Medical & aging information
When you’re researching health topics online, the goal is usually not “read everything.” It’s: find a trustworthy source, learn the basics, and bring good questions to your clinician.
A quick rule of thumb
Prefer sources that explain who wrote it, when it was updated, and what evidence they use—and that encourage you to talk with a licensed professional for personal decisions.
Reliable general health information
- National Institute on Aging (NIA): aging-specific health topics, caregiving, and research updates.
- MedlinePlus: plain-language information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- CDC — Healthy Aging: public health guidance, falls, vaccines, and prevention topics.
- World Health Organization (WHO) — Ageing: global healthy ageing information and resources.
Common conditions & topic-specific organizations
- American Heart Association: heart health, blood pressure, cholesterol, stroke.
- American Diabetes Association: diabetes basics, nutrition, and tools.
- Alzheimer’s Association: memory concerns, caregiving, support resources.
- Arthritis Foundation: arthritis education and activity guidance.
- Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation: osteoporosis education and bone health tools.
Vision & hearing
- American Academy of Ophthalmology: cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration information.
- Hearing Loss Association of America: hearing support and education.
How to bring online research to your appointment (without overwhelm)
- Write down your top 1–2 questions.
- Bring a list of symptoms: when it started, what triggers it, what helps.
- Ask: “What serious causes are we ruling out?” and “What’s the simplest next step?”
- If you read something scary, say: “I saw this online and it worried me. Can we talk through whether it applies to me?”
Want help describing symptoms? Try Common Issues.