Gerontology News and Research

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

ED-based geriatrics transition care nurse helps avoid hospital admissions

When older adults arrive at a hospital's emergency department (ED), they may face unexpected challenges. For example, they may become less able to function independently.

12 Jan 2018

Insilico Medicine develops new deep-learning based hematological human aging clock

Today, Insilico Medicine, Inc., a Baltimore-based company specializing in the application of artificial intelligence for drug discovery, biomarker development and aging research, announced a publication of a research paper titled "Population-specific biomarkers of human aging: a big data study using South Korean, Canadian and Eastern-European patient populations" in The Journal of Gerontology.

11 Jan 2018

Metabolic Syndrome could make it harder for older adults to respond to antidepressant therapy

Researchers suspect that having Metabolic Syndrome makes it harder for older adults to respond to therapies for depression.

11 Jan 2018

For elder health, trips to the ER are often a tipping point

Twice a day, the 86-year-old man went for long walks and visited with neighbors along the way. Then, one afternoon he fell while mowing his lawn. In the emergency room, doctors diagnosed a break in his upper arm and put him in a sling.

11 Jan 2018

Light-intensity physical activity linked to lower death rates among older women, study finds

Experts say that a lack of physical activity leads to age-related weakness and poor health in older adults. Official guidelines suggest that healthy older adults spend at least 2.5 hours every week doing moderate activity (such as brisk walking), or at least 1.25 hours per week doing vigorous exercise (such as jogging or running).

10 Jan 2018

Poor oral health contributes to frailty in older adults

Oral health issues are common among older adults. These issues include tooth loss, gum disease, tooth decay, and dry mouth.

4 Jan 2018

Blood pressure begins to decrease about 14 years before death, study finds

Blood pressure in the elderly gradually begins to decrease about 14 or so years before death, according to a new study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine.+

5 Dec 2017

Tailored Activity Program for older veterans with dementia provides positive results

People with dementia often have behavioral symptoms. These include problems with memory, language, and decision-making abilities. People with dementia can also experience changes in mood, such as increased irritability, depression, and anxiety.

29 Nov 2017

PPI use not linked to increased risk of developing dementia

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are medicines commonly prescribed to treat acid-related digestive problems, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD).

21 Nov 2017

Resistance training promotes environmental quality of life and sense of coherence in older people

Resistance training can promote environmental quality of life and sense of coherence in older adults. This was observed in a study carried out at the University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Finland, in co-operation with the Gerontology Research Center and the Neuromuscular Research Center.

21 Nov 2017

Heart disease risk factors linked to walking difficulties in people under age of 78

Problems with balance, walking speed, and muscle strength become more common as we age, and can lead to disability. In fact, studies show that for older adults, having a slower walking speed can help predict chronic illness, hospitalization, and even death.

21 Nov 2017

Obese older adults who survive heart surgery may live with greater degrees of functional decline

More than one-third of Americans are considered obese based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI measures the ratio between your height and weight.

9 Nov 2017

HELP program for older adults reduces hospital readmissions rates

The Hospital Elder Life Program, or HELP, is an evidence-based treatment plan developed in the 1990s to prevent hospitalized older adults from developing delirium (the medical term for sudden confusion).

9 Nov 2017

Scientists to investigate potential role of airborne pollutants as triggers of Parkinson's disease

The Department of Defense has awarded a multi-institutional team of scientists a series of grants totaling $4.37 million to investigate the potential role of airborne pollutants as triggers of Parkinson's disease via the nose.

9 Nov 2017

Experts call for efforts to study elder abuse among veterans

Experts are calling on the Veterans Administration to promote research, clinical care, and education in the area of elder abuse, furthering the VA's mission of serving those who have served.

9 Nov 2017

Losing weight with diet, physical activity can improve blood flow in the brain of older adults with diabetes

Type 2 diabetes affects blood circulation. The disease stiffens blood vessels and reduces the amount of oxygen that circulates throughout your body. This includes your brain. When blood flow in the brain is impaired, it can affect the way we think and make decisions.

30 Oct 2017

Prescribed medications linked to dry mouth symptoms in older adults

For older adults, dry mouth can be a common side effect of prescribed medications. Having dry mouth means you don't have enough saliva, or spit, to keep your mouth wet. The condition can lead to problems chewing, eating, swallowing, and even talking. What's more, dry mouth puts you at higher risk for tooth decay and oral infections.

27 Oct 2017

Healthy heart may protect older adults from disability

A healthy heart is important to the well-being of older adults. The American Heart Association (AHA) defines "ideal cardiovascular health" based on four health behaviors (current smoking, body mass index, physical activity, and healthy diet and three health factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure), and fasting blood glucose level).

26 Oct 2017

Multiple sensory losses predict morbidity and mortality in older adults

The five senses are hearing, vision, smell, touch, and taste. When these senses begin to dim or are lost as we age, we face challenges dealing with everyday life. Losing one's senses can also cause serious health problems.

4 Oct 2017

Older adults with depression symptoms more likely to have trouble performing daily activities

Recently, researchers investigated whether depressive symptoms might make it harder for older adults to perform their regular daily activities. The researchers also wanted to find out whether living circumstances or marital status had any impact on whether depressive symptoms affected older adults' abilities to perform daily activities.

3 Oct 2017

Gerontology News and Research

ED-based geriatrics transition care nurse helps avoid hospital admissions

Insilico Medicine develops new deep-learning based hematological human aging clock

Metabolic Syndrome could make it harder for older adults to respond to antidepressant therapy

For elder health, trips to the ER are often a tipping point

Light-intensity physical activity linked to lower death rates among older women, study finds

Poor oral health contributes to frailty in older adults

Blood pressure begins to decrease about 14 years before death, study finds

Tailored Activity Program for older veterans with dementia provides positive results

PPI use not linked to increased risk of developing dementia

Resistance training promotes environmental quality of life and sense of coherence in older people

Heart disease risk factors linked to walking difficulties in people under age of 78

Obese older adults who survive heart surgery may live with greater degrees of functional decline

HELP program for older adults reduces hospital readmissions rates

Scientists to investigate potential role of airborne pollutants as triggers of Parkinson's disease

Experts call for efforts to study elder abuse among veterans

Losing weight with diet, physical activity can improve blood flow in the brain of older adults with diabetes

Prescribed medications linked to dry mouth symptoms in older adults

Healthy heart may protect older adults from disability

Multiple sensory losses predict morbidity and mortality in older adults

Older adults with depression symptoms more likely to have trouble performing daily activities

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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