Seniors' Health

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People in the U.S. are living longer than ever before. Many seniors live active and healthy lives. But there's no getting around one thing: as we age, our bodies and minds change. There are things you can do to stay healthy and active as you age. Eating a balanced diet, keeping mind and body active, not smoking, getting regular checkups, and practicing safety habits at home and in the car will help you make the most of life.

 
  • Seniors' Health Articles
  • Guide to Good Health over 50 02.26.10 Do you want to live forever, or do you feel like you already have?
  • Arthritis Foundation self-help program offered 01.14.10 Northern Michigan Regional Hospital and Harbor Arthritis Center are offering a free, six-week course designed for people with arthritis and related diseases.
  • Duplicate of Now hear this: Swim-proof hearing aids to get test 12.28.09 They're not your grandpa's hearing aids. Today's newest models range from the completely invisible — it sits deep in the ear canal for months at a time — to Bluetooth-enabled gadgets that open cell phones and iPods for hearing-aid users.
  • Now hear this: Swim-proof hearing aids to get test 12.28.09 They're not your grandpa's hearing aids. Today's newest models range from the completely invisible — it sits deep in the ear canal for months at a time — to Bluetooth-enabled gadgets that open cell phones and iPods for hearing-aid users.
  • 'Building Better Bones' focuses on osteoporosis prevention 10.09.09 Osteoporosis can be a silent disease, one that causes the thinning of bones, which then causes bones to become fragile and more likely to fracture.
  • Medicare won’t cover ’virtual colonoscopy’ 08.03.09 Medicare won’t pay for the so-called virtual colonoscopy procedure, concluding Tuesday that there’s inadequate evidence to support the cheaper, less intrusive alternative to the dreaded colonoscopy.
  • Trial at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital leads to device approval by FDA 08.03.09 The Impella 2.5 allows a patient, who otherwise would have to be medically treated, to have a PCI. The device helps the heart to pump and allows the patient's heart to rest.
  • US cancer death rate drops again 2006 08.03.09 The U.S. cancer death rate fell again in 2006, a new analysis shows, continuing a slow downward trend that experts attribute to declines in smoking, earlier detection and better treatment.
  • Stroke Awareness Q & A 06.16.09 Elaine Siwiec, neurology nurse clinician at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, offered insight into the causes of stroke, risk factors and treatment options, in a Q&A with the News-Review.
  • Test for early Alzheimer’s in late development 05.27.09 A research institute devoted to Alzheimer’s and related diseases has teamed up with a major maker of diagnostic tests to speed development of what could be the first test to detect Alzheimer’s in its early stages.
  • March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 04.23.09 Dr. Heidi Huck, gastroenterologist with Great Lakes Digestive Health Associates in Petoskey discusses colorectal cancers during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease 03.10.09 Advancing age does not have to hurt, though it’s a common misperception that can lead many older Americans to overlook health issues that need to be treated.
  • High medical costs, low pricing hurts managed care 01.26.09 Managed care stocks were hammered in 2008, as higher-than-expected medical costs burned up health insurers’ profits and skittish investors wrung their hands over the companies’ potential exposure to failed investment banks.
  • Seniors invited to pickleball exhibition Jan. 22 01.15.09 The Friendship Centers of Emmet County (Council on Aging) and North Central Michigan College are teaming up to offer a new sport for active seniors age 60 and over at the North Central Michigan College Student and Community Resource Center.
  • Free program offers tools to those with chronic conditions 01.14.09 The Personal Action Toward Health workshop (PATH) will be offered from 1-3:30 p.m. starting Wednesday, Jan. 14, through Feb. 18 at the Village of Hillside Senior Center, 311 West Main St. in Harbor Springs.
  • Brain pacemaker helps Parkinson’s, but with risks 01.07.09 Parkinson’s sufferers who had electrodes implanted in their brains improved substantially more than those who took only medicine, according to the biggest test yet of deep brain stimulation.
  • Seniors, substances and suicide: A silent epidemic? 11.17.08 Maybe there’s a problem, family members have often wondered. But maybe not; they’re getting older, and who has the right to tell them how to live their life?
  • Advancements in treating macular degeneration showing clear results 11.17.08 Bebe Corts knew something was happening to her eyesight when she had to keep moving closer to the monitor during regular Bingo outings with a girlfriend.
  • Elderly brace for more costly drug coverage in ’09 11.14.08 No matter what the problem, there are things you can do to help protect your vision from aging.
  • Elderly fare well in open-heart surgery 11.11.08 Eighty-year-olds with clogged arteries or leaky heart valves used to be sent home with a pat on the arm from their doctors and pills to try to ease their symptoms. Now more are getting open-heart surgery, with remarkable survival rates rivaling those of m
  • End of Life Issues 11.04.08 Sometimes, in spite of treatment, a condition or illness will cause death. In those cases, patients can decide what they do and do not want done.
  • Medicare online tools help with prescription drug and health choices 10.14.08 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that beneficiaries, their caregivers, and family members can begin to review 2009 Medicare prescription drug plan and health plan information online through the Medicare Prescription Drug
  • Aging healthily not a mystery 09.25.08 Whether it’s fruitful or not, people tend to worry more about their health as they age. For some, the worrying can be productive, forcing them to overhaul a lifestyle that might not be healthy. For others, the worrying might only compound existing probl
  • Health Quackery: Spotting Health Scams 08.15.08 Quacks — people who sell unproven remedies — have been around for years. Today they have more ways than ever to peddle their wares
  • Depression Information 08.15.08 Being "down in the dumps" over a period of time is not a normal part of getting older. You do not need to suffer.
  • Did You Know? 08.08.08 Roughly half of the American population will have a cataract by the age of 65.
  • ‘Building Better Bones’ focuses on osteoporosis prevention 08.08.08 Osteoporosis can be a silent disease, one that causes thinning of the bones which then causes the bones to become fragile and more likely to fracture.
  • Heart patients should be screened for depression 08.08.08 Depression is about three times more common in heart attack survivors and those hospitalized with heart problems than the general population, according to the recommendations published in the journal Circulation.
  • Arthritis Advice 07.24.08 There are many kinds of arthritis, each with different symptoms and treatments.
  • Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet 07.24.08 The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
  • Aging and Your Eyes 07.24.08 No matter what the problem, there are things you can do to help protect your vision from aging.
  • External Seniors' Health Feeds
  • Six Out Of Ten Think Politicians Are Not Doing Enough To Improve Care For Older People, UK Politicians must work together to find long-term solutions on care reform, says Age Concern and Help the Aged, as new figures reveal six out of ten1 think politicians are not doing enough to work together to improve the care and support system for older people...
  • Better Health: More Frequent And Better Quality Sex In Later Life Research published on bmj.com today reports that people who are in good health are just about twice as likely to be interested in sex compared to those in poor health. Sexual activity is recognized as having several health benefits. In addition, it is linked to living longer. In this case, the study investigates how general health impacts on the quality of sex...
  • Risk Of Developing Cataracts Increased By Anti-Depressants Some anti-depressant drugs are associated with an increased chance of developing cataracts, according to a new statistical study by researchers at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and McGill University...
  • Nutrition Services For Older Adults At Home And In Communities The Society for Nutrition Education (SNE) has partnered with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and American Society for Nutrition (ASN) to publish a position paper, "Position of the American Dietetic Association, American Society for Nutrition, and Society for Nutrition Education: Food and Nutrition Programs for Community-Residing Older Adults," focusing on access to safe...
  • Medicare Payment Issues Raise Questions, Concerns Medicare payment issues including rising costs, caps on physical therapy and other outpatient services for some patients are in the news. The Dallas Morning News reports that Medicare Advantage plans with drug benefits are getting more expensive: "Seniors in those plans will pay an average of $39.61 a month this year in premiums, up 14...

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