The New Old Age

Paula Span explores the unprecedented challenges posed by a rapidly aging population.

Some Seniors Readily Step Back. Some Never Will.
Researchers are only beginning to understand why some people embrace retirement while others won’t even consider it.
By Paula Span
Your Brain Holds Secrets. Scientists Want to Find Them.
Many Americans plan to donate their organs for transplants or their bodies for medical science. Few realize that there’s a growing need for their brains, too.
By Paula Span
Personal Conflicts, Even Violence, Are Not Uncommon in Long-Term Care
Arguments, verbal abuse and aggression are not unusual in elder care settings. Better staffing and training can ease the tensions, experts say.
By Paula Span
When ‘Prior Authorization’ Becomes a Medical Roadblock
Medicare Advantage plans say it reduces waste and inappropriate care. Critics say it often restricts coverage unnecessarily.
By Paula Span
When Families Fight Over a Relative With Dementia, It’s Time to Call in the Mediator
Trained negotiators can help families struggling with vexing elder-care issues.
By Paula Span
‘Aging in Place, or Stuck in Place?’
Homeownership is not the boon to older Americans that it once was.
By Paula Span
Why Are Older Americans Drinking So Much?
The pandemic played a role in increased consumption, but alcohol use among people 65 and older was climbing even before 2020.
By Paula Span
When Medicaid Comes After the Family Home
Federal law requires states to seek reimbursement from the assets, usually homes, of people who died after receiving benefits for long-term care.
By Paula Span
Apparently Healthy, but Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s?
New criteria could lead to a diagnosis on the basis of a simple blood test, even in the absence of obvious symptoms.
By Paula Span
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Old and Young, Talking Again
A society in which members of different generations do not interact “is a dangerous experiment,” said one researcher.
By Paula Span

When a Spouse Goes to the Nursing Home
The move to a long-term care facility is often difficult but necessary for frail patients. For their partners, it can mean a new set of challenges.
By Paula Span
The Heart Surgery That Isn’t as Safe for Older Women
Coronary artery bypass grafting, the most common cardiac procedure in the United States, was studied mostly in men. Women are paying the price.
By Paula Span
The Income Gap Jeopardizing Retirement for Millions
Americans in the lower middle class are losing ground financially, researchers have found.
By Paula Span
This Gorilla’s Caregivers Face Familiar Questions About Aging
Winston, an older silverback, is getting enviable medical treatment. Now his keepers must confront an issue that vexes doctors and older humans, too: How much intervention is too much?
By Paula Span

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Why Haven’t More Older Adults Gotten the R.S.V. Vaccine?
The virus sends up to 160,000 people over 65 to hospitals every year. But just 15 percent have gotten the newly available shots.
By Paula Span
When the Neighbors Are All Older, Too
Some seniors prefer age-restricted communities, while others want intergenerational living. There is little research to show which option is healthier.
By Paula Span
The Only People Who Understand What a Caregiver Goes Through
Mentoring programs bring together those just starting to care for family members with dementia and those who have been coping for some time.
By Paula Span
Hearing Aids Are More Affordable, and Perhaps More Needed, Than Ever
Over-the-counter devices have been available for a year now. New research suggests they may have unexpected benefits.
By Paula Span
‘Close to the Line’: Why More Seniors Are Living in Poverty
Benefits extended earlier in the coronavirus pandemic have been rolled back. But many older Americans are not taking advantage of the aid still available.
By Paula Span
How a Lawsuit in N.J. Could Bring Aid in Dying to Millions
The plaintiffs want the state to drop its residency requirement. Oregon and Vermont have already done so.
By Paula Span