Gerontology News and Research

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Gerontology is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging.

Vitamin D supplements may help reduce risk of falls in homebound elderly

Every year falls affect approximately one in three older adults living at home, with approximately one in 10 falls resulting in serious injury. Even if an injury does not occur, the fear of falling can lead to reduced activity and a loss of independence.

18 Aug 2015

Study: Out-of-home activities increase level of physical activity among older people

It is beneficial to stimulate older people to leave home to increase their level of physical activity, suggests the study of postdoctoral researcher Erja Portegijs. The study, conducted at the Gerontology Research Center of the University of Jyväskylä, showed that older people were more physically active on the days when they left home and went further away.

10 Aug 2015

The Journalists in Aging Fellows Program continues with renewed funding support

The Journalists in Aging Fellows Program, run jointly by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and New America Media (NAM) since its launch in 2010, will continue thanks to renewed funding support from The Silver Century Foundation.

30 Jul 2015

Possible link discovered between common medications and falls in older men

Serious falls are more than twice as likely in older men who take medicines with anti-cholinergic properties - according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

29 Jul 2015

New study estimates link between coffee consumption habits and incidence of mild cognitive impairment

A new study by researchers at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy, Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology and Geriatrics, IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy, and Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy, estimates the association between change or constant habits in coffee consumption and the incidence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), evaluating 1,445 individuals recruited from 5,632 subjects, aged 65-84 year old, from the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA), a population-based sample from eight Italian municipalities with a 3.5-year median follow-up.

29 Jul 2015

Inflammation plays role in onset of delirium in older adults

Delirium is an acute state of confusion that often affects older adults following surgery or serious illness. Now a study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center confirms that inflammation - an immune response that develops when the body attempts to protect itself from harmful stimuli -- plays a role in the onset of delirium.

28 Jul 2015

Wayne State's Peter Lichtenberg receives award to identify older adults at risk of financial exploitation

Peter Lichtenberg, Ph.D., director of the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University, won the Judge Edward Sosnick Courage to Lead Award for his extensive work to create ways of identifying older adults at risk of financial exploitation. The award is presented annually by the Oakland County SAVE (Serving Adults who are Vulnerable and/or Elderly) Task Force.

16 Jul 2015

Stroke survivors experience accelerated, persistent cognitive decline over six years

Stroke has fallen to the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States due to decreases in people dying from it, and this increase in survivors has led to questions about their health in the years following stroke.

13 Jul 2015

Natural environments promote healthy aging in seniors

Natural environments are known to promote physical, mental, and spiritual healing. People can attain health benefits by spending time outside, often in remote places to "get away from it all." Now research conducted by a University of Minnesota graduate student with a team in Vancouver, B.C., shows that green and "blue" spaces (environments with running or still water) are especially beneficial for healthy aging in seniors.

10 Jul 2015

Dental pulp stem cell transplants can contribute to peripheral nerve regeneration

Peripheral nerve injuries often are caused by trauma or surgical complications and can result in considerable disabilities. Regeneration of peripheral nerves can be accomplished effectively using autologous (self-donated) nerve grafts, but that procedure may sacrifice a functional nerve and cause loss of sensation in another part of the patient's body.

7 Jul 2015

Rapamycin drug reduces obesity, preserves lean body mass in older rats

Aging can cause many changes to the body, including obesity and a loss of lean mass. Now, a group of University of Florida Health researchers has discovered that an existing drug reduces body fat and appetite in older rats, which has intriguing implications for aging humans.

17 Jun 2015

USciences confers honorary doctor of science degree to GSA CEO

University of the Sciences conferred an honorary doctor of science degree to James C. Appleby P'87, RPh, MPH, at its 194th Commencement Ceremony on May 20, 2015. Appleby is executive director and CEO of The Gerontological Society of America, the nation's leading interdisciplinary professional membership organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging.

4 Jun 2015

Community Health Network, University of Indianapolis partner to establish clinical facility on campus

Community Health Network and the University of Indianapolis are joining forces to establish a clinical facility on campus where students and faculty will work alongside health and wellness professionals to serve patients and clients, transforming the educational experience and bringing important resources to an underserved part of the city.

3 Jun 2015

Veritas Genetics introduces genetic screen for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk

Boston-based Veritas Genetics is launching its mission to disrupt the genetic testing industry and bring personalized medicine and prevention to the forefront, allowing individuals to take more control of their health.

2 Jun 2015

Space Aging study may help identify novel genes linked to longevity

The plot of many a science fiction TV series or movie revolves around the premise that people traveling long distances in space age more slowly than their counterparts on Earth. Now, tiny worms who spent time aboard the International Space Station could help humans understand more about the effects of aging in space for real.

1 Jun 2015

New MSU research finds that use of tablets can help older adults cross the 'digital divide'

One way to help the elderly cross what's known as the "digital divide" is the use of tablets, those smaller, lighter, easy-to-use computers that seem to be taking the place of laptops.

29 May 2015

WSU study could help predict mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease

Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, may be one of Alzheimer's earliest signs. The subtle changes of MCI include problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment and a subjective sense that mental function is getting worse.

20 Apr 2015

Researchers assess how chronic stress and relationship quality influence individual's blood pressure

While other studies have shown that stress and negative marital quality can influence mortality and blood pressure, there has not been research that discussed how it might affect married couples over time. Using systolic blood pressure as a gauge, researchers assessed whether an individual's blood pressure is influenced by their own as well as their partner's reports of chronic stress and whether there are gender differences in these patterns.

8 Apr 2015

Loneliness, social isolation can lead to increased health care use in older adults

Experiences of loneliness and social isolation can lead to increased health care use among older adults, according to new research from the University of Georgia College of Public Health.

1 Apr 2015

Less-toxic drug combined with fasting may kill cancer cells

Fasting in combination with chemotherapy has already been shown to kill cancer cells, but a pair of new studies in mice suggests that a less-toxic class of drugs combined with fasting may kill breast, colorectal and lung cancer cells equally well.

31 Mar 2015