July 24, 2025

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Federal Payment Rules and Medicaid Cuts Threaten Senior Access

Across the country, sweeping federal policy changes to Medicare and Medicaid are poised to strain hospitals and cut off coverage for seniors. A proposed CMS rule would accelerate a $7.8 billion recoupment on 340B hospital drug reimbursements—knocking more than $1 billion off payments next year—just as the reconciliation bill slashes nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid over a decade.

Hospitals warn that safety-net providers may be pushed to the brink, especially in rural areas, while millions of older adults face new work and reporting requirements starting in 2027. Volunteer and aging-services groups urge seniors to track their benefits now and press lawmakers to protect essential programs.

7,000 Daily Steps Offer Major Health Gains for Seniors

New review in The Lancet Public Health finds that walking 7,000 steps a day delivers substantial health benefits for older adults, rivaling the traditional 10,000-step target. Researchers pooled data on over 160,000 participants and report a 47% lower risk of death, along with reduced incidence of heart disease, diabetes, dementia and depression, when seniors move from 2,000 to 7,000 steps daily.

Key points:

Benefits plateau beyond 7,000 steps, with only a further 10% mortality reduction at 10,000 steps.

Even 4,000 steps yields a 36% drop in all-cause mortality versus very low activity.

Experts say 7,000 steps is a realistic goal for many seniors, and emphasize that “every step counts.”

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Hearing Loss Linked to 94% Higher Dementia Risk

Senior Hearing Loss Tied to Higher Dementia Risk

Dr. Peter Fick of Wyomissing, PA, reports that older adults with untreated hearing loss face a 94% greater correlation with dementia, with 32% progressing to clinical decline. Experts say the brain’s extra effort to process sounds may accelerate cognitive fatigue.

Key Recommendations:

Baseline hearing tests from age 55

Use of hearing aids to ease cognitive load

Regular social engagement and noise protection

Early intervention with hearing devices can reverse 50% of cognitive loss, offering seniors a practical path to healthier aging.

Insulin Nasal Spray Successfully Targets Alzheimer’s Brain Regions

Intranasal insulin may offer a new Alzheimer’s therapy after brain scans confirm delivery to critical memory centers. In a study published July 23 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, researchers administered a nasal insulin spray to 16 adults (average age 72), including seven cognitively normal participants and nine with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Scans revealed insulin uptake in 11 key regions—the hippocampus, amygdala, temporal lobe and more—with higher absorption in healthy seniors than those with MCI. Women with strong cardiovascular health also showed better delivery, while elevated amyloid-beta levels reduced uptake. Only mild headaches were reported, suggesting the spray is well tolerated and paving the way for larger therapeutic trials.

Heavy Drinking Doubles Seniors’ Liver Disease Risk

Heavy-drinking Americans aged 65 and older are now over twice as likely to develop alcohol-related liver disease compared with two decades ago. A study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology analyzed 44,600 adults (1999–2020) and found that severe liver scarring in heavy drinkers jumped from less than 2% (1999–2004) to over 4% (2013–2020). Despite stable overall U.S. drinking rates, heavy consumption rose among women, adults 45+, those in poverty and people with metabolic syndrome—conditions that magnify alcohol’s harm. Experts urge seniors to discuss alcohol use with their doctors, adhere to older-adult drinking guidelines (no more than 7 drinks per week), and address risks like high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and abdominal obesity.

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Untreated Hearing Loss Linked to 94% Higher Dementia Risk in Seniors