Let’s dispel this gloom about living longer and make life better for the old
Yvonne Roberts: Babies born in Britain today stand a good chance of reaching 100. We need to help them get there in comfort
Elderly care in the NHS: ‘There is nowhere for people to go’
The NHS is desperate to cut beds and the time people stay in them. But many frail old patients must remain on the wards because there is no suitable care for them at home. In the second of three reports from Birmingham's busy Heartlands hospital, Amelia Gentleman spends a day in the packed elderly care unit
Alzheimer’s tests should be offered to over-60s, says top psychiatrist
Cambridge professor calls for screening to be integrated into routine healthcare as global mental health initiative is launched
Social care report threatens to leave people vulnerable
There's big money to be made for private equity and venture capital companies and insurers under Dilnot's plans, says Ray Jones; but where will it leave vulnerable people?
Dr Luisa Dillner’s guide to . . . drink and drugs in old age
Up to one third of older people with alcohol problems develop them later in life – often in response to loss and stress
Taking care
What is it like to be a carer? And when another adult has to wash you, put you to bed or even take you to the toilet, how does it affect you? In National Carers Week, five people and their carers share their experiences
Dr Luisa Dillner’s guide to … tai chi
A report this month says that tai chi for older people can improve mental health and help prevent falls
Elderly people hurt in falls being failed by the NHS, report finds
Audit finds 'unacceptable variations' in quality of care for over-65s in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Longer life expectancy could cheat the poor out of their pensions
Malcolm Wicks: People from poorer backgrounds tend to have shorter pension lives – a fair pension policy would reflect social variables like this
It’s quality of life, not length, that matters
Ellie Mae O'Hagan: Celebrating your 100th birthday is only really a pleasant prospect if the years that precede it are fulfilling and happy
What’s the secret of long life?
Open thread: Walter Breuning, who was the world's oldest man, has died aged 114, leaving some tips for longevity. We'd like to hear yours
Cost of care in old age rises to average of £50,000
Research for government inquiry finds one in five of those needing residential care face bills of more than £100,000
Family life becomes a work of art in NHS waiting room
Kin, an audio project based around interviews with mothers, fathers and their adult children, transforms the mood in the waiting room
Forests U-turn – the Tories should have known better
Alexander Chancellor: I am shocked and amazed David Cameron couldn't see the wood for the trees when it came to selling off Britain's forests
Doctor, doctor: An old, cold neighbour
How can we be sure the man next door is warm enough and taking his tablets? Dr Tom Smith offers advice