Aging Well Hope for Repairing Muscles as We Age By article As we age, stem cells throughout our bodies gradually lose their capacity to repair damage, even from normal wear and … Read More→
_ Social Support Can Help Diabetics' Health By article Diabetes patients who have support from people around them could improve their health outlook as a result of that connection, … Read More→
_ Staying Safe in Hurricane Season By article WeΓÇÖre right in the middle of hurricane season, and even though the weather service might not be issuing a warning … Read More→
Dementia Patients Getting Iffy Meds By article More than half of nursing home residents with advanced dementia, a terminal illness marked by severe cognitive impairment and functional … Read More→
Negative Thoughts Are Bad for Your Health By blog I just discovered a new show on TNT called ΓÇ£PerceptionΓÇ¥. Have your seen it yet? Very interesting! Last night the […]
_ Weight Loss Technologies for Weight Loss By Sondra Forsyth article Despite US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for screening and treating obesity, there are many barriers. However, several of these problems may be ameliorated through technological approaches, according to a study by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center published online August 21st 2014 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM).
_ Wii Balance Board Helps MS patients By Sondra Forsyth article The Nintendo Wii Balance Board video game console can help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) reduce their risk of accidental falls, according to research done at Sapienza University in Rome and published online August 26th 2014 in the journal Radiology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed that use of the balance board system appears to induce favorable changes in brain connections associated with balance and movement.
_ Medical Care Medical Procedures Deep Brain Stim OK for Older PD Patients By Sondra Forsyth article Older patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) appear to have a 90-day complication risk similar to younger patients, suggesting that age alone should not be a primary factor for excluding patients as DBS candidates. ThatΓÇÖs the finding of research done by Michael R. DeLong, B.A., of the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. and colleagues and published online August 25th 2014 inJAMA Neurology.
_ Menopause Women's Health and Wellness GSM, New Term for Postmenopausal Problems By Sondra Forsyth article Talking about genital, sexual, and urinary problems can be uncomfortable for postmenopausal women and their doctors. Having a term that doesn't carry stigma, isn't embarrassing to say, and is medically accurate could go a long way in helping women get the help they need and allowing them to make smarter healthcare decisions. That term is "genitourinary syndrome of menopause" or GSM. The term was developed and endorsed by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH).
_ Caregiving 5 Questions About Long-Distance Caregiving By Sondra Forsyth article What is long-distance caregiving? It can be helping Aunt Lilly sort through her medical bills or thinking about how to make the most of a weekend visit with Mom. It can include checking the references of an aide whoΓÇÖs been hired to help your grandfather or trying to take the pressure off your sister who lives in the same town as both your aging parents and her aging in-laws. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are the answers to five key questions about long-distance caregiving:
Romance and Reality By blog ThereΓÇÖs romance and then thereΓÇÖs reality! I was just telling a friend of mine about how Mike and I met over nine years. But ere you think it was all a dream-like romantic fantasy, let me set you straight. I like romance as much as the next girl. Of course I liked the fact that Mike drove up in a beautiful, clean red truck and pretty much swept me off my feet by opening the door for me to enter. Of course I wanted to believe that he was as nice and honest as he appeared, but I also had some experience with online dating and I know how to do my research!
_ Vision Health Vision Loss Increases Risk of Death By Sondra Forsyth article Vision loss can adversely affect the ability of older adults to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), such as using the telephone, shopping and doing housework, which are all measures of an individual's ability to live independently, and that subsequently increases the risk for death. That is the conclusion of Sharon L. Christ, Ph.D., of Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., and colleagues. The study was published online August 21st 2014 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
_ Mental & Emotional Health Smartphone-Loss Anxiety By Sondra Forsyth article The smart phone has changed our behavior, sometimes for the better because we are now able to connect and engage with many more people than ever before, but sometimes for the worse in that we may have become over-reliant on the connectivity with the outside world that these devices afford us. Either way, there is no going back for the majority of users who can almost instantaneously connect with hundreds if not thousands of people through the various social media and other applications available on such devices as well as through the humble phone call.
_ Sleep Health Why the Elderly Have Trouble Sleeping By Sondra Forsyth article As people grow older, they often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and tend to awaken too early in the morning. In people with Alzheimer's disease, this common and troubling symptom of aging tends to be especially pronounced, often leading to nighttime confusion and wandering.
_ Breast Cancer Perspectives on Breast Reconstruction By Sondra Forsyth article Less than 42 percent of women underwent breast reconstruction following a mastectomy for cancer, and the factors associated with foregoing reconstruction included being black, having a lower education level and being older. That is the finding of Monica Morrow, M.D., of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues who published their results online August 20th 2014 JAMA Surgery.
_ Medical Care Outpatient Urology Surgery Ups Deaths Risk By Sondra Forsyth article As hospitals have shifted an array of common urological surgeries from inpatient procedures to outpatient, potentially preventable deaths have increased following complications. Those were the primary findings of a study led by Henry Ford Hospital researchers in Detroit. The paper was published online in August 2014 by BJUI, the official journal of the British Association of Urological Surgeons. The investigators initially expected that improved mortality rates recently documented for surgery overall would also translate to commonly performed urologic surgeries.
_ Medical Care Doctors & Patients Making Decisions Together By Sondra Forsyth article Shared decision-making is a concept thatΓÇÖs gaining traction in medicine, particularly in areas of health care, where patients are presented with more than one reasonable treatment option. The programs, which feature patient-education tools such as online surveys and videos, have several goals. One is to help people thoroughly understand their choices and assure them that they are making informed decisions.
_ Sleep Health Poor Sleep Ups Suicide Risk in Older Adults By Sondra Forsyth article Reported poor sleep quality independent of a depressed mood appears to be associated with an increased risk for suicide in older adults, according to e study done by Rebecca A. Bernert, Ph.D. of the Stanford University School of Medicine, California and colleagues and published online in JAMA Psychiatry August 13th 2014.