Love Museums, Theater? The Arts Might Extend Your Life

THURSDAY, Dec. 19, 2019 -- If you're a senior who loves to take in the latest art exhibit or check out a new musical, it might do more than stimulate your senses: New research suggests it could lengthen your life.

Scientists found that among over 6,700 older adults they tracked, patrons of the arts had a markedly better survival rate over the next 14 years.

To Avoid Falls, Check Your Balance

THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2019 -- Bad balance is a common cause of dangerous falls, especially among older adults. Falls send more than 2 million adults to the emergency room every year and often result in lengthy rehab stays.

Preventing falls is a priority for staying healthy and preventing painful broken bones as you age. Easy strength and balance exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere, such as tai chi and yoga, can help you stay steady on your feet.

Seniors Still Wary of Online Reviews When Picking Doctors

MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2020 -- Most older Americans don't fully rely on or trust online ratings of doctors, a new study finds.

Among men and women between the ages of 50 and 80, only 43% have looked online to see how patients rated a doctor, researchers report.

Taking Several Prescription Drugs May Trigger Serious Side Effects

TUESDAY, Dec. 3, 2019 -- Many older Americans take a variety of prescription drugs, yet new research suggests that combining various medications is not always wise.

Taking lots of different drugs for different conditions is called "polypharmacy," and a team of researchers set out to find how doctors take this into account in their prescribing. To address this, providers discuss "deprescribing" -- working with patients to cut down on unnecessary or redundant medications.

Statins Won't Harm Aging Brains, and May Even Help

MONDAY, Nov. 18, 2019 -- Concerns that cholesterol-lowering statin drugs can impair brain health appear to be unfounded, according to new research.

An 'Epidemic of Loneliness' in America? Maybe Not

TUESDAY, Dec. 10, 2019 -- Despite media stories about a "loneliness epidemic" plaguing the elderly, two new studies find that they feel no more lonely than their peers from past generations.

The studies -- one in the United States, one in the Netherlands -- reached the same basic conclusion: Yes, people tend to feel more lonely after age 75 or so. But today's older adults are no more likely to feel isolated or lacking in companionship than previous generations.