Gerontology News and Research

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

$About 50% of hip fracture patients report barriers for mobility in home environment$

About 50% of hip fracture patients report barriers for mobility in home environment

About half of hip fracture patients reported barriers for mobility when entering the home or in the outdoor home environment. One year after the fracture, many people still experienced barriers, especially in the outdoor environment.

21 Nov 2013

Three press briefings about issues affecting aging population scheduled for GSA's upcoming meeting

Three press briefings designed to better inform reporters about issues affecting America's aging population have been scheduled for The Gerontological Society of America's upcoming 66th Annual Scientific Meeting.

13 Nov 2013

Researchers find reductions in depressive symptoms for older, younger veterans undergoing CBT-D

Researchers have found significant and equivalent reductions in depressive symptoms for both older and younger veterans undergoing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for depression (CBT-D), according to an article published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences on November 11.

12 Nov 2013

Age-friendly NYC wins APHA's 2013 Archstone Foundation Award for Excellence in Program Innovation

The American Public Health Association has recognized the vision and innovation of Age-friendly NYC with its 2013 Archstone Foundation Award for Excellence in Program Innovation. The award will be presented to Dorian Block, Manager of Age-friendly NYC, during the APHA's Public Health Awards Reception and Ceremony on Tuesday, November 5, 2013.

5 Nov 2013

Elderly people at increased risk for getting flu

Flu season lurks around the corner throughout the United States, and gerontologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say the elderly are at increased risk for getting the flu and often have a worse time coping with flu symptoms than do younger people.

24 Oct 2013

Certain blood pressure medications may reduce risk of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease

A Johns Hopkins-led analysis of data previously gathered on more than 3,000 elderly Americans strongly suggests that taking certain blood pressure medications to control blood pressure may reduce the risk of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

17 Oct 2013

$Lack of balance confidence after hip fracture may affect mobility function$

Lack of balance confidence after hip fracture may affect mobility function

A fall and subsequent injury decreases a person's balance confidence and increases his or her fear of falling. People aged over 60 years who had sustained a hip fracture and had a lower sense of balance confidence, also experienced difficulty in walking outdoors and climbing stairs.

11 Oct 2013

GSA awarded $5M grant to launch Hartford Change AGEnts Initiative to improve health of older adults

The Gerontological Society of America has been awarded a $5 million grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation to launch and develop the Hartford Change AGEnts Initiative, a multi-year project designed to create change in the practice environment that will improve the health of older adults, their families, and communities.

1 Oct 2013

Intentional weight loss can have positive health benefits in older adults

The medical community touts the importance of not carrying excess weight, but that has not always been the message delivered to older adults.

20 Sep 2013

UAB paper suggests that physical activity, exercise important for healthy aging

A clinical review from geriatricians at the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests that mobility limitations are a litmus test for healthy aging and urges primary care physicians to take a more aggressive role in ascertaining the mobility of their older patients.

18 Sep 2013

Leading geriatrician asserts elimination of Medicare three-night hospital stay rule

Elimination of a Medicare rule that mandates a three-night hospital stay as a precondition for skilled nursing rehabilitation coverage could reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and improve patient care without increasing costs to the patient or the federal government, a leading geriatrician asserts in on online publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

17 Sep 2013

Kessler Foundation researcher honored for excellence in physical medicine and rehabilitation

Mooyeon Oh-Park, M.D., of Kessler Foundation was named 2013 "Teacher of the Year" in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. This award is given each year to a faculty member who demonstrated outstanding knowledge in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as dedication and skills in teaching.

17 Sep 2013

US cancer care system in crisis

Delivery of cancer care in the U.S. is facing a crisis stemming from a combination of factors -- a growing demand for such care, a shrinking oncology work force, rising costs of cancer care, and the complexity of the disease and its treatment, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

11 Sep 2013

Study shows personal goals influence older adults striving for exercise

Although exercise may significantly promote healthy aging, many older adults remain sedentary. Based on a study conducted in the Gerontology Research Center at the University of Jyväskylä, one reason for this may lie behind older adults' personal goals.

29 Aug 2013

Professor receives Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award from GSA

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) - the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging - has chosen Eileen M. Sullivan-Marx, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the New York University College of Nursing, as the 2013 recipient of the Doris Schwartz Gerontological Nursing Research Award.

17 Aug 2013

Director of Birmingham VA Geriatric Research receives Joseph T. Freeman Award from GSA

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) - the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging - has chosen Richard M. Allman, MD, of the Birmingham VA Medical Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) as the 2013 recipient of the Joseph T. Freeman Award.

16 Aug 2013

Professor receives Task Force on Minority Issues in Gerontology Outstanding Mentorship Award

The Gerontological Society of America - the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging - has chosen William E. Haley, PhD, of the University of South Florida as the 2013 recipient of the Task Force on Minority Issues in Gerontology Outstanding Mentorship Award.

16 Aug 2013

MOOCs courses offered by JHUSON concentrate on Dementia and TB

An aging population and an old health scourge are the driving forces behind two massive open online courses (MOOCs) being offered this fall by the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON).

14 Aug 2013

Johns Hopkins University receives $5.8M grant to research on causes of frailty in older adults

The federal government has awarded investigators at The Johns Hopkins University's schools of medicine and public health a multimillion-dollar, five-year grant to continue research designed to identify the causes of frailty in older adults, and speed the development of interventions to slow or stop it.

7 Aug 2013

Single dose of methylphenidate can reduce risk of falls among elderly adults

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers have discovered that a single dose of methylphenidate, used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and narcolepsy, helps to improve balance control during walking, hence reducing the risk of falls among elderly adults.

18 Jul 2013