New Dental Treatment Helps Fill Cavities and Insurance Gaps for Seniors
A new treatment for tooth decay is cheaper, quicker and less painful than getting a filling. Originally touted as a solution for kids, silver diamine fluoride is poised to become a game changer for treating cavities in older adults or those with disabilities that make oral care difficult.
With No Legal Guardrails for Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical Billing
Studies show that at least half of ground ambulance rides across the nation leave patients with “surprise” medical bills. And a $300-a-mile ride is not unusual. Yet federal legislation to stem what’s known as balance billing has largely ignored ambulance costs.
Hospitals, Nursing Homes Fail to Separate COVID Patients, Putting Others at Risk
COVID patients have been commingled with uninfected patients in California, Florida, New Jersey, Iowa, Ohio, Maryland, New York and beyond. While officials have penalized nursing homes for such failures, hospitals have seen less scrutiny.
Older Blacks are perishing quietly, out of sight, victims of the pandemic and a lifetime of racism and its attendant adverse health effects.
Is Cuomo Directive to Blame for Nursing Home COVID Deaths, as US Official Claims?
New York’s governor directed nursing homes to take COVID patients. But is it fair to say he “forced” them to do so, or that his directive led to the deaths of thousands of elderly residents? Most public health experts say no.
Trump Is Sending Fast, Cheap COVID Tests to Nursing Homes — But There’s a Hitch
Experts say the administration’s approach with antigen tests could add cost and risk for the most vulnerable patients.
We Put Off Planning, Until My Father-in-Law’s Medical Crisis Took Us by Surprise
Although the family patriarch did not face a life-threatening emergency, the episode was a reminder that you have to prepare for a real crisis.
Isolation, Disruption and Confusion: Coping With Dementia During a Pandemic
COVID-19 has upended the lives of people with dementia, limiting their interactions with others and complicating matters for their caregivers.
Bereaved Families Are ‘the Secondary Victims of COVID-19’
New research suggests the pandemic’s deaths are taking an enormous toll on surviving family members and worrisome ripple effects may linger for years.
Pandemic Hampers Reopening of Joint Replacement Gold Mine
The COVID-19 pandemic brought knee and hip replacements to a virtual halt because they aren’t usually considered emergency procedures. But they are profitable, and hospital systems are now counting on the surgeries to help restore their financial health.
What Seniors Can Expect as Their New Normal in a Post-Vaccine World
Experts say folks 60 and up must continue to limit exposure in the years to come — even after there is a vaccine for COVID-19.
Technology Divide Between Senior ‘Haves’ and ‘Have-Nots’ Roils Pandemic Response
Older adults with the ability to use technology have more access to virtual social interactions and telehealth services, and more opportunities to secure essential supplies online. Those who don’t know how to use it or can’t afford it are at greater risk of social isolation, forgoing medical care and being without food or other necessary items.
States Allow In-Person Nursing Home Visits As Families Charge Residents Die ‘Of Broken Hearts’
Half the states are rolling back strict policies that have kept family members out of nursing homes because of fears of spreading the coronavirus.
Life Beyond COVID Seclusion: Seniors See Challenges And Change Ahead
Some are grieving the loss of precious time in late life. Others are adjusting their ideas of what is possible and making the best of it.
What Seniors Should Know Before Going Ahead With Elective Procedures
People who put off care as COVID-19 surged are easing back into the medical system. Here’s how to know if it’s safe.
‘I Couldn’t Let Her Be Alone’: A Peaceful Death Amid the COVID Scourge
For three years, staffers at UCLA Health have been quietly fulfilling final wishes for dying patients in the intensive care unit. Amid the isolating forces of the pandemic, their work has become all the more meaningful.
‘More Than Physical Health’: Gym Helps 91-Year-Old Battle Isolation
For Art Ballard, the local gym was like his second home. The 91-year-old former jeweler relied on his near-daily workouts to stay healthy and for social interaction. But when California instituted its stay-at-home order, Ballard’s physical health suffered. So did his mental health.
Seniors In Low-Income Housing Live In Fear Of COVID Infection
On their own in dirty buildings with little guidance or support, vulnerable older residents worry about unchecked transmission of the potentially deadly virus. “We felt abandoned.”
Federal Help Falters As Nursing Homes Run Short Of Protective Equipment
More than 3,000 nursing homes reported less than a week’s worth of supplies, and 653 said they had run out entirely at some point. Stopgap FEMA equipment has not reached many facilities, and packages that have arrived have fallen short of promises.
When A Doctor No Longer Accepts Medicare, Patients Left Holding The Bag
As doctors look for alternative ways to charge patients for care, some Medicare enrollees may lose access to their physicians.
