thirdAGE – Page 7

Get a Good Night’s Sleep: Reset Your Biological Clock

Some people are blessed with the ability to sleep anywhere at any time. Others find falling asleep a challenge that worsens with the passing of years. Left unattended, insomnia can become chronic, disabling and eventually even a medical condition. Ronald M. Bazar, author of the book Sleep Secrets: How to Fall Asleep Fast, Beat Fatigue… Continue reading Get a Good Night’s Sleep: Reset Your Biological Clock

The Eight Myths about Senior Living Facilities

The myths of senior living are ubiquitous. Thanks to a 24-hour news cycle, outrageous daytime TV shows, and a generally negative stereotype, retirement homes and senior living facilities often bear the brunt of false allegations and rumors. Debunking the myths of senior living is critical for families looking to broach the subject of a… Continue reading The Eight Myths about Senior Living Facilities

Antidepressants and AD Drugs May Help Stroke Survivors

Evidence is mounting that drugs used to treat depression and Alzheimer’s disease also can help patients recover from strokes, a new study shows. But large, well-designed studies are needed before any drug can be recommended routinely for stroke recovery, according to a paper in the journal Drugs and Aging by neurologists Xabier Beristain, MD, and… Continue reading Antidepressants and AD Drugs May Help Stroke Survivors

More Medicine May Not Be Better Medicine for Older Patients

Seniors being treated with medicine for levels of blood sugar and hypertension may be able to take less medicine without losing any benefits, new research shows. A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests doctors and patients should work together to backpedal such treatment more often. The reason: In people in their 70s and… Continue reading More Medicine May Not Be Better Medicine for Older Patients

Answers to The Top 20 Exercise Questions

Editor’s note: We hear a lot about exercise, but we may not be aware of the basics we need to know, especially as we get older. Here, from the experts at Go4Life, a division of the National Institute on Aging, are the most important exercise questions and answers. Remember to always ask your doctor before… Continue reading Answers to The Top 20 Exercise Questions

Memory Complaints in Older Women May Signal Thinking Problems Decades Later

A study published in the October 28th, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology suggests that older women who complain of memory problems may be at higher risk for experiencing diagnosed memory and thinking impairment decades later. A release from the academy quotes study author Allison Kaup, PhD,… Continue reading Memory Complaints in Older Women May Signal Thinking Problems Decades Later

A Protein May Help Fight Aging Memory

Investigators have discovered an interesting way that may improve memory and learning in aging brains: by increasing the quantity of a protein in nerve cells. The study, led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VA) and University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine, was published… Continue reading A Protein May Help Fight Aging Memory

An Important Discovery About Myeloma

Researchers have made a crucial discovery about how myeloma, an incurable type of blood cancer, develops from an often symptomless prior blood disorder. The findings, by researchers from the University of Birmingham, in the UK, could lead to more effective treatments and ways to identify those most at risk of developing the cancer. Every patient… Continue reading An Important Discovery About Myeloma

The Sibling Problem in Caregiving

By Nancy Wurtzel Few roles are as stressful for adult children as caregiving for their aging parents. The caregiving often begins slowly with a few simple tasks needed on occasion. However, as the parent ages and their needs change, the once sporadic duties may develop into a full-time commitment. Long-term caregiving for mom or dad… Continue reading The Sibling Problem in Caregiving

“Health Risk Assessment” Questionnaire Benefits Non-Disabled Elderly

Implementation of a collaborative care model among community-dwelling older people using a health risk assessment instrument resulted in better health behaviors and increased use of preventative care, according to a study published in October 2015 in PLOS Medicine. The trial, conducted by Andreas Stuck from the University Hospital Bern and University of Bern, Switzerland, and… Continue reading “Health Risk Assessment” Questionnaire Benefits Non-Disabled Elderly

A Search for Better Hearing-Loss Treatments

Researchers have made a discovery that paves the way for understanding the “genetics of hearing” and may eventually lead to better treatment for hearing loss. Almost 40 million Americans suffer from hearing loss. There is no way to reverse this condition, largely because auditory hair cells, which sense sound and relay that information to the… Continue reading A Search for Better Hearing-Loss Treatments

The Best and Worst Halloween Treats for Your Teeth

Halloween is fast approaching and that means time for trick-or-treating and lots of candy for both kids + grownups. But that yummy candy can bring about problems for our teeth – from tooth decay to eroding enamel. Author Dr. Susan Maples, writes in her book if you do it right, Halloween can still be lots of… Continue reading The Best and Worst Halloween Treats for Your Teeth

Care More Expensive for Dementia Patients in Last Years of Life

The cost of care over the last five years of life for patients with dementia is significantly higher than for patients who die from heart disease, cancer, or other causes, according to a study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dartmouth College and University of California, Los Angeles, and… Continue reading Care More Expensive for Dementia Patients in Last Years of Life

The End Is in Sight for Reading Glasses

As people age, the lenses in the eyes lose flexibility and elasticity. This leads to a condition known as presbyopia, which is common in people over 45 years old and can require optical aids, such as reading glasses or magnifying glasses. Now Devesh Mistry, a postgraduate research student in the School of Physics and Astronomy… Continue reading The End Is in Sight for Reading Glasses

Could a Drug Engineered from Bananas Fight Deadly Viruses?

A banana a day may not keep the doctor away, but a substance originally found in bananas and carefully edited by scientists could someday fight off a wide range of viruses, according to a study done by an international team of researchers and published in October 2015 in the journal Cell. Beyond that, a release… Continue reading Could a Drug Engineered from Bananas Fight Deadly Viruses?

Diamonds: A Tooth’s Best Friend?

People who have root canals can benefit from the use the use of nanodiamonds to fortify a material used in the procedure, according to new research. Researchers from the UCLA School of Dentistry published their inding in the current issue of the peer-reviewed journal ACS Nano. According to a news release from UCLA, nanodiamonds are tiny… Continue reading Diamonds: A Tooth’s Best Friend?

Telemedicine and Sleep Specialists

Experts are backing the use of telemedicine by board-certified sleep medicine specialists in the treatment of sleep disorders. A new position paper published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine presents recommendations for sleep specialists to consider when integrating sleep telemedicine into their practice “The integration of telemedicine in sleep medicine practices across the country… Continue reading Telemedicine and Sleep Specialists