Older Adult Illness Report

Top 4 Older adult Illnesses


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Older Adult Illness Report


Severity (by illness prevalence)

Very High - 10 9 High - 8 7 Serious - 6 5 Moderate - 4 3 Light - 2 1

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Older Adult Forecast/Trends

Recent News

Dangerous Bacteria May Lurk in Hospital Sinks

Dangerous Bacteria May Lurk in Hospital Sinks

Published 02/07/2019

THURSDAY, Feb. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital germ detectives say the sinks next to toilets in patient rooms may harbor potentially dangerous bacteria.

Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin checked a large Wisconsin hospital for Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase. KPC is a type o...

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What Illness Lands the Most Seniors in the ER?

What Illness Lands the Most Seniors in the ER?

Published 01/28/2019

MONDAY, Jan. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- For seniors who often find themselves in the ER, complications from diabetes is the most common culprit, new research shows.

Not only that, these chronically ill patients remain in the hospital longer and require more treatment and resources, noted the au...

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Generic Drugs Don't Always Push Prices Down

Generic Drugs Don't Always Push Prices Down

Published 05/07/2018

MONDAY, May 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Generic drugs tend to trigger big drops in the cost of their expensive, brand-name counterparts, but that has not been the case with the cancer drug commonly known as Gleevec (imatinib).

There's been only a small drop in the price of imatinib since a generi...

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Health Tip: Cope With Hearing Difficulties at Work

Health Tip: Cope With Hearing Difficulties at Work

Published 04/23/2018

(HealthDay News) -- A hearing problem can make it difficult to be productive at work.

The AARP offers advice on what to do if this applies to you:

Ask for a desk that is away from background noise. Reduce noise reverberations by placing a small rug under your chair or by installing noise-absorbi...

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What You Need to Know About Fever in Adults

What You Need to Know About Fever in Adults

Published 04/13/2018

FRIDAY, April 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to a fever, what's true for kids isn't necessarily so for adults.

Even a slight temperature in a child warrants a call to the doctor. That's not the case, though, for most fevers in most adults.

What's considered a normal temperature varies...

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The Focus Shifts in Alzheimer's Research

The Focus Shifts in Alzheimer's Research

Published 04/10/2018

TUESDAY, April 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The way that Alzheimer's disease is defined for research should be based on brain changes rather than symptoms.

That's what leading Alzheimer's scientists are proposing in what could be a major policy change for investigating the brain-robbing illness.

...

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Aging Can Be Tough to Swallow

Aging Can Be Tough to Swallow

Published 03/26/2018

MONDAY, March 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- It's thought that one-quarter of U.S. adults will develop a swallowing problem at some point. But researchers hope insight from a new study may help lead to improved treatment.

Their study looked at the changes that occur in your ability to swallow as yo...

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The High Costs of Alzheimer's

The High Costs of Alzheimer's

Published 03/20/2018

TUESDAY, March 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Sharp increases in Alzheimer's disease cases, deaths and costs are stressing the U.S. health care system and caregivers, a new report reveals.

About 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease -- 5.5 million of them aged 65 and older. By 2025, the nu...

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FDA Warns Heart Patients About Antibiotic Clarithromycin

FDA Warns Heart Patients About Antibiotic Clarithromycin

Published 02/23/2018

FRIDAY, Feb. 23, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The antibiotic clarithromycin (brand name: Biaxin) may increase the long-term risk of heart problems and death in patients with heart disease, according to U.S. health officials.

As a result, the federal Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it'...

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Age matters behind the wheel – but not how you might expect

Age matters behind the wheel – but not how you might expect

Published 02/22/2018

UCLA RESEARCH ALERT 02/21/2018 Among new drivers, teenagers were judged to be better prepared for a state driving test than those in their 20s. Among new drivers, teenagers were judged to be better prepared for a state driving test than those in their 20s. FINDINGS A UCLA researcher explored the...

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Health Tip: Do You Need a Tetanus Shot?

Health Tip: Do You Need a Tetanus Shot?

Published 02/20/2018

(HealthDay News) -- Tetanus shots are recommended starting in infancy and continuing every ten years after age 5, the American College of Emergency Physicians says.

But most adults don't get boosters until they step on a rusty nail or suffer a deep and dirty wound, the group acknowledges.

Tetanus...

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Therapy Reverses Alzheimer's Brain Plaque Buildup -- in Mice

Therapy Reverses Alzheimer's Brain Plaque Buildup -- in Mice

Published 02/14/2018

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Brain plaques believed to contribute to Alzheimer's disease melt away in mice when robbed of a key enzyme, researchers report.

And the rodents' intellectual function actually improved as their amyloid plaques dissolved from lack of beta-secretase (BACE...

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No Proof At-Home 'Cranial Stimulation' Eases Depression

No Proof At-Home 'Cranial Stimulation' Eases Depression

Published 02/13/2018

MONDAY, Feb. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Devices that send electrical pulses to the brain -- in the comfort of your own home -- are a treatment option for depression and certain other conditions. But a new research review finds little evidence they work.

The therapy -- known as cranial electric...

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Health Tip: Online Pharmacies You Should Avoid

Health Tip: Online Pharmacies You Should Avoid

Published 02/12/2018

(HealthDay News) -- Online pharmacies may be an affordable alternative to a big-box pharmacy store, but it is important to make sure the online pharmacy you select is safe.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration mentions these warning signs of an online pharmacy that you should avoid:

Allows you t...

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Published 02/10/2018

Media Advisory

Friday, February 9, 2018

NIH scientists adapt new brain disease test for Parkinson’s, dementia with Lewy bodies

NIAID’s Bradley Groveman, foreground, and Christina Orru using the RT-QuIC diagnostic assay, which they helped adapt to detect Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Le...

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Picking a New Primary Care Doctor

Picking a New Primary Care Doctor

Published 02/08/2018

THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- There are times in life when you need to pick a new doctor, or primary care provider.

A primary care provider is your health gatekeeper, offering wellness visits, evaluating problems and suggesting specialists when necessary.

There are different types o...

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Could Your Colonoscopy Raise Your Risk for Appendicitis?

Could Your Colonoscopy Raise Your Risk for Appendicitis?

Published 02/05/2018

MONDAY, Feb. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A colonoscopy can save your life by detecting and removing colon cancer, but it might also trigger appendicitis, a new study suggests.

Experts aren't sure exactly why that happens, and, fortunately, it's rare. And it shouldn't stop you from getting a colon...

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How to Protect Against Heart Disease

How to Protect Against Heart Disease

Published 02/04/2018

SUNDAY, Feb. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, but there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself, a cardiologist says.

"Heart disease kills hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, but many of these conditions are preven...

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Procedure Beats Drugs for A-Fib With Heart Failure

Procedure Beats Drugs for A-Fib With Heart Failure

Published 01/31/2018

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- For people with both atrial fibrillation and heart failure, a procedure called ablation can be life-saving, a new clinical trial shows.

Researchers found that when patients received the heart procedure, their risk of dying in the next few years was rou...

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Health Tip: Prevent Hypothermia Among Seniors

Health Tip: Prevent Hypothermia Among Seniors

Published 01/30/2018

(HealthDay News) -- Seniors are at heightened risk of hypothermia, the medical term for low body temperature.

Older adults lose body heat faster than when they were younger, the U.S. National Institute on Aging says.

Hypothermia occurs when a person's body temperature drops to 95 degrees Fahrenhe...

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Old Age Alone Not to Blame for Surgical Complications

Old Age Alone Not to Blame for Surgical Complications

Published 01/12/2018

FRIDAY, Jan. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Various factors can increase a senior's chances of experiencing complications after surgery, but age apparently isn't one of them.

A review of 44 studies that included more than 12,000 people aged 60 and older found that frailty, mental impairment, depres...

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Mediterranean Diet a Recipe for Strength in Old Age

Mediterranean Diet a Recipe for Strength in Old Age

Published 01/11/2018

THURSDAY, Jan. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A Mediterranean diet may make seniors less likely to become frail and help them maintain their health and independence, new research suggests.

Frailty -- characterized by weak muscle strength, weight loss and low energy -- is common among seniors. Frail...

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Published 12/12/2017

Recurring Intestinal Infections on the Rise in U.S.: Study Clostridium difficileis the No. 1 health care-linked infection in America, and some people can't shake it

FRIDAY, July 7, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- RecurringClostridium difficileintestinal infections are rising sharply in the United State...

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Published 12/12/2017

Robots May Be Cleaning Your Hospital Room Soon

THURSDAY, Nov. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitals are jumping on a tech trend, enlisting the help of germ-killing robots to tackle a potentially life-threatening but preventable issue: health care-associated infections.

For instance, Vanderbilt...

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High Brain Glucose Levels May Mean More Severe Alzheimer’s

High Brain Glucose Levels May Mean More Severe Alzheimer’s

Published 11/20/2017

NIH study shows connections between glucose metabolism, Alzheimer’s pathology, symptoms. Illustration of elevated glucose levels in the brain. Scientists found potential connections between problems with how the brain processes glucose and Alzheimer’s disease pathology and symptoms. NIA For the f...

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Hey, Single Folk: Adopting a Dog Could Lengthen Your Life

Hey, Single Folk: Adopting a Dog Could Lengthen Your Life

Published 11/17/2017

FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Here's to keeping your health on a tight leash: New research suggests that having a dog might boost a single person's life span.

The study tracked more than 3.4 million Swedes, middle-aged and older, for 12 years. All were free of heart disease at the beg...

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'Boomers' Doing Better at Avoiding Eye Disease of Aging

'Boomers' Doing Better at Avoiding Eye Disease of Aging

Published 11/16/2017

THURSDAY, Nov. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Macular degeneration is a major cause of vision loss in older Americans. But new research shows that baby boomers are somehow avoiding the illness at higher rates than their parents did.

Why the improvement? The researchers aren't sure, but say that low...

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'Fountain of Youth' Gene Discovered in Secluded Amish Community

'Fountain of Youth' Gene Discovered in Secluded Amish Community

Published 11/15/2017

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Talk about good genes.

Researchers report they have discovered a genetic mutation in Amish families living in Indiana that not only protects against type 2 diabetes, but also appears to boost longevity.

Even better, the Northwestern University scientis...

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