older adults

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To Offset, or Even Reverse, Cognitive Decline, Train Your Brain

Older adults saw a key brain chemical, acetylcholine, increase after BrainHQ exercises

(Newser) - A new study offers the first strong evidence in humans that cognitive training can increase levels of a brain chemical that plays a key role in learning and memory, which normally drops as people age. Researchers at McGill University tracked 92 healthy adults aged 65 and older over a 10-week...

An Extra 14 Steps Per Minute Could Bring Big Benefits

Study finds brisk walking boosts mobility in people over 70

(Newser) - Picking up your walking pace—even later in life—can deliver surprising health benefits, according to new research. Researchers followed 102 Chicago-area retirement community residents, most using canes or walkers and averaging about 3,700 steps a day, to see whether a faster walking cadence could boost physical function,...

Small Boost in Walking Speed May Keep Seniors Stronger
Picking Up the Pace Has
Big Benefits for Seniors
NEW STUDY
Jul 17, 2025 11:31 AM CDT

Picking Up the Pace Has Big Benefits for Seniors

Just 14 extra steps per minute can make a difference

(Newser) - A small boost in walking speed could be the key for older adults to stay healthier and independent longer, according to new research from the University of Chicago Medicine. The study suggests that picking up the pace—specifically, adding just 14 more steps per minute—can make a tangible...

Seniors' Pot Use Hits a New High
Seniors' Pot Use
Hits a New High
Jun 3, 2025 8:57 AM CDT

Seniors' Pot Use Hits a New High

Study finds sharpest rise among women, high earners, and those with chronic illnesses

(Newser) - Cannabis use is quickly gaining ground among older Americans, with new research showing a sharp rise in use by adults 65 and older—especially those with chronic health conditions. For a new cross-sectional study in JAMA Internal Medicine , researchers evaluated nearly 15,700 adults aged 65 and older, finding...

Among Older Couples, a Rise in 'Acts of Desperation'

WSJ tackles the issue of spousal caregivers who snap and commit murder-suicides

(Newser) - Last April, an elderly couple was found dead in their home in Waynesville, North Carolina, a murder-suicide carried out by the husband. The tragic story of Richard and Ellen Hoyle is the centerpiece of Clare Ansberry's Wall Street Journal feature, which explores the pressures of caregiving on older adults...

Panel: Calcium, Vitamin D Won't Stop Grandma From Falling

Independent task force recommends against such supplements for older adults

(Newser) - Don't start pushing calcium and vitamin D pills on your older family members for bone strength just yet—at least not if you're trying to prevent falls and fractures. That's because an independent panel of health experts on Tuesday said there's not enough evidence that such...

Older Adults Think Better in the Morning
Older Adults Think Better
in the Morning
STUDY SAYS
Aug 12, 2014 2:40 PM CDT

Older Adults Think Better in the Morning

People 60 to 82 did best on cognitive tasks before 10:30am

(Newser) - Older adults who want to take a crack at the Sunday Times crossword or try a Food Network recipe may want to do it first thing in the morning. A small study by Canadian researchers and published in the journal Psychology and Aging found that adults between the ages of...

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