Lesbian, gay, bisexual communities more at-risk for dementia, study finds
"Lesbian, gay and bisexual -- or LGB -- people are more vulnerable to one of the fastest-growing health concerns in the country: dementia, according to new research from Michigan State University."
Does air pollution affect mental health later in life?
"In a study of women aged 80 years and older, living in locations with higher exposures to air pollution was associated with increased depressive symptoms. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society."
Inclusion is key for all to thrive throughout life, report says
"When it comes to optimizing longevity fitness through attention to social, health, and wealth aspects of life, many Americans face intractable inequities based on the color of their skin, where they live, their sex, and who they love. The COVID-19 pandemic has further demonstrated the additional impacts affecting these demographics through the increased number of cases and mortality rates."
UCF researcher examines benefits of supportive communities for older adults
"The number of Americans age 65 and older continues to increase as the baby boom generation ages and people are living longer. At the same time, many seniors plan to age in place, or continue living in their current homes, despite needing more assistance as they get older."
Toolkit to engage patients and families significantly reduced falls and injuries
"Falls are the leading cause of preventable injury, and while many strategies have been developed to try to stop them and their resultant injuries, they remain a persistent problem. Research by Brigham and Women's Hospital senior nurse scientist Patricia C. Dykes, PhD, MA, RN, and colleagues has been driven by the question"
Study shows delirium can signal presence of COVID-19 in asymptomatic older patients in ED
"A study published today in JAMA Network Open/Emergency Medicine supports evidence that older persons admitted to emergency departments (ED), and subsequently diagnosed positive for COVID-19, often present with delirium when they show no other typical COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever and cough. "
Home Instead joins forces with Amazon Business to brighten the holiday season for older adults
"For nearly two decades, Home Instead's® Be a Santa to a Senior® program has been a seasonal staple in local communities across the country, delivering presents and essential items to seniors who might not otherwise receive a gift over the holidays."
Study: exercise classes reduce loneliness, social isolation in older adults
"Older adults who joined group exercise classes experienced decreased loneliness and social isolation, according to a new Cedars-Sinai study conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic. The classes have continued virtually since March, and early results suggest the online versions are also effective."
Social distancing is increasing loneliness in older adults
"Social distancing introduced in response to COVID-19 is increasing feelings of loneliness in Scotland's older population and impacting their wellbeing, according to a new University of Stirling study."
United Church Homes expands presence in Northeast Ohio with acquisition of two senior living properties from Harbor Woods Living.
"The properties, built in 2016, are located in Brunswick and Niles, Ohio, and operate as Harbor Woods Living at Brunswick and Harbor Woods Living at Niles. Each four-story building has 127 one- and two-bedroom spacious apartments with modern amenities that cater to active adults over age 55."
Weekly physical activity may help prevent mild cognitive impairment conversion to dementia
"Exercising more than once per week is associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment, research published in the open access journal Alzheimer's Research and Therapy suggests."
USC study reveals one-two punch of symptoms that exacerbate Alzheimer's
"A new Alzheimer's study found that impaired blood flow in the brain is correlated with the buildup of tau tangles, a hallmark indicator of cognitive decline."
The proof is in the pudding
"As Australia's aged care sector continues to be scrutinised, researchers at the University of South Australia show that plain solutions are often the best, with a new study finding that aged care residents can improve their nutrition intake simply by increasing their meal sizes."
Tuned lighting helps nursing home residents get better sleep, study finds
"Nursing home residents tend to fall asleep at all hours of the day, and during the night, their sleep may be interrupted by periods of wakefulness.It's a vicious cycle of fragmented sleep that can place residents at risk for poor health outcomes, including depression and increased frailty, said Rosa Baier, an associate professor of the practice in health services, policy and practice who directs the Center for Long-Term Care Quality & Innovation at the Brown University School of Public Health."
Study finds older adults using cannabis to treat common health conditions
"University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers report that older adults use cannabis primarily for medical purposes to treat a variety of common health conditions, including pain, sleep disturbances and psychiatric conditions like anxiety and depression."
Study details strategies to address barriers keeping older adults out of clinical trials
"The study examined what has been done and chartered a roadmap to improve equitable access using the best-available scientific literature on barriers to older adult participation in cancer clinical trials"
Report calls for easing access, improving home health for older adults
"Older adults have suffered disproportionately from the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased risk of severe illness and death reported across the globe. A new report argues that one policy change made during the pandemic should remain in place after the novel coronavirus virus fades away: better access to home health services through Medicare."
Social isolation puts women at higher risk of hypertension
"It’s no secret that loneliness and social isolation have a negative impact on the mental and physical health of older adults. Now, researchers at the University of British Columbia are discovering that social isolation affects the health of men and women in different ways--including placing women at higher risk of high blood pressure."
Regular social engagement linked to healthier brain microstructure in older adults
"Older people who report greater levels of social engagement have more robust gray matter in regions of the brain relevant in dementia, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. It is the first to use a particularly sensitive type of brain imaging to conduct such an evaluation."
Keeping the spark lit into the golden years
"The article suggests that passion and grit are strongly correlated early in life, especially in boys. Young people who are passionate about something are willing to go the distance to achieve it."
Especially important for older men need to stay hydrated
"Our ability to regulate body temperature and keep our bodies from becoming dehydrated declines as we get older. New research published today in The Journal of Physiology improves our understanding of the relation between temperature regulation and dehydration."
Dementia prevention strategies could save £1.9 billion annually
"Programmes to reduce dementia risk by targeting smoking, high blood pressure and hearing loss are likely to be cost-effective and cost saving by reducing dementia rates by 8.5%, finds a new study by UCL and LSE researchers."
Study finds older persons underrepresented in COVID-19 treatment and vaccine trials
"A study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine revealed that older persons are highly likely to be excluded from the majority of COVID-19 trials that seek to establish effective treatments, as well as find a preventive vaccine. This is despite the fact that older persons are overwhelmingly impacted by COVID-19."
Improved mobility in frail and elderly adults linked to common gene variant
"Variations in a gene that regulates dopamine levels in the brain may influence the mobility of elderly and frail adults, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health."
Suffering in silence: two-thirds of older adults say they won't treat their depression
"A new nationwide poll, the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor, shows that nearly two-thirds (61%) of Americans age 65 or older who have concerns about having depression will not seek treatment. In fact, nearly 1 in 3 (33%) seniors who are concerned they might be suffering from depression believe they can snap out of it on their own."
Delirium a key sign of COVID-19 in frail, older people
"A new analysis of data from researchers at King's College London using information from the COVID Symptom Study app and patients admitted to St Thomas' Hospital in London, has shown that delirium - a state of acute confusion associated with a higher risk of serious illness and death - is a key symptom of COVID-19 in frail, older people."
COVID-19 infection may be part of a 'perfect storm' for Parkinson's disease
"That's the question posed by a new commentary published in the journal Trends in Neurosciences, which explores three known case studies of people developing Parkinson's-like symptoms in the weeks following infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19."
