New Old Age at the New York Times

Since Mom took off in my car almost a year ago, after we had had a fight, I had hidden the keys. Except for this week; after the death of my son, I had forgotten. Read More...

Published Fri, Dec 07 2012 11:26 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: dementia, Arts & Culture

How the 'Death With Dignity' Law Failed in Massachusetts

Massachusetts voters seemed poised to pass a "Death With Dignity" law in November. Then came the opposition, with large spending and ads that took aim at certain provisions of the law and how they were worded. Read More...

Published Thu, Dec 06 2012 3:53 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: End-of-Life Care, Jim Carberry, Death with Dignity, Massachusetts, Joe Baerlein, Catholic Church

For the Old, Less Sense of Whom to Trust

There's a reason why so many older people fall for financial scams, new research suggests. They don't respond as readily to visual cues that suggest a person might be untrustworthy, and their brains don't send out as many warning signals that...

Published Wed, Dec 05 2012 3:38 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: Finances & Legalities, cognitive ability, brain scans, fraud

On the Alert for Fraud

The National Center on Elder Abuse and the Eldercare Locator have just published "Protect Your Pocketbook," a brief consumer guide for families and their older relatives. Read More...

Published Tue, Dec 04 2012 2:47 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: elder abuse, Finances & Legalities, fraud, consumer protection

Forced to Choose: Exploring Other Options

With so many patients having to choose between nursing homes and palliative care, the Affordable Care Act calls for a three-year experiment of "concurrent care," but no target date to begin has been set. Read More...

Published Mon, Dec 03 2012 3:23 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: Medicare, End-of-Life Care, palliative care, hospice, skilled-nursing facility benefit

Forced to Choose: Nursing Home vs. Hospice

Almost a third of elderly people are receiving end-of-life care in nursing homes, partly because they chose to use Medicare's skilled-nursing facility benefit for a nursing home bed rather than hospice care in their own home. Read More...

Published Fri, Nov 30 2012 3:01 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: nursing homes, End-of-Life Care, hospice, skilled-nursing facility benefit

New Help for Hoarders

In the three years since this blog wrote last about the problem of older people who hoard, new treatments and services have become available. Read More...

Published Thu, Nov 29 2012 2:01 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: hoarding, News & Research, metal health

Doctor's Orders? Another Test

A new study suggests older patients are undergoing too many diagnostic tests -- the kind that help doctors figure out what is wrong. Read More...

Published Wed, Nov 28 2012 3:48 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: Medical Issues, screening, florida, diagnostic tests, medical tests

New Efforts to Close Hospitals' Revolving Doors

Spurred by new financial penalties that Medicare started imposing in October on places with too many readmissions, hospitals are doing more outreach and intervention to make sure patients are following their discharge program. Read More...

Published Tue, Nov 27 2012 2:21 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: Health Care, Medicare, health care system, prevention, hospital readmissions, aftercare

Turning a Home Into a Hospital

The idea of hospice care in one's home is overwhelming, but it can bring its own rewards, too. Read More...

Published Mon, Nov 26 2012 4:55 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: End-of-Life Care, hospice, Calvary Hospice, Linda Beeler

Help by the Hour, or Less

Mission Healthcare in San Diego, Calif., decided that clients should be able to specify how much help they want in 15-minute increments. Read More...

Published Fri, Nov 23 2012 3:33 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: Finances & Legalities, home health aides, Mission Healthcare, home healthcare, home care agency

Patience, Consciousness and White Lies

Parenting our kids was good practice for the issues we face with our parents. Read More...

Published Wed, Nov 21 2012 3:39 AM by The New Old Age

Filed under: Family Relationships, driving, independence, helicopter parenting

New Old Age at the New York Times

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