A new test that checks for multiple gene variants linked with Alzheimer’s disease may be more effective than testing for a single genetic variant, a new study suggests. The genetic variant APOE E4 is regarded as the strongest genetic predictor of whether a person is likely to develop the memory-robbing disease. But it’s present in…

Homeowners aged 62 and older controlled $6.42 trillion in home equity at the end of the second quarter, according to the most recent Reverse Mortgage Market Index report. That figure represents a $150 billion increase from the previous quarter, or a gain of 2.4% from the $6.27 trillion recorded in the first quarter of 2017.…

Falls and fractures are a major cause of disability in old age. An influential U.S. medical task force is recommending exercise and, in some cases, medical evaluation to help seniors stay on their feet. But the new draft recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) say there isn’t enough evidence at this time…

Hurricane Irma caused extensive property damage to homes throughout Florida and the rest of the Southeast, and Home Equity Conversion Mortgage lenders could find themselves in a tricky situation if they have loans pending on properties in the affected regions. Each time a natural disaster strikes, homes awaiting Federal Housing Administration loans — including those…

Active middle-aged men are likely to stay active into old age, a new study finds. The research included nearly 3,500 British men, aged 40 to 59 at the start of the study. The researchers followed the men’s health for 20 years. Those who were physically active in mid-life were nearly three times more likely to…

Despite a growing list of debilitating symptoms during the final months of life, most seniors never receive end-of-life hospice care — or they delay doing so until their last few weeks of life, new research finds. “The main message is that the duration of hospice is very short,” explained lead study author Dr. Thomas Gill.…

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau took a major swing at an emerging use for the reverse mortgage last week, releasing a study that showed the costs might outweigh the benefits achieved by using the proceeds to delay Social Security payments. But one prominent retirement researcher disputed those findings with a Tuesday article in Forbes. The…

Seniors who smoke may be more likely to become frail, a new British study suggests. Researchers tracked more than 2,500 people 60 and older in England and found that current smoking boosted that risk by about 60 percent. The scientists determined that the participants were frail if they had at least three of five conditions:…

Couch potatoes, take note: A new study admonishes older adults to get up from watching the TV or risk losing their mobility. Excessive sitting, especially while watching TV, poses a significant health hazard to older Americans, researchers warn. “There’s something about TV watching that is really damaging,” said study lead author Loretta DiPietro. “Perhaps because…

That eclipses the 35 percent estimate used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the researchers added. “Lifetime use of nursing homes is considerably greater than previously thought, mostly due to an increase in short stays of less than three weeks,” said lead researcher Michael Hurd. He is director of the RAND Center…