Surgeon general rings alarm over healthcare worker burnout
By
Diane Eastabrook
May 26, 2022
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murphy has proposed an action plan to address what he called a crisis of burnout and mental health issues among healthcare providers.
Damage often visible in seniors’ lungs 1 year after COVID-19 recovery
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 30, 2022
CT scan abnormalities decreased in follow-ups checks over a year’s time, but 63% of patients showed no improvement after six months.
Medical experts devise list of low-value drugs, prescribing practices
By
Caroline Szachnowski
Feb 22, 2022
Researchers have proposed a new metric for identifying low-value medication prescribing in older adults, according to a recent article in JAMA Network Open.
Risk of COVID-19 death rare in vaccinated, even among at-risk seniors with comorbidities: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 10, 2022
Investigators drew on data from 1.2 million U.S. patients who completed a primary vaccination series by October 2021. Severe COVID-19 outcomes, including respiratory failure, ICU admission, or death, were...
Drug pricing reform deal may allow Medicare to negotiate with drug firms for first time
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 04, 2021
The Democrats’ deal also would limit insulin costs and cap annual out-of-pocket spending at $2,000 for seniors. Pharmacy benefit managers would face transparency requirements as well.
Pandemic isolation has led to more falls among seniors, online survey finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 21, 2021
For some seniors, pandemic isolation has created a perfect storm of physical inactivity and deconditioning that has resulted in increased falls risk and greater fear of falling, researchers say.
Elders get a cognitive boost after positive social interactions, mobile study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 15, 2021
In a smartphone-enabled study, adults aged 70 years and older had better cognitive performance the same day that they reported having more frequent, pleasant social interactions than usual — and on the...
Meds won’t ease seniors’ loneliness, but ‘social prescribing’ can help, geriatricians say
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 28, 2021
Some lonely seniors are prescribed psychotropic drugs at double the rate of their non-lonely peers, a new study finds. But these medications may not alleviate their problems, the researchers say.
CMS must refine data on antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes, OIG says
By
Alicia Lasek
May 07, 2021
The Minimum Data Set should not be CMS’ sole source for determining the number of nursing home residents using antipsychotic drugs, according to a new report from HHS’ Office of the Inspector General.
‘Not necessarily benign’: Geriatricians address safety as seniors turn to CBD for chronic conditions
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 29, 2021
Seniors increasingly are using cannabidiol, or CBD, to help manage a variety of chronic disease symptoms. A new paper from the Gerontological Society of America tackles key questions about safety and side...