Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
U.S. Medical Panel Thinks Twice About Pushing Cognitive Screening For Dementia
Because seniors are at higher risk of cognitive impairment, proponents say screening asymptomatic older adults is an important strategy to identify people who may be developing dementia and to improve their care. But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force cited insufficient evidence the tests are helpful.
Stalked by The Fear That Dementia Is Stalking You
For those worried they have an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, testing is an option. But words to the wise: It’s hardly foolproof and could even backfire by heightening your fear of memory loss.
Finding Connections And Comfort At The Local Cafe
For Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers, social and emotional isolation is a threat. But hundreds of “Memory Cafes” around the country offer them a chance to be with others who understand, and to receive social and cognitive stimulation in the process.
As His Wife’s Caregiver, A Doctor Discovers What’s Missing At Health Care’s Core
Harvard psychiatrist Arthur Kleinman shed his “veil of ignorance” during 11 years serving as the primary family caregiver for his wife, who had a rare form of early Alzheimer’s disease. In a new book, “The Soul of Care,” he offers suggestions for transforming health care ― just as caregiving transformed him.
The Delicate Issue Of Taking Away A Senior’s Smartphone
Knowing when — and how — to limit a loved one’s access to digital devices is akin to taking their car keys.
‘John Doe’ Patients Sometimes Force Hospital Staff To Play Detective
A large public hospital in Los Angeles gets over 1,000 unidentified patients a year. Most are quickly identified, but some require considerable gumshoe work — a task that can be complicated by medical privacy laws.
Assisted Living’s Breakneck Growth Leaves Safety Of Dementia Patients Behind
An analysis of inspection records in California, Florida and Texas shows significant numbers of violations related to assisted living residents with dementia.
Dementia And Guns: When Should Doctors Broach The Topic?
As the number of Americans with dementia rises, health professionals grapple with how to talk to patients about gun safety at home.
The Storm Within: Protecting Loved Ones With Dementia During Florence
For families living with dementia, natural disasters can be particularly terrifying, heightening confusion, disorientation, anxiety and paranoia.
Learning To Live Well With Dementia
Two leading experts on caring for people with Alzheimer’s offer ways to make life better for patients and their caregivers.
How Soon Is Soon Enough To Learn You Have Alzheimer’s?
Only about half of people with Alzheimer’s symptoms get a diagnosis, partly out of fear of an incurable decline, doctors suspect. But Jose Belardo says facing the future allows him to plan for it.
Support Circle: Family Caregivers Share Stories And Tips To Ease Alzheimer’s Toll
As the number of people with Alzheimer’s climbs, so does the number of loved ones caring for them. The health of 16 million unpaid U.S. caregivers has become a focus for Alzheimer’s advocacy groups.
Unlocked And Loaded: Families Confront Dementia And Guns
As more Americans are diagnosed with dementia, families who have firearms struggle with ways to stay safe. A KHN investigation uncovered dozens of cases of deaths and injuries.
Family Caregivers Are Getting A Break — And Extra Coaching
Across the country, community groups, hospitals and government agencies are stepping in to support the estimated 42 million family caregivers.
Trump’s Perfect Score On Brain Test Spawns DIY Cognitive Exam
The makers of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, or MoCA, say the test wasn’t meant for the masses. Now they’re working on a “mini-MoCA” that people who are worried about possible dementia can take online.
KHN Conversation On Living Well With Dementia
Listen and learn from this Kaiser Health News’ Facebook Live event. “Navigating Aging” columnist Judith Graham led a discussion about dementia, one of the most challenging chronic conditions for individuals and their families — which affects millions of American families.
Changing The Way We Look At Dementia
A new social movement in the U.S. tackles the stigma of living with Alzheimer’s.
Postcard From California: Alzheimer’s ‘Looks Like Me, It Looks Like You’
At a panel discussion this week in Sacramento, patients, caregivers and others shared their perspectives on how Alzheimer’s disease affects women, who account for two-thirds of those living with the condition.
Dementia Patient At Center of Spoon-Feeding Controversy Dies
Nora Harris, 64, who had early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, raised questions about the power — and limits — of an advance directive to withdraw care.
Lag In Brain Donation Hampers Understanding Of Dementia In Blacks
A long history of racism and cruel experimentation in health care are among the reasons African-American families oppose donating patients’ brains for study.
