News of the Week - 5/16/25
Observations About Some Things That Caught My Eye
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‘Dream’ date unites 97-year-old with wife thanks to foundation gift.
A Common Pill May Shorten Life Expectancy by Nearly 6 Years, According to Doctors.
Isolated older adults find joy connecting through virtual sing-along programs.
7 Signs It’s Time to Take Your Memory Issues Seriously.
Congress shouldn’t be an assisted-living facility.
Medicaid cuts would create ‘ripple effect’ through healthcare, economy.
Korea’s aging extreme divers could hold the key to treating chronic disease.
Unmarried people had lower dementia risk, new study finds.
Dementia soars in China beyond global average, data shows.
‘Dream’ date unites 97-year-old with wife thanks to foundation gift
McKnight’s - It had been years since Virginia skilled nursing resident and former Army colonel George Taylor had taken his wife out on a date. Health challenges stood in the way of the 97-year-old Lake Prince Woods resident’s ability to continue courting his wife, similar to how he’d routinely done over the course of their 70-year marriage. But that’s soon to change, thanks to EveryAge Foundation’s Grant a Dream™ program.
A Common Pill May Shorten Life Expectancy by Nearly 6 Years, According to Doctors
Yahoo - The study authors examined the mortality risk and life expectancy of 484,916 people regarding their sleep quality, how long they slept and if they used sleeping pills. People who did not use sleeping pills and regularly slept 6 to 8 hours a night had the lowest mortality risk than people who slept less than 4 hours and over 8 hours. However, people who slept 6 to 8 hours a night but took sleeping pills had a 55% higher mortality risk than non-users.
Isolated older adults find joy connecting through virtual sing-along programs
McKnight’s Felt this Study Worth Noting Too!
7 Signs It’s Time to Take Your Memory Issues Seriously
Time - If the neurologist Dr. Daniel Lesley sees 10 patients a day, at least half ask him the same question: Are the brain lapses they’re experiencing a normal part of aging? Or should they be worried?
Congress shouldn’t be an assisted-living facility
WAPO - The Senate in recent years has been the oldest ever, with a median age today of 64.7. It is home to about 35 members age 70 or older. For perspective, the Senate in 2011 had a median age of 61; in 2001, it was 58; in 1981, 51; in 1971, 55.
Medicaid cuts would create ‘ripple effect’ through healthcare, economy
McKnight’s - Cuts to Medicaid — no matter the form they come in — could have ripple effects that would force states to make difficult decisions, according to one senior living expert.
Korea’s aging extreme divers could hold the key to treating chronic disease
WAPO - The Haenyeo divers of Korea may hold the key to understanding and treating chronic diseases.
Unmarried people had lower dementia risk, new study finds
Axios - Unmarried older adults in the U.S. were less likely to develop dementia than those who were married, according to a new study of 24,000 Americans. The finding seems to contradict the long-held belief that marriage is associated with better cognitive health and longevity.
Dementia soars in China beyond global average, data shows
McKnight’s - China has a higher burden of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias compared to other countries. Cases of dementia in the country are rising more quickly than the global average, a study finds.
"No matter what you call it, music is as good as it sounds. Music is an oral art. Until you hear it, it is not music, and if it sounds good, it is good."
- Duke Ellington
