Feature Channels: Seniors

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Sunday, September 13, is National Grandparents Day, and the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) recommends that people lovingly remind their grandparents to perform a skin self-examination. Simply provide your grandparents with the Academy’s free tools to help them examine their skin for any suspicious lesions that could be cancerous. It’s an easy way to detect the only cancer that can be seen on the surface of a person’s skin.

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University a five-year, $11.2 million grant to study the impact of damage to DNA on aging and disease.

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Scientific dogma has long asserted that females are born with their entire lifetime’s supply of eggs, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. New findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, published online Aug. 27 in Science, suggest that in nematode worms, at least, this does not hold true.

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A team of computer experts and a nursing specialist at UIC and Rush University have won a National Science Foundation grant to program robots to respond to speech, non-verbal gestures and touch by elderly users. The plan is to make robots that assist the elderly with everyday chores so they can remain living at home.

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Standardized rates of hip fracture have steadily declined in Canada since 1985, with a more rapid decline between 1996 and 2005 and a more marked decrease among individuals age 55 to 64 years, according to a report in the August 26 issue of JAMA.

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That old saying, “your mind as is sharp as a steel trap”, seems to hold true for seniors well into their 80s, according to a new study by led by a Ryerson University researcher.

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Rationing end of life care may not be as arbitrary and cruel as it sounds. Instead, it may lead to better conversations among patients, their families and health care professionals regarding the value of procedures, currently provided out of habit, that are neither wanted nor useful.

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Findings to appear in the November 2009 Journal of Family Issues and now available online, indicate children living in single-mother families that also include a grandparent are substantially less likely to be living below or near the poverty line compared to children living in mother-only homes.

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Researchers at North Carolina State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have received a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study whether and how video games can boost memory and thinking skills in the elderly - and then to use their findings to develop a prototype video game to do just that.

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Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease could save millions or even billions of dollars while simultaneously improving care, according to new work by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.

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Grinnell College assistant professor of sociology Karla Erickson studies the relationships between caregivers, elderly patients, and their families and is at work on a book about "Laboring at the End of Life."

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Using easy access, low-cost videoconferencing tools will give health providers the potential to meet the needs of homebound older adults with moderate to severe depression, says a University of Texas at Austin social work researcher. Dr. Namkee Choi, a gerontologist, is studying the feasibility of a telehealth problem-solving treatment for this underserved population.

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A study recently released by the UNC Institute on Aging has identified three workplace interventions that are improving quality of care and reducing staff turnover in North Carolina's nursing homes. Thomas R. Konrad, PhD, research professor of health policy and management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and a senior scientist at the Institute on Aging, is a co-author of the study.

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Aging in America is a process of being marginalized, of becoming invisible, of liquidating financial, emotional and social assets as well as independence and personal choice, according to Lawrence T. Force, Ph.D. Force is a professor of psychology and director of the Center on Aging and Policy at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY.

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Osteoporosis, a bone condition affecting, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, over seventy-five million people in the U.S., Europe, and Japan, has been dominating headlines.

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Both being more physically active and adhering to a Mediterranean-type diet appears to be associated with reduced Alzheimer's risk, according to a new report in the August 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). While previous studies have only investigated the association between either physical activity or diet and Alzheimer's disease risk separately, this new research explored their combined association.

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An engineer at Michigan Technological University is investigating tissue engineering as a way to repair and protect aging knees.

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When senior citizens become depressed, agitated, or show signs of dementia, it is often difficult to know what the best ways to keep them healthy and happy are. Before you consider long-term care as a solution, there are things you can do to keep your loved ones in their homes.

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Cognitive decline was long seen as an inevitable consequence of aging, but recent years have seen a surge of interest in activities and products touted to forestall this outcome. What is the truth?

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Aging is the single largest risk factor for disease in developed nations. Yet, this biological process remains, for the most part, a mystery. Geroscience, a new scientific discipline established at the Buck Institute for Age Research, is aimed at solving that mystery and turning the risk factor on its head. The premise: slow aging and delay disease.

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Ryerson University experts offer their research knowledge on how aging can have an effect on our health and workplace:

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Vascular disease primarily affects seniors, and as the United States population rates for seniors increases with aging baby boomers, the potential for vascular disease increases. Baby boomers now have access to the most comprehensive vascular health information though social media and on-line resources. The Society for Vascular Surgery® provides detailed vascular health information from the country's leading vascular surgeons.

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Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON) researchers and educators have been at work to better equip the nation's aging population with tools and resources to lead healthier, engaged lives and to ensure comfort and dignity at the end of life.

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During this tough economy, many people are having a difficult time making ends meet. For cancer patients, the financial burden can be crippling as they battle the disease. But a new program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston is matching volunteer financial coaches with patients to help ease their money woes.

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To address the special challenges of treating cancer in older patients, Memorial Sloan-Kettering recently established a Geriatrics Service in the Department of Medicine.

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There are an estimated two million cases of elder abuse and self-neglect in the United States each year. Now, a new study in the medical journal JAMA points to the dire consequences of such maltreatment. The researchers found that older adults subjected to abuse and self-neglect face a more than two-fold increased risk of premature death compared with other seniors.

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A UT Health Science Center at San Antonio researcher says exercise increases the number and function of energy-making factories in muscle cells, which protects against development of type 2 diabetes. The researcher studied the positive effects of exercise in cells of people who underwent muscle biopsies.

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"It's not just running around the track that is good for you," says Dr. Aron Buchman, associate professor of neurological sciences at Rush University Medical Center. "Our research suggests that engaging in social activities may also be protective against loss of motor abilities."

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Individuals 100 years or older are currently the fastest growing age group in the United States and estimates indicate that there may be as many as one million centenarians (100 years or older) in the United States by 2050. Recently, ASN Executive Director Tod Ibrahim spoke with nephrologist Dimitrios G. Oreopoulos, MD, PhD, (Toronto Western Hospital) and geriatrician Rosanne Leipzig, MD (Mt. Sinai Medical Center) about the "demographic imperative," in which "unprecedented numbers of older adults living well past 65 and even over 100 in the world and particularly within our nation."

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In the year 2030, the youngest members of the baby boomer generation will hit 65, making up nearly a quarter of the country's population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Researchers and clinicians in the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston offer 10 challenges that may be staring back at baby boomers.

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For close to a decade, pharmaceutical researchers have been in hot pursuit of compounds to activate a key nicotine receptor that plays a role in cognitive processes. Triggering it, they hope, might prevent or even reverse the devastation wrought by Alzheimer's disease.

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A pilot program in Indiana is identifying naturally occurring retirement communities and helping older residents to organize for better services and living conditions in their neighborhoods. Policymakers around the country see the potential to help older adults live fuller lives without the cost and complication of government-based programs. The Indiana program is overseen by the Center for Aging & Community at the University of Indianapolis.

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Many drivers over age 70 realize their reaction time is slower and compensate by driving more carefully, says Matthew Romoser, who studies human performance while using machines. The problem is older drivers usually fail to see dangers coming at them sideways, a different direction than expected.

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Until now, all regular body washes caused dry skin damage. Now, because of a first-of-its-kind breakthrough body wash technology from Dove called NutriumMoisture, cleansing no longer has to be synonymous with dry skin damage.

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Hispanic/Latino elders need early care for Alzheimer's disease, but frequently don't get diagnosed soon enough because of barriers. Families grapple with many painful issues, including depression and anxiety. Help must come from a team approach in the community and health care.

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Experts on care transitions and chronic care management, who have advised on healthcare reform legislation, are available for interviews as part of Healthy Aging Month.

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The incidence of sleep disorders increases in aging populations, but no one should think that their sleep quality cannot be improved. If you have been experiencing sleep problems, see your doctor.

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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.