September 21, 2020

COVID-19 Is Tougher on Older Men, and Scientists May Now Know Why

TUESDAY, Sept. 8, 2020 -- Key differences in immune system function may help determine why severe, life-threatening COVID-19 tends to target older men, scientists say.

A new study found that among elderly people and in men, especially, certain factors may lead to a weaker immune system response against infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

September 21, 2020

Could Daily Low-Dose Aspirin Hasten Cancer in Seniors?

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 -- Taking a daily low-dose aspirin may speed the progression of cancer in the elderly, a new clinical trial shows.

Daily aspirin doubled the risk that a person 70 or older would die from a stage 3 cancer, and increased the death risk associated with stage 4 cancers by nearly a third, according to data from more than 19,000 older people in the United States and Australia.

September 15, 2020

Isolation, Loneliness of Lockdowns Is Tough on America's Seniors

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2020 -- Seniors are among those most at risk for dying from COVID-19, and so they've been urged to socially distance during the pandemic.

But experts fear this isolation, while protecting them from a potentially fatal infection, might be wearing away at their health in other ways.

August 17, 2020

Telemedicine Is Here: Experts Offer Tips for Seniors

MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2020 -- Virtual medical visits have been invaluable for many during the COVID-19 pandemic, but older adults may still need help managing them -- especially if they are hard of hearing.

That's according to doctors at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore. Writing in the Aug. 11 Annals of Internal Medicine, they offer some practical advice on navigating "telemedicine."

August 9, 2020

Face Masks Making Things Tough for the Deaf

TUESDAY, July 21, 2020 -- As the debate over face masks continues, few may realize how the coverings make it hard for the 48 million Americans with hearing loss to communicate with others.

Masks can muffle sound, making it more difficult to understand speech and higher-pitched voices; prevent the ability to read lips and see facial expressions, which help people with hearing loss better understand what they're hearing; and be uncomfortable for people with hearing aids or cochlear implants, hearing experts say.

August 9, 2020

Many Stay Optimistic Until Old Age Hits

THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 -- People tend to be optimistic for most of their life, even when they have to cope with serious challenges, a new study finds.

Researchers surveyed 75,000 people aged 16 to 101 in the United States, Germany and the Netherlands to assess their optimism and outlook about the future.