Articles

Getting older comes with a number of benefits, but for some seniors, it can also mean that you may need to ask for a little extra help from time to time. Older Americans are perfectly capable of living fulfilling lives, but medical concerns and the effects of age on the body can make it difficult…

Oral surgery doesn’t always involve dental procedures. Your mouth contains a number of complex tissues and connections that allow you to breathe, speak, eat and communicate non-verbally. The tissue inside of your mouth is also delicate in many ways as your gums, tongue, windpipe and top and bottom of the inside of your mouth are…

Cataracts are a common vision concern for seniors. Cataracts tend to begin developing in the late stages of middle age. By the time someone has reached retirement age and is eligible for Medicare benefits, the odds of developing cataracts rise dramatically. The cause of cataract development is the breakdown of proteins in the eye. As…

A massage is considered to be both a relaxing way to relieve stress, but they aren’t just for spa days. Massages can also be used as a part of treatments to reduce muscle pains after a strain, injury, or other medical condition. If your doctor suggests that a massage will help reduce pain or improve…

In the United States, there are over 12 million Medicare beneficiaries who also have coverage through Medicaid services in their states. Known as dual eligible beneficiaries, this group consists mainly of seniors who have limited income and a greater need for health care coverage. With dual eligibility, beneficiaries get health care coverage through Medicare, while…

Medical conditions that affect the breast are a concern for women of all ages, but older women need to pay particular attention to breast health. According to the National Cancer Institute, the odds of developing breast cancer go up as women get older, and by age 60, older women have a 1-in-28 chance of developing…

Eating healthy and staying active are two of the most important things seniors can do for their health, but sometimes, medical conditions and injuries can make it difficult to enjoy a nutritious diet. Whether due to mobility concerns that don’t allow for meal preparation or healthcare concerns that affect digestion, suffering from malnutrition can create…

Although many medications work best when taken orally in the form of a pill, others work best when injected. Still, others work best when converted from a liquid into an aerosol to be inhaled. In this latter case, a nebulizer is used to make the conversion. Nebulizers are used for medications when the most effective…

Varicose veins are often considered a cosmetic problem, but can these enlarged veins be a medical  concern? Despite often appearing as bulging through the skin, varicose veins are usually relatively harmless. They may come along with age, but in some cases, they may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. The cause of varicose veins…

In the fight against cancer, all kinds of new technologies are making their way to the forefront. Although traditional therapies like radiation and chemotherapy are still useful as cancer treatments, newer technologies using stem cells and humanized antibodies are providing additional options for people suffering from lung cancer and other hard-to-treat cancers. Humanized antibodies are…

Vaccines are believed to have first been discovered in the late 1700s. Since then, inoculating people against various diseases has become standard practice with many people receiving vaccine administration as infants. Among the most common vaccines given today is the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, although this vaccine combo didn’t become popular until the…

Obesity is a serious health problem for people of all ages in the United States. But for elderly people who are overweight, obese, or morbidly obese, the health consequences can be life-threatening. Today in this country, over 35 percent of adults 65 and older (around eight million people) are categorized as obese according to their…