October 19, 2020

Staying Social Can Boost Healthy 'Gray Matter' in Aging Brains

MONDAY, Oct. 19, 2020 -- Older adults who get together with friends, volunteer or go to classes have healthier brains, which could help them ward off dementia, according to a new study.

Researchers who used brain imaging to examine brain areas involved in mental decline found that greater social engagement made a difference in brain health.

September 29, 2020

Minorities Hit Hardest When COVID Strikes Nursing Homes

TUESDAY, Sept. 22, 2020 -- Minority residents of U.S. nursing homes and assisted living communities have been especially hard hit in the coronavirus pandemic, two University of Rochester studies show.

The first found that nursing homes with higher percentages of racial and ethnic minority residents reported two to four times more new COVID-19 cases and deaths compared to others for the week of May 25.

September 15, 2020

Depression Can Deepen Over Time for Alzheimer's Caregivers

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2020 -- Add a heightened risk for depression to the list of challenges facing the caregivers of loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease.

A new study found that older adults caring for spouses newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's had a 30% increase in symptoms of depression compared to those whose spouses didn't have Alzheimer's or related dementia.

September 2, 2020

Are Opioids Prescribed Too Freely as Patients Are Moved to Nursing Homes?

FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 -- When hospital patients are moved to a skilled nursing facility, they are too often given a prescription for a high-dose opioid painkiller, new research suggests.

For the study, researchers at the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy looked at nearly 4,400 hospital patients in Portland sent to nursing facilities to receive either short-term rehabilitative care or long-term care in a residential setting.