In Case You Missed It: December's Kaiser Health News Aging & Health Articles

December v 2

Kaiser Health News (KHN) regularly publishes stories related to aging and health as part of it's reporting desk sponsored by The John A. Hartford Foundation.

In case you missed it, here are some of the top stories published by KHN during December that relate to The John A. Hartford Foundation’s three priority areas: age-friendly health systems, family caregiving, and serious illness & end of life.

For Older Adults, Smelling the Roses May Be More Difficult
The loss of smell is a common issue for many seniors and is often overlooked. Yet it can have serious consequences.

Wartime Trauma Hits Close to Home for Scholar of Dementia
The federal government is putting up $7.2 million for a study into the correlation between war trauma and dementia in Vietnamese immigrants. Oahn Meyer, an associate professor at the University of California-Davis who is leading the study, wonders whether her mother’s dementia is linked to trauma she suffered during the Vietnam War.

Seeking Refills: Aging Pharmacists Leave Drugstores Vacant in Rural America
Independent pharmacists who want to retire often have trouble attracting new pharmacists to take over their practices, particularly in rural areas. That can cause smaller towns to lose their pharmacies. With many pharmacists near retirement, the problem may only get worse.

Nursing Homes Bleed Staff as Amazon Lures Low-Wage Workers With Prime Packages Add nursing homes to the list of industries jolted by Amazon’s handsome hourly wages. Enticed by an average starting pay rate of $18 an hour and the potential for benefits and signing bonuses, low-wage workers are fleeing entry-level elder care for jobs packing boxes.

After ‘Truly Appalling’ Death Toll in Nursing Homes, California Rethinks Their Funding
California wants to hold nursing homes accountable for the quality of care they provide by tying Medicaid funding more directly to performance. But the nursing home industry, an influential player in the Capitol, is gearing up for a fight.

To visit KHN's Aging & Improving Care of Older Adults reporting desk, click here.
To learn more about JAHF's support, click here.