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A time to talk, tell the truth, and transform aging in America
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News you can Use: May 26, 2008Good evening, everyone. Tonight’s news offers good news for those who forget that occasional name at a party, covers research on medications and the elderly, and provides an update on the California state budget and senior programs. From the field of brain health: When older people can no longer remember names at a cocktail party, they tend to think that their brainpower is declining. But a growing number of studies suggest that this assumption is often wrong. Instead, the research finds, the aging brain is simply taking in more data and trying to sift through a clutter of information, often to its long-term benefit. The studies are analyzed in a new edition of a neurology book, “Progress in Brain Research.” While some brains do deteriorate with age, for most aging adults much of what occurs is a gradually widening focus of attention that makes it more difficult to latch onto just one fact, like a name or a telephone number. Although that can be frustrating, it is often useful and may actually increase the amount of information available to the conscious mind. For example, in studies where subjects are asked to read passages that are interrupted with unexpected words or phrases, adults 60 and older work much more slowly than college students. Although the students plow through the texts at a consistent speed regardless of what the out-of-place words mean, older people slow down even more when the words are related to the topic at hand. That indicates that they are not just stumbling over the extra information, but are taking it in and processing it. “A broad attention span may enable older adults to ultimately know more about a situation and the indirect message of what’s going on than their younger peers,” Dr. Hasher said. “We believe that this characteristic may play a significant role in why we think of older people as wiser.” Now, on the health front: Making sure older people get the drugs they need and avoiding serious interactions is a challenge that's not being well met. Researchers who reviewed prescribing practices in two research papers outline the problems involved and suggest several methods for improvement. In the first paper, investigators found that one-in-five elderly patients in Europe were being prescribed at least one drug that was deemed inappropriate. The second paper, by investigators from Canada and Europe, addressed the challenge of managing drug interactions in the elderly, noting that 46 percent of older patients were experiencing at least one potentially dangerous drug-to-drug interaction. In another study, 37 percent of patients were found to be taking at least one medication their doctors didn't know about. Solving the problem will require better care coordination through
multidisciplinary teams including doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
Seniors should always inform their doctors when prescribed a new
medicaltion and should always take a list of medications to their
doctors when they go for regular visits. News from Sacramento: California’s budget crisis continues to impact senior programs, says the California Welfare Director’s Association. The May revised budget maintained a 10% cut for senior programs such as In Home Support Services and Adult Protective Services, while reducing cuts to other sectors. Services to vulnerable populations, including children, disabled adults and seniors all face another $750 million cut. And, finally, May is Elder Abuse Awareness Month in California and to recognize this important public health issue, the Institute on Aging is holding a rally to fight elder abuse. The rally will be held on this Thursday, May 29th at San Francisco City Hall, from 12:00-1:00 PM. All are welcome! Come and add your voice to those who say that abuse of older Californians will not be tolerated. May 19, 2008Good evening, everyone. Tonight’s news covers hot weather tips for seniors, a new report on nursing home inspections, and the benefits of Silver Alert program to find missing seniors. — On the health front: The 90 degree weather has passed for now, but with summer right around the corner, it’s a good idea to revisit some of the warning signs for hot weather illnesses for seniors. Seniors are particularly vulnerable in hot weather to heat exhaustion or worse. When extremely hot weather hits, everyone needs to be aware of the symptoms of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Warning signs of the first two include: painful muscle cramps, usually in the hamstring; dizziness, faintness or headache, intense thirst, breathing that is fast and shallow, and skin that is pale and clammy. For the most serious of these illnesses, heatstroke, beware of high body temperatures, confusion and rapid heartbeat. If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, call 911 as soon as possible. — We’ve all heard about the possible health and emotional benefits of pet ownership for people of all ages. A Bay Area not-for-profit organization has been created to improve the lives of senior dogs. The mission of this new group, called Muttville, is to rescue senior dogs that would have been euthanized by local shelters because they are considered unadoptable due to their age and to find them foster and permanent homes, particularly with loving senior human counterparts. Muttville founder Sherry Franklin believes that when seniors adopt senior dogs everybody wins. To learn more about Muttville go to www.muttville.org or call 415/641-1331. — A new report from the Government Accountability Office, reveals that nursing home inspectors routinely overlook or minimize problems in nursing homes that pose a serious, immediate threat to patients. Nursing homes are typically inspected once a year by state employees working under contract with the federal government, which sets stringent standards. The GAO found that state employees had missed at least one serious deficiency in 15 percent of the inspections checked by federal officials. A new bill has been introduced in Congress to upgrade nursing home care and increase the penalties for violations of federal standards. The nursing home industry is fighting this new bill. — Offers for free credit reports seem too good to be true. Are they trustworthy? Probably not, says the AARP. The only one that provides legitimate free yearly credit reports can be found at www.annualcreditreport.com (1-877-322-8228). The others may be scammers out to steal your personal information. — Every year, hundreds of seniors and others with dementia wander away, on foot or driving, and if not found within 24 hours, at least half suffer serious injury or death, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. As baby boomers age, the toll is expected to multiply. Eight states have enacted Silver Alert programs based on the Amber Alerts that warn citizens to look for missing children. At least 5.2 million Americans suffer from dementia, and research shows that six out of 10 of those will wander. Only 4 percent of those who leave home alone are able to find their way back without help, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Inspired by the initial success of Silver Alert in eight states, members of Congress want to speed nationwide development of the program. Last month, the death of an 86-year-old Florida
woman who disappeared from an assisted-living facility prompted
a Florida Congressman to propose a $5.6 million federal grant program
that would offer at least $100,000 per state to seed development
of the program. While California waits for a Silver Alert program
of our own, caregivers can learn more about the Alzheimer’s
Association “Safe Return” program by visiting
their website. May 12, 2008Good evening, everyone. Tonight’s news covers the possible risk of multi-vitamins for men, the latest on diabetes and arthritis, new Transportation Department guidelines for travelers with a disability, and we learn a bit about a non-profit that rescues older dogs. — On the health front: A word of caution to men who take more than 7 multi-vitamins a week: Researchers have come across a potential relationship between mutlivitamins and prostate cancer. A recent study of multivitamin consumption and nutritional habits among nearly 300,000 men aged 50 to 71 in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study finds that:
Bottom line: Talk to your doctor
-- Some vitamin and nutritional supplements may be good for most
men, but too much of a good thing may be risky. — And, more than half of US adults with diabetes also have arthritis, creating a serious obstacle for diabetic patients who are often urged to exercise to help control their sugar levels. Arthritis and diabetes are most common in Americans 65 and older. Researchers at the Arthritis Foundation stress that successful control of diabetes must take into consideration the impact of arthritis on people’s ability to have an active lifestyle. Exercise that puts less stress on joints, such as walking and swimming are recommended. — For those who use portable oxygen, the US transportation Department recently said that it will expand protections for passengers with disabilities and make it easier for travelers to use oxygen equipment on board flights. The new policy will require airlines to let passengers use portable oxygen concentrators that are approved for use on aircraft. The department’s announcement came less than 3 months after a woman died on a flight after initially being denied oxygen. — We’ve all heard about the possible health and emotional benefits of pet ownership for people of all ages. A Bay Area not-for-profit organization has been created to improve the lives of senior dogs. The mission of this new group, called Muttville, is to rescue senior dogs that would have been euthanized by local shelters because they are considered unadoptable due to their age and to find them foster and permanent homes, particularly with loving senior human counterparts. Muttville founder Sherry Franklin believes that when seniors adopt senior dogs everybody wins. To learn more about Muttville go to www.muttville.org or call 415/641-1331. — And, finally, an upcoming event is sure to put a smile on the faces of older women, even if the laugh lines are visible: The June 28th meeting of San Francisco’s chapter of the Older Women’s League or OWL will include a viewing of a documentary short film entitled: “Let's Face It: Women Explore Their Aging Faces” In this film, seven women between the ages of 48 to 63, speak openly, honestly, and with wry humor about the reality of the wrinkles and lines on their faces. Ongoing reflections and conversations reveal the message of early family judgments and the impact of a culture that honors youth as the epitome of beauty. The film will show at 10:00 am at the Flood Building, 870 Market Street in San Francisco. OWL is the only national membership organization to focus exclusively on the critical issues facing women as they age. All are welcome! May 5, 2008Good evening, everyone. Tonight’s news covers mortgage "rescue" scams, the upcoming June primary, and the impact of natural disasters on the elderly. — We begin by reminding listeners to beware
of companies that make promises about rescuing homeowners who are
struggling to avoid foreclosure. These companies say they'll save
the day by offering to take over your mortgage, but let you stay
in your house and pay rent. Homeowners who sign over their deeds
may end up on the street. Experts say to talk with your lender about
a loan modification first - and the sooner the better. — A new study conducted by the American Red Cross and Home Instead Senior Care reveals that two-thirds of victims in recent natural disasters were over 60 years old. We all know that Mother Earth’s upheavals are no respecters of age or economic status - when catastrophe comes calling, seniors and family caregivers are among the most vulnerable. A Kaiser Foundation Family Poll, conducted in September 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, showed that nearly half of those surveyed said they did not leave New Orleans because they were physically unable to go or they were caring for someone who could not leave. — Experts say that advance preparation is key to ensuring that local seniors are ready for the unexpected. The Red Cross advises that the best protection for seniors and caregivers is to take action now to prepare for an emergency and make a plan of action long before any emergency arises. San Francisco’s Office of Emergency Preparedness lists important resources for disaster planning, and San Francisco’s Neighborhood Emergency Response Team or "NERT" provides training in disaster and emergency response. Since 1990 the NERT program has trained more than 17,000 San Francisco residents to be self reliant in a major disaster. — Next: Keeping Your Brain Vital: Institute on Aging is presenting a professional education program entitled: “Brain Health Across the LifeSpan”. This program will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at Saint Mary's Cathedral, 1111 Gough Street, in San Francisco. If you currently work in the field of aging and would like to learn more, visit Institute on Aging’s education website: http://education.ioaging.org. — And finally, with so much media attention focusing on November's presidential election, it might surprise some that on June 3rd, Californians will vote in a state primary. The San Francisco Department of Elections wants listeners to know that the last day to register to vote in the June primary is May 19. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is May 27th. Early voting begins today, Monday, May 5th at San Francisco City Hall. Visit www.sfgov.org for more information. April 28, 2008— The Food and Drug Adminstration has approved a one-dose vaccine for shingles for those over 60 years of age. The CDC says “The vaccine is more effective in people ages 60-69, so it is probably better that they get vaccinated at that age. Although it is not 100% effective, shingles is so common that having people vaccinated against the disease should have a profound effect on public health.” — Starting in 2008, Congress required all Medicare Part D prescription drug plans administered by private contractors to include all commercially available vaccines not covered by Part B. Starting in 2008, vaccine administration fees are also covered under Part D. For more information go to http://www.nia.nih.gov, or just do a webs search for the NIA – the National Institute on Aging. — And from the world of law and finance: The University of San Francisco School of Law has created a clinic for people who have disputes with their securities brokers. Called the Investor Justice Clinic, it was designed in response to a growing concern about financial products that are pushed on seniors even when they don’t make sense for them. USF's Investor Justice Clinic is the only one of its kind operating on the West Coast. It is officially recognized by the the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, you can contact the clinic at (415) 422-6752. — And finally, for all of us who have insisted that life just keeps getting better, even as the decades keep adding up, eye-opening new research confirms our feeling, finding that the happiest Americans are the oldest. University of Chicago Sociologist Yang Yang says “The good news is that with age comes happiness. Life gets better in one’s perception as one ages.” In general, the odds of being happy increased 5 percent with every 10 years of age. Yang’s findings are based on face-to-face interviews with about 28,000 people between the ages of 18 and 88 conducted between 1972 and 2004. Tune in each week for more News You Can Use. |
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