Most Home Health Aides ‘Can’t Afford Not to Work’ — Even When Lacking PPE
In March, Sue Williams-Ward took a new job, with a $1-an-hour raise. The employer, a home healthcare agency called Together We Can, was paying a premium — $13 an hour — after it started losing aides when Covid-19 safety concerns mounted. Williams-Ward, a 68-year-old Indianapolis native, was a devoted caregiver who bathed, dressed, and fed […]
Older Covid-19 Patients Battle ‘Brain Fog,’ Weakness, Emotional Toll
“Lord, give me back my memory.” For months, as Marilyn Walters has struggled to recover from Covid-19, she has repeated this prayer day and night. Like other older adults who’ve become critically ill from the coronavirus, Walters, 65, describes what she calls “brain fog” — difficulty putting thoughts together, problems with concentration, the inability to […]
The Role of our Minds to Avoid Falls
A few years ago, my grandmother suffered a fall and broke her hip. She has never fully recovered and is now constantly fearful of falling. She has significantly limited her activities to prevent a fall from ever happening again. As a scientist focused on translational research in mobility and falls in older adults, of course […]
The Best Diet for Healthy Aging?
Worldwide, people are living longer. In 2000, one in 10 people in the U.S. were age 65 and over, and by 2035 the United Nations predicts that one in five will be 65 and older — with over 6% of the U.S. population over 80 years of age. Numerous studies show that what we eat […]
Healing Power of the Arts for Older Adults
Theater, music, sculpture — art is a means of expression. But whether you’re making art or experiencing it, art also serves as a means to improve your well-being, which can be especially helpful during these Covid-19 times. Art has a unique effect on older adults specifically — one that researchers are looking into. “There has […]