Welcome to NIHSeniorHealth.gov, the web site for older adults. NIHSeniorHealth makes aging-related health information easily accessible for family members and friends seeking reliable, easy to understand online health information. This site was developed by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

NIHSeniorHealth features authoritative and up-to-date health information from Institutes and Centers at NIH. In addition, the American Geriatrics Society provides expert and independent review of some of the material found on this web site. Each health topic includes general background information, open-captioned videos, quizzes and frequently asked questions (FAQs). New topics are added to the site on a regular basis.

A research-based approach guided the development of NIHSeniorHealth. The design of the site grew out of NIA's research on the types of cognitive changes that are a part of the normal aging process. Changes in memory, text comprehension, information processing speed and vision can interfere with older adults' use of computers. Research indicates older adults can effectively use computers if information is provided in a senior-friendly manner. NIH extensively tested NIHSeniorHealth with adults age 60 to 88 to ensure that it is easy for them to see, understand and navigate.

The web site's senior-friendly features include large print, short, easy-to-read segments of information and simple navigation. A "talking" function reads the text aloud and special buttons to enlarge the text or turn on high contrast make text more readable. NIHSeniorHealth makes every effort to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which aims to make federal electronic technology accessible for persons with disabilities.

Read the NIA/NLM publication, Making Your Web Site Senior Friendly: A Checklist, for recommended guidelines on creating web sites for older adults. (PDF)