The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation helps fund KFF Health News’ coverage of end-of-life and serious illness issues. Stories related to these topics are featured below. Click here for more on KFF Health News and its funders.

Lethal Plans: When Seniors Turn To Suicide In Long-Term Care

In a nation where the suicide rate continues to climb, such deaths among older adults are often overlooked. A six-month investigation by KHN and PBS NewsHour finds that older Americans are quietly killing themselves in nursing homes, assisted living centers and adult care homes.

Costly Confusion: Medicare’s Wellness Visit Isn’t The Same As An Annual Physical

Medicare doesn’t pay for an annual physical, but it does cover an annual wellness visit focused on preventing disease and disability by coming up with a “personalized prevention plan” for future medical issues. It is important to use the correct term when scheduling a doctor’s visit.

Nursing Home Fines Drop As Trump Administration Heeds Industry Complaints

Inspectors are citing nursing facilities for violating health and safety more often than during the Obama administration. But the average fine is nearly a third lower than it was before President Donald Trump took office.

Comprendiendo la soledad en los adultos mayores y diseñando una solución

La soledad se presenta en diferentes formas que requieren respuestas diferentes. Hay una soledad emocional, que afecta a nivel íntimo, y otra social, la percepción que la persona no encaja más en distintos entornos.

How To Zero In On Your Final, Forever Home While Skirting Disaster

Confronting changing health care needs, fixed incomes and problems created by climate change can be overwhelming when trying to pinpoint that dream location, but taking time and doing research makes it a dream come true, say these seniors.

Hidden FDA Reports Detail Harm Caused By Scores Of Medical Devices

The Food and Drug Administration has let medical device companies file reports of injuries and malfunctions outside a widely scrutinized public database, leaving doctors and medical sleuths in the dark.

Pacientes experimentan con drogas recetadas para luchar contra la vejez

Aún no se han realizado ensayos clínicos rigurosos a gran escala para estudiar el proceso de envejecimiento. Así y todo, pacientes experimentan con drogas para detener el paso del tiempo.

Medicare Trims Payments To 800 Hospitals, Citing Patient Safety Incidents

The penalties are part of a program set up by the Affordable Care Act to prompt hospitals to pay more attention to safety issues that can lead to injuries, such as falls or hospital-acquired infections.

Listening To Older Patients Who Want To Stop Dialysis

Older adults with advanced kidney disease sometimes want to stop dialysis but often meet resistance from doctors, new research shows. We explore options available to these patients, including conservative care.