contagious disease

While our knowledge of the coronavirus and its impact are still evolving, there’s much we know at this point to practically keep ourselves safe. We know with some certainty, according to Dr. Lydia Bourouiba, Director of the fluid dynamics of disease transmission lab at MIT, that COVID-19 is transmitted mostly through…

At a moment in time when we’re all standing farther apart and most of us have masks covering our faces, the world can seem a pretty challenging place for those with hearing impairment. In fact, not being able to understand facial expressions or read lips can be devastating for those…

Despite the fact that we’re still in summer, it appears that it’s not too early to be thinking about your annual flu shot. Especially this year. Estimates are that in previous seasons only about 45% of adults received the flu vaccine. But for older adults, already at higher risk for…

Most of us are social creatures, so there’s been concern that social distancing restrictions may be having a serious impact on our society. Especially for older adults, we know that social isolation and loneliness are linked to serious physical and mental health concerns. Yet a new study published online in…

While the news about the coronavirus and older adults continues to be worrisome, what’s also disturbing is the continued presence of ageist stereotypes and our portrait of older adults during the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, as a group of noted geriatricians and gerontologists recently proclaimed, “Older adults have shown remarkable…

We know that older adults, with underlying chronic diseases and weakened immune systems, are at greater risk of infection with COVID-19, at greater risk of severe symptoms, and more vulnerable to the ravages of the disease. As the CDC reports, 8 out of 10 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the United…