Fox News’ Health newsletter brings you stories on the latest developments in health care, wellness, diseases, mental health and more.

TOP 3:

– A major health system in Florida delivered 67 babies during Hurricane Milton

– Nutritionist warns the presidential election could trigger emotional eating

– Whooping cough cases have increased more than 340% since last year

DODGING CANCER – Dr. Nicole Saphier shares her top tips for preventing breast cancer. Continue reading…

SOBER OCTOBER – Here are the potential health benefits of going 30 days with alcohol. Continue reading…

‘SUCH A BLESSING’ – Cataract removal surgery saved a young boy in West Africa from going blind. Continue reading…

A 7-year-old boy in West Africa who was going blind can now see again, thanks to life-changing eye surgery provided by the Mercy Ships charity.  (SWNS)

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As Hurricane Milton made landfall and swept across Florida, one of the state’s major hospital systems welcomed 67 babies into the world.

AdventHealth for Women, which offers women’s health care services at locations across Central Florida, staffed hundreds of team members, including nurses, physicians and specialists, during the height of the hurricane.

The staff worked through the night to care for delivering parents and their little ones, according to the hospital.

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There were 32 babies born at AdventHealth’s Tampa area hospitals, 11 born at AdventHealth Orlando, 14 at AdventHealth Celebration, two at AdventHealth Winter Park, one at AdventHealth Altamonte Springs, four at AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares, one at AdventHealth Daytona Beach and two at AdventHealth Fish Memorial in Orange City, a press release stated.

“I’m so grateful for the delivering parents who entrusted us to take care of them and their families during the hurricane, and to all the team members who worked through the night to ensure our community was cared for,” Kristen Toth, vice president of AdventHealth for Women, told Fox News Digital via email.

“To be able to serve as a source of support and calm and witness 67 children come into the world during such a frightening time — it’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit.”

Below are some of the babies who were brought into the world during Hurricane Milton. 

1. Bernardo Salazar Tipacti

Bernardo Salazar Tipacti was born at 1:35 p.m. on Oct. 9 at AdventHealth Celebration. 

He was born to Luciana Tipacti Almora and Fredy Raul Salazar Warren and weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce. 

Bernardo Salazar Tipacti was born at 1:35 p.m. on Oct. 9 at AdventHealth to Luciana Tipacti Almora and Fredy Raul Salazar Warren. (AdventHealth for Women)

2. Luna MarÍa Jiménez

Luna MarÍa Jiménez was born at 11:23 p.m. on Oct. 9 at AdventHealth Altamonte Springs. She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces.

Proud parents are Elizabeth López and David Jiménez. 

Luna MarÍa Jiménez was born to Elizabeth López and David Jiménez and weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces.  (AdventHealth for Women)

3. Camila Victoria 

Yessica Paola and Jhon Porras welcomed Camila Victoria (last name not shared) at 12:44 a.m. on Oct. 10 at AdventHealth Orlando. 

She weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces.

Camila Victoria was born at 12:44 a.m. on Oct. 10 at AdventHealth Orlando to Yessica Paola and Jhon Porras. (AdventHealth for Women)

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4. Dana Iveth Arias Garcia

Born to Kimberly Garcia and Denilson Arias, Dana Iveth Arias Garcia weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce. 

She was born at 1:05 a.m. on Oct. 10 at AdventHealth Orlando.

Dana Iveth Arias Garcia was born at 1:05 a.m. on Oct. 10 to Kimberly Garcia and Denilson Arias. (AdventHealth for Women)

5. Jacob 

Jacob (last name not shared) was born at 3 a.m. on Oct. 10 at AdventHealth Orlando and weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces. 

Proud parents are Ana Maria Franco and Felipe Salamanca from Davenport.  

Jacob was born at 3 a.m. on Oct. 10 at AdventHealth Orlando. He was born to Ana Maria Franco and Felipe Salamanca from Davenport and weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces.   (AdventHealth for Women)

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Charlotte Furnas was born at 11:04 a.m. on Oct. 10 at AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares. She was born to Madeline and Grant Furnas and weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces.   (AdventHealth for Women)

6. Charlotte Furnas 

Madeline and Grant Furnas welcomed baby Charlotte at 11:04 a.m. on Oct. 10 at AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares. She weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces. 

As the population continues to get older, more adults are becoming solo agers during their golden years.

“Solo agers have been shown to be as healthy and happy as other older adults and live just as long,” Sara Zeff Geber, PhD., an aging expert and author of “Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers,” told Fox News Digital.

Some of them, however, face unique challenges that can significantly impact their quality of life and well-being.

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Below, experts offer advice on how to be a successful solo ager.

What is solo aging?

“My definition of a solo ager is someone who does not have family nearby who are able and willing to intervene in a crisis and who will be available to provide support as the solo ager requires it,” Geber said.

Some people become solo agers by choice — through opting not to have children, for example — or by circumstance, such as the death of a spouse or a child moving away, the expert added.

About 28% of people 65 and older — or 22 million older adults — live alone, according to 2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Among adults aged 50 or older, approximately 12% of them are considered “solo agers,” according to a 2021 AARP report.

“Solo agers have been shown to be as healthy and happy as other older adults and live just as long.”

“While the idea of aging without family support has always existed, especially in cases of widows or childless individuals, solo aging as a distinct concept with its own set of challenges and considerations has emerged more prominently in recent decades,” Bei Wu, PhD, vice dean for research at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, told Fox News Digital.

Solo agers are more likely to lack support from friends and family, which can make it difficult to access social, emotional and practical support. (iStock)

Different cultures also view autonomy differently as adults get older.

“In China, the ‘three no’ older adults — those with no children, no ability to work and no income — have faced significant challenges and garnered considerable attention in gerontological research,” said Wu, who has studied social isolation and aging.

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Solo agers are more likely to lack support from friends and family, which can make it difficult to access social, emotional and practical support, the expert added.

Not having a caregiver to provide assistance when the person is sick can also lead to delays in receiving necessary medical attention.

Not having a caregiver to provide assistance when the person is sick can lead to delays in receiving necessary medical attention. (iStock)

Only an estimated one-third of solo agers have someone to help manage their households or handle day-to-day expenses if they are unable to do so, according to the AARP report.

Solo agers also face increased financial vulnerability as they grow older, as they have fewer resources to manage health care, housing and daily living expenses, Wu noted.

Importance of planning ahead

“For solo agers, the key resources I suggest focus on three main areas: community engagement, financial and estate planning, and health care advocacy,” Ailene Gerhardt, a solo aging educator and patient advocate in Massachusetts, told Fox News Digital.

Among adults aged 50 or older, approximately 12% of them are considered “solo agers,” according to a 2021 AARP report. (iStock)

Gerhardt, who is also the founder of The Navigating Solo Network, a free resource library that aims to foster a sense of belonging for older adults, recommends developing two types of networks.

One should consist of professionals who can advocate for legal and medical needs. The other might contain friends and acquaintances who provide additional support.

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“Solo agers should prioritize getting their plans in order, for every day and the long term, including reviewing what kind of care and support they want — and do not want — if they are unable to advocate for themselves,” Gerhardt advised.

That might mean filling out a will that specifies in detail how to distribute assets and having an advance directive, which details the person’s wishes for life-sustaining treatment if they are too ill to make the decision, the expert said.

“In China, the ‘three no’ older adults — those with no children, no ability to work and no income — have faced significant challenges,” an expert said. (iStock)

Approximately half of solo agers have an advance directive — and only 44% have shared it with their primary care doctor, according to AARP.

Part of creating an advance directive is designating a durable power of attorney (DPA), who can speak for the person in periods of illness or incapacitation.

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Experts recommend choosing someone trustworthy who is a generation younger — mature enough to handle a serious end-of-life issue but young enough that they’re not yet experiencing the same aging issues.

Cultivating social connections

Those who place a high value on friendships often have better health and happiness, past research shows.

Older adults who don’t cultivate friendships may be less likely to receive help from friends, which exposes them to more negative emotions triggered by changes in their lives, according to a previous study.

An organic way to foster social connections is to move to a neighborhood with an existing support structure, experts recommend.

An expert encourages solo agers to engage in local activities at senior centers, community organizations and churches as a means of staying active and socially connected. (iStock)

One example is Village to Village Network, a national organization that provides resources and support to help older adults age in their communities. 

Members become part of a local “village” that offers support services and opportunities to make social connections.

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“These services range from social and educational programs to health and wellness activities, as well as practical support like transportation, home maintenance and technology coaching,” Barbara Sullivan, national director of the Village to Village Network in New Jersey, told Fox News Digital.

“By providing a variety of resources and services, they help foster a sense of belonging and independence.”

Technology can help solo agers foster connections with others. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Technology can also help enable these connections, according to Wu, the NYU gerontologist.

“Video calls and social media platforms enable older adults to stay connected with family and friends, regardless of distance,” she told Fox News Digital.

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Wu encourages solo agers to engage in local activities at senior centers, community organizations and churches as a means of staying active and socially connected.