The chronic state of low-level inflammation seen in many elderly people (sometimes called “inflamm-aging”), is associated with conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia, as well as susceptibility to infections, especially pneumonia. A study published on January 14th in PLOS Pathogens reveals a crucial role of monocytes in the immune system changes that occur with… Continue reading ‘Inflamm-aging”: Monocytes, Cytokines, and Susceptibility to Pneumonia
Category: Senior Health
Aging is part of the cycle of life. Senior living can be full of health, growth, and well-being. Learn more about senior health and key health issues here.
Understanding Hearing Loss
Millions of people suffer from hearing loss, but how much do you know about this condition? Here, the experts from SeniorHealth, a division of the National Institutes of Health, explain the basics: A common problem, hearing loss is caused by noise, aging, disease, and heredity. The hearing process is complex, involving the ear’s ability to… Continue reading Understanding Hearing Loss
Good Bacteria Might Help Prevent Middle Ear Infections and Pneumonia
A January 2016 study from the Forsyth Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts is helping to shed more light on the important connections among the diverse bacteria in our microbiome. According to research published in mBio, scientists at Forsyth, led by Dr. Katherine P. Lemon, along with their collaborator at Vanderbilt University, have demonstrated that a harmless… Continue reading Good Bacteria Might Help Prevent Middle Ear Infections and Pneumonia
Higher Doses of Vitamin D = Increased Risk of Falls in the Elderly
Higher monthly doses of vitamin D were associated with no benefit on low extremity function and with an increased risk of falls in patients 70 or older in a randomized clinical trial, according to an article published online in January 2016 by JAMA Internal Medicine. A release from the publisher notes that lower extremity function… Continue reading Higher Doses of Vitamin D = Increased Risk of Falls in the Elderly
Proteins and Brain Atrophy
Some proteins that circulate in the blood are associated with brain atrophy, researchers have found, and the discovery could be used in Alzheimer’s-related tests in the future. A newly reported study, led by Liana Apostolova, M.D., Barbara and Peer Baekgaard Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine, is believed to… Continue reading Proteins and Brain Atrophy
Genes in The Brain May Affect Aging “Body Clocks”
The circadian rhythm of gene activity changes with aging, according to a study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. The finding was based on an investigation of thousands of genes from nearly 150 human brains. The discovery, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also suggests that a novel… Continue reading Genes in The Brain May Affect Aging “Body Clocks”
Why the Flu Vaccine Is Less Effective in the Elderly
Around this time every year, the flu virus infects up to one-fifth of the U.S. population and kills thousands of people, many of them elderly. A study published by Cell Press on December 15th 2015 in Immunity explains why the flu vaccine is less effective at protecting older individuals. More broadly, the findings reveal novel… Continue reading Why the Flu Vaccine Is Less Effective in the Elderly
Older Adults May Be Confused by Visual Stimuli
Older adults may have difficulty in combining what they see and hear – and that could have an effect on quick decision needed in situations like driving. A recent study from the University of Waterloo, in Ontario, found that seniors have a harder time distinguishing the order of events than younger adults. When researchers presented… Continue reading Older Adults May Be Confused by Visual Stimuli
Stay Safe and Healthy This Winter
In some sections of the U.S., winter has been so far unseasonably mild. But that doesn’t mean we’ll avoid the cold and its attendant hazards as the season continues. Here, from the National Center of Environmental Health, a division of the federal Centers for Disease Control, are some strategies to get you safely through the… Continue reading Stay Safe and Healthy This Winter
Rehabilitation for Elderly Patients with Hip Fractures
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Board of Directors recently approved Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for treatment and rehabilitation of elderly patients with hip fractures, in addition to postoperative direction to help prevent fractures from recurring. A releasr from AAOS notes that hip fractures, common in older adults, often occur due to falls or… Continue reading Rehabilitation for Elderly Patients with Hip Fractures
Heart Drug May Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s and Macular Degeneration
A drug that can halt the progression of heart failure and reduce cardiovascular-related deaths may have serious side effects, including increased risk of Alzheimer’s and macular degeneration, according to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The drug — a tablet that combines the agents valsartan and sacubitril, sold under the… Continue reading Heart Drug May Raise Risk of Alzheimer’s and Macular Degeneration
Moderate Drinking Linked to Reduced Risk of Death in Early Stage Alzheimer’s
Raise a glass and toast to the discovery that quaffing one drink a day is linked to a reduced risk of death among people with early stage Alzheimer’s disease! That’s the finding of a Danish study published in the online journal BMJ Open in December 2015. A release from the publishers notes that moderate drinking… Continue reading Moderate Drinking Linked to Reduced Risk of Death in Early Stage Alzheimer’s
Are Your Senior Loved Ones Safe to Live Alone?
This week, millions of adult children will head “home” to spend time with their parents and grandparents over the holidays. It’s a time for family celebrations and bonding. And for adult offspring with elder loved ones, it’s also a rare time – with potentially five or more days spent together – to evaluate whether their… Continue reading Are Your Senior Loved Ones Safe to Live Alone?
Make Your Home Smoke-Free in 2016
It’s not unusual for restaurants or other public buildings to be smoke free – either voluntarily or by state law – to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke. But the secondhand-smoke problem persists in private homes where each family sets its own rules. While the family smoker sometimes is banished to the patio, that’s not always… Continue reading Make Your Home Smoke-Free in 2016
A New Weapon to Fight MRSA?
Researchers have discovered that a new class of antimicrobials may help in the fight against the drug-resistant MRSA superbug. The Georgia State University study showed that small molecule analogs that target the functions of SecA, a central part of the general bacterial secretion system required for viability and virulence, have potent antimicrobial activities. Their findings… Continue reading A New Weapon to Fight MRSA?
A Link Between Some Brain Conditions and the Herpes Virus
Researchers have drawn closer to explaining the link between some neurologic condition and certain species of the herpes virus. In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and cerebellar ataxia, among other neuropathies, the cerebrospinal fluid teems with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Yet, the nature of that link has remained unclear, as it has been assumed that… Continue reading A Link Between Some Brain Conditions and the Herpes Virus
Letting Others Know You Have Hearing Loss May Improve Communication
Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers surveyed 337 patients with hearing loss to better understand the language they use with communication partners to disclose their disability. Their findings, published online in the journal Ear and Hearing on October 28th, 2015, may be used to develop resources for health care professionals to provide their patients with strategies… Continue reading Letting Others Know You Have Hearing Loss May Improve Communication
Home-Delivered Meals Reduce Loneliness
When Congress passed the Older Americans Act in 1965 to support elderly people who were struggling — often alone — to continue to live at home, a major plank of the legislation provided for home delivery of meals to ensure their adequate nutrition. In the midst of the holiday season 2015, a study done at… Continue reading Home-Delivered Meals Reduce Loneliness