Gerontology News and Research

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

Columbia University professor named 2010 recipient of Gerontology Outstanding Mentorship Award

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) - the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging - has chosen Ada C. Mui, PhD, ACSW, LMSW, of Columbia University as the 2010 recipient of the Task Force on Minority Issues in Gerontology Outstanding Mentorship Award.

14 Jul 2010

UVA launches first-of-its-kind educational website focusing on Alzheimer's disease, dementia

The University of Virginia School of Medicine is launching Memory Commons, an interactive, first-of-its-kind educational website for physicians and healthcare professionals that focuses specifically on Alzheimer's Disease and dementia.

12 Jul 2010

Dietary protein intake may reduce bone density in overweight, postmenopausal women: Research

Overweight and moderately obese postmenopausal women using diets based on higher protein intake also need to be aware of potential bone loss, according to new research from Purdue University.

8 Jul 2010

Vitamin E may help prevent cognitive deterioration in elderly people: Study

High levels of several vitamin E components in the blood are associated with a decreased risk for Alzheimer's disease in advanced age, suggesting that vitamin E may help prevent cognitive deterioration in elderly people. This is the conclusion reached in a Swedish study published in the July 2010 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

8 Jul 2010

Older adults experience more supportive friendships, less conflict with children and siblings

Part of what makes those relationships so golden during the golden years is that people of all ages are more likely to forgive and respect one's elders, according to research from Purdue University.

29 Jun 2010

GSA selects Helene Fung as 2010 recipient of Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation Award

The Gerontological Society of America - the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging - has chosen Helene Fung, PhD, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong as the 2010 recipient of the Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation Award in Behavioral and Social Gerontology.

25 Jun 2010

ARS study finds link between vitamin D and cognitive function

At a time when consumer interest in health-enhancing foods is high, Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists have contributed to a limited but growing body of evidence of a link between vitamin D and cognitive function.

25 Jun 2010

European researchers define research priorities in biogerontology

The quality of the medical care for geriatric patients is a major investment for society and must imperatively be a research priority in Europe. This is why 50 European researchers, met on May 17 - 19 in Brussels, to define the research priorities in the field of biogerontology for the next 10 to 15 years.

21 May 2010

Non-adherence to medication increases risk of falling in older adults

Older adults increase their chances of falling by not taking their medications as directed, according to an article in the latest edition of the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological and Medical Sciences (Volume 65A, Number 5). This new information comes from a recent study of Boston-area residents over age 70, which found that those who sometimes neglected their medications experienced a 50 percent increased rate of falls compared with those who did not.

20 May 2010

CNA announces winners of 2010 CNA Employer Recognition Award

The Canadian Nurses Association announced today the winners of the 2010 CNA Employer Recognition Award. This prestigious prize honours employers who have shown an exceptional commitment to supporting registered nurses pursuing national certification in a range of nursing specialties.

12 May 2010

Hartford Foundation awards $800,000 grant for training in geriatric social work

The prestigious Hartford Doctoral Fellows and Hartford Faculty Scholars programs have awarded $800,000 in combined new grants to ten researchers in the field of geriatric social work.

4 May 2010

Rush Center for Urban Health Equity to focus on disparities in heart and lung disease

Rush University Medical Center has been awarded a $10 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish the Rush Center for Urban Health Equity. The aim of the Center is to find ways to promote changes to eliminate the disparities in heart and lung disease affecting inner city residents, in particular those who are low-income persons of color.

4 May 2010

Short-term calorie restriction improves function of T-cells

Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that volunteers who followed a low-calorie diet or a very low-calorie diet not only lost weight, but also significantly enhanced their immune response. The study may be the first to demonstrate the interaction between calorie restriction and immune markers among humans.

30 Apr 2010

Posit Science challenges BBC study on cognitive training programs

Posit Science, the leader in clinically proven brain fitness programs, contests the interpretation and methodology used in a British Broadcasting Corporation-sponsored study published in the journal Nature.

21 Apr 2010

Calorie restriction may help people to lead longer and healthier lives

Organisms from yeast to rodents to humans all benefit from cutting calories. In less complex organisms, restricting calories can double or even triple lifespan. It's not yet clear just how much longer calorie restriction might help humans live, but those who practice the strict diet hope to survive past 100 years old.

16 Apr 2010

Secrets to happiness, depression in centenarians identified

Researchers from Iowa State University's gerontology program have helped identify what predicts happiness and long life in centenarians, as well as what causes depression in 80-somethings and above.

9 Apr 2010

Study refutes widely held belief that intentional weight loss in older adults leads to increased risk of death

A new study by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is the first to refute the widely held belief that intentional weight loss in older adults leads to increased risk of death.

5 Apr 2010

Challenges facing all health professions highlight need for comprehensive policy

Now that the Administration and Congress have enacted historic health reform legislation, they must work together to establish a comprehensive and coordinated national health workforce policy to ensure health reform's successful implementation, according to Dr. Steven A Wartman, president and CEO of the Association of Academic Health Centers.

2 Apr 2010

ThisCaringHome.org: Interactive web site for caregivers of Alzheimer's

It is estimated that Alzheimer's disease affects 5.3 million Americans and that number is expected to double by 2050. Caregivers shoulder a particularly heavy burden as the illness alters the dementia patient's behavior, mood and judgment, impeding his or her ability to engage in normal, everyday activities.

27 Mar 2010

New study questions effectiveness of national Silver Alert program

A group of Miami University researchers studying the national Silver Alert program for locating missing adults with dementia or other cognitive impairments question the program's effectiveness and safety, given the speed in which it's being implemented throughout the country.

26 Mar 2010