Senior Living

/

Health

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Exercise reverses muscle aging; scientists now know why

Exercise helps restore natural repair systems in muscle cells that become out of balance with age, according to new research from Singapore.

Atrophy and loss of individual muscle fibers increase with age, boosting the risk of falls and fractures as well as chronic diseases, according to findings published by the National Institutes of Health. ...Read more

Madmaxer/Dreamstime/TNS

All that home equity, now what? A senior’s guide to unlocking housing wealth

If you’ve owned your property for decades, your house has likely been doing some financial heavy lifting in the background. According to the Federal Reserve, the housing wealth of Baby Boomers hit a record $19.84 trillion at the beginning of 2026.

With rising expenses and longer retirements, many older adults are looking for creative ways to...Read more

Kathy Witt/Kathy Witt/TNS

Travel Trending with Kathy Witt: Explore Greenland and Iceland aboard Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Navigator

Early September, 49 degrees, and sunlight glinting off a remote and rugged settlement along Greenland’s coastline—and yet all I can think of is Christmas: stockings hung at the fireplace, a tree heavy with ornaments, snowy landscapes aglow with twinkle lights.

The Kangaamiut Oqaluffiat Church choir is singing the most beautiful a cappella ...Read more

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Steve Lopez: Misplaced glasses, forgotten names. How to know when to worry, and how to thrive

LOS ANGELES -- Dr. Zaldy Tan, author of a new book with profound insights into aging, memory loss and resilience, was examining an 84-year-old patient with vascular dementia last week in a suite at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The patient's daughter and primary caregiver, Adai Lamar, updated Tan on her mother Jessie's condition, and then ...Read more

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Steve Lopez: Misplaced glasses, forgotten names. How to know when to worry, and how to thrive

LOS ANGELES -- Dr. Zaldy Tan, author of a new book with profound insights into aging, memory loss and resilience, was examining an 84-year-old patient with vascular dementia last week in a suite at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The patient's daughter and primary caregiver, Adai Lamar, updated Tan on her mother Jessie's condition, and then ...Read more

103-year-old retired judge keeps Pittsburgh’s jazz tradition alive

PITTSBURGH -- On a mostly sunny Saturday, an estimated 3,000 spectators turned out with their lawn chairs and blankets for what might have been a jazz performance for the record books.

On Sept. 5, 103-year-old retired Judge Warren Watson took the stage at the Monroeville Jazz Festival with Court in Session, the ensemble that grew out of jam ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

3 common drugs older adults might be overusing

The scenario often unfolds like this: Medical researchers investigate a frequently used drug and report that it’s less effective for older patients than previously thought, or that its risks outweigh its benefits in older adults. More studies follow, confirming those findings.

After a few years, medical associations revise their guidelines, ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

3 common drugs older adults might be overusing

The scenario often unfolds like this: Medical researchers investigate a frequently used drug and report that it’s less effective for older patients than previously thought, or that its risks outweigh its benefits in older adults. More studies follow, confirming those findings.

After a few years, medical associations revise their guidelines, ...Read more

103-year-old retired judge keeps Pittsburgh's jazz tradition alive

PITTSBURGH -- On a mostly sunny Saturday, an estimated 3,000 spectators turned out with their lawn chairs and blankets for what might have been a jazz performance for the record books.

On Sept. 5, 103-year-old retired Judge Warren Watson took the stage at the Monroeville Jazz Festival with Court in Session, the ensemble that grew out of jam ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

New California law eases path to permanent jury duty exemption for seniors 80 and older

SAN JOSE, Calif. — For years, former Santa Clara County Supervisor Dianne McKenna helped older friends and family navigate the process of seeking an excuse from jury duty — an experience she eventually brought to her state lawmaker.

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill McKenna inspired — beginning Jan. 1, 2028, people 80 and older...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

When a friend becomes a caregiver

For several years, Nicole Straight and Patricia Wood, who lived across the street from each other in Sausalito, California, were more neighbors than friends, exchanging sociable greetings and occasionally having coffee.

Then, last October, Wood took a fall, broke her neck, and spent three months in rehabilitation. When she returned to the house...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

When a friend becomes a caregiver

For several years, Nicole Straight and Patricia Wood, who lived across the street from each other in Sausalito, California, were more neighbors than friends, exchanging sociable greetings and occasionally having coffee.

Then, last October, Wood took a fall, broke her neck, and spent three months in rehabilitation. When she returned to the house...Read more

Gregg Segal/Stanford University School of Medicine/TNS

A tiny fish’s behavior suggests aging may happen in stages, study finds

A tiny fish that lives only four to eight months is revealing that aging may unfold in distinct biological stages rather than as a slow, continuous decline — findings that could help scientists better understand how people can age better.

By tracking how more than 700 African turquoise killifish swim, sleep and feed — and how that behavior ...Read more

Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/TNS

Chicago woman shows it’s never too late to reach a goal, especially when it comes to education

CHICAGO -- Englewood neighborhood native Deniece Rogers didn’t celebrate her 2011 bachelor’s degree, or her 2015 master’s degree. But when she crossed the finish line with her doctorate, she threw a party for herself because “that one, she felt.”

At 75, the Near North Side resident earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational ...Read more

Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/TNS

Chicago woman shows it's never too late to reach a goal, especially when it comes to education

CHICAGO -- Englewood neighborhood native Deniece Rogers didn’t celebrate her 2011 bachelor’s degree, or her 2015 master’s degree. But when she crossed the finish line with her doctorate, she threw a party for herself because “that one, she felt.”

At 75, the Near North Side resident earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational ...Read more

Kaspars Grinvalds/Dreamstime.com/TNS

People can sense mental decline, says new research powered by smartwatches

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Older adults may be better judges of their moment-to-moment mental sharpness than scientists once assumed, according to a UC Davis study — which relied on familiar technology: the smartwatch.

The study found that when an individual rated their mental sharpness below their own average, their performance on the objective ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Why older pedestrians fare worse in car crashes

On an August morning two years ago, Meredith Melville was crossing Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California, to meet a friend at a cafe. While in the crosswalk, she noticed a car some distance away.

Perhaps she misjudged its speed, she said, because she’d walked only partway across the street when the car, a Toyota sedan, came bearing down on ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Why older pedestrians fare worse in car crashes

On an August morning two years ago, Meredith Melville was crossing Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, California, to meet a friend at a cafe. While in the crosswalk, she noticed a car some distance away.

Perhaps she misjudged its speed, she said, because she’d walked only partway across the street when the car, a Toyota sedan, came bearing down on ...Read more

Belmont Village Senior Living/Belmont Village Senior Living/TNS

A bird-watching video game could improve dementia patients' memory

DALLAS — Can a bird-watching video game help train dementia patients' memory? A recent training program suggests it could.

Bird Watch, a neuroscience-based cognitive training game developed by a University of Texas at Dallas neuroscientist, was recently launched across three Texas senior living communities through a partnership between the ...Read more

Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group/TNS

Grab bars can help older adults avoid falls. Why won’t Medicare cover them?

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Grab bars are commonly recommended to help older adults avoid potentially life-altering falls, but basic Medicare does not cover them — a policy a new lobbying campaign hopes to change.

Grab bars — rails attached to walls, particularly in bathrooms — help provide balance and prevent falls, preventing serious injuries,...Read more

 

Related Channels

Tom Margenau

Social Security and You

By Tom Margenau
Toni King

Toni Says

By Toni King

Comics

Dana Summers Pardon My Planet Walt Handelsman Drew Sheneman Arctic Circle Wumo