elderly

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North America Has a New Oldest Person

Naomi Whitehead, 114, takes the title after Elizabeth Francis of Texas died earlier this month

(Newser) - A 114-year-old Pennsylvania woman is now believed to be the oldest living person in North America. Naomi Whitehead, who lives in a senior care community in Greenville, attained that status after Elizabeth Francis of Texas died earlier this month . Whitehead, who says she never smoked or drank alcohol, was born...

Nearly 40K Found Dead in Japan in 2024 Lived Alone

Bodies of almost 4K of them weren't found until a month after their deaths

(Newser) - Japan's National Police Agency recently carried out investigations, including autopsies, on more than 100,000 people who died in the island nation during the first half of 2024, and some alarming numbers have emerged from that probe. Per Japanese broadcaster NHK , about one-third of them, or 37,277 people,...

Oldest Man in US Dies at 110. His Brain Will Go to Science

'Super-ager' Morrie Markoff remained extremely lucid for his advanced years

(Newser) - There are fewer than 160 supercentenarians —people 110 and older—on Earth, and that elite group just lost one of its own. Judith Markoff Hansen confirms to the New York Times that her father, 110-year-old Morrie Markoff, the oldest man in America, died June 3 at his home in...

Fire Chief at 'Loss for Words' After Man, 91, Donates $500K

Sam Sloan hands over a fat check to cash-strapped volunteer fire department in Missouri

(Newser) - When Mark Hardin, fire chief for Missouri's Calhoun Volunteer Fire Department, saw last month that the department's bank account had dwindled to just $169, he wasn't sure what he was going to do next, as his firefighters were struggling to do their jobs with decades-old gear. "...

Biden's Strolls to Marine One Are a Bit Different These Days
Biden's Strolls to
Marine One Are
a Bit Different
These Days
in case you missed it

Biden's Strolls to Marine One Are a Bit Different These Days

Axios reports president now walks on South Lawn with aides around him, to distract from his gait

(Newser) - Conservative outlets closely follow President Biden's every move , seeking signs to show the commander in chief's age in a negative light. There now seems to be a new strategy by the Biden camp for dealing with that: Don't let him walk to Marine One alone. The president...

People Change Their Idea of When 'Old' Starts: Research

Survey asked thousands: 'At what age would you describe someone as old?'

(Newser) - Presumably because few adults are in a rush to reach old age, people seem to push that starting line further away, researchers have found. "We should be aware that conceptions and perceptions of 'old' change across historical time, and that people are quite different regarding when they think...

GOP Candidate Says 2020 Election Wasn't Stolen. But...

Wisconsin's Eric Hovde, running for US Senate seat, says nursing home turnout was exceedingly high

(Newser) - Not even two months ago, Eric Hovde's political campaign was described as "lackluster." Now, the Wisconsin Republican running against incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin for her US Senate seat is finally generating some attention, though for statements that may not play well with his state's older demographic....

Driver Was Uninsured, Unlicensed—and 103

Elderly woman in Bondeno, Italy, was driving an uninsured car with an expired driver's license

(Newser) - When cops ask to see someone's driver's license at a traffic stop, it's not typical for them to see a DOB that stretches back to the age of Prohibition. But in the Italian town of Bondeno, a 103-year-old woman was busted recently for cruising around in the...

Poll: 86% of Americans Say Biden Is Too Old to Run

Smaller majority of 62% feel the same about Trump, per ABC/Ipsos survey

(Newser) - The age-old question of "how old is too old for a presidential candidate?" has taken on increasing urgency as we barrel toward November with two frontrunners who are getting up there in years. Now, according to a new poll, an "overwhelming majority" of Americans say that the incumbent,...

Man With Schizophrenia Found After Leaving Nursing Home

Frederick Caruthers wandered off when Missouri nursing home closed

(Newser) - A 61-year-old man with schizophrenia—who had been missing for more than three weeks since the St. Louis nursing home where he lived abruptly closed—was found Tuesday about a mile away, authorities said. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Tuesday that Frederick Caruthers was found at a local restaurant,...

Alarming Issue at Homes for Seniors: Fatal Wanderings

'Washington Post' counts near 100 deaths at assisted-living facilities

(Newser) - Living in an assisted-living facility isn't cheap, running an average of $6,000 a month, but families are willing to pay that to ensure their loved ones are well cared for and safe. That safety part is now under scrutiny, however, after a Washington Post investigation that has found...

Biden's Birthday Keeps His Age in the Spotlight

President turns 81 on Monday, with conversation continuing on whether he's too old to run

(Newser) - It's set to be a busy day at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on Monday, with a trio of noteworthy events taking place: the annual pre-Thanksgiving pardoning of turkeys, the delivery of the White House's Christmas tree, and the 81st birthday of President Biden, already the oldest president in America'...

Elderly Cancer Patient Pulls Off Grueling Feat at Grand Canyon

Fran Anderson, 81, finishes 24-mile rim-to-rim hike in 21 hours, with family by her side

(Newser) - An 81-year-old grandmother of nine with blood cancer who nearly died of pneumonia a few months back has pulled off a feat that would test even the healthiest among us. On Sept. 4, Fran Anderson of Orange, California, finished a rim-to-rim hike across the Grand Canyon, a 24-mile trek that...

He Lost Life Savings to Scam. The Bank Stepped Up

Australia's ANZ recognized 78-year-old Alex Shaw, who has dementia, had been taken for $300K

(Newser) - An elderly man from Down Under who was scammed out of his life savings has received a reprieve, in a tale described by the Good News Network as "a story of corporate responsibility in the face of personal tragedy." ABC Australia notes that although scam victims in the...

Elderly Woman Says She Fought Intruder, Then Fed Him
Woman, 87,
Fed Her Home
Invader
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Woman, 87, Fed Her Home Invader

Maine's Marjorie Perkins says she fought off teen home intruder, then fed him a meal

(Newser) - An elderly woman not only fought off an intruder who broke into her Maine home—she made sure he was well-fed before he went on his way. The Times Record reports that 87-year-old Marjorie Perkins of Brunswick was fast asleep last Wednesday when she woke up to find a young...

Daughter Has Power of Attorney Over Congress' Oldest Member

Questions arise at revelation over control of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein's legal affairs

(Newser) - Dianne Feinstein turned 90 last month, but the Democratic senator is still punching in for duty on Capitol Hill, despite not-so-subtle whispers about her cognitive abilities and overall health . Now, a new revelation has emerged via the New York Times , which reports that Feinstein's only child, 66-year-old daughter Katherine...

Couple Celebrating 50th Anniversary Killed at Home

Police near Boston say a third person also was fatally stabbed in same attack

(Newser) - Police near Boston are investigating a brutal triple homicide: Three elderly people were stabbed to death in the same Newton home, including a married couple who were celebrating their 50th anniversary, reports Boston.com . Police found signs of forced entry and say it appears they were the victims of a...

Woman, 95, Tasered by Cops at Nursing Home

Police in Australia say Clare Nowland refused to drop steak knife

(Newser) - A 95-year-old Australian woman with dementia is in critical condition after being tasered by police officers who were called to her nursing home. Police say staff at the home in Cooma, south of Canberra, told them Clare Nowland had taken a steak knife from the kitchen, 9News reports. Police say...

Goodbye to an American Said to Be the Nation's Oldest

Iowa's Bessie Laurena Hendricks has died at age 115

(Newser) - Bessie Laurena Hendricks was born in Iowa, and she died in Iowa, with more than a century sandwiched in between those two dates. A local funeral home delivers the news that the Lake City resident—thought to be the oldest person in the United States, per the Gerontology Research Group—...

Study Sees Unexpected Benefit for Kids Who Play Music

Learning an instrument early may help keep the mind sharp in old age, study suggests

(Newser) - A new study out of Scotland offers a powerful argument for having children or teens learn a musical instrument—they may end up with sharper minds in old age. The study from the University of Edinburgh found what researchers describe as a small but "statistically significant" link between the...

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