Reverse mortgages have been around for a long time. It’s a method that an individual can use to convert the equity built up in their home to a credit line or an income for as long as they remain in the home as their primary residence, without the burden of monthly mortgage payments. But up…

Women who undergo cataract surgery may get an unexpected dividend: longer life. That’s the finding from a new study of more than 74,000 U.S. women aged 65 or older, including nearly 42,000 who’d had the eye procedure. According to the study, having had cataract surgery was associated with a 60 percent reduced risk of early…

Men develop a dangerous type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation a decade earlier than women, a new study suggests. And while being overweight increased odds for the condition in both sexes, those extra pounds were more troublesome for males, the German researchers found. “It’s crucial to better understand modifiable risk factors of atrial fibrillation,”…

A reverse mortgage can be a safe, easy option for accessing the equity you have stored in your home. Most reverse home mortgages are HECMs that are governed and closely regulated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, making them secure sources of revenue. The amount you receive when you apply for a reverse…

Dance classes may beat traditional exercise when it comes to improving older adults’ balance — and it might enhance brain areas related to memory and learning along the way. That’s the finding of a small study that compared dance lessons against standard exercise — including brisk walking — among 52 healthy seniors. Over a year…

High-quality senior living communities and a healthy senior population have made Colorado, Maine, and Hawaii the best states in the U.S. for growing old, according to new rankings from U.S. News & World Report. To come up with its rankings, U.S. News examined the 50 states across 12 metrics using data from sources such as…

Reverse mortgages may be one solution to the pressing problem of senior housing that many aging homeowners will soon face, says the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a recent publication. And there’s potential for research that would further examine the benefits of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) by comparing those who have taken…

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…