All news
97 stories, newest first. Each day lists the news published that day.
October 2026
October 27, 2026
Assisted living
Fire that killed two at Mississippi assisted living center was started by smoking materials, officials say
The state fire marshal said the October 21 fire in Clinton started outside near an entrance and spread quickly because a mattress and other items were stored there. Two residents died.
October 26, 2026
Nursing homes
Kentucky health system and nursing home operator plan a $35 million, 105-bed skilled nursing facility
The joint venture aims to give hospital patients a place to recover after discharge in Lexington, with first patients targeted for early 2029, a model other hospitals are using to ease backups.
Dementia
Older adults with three or more social activities kept sharper memory, large study finds
A study of nearly 58,000 adults in 24 countries, including the U.S., found people with a mix of regular social activities, especially volunteering and clubs, scored higher on memory and thinking over about six years.
Senior living
New senior living buildings will stay scarce and pricey through 2030, forecast says
An analysis from research firm Green Street says new senior living supply will grow only about 1% in 2029 and 3% in 2030, and new projects mostly work financially at $7,000 to $8,000 a month.
Medicare
Medicare proposal could cut off remote monitoring for many patients, especially in rural areas
A proposed CMS rule would stop paying when practices use outside vendors to run remote monitoring; more than 230 groups oppose it, and traditional Medicare patients with heart conditions or diabetes could lose devices.
MedicareNew
First study of Medicare's prior authorization pilot finds use of targeted services fell
A JAMA study found that in the six states testing prior authorization in traditional Medicare, use of targeted services such as back-pain steroid injections fell 15% to 20% in early 2026. New York is not in the pilot.
Nursing homes
Massachusetts health chief calls conditions at RegalCare nursing homes 'unacceptable'
The state is moving to revoke licenses for 12 homes and has stepped up inspections to once or twice a week; residents do not have to move now, and the owner can request a hearing.
October 25, 2026
Nursing homes
More than a third of nursing homes are shut out of the new federal nurse recruitment campaign
About 9,300 homes, or 63%, can apply to Nurses for Nursing Homes, which uses geography and shortage data rather than a home's own staffing; some low-staffed homes are left out.
October 23, 2026
Medicare
Humana and UnitedHealthcare will end Medicare Advantage plans covering about 1 million people in 2027
Humana says about 600,000 members are affected and UnitedHealthcare about 390,000, with most offered another plan. Open enrollment runs through December 7, so families should check this year's plan letters now.
Assisted living
Massachusetts orders a Hopkinton assisted living residence to stop taking new residents after two inspections
State inspectors cited gaps in staff emergency training, therapy checks for bed rails and lift devices, and heat precautions. The findings show the kinds of safety records families can ask any residence about.
Dementia
An extra year of school led to fewer dementia diagnoses decades later in a large UK study, NIH says
A 1972 law that kept UK teens in school until 16 created a natural experiment. People at higher genetic risk benefited most, more evidence that dementia risk is not set by genes alone.
Nursing homes
CMS and all 50 states put more than $275 million toward getting nurses into short-staffed nursing homes
Nurses who commit to three years at a rural or hard-to-staff nursing home can get up to $40,000 toward student loans and a $10,000 stipend. For families, the goal is more nurses at the bedside.
October 22, 2026
Caregiving
Pew: 4 in 10 full-time working women who help an aging parent say it has hurt their emotional well-being
A new Pew Research Center analysis finds women who care for an aging parent while working full time report far more strain than men do, and most family caregivers support tax credits and paid breaks.
Medicare
Federal charges say some seniors were put on hospice without knowing it. Here is how to check a parent's Medicare record
Prosecutors in Los Angeles charged three hospice schemes with billing Medicare more than $138 million for people who were not terminally ill. Many patients learned they were enrolled only when Medicare or their doctor called.
Caregiving
HHS updates the national dementia plan, with new focus on prevention, earlier diagnosis and family support
The federal plan for Alzheimer's and related dementias now has four goals, including caregiver support and home and community services. Nothing changes in a family's coverage today, but it signals where new programs and screening will come from.
Nursing homes
Rural New York nursing home will be rebuilt with fewer beds because of staffing
Good Shepherd Communities plans a roughly $30 million replacement for Chase Memorial in New Berlin, shrinking from 80 to 60 beds, with residents moving in within 24 to 36 months.
October 21, 2026
Caregiving
Women now give about seven years of their lives to caring for older relatives, three more than men
A University of Michigan study finds women's lifetime caregiving rose by a year since 2011 while men's stayed flat. Daughters, granddaughters and nieces carry most of the load for parents and extended family.
MedicaidUpdated
New York posts a guide to coming Medicaid changes under the federal law
Medicaid rules are changing under the new federal law, and New York just published its official guide to what changes, when, and for whom. If you or a parent rely on Medicaid, this is the page to read and save this week.
New York
New York awards $32.5 million a year to train health care workers, including four Western New York providers
Thirty-four facilities get five-year awards of $500,000 to $1 million a year to train nurses, aides and other workers, which could ease staffing shortages behind delayed home care and nursing home admissions.
MedicaidUpdated
KFF: big federal Medicaid changes are coming, and Medicaid is a midterm issue
New federal work requirements start by January 1, 2027 for some working-age adults — most people 65 and older are not in that group. KFF explains what changes, what doesn't, and why states' budgets could still affect care for older adults.
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