Gerontology News and Research

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

AGHE to hold conference to discuss on gerontological and geriatric education and training

The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education - the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America - will hold its 36th Annual Meeting and Educational Leadership Conference from March 4 to 7, 2010, at The Peppermill in Reno, NV. This conference provides a forum for professionals in the field of aging to present their work and share ideas about gerontological and geriatric education and training.

18 Feb 2010

Study calls for improved decision-making in using feeding tubes in dementia patients

Researchers from Brown University and Harvard Medical School are calling for improved decision-making in the use of feeding tubes for hospitalized nursing home residents with advanced dementia.

10 Feb 2010

Toronto Rehab scientists develop SoleSensor to help older people stay on their feet

In an aging society, falling is a growing problem. Just one bad fall can mark the start of a downward spiral in an older person's health and quality of life. The cost of treating falls also puts a heavy burden on the health care system. Toronto Rehab scientists have developed a simple footwear insole called SoleSensor(TM), which has proven to improve balance and prevent falls.

10 Feb 2010

Low potassium levels increase risk of death in patients with heart failure and CKD

New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) says low potassium levels produce an increased risk of death or hospitalization in patients with heart failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

10 Feb 2010

Low potassium levels increase risk of death in patients with heart failure and CKD

9 Feb 2010

Poor handgrip strength linked to premature mortality, disability and other health complications in older people

Poor or declining handgrip strength in the oldest old is associated with poor survival and may be used as a tool to assess mortality, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) (pre-embargo link only) http://www.cmaj.ca/embargo/cmaj091278.pdf. The fastest growing segment of the elderly population is the group older than 85 years, classified as the oldest old.

9 Feb 2010

Strength of distal leg musculature contributes to SCK difficulty in older adults

Decreased muscle strength is associated with difficulty in performing functional activities such as stooping, crouching, or kneeling (SCK) in older adults, according to an observational study published in the January issue of Physical Therapy (PTJ), the scientific journal of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). These researchers found that adults with SCK difficulty had significant decreases in adjusted strength measurements of trunk extensor, knee extensor, and ankle flexion muscles.

2 Feb 2010

Humans' evolutionary advantage also makes them susceptible to cancer, dementia and heart disease

The same evolutionary genetic advantages that have helped increase human lifespans also make us uniquely susceptible to diseases of aging such as cancer, heart disease and dementia, reveals a study to be published in a special PNAS collection on "Evolution in Health and Medicine" on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

28 Jan 2010

Sanofi-aventis U.S. brings national experts together to help aging Americans with AFib

National medical and lifestyle experts have been brought together by sanofi-aventis U.S. to help aging Americans learn to live life more fully despite a serious and increasingly prevalent heart condition – atrial fibrillation (AFib), a type of irregular heartbeat.

21 Jan 2010

Scientists identify fast-acting compound to improve cognitive function impairments

A fast-acting compound that appears to improve cognitive function impairments in mice similar to those found in patients with progressive Alzheimer's disease has been identified by scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program in Drug Discovery.

13 Jan 2010

Interest in studying psychology on the rise

"I hope I will be able to touch the lives of people when they most need help and to offer them advice and guidance."

9 Jan 2010

Study suggests participating in volunteer activities may prevent frailty in older adults

Frailty is a geriatric condition marked by weight loss, low energy and strength, and low physical activity. UCLA researchers followed 1,072 healthy adults aged 70 to 79 between 1988 and 1991 to determine if productive activities - specifically volunteering, paid work and child care - prevent the onset of frailty.

9 Jan 2010

Data from national surveys shows few Americans receive consistent treatment for MDD

Only about half of Americans diagnosed with major depression in a given year receive treatment for it and even fewer - about one-fifth - receive treatment consistent with current practice guidelines, according to data from national surveys supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health.

6 Jan 2010

Persistent disparities exist in nursing homes

Hispanic senior citizens are living in nursing homes in ever-increasing numbers, but they face a gap in their quality of care compared to white residents, according to new research from Brown University.

5 Jan 2010

Disability-related problems continue to rise among older adults

Disability rates among non-institutionalized older Americans increased between 2000 and 2005, a trend that could seriously impact the quality of life of seniors in the coming decades if it continues, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of California, Berkeley.

22 Dec 2009

NSHAP study sheds new light on health and intimate relationships of older people

Researchers and the general public have a new resource for information on the health and intimate relationships of older people, thanks to a newsupplemental issue of The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological and Social Sciences (Volume 64B, Supplement 1).

19 Dec 2009

GSA publication focuses on health disparities minority elders face

The premiere issue of an aging-focused newsletter deals with two pressing societal concerns - the economic downturn and health care reform - from the perspective of older minority adults.

19 Dec 2009

Research says importance of attractiveness varies with socio-cultural environments

Do good-looking people really benefit from their looks, and in what ways? A team of researchers from the University of Georgia and the University of Kansas found that yes; attractive people do tend to have more social relationships and therefore an increased sense of psychological well-being.

16 Dec 2009

Participating in social service programs can delay cognitive decline in older adults

Volunteer service, such as tutoring children, can help older adults delay or reverse declining brain function, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

15 Dec 2009

Springer and BSRA sign three-year agreement

Springer has just signed an agreement with the British Society for Research on Ageing (BSRA) to enter into an affiliation with the journal Biogerontology for an initial period of three years.

15 Dec 2009

Gerontology News and Research

AGHE to hold conference to discuss on gerontological and geriatric education and training

Study calls for improved decision-making in using feeding tubes in dementia patients

Toronto Rehab scientists develop SoleSensor to help older people stay on their feet

Low potassium levels increase risk of death in patients with heart failure and CKD

Low potassium levels increase risk of death in patients with heart failure and CKD

Poor handgrip strength linked to premature mortality, disability and other health complications in older people

Strength of distal leg musculature contributes to SCK difficulty in older adults

Humans' evolutionary advantage also makes them susceptible to cancer, dementia and heart disease

Sanofi-aventis U.S. brings national experts together to help aging Americans with AFib

Scientists identify fast-acting compound to improve cognitive function impairments

Interest in studying psychology on the rise

Study suggests participating in volunteer activities may prevent frailty in older adults

Data from national surveys shows few Americans receive consistent treatment for MDD

Persistent disparities exist in nursing homes

Disability-related problems continue to rise among older adults

NSHAP study sheds new light on health and intimate relationships of older people

GSA publication focuses on health disparities minority elders face

Research says importance of attractiveness varies with socio-cultural environments

Participating in social service programs can delay cognitive decline in older adults

Springer and BSRA sign three-year agreement

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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