Folks over 80 are increasingly going under the knife despite critics who say it's unethical or financially perilous, the Sacramento Bee reports. New medical technology has persuaded doctors to violate tradition and perform operations like cancer and open-heart surgery on octogenarians. But one doctor has sparked controversy by saying patients...

107-Year-Old Virgin Lookin' for Love

Elderly Chinese woman overcomes life-long fear of marriage

(Newser) - A 107-year-old Chinese woman has decided now's the time to start looking for Mr Right, the New York Daily News reports. Wang Guiying decided early on that marriage was too scary but now, fearing she's becoming a burden on her nephews and nieces, she's decided to take the plunge. Wang...

Science Probes 'Senior Moments'

Researchers discover why an aging brain is prone to distraction

(Newser) - Science has found clues to why older people tend to lose their train of thought so easily: Slower internal brain communications are behind those misplaced names, words, keys, and other “senior moments,” the Wall Street Journal reports. A 200-millisecond difference in an older person’s ability to quickly...

Elderly Trapped in Houses That Won't Sell

Lack of buyers forces frail elderly to postpone plans for assisted living

(Newser) - The collapse of the housing market has left many elderly people marooned in their own homes, the New York Times reports. Retirement communities require hefty down payments that many elderly were expecting to raise by selling their homes. With no buyers out there, frail people requiring daily care are stuck...

The Battle to Get Elderly Back on Their Feet After Falls

Falls treated as complicated medical events instead of routine part of getting old

(Newser) - Falling and breaking a hip is so common among the elderly it's been considered an inevitable sign of aging, but medical experts have now developed complex protocols to both prevent and treat breaks that often trigger a spiral of decline, the New York Times reports. Even minor falls "need...

NYC Cops Bust Pickpocket, 76, for 37th Time

Retirement not looking likely for granny with 30-year rap sheet

(Newser) - Can you blame an old lady for being set in her ways? New York City cops have busted a 76-year-old woman with 20 aliases and 30 convictions for the 37th time, the New York Post reports. This time known as "Katherine Kelly," she was nabbed after lifting a...

Japan's Seniors Turn to Crime
 Japan's Seniors Turn to Crime 
Oct 17, 2008 9:10 AM CDT

Japan's Seniors Turn to Crime

Violence surges among over-65s

(Newser) - It's not the kids who are causing hand-wringing in Japan these days, but the elderly, who are responsible for a crime wave, the Daily Telegraph reports. With some 49,000 people over the age of 65 convicted of crimes ranging from petty theft to murder last year—more than triple...

'Sweetie' Talk Saps Seniors' Health

Condescending treatment builds poor self-image: study

(Newser) - Many believe they’re bridging a divide with the elderly by calling them “sweetie” or “dear”—what experts call “elderspeak.” But studies show that such language may actually be hurtful to older people, causing “negative images of aging” that can trigger a “downward...

Low B12 Levels Tied to Brain Shrinkage, Memory Loss

Many adults deficient in crucial nutrient

(Newser) - Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause memory loss, particularly in the elderly, reports the BBC. People short on the nutrient were 6 times more likely than individuals with normal levels to experience brain shrinkage, which is strongly linked to dementia, a new study shows. Forty percent of people are believed to...

Runners Live Longer: Study
 Runners Live Longer: Study
Aug 12, 2008 3:52 AM CDT

Runners Live Longer: Study

Health benefits extend into runners' 90s

(Newser) - Runners live longer and age more slowly than non-runners, a new study has found. Researchers tracked hundreds of older people for decades and discovered those who ran regularly remained active later into old age and were less likely to develop disabilities. Twenty years into the study 34% of the non-runners...

'Young Old People' Defend McCain From Age Attacks

'What was the question?' quips one

(Newser) - A group of fit Florida seniors have stepped up to the plate to defend candidate John MCain from criticism that he's too old to competently govern the country. "I think he could do the job in his 90s," said a supporter, one of several men born within days...

'Pre-Dementia' on the Rise
 'Pre-Dementia' on the Rise
Jul 29, 2008 5:33 AM CDT

'Pre-Dementia' on the Rise

Mild impairment strikes nearly a million elderly a year, especially men

(Newser) - Almost a million Americans each year develop a mild form of memory loss that is often a precursor to Alzheimer's, according to new research. Mild Cognitive Impairment—more serious than normal "senior moments"—was found to be more common in men, the Los Angeles Times reports. Doctors warn...

Don't Talk Down to Alzheimer's Patients: Docs

Trouble communicating leads to frustration, uncooperative behavior

(Newser) - Even after they lose the ability to communicate easily, Alzheimer’s disease patients remain aware of the world around them and know when they're being talked down to, a study shows. Video evidence suggests patients are twice as likely to accept help from caregivers, and to not shut down or...

A Medical Frontier: 100-Year-Olds In Surgery

Doctors disagree on whether to operate on the 'late elderly'

(Newser) - Life expectancy in the United States keeps rising: more than 90,000 Americans have celebrated a 100th birthday, and experts foresee more than 1 million centenarians by 2050. As lifespans have grown, so too have medical efforts to treat the very old, from hip replacements to chemotherapy. But as the...

GM Developing Futuristic Windshield

Looking forward to an aging driver, tech would compensate for poor eyesight

(Newser) - America’s driving population is aging, and GM aims to do something to help older motorists: develop a high-tech windshield that compensates for declining eyesight, the AP reports. The system, now in the research phase, uses lasers and infrared sensors to identify hazards in the road—or perhaps the edge...

Seniors Wield Canes in Martial- Arts Training

Exercise and self- defense meet in 'Cane Fu' classes

(Newser) - Call it cane fighting, combat cane or cane fu: in classes across the country, seniors are turning to a different kind of self-defense, the Wall Street Journal reports. While the practice serves as a healthy way to get exercise, it also provides comfort to elderly people interested in protecting themselves...

To Cheat Death, Eat Less
 To Cheat Death, Eat Less 
Jul 9, 2008 6:26 PM CDT

To Cheat Death, Eat Less

15% reduction in your diet at age 25 could add 4½ years to your life, researchers think

(Newser) - Call it the Refrigerator of Youth: Eating less could add nearly 5 years to your lifespan, LiveScience reports. Even scholars dismissive of anti-aging hype concede that a more moderate eating approach could bear fruit. "There is plenty of evidence that calorie restriction can reduce your risks for many common...

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