What We Know And Don’t Know About Memory Loss After Surgery
Memory problems and trouble multitasking are among the symptoms of POCD, a little-known condition that affects a substantial number of older adults after surgery.
KFF Health News’ coverage related to aging and improving care of older adults is supported in part by The John A. Hartford Foundation.
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Is There Such A Thing As Normal Aging?
Our experts track the signs of normal aging from ages 50 to 100 — and there are some surprises.
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Older Americans Are Hooked On Vitamins Despite Scarce Evidence They Work
Sixty-eight percent of those 65 and older take vitamin supplements. Much of what we once believed about the benefits is wrong.
By Liz Szabo -
Medicare Advantage Plans Cleared To Go Beyond Medical Coverage — Even Groceries
Under new federal rules unveiled this week, these privately run alternatives to traditional Medicare might provide air conditioners, rides to medical appointments and home-delivered meals.
By Susan Jaffe -
‘Nightmare Bacteria’ Stalk U.S. Hospitals
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found antibiotic-resistant bacteria whose spread has “outpaced” efforts to contain them.
By Liz Szabo -
Scrutinizing Medicare Coverage For Physical, Occupational And Speech Therapy
Treatment has been terminated for some seniors because therapists told them they weren’t making enough progress or that they had reached their annual limit. We examine the treatment benefits and the barriers under Medicare’s coverage rules for therapy.
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As Trump Targets Immigrants, Elderly Brace To Lose Caregivers
Families and nursing homes say Trump administration policies threaten to drive immigrants away from caring for older and disabled patients, intensifying a shortage in these low-wage jobs.
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Women In Medicine Shout #MeToo About Sexual Harassment At Work
Lawsuits and complaints about sexual harassment are piling up in the health care industry as women take on doctors, peers and co-workers.
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Everything You Need To Know About The New Medicare Cards (But Beware Of Scams)
Starting in April, new Medicare cards will be issued to the program’s 59 million enrollees. The new cards address serious security concerns, yet there are growing “scams” linked to the rollout.
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Lifting Therapy Caps Is A Load Off Medicare Patients’ Shoulders
Last month’s budget deal means Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for physical and occupational therapy indefinitely. Plus, prescription drug costs will fall for more seniors.
By Susan Jaffe -
Oregon Medical Students Face Tough Test: Talking About Dying
Starting this spring, aspiring doctors at the Oregon Health & Science University must prove they can communicate about difficult subjects ranging from admitting medical mistakes to notifying families about a patient’s death.
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New Technologies Help Seniors Age In Place — And Not Feel Alone
Motion sensors, Alexa and other voice-assistive technologies give seniors the tools they need to live independently and safely.
By Gabi Redford -
When Wildfire Smoke Invades, Who Should Pay To Clean Indoor Air?
Public health agencies are set up to regulate easily controlled sources of air pollution. Wildfire smoke presents a different set of expensive challenges.
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Mind Over Body: A Psychiatrist Tells How To Tap Into Wisdom And Grow With Age
Seniors face tough — often life-changing — events throughout their final years. But this stage of life does not have to be limited to loss and deterioration.
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Oregon Couple’s Final Days Captured In Intimate Aid-In-Dying Video
Dr. Charles Emerick and his wife, Francie, died together last spring after both being diagnosed with terminal illnesses. First, they let their daughter turn on the camera.
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Simple surgeries. Tragic results.
As Surgery Centers Boom, Patients Are Paying With Their Lives
An investigation by Kaiser Health News and the USA TODAY Network discovers that more than 260 patients have died since 2013 after in-and-out procedures at surgery centers across the country. More than a dozen — some as young as 2 — have perished after routine operations, such as colonoscopies and tonsillectomies.
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A Tale of Love, Family Conflict And Battles Over Care For An Aging Mother
“Edith + Eddie,” a documentary shortlisted for an Academy Award, is a gripping look at a couple in their 90s caught up in an intense family conflict. But more facts about the disputes involving a parent with dementia help to paint a complicated story about aging in America.
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Never Too Late To Operate? Surgery Near End Of Life Is Common, Costly
Nearly 1 in 3 Medicare patients undergo an operation in their final year of life.
By Liz Szabo -
Bill Of The Month: A College Student’s $17,850 Drug Test
Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with NPR, kicks off a series that will examine and decode your perplexing medical bills.
By Fred Schulte -
Pain Hits After Surgery When A Doctor’s Daughter Is Stunned By $17,850 Urine Test
Elizabeth Moreno got hit with a $17,850 bill from a Texas lab after leaving a urine sample at her doctor’s office.
By Fred Schulte