Many older adults declined home health during pandemic, study finds
By
Diane Eastabrook
Jan 23, 2023
Fear of COVID-19 prompted many seniors to cancel medically necessary home healthcare during the pandemic, according to a new study by the University of Michigan.
Study: Telemedicine visits effective for patients mulling surgery
By
John Roszkowski
Jan 23, 2023
A new study by Vanderbilt University researchers suggests that use of telemedicine (also known as telehealth) may be just as effective for shared decision-making and communications between patients and...
Federal report questions efficiency of required nursing hours in infection control
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jan 20, 2023
A new federal report calls into question whether Medicare’s required hours for registered and licensed practical nurses are adequate in helping protect nursing home residents from infections.
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
‘COVID stakes are still high,’ Becerra tells aging services providers
By
Diane Eastabrook
Jan 19, 2023
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra sounded an alarm Wednesday for older adults to get boosted against COVID-19, as an increasing share are being hospitalized for severe illness. Becerra made the appeal during...
CDC: Stroke ‘very unlikely’ in seniors who receive updated COVID vaccine booster
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 18, 2023
The CDC is investigating bivalent booster shot safety after one of its monitoring systems flagged a potential risk of stroke among seniors.
Shortest possible antibiotic therapy protects UTI-prone patients, researchers report
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 18, 2023
Seven to 10 days of antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infection is an effective duration for preventing recurrence, a new study finds.
Hearing aid use linked to lower dementia prevalence, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 16, 2023
Moderate-to-severe hearing loss was associated with a 61% higher prevalence of dementia, while hearing aid use was tied to a 32% lower prevalence in a nationally representative population.
Listen up: Lockdown study reveals music’s role in modulating chronic stress
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 17, 2023
Music listening was linked to lower stress levels and improvements in mood during pandemic lockdowns. The researchers recommend music interventions to foster resilience during psychologically demanding...
Study: Falls rate nearly 50% for U.S. seniors with dementia; 3 factors raise risk
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 13, 2023
Nearly half of American seniors with dementia had one or more falls in the preceding year, according to a new analysis of 2016 data. Risk factors differed between seniors with and without dementia, investigators...