_ Skin Skin Health Discovery Could Cure Skin Infections By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and partners have tested the use of ionic liquids to break bacterial biofilm layer on skin. A release from the laboratory explains that biofilms, which are like a protective tent over a colony of harmful bacteria, make the treatment of skin infections especially difficult. Microorganisms protected in a biofilm pose a significant health risk due to their antibiotic resistance and recalcitrance to treatment.
_ Osteoporosis Surgery to Repair Hip Fracture Saves Billions of $ By Sondra Forsyth article Each year, more than 300,000 Americans -- primarily adults over age 65 -- sustain a hip fracture, a debilitating injury that can diminish life quality and expectancy and result in lost work days and substantial, long-term financial costs to patients, families, insurers and government agencies. Surgery, which is the primary treatment for hip fractures, successfully reduces mortality risk and improves physical function. However, little has been known about the procedure's value and return on investment.
_ Digestive Health Hope for New Crohn's Disease Tx By Sondra Forsyth article Genetic changes that occur in patients with a type of inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn's disease could hold clues to fighting the illness, according to research led by the University of Edinburgh in the UK and published August 26th 2014 in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Currently, there is no way to prevent Crohn's disease and therapy is focused on treating the symptoms, which may include abdominal pain, diarrhea and severe weight loss.
Five Lessons I Learned From My Years as an Alzheimer's Caregiver By Jane Farrell blog Why is life so much clearer in retrospect? With the passage of time, it is easy to look back, see the big picture and think: ΓÇ£If IΓÇÖd only known then, what I know now.ΓÇ¥ I often hear caregivers voice this sentiment. And, as a long-time AlzheimerΓÇÖs caregiver myself (for my mother, father and other relatives ΓÇö now all deceased), I feel the same way. In the rear view mirror, the decisions and choices that I agonized over at the time now either seem so obvious or so trivial. I wish IΓÇÖd not been so caught up in details that were unimportant.
_ Exercise Finding the Right Fitness Trainer for You By Jane Farrell article As summer turns to fall, you might be thinking about moving your exercise routine indoors. Once the weather gets snowy and frigid, itΓÇÖs harder to get out and hit the walking or bike trails. Or you may be thinking that you want to move beyond your current 30-minute treadmill routine at the gym. A fitness trainer may be the way to go. A trainer can help you do everything from helping you use the gym equipment correctly to taking your workout to the next level. Here, from the National Institute on Aging, are some tips on how to find the best trainer for you.
_ A Good Way to Improve Nursing-Home Care By Jane Farrell article A ΓÇ£culture changeΓÇ¥ to a more residential atmosphere in nursing homes can lead to significant improvements in quality of care, according to a new study. Researchers from Brown University examined the effect of culture change ΓÇô an adjustment in nursing homes to allow a more flexible lifestyle for patients. Specifically, that means, among other adjustments, more resident choices in schedules and activities, and more input into care management from ΓÇ£front-lineΓÇ¥ workers who have close daily contact with residents.
_ Exercise Could Prevent Cognitive Decline By Jane Farrell article Cardiovascular exercise, which has been shown to help our bodies, may also protect our minds, according to new research.
_ Aging Well Why Our Word Choices Matter As We Age By Sondra Forsyth article By Roger Landry MD Have you ever considered how the words we use impact the culture around us? How do those words reflect our own attitudes, beliefs, and values? Furthermore, for those among us who work in the aging profession, how does what we say affect both how we perceive older adults to be, and how they self-identify? How Our Brains React to the Words We Say
_ Lung Cancer AHA E-Cigarette Recommendations By Sondra Forsyth article The American Heart Association issued new policy recommendations August 25th 2014 on the use of e-cigarettes and their impact on tobacco-control efforts. The guidance was published in the association's journal, Circulation. Based on the current evidence, the association's position is that e-cigarettes that contain nicotine are tobacco products and should be subject to all laws that apply to these products. The association also calls for strong new regulations to prevent access, sales and marketing of e-cigarettes to youth, and for more research into the product's health impact.
_ Aging Well Healthy Diet & Nutrition Are You as Old as What You Eat? By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers from University College London (UCL) have demonstrated how an interplay between nutrition, metabolism, and immunity is involved in the process of aging. The two new studies, supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), could help to enhance our immunity to disease through dietary intervention and help make existing immune system therapies more effective.
_ Pain Management Blocking the Chili Pepper Receptor By Sondra Forsyth article Biting into a chili pepper causes a burning spiciness that is irresistible to some, but intolerable to others. Scientists exploring the chili pepper's effect are using their findings to develop a new drug candidate for many kinds of pain that can be caused by inflammation or other problems. They reported their progress on the compound, which is being tested in clinical trials, in the American Chemical SocietyΓÇÖs Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
_ 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:
_ Medical Care Second Opinions: Necessary or Not? By Sondra Forsyth article How important is that second opinion? For some medical insurance companies, second opinions are so important they are required before treatment. Are second opinions as valuable as our insurance companies make them seem? Neurosurgeon Jack Maniscalco M.D. clears up the inconsistency. ΓÇ£Second opinions are important for a number of reasons. If you, as a patient, do not feel as though your doctor is comprehensively addressing your questions or concerns, seek out another physician. If you feel uncomfortable with your diagnosis or suggested treatment, find a doctor who will listen and understand your apprehension with the previous recommendation.ΓÇ¥
August 30th: Grief Awareness Day By Jane Farrell blog Not long ago, I had Angie Cartwright on my radio show. She is the pioneer who, having had many losses in her life, has raised her voice, gained support for those suffering loss and is now on her way to gathering support for a National Grief Awareness Day.
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!
_ Study: Watch Out for Prescription-Level NSAIDs By Jane Farrell article Three widely used drugs, known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, alter the activity of enzymes within cell membranes and could lead to unwanted side effects. Those side effects could be the results of taking the drugs for a long period of time and/or at a higher-than-approved dosage level. The NSAIDS, sold over the counter as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, would have the effects primarily at prescription levels.
The World is Waking Up to MenΓÇÖs Health: Good News for Men, Women, and Children By blog IΓÇÖve been working in the field of menΓÇÖs health for more than 40 years. For much of that time, IΓÇÖve felt like a lone wolf calling out in the darkness for people to recognize that males live sicker and die sooner than females. We suffer from illnesses like addictions, depression, and Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at rates much higher than females. But over the years the balance has been shifting and now the world is waking up to the problems of menΓÇÖs health and are ready to address solutions that are good for us all.
_ 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.