Features for Senior Citizens

Graying and Affluent Market is Booming, Warming to Internet Shopping

Targeted market is over age 50 with $50,000 or more in income

April 8, 2008 - In the more than 80 metropolitan markets surveyed by The Media Audit, a recent study shows that those who are over age 50 with incomes of $50,000 or more (the "graying and affluent") have increased from 17.0 million in 2004 to 22.3 million during the past five years. Collectively, the markets surveyed have an adult population of approximately 142 million, according to a report in the Research Brief from the Center for Media Research. Read more...

Age 75 is the New 65 When It Comes to Cornea Transplants, Study Finds

Increasing donor pool to age 75 can expand supply significantly

April 2, 2008 – Age 75 is the new 65, at least as proven for cornea. The pool of cornea transplant donors - often limited to those 65 years of age and younger - should be expanded to include donors up to 75 years of age, according to a study by the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health and published in the April issue of Ophthalmology. Read more...

Senior Citizens Rejoice: Spit Tests May Soon Replace Many Blood Tests, Needle Pricks

Saliva test may make diagnosis, treatment less costly and invasive

March 25, 2008 - Senior citizens, the most common pin cushions for blood-sucking needles, will be among the happiest to welcome the not-too-distant day when patients will spit in a cup, instead of bracing for a needle prick, when being tested for cancer, heart disease or diabetes. Replacing blood draws with saliva tests promises to make disease diagnosis, as well as the tracking of treatment progress, less invasive and costly. Read more....

It’s Off to Camp if Seniors Need a New Knee or Other Joint Replaced

Baylor Medical Center promotes wellness, camaraderie and friendly competition like summer camp

Feb. 28, 2008 – Senior citizens, who generally assume their “going-to-camp” days are over, may get a surprise if they need joint replacement surgery – at least if they seek the help at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Read more...

Scientists May Be on the Way to a Breathalyzer to See if You have Cancer

Someday may allow doctors to screen people for diseases simply by sampling their breath,

Feb. 18, 2008 - Could there be a breathalyzer to find out  if you have a cancer in your body? By blasting a person's breath with laser light, scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado at Boulder have shown that they can detect molecules that may be markers for diseases like asthma or cancer. Read more...

Survey Finds Nations Unhappy with Retirement Systems; U.S. Pessimistic about Health Care

International poll finds people everywhere unhappy with way things going

Feb. 13, 2008 – A recent survey of the U.S. and five major European allies has found a general sense of pessimism about the way things are going, but the dominant dissatisfaction in all the countries is with the retirement systems. The survey also found Americans, living in the only one of the countries without a national health care system, are the most pessimistic about their country’s health care. Read more...

Human Embryo Cloned from Adult Cells is First in World Says Company

Major advancement towards patient-specific and disease-specific stem cells for therapeutic use, Stemagen says

What are the ethics? Read below news report

Jan. 17, 2008 – The possibility of developing treatments for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases using embryonic stem cells took a big leap forward today. Stemagen, a privately held embryonic stem cell research company, announced it has become the first in the world to create, and meticulously document, a cloned human embryo using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Read more...

Senior Citizens to See High Tech Sensors in Homes, on Bodies to Monitor Health

	Glucose sensor to be implanted under the skin of diabetics.

Over 3.4 million seniors to be using these devices by 2012

Dec. 6, 2007 – Senior citizens who do not take kindly to high tech devices had better get more comfortable with them because there is an increasingly good chance they will have them managing their home and body in the years ahead. A new projection says that by 2012 more than 3.4 million senior citizens in the U.S. will be using networked sensor applications to monitor and improve their health. Read more...

Senior Citizens Should be Concerned with Failure of Emergency Rooms

Study finds 22,000 preventable deaths occur across the nation’s emergency departments

Nov. 05, 2007 - Emergency departments across the nation are failing to meet national goals in treating many heart attack and pneumonia patients, according to a study by Johns Hopkins researchers published in the October issue of Academic Emergency Medicine. Millions of senior citizens, more than any other age group, depend on EDs for life-saving performance. Read more...

Senior Citizens Fear Nursing Home, Loss of Independence More than Death

Baby boomers fear aging parents will be mistreated in nursing homes

Oct. 25, 2007 - Senior citizens fear moving into a nursing home and losing their independence more than death, according to a research study released today that examines the attitudes and anxieties of the nation’s elderly population. “Aging in Place in America,” commissioned by Clarity and The EAR Foundation, also found baby boomers emotionally distraught about their aging parents' future - 82% fear their parents will be mistreated in a nursing home and 89% worry their parents will be sad. Read more...

Faced with Death, Our Minds Search for Happier Thoughts

Brain allows us to think about dying without being paralyzed by fear

Oct. 22, 2007 – How does the human mind process the inevitability of death? Philosophers and scientists have long been interested in how the mind handles this devastating situation - both cognitively and emotionally. One would expect, for example, that reminders of our mortality - say the sudden death of a loved one - would throw us into a state of disabling fear of the unknown. But that doesn't happen. Read more...

Patients with a Disability or Chronic Disease Reluctantly Turn to Web for Help

Mostly older people, less likely than others to go online, but once online, are avid health consumers.

By Susannah Fox, Associate Director
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Oct. 9, 2007 - About a fifth of American adults say that a disability, handicap, or chronic disease keeps them from participating fully in work, school, housework, or other activities. Half (51%) of those living with a disability or chronic disease go online, compared to 74% of those who report no chronic conditions. Read more...

Spouses Usually Mirror Each Other's Health Habits

Smokers more than five times more likely to quit smoking if spouse quit

Oct. 3, 2007- If one spouse exercises, quits smoking, stops drinking alcohol, receives a flu shot, or undergoes a cholesterol screening, the other spouse is more likely to do the same, according to a new study in Health Services Research. Read more...

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Focuses on Latest Screening Guidelines

Breast cancer death rate steadily declines and screening gets much credit

Oct. 1, 2007 – Today begins Breast Cancer Awareness Month and with the goal of continuing the decline in breast cancer death rates the emphasis is on increased awareness of the recommended screening guidelines, since early detection greatly increases chance for successful treatment. Read more...

Senior Citizens at Highest Risk of Dying from Suicide and About Anything Else, Actually

Suicide ranks much higher as cause of death for younger people

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

Sept. 19, 2007 – Hundreds of news sources ran the Associated Press story today highlighting that senior citizens are at the highest risk of suicide. The rest of the story is, however, that senior citizens are at the highest risk of dying from about any cause you can think of, and suicide is way down the list. It ranked 18 in the top causes of  death for the elderly in 2004, but it was the second leading cause of death for those age 25 to 34. Even for baby boomers it is somewhere in about 6th place. Read more...

Tips for Women Who Fear Mammogram Offered by Female Breast Surgeon

With breast cancer detected early, chances of survival are extremely high

Sept. 17, 2007 – Many older women, facing the annual mammogram, delay or even skip the date because they fear the discomfort. There are, however, a few simple things a woman can do to ease any possible discomfort she may feel during this brief imaging procedure, according to female breast surgeon at a Baylor Regional Medical Center near Dallas. Read more...

Most Americans Want to Live by Beach but Senior Citizens Seem to Want it Most

Older folks pick Oregon as number five state to live in, others pick Colorado in Harris Poll

Sept. 14, 2007 - Easy access to a beach seems to be a key factor in deciding which state people would choose to live in if they moved. Senior citizens, at least those 62 and older, agree with younger adults on this but add a twist – they are a little more adamant about being near the beach and possibly want it cooler and more peaceful. Read more...

Decline in Divorce May Be Attributed to Aging U.S. Population

Less divorce happening if a higher percentage of people are in their older years

Aug. 31, 2007 - Thanks to a seemingly unending barrage of studies and related media reports, most are familiar with the widely touted statistic that one in two marriages end in divorce. More recent data, however, suggests that the widely touted 50/50 ratio is leaning more in favor of marital success than it once did. Although exactly why the numbers are shifting in favor of marriage is not something most researchers can precisely pin down, most seem to agree that after more than 100 years of rising divorce rates in the U.S., that number dramatically decreased around 1980. Read more...

Senior Citizens Most Likely to Say They are Very Satisfied with Their Lives

But, by far the least likely to say things have improved or will get better ???

Aug. 17, 2007 – Senior citizens were by far the most likely to tell a recent Harris Poll that they are “very satisfied” with the life they lead. Harris calls their oldest age group the “Matures” and they are people age 62 and older. Sixty-nine percent of this age group said they were very satisfied with life, while only 56% of all adults made this choice. Read more...

States Begin Regulating In-Store Health Clinics Amid Safety Concerns

American Medical Association initiated concern says WSJ

Aug. 9, 2007 - More states are looking into the quality of care offered by clinics in retail locations in response to a campaign by the American Medical Association and physician groups that asked states to investigate in-store clinics, the Wall Street Journal reports. Read more...

Senior Citizens Provided Helpful Advice on What to Do on Death of Spouse

Institute on Aging offers free 'Mourning the Death of a Spouse'

Aug. 1, 2007 – The latest edition to helpful information for senior citizens from the National Institute on Aging is Mourning the Death of a Spouse. This new publication provides useful and practical advice on topics ranging from reactions to death to taking charge of life again. The brochure covers many facets of mourning and learning to live without a partner. Read the information below. Read more...

When Oscar the Cat Jumps in Your Bed You Better Say Your Prayers

Feline Grim Reaper at nursing home has predicted 25 patient deaths

July 26, 2007 – If Oscar the Cat comes to your door, you better say your prayers. Since he was adopted as a kitten by the staff of Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island, Oscar has had an uncanny ability to predict when residents are about to die. So far, he has been right 25 times. Read more...

Senior Citizens Lead the Nation in Recycling Home Waste

Harris finds 77% of American adults do some recycling at home

July 11, 2007 – Now this is something about senior citizens that may surprise you - a new Harris Polls finds that people age 62 and older, whom Harris calls the “Matures”, are more likely to practice recycling than are younger Americans.

Your Spouse Can Pass on Good Health Habits, Study Shows

In the case of flu shots, a spouse’s influence can be ‘quite striking’

By Becky Ham, Science Writer
Health Behavior News Service

July 10, 2007 - Being a good role model can truly help a spouse to adopt a healthy lifestyle, finds a study funded by the National Institute on Aging. Read more...

Senior Citizens Least Likely to Take a Summer Vacation, Boomers on the Go

Just over half of American adults will take vacation this summer

July 10, 2007 – What the Harris Poll calls “Matures,” which are people age 62 and older, are far less likely than younger people to take a summer vacation. But, watch out for the Baby Boomers (those 43 to 61), they will be on the move, according to Harris Interactive. Read more...

Senior Citizens Out of Step with Children on Sex, Marriage, Parenting

Younger generation has different moral values, says Pew Research

July 5, 2007 - Americans believe that births to unwed women are a big problem for society, and they take a mixed view at best of cohabitation without marriage. Yet these two nontraditional behaviors have become commonplace among younger adults, who have a different set of moral values from their elders about sex, marriage and parenthood, a new Pew Research Center Survey finds. Read more...

Senior Citizens Much More Likely to Fly the U.S. Flag on July 4: Made in China?

Pew Research looks at patriotism, Census Bureau has July 4 Facts

July 2, 2007 – It is probably no surprise that more senior citizens will probably fly the U.S. flag on July 4 than Americans of any other age group. Overall, 62% of U.S. adults say they display the flag at home, in the office, or on their car, according to the political values survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press (Dec. 12, 2006-Jan. 9, 2007). However, this number has fallen since August 2002; at that time, less than a year after the 9/11 attacks, 75% said they displayed the flag. Read more...

Medical Association Decides Against a Ban on Retail Health Clinics but Wants Governments to Investigate

AMA to launch own investigations of how prescriptions are handled

June 26, 2007 – The American Medical Association delegates decided at their annual meeting yesterday to not call for a ban on retail health clinics, as many had proposed, nor to set a minimum age limit for patients allowed to use these walk-in facilities. They decided, instead, to toss the ball to government officials, requesting they investigate to see if they are safe for consumers. Read more...

Docs Not Wanting to Give Shot in the Arm to Booming Retail Health Clinics

Many at AMA convention want them banned, but is it the competition

June 25, 2007 – The rapid emergence of in-store retail health clinics – those little clinics in Wal-Mart, Walgreen and even local grocery stores, where seniors and others can get walk-in health care from a health care professional of less than a doctor’s rank – may not be getting a shot in the arm from physicians. Several doctor groups at this week’s meeting of the American Medical Association want these clinics out of business. Read more...

Pill-Splitting Study Suggests Big Savings for Senior Citizens

Expensive cholesterol-lowering drugs provide prime target

June 18, 2007 - Slicing certain pills in half could slice a hefty amount off of the cost of prescription drugs for senior citizens. While only some types of pills can be split safely, the practice could be used by millions of Americans – including many of those who take popular but expensive cholesterol-lowering drugs. Read more...

HandiRecords is Handy Checkbook-Size Information Organizer for Senior Citizens, Caregivers

Necessary medical, insurance, contact information organized in one easy-to-access location

May 26, 2007 - HandiRecords, a checkbook-sized paper organizer, enables senior citizens, baby boomers and caregivers to easily record, store and communicate critical medical information to healthcare providers. HandiRecords fits easily into a purse or pocket, making it accessible and readily available for updating. Its pen and paper design appeals to users who prefer non-digital storage methods. Read more...

Senior Citizen Needs Your Vote in ABC News Contest for Healthiest Woman

BJ Reed, 66, oldest of five finalists has most online votes so far

May 20, 2007 – When ABC News and Prevention Magazine set out to use a national contest to find the "healthiest woman in America," they probably never dreamed that the winner could be a senior citizen. But, former English teacher, senior citizen and petite firecracker BJ Reed is one of the five finalists and you can vote for her online. Read more...

Senior Citizens Tell Gallup They Favor NBC’s Brian Williams Among Anchors

Younger age groups like Charles Gibson among 3 network anchors

May 7, 2007 – Senior citizens give Brian Williams of NBC the highest rating among the news anchors on the tree major television networks in a recent Gallup Poll. Williams was rated favorably by 53% of seniors, while Charles Gibson, ABC, was close with a 51% favorable, and Katie Couric, CBS was favorably viewed by only 41%. Read more...

Here Are Facts for  Older Americans Month 2007

Population 65 and older nearing 40 million, more than 12% of Americans

May 1, 2007 - A meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens resulted in President Kennedy designating May 1963 as “Senior Citizens Month,” asking the nation to pay tribute in some way to older people across the country. In 1980, President Carter’s proclamation changed the name to “Older Americans Month,” a time to celebrate those age 65 and older through ceremonies, events and fairs. Read more...

Wal-Mart to Change Landscape of Healthcare with Addition of Health Clinics

400 to open in three years, 2,000 in five to seven years

April 25, 2007 - Wal-Mart intends to contract with local hospitals and other organizations to open as many as 400 in-store health clinics over the next two to three years, and if current market forces continue, up to 2,000 clinics could be in Wal-Mart stores over the next five to seven years. Read more...

In-Store Health Clinics Grow as Does Satisfaction but Not Customers

Survey finds users are well satisfied with the experience

April 18, 2007 – Health clinics, located in stores like neighborhood groceries and pharmacies, are growing rapidly in numbers and have been expected to be well-liked by senior citizens. The latest facts, however, show that despite the growth in locations, the percentage of people using these walk-in clinics has actually decreased. But, this survey shows that those who do are well satisfied with the experience. Read more...

Active Recreation Tops Lifestyle Desires for Older Baby Boomers, Senior Citizens

Del Webb survey finds adventure activities emerging for active adults

April 13, 2007 – A new survey of lifestyle interests among a select group of Baby Boomers and senior citizens shows that active recreation, especially adventurous pursuits, such as hiking and river rafting, is emerging as a top interest for these older Americans. It challenges conventional thinking about “senior” recreation, according to Del Webb, the nation's largest builder of active adult communities for people over age 54. Read more...

Most Senior Citizens in England Say Health Good Despite Long Illness

Two of three live with high blood pressure, 25 percent obese

March 23, 2007 – Nearly two in three senior citizens – those age 65 and older – in England suffer from high blood pressure, roughly one in four is obese, and over a quarter of women and more than a fifth of men have symptoms of depression, according to the latest Health Survey of England. The survey found wide diversity among seniors, with many living healthy, active lives, while others face severe health challenges. Read more...

Clocks Spring Forward Earlier This Year: Daylight Savings Starts Sunday

Tips to help senior citizens adjust to clocks quick jump forward

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

March 5, 2007 – Just when most of us senior citizens were getting used to Daylight Savings Time and figuring out how it works, the government is changing it again. Now, they have decided it is such a good thing that it should last longer. Get ready to "Spring Forward" this Sunday, March 11. That means when the clock reaches 2 a.m., it is suddenly 3 a.m. For many seniors, that means a lost hour of sleep, as our aging bodies don't adjust that quickly. Read more...

Even After Age 65 Women Are Victims of Partner Violence, Study Finds

About 25% experience physical, sexual, psychological violence

March 5, 2007 - About one in four women older than 65 has been the victim of physical, sexual or psychological violence at the hands of a spouse or other intimate partner, according to a study done in two northwestern states. About 3.5 percent of the women surveyed had suffered violence in the past five years, and 2.2 percent in the past year. Read more...

Senior Citizens Are Much More 'Trusting' Than Younger Americans

May have come of age when social mores, events provided for more social trust

March 1, 2007 - Senior citizens are more trusting than younger people, says a new poll that, like most others, finds older people at one end or the other in every comparison of age groups. Social trust is a belief in the honesty, integrity and reliability of others - a "faith in people." It's a simple enough concept to describe. But it's never been easy to figure out who trusts, or why, according to this new Pew Social Trends Survey. Read more...

New Book from Hospice Foundation Dispels Myths about Grief

'...the grieving aren't lovely. The grieving are a pain in the neck.'

Feb. 21, 2007 - "Grief is such a quiet word; it makes you think of women in black shawls, silent and lovely. But the grieving aren't lovely. The grieving are a pain in the neck." So writes Elizabeth Uppman in her essay "A Chunk of Crystal" in Hospice Foundation of America's (HFA) new book, Living With Grief: Before and After the Death. Read more...

Negative Grief Indicators Decline about Six Months after Death of Loved One

Study of five-stage grieving process finds some surprises

Feb. 20, 2007 – A study of the five-stage grieving process following the death of a loved one from natural causes finds "acceptance" and "yearning" for the deceased are the normal responses of most people. They also found that "disbelief" was not the initial, dominant grief indicator as suggested by the accepted five stages of grief. Read more...

Options to Broaden Role of Medicare in Long-Term Care Explored in Georgetown U. Study

By Ellen O’Brien, Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University

Feb. 18, 2007 - Medicare has contributed substantially to the wellbeing of the nation’s elderly and people with disabilities. Over the past four decades, Medicare has helped to improve the health of its beneficiaries and assure their financial wellbeing. But Medicare also has significant gaps. Key among them is the fact that Medicare does not pay for long-term care. Read more...

Valentines Features for 2007

Senior Citizens Seeking a Partner This Valentine's Find Few Others Interested

Feb. 14, 2007 - If you are a senior citizens, or even just age 30 or older, and looking for love on this Valentine's Day, you best not hold your breath until it happens. Only two percent of unattached seniors citizens are looking for a partner. Large numbers of single Americans are not actively looking for relationships and even significant numbers of those looking for partners are not that active on the dating scene, says a new report by the Pew Research Center. Read more...

Features for Senior Citizens

Senior Journal's Valentine Couple for 2007 are 85, Sharing Love to Fullest

Still staying active in senior-living home in Dallas

Feb. 9, 2007 - They were in their 40s when they met. He was a painter who had studied at the Corcoran and Brooklyn Museum schools of art.  And he was a framer – a celebrated framer, later to be declared by Time magazine the best picture framer in the world, with patents on two designs and frames on pictures that hang at the White House, the National Portrait Gallery and in other eminent collections. Read more...

A Real Senior Citizen Valentine

Feb. 13, 2007 - A couple that would be over 5,000 years old, had they lived, was found by archaeologist near Mantova, Italy. The skeletal remains clearly show the couple in an embrace. The scientist say, as a Valentine gift to the world, they will preserve the couple just as they were found. Read more at Yahoo.

Facts About Valentine’s Day 2007: Feb. 14

U.S. Census Bureau provides interesting facts about this day

Feb. 9, 2007 - There are many opinions as to who was the original Valentine, with the most popular theory that it was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying couples in ancient Rome. In any event, in 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius set aside Feb. 14 to honor St. Valentine. Read more...

Recipe for a Healthy Heart Provided for Valentine's Day 2007

UCLA Medical Center plans National Heart Failure Awareness event

Feb. 9, 2007 - With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s a great time to take a look at the state of your heart and some tips for a healthier heart. Read more...

Online Dating Website for Senior Citizens Launches for Valentine's Day 2007

SinglesOver50.com hopes to help singles seniors meet other seniors

Feb. 9, 2007 - Just in time for Valentine's Day, SinglesOver50.com has launched a new website called SinglesOver50.com which is a new online dating web site for senior citizens. Read more...

Defibrillators Have Saved 76 Lives on American Airlines

Senior citizen travel tips offered by flight attendants for Valentine's

Feb. 9, 2007 - As the country prepares to celebrate Valentine's during American Heart Month, American Airlines celebrates the 10-year anniversary of its own heart-health milestone. In 1997, American Airlines became the first U.S. carrier to equip its aircraft fleet with Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs), and this month, American proudly celebrates the 76 lives it has saved in those ten years. Read more...

Deadline Near on Civic Ventures Awards: Cash for Older Innovators, Honor for Employers

Five $100,000 Purpose Prizes for over 60s who invent ways to help society

January 11, 2006 – The deadline is February 1 for two awards by Civic Ventures - the 2007 Purpose Prize, cash awards for Americans over 60 who are "leading a new age of social innovation", and the "BreakThrough Award," that will honor nonprofits and public sector agencies finding innovative ways to hire people over 50 or help them find meaningful jobs solving serious social problems. Read more...

Slower Growth in Drug Spending Tempers Growth in Health Expenditures

Health care spending grows at slowest pace since 1999, but nears $2 trillion

January 9, 2007 – A sharp deceleration in Medicaid drug spending, changes in therapy regimens, tiered copayment benefit plans, and increased use of generic drugs slowed the rise in prescription drug spending to 5.8 percent in 2005, a dramatic drop from 8.6 percent in 2004 and from 18.2 percent in 1999. This was a key in helping temper U.S. health spending growth again in 2005 to the slowest rate since 1999, the federal government reported today in the journal Health Affairs. Read more...

Top Stories in SeniorJournal.com for 2006 Concern Health and Aging

Nutrition, Alzheimer's and Sex get attention, too

December 28, 2006 - The two most often read stories published in SeniorJournal.com during 2006 are both from the Aging Section. The most popular story reported on new findings about what it takes for a man to reach age 85, which included that he needs a wife. But, surprisingly, the second most read story was actually first published in 2005, but still drew thousands of readers this year. It is a story from the FDA Consumer Magazine on sore feet being a sure sign of aging. Read more...

Seniors Look Forward to Time with Friends and Family in Holiday Season

'Miracle on 34^th Street' top movie for older Americans: Harris Poll

December 6, 2006 – The older we get the more the holiday season becomes about spending time with family and friends and less about gifts and parties. In a recent Harris Poll those age 61 and older were the most likely to say this is what they most look forward to during the holidays. But, when it comes to getting presents, no one in this age group put it on their list. What movie do seniors prefer - "Miracle on 34th Street." And, what animated video do you need to have ready for the grandkids – women prefer "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," while the men like "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Read more...

Watch for Depression in Older Loved Ones During the Holidays

Late-life depression is more common that once believed

By Kara Gavin

December 5, 2006 - So you’re heading home to see Mom and Dad this holiday season – or maybe Aunt Sue or Grandpa George. If you’re like many Americans, it may have been weeks, months or even years since you’ve seen them last. And as they – and you – grow older, these holiday reunions grow more special each year. Read more...

Facts About Thanksgiving Day in 2006: U.S. Census Bureau

November 23, 2006 - What many regard as the nation’s first Thanksgiving took place in December 1621 as the religious separatist Pilgrims held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. It eventually became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday. Read more...

Devastating Affect of Cancer Highlighted in New Study of People with Cancer

USA Today/Kaiser/Harvard survey finds problems in health care system

November 21, 2006 - A major national survey of people affected by cancer provides an in-depth examination of how families cope with cancer and highlights problems of health insurance and health care costs through the lens of those who have experienced this major illness. The results show how health care and health insurance systems can fail to protect people when they are most in need. Read More...

Veterans Day 2006 Features Unique Opportunity to Hear WW I Survivors Tell Their Stories

Ceremony at National Cemetery; veteran facts you may not know

November 8, 2006 – There is the national celebration of Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, Nov. 11, but Americans will also have an unusual opportunity to hear 12 of the 14 surviving World War I veterans – all age 105 or older - share their stories on National Public Radio. More than four million Americans fought the "war to end all wars" in 1917-18. These veterans share their reminiscences, humor, and wit in a two-hour radio special hosted by Walter Cronkite, The World War I Living History Project. Read more...

New Orleans to Host One of Largest World War II Gatherings Since the War

Three days of notable presentations by those who were there

November 7, 2006 – New Orleans will host from Nov. 16 through Nov. 19 what is being called "one of the largest, most significant World War II gatherings since the end of World War II." The program, hosted by the National World War II Museum, will feature presentations by notables, such as, former war correspondent and newsman Walter Cronkite; WWII bomber pilot and former senator George McGovern; war correspondents Andy Rooney and Richard C. Hottelet; James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers; and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who will discuss the liberation of Eastern Europe; British author Sir Max Hastings; and noted World War II historian, Donald L. Miller. Read more...

Neighborhood Fear Factors May Contribute to Obesity in Older People

Much higher chance of being obese living in worst neighborhoods

By Kelly Griffin, Contributing Writer
Health Behavior News Service

November 3, 2006 - Older adults living in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods have an increased risk of obesity, a new study has found, possibly due to fear caused by living in areas characterized by crime, disorder and neglect. Read more...

Features for Senior Citizens & Baby Boomers

Senior Citizens and Boomer Children Not Communicating on Critical Issues

New Website will try to connect the generations, says WellPoint

October 25, 2006 – A new survey joins others in the past that have highlighted a communications disconnect between senior citizens and their adult children – primarily baby boomers. Seniors and their children do not appear to be talking much about important healthcare and aging topics, although the children think they are. After highlighting these gaps, WellPoint has decided to make the solution part of its effort to promote its health insurance. They have launched a Website to fix the disconnect. Read more...

Features for Senior Citizens

America's Communities Not Preparing for the Senior Citizen Population Boom

Survey finds a few are getting ready for aging Baby Boomers

October 10, 2006 – As virtually everyone knows, the Baby Boomers are rolling into their 60s. When the boomer population bubble peaks in the senior citizen age category, the number of Americans over age 65 will hit 71.5 million – twice the number as in 2000. But a recent survey finds that less than half of U.S. communities have begun planning for this explosion of older Americans. Read more...

Older People Experience Much Less Stress Than Younger Americans

Also seniors are much less lonely than any other age group

October 9, 2006 - We live in a world with many sources of stress, with many things to do and to worry about, says a new Harris Poll. These include the pressures of life at work and at home, problems with money, health, loneliness, children and privacy, but when it comes to senior citizens – at least those 61 and older – these problems just disappear. Only nine percent of these older Americans say they experience "a lot of stress," compared to 25% or more of younger generations. Read more...

Boomers Using More Drugs, Teens Less but Seniors Just Don't Do It

Senior citizens do not drink, smoke or use drugs like young folks

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

September 8, 2006 – The nation's reporters and editors focused on the increase of drug use by baby boomers and the decrease among young people – both good leads – but for us it is always shocking to see how little drug use there is among senior citizens. Not only to the elderly spurn drugs, they also don't smoke or drink much alcohol. Below are charts and highlights of the latest report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Read more...

Cancer Center Teaches Using Aromatherapy to Heal and Soothe

Oils have properties that affect the brain, enter the bloodstream

August 25, 2006 - A bubble bath that improves memory – that gets the attention of most senior citizens. A kitchen cleaner that wards off nausea and energizes. A scented handkerchief that calms a patient entering the MRI. The benefits of aromatherapy are real, according to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. A cancer specialist shares her advice on using oils for healing. Read more...

Senior Citizens May Soon Find Healthcare in their Pharmacy or Grocery

Retail health clinics expected to mushroom across the country

August 24, 2006 – It is estimated that retail clinics – medical clinics that treat common ailments at a lower cost, in a convenient location and without the long wait for service – will grow from about 150 today to as many as 10,000 in just a few years. Senior citizens will soon find them in their neighborhood pharmacy or grocery store, or beneath a neon sign on the corner. There has been a flood of news coverage on this mushrooming phenomenon, since CVS Pharmacy purchased the industry leader, MinuteClinic. Read more...

Professor Says much of New Technology Should be Known as Nana-Technology

Creates term to define technology to improve life for senior citizens

August 16, 2006 – A recent article in SeniorJournal.com began with – "For many senior citizens the word "nanotechnology" probably sounds like something out of Star Wars, which, however, is also a little new for many seniors. But, nanotechnology will most likely have a profound impact of the lives of many of people as they face the challenges of aging." Andrew Carle of George Mason University, however, has a different cut. He has created a new term – "Nana Technology," to indicate all new technologies - not just the micro stuff - that improve quality of life for senior citizens. Read more...

New Wheelchair Keeps People on the Move – Even Up the Stairs

From FDA Maturity Health Matters

August 14, 2006 - Imagine losing use of your legs and still being able to function at an eye-level height and climb stairs. It is possible with a new motorized wheelchair that knows how to keep its balance. Read more...

Female Relative Most Often Selected as Medical Proxy by One-Third of Married People Who Don't Choose Spouse

Advance care planning is not about documents – it's about people and relationships

July 26, 2006 - One-third of married individuals choose someone other than their spouse as a surrogate for medical decision-making. And more often than not, when adult patients chose a parent, sibling or child, they prefer their mothers, sisters and daughters to serve as medical proxies over their fathers, brothers and sons. Read more...

Blind CEO, Race Car Driver Promotes Business Communications for the Blind

Sharlyn Ayotte has built a business with seeing-eye dog by her side

July 21, 2006 - "Blind people are consumers too!" The lady making the statement has a seeing-eye dog, is a corporate CEO, just competed as a driver in an auto race for the blind and has spent the last fifteen years convincing North America's major service industries that it makes good business sense to address this particular market. Sharlyn Ayotte lost about 90% of her vision in 1975 as the result of an eye disease, and is president and chief executive officer of T-Base Communications Inc. Read more...

Dying Wish – 'Save Social Security, Support Veterans, Fix Health Care'

WWII Vet, senior citizen, activist leaves unique request in lieu of flowers

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

July 18, 2006 – "In lieu of flowers: SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY, SUPPORT VETERANS' BENEFITS, FIX OUR BROKEN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM!" That is what Romulo A. (Chacho) Munguia asked to be placed in his obituary that was published today in the San Antonio Express-News. Read more...

Father's Day on Sunday Does Not Equal Mother's Day

Maybe because there are 80.5 million moms and only 66.3 million dads

June 16, 2006 – America celebrates Father's Day on Sunday, as it has since 1910, but it was not made an official national event until President Lyndon Johnson made the move in 1966 and President Richard Nixon made it public law in 1972. Mother's Day, on the other hand, has been celebrated since 1908 and was made official by the Congress in 1914. Mother's Day has always seemed a more important event and that is, at least partially, because there are so many more mothers than fathers. Read more...

Senior Citizens to Die in Car Crashes at Higher Rate

Older people, women in particular, are more susceptible to injury than younger people

June 14, 2006 – Senior citizens will die in car accidents at a higher rate in the years ahead as America’s 75 million baby boomers age, grow more frail and continue to drive, according to a new study. Already, seniors age 65 and over are second-most likely to die in car accidents, after young people aged 15-24, according to a National Institute on Aging report on America’s elderly, "65+ in the United States: 2005," released March 9. Read more...

America Honors Military Dead and Veterans on Monday

Over nine million veterans are senior citizens

May 27, 2006 - The National Memorial Day Parade will step off at noon Monday with an Air Force fly over on Constitution Avenue, as America pays tribute to those who died in military service. The parade will also honor military veterans – over 9 million senior citizens 65 or older - from the American Revolution to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and active duty personnel. Read more...

Senior Citizen Groups Urged to Participate in Older Americans Month

Administration on Aging issues strategies, materials for local events

April 24, 2006 – With Older Americans Month set to begin on May 1, the Administration on Aging is providing help to organizations that want to sponsor events in their communities. The theme, which has changed since January, is "Choices for Independence," which highlights the need for mid-life and older persons to make thoughtful choices that can help them remain healthy, productive, and financially secure in their later lives, according to AoA. Read more...

Earth Day Not So Happy as U.S. Wrestles with Spiraling Energy Cost

Would have to be at least a baby boomer to remember first Earth Day

April 22, 2006 – As many senior citizens and boomers will remember, it was in 1969 that a devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara inspired visiting Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson to come up with the idea for Earth Day. Twenty million Americans celebrated at the first event in 1970 and began actions to protect the environment. Today, on the 36th anniversary, Americans again focus on Mother Earth, with most of this attention shifting toward the developing energy crisis. Read more..

Courts Fail to Offer Basic Information on Probate

By ElderLawAnswers.com

April 12, 2006 - Probate -- the process of proving that a will is valid and of settling an estate -- is among the most common legal procedures in the United States. Yet the overwhelming majority of state courts fail to offer consumers basic online information and resources about probate, according to a survey conducted by HALT, a nonpartisan legal reform organization. Read more...

Most Senior Citizens Can't Afford Dental Insurance

April 7, 2006 - A survey of seniors' access to dental care conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College presents a sobering picture of the dental needs and barriers to dental care experienced by seniors. Read more...

Senior Citizens Not Big Users of Cell Phones, Even for Emergencies

New Jitterbug phone designed for seniors with easy use, big numbers may make difference

April 6, 2006 – A new cell phone has been introduced that the distributors say is targeted for baby boomers and their senior citizen parents. The Jitterbug, they say, features "unprecedented simplicity." The announcement comes as new information from the Pew Research Center shows seniors are not frequent cell phone users, even for emergencies. Read more...

Senior Citizens Much More Critical on Moral Questions, Except Marital Affairs

But they don't like marijuana, drinking, gambling are sex if not married

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

March 29, 2006 – It would not be a good idea to come around senior citizens smoking marijuana, drinking too much, having sex if unmarried or gambling. Seniors are much more critical of these activities than are younger people. On the other hand, if married people have an affair or you have an abortion, seniors are more forgiving, according to results from a new survey by the Pew Research Center. Read more...

Uniform Laws Needed to Deal With Interstate 'Granny Snatching'

San Antonio Express-News says states need compatible laws following sensational case there

March 22, 2006 – "Granny Snatching" may not be a term you have heard or read, unless you live in a community that has experienced one of these high-profile cases where a widow, usually wealthy, has become the subject of a furious legal battle over her custody and the control of her money. Just such a case has been raging in San Antonio and the San Antonio Express-News has editorialized for uniform state laws to govern these cases. Read more...

Senior Citizens Lack Tolerance of Young for Mixed-Race Dating

Baby Boomer approval is right above the national average at 77 percent

March 20, 2006 – Although 22 percent of all American adults say that they have a close relative who is married to someone of a different race, and 76 percent of Americans see no problems with blacks and whites dating, senior citizens are far behind the tolerance curve. Only half of those who were adults during World War II agree interracial dating is okay. Read more...

Wear a White Ribbon in March to Raise Awareness of Advance Care Planning

'It’s About How You LIVE,' says National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization

March 8, 2006 - To promote awareness of advance care planning, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is encouraging all Americans to wear a white ribbon in March to increase awareness. Wearing the ribbon is particularly important on March 31, the one-year anniversary of Terri Schiavo’s death, when many people will take time to reflect on end-of-life discussions. (Read "What is Advanced Care Planning" below news story) Read more...

Senior Citizens Lead U.S. in News and Information Consumption

Seniors lead all age groups in regular use of TV news, daily newspapers and radio news - over half going online

Feb. 25, 2006 – Most U.S. adults, lead by senior citizens 59 and older, prefer to get their news from television. Three-quarters (77%) say the watch local broadcast news, and 71 percent say they watch network or cable news several times a week or daily. The numbers were much higher for seniors – 88 percent watch both local and national news. What is most striking in the Harris Poll, however, is the massive news and information consumption by seniors. Read more...

Adult Children and Parents Talking More Often

New survey finds the communications revolution drawing families closer

Feb. 23, 2006 – How often do senior citizens hear from their children? A growing number of American adults either see or talk to a parent (usually, it's mom) every day. More than four in ten (42%) make this daily contact, while in 1989 a Gallup survey said only 32 percent did so. The new report is from the Pew Research Center and looks at the nature of family ties and frequency of family contact. Read more...

New Survey on Stress Says Senior Citizens Barely Bothered

Stressed out Americans engage in unhealthy behaviors

By Tucker Sutherland, editor

February 23, 2006 – Americans engage in unhealthy behaviors such as comfort eating, poor diet choices, smoking and inactivity to help deal with stress, according to a new national survey released today. Most senior citizens don't have to worry, however, since the research shows they are the least likely to feel stressed. Read more...

Are Senior Citizens the Real "Peaceniks"?

Pew study says during Vietnam and Iraq senior citizens don't like wars

Feb. 22, 2006 – Remember all those graphic images of the "Peaceniks," demonstrating to stop the Vietnam war? Those images failed to capture America's major opponents to that war – senior citizens. It is older Americans, not young people, who typically show the greatest wariness about using military force. This was evident during the war in Vietnam and remains the case today, according to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Read more...

Major Fashion Show Highlights Wear Red Day for Women's Heart Health

Laura Bush, in red, joins President in proclaiming heart month

Feb. 2, 2006 – First Lady Laura Bush, appropriately dressed in red, today joined the President as he signed the proclamation making February "American Heart Month." The White House points out that she helps lead "The Heart Truth" campaign, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, through her Women's Health and Wellness Initiative. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the sponsor of The Heart Truth campaign, originated the idea of the "red dress" as a symbol for women and heart disease awareness. Part of their campaign features its annual Red Dress Collection Fashion Show tomorrow in New York, to remind women that “Heart Disease Doesn’t Care What You Wear - It’s the No. 1 Killer of Women.” Read more...

Older Americans Month 2006 Has Theme of Healthy Aging

Jan. 27, 2006 – Older Americans Month, which will be celebrated again in May of this year, has never really found itself or established a real purpose, other than reminding us there is a growing number of senior citizens in America. The theme for this year – announced yesterday by the official sponsor, the Administration on Aging – is “Independence + Dignity + Choice = Healthy Aging.” The agency also introduced the new logo. Read more...

Senior Couple Among Winners in Maryland Same-Sex Marriage Case

Former minister, retired Social Security employee have been together 27 years

Jan. 21, 2006 – Two senior citizens were among the winning plaintiffs this week, when a Maryland circuit court ruled that it is a violation of the state constitution to deny same-sex couples the numerous protections provided to married couples. Charles Blackburn, 73, and Glen Dehn, 68, were among nine same-sex couples and a surviving gay partner filing the suit. Read more...

Supreme Court Supports Oregon Law Allowing Doctor-Assisted Suicide

Chief Justice Roberts in Lopsided Minority

Jan. 17, 2006 - In a surprisingly one-sided vote - 6 to 3 - the US Supreme Court today ruled against the Bush administration's attempt to strike down Oregon's 1997 Death With Dignity Act, which allows physicians to assist terminally ill patients who wish to die. The new Chief Justice John Roberts, in his first major case, sided with the minority. Read more...

California Sets State Age Record by Executing 76-Year-Old Man