Senior Resources

Since your young adult, teen kid or grandchild is so often buried in a smartphone, social media might seem like the best way to check in, but be careful: You’ll find unwritten rules and guardrails. “In the social media age, the worst thing is when your parents and grandparents show up,” says Karen North, clinical professor…

Although a lot of people think that virtual reality (VR) is just for video games, the technology can provide older adults with ways to immerse themselves in destinations worldwide without leaving home or paying for an expensive vacation. Think of it as National Geographic leaping off the page or a travel TV show where you decide what you want…

Two days a week, Janice Magri volunteers as a teacher’s aide for the third graders at Goodnoe Elementary in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She files tests and homework sheets for the teacher, does crafts with the kids and makes sure to spend time with the children who need extra help with schoolwork.   Magri, 81, says…

With age comes wisdom — and, inevitably, hearing loss too.  “About one in three people in the United States between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing loss,” says Kelly King, an audiologist and program officer at the Division of Scientific Programs, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), “and nearly half…

A blood test that is being used in research studies but is not yet available in doctors’ offices was found to be highly accurate at detecting two defining characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study shows. Health experts say the findings suggest we’re getting closer to having an easier, less expensive way to tell if…

Can freestyle rap music and improvisational games improve your confidence, creativity and mindfulness, and help you feel less socially isolated? And can the improv help stem cognitive decline, a major concern for many as they get older? So you’re probably not going to join an improv troupe later in life, much less become an accomplished rapper. But…

Though you know you need to exercise, you may feel like you don’t have the resolve, interest or time to get physically fit. You aren’t alone. Almost half of those 50 and older feel the same way, according to an AARP survey. But building muscle and getting the physical activity that health experts say all adults need…

Cholesterol conversations tend to focus on the “bad” kind, more officially known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which can raise your risk for heart disease, stroke and other serious health problems. But there’s also a “good” type of cholesterol, called high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and unlike its sibling, it can actually lower cardiovascular risks. On a very basic…

Winter can bring arctic blasts, snowstorms, ice and sleet. And more often these days, areas of the country unaccustomed to that type of severe weather are experiencing just that. During those weather events, many may lose power, and therefore heat, which can lead to medical emergencies such as frostbite and hypothermia.​ Older people are especially vulnerable…

What a simple battery of tasks can — and cannot — tell about cognition Banana. Sunrise. Chair. Read these three words aloud and commit them to memory. If you can recall them by the end of this article, then you’ve passed a standard test doctors use to check brain fitness. While modern science has proven…