Keep an eye on 'silent killers' in the golden years
Getting older is not easy, especially when it comes to making sure your body is healthy. Doctors probably have you watching your weight, your cholesterol and other health vitals in every effort to make sure you have a happy and full life. But there are conditions that many times do not get mentioned during visits to the doctor because they often don't exhibit any symptoms until it's too late. One such "silent killer" is an abdominal aortic aneurysm (also known as "AAA").

Many back pain ailments may be relieved at home, say doctors
Piercing pain between your shoulder blades? Constant dull ache in your lower back? If you haven't experienced these symptoms yet, you probably will. What can you do to help beat these back aches and pains? The remedy could start at home.

Need help paying for that hearing aid? Here's how to get it
"No one should go without a needed hearing aid because of an inability to pay," says Dr. Sergei Kochkin, executive director of the Better Hearing Institute (BHI). Here's advice on how you can get assistance paying for a hearing aid.

Retirees turn to a surprising source of cash in a crunch
A rising number of American households - nearly 45 percent - are "at risk" of not having enough money in retirement, according the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. But some retirees have discovered a surprising source of supplemental retirement income: the cash value of their whole life insurance policies.

Therapy animals prove 'man's best friends' hold healing power
Therapy animals can make a tremendous difference in the lives of seniors, children and the disabled.

What a heart failure diagnosis really means for you
Hearing the words "heart failure" from your doctor is a frightening thing. If that is your diagnosis, you're not alone - more than 5 million Americans are affected by heart failure. But while it is certainly serious, it is not quite as ominous as it sounds. The good news is that there have been tremendous strides in heart care treatment in recent years, which enables patients with the disease to live full, active, normal lives.

Avoid the 'Senior Sickness Snowball Effect' with a strong immune system
An emerging health trend where a relatively simple illness leads to a number of physical and lifestyle changes is impacting seniors around the country, say immune system researchers from Embria Health Sciences, co-founders of the Nourish America Senior Health Project. They've dubbed this trend the Senior Sickness Snowball Effect, which impacts the overall quality of a person's daily life.

A retirement home that helps pay for itself
With today's record low real estate prices and attractive mortgage rates, now may be a good time to think about investing in a second home that ultimately can be used as your permanent residence upon retirement. By taking a "buy-and-rent" approach before you're ready to retire, your new home will actually have partly paid for itself by the time you're ready to move into it.

Mapping out a plan: learn the role and importance of uric acid levels in gout management
Imagine being confined to bed for days at a time because you can't walk or you are having difficulty resting your elbow on your desk. No one can foresee exactly when a gout attack might occur -- it could be the morning of an important work presentation, the day of your son's wedding or your granddaughter's dance recital.

Aging in place can be done with style and grace
From attractive lighting designed to work well for aging eyes to barrier-free shower stalls that compete in beauty and practicality with what you might find in a luxury community for those 55 and older, plenty of home modifications now make it possible to age in place gracefully and stylishly.

Pain meds can cause serious side effects
Karen Woolery has struggled with arthritis in her hands for the past 12 years, making her job as director of a day care physically difficult. The arthritis made even the simplest movements painful. To relieve the pain, she often took medications like ibuprofen, never realizing they could potentially cause her harm. Her doctors soon discovered Karen had a big problem - she had ulcers.

How to choose a hearing aid
If you've been dealing with hearing loss, you know firsthand the toll it can take on your relationships and your life. Hearing loss can lead to feelings of frustration, isolation - even depression. But thinking about sifting through all of the hearing aid options today might leave you feeling even more confused and overwhelmed.

Maintaining a strong, intimate relationship despite health issues
Maintaining the spark in a years-long relationship has its challenges. Particularly in this day and age, spouses sometimes only see each other for a few hours a day between work, meetings, kids and other obligations.

10 senior housing development trends for the next 10 years
According to the Administration on Aging, from 2010 to 2030, the U.S. population aged 65 and over is expected to grow by 75 percent to over 69 million. Many entrepreneurs, developers and investors salivate at the product needs of an aging population. But those who think changing demographics mean "if you build it, they will come," are potentially setting themselves up for failure.

New medical therapies working with traditional medicine
Healing is only part of the plan for anyone who's been diagnosed with an illness or injury. You want to recover, but you also want to feel better while healing - as quickly as possible. That's why many specialists are now turning to massage therapy to help patients feel better faster.

Stop colon cancer now: screening equals prevention
Colon cancer is the second-deadliest form of cancer in the U.S., yet it doesn't have to be. More than 90 percent of colon cancer cases are curable if caught in their early stages.