When They Don’t Recognize You Anymore
People with dementia often forget even close family members as the disease advances. “It can throw people into an existential crisis,†an expert said.
The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
61 - 80 of 1,283 Results
People with dementia often forget even close family members as the disease advances. “It can throw people into an existential crisis,†an expert said.
Federal law requires states to offer health insurance to many people with low incomes or disabilities. But some states, including California, are far more generous than what’s required. Budget pressures may force lawmakers to cut benefits that have led to a historic low in the uninsured rate.
Roughly 20 states now have laws permitting families to place cameras in the rooms of loved ones. Facility operators are often opposed.
A federal judge in Texas blocked a Biden administration rule to boost staffing at nursing homes. The decision comes even though many homes lack enough workers to maintain residents’ care.
Families, nursing facilities, and home health agencies rely on foreign-born workers to fill health care jobs that are demanding and do not attract enough American citizens. The Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies threaten to cut a key source of labor for the industry, which was already predicting a surge in demand.
From halting diversity programs that benefit disabled workers to making federal staffing cuts, the Trump administration has taken a slew of actions that harm people with disabilities.
Many patients ready to leave the hospital end up lingering for days or weeks — occupying beds that others need and driving up costs — because of a lack of open spots at nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. A few health systems are addressing this problem by moving post-acute rehab into the home.
Last year, the government stopped cutting off people’s monthly Social Security benefits to claw back overpayments. Last week, under President Donald Trump, it reversed that change.
The American Medical Association and the leading nursing home trade group both are lobbying Republicans in Congress on other priorities.
Hoarding disorder disproportionately affects older people. As baby boomers age, it is a growing public health concern. Effective treatments are scarce, and treating hoarding can require expensive interventions that drain municipal resources. Some experts fear a coming crisis.
A small program celebrated by its proponents helps people modify their homes and safely live independently as they age. But most insurers won’t pay for it, including Medicare.
Our "Navigating Aging" columnist sets off on a new phase in life with lessons she’s learned reporting on aging and health.
A primary care clinic burned, medical offices closed, and hospitals struggled with possible evacuations. The wildfires that have incinerated large swaths of Los Angeles County are stressing the region’s health care infrastructure. Still, providers continue to find ways to deliver vital care.
The generation that faced discrimination, ostracism, and the AIDS epidemic now faces old age. Many struggle with isolation along with a host of pressing health problems.
A whistleblower suit alleged a health insurer bilked Medicare by exaggerating how sick patients were.
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Judith Graham, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø News' "Navigating Aging" columnist, talks with older adults who live alone by choice or circumstance. They share what it means to thrive in later years.
Many older adults living alone, isolated and vulnerable, struggle with health issues. But a noteworthy slice of this growing group of seniors maintain a high degree of well-being. Meet Hilda Jaffe, age 102.
Aging alone, without a spouse, a partner, or children, requires careful planning. New programs for this growing population offer much-needed help.
Last winter, only 4 in 10 nursing home residents got an updated covid vaccine. The low uptake leaves a fragile population vulnerable. Some industry watchdogs say it could be a sign of eroding trust between nursing home residents and providers.
© 2026 KFF