Natural Lifestyle & Products

Age Concern And Help The Aged’s Response To Today’s Care Summit, UK

Following Age Concern and Help the Aged's care summit, Andrew Harrop, Director of Policy and Public Affairs for Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: 'Our care summit did exactly what it set out to do. It provided all three main political parties the neutral platform that was needed to re-open dialogue about reforming the current care and support system... Read More →

Politicians Not Doing Enough To Improve Care For Older People, UK

Sixty per cent of people think politicians are not doing enough to improve care for older people according to a survey by Age Concern and Help the Aged. The poll also found that eight out of ten adults believe care reform is among the most important issues in the forthcoming election... Read More →

Pediatric Sports Injuries: The Silent Epidemic

At today's 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), two separate studies focus on the dramatic rise of pediatric sports injuries in recent years. However, despite this alarming trend, awareness, education, warning signs and early treatment can make a significant difference and help keep these athletes in the game,... [Read more of this review]

The Silent Epidemic - Pediatric Sports Injuries

New studies focus on gymnastics, ACL injuries and year round sports; early treatment predicts most optimal outcomes At the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), two separate studies focus on the dramatic rise of pediatric sports injuries in recent years... Read More →

Alzheimer Risk Higher Among African-Americans And Hispanics

African-Americans and Hispanics are at a greater risk of contracting the Alzheimer's disease than whites in the US, says a new report from the Alzheimer's Association.  Read More →

Bisphosphonate Treatments Beyond Four Years May Cause Bone Fracture

Bisphosphonate treatments, proven to enhance bone density and reduce fracture incidence in post-menopausal women, may adversely affect bone quality and  Read More →

BioMimetic Therapeutics Presents Promising Pre-Clinical Sports Medicine Data At The 2010 ORS Meeting

BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: BMTI) announced pre-clinical data the Company will present at 1:15 CST today at the 2010 Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) meeting in New Orleans... Read More →

Dramatic Increase Seen In Youth Baseball Throwing Arm Injuries

Orthopedic surgeons focus on new ways to protect young baseball players' arms Throwing arm injuries are on the rise in Little League and other youth baseball programs... Read More →

Osteoporosis Drug Improves Healing After Rotator Cuff Surgery

Tears in the shoulder's rotator cuff, a common sports injury, are painful and restricting. Surgery to repair the damage is successful for pain management, but in many patients it does not result in full recovery of function due to poor healing. New research shows an approved therapy for osteoporosis, Forteo, may speed healing and improve patient outcomes... Read More →

Higher Risk of Cataracts Linked to Anti-depressants

Some anti-depressant drugs are associated with with an increased risk of developing cataracts, has been found jointly by researchers at the University  Read More →

As Men Lose Health, Women Lose Partners

At age 55, men can expect another 15 years of sexual activity, but women that age should expect less than 11 years, according to a study by University of Chicago researchers published early online March 10 by the British Medical Journal. Men in good or excellent health at 55 can add 5 to 7 years to that number. Equally healthy women gain slightly less,... [Read more of this review]

Long Term Care Facilities Receive Increased Scrutiny

The New York Times: "The Senate Finance Committee has opened an investigation into patient deaths and allegations of substandard treatment at long-term care hospitals, small specialty medical centers that treat chronically ill patients. The investigation focuses on the Select Medical Corporation, a for-profit corporation that runs 89 long-term care... [Read more of this review]

Six Out Of Ten Think Politicians Are Not Doing Enough To Improve Care For Older People, UK

Politicians must work together to find long-term solutions on care reform, says Age Concern and Help the Aged, as new figures reveal six out of ten1 think politicians are not doing enough to work together to improve the care and support system for older people... Read More →

New Evidence Further Validates Ketone Body Therapy As An Effective Approach In Managing Alzheimer’s Disease

Accera, Inc., a biotechnology company delivering breakthrough therapies in central nervous system diseases, announced data which showed that augmentation with ketone bodies significantly improved cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. An early feature of AD is region specific declines in cerebral glucose metabolism... Read More →

Better Health: More Frequent And Better Quality Sex In Later Life

Research published on bmj.com today reports that people who are in good health are just about twice as likely to be interested in sex compared to those in poor health. Sexual activity is recognized as having several health benefits. In addition, it is linked to living longer. In this case, the study investigates how general health impacts on the quality... [Read more of this review]

Risk Of Developing Cataracts Increased By Anti-Depressants

Some anti-depressant drugs are associated with an increased chance of developing cataracts, according to a new statistical study by researchers at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and McGill University... Read More →

State Roundup: N.Y. Drug Pricing, Vermont Hospital Ads, Massachusetts Nursing Homes And Anti-Psychotics

Poughkeepsie Journal: A new report on New York drug prices, "issued by the New York Public Interest Research Group, Consumers Union, the Center for Medical Consumers and AARP, looked at the price of the 10 most popular drugs found in the state's pharmacies provided through a Freedom of Information Law request... Read More →

Nutrition Services For Older Adults At Home And In Communities

The Society for Nutrition Education (SNE) has partnered with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and American Society for Nutrition (ASN) to publish a position paper, "Position of the American Dietetic Association, American Society for Nutrition, and Society for Nutrition Education: Food and Nutrition Programs for Community-Residing Older Adults,"... [Read more of this review]

African-Americans And Hispanics More Likely To Have Alzheimer’s Disease And Dementia Than Whites

According to the Alzheimer's Association's® 2010 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, African-Americans are about two times more likely and Hispanics are about one and one-half times more likely than their white counterparts to have Alzheimer's and other dementias... Read More →

Alzheimer’s Association Honors Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue With Humanitarian Award

Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue is the recipient of the Alzheimer's Association's 2010 Humanitarian Award. The award is given each year to a public official who has made a significant contribution to help those who are struggling with Alzheimer's disease... Read More →

Racial Differences In Hospice Use For Heart Failure

Building on previous studies that found racial differences in hospice use, a new study from the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife and Boston University School of Medicine finds that blacks and Hispanics use hospice for advanced heart failure at a rate of up to 50 percent less than whites, despite a markedly higher rate of incidence of... [Read more of this review]

Medicare Payment Issues Raise Questions, Concerns

Medicare payment issues including rising costs, caps on physical therapy and other outpatient services for some patients are in the news. The Dallas Morning News reports that Medicare Advantage plans with drug benefits are getting more expensive: "Seniors in those plans will pay an average of $39.61 a month this year in premiums, up 14... Read More →

Has The Clock Struck 12 For Dimebon?

The Cinderella story eventually has a happy ending, but to revelers in the Dimebon story right now the time must feel like five past midnight. Some scientists have considered the sudden transformation of a modest hay fever medicine from Russia into the latest star in the AD drug development arena as a bit of a fairy tale all along... Read More →

Age Concern And Help The Aged Statement On Internet Access, UK

Commenting on research showing that four in five adults regard Internet access as their fundamental right, Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director of Age Concern and Help the Aged commented: 'Age Concern and Help the Aged wants everyone to have access to the Internet as it is a fantastic resource that brings real benefits to people, whatever stage of life... [Read more of this review]

Aspire Launches UK’s First ‘Spinning’-Style Class For Wheelchair Users

The UK's first integrated 'spinning'-style fitness class is now available at The Aspire National Training Centre in Stanmore - Europe's first fully integrated leisure facility and training centre for disabled and non-disabled people... Read More →

Apolo Anton Ohno Visits Greenwood Athletic Club To Promote The Century Council’s Ask, Listen, Learn Program

The most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian in history and star of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Apolo Anton Ohno has partnered with The Century Council and its Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix program. Today in Greenwood Village, Ohno, in conjunction with the newly formed Apolo Anton Ohno Foundation, began a five-city tour to schools throughout... [Read more of this review]

Applied Sport Psychology: A Case-Based Approach

Over 400 million people will watch the football World Cup final in Johannesburg this summer, yet one of the most important contests will be taking place before the players have walked onto the pitch as each athlete battles to win the psychological edge over their opponents... Read More →

Technology And Positive Attitudes Improving Older People’s Lives

The population of the UK is ageing. Sixteen per cent of the UK population is 65 or older, and for the first time, there are more people over the age of 65 than there are under the age of 18. This raises a lot of questions on issues such as pension provision, health care and wellbeing... Read More →

Major Depression More Than Doubles Risk Of Dementia Among Adults With Diabetes

Adults who have both diabetes and major depression are more than twice as likely to develop dementia, compared to adults with diabetes only, according to a study published in the recent Journal of General Internal Medicine. Dementia is the progressive decline of thinking and reasoning abilities... Read More →

Research Roundup: Childhood Obesity, Insurance Coverage In Cancer Trials, Hospitals Stays And Need For Nursing Homes

Health Affairs this month is devoted to the topic of childhood obesity, with the first study of the group - National, State, And Local Disparities In Childhood Obesity - pointing out that "new data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health show that the percentage of children ages 10-17 who are overweight ... Read More →

Electromagnetic Pulses Can Decrease Pain In Osteoarthritis

Electromagnetic pulses significantly decrease pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to Henry Ford Hospital researchers.  Read More →

No Consensus in Definitions of ‘had Sex’

No uniform consensus existed when a representative sample of 18- to 96-year-olds was asked what the term "had sex" meant to them, a new study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University has found.  Read More →

‘You’re Only As Old as You Feel’: Age Explained

How you think about your age may affect how you age, that's the conclusion of a research from Purdue University. "How old you are matters,  Read More →

Cerebral Plaques Lead to Neurodegeneration

In a new study on how Amyloid-Beta found in cerebral plaques, typically present in the brain of Alzheimer's patients, it has been shown to lead to neurodegeneration.  Read More →

Alzforum’s 5-Part Series On Alzheimer’s Prevention Initiative

The field is abuzz with the word "prevention," but how to pull off this vaunted goal? It's been held back by a strange Catch-22 of cost, time, and biomarker validation. That might change with a bold initiative led by Eric Reiman, Pierre Tariot, and others at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute... Read More →

Scientists Find New Form Of Prion Disease That Damages Brain Arteries

WHAT: National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists investigating how prion diseases destroy the brain have observed a new form of the disease in mice that does not cause the sponge-like brain deterioration typically seen in prion diseases. Instead, it resembles a form of human Alzheimer's disease, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, that damages brain arteries... Read More →

Protein Shown To Be Natural Inhibitor Of Aging In Fruit Fly Model

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, have identified a protein called Sestrin that serves as a natural inhibitor of aging and age-related pathologies in fruit flies... Read More →

What Is Heel Pain? What Causes Heel Pain?

Heel pain is a very common foot problem. The sufferer usually feels pain either under the heel (planter fasciitis) or just behind it (Achilles tendinitis), where the Achilles tendon connects to the heel bone. Even though heel pain can be severe and sometimes disabling, it is rarely a health threat... Read More →

Increase In The Numbers Of Older People Should Be Seen As An Opportunity For Irish Society, Says Minister Brady, Ireland

"The expected increase in the numbers of older people in the population in the years ahead will present great opportunities for Irish society", the Minister for Older People and Health Promotion, Aine Brady TD said yesterday (Thursday, 4th March 2010)... Read More →

New Prion Disease Damages Brain Arteries

A team of scientists from the US and the UK have found a new type of prion disease in mice that damages brain arteries and may help us better understand and treat types of Alzheimer's disease that cause similar damage. You can read a scientific paper about the discovery in the 5 March online issue of the journal PLoS Pathogens... Read More →

APTA Learning Center Launches Partnership With Section On Geriatricts

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has partnered with its Section on Geriatrics to publish six continuing education courses to the APTA Learning Center. This union reflects the first in a series of planned partnerships with APTA sections and chapters to provide quality, evidenced-based continuing education and professional development... [Read more of this review]

Editorial Criticizes Idaho Bill To Increase ‘Conscience’ Protections For Health Care Workers

"Last week, 21 Idaho senators injected themselves into private, painful decisions about conception, abortion and euthanasia" by advancing a bill (SB 1353) that would shield health care professionals from liability if they "decline to provide services that violate their conscience," an Idaho Statesman editorial states... Read More →

New Jersey Hospital Offers Luxury With Health, Wellness

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on Virtua Health system's newly opened Health and Wellness Center in New Jersey, and calls it "the new face of luxury." The center was a $31 million investment by the non-profit group and it is expected to do well. "While many New Jersey hospitals grapple with barely-there operating margins and a national slowdown... [Read more of this review]

Pfizer And Medivation Announce Results From Two Phase 3 Studies In Dimebon (latrepirdine) Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Development Program

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) announced results from two Phase 3 trials of the investigational drug dimebon (latrepirdine*) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the CONNECTION trial, dimebon did not meet its co-primary or secondary efficacy endpoints compared to placebo. Co-primary endpoints were measures of cognition... [Read more of this review]

MIT Student Inventor Honored For Transformative Work In Genomics And Linguistics

A scientific "Renaissance man" whose work spans the fields of mathematics, linguistics, biotechnology and polymer physics, Erez Lieberman-Aiden, graduate student at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, has been named the winner of the prestigious $30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize... Read More →

The Bonati Spine Institute Suggests Looking At Olympic Athletes For Spine Health

The Bonati Spine Institute, the leading center for the patented Bonati Spine Procedures for minimally invasive laser spine surgery, suggests that individuals look to Olympic athletes for lessons regarding spine health. While watching the 2010 Winter Olympics, adults worldwide cheered their athletes to victory... Read More →

HHS Teams Up With Olympic Athletes To Fight Childhood Obesity

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the first in a series of web videos and public service announcements to promote First Lady Michelle Obama's national initiative, Let's Move, to solve childhood obesity within a generation. Childhood obesity and excess weight threatens the healthy future of one third of American children. As... [Read more of this review]

Mount Sinai School Of Medicine And Medisyn Technologies Discover Novel Compounds For Alzheimer’s Treatment

In an announcement today, Mount Sinai School of Medicine (MSSM) and Medisyn Technologies, Inc... Read More →

Testing The Ability Of Embedded Sensors To Detect Onset Of Dementia, Infirmity

Carnegie Mellon University researchers in the Quality of Life Technology Center (QoLTC) will embed wireless sensors in the residences of about 50 older adults who live alone to see if they can detect subtle changes in everyday activities that indicate the onset of dementia or physical infirmities... Read More →

New TAU Study Says Control Freaks Can Reduce Their Stress Load And Perform Better

Budget cutbacks have left many of us with more work than ever. Now new research by Dr. Danit Ein-Gar of Tel Aviv University's Recanati Graduate School of Business Administration offers us tips to help us stay at the top of our game. And the good news is there's no need to be a "control freak." With her co-author Dr. Yael Steinhart of Haifa University,... [Read more of this review]

Clues To The Role Of Brain Plaques Typical In Alzheimer’s Patients

A study from EPFL's (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics in Lausanne Switzerland, published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, may lead to new forms of treatment following a better understanding of how Amyloid-Beta found in cerebral plaques, typically present in the brain of Alzheimer's patients,... [Read more of this review]

Soccer Reduces Risk Of Falls And Bone Fractures

An extensive research project has studied the effects of soccer on muscle strength, postural balance, bone mineral density and reflex response to a sudden push in the back among adult women and men... Read More →

South Carolina, Oklahoma And Arkansas Grapple With Medicaid Cuts To Help Balance Budget

States consider major cuts to Medicaid services and reimbursement rates to help fill gaps in the budget. The Associated Press: "Lawmakers are considering cutting all services for nearly 26,000 people with disabilities as South Carolina tries to plug a $560 million budget hole... Read More →

Nell McAndrew To Lead Team Alzheimer’s Society In Bupa Great North Run

Model and presenter Nell McAndrew is calling for people to join her in raising money for people with dementia by running for Alzheimer's Society, Bupa's nominated charity. Nell's grandad, Sam, was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and she will be running in honour of him... Read More →

Negative Phase III Trial Results For Latrepirdine (Dimebon)

"The Alzheimer's Association is disappointed to learn of the negative results from the Phase III clinical trial of latrepirdine (Dimebon)," said William Thies, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association Chief Medical and Scientific Officer. "People with Alzheimer's, their families and caregivers desperately need more and better treatment options for this devastating,... [Read more of this review]

Dementia Study Launched Within The Deaf Community

Researchers have launched a unique project to improve early diagnosis and management of dementia among Deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL). The research, funded by Alzheimer's Society, will examine how to identify dementia in Deaf people and explore how they might best cope with their condition... Read More →

Institute On Aging Study: Adult Day Health Care Improves Senior Participants’ Quality Of Life

A recent study by San Francisco's Institute on Aging (IOA) documents that adult day health programs play a vital role in helping senior participants maintain their health and independence. Since the 1970s, adult day health care has been promoted as an alternative to nursing home care for seniors with chronic illness, disability, or dementia... Read More →

Mental Activity Could Stave Off Age-Related Cognitive And Memory Decline

UC Irvine neurobiologists are providing the first visual evidence that learning promotes brain health - and, therefore, that mental stimulation could limit the debilitating effects of aging on memory and the mind... Read More →

Women More Affected Than Men By Air Pollution When Running Marathons

Poor air quality apparently affects the running times of women in marathons, according to a study by Virginia Tech civil and environmental engineer Linsey Marr. Marr's findings come from a comprehensive study that evaluated marathon race results, weather data, and air pollutant concentrations in seven marathons over a period of eight to 28 years... Read More →

Elderly Patients Who Survive ICU Stay Have High Rate Of Death In Following Years

An analysis of Medicare data indicates that elderly patients who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) and survive to be discharged from the hospital have a high rate of death in the following three years, and that, in particular, patients who receive mechanical ventilation have a substantially increased rate of death compared with both... [Read more of this review]

New Model For Testing Anti-Alzheimer’s Drugs: At A Pier Near You

Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated 27 million people worldwide. It is the most common form of age-related dementia, possibly the most feared disease of old age. There is no cure, and the available drugs only help to relieve symptoms without slowing progression of the disease... Read More →

Study Finds Delay In Referrals For Older Women With Ovarian Cancer

A study of electronic patient records, funded by the Wellcome Trust, suggests that older women with suspected ovarian cancer may be referred by their GPs for investigation later than younger women... Read More →

Study Finds Delay In Referrals For Older Women With Ovarian Cancer

A study of electronic patient records, funded by the Wellcome Trust, suggests that older women with suspected ovarian cancer may be referred by their GPs for investigation later than younger women... Read More →

20-min Revolutionary Op for Ageing Eyes

Restoring near-perfect vision for age-related problems, in a 20 minute operation, has been developed by scientists. The 20-minute operation involves  Read More →

Pharmacists Could Help Combat Osteoporosis

Pharmacists could help combat osteoporosis, as they are easily accessible and are playing a greater role in health promotion and disease prevention , say Canadian researchers.  Read More →

Students’ Physical Fitness Associated With Academic Achievement; Organized Physical Activity Linked To Lower Body Fat In Girls

Physical fitness is associated with academic performance in young people, according to a report presented at the American Heart Association's 2010 Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism... Read More →

Heart Attacks Among Spectators: Top Football Clubs Could Do Better

A new Swedish-led study found that Europe's top football clubs need better treatment equipment and procedures in order to save lives of spectators who have heart attacks in large crowded venues while watching a sporting event... Read More →

Senior Citizens Face New Obstacles To Getting Care, After Medicare Slashes Payments

The California Medical Association renewed its call for Congress to reverse deep Medicare cuts that took effect today and threaten the ability of senior citizens to get access to medical care. "As physicians, our mission in life is to serve our patients and protect their health," said Brennan Cassidy, MD, president of CMA... Read More →

Alzheimer’s Society Comment On Purpose Of Life Scores Reducing Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

Greater purpose of life could significantly reduce a person's chance of developing Alzheimer's disease according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Researchers in Chicago measured purpose of life of 951 older people who did not have dementia over an average of four years... Read More →

Has Exercise Treatment A Role In Improving Mood Swings?

A paper that is published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics analyzes the role of exercise treatment in mood swings. Outcomes are frequently suboptimal for patients with bipolar disorder who are treated with pharmacotherapy alone... Read More →

New Explanation For The Spread Of Key Protein Within The Brain, Suggesting New Ways To Diagnose And Treat Alzheimer’s

UMass Lowell Researchers' Findings Suggest New Ways to Diagnose and Treat Alzheimer's: Uncovers New Explanation for the Spread of Key Protein Within the Brain. A team of researchers at UMass Lowell has found a new mechanism by which a key protein associated with Alzheimer's disease can spread within the human brain... Read More →

Attention Seniors: The Countdown Begins To The End Of Medicare Open Enrollment

Health Net, Inc. reminds seniors, age 65 or older, and others who are eligible for Medicare that the Medicare Open Enrollment period closes on Wed., Mar. 31, 2010... Read More →

‘Biological Clock’ Could Be A Key To Better Health, Longer Life

If you aren't getting a good, consistent and regular night's sleep, a new study suggests it could reduce your ability to handle oxidative stress, cause impacts to your health, increase motor and neurological deterioration, speed aging and ultimately cut short your life. That is, if your "biological clock" genes work the same way as those of a fruit... [Read more of this review]

Young Men And Elderly Women At Biggest Risk For Shoulder Dislocations

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body and consequently one of the most commonly dislocated joints. An article published in the March 2010 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) reveals that the majority of all shoulder dislocations occur during sports activities and young males are at a higher risk... Read More →

New Ways To Diagnose And Treat Alzheimer’s Suggested By UMass Lowell Researchers’ Findings

A team of researchers at UMass Lowell has found a new mechanism by which a key protein associated with Alzheimer's disease can spread within the human brain. The research, led by UMass Lowell biological sciences professor Garth Hall, gives new hope that the disease may someday be cured... Read More →

New Tool To Predict Early Death Or Hospital Readmission

A new tool can help physicians predict the likelihood of death or readmission to hospital for patients within 30 days of discharge from hospital, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)... Read More →

Sudden Cardiac Death In Young Athletes May Be Prevented By Adding ECG To Health Exams

Each year, two in every 100,000 young athletes succumb to sudden cardiac death, fueling a debate over what constitutes a comprehensive health screening prior to sports participation... Read More →

Neuroimaging Technique Supports Reduction In Amyloid-Beta In Brains Of Patients Suffering From Alzheimer’s Disease Treated With Bapineuzumab

Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) announced that findings from a Phase II study which suggested bapineuzumab reduced amyloid-beta deposits in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients as measured using a neuroimaging technique known as [11C]PiB PET, were published in the February 28, 2010 online edition of Lancet Neurology... Read More →

Hormone Thought To Slow Aging Associated With Increased Risk Of Cancer Death

According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), older men with high levels of the hormone IGF-I (insulin-like growth factor 1) are at increased risk of cancer death, independent of age, lifestyle and cancer history... Read More →

Frequent Napping Is Associated With Increased Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes In Older Adults

A study in the March 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that frequent napping is associated with an elevated prevalence of type 2 diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in an older Chinese population. Results show that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 36 percent higher (adjusted odds ratio = 1.36) in participants who reported napping four to six... [Read more of this review]

News From Annals Of Internal Medicine, March 2, 2010

1. Early Release: Decreasing U.S. Population Sodium Intake Could Prevent Heart Attacks, Extend Lives, and Save Billions of Dollars in Health Care Costs: Collaboration with Food Industry May Help Americans consume 3,900 mg of sodium per day, 75 percent of which comes from processed food... Read More →

Palliative Care Helps Improve Quality, Cut End-Of-Life Care Costs

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on palliative care and focuses on a fairly typical American hospital in Abington. "The end of life is ... when the use and expense of health care soars. Medicare spent an estimated $143 billion in 2009 caring for people in their last year. ... Read More →

Catholic Directive May Thwart End-Of-Life Wishes

Kaiser Health News reports on questions resulting from a directive passed last November in Tulsa, Okla. "An elderly woman taken last year to St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla., had suffered a massive stroke and could no longer speak, eat or drink... Read More →

Congress’s Outrageous Failure To Act Means Deep Cuts To Medicare Payments That Jeopardize Health Care For Seniors

The California Medical Association called on Congress to act immediately to prevent deep Medicare cuts scheduled to take effect Monday that would hamper senior citizens' access to care and force physicians to contemplate turning away patients or dropping out of the program altogether... Read More →

Air Pollution May Affect Women’s Marathon Performance

A comprehensive marathon study from the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine indicates poor air quality may hinder women's marathon times. The study, led by researcher Linsey Marr, Ph.D., evaluated marathon race results, weather data and air pollutant concentrations in seven marathons over a period of 8 to 28 years... Read More →

Percentage of Older Adults Online is Poised for Record Growth

The news media often report that older Americans are adopting the Internet and broadband faster than any other age group--but it could be they just have farther to go. According to the latest report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 38 percent of U.S. adults age 65 and older are online as of December 2009, compared to 74 percent of... [Read more of this review]

Having Greater Purpose In Life Associated With A Reduced Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

Individuals who report having greater purpose in their lives appear less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or its precursor, mild cognitive impairment, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals... Read More →

Percentage of Older Adults Online is Poised for Record Growth

The news media often report that older Americans are adopting the Internet and broadband faster than any other age group--but it could be they just have farther to go. According to the latest report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 38 percent of U.S. adults age 65 and older are online as of December 2009, compared to 74 percent of... [Read more of this review]

Hospitalization For Acute Care Or Critical Illness Associated With Greater Likelihood Of Subsequent Cognitive Decline For Older Adults

Older patients hospitalized for acute care or a critical illness are more likely to experience cognitive decline compared to older adults who are not hospitalized, according to a study in the February 24 issue of JAMA. A large proportion of patients who are hospitalized for acute care or care of a critical illness are older adults... Read More →

£1.9m To Improve Care For Thalidomide Survivors In Wales

First Minister Carwyn Jones announced on Friday £1.9million for the Thalidomide Trust to improve the care and support for thalidomide survivors in Wales. The funding which will be available from April will be distributed amongst survivors to help meet their health needs and minimise any further deterioration of their condition... Read More →

The Most Frequent Error In Medicine

The most frequent error in medicine seems to occur nearly one out of three times a patient is referred to a specialist. A new study found that nearly a third of patients age 65 and older referred to a specialist are not scheduled for appointments and therefore do not receive the treatment their primary care doctor intended... Read More →

Cold Weather Falls: Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Winter statistically represents a time when older people are more susceptible to slips, trips and falls. However, Balance Master's Peter Hope argues that fall prevention is better than cure... Read More →

Vision Of Shared Prevention Trials Lures Pharma To Table

On 26 January 2010, at an ordinary airport hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, an extraordinary gathering unfolded. High-level representatives of 19 different pharma, biotech, and medical companies from across the U.S. and Europe businesses that compete fiercely for the same market spent the entire day cooped up in one room... Read More →

$250,000 Grant Awarded For Groundbreaking Ligament And Tendon Repair Research

Dr. Robert C. Bray of the University of Calgary was recently selected as the winner of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) $250,000 Ligament and Tendon Repair and Regeneration Grant for his project, "Biological Augmentation of Ligament and Tendon Healing: Role of Neuropeptides." Dr... Read More →

Age Concern And Help The Aged Respond To The DH Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board Final Year Report, UK

In response to the Department of Health's final year report for the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board, Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director for Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: 'Despite thousands of older people dying in hospital while malnourished each year, the failure of Health Ministers to lay out any concrete actions to tackle the problem... [Read more of this review]

New Program Helps Prevent Fragility Fractures

As many as half of all women and a quarter of men over the age of 50 can expect to sustain a fractured bone related to osteoporosis or low bone density. To enhance prevention and treatment of these fragility fractures, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center has implemented an innovative program called Own the Bone™ developed... [Read more of this review]

Video Games May Help Combat Depression In Older Adults

Research at the Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests a novel route to improving the symptoms of subsyndromal depression (SSD) in seniors through the regular use of "exergames" entertaining video games that combine game play with exercise... Read More →

Make Aged Care an Entitlement Like Medicare: CHA

Aged care should be made an entitlement available to every person who needs it, according to a community aged care policy blueprint released today by  Read More →

Immunosuppressive Drug Rescues Learning, Memory In Alzheimer’s Mouse Model

Rapamycin, a drug that keeps the immune system from attacking transplanted organs, may have another exciting use: fighting Alzheimer's disease. Rapamycin rescued learning and memory deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's, a team from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio... Read More →

According To 90+ Study Dementia In Extreme Elderly Population Expected To Become Epidemic

University of California researchers found that the incidence rate for all causes of dementia in people age 90 and older is 18.2% annually and significantly increases with age in both men and women. This research, called "The 90+ Study," is one of only a few to examine dementia in this age group, and the first to have sufficient participation of centenarians... Read More →

Unmarried Older Women Twice As Likely To Lack Health Insurance, Study Shows

Older women who are divorced, separated or widowed or who have never married have twice the uninsured rate of their married peers, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research... Read More →

Hospitalization and Cognitive Decline Linked In Older Adults

Older patients hospitalized for acute care or a critical illness are more likely to experience cognitive decline compared to older adults who are not  Read More →

Stroke Incidence Rising Among Younger Adults, Decreasing Among Elderly

More young people are having strokes while older people are having fewer, according to data from Ohio and Kentucky presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2010. The average age of stroke patients in 2005 was nearly three years younger than the average age of stroke patients in 1993-1994 - a significant decrease,... [Read more of this review]

Missouri Lawmaker Proposes Changes To Control Prison Health Care Costs

States struggle with funding health care for inmates, Medicaid cuts and funding health insurance for low-income residents in Minnestoa. The Columbia Missourian: "At a state budget hearing, Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, explored an unorthodox method to alleviate the corrections department's budget pressures... Read More →

National Alzheimer’s Project Act

As the leading voluntary health and advocacy organization in Alzheimer care, support and research, the Alzheimer's Association commends Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) for their recognition of the escalating Alzheimer threat... Read More →

Development Agency HelpAge International Will Oversee The Care Of Older People Left Homeless After Last Month’s Earthquake

HelpAge International, an international aid agency focusing on the needs of older people in developing countries, today assumes day-to-day management of the Port-au-Prince Municipal Nursing Home after last month's earthquake killed four of its residents and left 75 others homeless... Read More →

Results Of Pilot Study Published In Journal Of Alzheimer’s Disease Reveal That Meditation Improves Cognition In Those With Memory Loss

The Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation announced data demonstrating that a specific meditation performed daily for eight weeks increased brain activity in areas central to memory and actually improved cognition in patients suffering from memory problems... Read More →

Overweight Middle-Aged Adults At Greater Risk For Cognitive Decline In Later Life

The adverse affects of being overweight are not limited to physical function but also extend to neurological function, according to research in the latest issue of The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological and Medical Sciences (Volume 65A, Number 1). The publication presents a collection of ten articles highlighting new findings related to obesity... [Read more of this review]

Napping Boosts Brain Power

Researchers in the US found that napping boosts brain power by clearing out the brain's temporary storage space so it can absorb new information: they also propose that this clearing out process happens during a specific stage of sleep... Read More →

Age Concern And Help The Aged Response To The Law Commission’s Consultation On Social Care Law Reform, UK

In response to the Law Commission's consultation on social care law reform, Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director for Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: 'The Law Commission has taken on the enormous task of untangling the labyrinthine social care legislation and we welcome their proposals. Reforms must not undermine or dilute the existing rights of... [Read more of this review]

Hospitalization Linked To Likelihood Of Cognitive Decline For Older Adults

Older patients hospitalized for acute care or a critical illness are more likely to experience cognitive decline compared to older adults who are not hospitalized, according to a study in the February 24 issue of JAMA. A large proportion of patients who are hospitalized for acute care or care of a critical illness are older adults... Read More →

Resurrected ParticipACTION Initiative Success Underpinned By Brand, Organizations

Despite a six-year hiatus, a resurrected national physical activity initiative in Canada, ParticipACTION, still has the potential to succeed thanks to a "sticky" brand fostered over thirty successful years, and support from organizations with health promotion and physical activity as their mandates, University of Alberta researchers have found... Read More →

State Round Up: Utah Struggling With State Online Health Exchange; California Cracks Down On Discount Health Plans

The Salt Lake Tribune: "Utah lawmakers this year have spared no energy trumpeting their dislike for federal health reform, passing bills asserting states' right to govern themselves. But Utah's own health care fix, an online insurance market called the Utah Health Exchange, has gotten off to a wobbly start... Read More →

A Winning Strategy: Don’t Play Through Pain

Sometimes athletes can be their own worst enemy especially when they continue to play following an injury to a foot or ankle. Surgeons presenting at the Annual Scientific Conference of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) are discussing athletic injuries and the importance of proper diagnosis, prompt treatment, and full healing and... [Read more of this review]

Damaged Protein Identified As Early Diagnostic Biomarker For Alzheimer’s Disease In Healthy Adults

Researchers at NYU School of Medicine have found that elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of phosphorylated tau231 (P-tau231), a damaged tau protein found in patients with Alzheimer's disease, may be an early diagnostic biomarker for Alzheimer's disease in healthy adults... Read More →

TAU Finds New Synthetic Magnesium Supplement Improves Memory And Staves Off Age-Related Memory Loss

Those who live in industrialized countries have easy access to healthy food and nutritional supplements, but magnesium deficiencies are still common. That's a problem because new research from Tel Aviv University suggests that magnesium, a key nutrient for the functioning of memory, may be even more critical than previously thought for the neurons of... [Read more of this review]

Leaflet Launched To Help Hospital Staff Improve Care To People With Dementia, UK

Actor Kevin Whately is launching a new Alzheimer's Society leaflet today (Tuesday 23 February) to help tackle poor dementia care in hospitals. 'This is me' can be filled out and given to staff when a person with dementia goes into hospital and provides a 'snapshot' of the person behind the dementia... Read More →

Dentists Recommend Wearing Mouthguards During Sports To Protect Teeth, Lips, Tongue, And Jaw

The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) commends all athletes who wear mouthguards to protect their teeth & mouth area. Mouthguards are an effective way to prevent injuries to the lips, tongue, face or jaw. Everyone who takes part in sports that put them at risk of injury to the mouth area is encouraged to wear a mouthguard during their game... Read More →

Stress Affects Brain Function In Older People With Type 2 Diabetes

According to research from Edinburgh University, stress increases the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline in older people with Type 2 diabetes. Analysing 900 men and women aged between 60 and 75 with Type 2 diabetes, the study found brain function slowed down in those who had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood... Read More →

Predicting The Progression Of Alzheimer’s

An assessment has been developed which reliably predicts future performance in cognition and activities of daily living for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Alzheimer's Research & Therapy followed 597 patients over 15 years to identify factors associated with slow, intermediate and rapid... [Read more of this review]

Stress Raises The Risk Of Memory Loss And Cognitive Decline Among Older People With Diabetes, Research Suggests

This study shows that older people with diabetes who have higher levels of stress hormones in their blood are more likely to have experienced cognitive decline... Read More →

Today’s Opinions And Editorials

How The GOP Can Fix Health Care The New York Times Contributors to this Times' piece include Mark McClellan, James P. Pinkerton, Charles Kolb, Newt Gingrich and Bill Frist, who writes: "You simply need to pay people to do a good job, demand measurable outcomes and adopt proven standards of practice and information technology" (2/21)... Read More →

Patient Anxiety Reduced By 20 Percent By Regular Exercise, Study Finds

The anxiety that often accompanies a chronic illness can chip away at quality of life and make patients less likely to follow their treatment plan. But regular exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, a new University of Georgia study shows. In a study appearing in the Feb... Read More →

Research: How You Think About Your Age May Affect How You Age

The saying "You're only as old as you feel" really seems to resonate with older adults, according to research from Purdue University. "How old you are matters, but beyond that it's your interpretation that has far-reaching implications for the process of aging," said Markus H. Schafer, a doctoral student in sociology and gerontology who led the study... Read More →

Alzheimer’s Society Comment On The Care And Support Conference

The Health Secretary, Andy Burnham, held a conference discussing long-term care and support for older people on Friday. Ruth Sutherland, Acting Chief Executive, Alzheimer's Society attended the conference. 'Transforming the crumbling system of who pays for care into one which is transparent, sustainable and fair is a challenge... Read More →

What Are Leg Cramps? What Cause Leg Cramps?

Leg cramps, also known as night leg cramps, especially calf-muscle cramps, are fairly common. Some people experience cramps in the muscles of their feet, as well as their thigh muscles. In most cases these types of cramps occur while the individual is sleeping or resting. Leg cramps are sudden, painful involuntary contractions of a leg muscle... Read More →

Sex Trafficking Surge During Olympics - UNISON Women Delegates Demand Action, England

UNISON is calling for cross-agency action to prevent sex trafficking, prostitution and violence spiralling during the 2012 London Olympics. Hundreds of delegates from across the UK, representing UNISON's one million women members, voted in favour of a motion at UNISON Women's Conference, to put the issue high on the union's agenda... Read More →

Wellgate For Women Provides Support For Athletes And Winter Sports

Whether women are ice skating, skiing, playing ice hockey, snowboarding, or simply running on the treadmill at home, the right support is important to fully enjoy all winter activities. Simply walking on ice and through snow can be stressful for women's limbs and requires the right support to help prevent injury and fractures, such as the specially-designed... [Read more of this review]

Elderly Residents Need More Nurses, Australia

The aged care sector needs an injection of funds because the hard working nurses and personal carers workloads are becoming unmanageable, said Australian Nursing Federation Acting Federal Secretary Lee Thomas. "Residents are forced to wait long periods for care and this situation will only worsen as the population ages... Read More →

Mayo Clinic Health Letter: Highlights From The February Issue

Here are highlights from the February issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit http://www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com... Read More →

Research Roundup: Financing Boomers’ Care; California’s Budget Cuts; Racial Disparities In Surgical Outcomes

Health Affairs: Chronic Conditions Account For Rise In Medicare Spending From 1987 To 2006 - "Medicare beneficiaries' medical needs, and where beneficiaries undergo treatment, have changed dramatically over the past two decades... Read More →

Findings Suggest That A Biphasic Sleep Schedule Not Only Refreshes The Mind, But Can Make You Smarter

If you see a student dozing in the library or a co-worker catching 40 winks in her cubicle, don't roll your eyes. New research from the University of California, Berkeley, shows that an hour's nap can dramatically boost and restore your brain power. Indeed, the findings suggest that a biphasic sleep schedule not only refreshes the mind, but can make... [Read more of this review]

Medicare Advantage Premiums Jump 14 Percent

The Associated Press: "Millions of seniors who signed up for popular private health plans through Medicare are facing sharp premium increases this year - another sign that spiraling costs are a problem even for those with solid insurance. A study to be released Friday ... found that premiums for Medicare Advantage plans offering medical and prescription... [Read more of this review]

What Is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? What Causes Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI or intracranial injury, is generally the result of a sudden, violent blow or jolt to the head. The brain is launched into a collision course with the inside of the skull, resulting in possible bruising of the brain, tearing of nerve fibers and bleeding... Read More →

Leaders In Sports Medicine Discuss Prevention And Treatment Of Injuries In Young Athletes Feb. 27 In New York

Leaders in Sports Medicine Discuss Prevention and Treatment of Injuries in Young Athletes Event: Hospital for Special Surgery 12th Annual Sports Medicine for the Young Athlete Conference It is estimated that more than 30 million children participate in sports in the United States and every year more than 3.5 million receive medical treatment for sports... [Read more of this review]

Proximity To Physical Activity Resources Found To Benefit Older Men

A new study points to the health benefits of living in neighborhoods with built-in physical activity resources. Researchers conducted a study among community-dwelling men age 65 years or older from the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area... Read More →

NASS Winter Sports Tips For Spine Health

With the 2010 Winter Olympics well underway in Vancouver, children and adults worldwide are watching the exciting festivities and cheering their country to victory. For some, however, the Olympic spirit will ignite a passion within to take up a winter sport of their own. "Getting active outside during winter is an excellent way to exercise and help... [Read more of this review]

What Is Altitude Sickness (acute Mountain Sickness)? What Causes Altitude Sickness?

Altitude sickness, also called acute mountain sickness (AMS), altitude illness, hypobaropathy, Acosta disease, puna, or soroche is a disorder caused by being at high altitude where air pressure is low without prior acclimatization (the process of gradual exposure). If it does occur, it will do so at altitudes above 8,000 feet (2,500 meters) - 8000 meters... [Read more of this review]

Born To Run: Variations In One Gene May Be Associated With Endurance Running

A few minor variations in one gene may make a difference in athletic endurance, according to a new study from Physiological Genomics. The study found that elite endurance athletes were more likely to have variations of the NRF2 gene than elite sprinters... Read More →

Alzheimer’s Risk Linked to Untreated Poor Vision in Elderly

A University of Michigan Health System study says that lack of adequate vision coverage of older adults may put them at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease - the most common form of dementia.  Read More →

States’ Retiree Benefits Underfunded By At Least $1 Trillion

State governments' retiree pension and health plans are severely underfunded, according to a new report from the Pew Center on States. The Wall Street Journal: "States promised current and retired workers a total of $3.35 trillion in benefits through June 30, 2008" but "contributed only $2.35 trillion to their benefit plans to pay current and future... [Read more of this review]

Exercise Helps Protect Brain Of Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Highly fit multiple sclerosis patients perform significantly better on tests of cognitive function than similar less-fit patients, a new study shows. In addition, MRI scans of the patients showed that the fitter MS patients showed less damage in parts of the brain that show deterioration as a result of MS, as well as a greater volume of vital gray matter... Read More →

Two Researchers Awarded $100,000 Potamkin Prize From American Academy Of Neurology

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is awarding its 2010 Potamkin Prize to two researchers for their work in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), a common type of dementia. Bruce L. Miller, MD, and Lennart Mucke, MD, both of the University of California San Francisco will receive the Award during the AAN's 62nd Annual... [Read more of this review]

Untreated Poor Vision In Elderly Linked To Dementia

Elderly people with visual disorders that are left untreated are significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease -- the most common form of dementia, according to a University of Michigan Health System study. The study used Medicare data and shows that those with poor vision who visited an ophthalmologist at least once for an examination were... [Read more of this review]

Deficiencies In End-Of-Life Care Across U.S.

Approximately 66 percent of respondents to a Maryland telephone survey do not have advance medical directives, according to a new report by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Department of Health Policy and Management... Read More →

Effective Education About Seniors’ Health Care Needs To Be The Focus Of Meeting

The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) - the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America - will hold its 36th Annual Meeting and Educational Leadership Conference from March 4 to 7, 2010, at The Peppermill in Reno, NV... Read More →

VTT Has Developed A Rapid Image Analysis Method To Help Diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a method for analysing MR images in just a few minutes when diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. The accuracy of the analysis is comparable to manual measurements made by skilled professionals, which are currently considered the most reliable method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease... Read More →

Computer Simulation Of Protein Malfunction Related To Alzheimer’s Disease

The research proposes a three-dimensional model which simulates the interaction between the peptide Amyloid beta and the different forms of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and offers a first molecular base for the comprehension of this phenomenon. Three possible ApoE forms exist in humans: ApoE2, ApoE3 and ApoE4. ApoE3 is the most common form, while ApoE4 is... [Read more of this review]

Report Suggests Compromise Is Possible In Care For Elderly Battle, UK

This month has seen major arguments between opposing political parties in the US, Germany and now the UK, over ways to trim rapidly growing healthcare costs. At the heart of the problem is the need to find resources to fund care for an aging population. One cross party initiative in the UK to address this issue collapsed spectacularly last weekend... Read More →

Poor Evidence For Effectiveness Of Influenza Vaccines In Elderly

Evidence for the safety and efficacy of influenza vaccines in the over 65s is poor, despite the fact that vaccination has been recommended for the prevention of influenza in older people for the past 40 years. These are the conclusions of a new Cochrane Systematic Review. Adults aged 65 and over are some of the most vulnerable during influenza season... [Read more of this review]

New Mathematical Model To Predict Sports Injuries From Equations Developed By Spanish Researchers

Noticias UGR Spanish researchers have developed a new mathematical model that predicts sports injuries from a series of equations. Their work has proved that sport injuries that affect the lower limbs in high-impact sport, such as football, athletics or basketball, can be predicted through the use of equations of logistic regression. This paper has... [Read more of this review]

Experts Discuss Altitude And Performance With A Focus On The Winter Olympics

For winter sports athletes, including Olympians competing in Vancouver this week, the altitude of the sports venue can have a significant impact on performance, requiring athletes in skill sports, such as figure skating, ski jumping and snowboarding, to retool highly technical moves to accommodate more or less air resistance... Read More →

Researchers Develop A New Mathematical Model To Predict Slight Sports Injuries From Equations

Spanish researchers have developed a new mathematical model that permits to predict sport injuries from a series of equations. Their work has proved that sport injuries that affect the lower limbs in high-impact sport, such as football, athletics or basketball, can be predicted through the use of equations of logistic regression. This paper has been... [Read more of this review]

Simple Test May Help Judge Concussion In Athletes

A simple test of reaction time may help determine whether athletes have sustained a concussion (also known as mild traumatic brain injury) and when they are ready to play again, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010... Read More →

New Risk Factor For Second-Most-Common Form Of Early-Onset Dementia

Examining brain tissue from over 500 individuals in 11 countries, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues found a new risk factor for the second-most-common cause of early-onset dementia after Alzheimer's disease... Read More →

Alzheimer’s Society Comment On New Research Into Causes Of Fronto-temporal Dementia, UK

New research published in Nature Genetics has identified two genes located on chromosome 7 and 17 respectively that have variants that increase the risk of fronto-temporal dementia (FTD)... Read More →

Seniors Stymied In Wait For Kidney Transplants

One-third of people over the age of 65 wait longer than necessary for lifesaving, new kidneys because their doctors fail to put them in a queue for organs unsuitable to transplant in younger patients but well-suited to seniors, research from Johns Hopkins suggests... Read More →

What Is Malnutrition? What Causes Malnutrition?

Malnutrition is a broad term which refers to both undernutrition (subnutrition) and overnutrition. Individuals are malnourished, or suffer from undernutrition if their diet does not provide them with adequate calories and protein for maintenance and growth, or they cannot fully utilize the food they eat due to illness... Read More →

How Will the New Credit Card Rules Protect You?

In an effort to protect consumers from unfair--and unexpected--credit card practices, President Obama signed a bill into law in May 2009 that sets new regulations for credit card companies and how they do business. These new credit card rules take effect on February 22, 2010. If you use credit cards, it's important to learn about the new credit card... [Read more of this review]

Some Business Professionals And Winter Olympians Share Risk-Taking Behavior

Why do Winter Olympic athletes risk injury and possible death for their sport? At the upcoming games in Vancouver, gutsy athletes will be flying down the bobsled track, downhill skiers will be recording enormous speeds, and snowboarders will be flying well above the half pike. What do many of these Winter Olympians have in common? According to sports... [Read more of this review]

Catching Calcium Waves Could Provide Alzheimer Insights

New insights on what causes Alzheimer's disease could arise from a recent discovery made by bioengineers from the University of California, San Diego. The finding concerns the infamous amyloid beta peptides (Aβ) - fragments of which form plaques thought to play a role in Alzheimer's disease... Read More →

Potential For A Muscle-Preserving Therapy

Hey guys, remember the muscle shirts we wore in our teens and 20s? After the age of 40 that meager part of our wardrobes usually is obsolete. Yes, at the big 4-0 we begin to lose muscle, and by age 80 up to a third of it may be gone. It's an inevitable process of aging called sarcopenia... Read More →

Federal Health Care Tax Credits Going Unclaimed

"Federal healthcare benefits are going unclaimed by an estimated 17,000 Californians whose jobs were moved overseas or retirees whose pensions are being paid by the government after their former employers terminated their retirement plans," the Los Angeles Times reports... Read More →

Exploring The Limits: Understanding The Challenges Facing Winter Olympic Champions

As the world turns its sporting gaze towards Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, The Physiological Society journal Experimental Physiology marks the occasion with a special issue exploring the biological and environmental challenges elite winter athletes must overcome to win gold... Read More →

Canadian Teens Will be Taught About Safe Sex by Wonder Vag, Captain Condom

A new way to teach youngsters about safe sex has been devised by the Middlesex-London health authority in Canada. It has come up with a sex-ed game, Adventures in Sex City.  Read More →

National Positive Ageing Strategy: Minister Aine Brady TD Invites Older People To Have Their Say, Ireland

The Minister for Older People and Health Promotion, Aine Brady TD said that she is beginning a series of meetings around the country to hear at first hand the views of older people on issues that affect them. The meetings are a further part of the Minister's work to develop a new Positive Ageing Strategy... Read More →

Strengthen Your Core Like Olympic Skiers

If you're going to hurl yourself down a mountain at speeds in excess of 70 miles per hour you'd better have a strong core. That's why Olympians like Ted Ligety, Lindsey Vonn and Sara Schleper work on developing strong "core" muscles all season long. Most people know that having a strong core is critical for optimal skiing performance... Read More →

OPKO Health Announces Development Of Blood Test For Alzheimer’s Disease

OPKO Health, Inc. (NYSE Amex:OPK) announced the development of a simple diagnostic blood test for Alzheimer's disease. The test, designed to detect elevated levels of antibodies unique to Alzheimer's disease, was approximately 95% accurate in initial testing... Read More →

MPS Warns Doctors To Be Cautious When Declaring Patients Fit For Marathons

MPS is advising doctors to be cautious when completing fitness and health forms for patients competing in sporting and athletic events. This follows enquiries from MPS members about the implications of declaring patients fit and in good health - a registration requirement for the upcoming Rome Marathon (Maratona di Roma, 21 March 2010)... Read More →

Using Science To Decode The Secrets Of Olympic Skeleton Sliding

Olympic skeleton athletes will hit the ice next month in Vancouver, where one-hundredths of a second can dictate the difference between victory and defeat. Using state-of-the-art flow measurements, engineering professor Timothy Wei and students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., are employing science and technology to help the U.S... Read More →

Development Of Dietary Formula That Maintains Youthful Function Into Old Age

Researchers at McMaster University have developed a cocktail of ingredients that forestalls major aspects of the aging process. The findings are published in the current issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine... Read More →

Heavy Rains Hit Tent Camps In Haiti

Heavy rains hit earthquake survivors in tent camps in Port-au-Prince on Thursday, "bringing a warning of fresh misery to come for the 1 million people living on the streets," Reuters reports... Read More →

Calif. Budget Cuts Will Hit Adult Day Care Centers, Prison Health Care; Texas And Kansas Weigh Medicaid Cuts

The Los Angeles Times, on adult day care centers in California: "Under the most recent cost-saving budget proposals, 327 adult day healthcare centers throughout California would be eliminated. Cuts could save the state $135 million in fiscal 2011, state projections show... Read More →

AMA Unhappy With Senate Plan For Medicare ‘Doc Fix’

The American Medical Association is criticizing "a Senate plan for avoiding a proposed 21 percent cut in government payments to physicians who treat the elderly, calling the proposal a 'Band-Aid' measure," Bloomberg/BusinessWeek reports... Read More →

Risk of Elevators Still High for Senior Adults

A recent study has opined that elevators can prove dangerous to senior adults, even though they are considered one of the safest forms of transportation today.  Read More →

Social Security Administration For Adding Early-Onset Alzheimer’s To Its Compassionate Allowances Initiative - Alzheimer’s Association Statement

In its effort to improve and expedite the disability determination process, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that it will add early-onset Alzheimer's disease to its Compassionate Allowances Initiative... Read More →

QR Pharma Initiates Clinical Trial For Cognitively Impaired Patients

QR Pharma, Inc. (QR), a developer of novel drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), announced that it began a clinical trial of its lead compound, Posiphen, in early stage AD patients... Read More →

Risk For Bone Fractures In Older Women Increased By Diabetes Drug

A Henry Ford Hospital study finds women with type 2 diabetes who take a commonly prescribed class of medications to treat insulin resistance may be at a higher risk for developing bone fractures. After taking a thiazolidinedione (TZD) for one year, women are 50 percent more likely to have a bone fracture than patients not taking TZDs, according to study... [Read more of this review]

ExonHit Chosen To Join The European Innovative Medicines Initiative Consortium On Alzheimer’s Disease

ExonHit Therapeutics S.A. (Paris:ALEHT) (Alternext: ALEHT) is pleased to announce that it has been chosen to participate in the European Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) consortium focused on identifying biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (PharmaCog). PharmaCog focuses on translational science and harmonization of research tools... Read More →

Feeding Tube Use More Likely At Big, For-Profit Hospitals

Larger, for-profit hospitals may be using too many feeding tubes on patients with advanced dementia without improving the quality of their care, a study finds, according to HealthDay News/Business Week... Read More →

Survey: Doctors Need More Knowledge About Exercise And Pregnancy

Research conducted by the President of the American College of Sports Medicine and colleagues shows many doctors aren't sure what to tell their pregnant patients about exercise. ACSM President James Pivarnik, Ph.D., FACSM, and colleagues Patricia Bauer, Ph.D., and Cliff Broman, Ph.D., surveyed 93 M.D.s, D.O... Read More →

Research Supports First Lady’s Childhood Obesity Initiative

First Lady Michelle Obama announced yesterday an initiative to reverse rising levels of childhood obesity - and scientific research from the American College of Sports Medicine backs up the strategies related to physical activity in her "Let's Move" campaign... Read More →

Publication Of The Review Of The Elder Abuse Framework And Structures, Ireland

Ms Mary Harney, T.D., Minister for Health and Children, published the Review of the Elder Abuse Service. The Minister welcomed the Report which found that "progress was most evident and pronounced in the health sector"... Read More →

New Journal To Be Launched By SAGE: Geriatric Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation

Geriatric Orthopaedic Surgery & Rehabilitation is a new bimonthly journal being launched in September 2010 by SAGE, the world's leading independent academic and professional publisher... Read More →

Elevator-Related Injuries And Older Adults

In the first large-scale epidemiological study of elevator-related injuries in older adults in the United States, researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and an Ohio State University colleague report in the January 2010 issue of The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection, and Critical Care on the frequency, nature and opportunities for... [Read more of this review]

High Prevalence Of Atrial Fibrillation Found Among Cross-Country Skiers

Next month, in the Norwegian town of Rena, 12,000 elite cross-country skiers will line up for this year's Birkebeiner ski marathon, an annual endurance race which will take them through 54 kilometres of snow-covered countryside to the winter sports resort of Lillehammer... Read More →

The Attitude Of Secondary Students Towards Physical Education Improved By Role-Playing Games

A research work performed at the University of Granada (Spain) has proved that role-playing games have a very positive effect on the knowledge and habits of physical and sports practice from a health viewpoint in students of Secondary Education, as their practice can make that exercise and healthy life habits are more attractive for teenagers... Read More →

Loss of Hand-grip Strength in Elderly Associated With Poor Survival

An article in ICMAJ/I (ICanadian Medical Association Journal/I) says that poor or declining handgrip strength in the oldest old is associated  Read More →

Alzheimer’s Treatment Not Improved By Marijuana

The benefits of marijuana in tempering or reversing the effects of Alzheimer's disease have been challenged in a new study by researchers at the University  Read More →

Hypertension Signals Progression To Dementia In Elderly

Hypertension predicts progression to dementiaSUP /SUPin elderly with executive dysfunction but not memorySUP/SUPdysfunction. Control of hypertension  Read More →

Neuroimaging Study May Pave Way For Effective Alzheimer’s Treatments

Scientists have determined that a new instrument known as PIB-PET is effective in detecting deposits of amyloid-beta protein plaques in the brains of living people, and that these deposits are predictive of who will develop Alzheimer's disease... Read More →

For Senior Care, Sometimes It Does Take A Village

In an article for Kaiser Health News and The Washington Post, Howard Gleckman writes about elder villages. "Nearly three years ago, Harry Rosenberg and his wife, Barbara Filner, met with nine of their neighbors about starting an aging-in-place "village" in the Burning Tree community of Bethesda, Maryland... Read More →

Older Adults And Babies Most Vulnerable To Preventable Head Injuries Suffered At Home

Accidental falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injury among Americans of all ages according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). And among Americans age 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries. Among older adults, traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes nearly 50 percent of fall-related fatalities... Read More →

Assistive Technology Helps Dementia Sufferers Get Through The Day

Tens of millions of elderly people in the EU suffering from mild dementia may be able to look after themselves, and free up their carers, thanks to a new European-developed system. One of the first and most debilitating symptoms of dementia is short-term memory loss, which means care is required for people who are otherwise quite capable of looking... [Read more of this review]

State Health Policy Developments: Doctor Shortages, California Insurance Crackdown

News outlets across the country report on state health policy developments. The Los Angeles Times: "At a time when nearly 7 million Californians are uninsured, state regulators are trying to rein in discount health and dental plans that officials say frequently overstate benefits, offer little if any savings and promise access to doctors... [Read more of this review]

Identification Of First Genetic Variant Linked To Biological Aging In Humans

Scientists have announced that they have identified for the first time definitive variants associated with biological ageing in humans. The team analyzed more than 500,000 genetic variations across the entire human genome to identify the variants which are located near a gene called TERC... Read More →

Canadian Dietitians ‘Dish Up’ Gold Medal Advice And Menus For Olympic Athletes

Dietitians are key members of the Olympic team - advising elite athletes on what to eat and ensuring they get the right foods to fuel them during their competitive events. "In addition to the rigorous coaching, training and commitment, Olympic athletes need the right foods every day for success... Read More →

Mimicking Hereditary Deafness In A Mouse Brings Doctors Closer To A Cure

Deafness is the most common disorder of the senses. Tragically, it commonly strikes in early childhood, severely damaging an affected child's ability to learn speech and language... Read More →

Association Between Hand-Grip Strength And Poor Survival In Seniors

Poor or declining handgrip strength in the oldest old is associated with poor survival and may be used as a tool to assess mortality, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) The fastest growing segment of the elderly population is the group older than 85 years, classified as the oldest old... Read More →

KHN Column: Yes, Let’s Talk About Those Republican Ideas

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, done in partnership with The New Republic, Jonathan Cohn writes: ''[F]or much of the last year, Republicans have been scaring the bejeezus out of seniors by telling them that Democrats were out to destroy Medicare. But the Roadmap makes clear that it's not Democrats who seek massive, disruptive changes to the... [Read more of this review]

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