Hospice News and Research

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They need a ventilator to stay alive. Getting one can be a nightmare.

On vacation in Mexico last year, Michael DiPlacido passed out twice while scuba diving and again in his hotel. Back in St. Louis, doctors diagnosed him with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, an incurable disease that often requires mechanical ventilation.

2 Dec 2025

A new generation of AML treatments brings hope for better survival

A new generation of targeted treatments and gentler chemotherapy options for older adults with a new diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is driving better survival and cure rates.

1 Dec 2025

After series of denials, his insurer approved doctor-recommended cancer care. It was too late.

For nearly three years, Eric Tennant endured chemotherapy infusions, rounds of radiation, biopsies, and hospitalizations that left him weak and depleted.

21 Nov 2025

Muscle-driven gene therapy shows promise for protecting memory in Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating cause of memory loss and cognitive decline, for which no curative treatment is available.

18 Nov 2025

NYU Langone Health begins first clinical trial of gene-edited pig kidney transplants

The first surgery in a clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of gene-edited pig kidney transplants in patients with end-stage renal disease was recently performed at NYU Langone Health.

5 Nov 2025

As sports betting explodes, states try to set limits to stop gambling addiction

It isn't easy to promote moderation and financial discipline from the bowels of a casino.

27 Oct 2025

Neighborhood environments can influence a child's risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D), once considered an adult-onset disease, is increasing at alarming rates in children and adolescents. Before the mid-1990s, just 1% to 2% of youth with diabetes had T2D.

21 Oct 2025

An age-old fear grows more common: ‘I’m going to die alone’

This summer, at dinner with her best friend, Jacki Barden raised an uncomfortable topic: the possibility that she might die alone.

16 Oct 2025

Common hospice medications may carry major unintended risks for people with dementia

Hospice care aims to bring comfort, peace, and dignity to patients at the end of life. Yet for the growing number of Americans with dementia who enter hospice, their course is often long and unpredictable - making it especially important to ensure treatments align with each person's goals and stage of illness.

14 Oct 2025

This geriatrics training program escaped the Ax. for now.

In St. Louis, a team of students aboard a well-equipped van visits senior centers, a nursing home, a church, and other sites, learning to conduct comprehensive, hourlong geriatric assessments.

8 Oct 2025

Evaluating AI systems for motivational interviewing in chronic disease management

Changing health habits – like quitting smoking, exercising more, or sticking to prescribed treatments – is difficult but crucial for preventing and managing chronic diseases.

3 Oct 2025

Emergency departments emerge as key entry point for hospice and palliative care

One-third of Americans will visit an emergency department, or ED, within a month of their death. While EDs are primarily purposed to provide emergent care, they're increasingly becoming an initial touchpoint for hospice and palliative care, or HPC, referrals and consultations, according to a new study from several researchers at Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences.

25 Sep 2025

FAU study explores how a new drug may help treat PTSD and its common companions

About 12 million adults in the United States are affected by PTSD, impacting between 4% and 8% of the adult population – and up to 30% of military personnel and veterans.

24 Sep 2025

Lifestyle changes show promise in preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease

An estimated 7.2 million Americans over age 65 currently live with Alzheimer's disease (AD). That number is expected to nearly double to 13.8 million by 2060.

16 Sep 2025

High consumption of ultra-processed foods increases a sensitive marker of inflammation

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially altered products – like soda, snacks and processed meats – packed with additives and stripped of nutrients.

9 Sep 2025

Insurance status influences survival chances for critically ill patients

Does insurance play a role in which critically ill patients live or die? The unfortunate answer may be yes, due in part to a difference in the rate of inter-hospital transfer, according to new research from the University of Michigan.

26 Aug 2025

Rethinking chronic disease management in older adults

Effectively managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension can greatly improve quality of life, reduce complications and extend longevity for older adults.

20 Aug 2025

Scientists urge shift in medicine to target the biology of aging

The most recent issue of Journal of the American Medical Association includes a landmark review highlighting innovative strategies to slow the biological aging process, an emerging approach with significant potential to prevent or delay multiple chronic diseases at once, one of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine today.

18 Aug 2025

FAU experts recommend high-potency statins to reduce LDL cholesterol

There is broad consensus that the overall body of evidence shows lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol provides both statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefits in treating and preventing cardiovascular disease.

31 Jul 2025

Warfarin use not linked to higher brain bleed risk after falls in older adults

There are about 70 million baby boomers in the United States, many now over age 65. As people age, rates of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases rise, leading to more use of blood thinners such as warfarin.

29 Jul 2025