Seniors News and Research

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Solving the home care quandary

You're ready to leave the hospital, but you don't feel able to care for yourself at home yet.

8 Jan 2026

Homeless shelters for seniors pop up, catering to older adults’ medical needs

Just outside Salt Lake City sits an old, two-story, brick hotel. It's been given new life as a homeless shelter for seniors. The Medically Vulnerable People shelter — or MVP shelter, as it's known — is for people 62 and older or for younger adults with chronic health issues.

7 Jan 2026

On the hook for uninsured residents, counties now wonder how they’ll pay

In 2013, before the Affordable Care Act helped millions get health insurance, California's Placer County provided limited health care to some 3,400 uninsured residents who couldn't afford to see a doctor.

6 Jan 2026

Judge in nursing home bankruptcy case gives families fresh hope of compensation for injuries, deaths

A bankruptcy judge blocked an attempt by a nursing home chain's primary investor to shield himself from settlement payments and liability in lawsuits alleging hundreds of patient injuries and deaths, encouraging those pursuing millions in damages.

19 Dec 2025

AI analysis of chest X-rays may reveal early signs of aging

Artificial intelligence may be able to reveal how fast your body is aging by analyzing a chest X-ray, according to a new study published in The Journals of Gerontology. Researchers found that a deep learning model was able to detect subtle, age-related changes in the heart, lungs, and overall health more effectively than leading DNA-based "epigenetic clocks."

17 Dec 2025

Machine learning reveals dental caries heterogeneity in NHANES

A new article published in the Journal of Dental Research explores the development an integrated data-cleaning and subtype discovery pipeline using unsupervised machine learning for comprehensive analysis and visualization of data patterns in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database.

11 Dec 2025

Diabetes drugs linked to slower frailty progression in older adults

A new study shows that older adults with type 2 diabetes who start treatment with sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors-such as empagliflozin (Jardiance) and dapagliflozin (Farxiga)-or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists-such as semaglutide (Ozempic) and liraglutide (Victoza)-experience slower progression of frailty over one year compared with those starting other diabetes medications.

3 Dec 2025

Shingles vaccine may benefit individuals already diagnosed with dementia, new study finds

An unusual public health policy in Wales may have produced the strongest evidence yet that a vaccine can reduce the risk of dementia.

2 Dec 2025

Understanding tea's health benefits and risks

The review confirms that tea, particularly green tea, plays a crucial role in preventing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

1 Dec 2025

New work requirement adds red tape to Missouri’s snarled food aid system

Distributing food stamps soon could get even harder for Missouri's food aid system, which a federal judge has already called "broken and inaccessible."

1 Dec 2025

Fluoride levels in U.S. drinking water linked to better teen cognition

Fluoride exposure in childhood supports academic achievement but lacks measurable cognitive benefits in later adulthood, according to a landmark U.S. study.

25 Nov 2025

Global experts map out the practical steps that help extend life expectancy

The 1st World Longevity Summit in Kyotango, Japan brought together global experts to share advances in aging biology, lifestyle medicine, and community-based strategies for healthy longevity. Its joint declaration identified four pillars – social connection, plant-based diets, daily activity, and gratitude with purpose – as core foundations for extending healthy life expectancy worldwide.

19 Nov 2025

Everyday speech patterns reveal hidden markers of brain health

The way we speak in everyday conversation may hold important clues about brain health, according to new research from Baycrest, the University of Toronto and York University.

11 Nov 2025

Simple family-based tool enhances early detection of postoperative delirium

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia shows that family members and caregivers can play a critical role in detecting delirium after surgery using a simple tool known as the Family Confusion Assessment Method.

7 Nov 2025

Rising premature deaths prevent many Americans from reaching the age of Medicare eligibility

For 60 years, Medicare has served as a social safety net. Workers pay into the system over their lifetimes with the expectation that they will be able to access affordable health care when they turn 65.

7 Nov 2025

How diet affects aging metabolism differently for men and women

Research reveals sex-based differences in diet's impact on metabolism, highlighting plant proteins for men and moderate wine for women in older adults.

7 Nov 2025

Sock hops and concerts: How some places spent opioid settlement cash

Officials in Irvington, New Jersey, had an idea. To raise awareness about the dangers of opioid use and addiction, the township could host concerts with popular R&B artists like Q Parker and Musiq Soulchild.

3 Nov 2025

Study links poor sleep to adverse health outcomes in seniors

Sleep problems affect more than one in five residents in long-term care facilities, with pain, daytime napping and certain medications emerging as key contributors.

28 Oct 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Nutrition programs face their own shutdown

Health programs are feeling the pinch of the ongoing government shutdown. Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the food program for women, infants, and children, WIC, is likely to run out in November, and cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are keeping the agency from carrying out some of its primary public health functions.

23 Oct 2025