Brain implants continue to reduce Parkinson’s motor symptoms 15 years later
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 11, 2021
The amount of time study participants experienced dyskinesia was reduced by 75%, and use of levodopa was reduced by 51% — long after deep brain stimulation devices were implanted.
CDC says COVID-19 vaccine boosters not yet necessary, while Pfizer seeks approval for third dose
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 12, 2021
Fully vaccinated Americans do not need a COVID-19 booster shot at this time, according to federal health officials. But Pfizer has asked to offer a third dose of its current vaccine and is developing an...
At least 26 barriers impede seniors’ advance care planning, researchers find
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 02, 2021
Fully 91% of participants responded that they had at least one barrier to initiating advance care planning. When compared with their peers who reported none, these study participants were more likely to...
Nurses report glaring gender pay gap, overwork in new survey
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
May 12, 2022
Despite an overall increase in salaries, registered nurses report glaring differences in pay and concerns about equity and overwork that could affect already troubled pandemic-era staffing levels.
‘Breakthrough’ COVID cases may mean testing is here to stay: report
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 23, 2021
“The idea that we could be entirely done with testing in the post-vaccine world is probably not a good one right now,” says a well-known neuroscientist.
Many seniors ready to shrink their lists of prescription drugs, survey reveals
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jun 07, 2022
Many older adults say they are motivated to cut down on their prescription medications to avoid future side effects — if their physician suggests they do so.
National survey tells story of COVID in assisted living
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 19, 2021
New industry data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics details how COVID-19 affected assisted living communities across the country during the height of the pandemic.
Unvaccinated heart-failure patients 3 times more likely to die from COVID-19
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jun 14, 2022
Heart failure patients are often hesitant to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but they are 3 times more likely to die from the disease if not, physician-researchers say.
Growing evidence of vaccine efficacy in long-term care fills gap left by COVID drug trials
May 26, 2021
Frail and elderly adults were systematically excluded from COVID vaccine trials. But now there are enough original studies involving long-term care residents to begin understanding how COVID vaccination...
‘How good are those vaccines now?’ Mixed AARP nursing home report prompts a thorny question
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 15, 2021
A new AARP report shows encouraging trends in COVID-19 cases and vaccinations. But the steady rate of resident deaths raises concerns for the future as vaccine efficacy wanes, analysts say.