Diabetes Epidemic Now Poses Challenges for Nursing Homes
More and more people with diabetes are living to older ages, thanks to medical advances. But the long-term facilities, such as nursing homes, that care for aging Americans may not be ready for the additional challenges that come with treating patients with diabetes. “We need to spend appropriate time to think of a way to successfully provide care for people with diabetes as they enter their elder... Read more
Poor blood flow to brain may provoke Alzheimer’s: study
A slow, chronic reduction of blood sugar to the brain could trigger some forms of Alzheimer’s disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. The study of human and mice brains suggests a reduction of blood flow deprives energy to the brain, setting off a process that ultimately produces the sticky clumps of protein researchers believe is a cause of the disease, they said. The finding could lead... Read more
Older people mixing drugs: study
Potentially dangerous mixing of medications is common among older people and non-prescription drugs are the culprit more than half of the time, a new study has found. US researchers found nearly one out of every 25 people aged 57 to 85 took dangerous combinations of drugs with the potential for serious interactions, the study found. For men ages 75 to 85, it was as high as 1 in 10. “The public... Read more
Study Shows Exercise Shields Against Osteoporosis
Doing weight-bearing exercise during adolescence may help women maintain their bone strength in old age, a new study says. Published online Dec. 22 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the Japanese study drew its conclusions by looking at the teenage exercise habits of 46 postmenopausal women, now aged 52 or older. Those who had participated in low-impact, weight-bearing exercise, such as swimming,... Read more
Rules Change Could Increase Hospice Use
More people with life-threatening illnesses would seek hospice care if Medicare and other health insurers dropped the requirement that they give up aggressive treatment of their ailments, a new study finds. That was especially true of blacks, but the issue was one of money, not race, said Dr. David Casarett, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and leader of a group... Read more
2 Cardiovascular Proteins Tied to Severity of Alzheimer’s
U.S. researchers have spotted two proteins that deliver a double hit to the brain function of Alzheimer’s disease patients. The proteins — SRF (serum response factor) and myocardin — lessen blood flow in the brain and reduce the rate at which the brain is able to remove amyloid beta, the protein that accumulates in damaging quantities in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, say... Read more
Not All Dementia Is Called Alzheimer’s
A common form of dementia often mistaken for Alzheimer’s can be prevented with good health habits, a new report says. Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), the second most common cause of dementia, occurs in up to 4 percent of Americans over age 65 and up to 20 percent of those with some form of dementia. Brain damage from multiple small strokes, which can occur from narrowing or blocked arteries... Read more
The best exercise programs benefit the elderly
Older adults who regularly take part in top-rated, low-cost physical activity programs offered by their local senior center or YMCA can see noticeable improvement in physical functioning and lower their risk of becoming disabled, research shows. “Older adults can benefit greatly from these programs,” Susan L. Hughes told Reuters Health. Hughes, co-director at the Center for Research on... Read more
Hypertension Might Hinder Thinking
Sudden surges in blood pressure could make seniors with chronic hypertension a little less smart, new research suggests. “If you have high blood pressure, on days when your blood pressure spikes higher than normal, cognitive ability is worse than normal,” concluded lead researcher Jason Allaire, an assistant professor of psychology at North Carolina State University, in Raleigh. Whether... Read more
Many Americans turning to alternative medicine
About four in 10 U.S. adults and one in nine children are turning to alternative medical approaches for chronic pain and other health problems, health officials said on Wednesday. Back pain was the leading reason that Americans reported using complementary and alternative medicine techniques, followed by neck and joint pain as well as arthritis, according to the survey by the National Institutes of... Read more