Links of Interest

SCSD Hosts FSUs Inaugural Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program

Published: | 5:44 pm | Posted in: Arts & Aging, In the News, OMA News, OMA News and Events, Uncategorized

This summer, Florida State University’s School of Communication and Science Disorders (SCSD) hosted its inaugural six-week Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP). The program, designed by Dr. Elizabeth Madden and Faculty Clinical Supervisor Ellen Nimmons, focuses on utilizing a new clinical service delivery model to better the communication skills of those with aphasia.

Research Study Highlights Occupational Impact on Cognitive Health in Older Adults

Published: | 11:45 am | Posted in: Dawn C. Carr, In the News, Miles Taylor, News, Research

Education is widely recognized as a strong predictor of cognitive health in aging. However, a recent study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences explores how occupational experiences before age 60 mediate the relationship between education and cognitive function in adults aged 65 and older.

First Senate Aging Committee Hearing of New Congress Looks at Wellness

Published: | 10:42 am | Posted in: In the News, News

On Wednesday afternoon, on Jan. 15, 2025, U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) chaired the first Senate Aging Committee hearing of the new Congress, entitled “Improving Wellness Among Seniors: Setting a Standard for the American Dream.” The hearing put the spotlight on America’s senior health, personal and community safety and the benefits of socializing and working […]

How to Stay Young as We Age

Published: | 12:00 pm | Posted in: Dawn C. Carr, In the News, News

We are all familiar with individuals who, despite their age, appear remarkably youthful. What is their secret? Is it a matter of fortunate genetics, or do their lifestyle choices serve as a modern-day fountain of youth? Dr. Dawn Carr, an expert in the field of aging, offers insightful answers.

Why Do Late Boomers Have So Little Retirement Wealth?

Published: | 9:11 am | Posted in: Retirement Security

Over the last 40 years, the retirement system has shifted from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans, primarily 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). This shift has been accompanied by a decline in Social Security benefits relative to pre-retirement earnings as the program’s Full Retirement Age has moved from 65 to 67. Thus, the […]

Battling The Mental Health Crisis Through State Medicaid Reforms

Published: | 11:43 pm | Posted in: Mental Health

Total deaths from suicide, alcohol, or drugs, what some call “deaths of despair,” increased by 51 percent from 2005 to 2016 in the United States, and drug overdose deaths increased by 16 percent per year between 2014 and 2017. These statistics reflect the well-documented opioid crisis and what some experts have called a national “mental […]

Spousal Caregivers Are Caregiving Alone In The Last Years Of Life

Published: | 11:17 pm | Posted in: Caregiving

Caregiving in the last years of life is associated with increased depression and negative health outcomes for surviving spouses, many of whom are themselves in poor health. Yet it is unclear how often spouses are caregiving alone, how they differ from supported spouses, and whether lack of support affects postbereavement outcomes. We hypothesized that spouses […]

U.S. Nursing Home Violations of International and Domestic Human Rights Standards

Published: | 10:08 pm | Posted in: Nursing Home Care

We present a review of the international covenants and conventions and U.S. domestic laws and regulations that are designed to protect nursing home residents in the United States. Based on a review of research studies, government reports, and news reports, we found extensive evidence of widespread and systematic abuse and neglect of nursing home residents […]

The Forgotten Middle: Many Middle-Income Seniors Will Have Insufficient Resources For Housing And Health Care

Published: | 9:57 pm | Posted in: Private Pensions

As people age and require more assistance with daily living and health needs, a range of housing and care options is available. Over the past four decades the market for seniors housing and care—including assisted living and independent living communities—has greatly expanded to accommodate people with more complex needs. These settings provide housing in a […]

Half of Single Older Adults in U.S. Lack Income to Pay for Basic Needs

Published: | 8:57 pm | Posted in: Welfare, Inequality, and Poverty

Researchers tracking the economic security of America’s older adults have found that half who live alone and nearly a quarter of those living in two-person households where both are age 65 or older are unable to afford basic necessities without extra assistance. The 2019 Elder Index and a companion report, Insecurity in the States 2019, […]

Pharmacy Benefits and the Use of Drugs by the Chronically Ill

Published: | 8:59 pm | Posted in: Health Care Policy and Reform

The use of medications such as antihistamines and NSAIDs, which are taken intermittently to treat symptoms, was sensitive to co-payment changes. Other medications—antihypertensive, antiasthmatic, antidepressant, antihyperlipidemic, antiulcerant, and antidiabetic agents—also demonstrated significant price responsiveness. The reduction in use of medications for individuals in ongoing care was more modest. Still, significant increases in co-payments raise concern […]