Healthy Seniors News & Features

As more and more people live to 100, researchers want to know what separates them from those who live the average, expected 80 years. Of course exercise, a good diet, and other healthy choices key. But studies show genes are pretty important, too. So do you have to win the genetic lottery to live a whole century? Or can science unlock the secret to spreading the genetic wealth?

Daily aspirin is recommended for people between 50 and 69 if they are at increased risk of heart disease, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a guideline-setting expert panel. However, there's not been enough medical evidence to say whether aspirin would help elderly folks, the USPSTF says.

Tai Chi May Work Best to Prevent Falls in Old Age By Dennis ThompsonHealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Sept. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The ancient practice of tai chi may beat strength training and aerobics for preventing falls among seniors, a new trial shows.A modified senior-centered tai chi program reduced falls nearly a third better in a head-to-head comparison with an exercise regimen that combined aerobics, strength training and balance drills, the researchers reported."This tai chi program better addressed the deficits that were contributing to fall risk," said senior researcher Kerri Winters-Stone, a professor with the Oregon Health

New research shows pot isn't the drug of choice for just the young anymore. More middle-aged folks, and even seniors, are lighting up  nowadays, researchers say.

Statins were not associated with a reduced risk of heart disease or death from any cause in healthy people over age 75 in a new analysis of data from nearly 47,000 people.

Compounds in maple leaves block the release of an enzyme called elastase, which breaks down a protein called elastin as people age, researcher report in a new study. Elastin helps maintain skin elasticity.

'Moderate' Drinking May Protect Brain By Amy NortonHealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Aug. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Middle-aged people who drink moderately -- no more than a glass of wine a day -- may have a relatively lower risk of developing dementia later in life, researchers report.The study, which followed 9,000 British adults for over two decades, found that both heavier drinkers and abstainers had a higher dementia risk than moderate drinkers.Moderate drinking was defined according to the recommended drinking limits in the United Kingdom: no more than 14 "units" of alcohol per week. That translates to one

People over age 50 who break a bone may face a higher risk of death in the 10 years after the injury, a new study says.

Longevity pioneers lucky enough to make it past the perilous 70s, 80s and 90s could potentially live well into their 110s, if fortune remains on their side, said senior author Kenneth Wachter, a professor of demography and statistics at the University of California, Berkeley.

As assisted suicide gains more acceptance and people push back on extreme end-of-life measures, some people are asking whether we should pay more attention to the quality of our death and what that means.

The new study found that those who ate a large amount of dark-colored fruits and vegetables had a slower per year decline in lung function compared to those who ate fewer of these anthocyanin-filled foods.

Earlier this year, the consortium of several large hospital systems announced it would form a nonprofit drug company called Project Rx.

Across the nation, the rate of deaths from falls among those 65 and older increased 31 percent from 2007 to 2016 -- from about 18,000 to nearly 30,000, researchers found.

Similarly, older adults in good physical health were more sexually active: Of all people who described their health as "good" to "excellent," 45 percent were sexually active, versus 22 percent of those who rated their health as "fair" to "poor."

The test asked for the names of famous people (for example, authors, politicians and actors) based on 20 questions about them. Study participants also were given definitions of 20 little-used words and 20 easy words, and asked to produce the corresponding word.

The key factors include the usual suspects: not smoking; eating healthy; exercising regularly; maintaining a normal weight; and drinking only in moderation.

Those who did use a hearing aid were less likely to have gone to an emergency room or spent time in the hospital within the past year.

Overall, the study uncovered some good news: premature death rates are down in the United States as a whole.

Americans appear to be aging slower than they used to, which may help explain recent gains in life expectancy.

The study included 31 adults, ages 62 to 91, with no swallowing problems, and 33 healthy young adults, ages 18 to 28. Both groups underwent an X-ray video test that revealed the mechanics of their swallowing.

In the study, the team assessed 84 male and 41 female cyclists, aged 55 to 79. The men had to be able to cycle 62 miles in under 6.5 hours, while the women had to be able to cycle 37 miles in 5.5 hours.

The sharpest decline has come in countries that already had the shortest life expectancy, according to researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

Do you have things you want to do before your time's up? If so, consider sharing that so-called "bucket list" with your doctors.

The protective link was seen even among people who carried a gene variant called APOE4, which raises the risk for dementia.

A review of 44 studies that included more than 12,000 people aged 60 and older found that frailty, mental impairment, depressive symptoms and smoking increased the risk for complications after surgery.