From left to right: S. Jay Olshansky, Ph.D., and Joanne Kenen
Age is a big deal — especially for journalists covering the health of officeholders and candidates in the upcoming 2024 election. Age bias has been blatantly obvious throughout recent media coverage of both President Joe Biden, as well as for several older senators like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), according to longevity researcher S. Jay Olshansky, Ph.D.
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We’ve all seen those ads where high-pressure sales tactics are used to encourage older adults to sign up for Medicare Advantage plans, plus the seemingly endless telemarketers and robocalls. If you think these marketing approaches have been getting worse over the past few years, you’re right.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), appearing to have a medical emergency, had to be escorted from the podium after freezing mid-sentence during a July 26 press conference. The senator later returned to answer questions about his health and other matters. Source: Screenshot of July 26, 2023 C-SPAN footage
Recent health incidents involving Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) are raising questions about whether there should be an age cutoff for politicians. Many pundits (and most Republicans) are highlighting President Biden’s age as he runs for re-election in 2024.
Elaine Schattner, M.D., left, and Mehra Golshan, M.D., right, will speak at an upcoming AHCJ Webinar.
The breast cancer draft screening recommendations released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in May have generated controversy and confusion, making it crucial for health journalists to provide balanced information without inadvertently creating false hope or unnecessary fear.
Cancer screening has always involved risks alongside benefits — unnecessary procedures generated from false positives remain a potential harm. But greater public awareness about screening guidelines and cancer symptoms, paired with greater willingness to talk more openly about cancer than in the past, have meant more disease is caught today at earlier stages than it once was. This makes it more treatable and increases odds of survival.
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Why do some older people seem to weather storms and bounce back from setbacks better than others? A recent study finds that several important factors seem to play a strong role in self-rated resilience among nearly 30,000 women 80 and older.
Researchers from The Ohio State University found that higher education and lower stress, along with strong social support, higher self-rated health and lower risk of depression can help older women rebound from even major life events, including death of a partner. Conversely, most older women at greater risk of depression were also more likely to report lower resilience.
