Dentists hesitant to sign up for federal dental plan; seniors advised to look at all options

Canada’s health minister met with dentists on Thursday to address concerns about the Canadian Dental Care Plan as the Alberta Dental Association questioned whether enough dentists will sign up to deliver care when the plan starts for seniors in May. Eligible seniors will be able to access oral health-care treatment through the  plan (CDCP) as early … Read more

Why gray divorce is a significant financial risk for women

Laylabird | E+ | Getty Images Breaking up in old age can be costly, especially for women. The rate of “gray divorce” — a term that describes divorce at age 50 and older — doubled from 1990 to 2019, according to a 2022 study published in The Journals of Gerontology. It tripled for adults over … Read more

Arizona’s most populous county has confirmed 645 heat-associated deaths in metro Phoenix last year

PHOENIX — Public health officials in Arizona’s most populous county on Wednesday reported they confirmed a staggering 645 heat-associated deaths last year — more than 50% higher than 2022 and another consecutive annual record in arid metro Phoenix. The numbers in the preliminary report by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health alarmed officials in … Read more

‘Soaring’ over hills or ‘playing’ with puppies, study finds seniors enjoy virtual reality

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Retired Army Col. Farrell Patrick taught computer science at West Point during the 1970s and then at two private universities through the 1990s, so he isn’t surprised by the progress technology has made over the decades. But when the 91-year-old got his first virtual reality experience recently, he was stunned. Sitting … Read more

Verbal gaffe or sign of trouble? Mixing up names like Biden and Trump have done is pretty common

WASHINGTON — Any parent who’s ever called one of their children by the other’s name — or even the family pet’s name — likely could empathize when President Joe Biden mixed up the names of French leaders Macron and Mitterrand. The human brain has trouble pulling names out of stuffed memory banks on cue. But … Read more

As pandemic unfolded, deaths of older adults in Pennsylvania rose steeply in abuse or neglect cases

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania recorded a steep increase in the deaths of older adults following an abuse or neglect complaint the last few years, as COVID-19 ravaged the nation, complaints grew and agencies struggled to keep caseworkers on staff. The staggering increase shown in state data — from 120 deaths reported in 2017 to almost … Read more

How you can help seniors combat loneliness over the holidays – National

As Canadians enjoy the festivities in the next few weeks, some of the country’s seniors may be going through the holidays alone. While loneliness needs to be combatted at every part of the year, experts say the holiday season can be particularly challenging. Toronto-area senior Hyman Blajchman, 86, is facing another holiday alone in his … Read more

Chatty robot helps seniors fight loneliness through AI companionship

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Joyce Loaiza lives alone, but when she returns to her apartment at a Florida senior community, the retired office worker often has a chat with a friendly female voice that asks about her day. A few miles away, the same voice comforted 83-year-old Deanna Dezern when her friend died. In central … Read more