Older Americans aren’t just using cannabis more, they’re also consuming the sometimes-legal-sometimes-not drug in dangerous ways. From 2017 through 2022, rates of health care encounters involving cannabis-related disorders increased among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a new study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A team of researchers led by FDA epidemiologist Silvia Perez-Vilar, PharmD, …
Many women struggle to lose belly fat in middle age. Here’s some expert help
Menopause has a bad rap—and topping the list of reasons, for many women, is the average 1.5 extra pounds gained each year throughout a woman’s 50s—much of it in the form of stubborn belly fat. “Menopause is associated with increased weight gain in the midsection and visceral adiposity—the term for when fat is distributed around …
Top aging expert says these 4 FDA-approved drugs hold promise for extending life
There’s not a cure-all drug to help us live longer. Dr. Nir Barzilai, the director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and board member at The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), predicts it will take a few decades to see impactful gerotherapeutics—drugs that counter the aging process—for …
Don’t avoid the end-of-life talk with your aging parents. Here’s how to start the conversation
Even though it’s an inevitability for every person on the planet, most Americans don’t like to talk about their own death. Only 22% of people in the U.S. have documented their end-of-life wishes, according to a study by VITAS Healthcare. That means that for the other 78%, it’s up to loved ones to muddle through …
The strange reason why your body ages most rapidly between 44 and 60—and how to combat it
Aging is not a slow, linear process, according to new research from Stanford researchers. In fact, aging, particularly metabolism slowing and skin wrinkling, may happen in what scientists describe as “age-related waves” versus a steady climb. The study published in the Nature Aging journal found that the body’s molecules and the microbes and bacteria that …
4 things you can do now to avoid a knee or hip replacement later in life
If you know someone that has had a knee or hip replacement recently, you’re probably not alone. That’s because about 790,000 total knee replacements and 544,000 hip replacements are performed every year in the U.S., according to the American College of Rheumatology. And that number is expected to rise as the baby boomer population ages. …
Medicare has a new pilot program to help people with dementia. Here’s how it works
Medicare generally doesn’t offer much to assist the 6.9 million Americans over age 65 with dementia or their 11.5 million unpaid family caregivers. But a new pilot program called the GUIDE Model is changing that. GUIDE, which stands for Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience and launched July 1, 2024, is creating a system of free …
Medicare and gym memberships: Here’s what’s covered and what’s not
A recent report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that many older Americans aren’t getting the recommended amount of physical activity. According to the CDC, if you’re 65 or older, your weekly physical activity should include 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, two or more muscle-strengthening sessions, and balance-improving activities. Physical …
The best places to retire in America are based on these 4 key factors
Linda and Jerry Salzman fell in love with Delray Beach, Florida, back in November 2015. They were “snowbirds”—people from the northeast who spend their winters in Florida to avoid the cold. It wasn’t too long after their first visit that they bought a condo in the charming beach town. After living in New York City …
RSV can be deadly, especially for older adults. What to know about symptoms and the new vaccine
First discovered in chimpanzees in 1956 and in children the following year, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) isn’t new. Neither is it uncommon among the youngest and oldest populations, infecting most babies and toddlers before their second birthday and accounting for the annual hospitalization of up to 160,000 U.S. adults 60 and older. In recent years, …