Latest KFF Health News Stories
In Oregon, End-of-Life Wishes Are Just A Click Away
A new link creates two-way access to the state registry that documents the type of medical care sick and frail patients want — or refuse.
Quiz: How Well Are You Paying Attention?
To strengthen your core knowledge of health care policy, it helps to be a regular reader of Kaiser Health News. Here’s a pop quiz to gauge what you have learned.
A Rare Dementia Gene Runs In The Family, But He’s Fine — So Far
A Washington state man inherited the mutated gene that stole his mother’s mind. He doesn’t have the disease, and doctors don’t know why.
The Secret To Chronic Happiness As You Age
Happy doesn’t always mean healthy. These older adults are still finding joy in spite of their physical challenges.
Elder Abuse: ERs Learn How To Protect A Vulnerable Population
An emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Hospital trains staff to recognize signs of elder abuse and help victims.
Dying At Home In An Opioid Crisis: Hospices Grapple With Stolen Meds
As more patients receive hospice care at home, some of the powerful, addictive drugs they’re prescribed are ending up in the wrong hands.
Lag In Brain Donation Hampers Understanding Of Dementia In Blacks
A long history of racism and cruel experimentation in health care are among the reasons African-American families oppose donating patients’ brains for study.
Many Still Sidestep End-Of-Life Care Planning, Study Finds
Only about a third of U.S. adults have advance directives in place to guide the care they receive in the event that they are unable to make their own decisions about life-sustaining medical treatments.
Jump-Starting Hard Conversations As The End Nears
An end-of life-planning website can encourage patients to tackle that difficult topic before they become too ill to communicate, according to a new study. But they may be more likely to make concrete plans with help from a doctor or social worker.
Messages From Beyond: Using Technology To Seal Your Legacy
From slick videos to digital “time capsules,” folks have new ways to “stay alive” long after they die.
‘No One Wants To Be Old’: How To Put The ‘Non-Age’ in Nonagenarian
Living a vital, active life well into your 90s requires positive thinking and activity.
They’ve Still Got Bucket Lists — In Their 90s
One flew a plane at 97; the other went to college at 92. But these two friends are proudest of their legacies of kindness.
Influx Of Elderly Patients Forces ER To Practice Comfort Care
Despite a culture clash and lack of time and training, ER doctors see how palliative care averts suffering for elderly patients with serious illnesses.
Volunteers Help Ombudsmen Give Nursing Home Residents ‘A Voice’ In Their Care
Ombudsman’s offices represent long-term care residents on issues such as admissions and discharges, food, physical environment and abuse.
Coming Full Circle, Doulas Cradle The Dying
Traditionally there for mothers giving birth, a doula’s role has evolved to comforting seniors facing death.
Boomerang Seniors: Aging Adults Move To Be Near Mom Or Dad
Some older adults are living in the same senior communities as their parents, which streamlines caretaking in the end-of-life years.
Want To Live Past 100? Centenarians Share Secrets Of Knee Bends And Nips Of Scotch
The ranks of 100-year-olds doubles every eight years, but researchers still puzzle over the ingredients of longevity.
‘Pre-Hospice’ Saves Money By Keeping People At Home Near The End Of Life
A San Diego program helps chronically ill people avoid the hospital by teaching them how to better manage their diseases and telling them what to expect in their final years. Other health providers and insurers around the country are trying similar approaches.
ER Visits Linked To Falls Spike Among California Seniors
State data show a rise of nearly 40 percent in fall-related visits from 2010 to 2015, a period in which the elderly population grew about 21 percent.
Docs In Northwest Tweak Aid-In-Dying Drugs To Prevent Prolonged Deaths
Some terminal patients, typically high-dose opioid users, who choose to end their lives have taken many hours, even days, to die.
