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Drugs are widely used to sedate dementia patients. Her sons wanted to keep her off them
In December 2024, Marjorie Tingley’s adult sons received an urgent email from the dementia care unit at Vista Grande Villa, a Michigan senior living community. They were told that their 85-year-old mother was a major safety threat.
On at least 10 days in the previous month, Tingley had hit, kicked, or elbowed aides when they were trying to ...Read more
How Older Adults Can Prevent Low Sodium Levels
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 79-year-old woman who's trying her best to stay strong physically with daily exercise, eating right, and successfully living independently after the death of my husband. Other than taking one 20-mg benazepril tablet daily for high blood pressure, I'm in pretty good health.
Recently, several friends who are close to my ...Read more
Achieve the essential 1-2 combination: living longer and happier
The average American says they'd like to live to be 91, according to a Pew Research Center survey. But when folks under age 65 were asked what they think life will be like in their 70s and beyond, 67% said they're worried about life in their later years. Wouldn't it be nice if those folks knew just what it takes to not only live longer -- but ...Read more
National 'Mr. Measles' campaign targets Florida vaccine mandates
ORLANDO, Fla. — As key state leaders work to dismantle school vaccine mandates, a cheeky national campaign promoting childhood shots and featuring a fictional mascot called “Mr. Measles” is taking aim at Florida — and the character himself is set to appear Thursday at a Department of Health hearing in Seminole County.
“My campaign ...Read more
Ebola death tests Kenya's border screening and disease defenses
For weeks, a Kenyan man infected with Ebola kept moving, undetected.
He traveled through several cities in Democratic Republic of Congo, made the roughly nine-hour road journey from Beni to Uganda’s capital of Kampala, spending a night there. On Oct. 3, he boarded Jambojet flight 8523 from nearby Entebbe to Nairobi. By the time he reached a ...Read more
10 things you should know about Medicare Part D plans (Part 1)
Enrolling in Medicare Part D isn’t a “one-and-done” decision. Leaving your plan on autopilot during open enrollment (Oct. 15-Dec. 7) could cost you hundreds in unexpected premiums and out-of-pocket fees. A different plan might offer a much better deal — especially if you’ve started new medications or your current drugs have ...Read more
Environmental Nutrition: Health benefits of kimchi
Q: What is kimchi and are there health benefits associated with it? Should I add it to my diet?
A: For those who are unfamiliar, kimchi is a spicy and tangy pickled vegetable dish. Kimchi hails from Korea, and it consists of salted and fermented vegetables (like cabbage and Korean radish) and a mouth-watering collection of seasonings such as ...Read more
Heart risks from cannabis remain hazy but warrant caution
The widespread legalization of cannabis in the United States has spurred greater use of marijuana and its active components, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). How do these psychoactive substances affect the heart? A review of recent research, published in the July 2026 issue of Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, summarized the ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Is stomach cancer on the rise in young adults?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 39-year-old brother was just diagnosed with stomach cancer. The diagnosis was especially shocking because of his age. Is this becoming more common? Does age affect the approaches to treatment?
ANSWER: Stomach cancer, also referred to as gastric cancer, was once thought of as a disease of older adults. However, it’s ...Read more
The Shots Heard Round the World
According to the World Health Organization, vaccines prevent 3.5 million to 5 million deaths worldwide each year. In the U.S., however, routine vaccination rates among children are dropping, while vaccine exemptions have reached record highs.
U.S. measles cases, mostly involving children, have surged to a 35-year high in 2026.
The personal ...Read more
A second wind: new nasal spray flu vaccine to boost immunity of aging lungs
BALTIMORE — A single dose of a new nasal spray influenza vaccine can breathe new life into older lungs while providing broad protection against multiple influenza strains, researchers reported.
In trials with mice, the spray, which combines a boost of manganese ions and another immune-stimulating molecule, gave older mice a powerful immune ...Read more
Hospitals have a little-known tool to prevent medical debt. Here's how it works
If you have medical debt, there’s a good chance you owe money to a hospital.
One way patients can avoid medical debt is through hospital financial assistance, also known as charity care. Most of the nation’s hospitals offer free or discounted medical care to patients with very high medical debt or low incomes.
Getting financial assistance,...Read more
Deciphering Whether There's A Link Between Tinnitus And Statins
DEAR DR. ROACH: As a 69-year-old female, when my cholesterol reached 250 mg/dL, I was prescribed and started taking 10 mg of rosuvastatin daily. I soon noticed a constant ringing/buzzing in my ears. Six months later, my cholesterol was down to 183 mg/dL. Another four months have passed, and the tinnitus is worse than ever and keeps me up at ...Read more
Guys, are your health blind spots endangering your future?
The Cleveland Clinic's "MENtion It" campaign has been doing annual surveys for 11 years of men's attitudes and actions concerning their own health. Unfortunately, they've found that guys aren't making smart choices. For example, the surveys found that 41% of guys were told as children that men don't complain about health issues and more than ...Read more
Does your sleep tracker get it right? A Pittsburgh neuroscientist weighs in
On a typical night, I go to bed wearing a tracking watch on one wrist and another type of tracker on the other wrist. Then I compare their sleep findings while I drink my morning coffee.
I direct the Center for Modern Digital Health at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where my team and I study how to use wearables to improve ...Read more
What is a professional patient advocate, and why might you need one?
Imagine your mom has just been discharged from the hospital to a rehabilitation center after hip replacement surgery. She has the paperwork, the facility’s address – and a long list of questions. Will her insurance cover her entire rehab stay? Does she have enough pain medication until she gets settled? Will the hospital transfer her ...Read more
Flu season is near – here’s a guide to available vaccines
The number of people sick with flu is starting to increase across the United States, with health authorities warning that in some western regions of the country, the 2026-27 flu season may be off to an early start.
Health authorities often advise people to get their flu vaccine by the end of October – but as an epidemiologist ...Read more
What is pneumonic plague? What to know as possible disease in Russia raises alarm
The death of a Russian lab worker, possibly from pneumonic plague, has sparked concern around the world.
A worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East in Shelekhov died of an unknown pneumonia, Forbes reported
Russian authorities have reportedly quarantined 200 lab workers as a result, according to the ...Read more
New prostate cancer imaging outperforms biopsies for diagnosis
A new study by the Medical University of Vienna found that a specialized form of imaging could identify 91% of prostate cancer cases without the need for a biopsy.
Traditionally, a blood test can indicate the possibility of prostate cancer, but a diagnosis has long depended on a tissue sample through an outpatient procedure.
The imaging ...Read more
Commentary: There's federal progress on women's health. No joke
Menopause has been having a moment lately, and Washington is taking notice. On Sept. 16, the Senate held its first hearing on the dismal state of federally funded menopause research and vast gaps in treatment and care. Within 24 hours, the Department of Health and Human Services also convened pharmaceutical manufacturers and physicians to ...Read more
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