Aging

Critics say an effort to let Alzheimer's patients and others formally refuse feeding by hand as part of an advance directive raises concerns about potential mistreatment of the vulnerable.

The founder of a tiny Washington state hospice that depends on community volunteers and donations says the unconventional approach allows for more flexible care.

Many people with Alzheimer's suffer medical and mental health issues that have nothing to do with memory loss, including slow healing, incontinence, paranoia and depression.

You're born with roughly 9,000 taste buds, and they're very good at regenerating — which is why you can recover the ability to taste just days after burning your tongue. But that can change as we age.

Researchers found that a protein in human umbilical cord plasma improved learning and memory in older mice, but there's no indication it would work in people.

Meals on Wheels America has seen a surge in donations from worried supporters since President Trump's budget proposal was released. The role of federal funds differs in various local programs.

Before a health crisis hits, think deeply about the care you want and what you'd like to avoid. Make sure your family and your doctor understand your wishes, says John Henning Schumann.

Many seniors are denied coverage for rehabilitation because therapists mistakenly believe that patients must be improving to qualify. A new legal order seeks to clarify the standards.

Little Brothers, which operates in San Francisco and several other cities, sends volunteers to brighten up the lives of isolated elderly people, helping them reduce the risk of serious illness.

The failure of an experimental drug that targets clumps of protein inside the brains of Alzheimer's patients called into question one of the leading theories about the cause of the dementia.

If male doctors were as good as their female counterparts at caring for older people in the hospital, about 32,000 fewer patients a year would die. What do female doctors do better than men?