Can Robots Give Good Hugs?

We could all use a hug once in a while. Most people would probably say the shared warmth is nice, and the squishiness of another living, breathing meatbag is pretty comforting. Hugs even have healt…

Tallying the Cost of Growing Older

Researchers have been studying how much care American adults will require as they age, and for how long.

The Hidden Drug Epidemic Among Older People (Published 2019)

People in their 60s take an average of 15 prescription drugs a year. Combined with over-the-counter products, they may do more harm than good.

Long Hours, Low Pay, Loneliness and a Booming Industry

The ranks of home health aides are expected to grow more than any other job in the next decade. What kind of work are they being asked to do?

Opinion | The Use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Homes

A professor, a psychiatrist and a nurse react to a Times investigation. Also: A modern Civil War; a more confident child.

Opinion | Joe Manchin Doesn’t Know What He’s Missing

Infrastructure isn’t about the price tag. It’s about what the money gets us.

A Hidden Shame in Nursing Homes

A Times investigation suggests that strict rules on the use of antipsychotic drugs in elder care have a gaping loophole.

Phony Diagnoses Hide High Rates of Drugging at Nursing Homes

At least 21 percent of nursing home residents are on antipsychotic drugs, a Times investigation found.

Opinion | Coach Coughlin and the Caregiver’s Love and Heartbreak

Readers are moved by the football coach’s account of caring for his seriously ill wife and offer personal stories and advice.

Louisiana Nursing Home Residents Describe Squalor at Warehouse

Hundreds of residents were evacuated to the facility ahead of Hurricane Ida. Sanitation was poor, and they slept on mattresses on the floor.

Dealing With Interfering Grandparents (Published 2020)

How to navigate a challenging relationship.

Opinion | Nothing Could Prepare Me for Watching My Wife Slip Away

I’ve spent my life preparing for the biggest games a person could play, but nothing prepares you to be a caregiver who has to watch a loved one slip away.

Nursing Homes Face Quandary: Vaccinate Staff or Don’t Get Paid.

A new policy from President Biden will require all nursing home workers to be vaccinated against Covid. Facilities that fall short could be penalized or lose federal funding.

For Seniors Especially, Covid Can Be Stealthy

With infections increasing once more, and hospitalization rising among older adults, health experts offer a timely warning: a coronavirus infection can look different in older patients.

Opinion | Nobody Wants to Live in a Nursing Home. Something’s Got to Give.

America needs more infrastructure for the elderly.

Opinion | Will Congress Abandon America’s Seniors?

Republicans are right that elder care only loosely counts as infrastructure. But something must be done about it.

Opinion | What the Covid Rookies Saw

As the coronavirus tore through New York, a group of medical students graduated early to help the hospitals under siege and found courage they didn’t know they had.