Many older Americans see blood pressure levels start to creep up, especially after age 60 when nearly three-quarters of people reach the level of hypertension, putting them at high risk for stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, cognitive impairment and even eye problems. So, if your doctor starts talking to you about getting your numbers under […]
How to Identify and Avoid Common Social Security Scams
Social Security numbers are the skeleton keys to identity theft. And what better way to get someone’s Social Security number than by pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA)? With the announcement that there are new login requirements for those who created My Social Security online accounts before Sept. 18, 2021, experts warn that scammers may take advantage […]
What Are the Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease?
In the modern medical world, when someone is diagnosed with a disease, the usual first step is to be prescribed a well-proven medicine (or two) as a remedy. For dementia and one of its most common causes, Alzheimer’s disease, therapies that stop the disease have been elusive. But the outlook may be changing, at least […]
Here’s What It’s Really Like to Date in Your 80s
Eleven years ago, after a 50-year marriage, I entered a new chapter of life with a very different title. No longer a wife; I became a widow. I was 74 at the time and still playing tennis. I had energy. I had spunk. On a trip to the Cayman Islands with my children and grandchildren, I […]
How a new technology might accelerate Alzheimer’s testing, treatment for millions
It can take months or years for doctors to determine whether people with early signs of memory loss have Alzheimer’s disease. But experts say a new generation of blood tests may replace the expensive brain scans and spinal taps now used to diagnose the mind-robbing disease. Early diagnosis could allow patients earlier access to drugs approved […]
Having an Estate Plan Can Help Split Assets Without Dividing Siblings
Linda Rice Thorup and Lisa Rice Hayes grew up on a large rural family plot near Albany, New York. When both parents passed, they had the difficult task of dividing and divesting their lifelong family home. How to sell the land and respect their parents’ desires about conservation and development? How to handle a lifetime of […]