Federal and state data shows that Morris County has the highest number of COVID-19 vaccinated seniors in New Jersey per capita, reports the Morristown Daily Record . Since inoculation efforts began in January, 67 percent of county residents 65 and older have been fully vaccinated. "We are about two weeks away in Morris County from meeting the state goal of getting the equivalent of 75 percent of our population with at least their first shot," said Morris County Commissioner John Krickus. Qualifying Morris County residents can get a vaccine at the mega-site in Rockaway, three ShopRite outlets, and the Riverside Medical Group Urgent Care Center in Ledgewood. More than 250,000 county residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and more than 179,000 are fully inoculated. Morris County has provided 415 vaccines to residents in senior care, behavioral health clients, and child care workers to date.

A study published in JAMA Network Open associated hearing loss with a poorer physical activity profile, which contributes to accelerated aging, according to Medical Xpress . The researchers observed 291 adults aged 60 to 69 years, and determined that hearing loss significantly corresponded with less time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, less time spent in light-intensity physical activity, more time spent in sedentary activity, and a more fragmented physical activity pattern. The linkage of hearing loss with physical activity metrics was comparable to 7.28 years of accelerated age for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, 5.84 years of accelerated age for light-intensity physical activity, and 10.53 years of accelerated age for degree of physical activity fragmentation, versus normal hearing. "These findings suggest that promoting physical activity among older adults with hearing loss is important, and further research is needed to investigate whether hearing loss interventions could improve physical health profiles," the researchers concluded.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculates that more than 5 million Americans, or nearly 8 percent of those who received a first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, have missed their second doses, reports the New York Times . That is more than twice the rate among people who got immunized in the first several weeks of the nationwide vaccine push. In interviews, some said they skipped the second shots out of concern about side effects, while others felt that they were sufficiently protected with one dose. Yet a number of vaccine providers also have canceled second-dose appointments because they ran out of stock or did not have the right brand available. This trend is worrisome for state officials. In Arkansas and Illinois, health officials have required teams to call, text, or send letters to people to remind them to get their second shots. Evidence indicates that compared with the two-dose regimen, a single dose triggers a weaker immune response and may leave recipients more vulnerable to dangerous variants. It is also not certain how long protection from a single shot will last.

A new Morning Consult survey found one in five Floridians are unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and another 16 percent remain uncertain whether or not they will get inoculated, reports Axios . Atypically, Florida is about average for this metric among all U.S. states. By comparison, Mississippi has the most unwilling residents at 30 percent, while Hawaii and Massachusetts have the least unwilling (11 percent each). People unsure or unwilling about getting vaccinated were most concerned about side effects and how fast the vaccines were approved.

Wandering off is a constant problem for people with dementia, and the Alzheimer's Association, Central New York Chapter says this is more likely during warm weather seasons, when "we're more apt to open doors for fresh air or be outside, which provides a greater opportunity for someone to wander away from safety." The Alzheimer's Association suggests wandering-preventive steps in Syracuse.com . These steps include having a routine for daily activities; noting the most likely times of day that wandering may occur, and planning activities for those times; reassuring the person with dementia if he or she feels lost, abandoned, or disoriented, using communication focused on exploration and validation; guaranteeing all basic needs are provided for; avoiding busy places that are confusing and can cause disorientation; and placing locks out of the line of sight. Other recommendations include employing devices that signal when a door or window is opened, and supplying supervision. Access to car keys also should be removed if the person with dementia is no longer driving.

Andrea West, a registered nurse in Chillicothe, Ohio, was inspired by her own COVID-19 infection and quarantine to start a care package program for seniors in her area, reports the Chillicothe Gazette . She approached the staff at CareCore's Westmoreland nursing community with the idea based on an already available free grocery program. Every two weeks or so, CareCore staffers deliver packages to seniors 65 or older within a 10-mile radius. Deliveries may include groceries, a pre-cooked meal, or household supplies. About 60 people are currently participating in the program. West said the care packages also have an important psychological aspect, with staff greeting recipients and performing wellness checks, maintaining connection to the community and reducing the sense of isolation. "We do all of these things because we know how important it is to give back to seniors," she said. "They have our heart and they need us right now."

AARP reports that a Workplace Intelligence/WeWork survey of 2,000 U.S. employees and executives found 45 percent of 55-and-older workers are willing to waive at least one benefit or perk — like bonuses or paid time off — for the freedom to choose their work environment. With pandemic restrictions easing, 55-plus workers prefer to divide their time among multiple locations, and spend about half of their time at the office, on average. The rest of their time would be evenly split between home and public environments like a shared working space, a coffee shop, or a public library. Many older workers also wish to reduce the hours they spend in the traditional office on any particular day, with 31 percent citing less than five hours as ideal. The most popular benefits of a hybrid work situation for older employees are better life balance, greater control over their schedules, and a less stressful work environment. "Since older workers were more susceptible to being harmed by COVID-19, they learned to enjoy the time spent with their families, but missed the time in corporate offices and co-working spaces with their colleagues," said Workplace Intelligence's Dan Schawbel. "Since they've been in the workforce longer, they understand that working in different spaces is the best of all worlds."

The latest data out of New Hampshire indicates that more than half the state's population has been vaccinated for COVID-19, reports Patch.com . Over 61 percent of adults aged 65 to 74 and almost 51 percent of residents 75 and older have received two doses of Moderna and Pfizer shots. The latest data dashboard estimates 24.8 percent of New Hampshire's approximately 1.36 million residents have been vaccinated.

The Associated Press reports that the U.S. vaccination campaign against COVID-19 appears to be effective, with both hospitalizations and deaths among senior Americans falling. Indeed, COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plummeted more than 70 percent since Jan. 1. Yet overall demand for vaccinations in the United States seems to be declining, even as shots have been opened up to all adults across the country. New virus cases in the U.S. have hovered at troubling levels since March, averaging over 60,000 per day, increasingly among people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Rapid inoculation of younger populations will be a challenge, because they feel they are less vulnerable to the coronavirus, yet are primarily the ones spreading the disease. "To really feel that we're out of the woods we've got to see a lot less cases than we're seeing now," said Georgetown University's Jesse Goodman.

Study results presented at the virtual Oncology Nursing Society Congress found an advanced practice nurse-led clinic conducted through telehealth could safely perform geriatric assessment implementation, reports Healio . The clinic optimized engagement and communication among patients, family members, and caregivers while enabling collaboration with members of both the primary and multidisciplinary care teams. The researchers used electronic medical records to conduct geriatric assessments and facilitate interventions for patients on a telehealth platform. They offered 50 patients 65 and older a traditional in-person clinic visit or a tele-video visit through the hospital's telehealth platform between September 2019 and February 2021. Half the patients chose geriatric assessments via usual care and the other half opted for telehealth assessment. The investigators expect no difference in provision of care between groups. "The results showed we can provide the gold standard of care for the older adult with cancer with the implementation of a geriatric assessment in both settings of telehealth and usual care," said Leana Cabrera Chien, geriatric nurse practitioner at City of Hope.