National Issues

Doubt Cast on the ‘Good’ in ‘Good Cholesterol’

From The New York Times
May 16, 2012
Doubt Cast on the ‘Good’ in ‘Good Cholesterol’
By GINA KOLATA

The name alone sounds so encouraging: HDL, the “good cholesterol.” The more of it in your blood, the lower your risk of heart ...Continue reading »

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Older Americans Month: May 2012

From The US Census Bureau:

Older Americans Month: May 2012

A meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens resulted in President John F. Kennedy designating May 1963 as Senior Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute in some way to older people across the ...Continue reading »

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Older People With Dementia Cared for Mostly at Home

Older People With Dementia Cared for Mostly at Home
Study challenges assumption that most patients die in nursing homes
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_125091.html (*this news item will not be available after 08/09/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Friday, May 11, 2012
...Continue reading »

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Abbott Settles Marketing Lawsuit

From The New York Times
May 7, 2012
Abbott Settles Marketing Lawsuit
By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT and KATIE THOMAS

WASHINGTON — The pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories said on Monday that it had reached an agreement with the federal and nearly all state ...Continue reading »

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When Illness Makes a Spouse a Stranger

Of the many, many articles that I’ve forwarded over the years, those that have reduced me
to tears could be counted on the fingers of one hand. This is one of them.
Steve
_______________________________________________________________________________
From The New York Times
May ...Continue reading »

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Threat Of Hunger Skyrockets Among Seniors Over Last Decade: Report/Failing to Make the Grade

The Enid Borden blog post is pasted below the following article.
Steve

From The Huffington Post:

Laura Rowley
laura.rowley@huffingtonpost.com

Threat Of Hunger Skyrockets Among Seniors Over Last Decade: Report
Posted: 05/03/2012 4:02 pm ...Continue reading »

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Social Security benefits available online

Social Security benefits available online
By Stephen Ohlemacher, Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 4:01 AM

The Social Security Administration is now providing workers with online statements of the estimated benefits they will get when they retire, replacing the paper ones the agency used to mail out.

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Avastin and Lucentis are equivalent in treating age-related macular degeneration

For Immediate Release
Monday, April 30, 2012
Contact:
National Eye Institute
(301) 496-5248

Avastin and Lucentis are equivalent in treating age-related macular degeneration

At two years, Avastin (bevacizumab) and Lucentis (ranibizumab injection), two widely used drugs to treat ...Continue reading »

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More Nonretirees Expect to Rely on Social Security

From The Gallup Poll
April 30, 2012
More Nonretirees Expect to Rely on Social Security
Fifty-seven percent of current retirees consider it a major source of income
by Dennis Jacobe, Chief Economist

PRINCETON, NJ—Thirty-three percent of American nonretirees now anticipate ...Continue reading »

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Expected Retirement Age in U.S. Up to 67

From The Gallup Poll
April 27, 2012
Expected Retirement Age in U.S. Up to 67
Average expected retirement age was 60 in mid-1990s
by Jeffrey M. Jones

PRINCETON, NJ—The average nonretired American now expects to retire at age 67, up ...Continue reading »

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Chronic Pain Rates Shoot Up Until Americans Reach Late 50s

From the Gallup Poll:
April 27, 2012
Chronic Pain Rates Shoot Up Until Americans Reach Late 50s
Low-income and obese Americans more likely to have chronic pain
by Alyssa Brown

WASHINGTON, D.C.—More than one-third of Americans in their mid-50s and ...Continue reading »

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Older Men Still Being Screened for Prostate Cancer

From The New York Times:
Older Men Still Being Screened for Prostate Cancer
By TARA PARKER-POPE
| April 24, 2012, 4:00 pm

Many men 75 years and older, who are far more likely to be harmed than helped by prostate cancer screening, ...Continue reading »

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Poll: Doctors Fall Short In Helping Many Seniors

From The Kaiser Health News Blog:

Short Takes On News & Events
Poll: Doctors Fall Short In Helping Many Seniors
By Judith Graham

April 24th, 2012, 6:11 AM

Large numbers of seniors aren’t receiving recommended interventions that could help forestall ...Continue reading »

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G.A.O. Calls Test Project by Medicare Costly Waste

From The New York Times
G.A.O. Calls Test Project by Medicare Costly Waste
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: April 22, 2012

WASHINGTON — Medicare is wasting more than $8 billion on an experimental program that rewards providers of mediocre health care and is ...Continue reading »

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Guide dogs for the mind to fight dementia

From The Independent (UK):
Guide dogs for the mind to fight dementia

Animals will help Alzheimer’s patients remember their medicine and steer them through the day

Emily Dugan

Sunday, 22 April 2012

They already guide blind and disabled people; now ...Continue reading »

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Too Many Pills for Aging Patients

From The New York Times
April 16, 2012, 5:41 pm
Too Many Pills for Aging Patients
By JANE E. BRODY

My 92-year-old aunt was a walking pharmacy, and a month ago it nearly killed her. The episode also cost the American medical ...Continue reading »

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Single ‘Boomers’ Struggling as They Age: Study

Single ‘Boomers’ Struggling as They Age: Study
Never-married men, widows appear to be the least well-off
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_124087.html (*this news item will not be available after 07/12/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Friday, April 13, 2012

(HealthDay News)—Single ...Continue reading »

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J.&J. Fined $1.2 Billion in Drug Case

From The New York Times
April 11, 2012
J.&J. Fined $1.2 Billion in Drug Case
By KATIE THOMAS

A judge in Arkansas ordered Johnson & Johnson and a subsidiary to pay more than $1.2 billion in fines on Wednesday, a day after ...Continue reading »

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White Women Make Up Bulk of Assisted-Living Residents

White Women Make Up Bulk of Assisted-Living Residents
More than half of those in residential care facilities are 85 or older, analysis shows.

WEDNESDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News)—White women accounted for the majority of the 733,000 people in the United States who lived in state-regulated residential ...Continue reading »

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EKG Heart Test May Predict Risk in Older Adults

EKG Heart Test May Predict Risk in Older Adults
Even minor changes can mean greater odds of heart attack, other conditions, study finds
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123930.html (*this news item will not be available after 07/09/2012)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012
...Continue reading »

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When Did America Forget Poor People?

This is an excellent follow-up to Jason DeParle’s New York Times article that I sent around on Sunday. For anyone who cares about TANF and SSI (a small circle of friends, no doubt), the article below is essential. TANF and SSI are the two major welfare programs in this country. ...Continue reading »

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Automatic Enrollment of ‘Duals’ in Managed Care Plans Stirs Anxiety at MedPAC

From the Congressional Quarterly:
Washington Health Policy Week in Review
Automatic Enrollment of ‘Duals’ in Managed Care Plans Stirs Anxiety at MedPAC

By John Reichard, CQ HealthBeat Editor

April 5, 2012—Members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recently expressed concern about ...Continue reading »

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Depression, Anxiety Tied to Physical Disabilities in Seniors

Depression, Anxiety Tied to Physical Disabilities in Seniors
But exercise may help shield against physical decline, study adds.

THURSDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News)—Seniors with psychological distress such as depression or anxiety are more likely to have physical disabilities, a new Australian study says.

Regular ...Continue reading »

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Americans Cutting Back on Drugs and Doctor Visits

From The New York Times
April 4, 2012
Americans Cutting Back on Drugs and Doctor Visits
By KATIE THOMAS

Patients cut back on prescription drugs and doctor visits last year, a sign that many Americans are still struggling to pay for health ...Continue reading »

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Why Stress Might Make You Sick

Why Stress Might Make You Sick
New research suggests long-term anxiety is linked to inflammation
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123638.html (*this news item will not be available after 07/01/2012)

Monday, April 2, 2012

(HealthDay News)—A new study involving the common cold ...Continue reading »

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Baby Boomer couples are divorcing at record rate

Posted on Monday, April 2, 2012
Baby Boomer couples are divorcing at record rate
Rick Montgomery | The Kansas City Star

The generation that once embraced the smiley face and peace symbol as cultural logos is now divorcing in historic fashion.
...Continue reading »

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Taking Responsibility for Death

From The New York Times:

March 30, 2012
Taking Responsibility for Death
By SUSAN JACOBY

I WAS standing by my 89-year-old mother’s hospital bed when she asked a doctor, “Is there anything you can do here to give me back the life ...Continue reading »

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Health Care: We’re All in This Together

Health Care: We’re All in This Together
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/health_care_were_all_in_this_together_20120328/
Posted on Mar 28, 2012
By Richard Reeves

I went into teaching not because I enjoy it—though I do—but because I needed a health plan. I was a lucky man to have skills, ...Continue reading »

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Getting a doctor’s appointment tougher on Medicaid

Getting a doctor’s appointment tougher on Medicaid
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123455.html (*this news item will not be available after 06/25/2012)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012
By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Americans on Medicaid have a harder time getting ...Continue reading »

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Hospitalization May Hasten Seniors’ Memory Decline

Hospitalization May Hasten Seniors’ Memory Decline

Thinking skills and attention also suffer, study finds
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123202.html (*this news item will not be available after 06/19/2012)

By Robert Preidt

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News)—Seniors’ memory and thinking skills decline ...Continue reading »

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Ryan budget cuts Medicaid by $810 billion

From The Hill:
Ryan budget cuts Medicaid by $810 billion
By Julian Pecquet - 03/20/12 10:00 AM ET

The House Republican budget released Tuesday would slash federal Medicaid spending by $810 billion over 10 years and give states more flexibility to run the program ...Continue reading »

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What You Need to Know About Premium Support

From The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
What You Need to Know About Premium Support
PDF of this report (5pp.)

By Paul N. Van de Water

March 19, 2012

The budget resolution that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan ...Continue reading »

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Seniors’ Long-Term Use of Strong Painkillers a Concern

Seniors’ Long-Term Use of Strong Painkillers a Concern
Many patients given narcotics after short-stay surgery become chronic users, study says
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122837.html (*this news item will not be available after 06/10/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Monday, March 12, 2012 ...Continue reading »

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New Worries About Sleeping Pills

From The New Yorl Times
March 12, 2012, 5:16 pm

New Worries About Sleeping Pills
By RONI CARYN RABIN

Talk about sleepless nights.

Patients taking prescription sleep aids on a regular basis were nearly five times as likely ...Continue reading »

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Needed: Health Professionals to Treat the Aging

From The New York Times
March 7, 2012
Needed: Health Professionals to Treat the Aging
By ELIZABETH OLSON

LAURA KAUFMAN no longer treats her patients in a suburban dental office. These days, she cleans teeth, does simple extractions and provides other basic ...Continue reading »

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Many U.S. Families Struggle to Pay Medical Bills

Many U.S. Families Struggle to Pay Medical Bills
Poor and near poor suffer most, CDC statistics show.

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News)—One-third of Americans are in families that are having trouble paying for health care, ...Continue reading »

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Diagnosis and treatment rates for depression in older adults have grown over time, with medication e

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Mental Health
Diagnosis and treatment rates for depression in older adults have grown over time, with medication edging out therapy

Depression, quite common in the elderly, can lead to reduced life expectancy, hospitalization, and even suicide. Both ...Continue reading »

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Older Adults Do Get a Good Night’s Rest, Survey Finds

Older Adults Do Get a Good Night’s Rest, Survey Finds
Sleep disturbances, daytime fatigue not a given in later years.

By Lisa Esposito
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News)—The older you get, the better you sleep, according to new ...Continue reading »

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Older Prostate Cancer Patients Might Be Overtreated: Study

Older Prostate Cancer Patients Might Be Overtreated: Study
Men with short life expectancies are put at risk for complications, researchers say
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122439.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/29/2012)

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas
Wednesday, February ...Continue reading »

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Telling the WHOLE Medicare Story

From The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare :

Telling the WHOLE Medicare Story
By NCPSSM | February 28, 2012

While Presidential candidates and Washington politicians continue to claim “we can’t afford Social Security and Medicare”, few– if any–want to ...Continue reading »

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Disabled Adults More Apt to Be Victims of Violence: Study

Disabled Adults More Apt to Be Victims of Violence: Study
Those with mental illness are the most vulnerable, researchers find
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122357.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/27/2012)

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas
Monday, February 27, ...Continue reading »

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Life, With Dementia

From The New York Times
February 25, 2012

Life, With Dementia
By PAM BELLUCK

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Secel Montgomery Sr. stabbed a woman in the stomach, chest and throat so fiercely that he lost count of the wounds he inflicted. ...Continue reading »

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Certain Antipsychotics Up Risk of Death for Patients With Dementia: Study

Certain Antipsychotics Up Risk of Death for Patients With Dementia: Study
While the drugs are often necessary, new comparison should help doctors balance risks, benefits
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122263.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/23/2012)

By Robert Preidt
...Continue reading »

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Supreme Court sends California Medicaid case back to 9th Circuit

From The Sacramento Bee:

Supreme Court sends California Medicaid case back to 9th Circuit
mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com
Published Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday kept alive the possibility that California doctors, pharmacists and senior citizens can challenge the ...Continue reading »

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Tracking Down Government Aid

From The New York Times:

February 16, 2012, 6:00 am

Tracking Down Government Aid
By PAULA SPAN

Credit these folks with a shrewd slogan. The National Council on Aging and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging are kicking off a ...Continue reading »

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Disabled Elderly Say They Want Dignity, Control

Disabled Elderly Say They Want Dignity, Control

For most, quality of life rates fair to very good, small study finds
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122100.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/18/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Saturday, February 18, 2012 ...Continue reading »

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So Much Social Security/Medicare News – So Little Space

From National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare:

So Much Social Security/Medicare News – So Little Space
By NCPSSM | February 17, 2012

First off, Congress has predictably chosen politics over policy and extended the payroll tax cut.

It’s ...Continue reading »

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Living to 100 May Be Tougher Than You Think

Living to 100 May Be Tougher Than You Think
Study suggests death rate keeps rising at same pace after age 80.

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News)—Decades-old assumptions about the odds of reaching very old age may be ...Continue reading »

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Is Grief an Illness? The Debate Heats Up

Is Grief an Illness? The Debate Heats Up
Psychiatric experts torn on whether bereavement should be included in new diagnostic manual
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_122023.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/16/2012)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

...Continue reading »

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The Good News and Bad News in the President’s Budget Plan

From The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare:

The Good News and Bad News in the President’s Budget Plan
By NCPSSM | February 13, 2012

President Obama released his 2013 budget today with predictable howls from Republicans that there should be more ...Continue reading »

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Overeating May Double Risk of Memory Loss: Study

Overeating May Double Risk of Memory Loss: Study
Too many calories could lead to early signs of Alzheimer’s, preliminary research suggests
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_121851.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/12/2012)

Sunday, February 12, 2012
(HealthDay News)—Older ...Continue reading »

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Most Expect to Give More Than They Receive, Poll Finds

Kopicki fails to mention that Medicare doesn’t have to increase the government’s annual
budget deficits. As I’ve written elsewhere, if we adopted an improved and expanded Medicare-for-all
(aka single-payer), abandoned our involvement in costly and unjust wars (thus reducing the
bloated defense budget), and ...Continue reading »

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Tables Reserved for the Healthiest

From The New York Times
February 9, 2012, 3:04 pm
Tables Reserved for the Healthiest
By PAULA SPAN

Residents at Harbor’s Edge, an upscale retirement community in downtown Norfolk, Va., appreciate their gracious dining room, called the River Terrace. They like the ...Continue reading »

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We can’t wait: Administration announces new steps to fight Alzheimer’s disease

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2012
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343

We can’t wait: Administration announces new steps to fight Alzheimer’s disease

The Obama Administration today announced new efforts to fight Alzheimer’s disease, ...Continue reading »

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House Spending-Cap Bills Would Enact Radical Ryan Budget Into Law

From The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
House Spending-Cap Bills Would Enact Radical Ryan Budget Into Law
Bills Would Worsen Recessions, Rule Out Balanced Deficit Reduction, and Facilitate Deep Cuts in Social Security and Medicare
PDF of this report (6pp.)

By ...Continue reading »

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Mouse Study Suggests Alzheimer’s Spreads Through Brain Like an Infection

Mouse Study Suggests Alzheimer’s Spreads Through Brain Like an Infection

If validated, finding might open doors to new therapies, even a vaccine, experts say
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_121515.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/02/2012)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

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The very old may feel helpless, but not depressed

The very old may feel helpless, but not depressed
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_121480.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/01/2012)

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

By Andrew M. Seaman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People over 100 years old ...Continue reading »

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Path Is Found for the Spread of Alzheimer’s

From The New York Times
February 1, 2012
Path Is Found for the Spread of Alzheimer’s
By GINA KOLATA

Alzheimer’s disease seems to spread like an infection from brain cell to brain cell, two new studies in mice have found. But instead ...Continue reading »

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Men at Higher Risk for Mental Decline That Precedes Alzheimer’s

Men at Higher Risk for Mental Decline That Precedes Alzheimer’s

Odds worst for people without college education, study finds
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_121191.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/24/2012)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

(HealthDay News)—Subtle problems with ...Continue reading »

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Certain Seniors at Risk for Infection After ER Visit: Study

Certain Seniors at Risk for Infection After ER Visit: Study

Going to hospital may spur respiratory, gastro illnesses in long-term care residents
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_121083.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/22/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Monday, January ...Continue reading »

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U.S. Wants to Buttress Alzheimer’s Arsenal by 2025

U.S. Wants to Buttress Alzheimer’s Arsenal by 2025

Left unchecked, the number of Alzheimer’s patients could triple by 2050, experts say
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_120930.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/17/2012)

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

[http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html]

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Patients With Normal Bone Density Can Delay Retests, Study Suggests

From The New York Times
January 18, 2012
Patients With Normal Bone Density Can Delay Retests, Study Suggests
By GINA KOLATA

Bone loss and osteoporosis develop so slowly in most women whose bones test normal at age 65 that many can safely ...Continue reading »

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NEWS RELEASE: Statement by the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens on Cornilles’ False Attac

NEWS RELEASE: Statement by the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens on Cornilles’ False Attack Ad

Oregon (January 18, 2012) – The Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens released the statement below in response to the new ad released by Rob Cornilles and the Republican National Congressional Committee ...Continue reading »

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Personal Health: Lifelines for People With Hearing Loss

From The New York Times
January 16, 2012, 1:02 pm

Personal Health: Lifelines for People With Hearing Loss
By JANE E. BRODY

Hearing loss, a disability currently untreated in about 85 percent of those affected, may be the nation’s most ...Continue reading »

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Time Is on Our Side: The Survival of Social Security

Time Is on Our Side: The Survival of Social Security
Monday 16 January 2012
by: Dean Baker, Truthout | News Analysis

As we approach budget time we can look forward to another burst of handwringing by the Washington elites, who will once again tell ...Continue reading »

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Age Discrimination Takes Its Toll

From The New York Times
January 12, 2012, 12:07 pm

Age Discrimination Takes Its Toll
By PAULA SPAN

Raise your hand if you’ve felt that people treat you with less respect or courtesy than others, that they act as if ...Continue reading »

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Loud hospital rooms linked to poor patient sleep

Loud hospital rooms linked to poor patient sleep
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_120658.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/09/2012)

Tuesday, January 10, 2012
By Genevra Pittman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Hospitals are too loud, and patients’ sleep ...Continue reading »

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Really? The Claim: Grief Can Cause a Heart Attack

From The New York Times
January 9, 2012, 4:00 pm

Really? The Claim: Grief Can Cause a Heart Attack
By ANAHAD O’CONNOR

THE FACTS

The emotional pain of losing a loved one can take a toll on the ...Continue reading »

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Why Some People Live to 110

Why Some People Live to 110
‘Supercentenarians’ appear to have built-in protection against disease, study finds
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_120570.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/07/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Sunday, January 8, 2012

SUNDAY, Jan. ...Continue reading »

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Mental Decline Can Start at 45, Study Finds

Mental Decline Can Start at 45, Study Finds

Early lapses in memory, reasoning may signal dementia later in life, researchers say
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_120484.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/04/2012)

THURSDAY, Jan. 5 (HealthDay News)—Sorry, Boomers, but a ...Continue reading »

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Report Finds Most Errors at Hospitals Go Unreported

From The New York Times
January 6, 2012
Report Finds Most Errors at Hospitals Go Unreported
By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON — Hospital employees recognize and report only one out of seven errors, accidents and other events that harm Medicare patients while they ...Continue reading »

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Women’s Sexual Satisfaction Often Rises With Age: Study

Women’s Sexual Satisfaction Often Rises With Age: Study
Desire not main motivation for women sexually active in their 60s, 70s and 80s
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_120374.html (*this news item will not be available after 04/02/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Tuesday, January ...Continue reading »

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The Future of Old Age in America

The Future of Old Age in America

Unsilent Generation, Commentary, James Ridgeway, Posted: Jan 03, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C.--In her remarkable book The Coming of Age, Simone de Beauvoir observed that fear of aging and death drives younger people to view their elders as a ...Continue reading »

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The Anti-Entitlement Strategy

As Thomas B. Edsall concludes at the end of this op-ed piece, “We are headed toward an ideological confrontation over the next 11 months of an intensity rarely seen in American political history.” With the Gingrich campaign in the midst of self-destructing, Mitt Romney is looking more and more likely ...Continue reading »

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Patient advocacy group funded by success of painkiller drugs, probe finds

Patient advocacy group funded by success of painkiller drugs, probe finds
By Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber, Friday, December 23, 11:15 AM

The news about narcotic painkillers is increasingly dire: Overdoses now kill nearly 15,000 people a year — more than heroin and cocaine combined. In ...Continue reading »

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Most Sick or Disabled Seniors Want Docs to Say How Long They Have

Most Sick or Disabled Seniors Want Docs to Say How Long They Have
But very few actually have that conversation, study finds
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_119972.html (*this news item will not be available after 03/20/2012)

By Robert Preidt
Wednesday, December ...Continue reading »

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Gone Without a Case: Suspicious Elder Deaths Rarely Investigated

Post Mortem
A year-long investigation into the nation’s 2,300 coroner and medical examiner offices uncovered a deeply dysfunctional system that quite literally buries its mistakes.

Gone Without a Case: Suspicious Elder Deaths Rarely Investigated

(Andres Cediel/Frontline)

by Chisun Lee and ...Continue reading »

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PolitiFact, Fearing a Right-Wing Backlash, Calls Democrats’ 100% True Claim About the GOP Medicare P

PolitiFact, Fearing a Right-Wing Backlash, Calls Democrats’ 100% True Claim About the GOP Medicare Plan the “Lie of the Year”
By Joshua Holland, AlterNet
Posted on December 20, 2011, Printed on December 20, 2011
http://www.alternet.org/story/153521/politifact%2C_fearing_a_right-wing_backlash%2C_calls_democrats%27_100_true_claim_about_the_gop_medicare_plan_the_%22lie_of_the_year%22

Conservatives have long excelled at working ...Continue reading »

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Good News for Low-Paid Home Health Care Workers: Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay On the Way

Good News for Low-Paid Home Health Care Workers: Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay On the Way
By R. M. Arrieta, In These Times
Posted on December 18, 2011, Printed on December 19, 2011

http://www.alternet.org/story/153487/good_news_for_low-paid_home_health_care_workers%3A_minimum_wage_and_overtime_pay_on_the_way
In-home care workers are increasingly integral to ...Continue reading »

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The Wyden-Ryan Alliance on Medicare.

This a very problematic alliance and a very problematic plan. Today’s New York Times article appears below, followed by an analysis by PNHP’s Don McCanne.
Steve
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From The New York Times
December 14, 2011
Lawmakers Offer Bipartisan ...Continue reading »

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Are Too Many Older People Screened for Cancer?

Are Too Many Older People Screened for Cancer?
Debate over testing should weigh health and life expectancy, expert says
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_119628.html (*this news item will not be available after 03/11/2012)

Monday, December 12, 2011

MONDAY, Dec. ...Continue reading »

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How Doctors Die.

http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2011/11/30/how-doctors-die/read/nexus/?wpisrc=nl_wonk

How Doctors Die
It’s Not Like the Rest of Us, But It Should Be
by Ken Murray

December 11. 2011

Years ago, Charlie, a highly respected orthopedist and a mentor of mine, found a lump in his stomach. ...Continue reading »

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Elder Poverty and a GOP Sucker Punch

From The Campaign for America’s Future:
Elder Poverty and a GOP Sucker Punch - NOW Will Democrats Pledge to Defend Social Security?
By Richard (RJ) Eskow

December 9, 2011 - 12:20am ET
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are three things to consider:

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A Slow Exodus From Nursing Homes

From The New York Times:

December 6, 2011, 6:00 am
A Slow Exodus From Nursing Homes
By PAULA SPAN

If you’ve helped an older relative move into a nursing home in the past year, you’ve likely heard a nurse or administrator pose ...Continue reading »

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Medicare Offers Expanded Coverage To Battle Expanding Waistlines

From The Kaiser Health News Blog:
Medicare Offers Expanded Coverage To Battle Expanding Waistlines
By Michelle Andrews

December 1st, 2011, 6:32 AM

Keeping off the pounds is tough at any age. Now seniors are getting a helping hand from the Centers for ...Continue reading »

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Obama’s Medicare nominee gets GOP leader’s support

It is not encouraging that the preeminent supporter in Congress for destroying Medicare and Medicaid regards Obama’s nominee for CMS director, Marilyn Tavenner, as “eminently qualified” and “extremely professional and understanding of the value of the private sector in health care.” See below.
Steve
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...Continue reading »

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It Could Be Old Age, or It Could Be Low B12

From The New York Times
November 28, 2011
It Could Be Old Age, or It Could Be Low B12
By JANE E. BRODY

Ilsa Katz was 85 when her daughter, Vivian Atkins, first noticed that her mother was becoming increasingly confused.

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Heart patients prefer longevity over quality of life

Heart patients prefer longevity over quality of life
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_119101.html (*this news item will not be available after 02/23/2012)

Friday, November 25, 2011

[http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endoflifeissues.html]
[http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heartfailure.html]
[http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/talkingwithyourdoctor.html]

By Linda Thrasybule

NEW YORK (Reuters ...Continue reading »

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Four Common Meds Send Thousands of Seniors to Hospital: CDC

Four Common Meds Send Thousands of Seniors to Hospital: CDC

Blood thinner, aspirin, insulin and oral diabetes drugs account for two-thirds of nearly 100,000 hospitalizations.
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_119037.html (*this news item will not be available after 02/21/2012)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 ...Continue reading »

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Regular Sex May Be Key to Happy Marriage for Seniors

Regular Sex May Be Key to Happy Marriage for Seniors
More-than-monthly sex also linked to happiness with life in general, survey findings suggest.

MONDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News)—Among older married Americans, an active sex life is associated with greater happiness with their marriages and with life ...Continue reading »

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Seniors’ Memory Doesn’t Seem to Improve With Sleep: Study

Seniors’ Memory Doesn’t Seem to Improve With Sleep: Study

Age-related brain changes seen as likely cause for some memory problems in elderly, researchers say
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_118925.html (*this news item will not be available after 02/18/2012)

By Robert Preidt
...Continue reading »

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Lawmakers Concede Budget Talks Are Close to Failure

From The New York Times
November 20, 2011
Lawmakers Concede Budget Talks Are Close to Failure
By ERIC LIPTON

WASHINGTON — Conceding that talks on a grand budget deal are near failure, Congressional leaders on Sunday pointed fingers at each other as ...Continue reading »

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Super Committee Urged To Alter Coverage For Some Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries

It seems to me that this supposedly impartial story about efforts to put dual eligibles into managed care is tilted toward supporting doing just that. I think that the arguments of those quoted below who oppose putting this population (which includes yours truly) into managed care are very convincing.
...Continue reading »

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Failure Is Good

From The New York Times
November 17, 2011
Failure Is Good
By PAUL KRUGMAN

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a complete turkey! It’s the supercommittee!

By next Wednesday, the so-called supercommittee, a bipartisan group of legislators, is supposed ...Continue reading »

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NIH-COMMISSIONED CENSUS BUREAU REPORT DESCRIBES OLDEST AMERICANS

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
For Immediate Release: Thursday, November 17, 2011

CONTACT: Barbara Cire, 301-496-1752,

NIH-COMMISSIONED CENSUS BUREAU REPORT DESCRIBES OLDEST AMERICANS
...Continue reading »

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Study finds many patients shun free heart drugs

Study finds many patients shun free heart drugs

MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Chief Medical Writer
Updated 03:20 a.m., Tuesday, November 15, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Give people free prescription drugs and many of them still won’t bother to take their medicine.

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The Myth of the Wealthy Elderly

The Myth of the Wealthy Elderly
Monday 14 November 2011
by: Dean Baker, Truthout | News Analysis

The austerity gang seeking cuts to Social Security and Medicare have been vigorously promoting the myth that the elderly are an especially affluent and privileged group. Their ...Continue reading »

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Clyburn at odds with fellow Democrats over Medicare cuts

Posted on Fri, Nov. 11, 2011

Clyburn at odds with fellow Democrats over Medicare cuts
James Rosen | McClatchy Newspapers
last updated: November 11, 2011 06:44:37 PM

WASHINGTON — House Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn has emerged as the defender of the ...Continue reading »

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Democrats secretly outline offer to reduce deficits by $2 trillion as troubled talks continue

Democrats secretly outline offer to reduce deficits by $2 trillion as troubled talks continue
By Associated Press, Published: November 8 | Updated: Wednesday, November 9, 4:54 PM

WASHINGTON — Democrats on Congress’ supercommittee secretly presented Republicans with a revised deficit-cutting proposal earlier this week that calls ...Continue reading »

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Advances in Breast Cancer Care May Not Be Reaching Older Women

Advances in Breast Cancer Care May Not Be Reaching Older Women

Study finds patients 65 and older are not seeing same decline in death rate as younger patients
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_118453.html (*this news item will not be available after 02/06/2012)

By ...Continue reading »

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