Skip to content
KFF Health News KFF Health News KFF Health News KFF Health News
Donate
  • Donate
  • Connect With Us:
  • Contact
  • X
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Trump 2.0
    • Agency Watch
    • Medicaid Watch
    • State Watch
    • Rural Health Payout
  • Public Health
  • Race & Health
  • Audio
    • KFF Health News Minute
    • What the Health?
    • Health Care Helpline
    • An Arm and a Leg
    • Silence in Sikeston
    • Epidemic
  • Investigations
    • Bill Of The Month
    • Deadly Denials
    • The Body Shops
    • Broken Rehab
    • Guns, Race, and Profit
    • Dead Zone
    • Payback: Tracking Opioid Cash
    • Overpayment Outrage
    • Diagnosis: Debt
    • ALL INVESTIGATIONS
  • More Topics
    • Abortion
    • Aging
    • Climate
    • COVID-19
    • Health Care Costs
    • Insurance
    • Medicaid
    • Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Pharma
    • Rural Health
    • Uninsured

Aging & Improving Care Of Older Adults

KFF Health News’ coverage related to aging and improving care of older adults is supported in part by The John A. Hartford Foundation.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

How To Help Alzheimer’s Patients Enjoy Life, Not Just ‘Fade Away’

By Judith Graham April 20, 2017

Research shows that people with dementia can benefit significantly from efforts to ease communication, improve overall health and other key measures.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Sen. Grassley Demands Scrutiny Of Medicare Advantage Plans

By Fred Schulte April 18, 2017

The powerful chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee wants the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to explain $125 million in overcharges by insurers.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Coming Full Circle, Doulas Cradle The Dying

By Bruce Horovitz April 10, 2017

Traditionally there for mothers giving birth, a doula’s role has evolved to comforting seniors facing death.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Dos dietas científicas mantienen sano al cerebro y ayudan a prevenir el Alzheimer

By Judith Graham April 6, 2017

La Canadian Brain Health Food Guide y la dieta MIND, creadas en ámbitos académicos, han demostrado ser eficaces para prevenir el deterioro cerebral vinculado al desarrollo del Alzheimer.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

To Help Ward Off Alzheimer’s, Think Before You Eat

By Judith Graham April 6, 2017

Good nutrition has been linked to a boost in senior citizens’ cognitive skills.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Justice Department Joins Lawsuit Alleging Massive Medicare Fraud By UnitedHealth

By Fred Schulte March 28, 2017

The Department of Justice is joining a whistleblower lawsuit in a fraud case against UnitedHealth in which damages could top $1 billion.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Want To Live Past 100? Centenarians Share Secrets Of Knee Bends And Nips Of Scotch

By Sharon Jayson March 27, 2017

The ranks of 100-year-olds doubles every eight years, but researchers still puzzle over the ingredients of longevity.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Video Help Is On Way For Family Caregivers Who Must Draw Blood Or Give Injections

By Judith Graham March 23, 2017

Medical experts around the country are rolling out instructional videos for family caregivers who need help with challenging medical tasks.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Sticker Shock Forces Thousands Of Cancer Patients To Skip Drugs, Skimp On Treatment

By Liz Szabo March 15, 2017

A growing number of patients fail to fill prescriptions because the cost of cancer drugs is too high.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

By Law, Hospitals Now Must Tell Medicare Patients When Care Is ‘Observation’ Only

By Susan Jaffe March 13, 2017

Not being officially admitted — a status known as observation care — can have financial consequences for beneficiaries, and patients had often complained they were not informed.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

A Playbook For Managing Problems In The Last Chapter Of Your Life

By Judith Graham March 9, 2017

Many people age 75 or older can take steps to avoid a crisis in the remaining years of their lives.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Dentistry Advocates Aim To Fill Medicare Gaps

By Phil Galewitz March 6, 2017

Brushing aside a political climate that favors federal cuts in health care spending, advocates for oral health are pushing to expand Medicare to provide America’s elderly with dental benefits.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

For Some Hospice Patients, A 911 Call Saves A Trip To The ER

By Charlotte Huff February 28, 2017

Hospice groups are teaming up with specially trained paramedics to deal with common problems that worried patients or families incorrectly think need hospital care.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Geriatricians Can Help Aging Patients Navigate Multiple Ailments

By Judith Graham February 23, 2017

Aging adults with complex needs can get special assistance from doctors trained as geriatricians.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

GOP Fix To Insurance Markets Could Spike Premiums For Older Customers

By Jordan Rau and Julie Appleby February 22, 2017

As Republicans consider how to bring down costs for younger people, lawmakers may relax or eliminate the restrictions on how much more insurers can charge older consumers.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

ER Visits Linked To Falls Spike Among California Seniors

By Anna Gorman February 21, 2017

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.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Dozens Of New Cancer Drugs Do Little To Improve Survival, Frustrating Patients

By Liz Szabo February 9, 2017

The FDA has approved dozens of new cancer medications in recent years, but few offer the benefits that patients seek.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

New Federal Rules Will Require Home Health Agencies To Do Much More For Patients

By Judith Graham February 9, 2017

The first overhaul of federal regulations in almost 30 years for home health care agencies will require them to be much more responsive to what aging patients and their caregivers need or want.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Trying To Solve The Alzheimer’s Puzzle

By Melissa Bailey January 30, 2017

Alzheimer’s researchers hold onto hope after another promising trial ends in disappointment.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Aid-in-Dying Laws Don’t Guarantee That Patients Can Choose To Die

By JoNel Aleccia January 26, 2017

In California, Colorado and four other states, many hospitals, health systems and doctors just say no.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Previous
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • Next

Take Our Quiz To Test Your Wits On Aging

KHN Quiz

Even the most exalted among us realize health care policy is complicated. Here’s a pop quiz to see what you have learned as a regular reader of KFF Health News.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
View More

Video

observation care video still 770Watch KFF Health News’s video explainer to help Medicare patients receiving hospital observation care.

FAQ: Observation Care Can Be Costly For Patients

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Register For Newsletter

Get KFF Health News’ latest stories on Medicare and aging issues, delivered periodically to your inbox.

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Sign Up

Diagnosis: Unprepared

elderly-disability-1

Hospitals can be hazardous places for elderly patients as many facilities are ill-equipped to address their needs. In this series, KFF Health News reports on the extent of the problem and highlights possible solutions.

 

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Gaps In Care Persist During Transition From Hospital To Home
  • ‘America’s Other Drug Problem’: Copious Prescriptions For Hospitalized Elderly
  • Geriatric ERs Reduce Stress, Medical Risks For Elderly Patients
  • Elderly Patients In The Hospital Need To Keep Moving
  • Elderly Hospital Patients Arrive Sick, Often Leave Disabled

More From KFF Health News

An American flag blows in the wind next to a barbed-wire fence in front of a landscape of grasslands

End of Enhanced Obamacare Subsidies Puts Tribal Health Lifeline at Risk

New Medicaid Work Rules Likely To Hit Middle-Aged Adults Hard

A box of ivermectin tablets is shown in a pharmacy.

US Cancer Institute Studying Ivermectin’s ‘Ability To Kill Cancer Cells’

A photo of a woman sitting in a chair from the shoulders down. She is taking her blood pressure.

Obamacare Sign-Ups Drop, but the Extent Won’t Be Clear for Months

KFF

© 2026 KFF. All rights reserved.

  • About Us
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Staff
  • Republish Our Content
  • Email Sign-Up
  • X
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • RSS

Powered by WordPress VIP

Thank you for your interest in supporting KFF Health News, the nation’s leading nonprofit newsroom focused on health and health policy. We distribute our journalism for free and without advertising through media partners of all sizes and in communities large and small. We appreciate all forms of engagement from our readers and listeners, and welcome your support.

KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). You can support KHN by making a contribution to KFF, a non-profit charitable organization that is not associated with Kaiser Permanente.

Click the button below to go to KFF’s donation page which will provide more information and FAQs. Thank you!

Continue