Patients Divided Over Alzheimer’s Drug: Is It a ‘Risk I’m Willing to Take’ or Just a ‘Magic Pill’?
By Judith Graham
March 7, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Medicare has proposed limiting coverage of Aduhelm, the costly new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, and several prominent groups representing patients and their families are pressing the program to make it more widely available. But among individuals facing the disease, the outlook is more nuanced.
As Covid Slogs On, Seniors Find Fortitude Waning and Malaise Growing
By Judith Graham
February 18, 2022
KFF Health News Original
The spread of the omicron variant has dashed the hopes of many older adults that the country was exiting the worst of the pandemic, leaving them anxious while their patience wears thin.
Pandemic-Fueled Shortages of Home Health Workers Strand Patients Without Necessary Care
By Judith Graham
February 3, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Home health and hospice agencies are experiencing extreme worker shortages, which means they can’t provide services to all the patients seeking care.
As Covid Hits Nursing Homes’ Finances, Town Residents Fight to Save Alzheimer’s Facility
By Judith Graham
January 4, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Fear of covid has kept some adults from moving to nursing homes, and many facilities are in trouble financially. When Nevada, Missouri, officials announced they were planning to close a home specializing in dementia care, members of the community rose up in protest.
Families Complain as States Require Covid Testing for Nursing Home Visits
By Judith Graham
January 20, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Relatives say it is important they be allowed to go into nursing homes because staff shortages are affecting care. And many are still upset about lengthy separations from loved ones during lockdowns earlier in the pandemic.
Estados exigen prueba negativa de covid para visitas a hogares de adultos mayores. Familias se quejan
By Judith Graham
January 20, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Muchos familiares dicen que no pueden conseguir las pruebas ante la enorme demanda y la escasez de suministros, lo que les impide ver a sus seres queridos.
A New Paradigm Is Needed: Top Experts Question the Value of Advance Care Planning
By Judith Graham
January 6, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Prominent researchers say the nationwide effort to get people to spell out how they want to be treated as they die is not improving patients’ care.
For Older Adults, Smelling the Roses May Be More Difficult
By Judith Graham
December 1, 2021
KFF Health News Original
The loss of smell is a common issue for many seniors and is often overlooked. Yet it can have serious consequences.
It Takes a Team: A Doctor With Terminal Cancer Relies on a Close-Knit Group in Her Final Days
By Judith Graham
November 24, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Dr. Susan Massad created a “health team” after learning she had metastatic breast cancer. These friends and family members help her make difficult decisions and lead the most fulfilling life possible.
‘Covid Hit Us Over the Head With a Two-by-Four’: Addressing Ageism With Urgency
By Judith Graham
November 5, 2021
KFF Health News Original
In light of the pandemic’s shocking death toll among seniors, organizations are trying new strategies to help older Americans get better care.
Journalists Weigh In on Biden’s HHS Pick
February 26, 2021
KFF Health News Original
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Vaccination Disarray Leaves Seniors Confused About When They Can Get a Shot
By Judith Graham
January 14, 2021
KFF Health News Original
As covid cases and deaths soar, it’s difficult to get up-to-date, reliable information about inoculations, and many older adults don’t know where to turn for help. Navigating Aging columnist Judith Graham answers questions from several readers.
“Me tratan como si fuera vieja y estúpida”: adultos mayores denuncian a profesionales de salud que los discriminan por edad
By Judith Graham
October 20, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Las experiencias de Whitney revelan la discriminación por edad en los entornos de atención médica, un problema de larga data que está recibiendo nueva atención durante la pandemia de covid, que ha matado a más de medio millón de estadounidenses de 65 años y más.
‘They Treat Me Like I’m Old and Stupid’: Seniors Decry Health Providers’ Age Bias
By Judith Graham
October 20, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Ageism in health care settings, which can result in inappropriate or dangerous treatment, is getting new attention during the covid pandemic, which has killed more than half a million Americans age 65 and older.
A Wrenching Farewell: Bidding Adieu to My Primary Care Doctor After Nearly 30 Years
By Judith Graham
October 12, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Long-term relationships between patients and doctors often enrich the quality of care and create deep emotional bonds. When the doctors retire or move on, saying goodbye can be hard.
Alzheimer’s Drug Targets People With Mild Cognitive Impairment. What Does That Mean?
By Judith Graham
September 29, 2021
KFF Health News Original
The condition can be an early signal of Alzheimer’s disease, but not always. Other health concerns could be causing thinking or memory problems, and the new drug, Aduhelm, would not be appropriate for those patients.
Minister for Seniors at Famed Church Confronts Ageism and the Shame It Brings
By Judith Graham
September 2, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Lynn Casteel Harper, a minister at the interdenominational Riverside Church in New York City, discusses the spiritual dimension of aging.
Readers and Tweeters: Give Nurse Practitioners Their Due
January 27, 2022
KFF Health News Original
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Clarity on Covid Count: Pandemic’s Toll on Seniors Extended Well Beyond Nursing Homes
By Judith Graham
August 6, 2021
KFF Health News Original
The latest research shows that although deaths in nursing homes received enormous attention, far more older adults who perished from covid lived outside of institutions. People with dementia and other severe neurological conditions, chronic kidney disease and immune deficiencies were hit especially hard.
Restoring a Sense of Belonging: The Unsung Importance of Casual Relationships for Older Adults
By Judith Graham
August 2, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Relationships with people you know only superficially can help develop a sense of belonging and provide motivation to engage in activities. Research has found that older adults who have a broad array of “weak” as well as “close” ties enjoy better physical and psychological well-being and live longer than people with less diverse social networks.