Few Medicare recipients enroll in cardiac rehab, despite expanded benefits
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 11, 2021
Cardiac rehab participation rose among Medicare recipients with heart failure after coverage expansion in 2014, but the numbers remain abysmally low at less than 10%, a new study has found.
No cognitive gains from ‘brain gaming’ found in studies of older adults with dementia
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 11, 2021
Using video and software games aimed at improving brain function may be enjoyable, but it doesn’t improve memory, executive function, visuospatial skills or language in older adults with cognitive impairment,...
Benefits of shingles shot outweigh seniors’ risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome, federal investigators...
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 11, 2021
Clinicians should be aware of these risks, but weigh them against the benefits of decreasing the likelihood of shingles and its complications, according to investigators from the CDC, FDA and CMS.
Clinical briefs for Thursday, Nov. 11
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 11, 2021
The next hospital crisis may be dementia behavioral emergencies, psychiatrist says … Neurologists prescribing Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm talk about practices and payments … Patients with diabetes may...
SNF-linked wound clinics saw fewer patients during pandemic but unchanged outcomes
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2021
Investigators expected that wound outcomes would be adversely affected by pandemic disruptions. But data from hundreds of wound care clinics in the United States show otherwise.
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine highly effective in octo- and nonagenarians, German study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2021
The data, from 700,000 older residents of Bavaria, resolves questions about the vaccine’s protectiveness that weren’t answered by the drugmaker’s clinical trials, investigators say.
Listening to favorite music may improve cognitive function of Alzheimer’s patients
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2021
Music that holds a special meaning stimulates the brains of Alzheimer’s patients in key areas, a new study finds. The results support personalized, music-based interventions for people with dementia,...
Clinical briefs for Wednesday, Nov. 10
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2021
Legal challenges aside, senior living operators advised to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine mandate … Patient treated with Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab has six brain abnormality episodes … Feds invest...
One shot of REGEN-COV prevents COVID infection for 8 months, clinical trial finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 09, 2021
A single dose delivered by subcutaneous injection cut the 8-month risk of contracting COVID-19 by 82% — nearly the same rate of protection found at one month, the company announced Monday.
COVID pill could prevent 9 in 10 hospitalizations, Pfizer says
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 09, 2021
The antiviral Paxlovid reduced the rate of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 by nearly 90% in a clinical trial. A similar oral antiviral made by Merck currently is under review by the FDA.