Feature Channels: Seniors

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The Alzheimer Research Forum provides a definitive round-up of the latest research findings presented at the recent International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease.

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Most older drivers are unaware of the potential impact on driving performance associated with taking medications, according to new research from the Center for Injury Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The findings, released today by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, indicate that 95 percent of those age 55 and older have one or more medical conditions, 78 percent take one or more medications, and only 28 percent have an awareness of the risks those medications might have on driving ability.

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New research suggests that for seniors age 70 and older, socioeconomic status does not play a major role in the brain's continued ability to function. However, seniors who have never been married and widowers seem to perform more poorly as they age.

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As more people live well into their 80s and 90s, it's reassuring to know that most people get happier as they age and exert more emotional control than younger adults, according to researchers who spoke at the 117th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.

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Older adults who are subjected to abuse or self-neglect face a greater risk of premature death than other seniors, according to a study published in the August 5 issue of JAMA.

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The new anti-wrinkle facial filler Dysport, which could be used as an alternative to Botox, noticeably reduced frown lines between the eyes, according to users and independent reviewers in a study involving plastic surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

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Low levels of estradiol or high levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) are associated with an increased risk of osteoporotic fracture in older men, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

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Doing something unusual, like knocking on wood or patting yourself on the head, while taking a daily dose of medicine may be an effective strategy to help seniors remember whether they've already taken their daily medications, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.

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Older adults who have less strength, poor physical function and low muscle density are at higher risk of being hospitalized compared to adults with more strength and better function. The study also found that muscle density, a measure of how much fat compared to lean tissue there is in the muscle, is a more accurate gauge of a person's risk of hospitalization than muscle mass or size.

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Rush University Medical Center has launched a study of its program to help older adults transition from hospital to home. The goal of the study is to determine whether the program, first implemented two years ago, succeeds in reducing readmissions within 30 days for seniors. If it does, it could serve as a model for hospitals across the country that are seeking ways to lower their rates of readmission.

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Our current health care crisis pales in comparison to the impending demographic "tsunami" that threatens to bankrupt our economy. A recent census report projects that within 10 years there will be more people aged 65 and older than children under 5 years of age. This is a first in human history and highlights the need for our nation to focus more attention and research dollars in finding ways to delay the aging process.

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Until now, all regular body washes caused dry skin damage. Now, Dove has discovered how to restore skin's natural moisture while cleansing with body wash. Current body washes actually damage proteins and lipids in the skin's outer layer, often leading to the loss of critical moisture. Recognizing skin lipids require different care than skin proteins, Dove developed its latest liquid cleansing technology called NutriumMoisture. Research published in the June 2009 issue of Cosmetic Dermatology confirms NutriumMoisture is clinically proven to preserve both skin's natural proteins and lipids while significantly reducing dryness and improving moisturization.

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Progressive resistance muscle training improves strength in older adults and enhances their ability to do daily tasks such as walking, climbing steps or getting out of a chair.

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The Center of Excellence (COE) on Brain Aging at NYU Langone Medical Center inaugurates a new facility this week at 145 East 32 Street. The state-of-the-art, 15,000 square foot facility empowers collaboration, uniting the COE's existing clinical care centers with well-established clinical research programs focused on healthy brain aging, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson disease, and other neurodegenerative cognitive disorders.

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Seniors are sharpening their recall and other mental processes at The Brain Emporium, a community center program opened and run by Case Western Reserve University Psychologist T.J. McCallum. McCallum and graduate students custom design a regimen of computer games and programs for each individual's needs and wants.

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UCLA scientists and colleagues from UC Riverside and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute have found that a form of vitamin D, together with a chemical found in turmeric spice called curcumin, may help stimulate the immune system to clear the brain of amyloid beta, which forms the plaques considered the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

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When cells experiencing DNA damage fail to repair themselves, they send a signal to their neighbors letting them know they're in trouble. The discovery, made at the Buck Institute for Age Research, shows that a process dubbed the DDR (DNA Damage Response) also controls communication from cell to cell. The research has implications for both cancer and aging.

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Over 50 rheumatoid arthritis investigators from across the country recently met in San Diego to share information and present data and results from their innovative RA projects and to brainstorm ways to work more closely together to find a cure for RA.

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The bottom-line message from a decades-long study of monkeys on a restricted diet is simple: Consuming fewer calories leads to a longer, healthier life.

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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and two collaborating centers report that rapamycin, a compound first discovered in soil of Easter Island, extended the expected lifespan of middle-aged mice by 28 percent to 38 percent. In human terms, this would be greater than the predicted increase in extra years of life if cancer and heart disease were both cured and prevented.