Aging

En secreto, adultos mayores hablan del “suicidio racional”

Es un tema tabú, pero algunos adultos mayores comienzan a hablarlo. Se trata de la posibilidad de terminar con sus vidas pero no por depresión o desesperación, sino como una decisión pensada.

In Secret, Seniors Discuss ‘Rational Suicide’

Running counter to the efforts of suicide prevention experts and many religious and social norms, some seniors are quietly exploring the option of turning to suicide when they feel they’ve lived long enough.

New Budget Boosts Health Coverage For Low-Income Californians

California lawmakers spent big on Medi-Cal in the 2019-20 state budget, voting to cover more older residents and people with disabilities, restore benefits cut during the recession and open the program to eligible young adults who are in the country illegally. 

Why So Many Older Americans Rate Their Health As Good Or Even Excellent

As people advance in age, the expectations for what constitutes good health change. People focus on positive emotions and satisfaction with life, while physical ailments play a less important role.

Mini-Biographies Help Clinicians Connect With Patients

Some Veterans Affairs hospitals around the country use writers to record patients’ life stories, then place a short biography in each vet’s medical record. The My Life, My Story program gives clinicians another way to get to know their patients.

Social Security Error Jeopardizes Medicare Coverage For 250,000 Seniors

The problem affects private drug policies and Medicare Advantage plans that provide both medical and drug coverage and substitute for traditional government-run Medicare. It could leave plan members without coverage.

Illinois Clamps Down On Nursing Homes In Wake Of KHN-Chicago Tribune Investigation

In reaction to an investigation by Kaiser Health News and the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois legislature has passed a new law to impose fines on nursing homes that fail to meet minimum staffing requirements.

Facebook Live: Inclusive Care at the End of Life: The LGBTQ+ Experience

For a generation of LGBTQ+ people who lived through unprecedented social change, getting older poses new challenges. When it comes to seeking elder care, concerns about lack of services, discrimination, neglect and even abuse threaten to reverse recent progress.

‘Living Their Values’: Palliative Care Power Couple Faces Cancer At Home

Kathy Brandt and Kim Acquaviva are both leaders in the world of hospice and palliative care. When Brandt learned she was dying of ovarian cancer, the couple decided it could be a teachable moment.