(HealthDay News) -- Elderly Americans who live in low-income ZIP codes are more likely to die after surgery than those who live in higher-income ZIP codes, according to new research.

The study analyzed death rates among more than one million older adults who had one of six common high-risk heart or cancer surgeries between 1999 and 2003.

The risk of death was between 17 percent and 39 percent higher for patients in low-income ZIP codes, mainly because the quality of care is lower at hospitals in lower socioeconomic areas, the study authors said.

WASHINGTON - Seniors who switch between low-cost generic drugs and the original products based on who's footing the bill are likely driving up the cost of the government's Medicare drug plan, according to a new study.

Figures released Thursday show seniors are more likely to ask their pharmacist for generic medications when they are paying, but choose the more expensive originals when the government is covering the costs.

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TUESDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- A majority of seniors who visit the Medicare Web site find getting the information they need a frustrating experience, University of Miami researchers report.

Whether trying to determine their eligibility for home health care or which Medicare drug plan is best for them, most seniors found Medicare's Web site difficult to use. Yet, many seniors say, the Internet could be a valuable source of medical information.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13 (HealthDay News) -- A satisfying sex life is possible as you age into your 70s and 80s, new research suggests.

SUNDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Physical fitness can help the mind, body and quality of life of people with early Alzheimer's disease and dementia, according to new research.

WEDNESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to sex, grandma and grandpa are having more of it these days, new Swedish research suggests.

According to the study, the last quarter century has seen a dramatic rise in the frequency of sex among the 70-year-old set, whether married or unmarried. And as an added bonus, seniors today (particularly women) say they're much more satisfied with their liaisons than the previous generation -- facing less sexual dysfunction and feeling more positive about the experience.

It all started with the Personal Healthcare Journal for Seniors.

My mother-in-law sees five different healthcare providers and was having trouble remembering who said what. After much research I created a tool to help her record and track her medical information. Check it out at www.mycarenecessities.com

The book has been out for just six weeks and the response has been amazing - not so much from the seniors but from the baby-boomer generation.