Flu not a ‘short-term illness’ for older adults, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2020
Older adults often face persistent functional decline after being hospitalized with influenza. The findings highlight the need for prevention, investigators say.
Feds race to buy COVID antibody cocktails
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 14, 2020
The federal government is planning to stockpile COVID-19 antibody drugs in an effort to ensure treatment availability while the country awaits a vaccine.
U.K. variant of COVID-19 could become dominant strain in U.S. by March: CDC
By
Amy Novotney
Jan 19, 2021
A more contagious variant of COVID-19 that originated in the United Kingdom could be the predominant strain in the United States as early as March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned...
Vaccine potency wanes, but third COVID shot restores 95 percent efficacy, new data show
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 16, 2021
New data from vaccine maker Pfizer and Israel’s health ministry may help U.S. health agencies make a case for recommending COVID-19 booster shots, various sources report.
Large VA study reveals ease of COVID-19 transmission among unvaccinated healthcare staff
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 07, 2021
Investigators found nearly 20 times the rate of COVID-19 infection in unvaccinated healthcare staff, plus signs that transmission clusters were linked to those workers.
Test seniors with cognitive impairment for sleep apnea, scientists assert
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 02, 2021
People with cognitive impairment who have sleep apnea are more likely to score lower on tests of cognitive function than their peers without sleep apnea. And the more severe the apnea, the greater the...
Validated list of key drug-drug interactions that affect older adults published
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 14, 2021
The list, published Wednesday in JAMDA, includes 66 drug-drug interactions that are commonly problematic for older adults, and can be used as a clinical management tool to assess potential harms.
Feds: Emergency department visits increase with age of nursing home residents
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 04, 2020
While residents aged 60 to 69 were found to account for 2% of ED visits, those aged 90 and older accounted for 24% of visits, according to new data.
AHRQ offers new nursing home audit resources aimed at COVID prevention
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 05, 2021
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released a comparison tool for differentiating competency checks vs. observational audits, and a step-by-step guide to help establish an effective observational...
Slowed gait and reaction speed in elders may signal imminent depression, anxiety
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 05, 2021
Older adults who experience both slower gait and psychomotor speed are twice as likely to experience new onset depression and anxiety, investigators say.