A highly sensitive alarm unit called the CareBox, which will be available toward the end of 2014, can immediately call family members, neighbors, or caregivers by telephone, cell phone, or the Internet when someone in the home falls or is otherwise in need of assistance. A release from Fraunhofer, the German research company that created the device, notes that an estimated 30 percent of people over 65 years of age lwho live at home fall at least once a year. For those over 80 years old, more than 40 percent take a tumble annually.
Tag: Aging Well
Feeling in Control Can Increase Longevity
People who feel in control and believe they can achieve goals despite hardships are more likely to live longer and healthier lives, especially among those with less education, according to a study by Brandeis University and the University of Rochester and published online in the Journal of Health Psychology.
Previous studies have shown that people with a high school diploma or less education tend to die younger than those with a college degree or graduate training. Yet, that’s not a hard and fast rule. Why?
Watch: Stair Safety Tips for Arthritis Sufferers
Here's another addition to our ThirdAge Video Collection. Press play to start learning!
Enjoy Life and Be Healthier
When it comes to a positive attitude and the quality of life in older age, there really is a connection, according to a new study.
Researchers whose findings were published in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) found that the benefits of enjoying life include faster walking speeds and better physical function in daily activities.
The investigators looked at 3,199 men and women aged 60 or over who were residents of England.
Sun Exposure May Help Lower Blood Pressure
Exposure to sunlight has a newly found health benefit: reducing blood pressure and cutting the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new study. The findings, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, indicate that sunlight alters the level of nitric oxide (NO), a small messenger molecule, in skin and blood. Martin Feelisch, Professor of Experimental Medicine and Integrative Biology at the University of Southampton, UK, comments: “NO along with its breakdown products, known to
Don’t Fall for Scams Targeted to Seniors
By Hilary Young
It’s been estimated that over $2.6 billion was lost to scams that targeted seniors in 2013. Are you as shocked by that number as I am? In order to help you better protect yourself or your loved ones, I’ve put together a helpful guide to shield you from these rip-offs in 2014.
There are five popular scams that predators use to target seniors:
Welcome, Youngest Baby Boomers!
Here at ThirdAge, where we focus on the health and well-being of women 50+ and their families, we want to extend a heartfelt welcome and a happy 50th birthday to those of you who were born in 1964 — the last year of the post-war baby boom. The oldest Boomers, born in 1946, are 18 years older than you are so plenty of people point out that your coming-of-age experiences are a lot different that those of people in the 60+ cohort.
We’re Still Living Longer Than the Guys
Research done atthe Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and Women’s College Hospital in Ontario showed that women continue to outlive men as numbers of centenarians rises. The study was published in January 2013 intheJournal of the American Geriatrics Society.According to the data, a whopping 85% of people 100 and over are females. Not only that, but the total number of centenarians in Ontario has increased by more than 70% over the last 15 years
Self-Driving Cars for the Elderly, Disabled, & Blind
Self-driving vehicles have the potential to provide increased mobility for the elderly, the disabled and the blind, according to a study done by the RAND Corporation, a non-profit think tank. However, the study also points out that while the autonomous vehicles offer the promise of significant benefits to society, they also raise several policy challenges, including the need to update insurance liability regulations and privacy concerns such as who will control the data generated by this technology.