Gerontology News and Research

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

Offspring of long-lived parents less prone to cancer, study reveals

The offspring of parents who live to a ripe old age are more likely to live longer themselves, and less prone to cancer and other common diseases associated with ageing, a study has revealed.

29 May 2013

Study finds that developing good habits more important than self-control in meeting goals

Stress and exhaustion may turn us into zombies, but a novel study shows that mindless behavior doesn't just lead to overeating and shopping sprees - it can also cause us to stick with behaviors that are good for us.

27 May 2013

Alzheimer's disease: Researchers find new drug to prevent, treat the disease

Researchers at USC have found that a class of pharmaceuticals can both prevent and treat Alzheimer's Disease in mice.

22 May 2013

Study says insomnia may be an indicator of future hospitalization among middle-aged and older adults

Having trouble falling or staying asleep? According to a new study led by a team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, insomnia may be an important indicator of future hospitalization among middle-aged and older adults.

13 May 2013

RWJF announces recipients of four new grants from Future of Nursing National Research Agenda

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation today announced the recipients of four new grants from its Future of Nursing National Research Agenda. The new grants examine nurse residency programs and scope of practice regulations.

10 May 2013

Nurses caring for older people believe their work carried little professional kudos

Researchers undertook a study to investigate the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards working with older people, including their perception of how other professionals perceived their work in gerontology.

9 May 2013

MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program to continue for fourth year

The MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program - responsible for nearly 200 news stories by 48 alumni to date - will continue for a fourth year thanks to a grant renewal from the MetLife Foundation.

3 May 2013

Financial exploitation of the elderly is on the rise, shows research

Researchers at Wayne State University, in collaboration with Illinois Institute of Technology, recently published a study advising clinical gerontologists in the field to be aware of older adults' needs for assessment of financial exploitation or its potential when working with highly vulnerable individuals.

26 Apr 2013

Study: Mediterranean diet associated with lower risk of hyperuricemia in older adults

According to a study published in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, a baseline adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) is associated with a lower risk of hyperuricemia, defined as a serum uric acid (SUA) concentration higher than 7mg/dl in men and higher than 6mg/dl in women.

19 Apr 2013

New research shows that use of social media can offer additional support to older people

The use of social media by older people can offer valuable additional support in cases of sickness and diseases, new research from the University of Luxembourg has shown.

17 Apr 2013

Study finds no evidence that digoxin increases mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation

A study published today in the European Heart Journal found no evidence that digoxin increases mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation, the opposite of results just published by another group in the same journal analyzing the same data.

17 Apr 2013

Good spinal posture important to maintain independent lives

The shape of an individual's spinal column may predict his or her risk for nursing home admission or need of home assistance in old age, according to a new article published online in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.

9 Apr 2013

Dementia care costs top other diseases in US, study finds

The costs of caring for people with dementia in the U.S. are comparable to - if not greater than - those for heart disease and cancer, according to new estimates by researchers at the University of Michigan Health System and nonprofit RAND Corporation.

5 Apr 2013

New centers chosen to increase geriatric social work training

The Hartford/GSA National Center on Gerontological Social Work Excellence has chosen the Boston College and the University of Michigan as the locations of the first two Hartford Academic Centers of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work.

29 Mar 2013

Post-discharge activity level linked to risk of hospital readmission in elderly

A new study has found a link between the activity levels of elderly people who have just been released from the hospital and the risk that they will require readmission within 30 days.

14 Mar 2013

FlexToBa program can enhance health of older adults

Fitness DVDs are a multimillion-dollar business, and those targeting adults over the age of 55 are a major part of the market. With names like "Boomers on the Move," "Stronger Seniors" and "Ageless Yoga," the programs promise much, but few have ever been rigorously tested.

12 Mar 2013

Mummies provide important twist in understanding atherosclerotic vascular disease

Like nearly 4.6 million Americans, ancient hunter-gatherers also suffered from clogged arteries, revealing that the plaque build-up causing blood clots, heart attacks and strokes is not just a result of fatty diets or couch potato habits, according to new research in the journal The Lancet.

11 Mar 2013

Nursing home patients with pneumonia may need viral screening

Viral testing should be carried out among all older individuals who have been admitted to hospital for nursing home-acquired pneumonia, recommend researchers.

5 Mar 2013

Oral health in elderly Chileans improving, but disparities remain

Oral health makes a significant contribution to the general wellbeing of older people, a survey of Chilean over-60s has found.

25 Feb 2013

European Congress on Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis to be held in Rome, Italy

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and ESCEO have announced that a record number of abstracts (850+) have been submitted to the European Congress on Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis (ESCEO13-IOF) and the 3rd IOF-ESCEO Pre-Clinical Symposium.

20 Feb 2013