Editors’ Top 5, Week of January 30

How To Make A Home Much More Friendly To Seniors Using Wheelchairs Or Walkers
Researchers at the Harvard center found that fewer than 10 percent of seniors live in homes or apartments outfitted with basic features that enhance accessibility—notably, entrances without steps, extra-wide hallways or doors needed for people with wheelchairs or walkers. (Judith Graham/Kaiser Health News)

Early Diagnosis Beneficial For People With Dementia
In one survey, Americans said they feared developing Alzheimer’s disease more than any other major, life-threatening disease including cancer, stroke, heart disease or diabetes. (Encarnacion Pyle/The Columbian Dispatch)

At-Home Sleep Apnea Testing Puts Squeeze on For-Profit Laboratories
Sleep apnea is on the rise in the U.S., as the obesity epidemic puts more people at risk of the condition. And tests for sleep apnea are big business, having helped an industry of thousands of sleep clinics sprout up across the country. But the first randomized trial on the subject adds to the growing evidence that at-home testing may be just as good as the laboratory kind, and at a cheaper cost. (Kate Sheridan/Stat News)

Why Home Health Should Embrace Nurse Practitioners
It’s becoming increasingly common for nurse practitioners to visit seniors in their homes—and that could spell good news for those who prefer in-home care, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. (Mary Kate Nelson/Home Health Care News)

Health Law Coverage Has Helped Many Chronically Ill—But Has Still Left Gaps
As President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress devise a plan to replace the 2010 health law, new research suggests a key component of the law helped people with chronic disease get access to health care—though, the paper notes, it still fell short in meeting their medical needs. (Shefali Luthra/Kaiser Health News)