Aging News and Research

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Early detection critical in preventing vision loss among Baby Boomers

Probably the most worrisome health concern for Baby Boomers as they age is the increased possibility of visual impairment or vision loss. For this reason, early detection is critical in successfully preventing and treating eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, before they lead to major visual changes.

27 Jul 2011

Menopause has no additional effect on risk for diabetes

Menopause has little to no impact on whether women become more susceptible to diabetes, according to a one-of-a-kind study.

27 Jul 2011

Men's chances of getting bowel cancer have doubled in Great Britain

Men's chances of getting bowel cancer in Great Britain have doubled since the mid 70s - according to new figures released today by Cancer Research UK.

27 Jul 2011

Some hospitals face hard times

Walter Reed Army Medical Center will close its doors after nearly a century. By month's end, the Shriners Hospitals will stop its tradition of providing free care to children. And, lastly, hospital bonds maybe vulnerable to downgrades because of potential reduction in Medicare reimbursements and Medicaid cuts.

25 Jul 2011

Changes in attention, Gestalt perception linked to healthy aging

When looking at a picture of many trees, young people will tend to say: "This is a forest". However, the older we get, the more likely we are to notice a single tree before seeing the forest. This suggests that the speed at which the brain processes the bigger picture is slower in older people.

25 Jul 2011

Home healthcare community praises Ohio Governer's PASSPORT program

While policymakers in Washington debate cuts to the nation's Medicare program as a way to reduce the federal budget deficit, a group of national home healthcare providers is applauding Governor John Kasich's (R-OH) innovative program to keep seniors in their homes when possible, thereby reducing institutional healthcare for aging Ohioans and harnessing rising Medicaid costs.

25 Jul 2011

Ethnically diverse populations crucial for aging research

A new supplemental issue of The Gerontologist urges aging researchers to include representative samples of ethnically diverse populations in their work. The publication also identifies research priorities for moving the science of recruitment and retention forward, in addition to providing several strategies that scholars can employ in their work.

22 Jul 2011

Rats, fish oil and beetroot juice could lead to health breakthroughs for aging populations

Though rats, fish oil and beetroot juice read like ingredients in a witch's brew, to a Kansas State University research team, information from this combination could lead to health breakthroughs for aging populations and people suffering from heart failure and diabetes.

22 Jul 2011

Blue-collar workers with arthritis in much worse health than all other workers

While more Americans are working past age 65 by choice, a growing segment of the population must continue to work well into their sixties out of financial necessity. Research conducted by the Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine looked at aging, social class and labor force participation rates to illustrate the challenges that lower income workers face in the global marketplace.

22 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Pres. Obama on debt deal, Medicare; Sen. Barasso on insurance future; Pundits on compromise

For years now, America has been spending more money than we take in. The result is that we have too much debt on our nation's credit card — debt that will ultimately weaken our economy, lead to higher interest rates for all Americans, and leave us unable to invest in things like education, or protect vital programs like Medicare.

22 Jul 2011

Senate Dems push for Medicare drug savings

During a hearing this week, Senate Democrats, including Aging Committee Chairman Herb Kohl, D-Wis., advanced the causes of certain policies to control drug costs and reduce deficit spending.

22 Jul 2011

UCSF, Kaiser Permanente achieve first major milestone in genomics project

One of the nation's largest and most diverse genomics projects has reached its first major milestone in just 15 months. Scientists have genotyped the DNA and analyzed the length of chromosome tips in more than 100,000 Kaiser Permanente members who agreed to be part of the research.

22 Jul 2011

Neuroscience 2011 to explore latest advances in brain research

The Society for Neuroscience's Annual Meeting, Neuroscience 2011, Nov. 12-16 at the Washington Convention Center. The event will include more than 16,000 study abstracts on new discoveries in aging, stress, mental illness, learning, disease, and more.

22 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Will Gang of Six compromise work?; endorsing birth control recommendations; Minn. budget deal

Not surprisingly, the plan has drawn complaints from the left about cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and from the right about defense cuts and tax increases. But the senators are right about the need to simplify and broaden the tax code and to put entitlements on a sustainable footing without slashing aid to the most vulnerable.

22 Jul 2011

Researchers at Macquarie trial new program to help improve neglected area of aged care

In a world first, researchers at the Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University are developing psychological treatments, which simultaneously target both anxiety and depression in older adults. Despite the fact that symptoms of anxiety and depression are typically suffered together, no program currently exists which is aimed at helping older adults tackle both disorders at once.

21 Jul 2011

UMA introduces Healthcare Management and Health Information Technology degrees

To meet the growing demand for allied health professionals, Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) has expanded its array of healthcare training programs with two new associate degrees. Prospective students throughout the U.S. can now enroll in online healthcare degree programs leading to an Associate of Science in Healthcare Management or an Associate of Science in Health Information Technology.

21 Jul 2011

Study finds 37% of Michigan's seniors struggling to meet basic living expenses

Michigan's older adults are more likely to be poor and at greater risk of not being able to afford their basic living expenses than U.S. Census data indicate. According to a recent analysis by the Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology's Seniors Count! project, 37 percent of Michigan's seniors are living at or below a level of basic economic security.

21 Jul 2011