Page 11 - Senior Issues News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

More than 20% of nursing positions in the Commonwealth remain vacant, according to the Kentucky Hospital Association - and combined with workforce shortages in other medical professions, the state is facing a massive health-care workforce crisis that could have crippling effects. Ben Chandler, CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, said the shortages are both straining overworked existing providers and making it more difficult for residents to access quality care. "We're seeing shortages, really across the board. " ...

In rural Arkansas, access to healthcare can be a distant dream - literally - as almost 60 counties in the state do not have enough providers to serve their populations. A new initiative with the Health Resources and Services Administration is working to improve access in these areas, through telehealth. Heather Dimeris, director, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth at the Health Resources and Services Administration, said delivering care remotely online fills a crucial gap. ...

California's medical aid-in-dying law is back in court. Three patients with disabilities and two doctors are asking to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the law - and they want the judge to dismiss the suit. In April, a coalition of disability rights groups and people with disabilities sued to stop the End of Life Option Act, claiming it is discriminatory and "coerces" people with disabilities into using medical aid in dying. ...

Georgia's young people could shift the political landscape of the state in the near future. New data from the Brookings Institution indicates that millennials and Generation Z make up the largest generation and tend to favor the Democratic Party. Michael Hais, former vice president of the research-based consulting firm Frank N. ...

In Tennessee, a pregnancy shouldn't be fatal - but Black women are three times more likely to die than white women from pregnancy-related causes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Tennessee Department of Health has said the state saw 113 pregnancy-related deaths between 2017 and 2020. Rolanda Lister, who teaches maternal fetal medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said Black and brown populations suffered worse from COVID, which was the most recent major event that contributed to maternal mortality. ...