Editor's Note Older surgical patients with preoperative cognitive impairment face significantly higher odds of developing postoperative delirium (POD), and POD itself is tied to markedly worse surgical outcomes, according to two major studies published July 2025. Together, the findings point to delirium as both a high-impact and potentially modifiable target…

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Editor's Note Preoperative mental health assessment significantly increases the odds of a postoperative “textbook outcome” for older patients, according to research published on March 15 in the journal Surgery. The median age for the patient population analyzed at the time of surgery was 74 years. Focusing on more than 32,500…

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Editor's Note Multiple surgeries can spur gradual cognitive decline in older adults, according to recent research from the University of Sydney. Published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity and detailed in a September 27 university announcement, the study followed nearly half a million adults aged 40 to 69 over 20 years…

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Editor's Note A March 11 article on SeniorLiving.org broke down key considerations and risks for elderly patients undergoing surgery and anesthesia. One such consideration is studies show that older adults often prioritize quality of life over the extension of life if it means sacrificing independence or functional abilities. Other lessons…

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Editor's Note Older Americans are at heightened risk for both short-term and long-term hospital readmission following major surgery, according to a study from Yale University published February 28 in Jama Network Open.   Readmission places a major financial strain on health systems, researchers write, pointing out that the total cost…

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Editor's Note: Recent data show a direct correlation between nurse practitioner (NP) burnout and patients– particularly older adults with chronic diseases – utilizing the hospital and emergency department. Sage Journals published the findings on December 25. In 2018 and 2019, researchers collected survey data related to burnout from 1,244 primary…

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Editor's Note Research by the Center for Longevity at the University of Texas, Dallas, suggests that older adults who engage in intensive fitness practices tend to have brains that more closely resemble those of younger adults, the August 23 UTDallas News reports. The study, which compared high-fit older adults (median…

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Editor's Note This Canadian study finds a 1.5-fold increase in costs in the year after major, elective noncardiac surgery for patients with preoperative frailty. A total of 171,576 patients (23,219 with preoperative frailty) were included in the analysis. Unadjusted costs were higher for frail patients. After adjusting for confounders, an…

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Editor's Note The median age of the US population rose to nearly 39 years old in 2020, and the number of those aged 65 and older jumped nearly 33% between 2010 and 2020, according to US Census Bureau data. America’s two largest age groups spurred the changes—more baby boomers turning…

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Editor's Note This study by researchers from Finland finds that depressive symptoms in 75- and 80-year-olds have decreased, and they are more satisfied with their lives overall than those at the same age 30 years ago. Two independent cohorts of Finnish men and women aged 75 and 80 were analyzed…

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