Gerontology News and Research

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

Exercise program improves anxiety, mood in older adults who received chemotherapy

Although we know that exercise improves anxiety and mood problems in younger people with cancer, few studies have looked at the effects of exercise on older adults with cancer.

3 Jul 2019

WVU researcher investigates how nursing homes can best meet obese residents' healthcare needs

About 30 percent of nursing home residents are obese. That can complicate their care. The facility may need to buy them special wheelchairs or motorized lifts. Nursing aides may struggle to help them shower. And doctors may grapple with how--or even whether--to restrict their diets.

2 Jul 2019

More seniors are dying in falls. Doctors could do more to reduce the risk.

Older adults worried about falling typically receive general advice: Take an exercise class. Get your vision checked. Stop taking medications for sleep. Install grab bars in the bathroom.

27 Jun 2019

Education, intergenerational contact can reduce ageist attitudes

Researchers at Cornell University have shown for the first time that it is possible to reduce ageist attitudes, prejudices and stereotypes through education and intergenerational contact.

23 Jun 2019

People with higher multimorbidity scores have faster brain decline, greater suicide risk

Having arthritis, or diabetes, or heart disease can change a person's life, getting in the way of daily activities and requiring special diets and medicines.

20 Jun 2019

Research identifies new approach to staving off the detrimental effects of aging

New research has identified a novel approach to staving off the detrimental effects of aging, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

14 Jun 2019

Older adults with low circulating vitamin K levels more likely to develop mobility limitation, disability

Low levels of circulating vitamin K are linked to increased risk of mobility limitation and disability in older adults, identifying a new factor to consider for maintaining mobility and independence in older age, according to a study led by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

13 Jun 2019

Weighing risks and benefits of antidepressant medication for older adults

Depression is a common and serious problem for older adults. Some 15 to 20 percent of people aged 65 and older who live independently deal with symptoms of major depressive disorder.

12 Jun 2019

Why your perception of ‘old’ changes as you age

My perception of old age is inextricably linked to my grandmother. When I was a kid, I thought this 65-year-old, white-haired woman whose entire body wobbled when she walked was very old. Now that I'm 66, my personal perception — or perhaps, misperception — of old age has changed. I suspect I've got lots of company.

11 Jun 2019

Marijuana use among older adults increasing rapidly

Cannabis use among older adults is growing faster than any other age group but many report barriers to getting medical marijuana, a lack of communication with their doctors and a lingering stigma attached to the drug, according to researchers.

30 May 2019

Study examines effect of sleep quality on peptic ulcer recurrence in older adults

Poor sleep quality and peptic ulcer disease (PUD, a condition when sores known as ulcers develop on the lining of your stomach or in the first part of your small intestine) are both major public health problems that affect the physical and psychological wellbeing of older adults.

23 May 2019

Higher education associated with later onset of Alzheimer's-related accelerated cognitive decline

Exercising the brain by learning and thinking is known to improve cognition. Now a new study by Stony Brook University researchers reveals that higher education is associated with later onset of Alzheimer's-related accelerated cognitive declines.

23 May 2019

Opportunities to reduce cancer risk and promote health among older adults

Cancer prevention efforts rarely focus on the distinct needs and circumstances of older people, who are at greatest risk for developing cancer, but society can do more to reduce cancer risk and preserve health as adults enter their 60s, 70s, and beyond -- according to a new supplement to the journal The Gerontologist from The Gerontological Society of America.

22 May 2019

Security cameras installed in nursing homes may do more harm than good

For many people who care for aging parents, one solution is a safe, responsible nursing home. But an increasingly common means of ensuring that safety -- security cameras installed by relatives -- may do more harm than good, says Clara Berridge, an assistant professor of social work at the University of Washington.

8 May 2019

High mental well-being associated with more physically active lifestyle in midlife

Men and women with high mental well-being at the age of 42 were more physically active at the age of 50 compared to those who got lower scores in mental well-being at age 42. Different exercise activities are related to the different dimensions of well-being in midlife.

3 May 2019

Study finds no statistically significant effect of drug shortages on cancer treatment

For the vast majority of cancer drugs experiencing shortages over a seven-year period, a new USC research study found no statistically significant effect of shortages on chemotherapy treatment.

8 Apr 2019

ASCO issues guideline recommending older adults with cancer to receive geriatric assessment

Although the majority of patients who have blood cancers are older adults, they make up only a small percentage of participants in the clinical trials that lead to new therapies.

8 Apr 2019

Sleeping pill use may indicate future need for greater hypertension treatment

In a Geriatrics & Gerontology International study of 752 older adults with hypertension followed from 2008-2010 through 2012-2013, using sleeping pills on a regular basis was linked with use of an increasing number of blood pressure medications over time.

3 Apr 2019

Study evaluates quality of life, emotional health of people who look after older adults with cancer

The number of informal caregivers who look after older adults with cancer is on the rise. Caregivers could be relatives, partners, or even friends who provide assistance to people in order to help them function.