KTBB News|Sports|Talk - SeniorNews

Viagra Not Just for Old Men: Study Finds It Helps Some Women with Sexual Dysfunction

Viagra Not Just for Old Men: Study Finds It Helps Some Women with Sexual Dysfunction (Posted by Administrator)

Sildenafil improves antidepressant-related sexual problems in women

July 23, 2008 � Viagra not just helpful to older men, says a new study that finds women with sexual dysfunction caused by the use of antidepressants experienced a reduction in adverse sexual effects with use of sildenafil, commonly known as the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra, according to a study in the July 23/30 issue of JAMA.

Medicare Pays $36 Million to Doctors, Other Health Professionals for Quality Reports

Medicare Pays $36 Million to Doctors, Other Health Professionals for Quality Reports (Posted by Administrator)

July 15, 2008 � Physicians that treat Medicare patients have been fighting in Congress to prevent a cut in their pay, but many of them will share in more than $36 million in bonus payments being paid by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to 56,700 health professionals for reporting quality information to Medicare.

Fighting for Your Legs: Peripheral Arterial Disease on Rise for Senior Citizens

Fighting for Your Legs: Peripheral Arterial Disease on Rise for Senior Citizens (Posted by Administrator)

�Silent killer� bringing grave results that can include gangrene, amputation, or death

July 10, 2008 - Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a condition synonymous with the clogging of arteries in the body�s lower extremities, is often referred to as a �silent killer� that can bring with it potentially grave results that include gangrene, amputation, or death.

Measuring Calcium Deposits in Heart�s Arteries Predicts Heart Attack Risk in Elderly

Measuring Calcium Deposits in Heart�s Arteries Predicts Heart Attack Risk in Elderly (Posted by Administrator)

�Calcium scans can be the best predictor available to detect who is likely to suffer a heart attack�

July 2, 2008 � Senior citizens who worry if they are at risk of a heart attack, which probably includes about all of them, may be surprised by a very large new study that finds measuring calcium deposits in the heart's arteries is probably the best way to predict overall death risk in American adults, even when they are elderly.

Older Adults with Diabetes Experience Memory Declines Immediately after Unhealthy Meal

Older Adults with Diabetes Experience Memory Declines Immediately after Unhealthy Meal (Posted by Administrator)

Older Adults with Diabetes Experience Memory Declines Immediately after Unhealthy Meal

June 26, 2008 � Older adults with type 2 diabetes who eat unhealthy, high-fat meals may experience memory declines immediately afterward, according to new research. But, the study found this can be offset by taking antioxidant vitamins with the meal.

You Are Never Too Old for a Hip Replacement to Improve Function

You Are Never Too Old for a Hip Replacement to Improve Function (Posted by Administrator)

Researchers find it is cost-effective with no age limit for benefits to patients

Researchers studying Medicare records found that total hip replacements provide a cost savings to the health care system because reimbursement for the procedure (averaging $4,000 - $6,000) proves less costly than the long-term cost of health care for the disabled.

Life Expectancy Passes 78 Years, Death Rates Drastically Decline, Says New CDC Report

Life Expectancy Passes 78 Years, Death Rates Drastically Decline, Says New CDC Report (Posted by Administrator)

Death rates for 8 of the 10 leading causes of death in U.S. all dropped significantly in 2006; Alzheimer�s passed diabetes becoming the sixth leading cause of death. June 11, 2008 - Age-adjusted death rates in the United States declined significantly between 2005 and 2006 and life expectancy hit another record high � 78.1 years, according to preliminary death statistics released today by CDC�s National Center for Health Statistics.

New Evidence that Active Social Life Delays Memory Loss for Elderly

New Evidence that Active Social Life Delays Memory Loss for Elderly (Posted by Administrator)

June 4, 2008 � The evidence from respected researchers continues to mount showing that senior citizens can preserve their memory and cognitive abilities longer if they keep their minds and bodies active. The latest is a new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers providing evidence that elderly people in the U.S. who have an active social life have a slower rate of memory decline.

Good News for a Fast-Wrinkling Generation: Some Anti-Aging Methods Work

Good News for a Fast-Wrinkling Generation: Some Anti-Aging Methods Work (Posted by Administrator)

Growing evidence that retinoic acid and other existing treatments aid key process of collagen repair

May 28, 2008 - Fine wrinkles, deeper creases, saggy areas around the mouth and neck � the sights in the mirror that make baby boomers wince � are not inevitable. They result from a structural breakdown inside the skin that some existing treatments effectively counteract by stimulating the growth of new, youthful collagen, University of Michigan scientists say.

FTC Report Shows Drug Companies Still Paying to Keep Generic Drugs From Consumers

FTC Report Shows Drug Companies Still Paying to Keep Generic Drugs From Consumers (Posted by Administrator)

'These agreements inflict special pain on the working poor and the elderly, who need effective drugs at affordable prices.'

May 22, 2008 - The Federal Trade Commission yesterday released a report on 33 final settlement legal documents submitted to the FTC by drug manufacturers in fiscal year 2007 with those submitted since fiscal year 2004, finding an increasing use of "pay-for-delay" agreements between brand-name and generic drug manufacturers.

Obesity, Unhealthy Lifestyle, Old Age and Poverty Linked to Urinary Problems

Obesity, Unhealthy Lifestyle, Old Age and Poverty Linked to Urinary Problems (Posted by Administrator)

Study found the vast majority of men and women have urinary problems

May 15, 2008 - People who are obese and have unhealthy lifestyles, as well as older people from a lower economic status, are more likely to suffer from a larger number of urinary problems, according to a study of more than 5,000 men and women in Boston.

New Senate Bill Aims to Help Seniors, Aging Baby Boomers Stay in Workforce

New Senate Bill Aims to Help Seniors, Aging Baby Boomers Stay in Workforce (Posted by Administrator)

Retirement trends could create a U.S. labor shortage of 4.8 million workers in 10 years

May 7, 2008 - Although many of today's senior citizens find it is tough to find employment it may get a little easier is a new Senate bill passes. The bi-partisan bill has been introduced in the Senate to prevent projected dramatic declines in the workforce following the retirement of the baby boomers.

Long-Term Care Costs Jump 25% Over 2004; Workforce Shortage Fuels Continued Climb

Long-Term Care Costs Jump 25% Over 2004; Workforce Shortage Fuels Continued Climb (Posted by Administrator)

Genworth Survey finds average annual cost for a week in adult day health care facility is $15,236

April 30, 2008 - Not only has the cost of long-term care in U.S. nursing homes, assisted living facilities and in the home increased for the fifth consecutive year, but the nation faces an impending shortage of direct-care workers, further driving up long term care costs. Those are two of the key conclusions drawn from cost of care research by Genworth Financial (NYSE:GNW).

Parkinson's Community Steps Out to Find a Cure at the 14th Annual Parkinson's Unity Walk

Parkinson's Community Steps Out to Find a Cure at the 14th Annual Parkinson's Unity Walk (Posted by Administrator)

Second most common chronic neurological disorder in senior citizens after Alzheimer's

April 23, 2008 - The Parkinson's disease community will unite on Saturday April 26, in New York City's Central Park, in an effort to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson's disease research. The 14th annual Parkinson's Unity Walk, a two-mile walk and educational community day, will provide an opportunity to celebrate the more than one million Americans - primarily senior citizens - that, along with their friends and families, fight this condition everyday.

Small Vessel Injury from Hypertension or Diabetes May Lead to Dementia

Small Vessel Injury from Hypertension or Diabetes May Lead to Dementia (Posted by Administrator)

One-third of risk for dementia attributed to small vessel disease in autopsy study

April 9, 2008 � A large autopsy study of senior citizens who had lived in the Seattle area has found that as many as one-third of those who had dementia before they died also had small vessel damage in their brains � the type of cumulative injury that can result from hypertension or diabetes. The researchers say it suggests this accounts for a third of the risk for dementia.

Senior Citizens Are More Socially Engaged Than Many People May Think

Senior Citizens Are More Socially Engaged Than Many People May Think (Posted by Administrator)

Seniors more likely to volunteer, visit neighbors than people in their 50s

April 16, 2008 - Most people think that people become more socially isolated as they reach into their senior years and beyond. That is just not true, say researchers at the University of Chicago. Their study finds them remaining vital and active members of society. Many in their 80s are more active than when they were 50.

Nano-Sized Technology Has Super-Sized Effect on Slowing Tumor Growth

Nano-Sized Technology Has Super-Sized Effect on Slowing Tumor Growth (Posted by Administrator)

Researchers find success with 1,000 times lower dose of chemotherapy

April 2, 2008 - In the world that most senior citizens live in, discussions frequently turn to cancer treatments, since contemporaries are often battling the disease. The struggle against the side-effects of chemotherapy frequently comes up. There is good news today, however, that researchers may have found a way to use nanotechnology to dramatically reduce the dose of chemo required.

New Study Confirms Red Wine Antioxidant Kills Cancer

New Study Confirms Red Wine Antioxidant Kills Cancer (Posted by Administrator)

Researchers pinpoint how resveratrol induces pancreatic cancer cell death

March 26, 2008 - Researchers showed for the first time that a natural antioxidant found in grape skins and red wine can help destroy pancreatic cancer cells by reaching to the cell's core energy source, or mitochondria, and crippling its function. The study is published in the March edition of the journal, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.

Fraud Grows as Private Managed Care Takes Over More Medicaid, Medicare Patients

Fraud Grows as Private Managed Care Takes Over More Medicaid, Medicare Patients (Posted by Administrator)

March 19, 2008 � The Wall Street Journal today asserts that as the government shoves more Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries to private sector managed care plans, new types of fraud are emerging. This report hits on the same day as the report that the giant pharmacy chain CVS agreed to pay nearly $37 million to settle claims that it fraudulently billed Medicaid. The WSJ also examined the growing practice of hospitals to reuse medical devices that have designated for one time use.

Senior Citizens Taking Ibuprofen for Pain, Aspirin for Stroke are at Risk

Senior Citizens Taking Ibuprofen for Pain, Aspirin for Stroke are at Risk (Posted by Administrator)

��interaction between aspirin and ibuprofen� one of the best-known, but well-kept secrets in stroke medicine�

March 13, 2008 � Many senior citizens fight pain � often from arthritis � with ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.). At the same time, many of these seniors are taking aspirin to reduce the risk of a second stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. It�s not working. A new study confirms that ibuprofen undermines aspirin�s ability to act as an anti-platelet agent, say researchers at the University of Buffalo.

Age Should Not be Factor in Who Gets ACL Repair, Study Finds

Age Should Not be Factor in Who Gets ACL Repair, Study Finds (Posted by Administrator)

Click to larger view of ACL injury by AdamMarch 5, 2008 - Baby boomers and Weekend warriors � Baby Boomers and senior citizens - are staying active well into their later years, making them susceptible to injuring those aging frames-especially vulnerable to tearing their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). A new study presented today at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), found that �boomers� and patients up to age 66, who undergo ACL surgery, are about as likely to return to pre-injury levels of activity as much younger people.

Prostate Cancer Killed in Animals by Blocking Stat5 Protein

Prostate Cancer Killed in Animals by Blocking Stat5 Protein (Posted by Administrator)

Researchers say this vital protein is now target for drug therapy

Feb. 28, 2008 � By blocking a protein � Stat5 � researchers effectively killed prostate cancer cells in both laboratory and experimental animal models. This protein that is key to the cancer�s growth and remaining vital is now viewed as a viable target for drug therapy, according to the study from Thomas Jefferson University�s Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

Medicaid, Uninsured Patients More Likely to Be Diagnosed with Advanced Cancer

Medicaid, Uninsured Patients More Likely to Be Diagnosed with Advanced Cancer (Posted by Administrator)

Study by American Cancer Society included 3.5 million patients

Feb. 20, 2008 - A new American Cancer Society study of twelve types of cancer among more than 3.5 million cancer patients finds uninsured patients were significantly more likely to be found with advanced stage cancer compared to patients with private insurance. Medicaid patients, too, for many cancers, had significantly increased risks of developing more advanced stages before the cancer was discovered.

Senior Citizens Most Likely to be Targeted by Foreclosure Rescue Scams

Senior Citizens Most Likely to be Targeted by Foreclosure Rescue Scams (Posted by Administrator)

Senate Special Committee on Aging hears testimony on sub-prime crisis

Feb. 13, 2008 � It should be no surprise that senior citizens are the target of the latest financial scam � foreclosure rescue scams. At a hearing yesterday of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Chairman Herb Kohl said seniors are three times more likely to have sub-prime mortgage loans than younger borrowers and these loans have driven the large increase in foreclosures.

Surprising Number of Deaths Cause NIH Institute to Shut Down Diabetes Trial

Surprising Number of Deaths Cause NIH Institute to Shut Down Diabetes Trial (Posted by Administrator)

For safety, NHLBI changes intensive blood sugar treatment strategy in trial of diabetes and cardiovascular disease

Feb. 6, 2008 - The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped one treatment within a large, ongoing North American clinical trial of diabetes and cardiovascular disease 18 months early due to safety concerns after review of available data, although the study will continue.

Senator Baucus Demands More Senior Citizens be Included in Economic Stimulus Plan

Senator Baucus Demands More Senior Citizens be Included in Economic Stimulus Plan (Posted by Administrator)

House bill excludes many senior citizens from rebates due to income limit that does not include Social Security benefit

Click for larger viewJan. 30, 2008 � By late today many senior citizens should have a better idea if they will be included in the government�s plan to stimulate the sinking economy by pouring billions of dollars into the hands of consumers and businesses.

Human Stem Cells Implanted to Grow New Blood Vessels in Dying Legs

Human Stem Cells Implanted to Grow New Blood Vessels in Dying Legs (Posted by Administrator)

First human trial is for patients at end of therapeutic road

Jan. 23, 2008 - Two patients facing possible leg amputation have become the first to be treated by transplanting a purified form of the subjects� own adult stem cells into the leg muscles with severely blocked arteries in hopes new small blood vessels will grow and restore circulation in the legs. This was the launch by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine of the first U.S. trial of the technique that has worked in laboratory animals.

Ohio, Pennsylvania Join Federal Effort to Increase Planning for Long-Term Care

Ohio, Pennsylvania Join Federal Effort to Increase Planning for Long-Term Care (Posted by Administrator)

�There�s a widespread misconception that Medicare pays for long-term care�

Jan. 16, 2008 - Ohio and Pennsylvania will join a federal program created to increase the public�s awareness about the importance of long-term care (LTC) planning. The �Own Your Future� education effort includes information on various ways senior citizens can finance long-term care, according to Health and Human Services (HHS).

Healthcare Spending Hits $2.1Trillion, Growth Rate Grows in 2006, Says CMS

Healthcare Spending Hits $2.1Trillion, Growth Rate Grows in 2006, Says CMS (Posted by Administrator)

Growth slight but more than economic growth, general inflation.

Jan. 8, 2008 - In 2006, U.S. health care spending reached a total of $2.1 trillion, or $7,026 per person, up from $6,649 per person in 2005, according to a report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The health care spending growth accelerated slightly in 2006, increasing 6.7 percent compared to 6.5 percent in 2005, which was the slowest rate of growth since 1999.

FDA Looks at Deaths, Tumor Growth from Anemia Drugs Used for Breast, Cervical Cancer

FDA Looks at Deaths, Tumor Growth from Anemia Drugs Used for Breast, Cervical Cancer (Posted by Administrator)

Anemia drugs known as erythropoiesis -stimulating agents used to treat the anemia caused by chemotherapy

Jan. 3, 2008 � Patients with breast or advanced cervical cancers who received anemia drugs known as erythropoiesis -stimulating agents to treat the anemia caused by chemotherapy died sooner or had more rapid tumor growth than those who did not take the ESAs. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the new data from two studies.

Make Your Medicare Program Changes Now for Big Savings in 2008

Make Your Medicare Program Changes Now for Big Savings in 2008 (Posted by Administrator)

Deadline is Dec. 31 for making changes in Medicare drug program

Dec. 27, 2007 � Lack of action by some senior citizens in the next very few days could prove extremely costly. Senior citizens have through the last day of this year to change their Medicare health coverage. For example, there may be prescription drug plans available that can provide larger savings, because your needs have changed or the plans in your area have changed. In fact, the plan you have today may be much different next year.

Senior Citizens Get Their Own Food Pyramid Updated by Tufts Researchers

Senior Citizens Get Their Own Food Pyramid Updated by Tufts Researchers (Posted by Administrator)

Tufts scientists work with federal agencies to establish the USDA Dietary Guidelines

Dec. 20, 2007 - Tufts University researchers have updated their Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults to correspond with the USDA food pyramid, now known as MyPyramid. The Tufts version is specifically designed for older adults and has changed in appearance and content.

Efforts Failing to Stop Medicare from Cutting Physicians Pay, Other Reforms

Efforts Failing to Stop Medicare from Cutting Physicians Pay, Other Reforms (Posted by Administrator)

House unable to agree on adding Medicare package to alternative minimum tax bill

Dec. 12, 2007 - Legislation that would prevent middle-class U.S. residents from paying the alternative minimum tax heads to the House floor on Wednesday, but it does not contain Medicare provisions that would delay a scheduled 10% physician fee cut, CongressDaily reports.

Two Million Dual Eligibles Being Moved to New Medicare Drug Plans

Two Million Dual Eligibles Being Moved to New Medicare Drug Plans (Posted by Administrator)

Dec. 5, 2007 - Over 2 million dual eligibles (eligible for Medicaid and Medicare) must switch Medicare Part D plans for 2008 because many plans with robust dual eligible enrollment in 2007 submitted premium bids that exceed certain states� low-income subsidy benchmarks for 2008, according to Avalere Health, which analyzed the situation in Texas and found many of the state�s lowest income residents will find themselves randomly re-assigned into less generous Medicare Part D plans.

Pedometer Plus Walking Goals Motivate More Activity, Less Blood Pressure, Weight

Pedometer Plus Walking Goals Motivate More Activity, Less Blood Pressure, Weight (Posted by Administrator)

Pedometer users increased their physical activity by 26.9 percent

Nov. 28, 2007 � An easy way to decrease your body mass index and blood pressure is to use a pedometer � especially with a daily step goal � which will motivate you to significantly increase your physical activity. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association says the evidence from several studies shows participants will walk about an additional mile a day.

Traditional Retirement at Age 65 Has Been Retired According to New Poll

Traditional Retirement at Age 65 Has Been Retired According to New Poll (Posted by Administrator)

Those not yet retired either didn't know when they will retire or do not plan to retire at all

Nov. 14, 2007 - Americans age 50 and over are increasingly disregarding age 65 as the time to stop working - more than 70% believe that keeping experienced workers engaged in society, either through continuing work or volunteering, is very important, according to a new poll.

Men Who are Too Fat Run Risk of Undetected Prostate Cancer

Men Who are Too Fat Run Risk of Undetected Prostate Cancer (Posted by Administrator)

Men with a BMI of 35+ had 11 to 21 percent lower PSA relative to normal-weight men

Nov. 20, 2007 � Men who are too fat may put themselves in danger of having prostate cancer that goes undetected by the standard test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with higher plasma volume, which may be related to lower prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels among obese men, according to a study in the November 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Healthcare Workers Not Doing Enough to Inform Victims of MRSA Staph Infections

Healthcare Workers Not Doing Enough to Inform Victims of MRSA Staph Infections (Posted by Administrator)

Nov. 7, 2007 - Ignore it and it will go away. That seems to be the attitude of too many in the health care industry who are failing to be open in their communications about methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that causes the antibiotic-resistant staph infection sweeping the U.S. According to a national online survey administered by the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA), 53% of patients diagnosed with MRSA reported that they were given no information on the condition at the time of their diagnosis.

Medicare Part D Pushed Drug Prescriptions Up 158 Million, Gov Cost by $32 Billion

Medicare Part D Pushed Drug Prescriptions Up 158 Million, Gov Cost by $32 Billion (Posted by Administrator)

Oldest, poorest spending a much greater share of their own income on premiums and health services than others

Nov. 1, 2007 � The Medicare drug program (Part D) boosted the business of drug makers and pharmacists by 158 million prescriptions in 2006 and Medicare paid the bill of $32 billion, but a new study says the drug use and cost decrease to senior citizens was "relatively minor."

Many senior citizens already had prescription drug coverage, so the new benefit reduced the average amount paid by seniors per day of therapy by 18.4% and increased threir prescription drug use by only 13%, say researchers in a study published today in the 25th anniversary issue of the journal Health Affairs.

Evidence Mounts that Low Testosterone Increases Death Risk for Older Men

Evidence Mounts that Low Testosterone Increases Death Risk for Older Men (Posted by Administrator)

Studies rate death risk from 33 to 80% higher than for normal levels

Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, M.D., principal investigatorOct. 25, 2007 � Several recent studies are making it abundantly clear that a low testosterone level in older men increases their risk of death. A study published this month says men 50 or older with the lowest testosterone had a 40 percent higher death rate over 18 years. Another, published in August of last year, found men over 40 had an 88 percent increase in death risk over eight years.

Exercise Does Help Senior Citizens Improve Balance Says Data from 34 Studies

Exercise Does Help Senior Citizens Improve Balance Says Data from 34 Studies (Posted by Administrator)

Rising from a chair and standing on one leg is enough to help

Oct. 17, 2007 � It is not only the embarrassment of being unsteady on your feet as you get older, but there is the increase in the risk of a devastating fall for a senior citizen. Although many studies have indicated that exercise can help the elderly maintain balance, a new review of 34 studies confirms this to be true. Exercise does help people stay steady on their feet in later years, when diminished balance can put older people at risk of falls.

Prostate Cancer Increases Hip Fracture Risk by Eight for 'Almost' Senior Citizens

Prostate Cancer Increases Hip Fracture Risk by Eight for 'Almost' Senior Citizens (Posted by Administrator)

Just being 50+ with prostate cancer increases hip fracture risk by 4

Oct. 11, 2007 - Men over age 50 who have prostate cancer are four times more likely to suffer a hip fracture, but this ratio shoots up to eight times for early baby boomers and other older men on the verge of becoming senior citizens at age 65.

Danish researchers looked at 62,865 men aged 50 and over, with an average age of just under 67 and found this staggering number of hip fractures in those aged 50 to 65 that had prostate cancer.

Bill Funding Efforts to Prepare Senior Citizens for Digital TV Offered Kohl

Bill Funding Efforts to Prepare Senior Citizens for Digital TV Offered Kohl (Posted by Administrator)

Sen. Kohl�s legislation aimed at filling gap left by government and industry planning for transition of nation�s television broadcast format

Take the digital tv quiz and earn your DTV Deputy certificate?Oct. 3, 2007 � Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, today introduced a bill to provide funding for non-profits, states and local governments, as well as, coordinate federal efforts, to prepare senior citizens for the nation�s switch to digital television in early 2009. A hearing last month by the committee highlighted concerns that senior citizens are the most likely Americans not to be prepared when the broadcasting of analog television signals ends.

Fentora Cancer Pain Drug Draws FDA Warning of Potential Serious Side Effects

Fentora Cancer Pain Drug Draws FDA Warning of Potential Serious Side Effects (Posted by Administrator)

Concern due to reports of deaths, other adverse events from fentanyl buccal

Sept. 26, 2007 - The Food and Drug Administration is alerting health care professionals and consumers to concerns over the use of Fentora (fentanyl buccal) tablets after recent reports of deaths and other adverse events.

Fentora, a potent opioid pain medication, is used only for treatment of breakthrough pain in cancer patients receiving opioid treatment and who have become tolerant to it.

Breakthrough pain is intense increases in pain that occur with rapid onset, even when opioid pain-control medication is being used. Patients who take narcotic pain medications daily and around-the-clock develop tolerance and are more resistant to the dangerous side effects of these medications than patients who take narcotic pain medication on a less frequent basis.

Cancer Patients and Spouses Report Similar Emotional Distress

Cancer Patients and Spouses Report Similar Emotional Distress (Posted by Administrator)

Michigan U. study says phase of illness plays big role in distress, intervention should target spouses, too

Sept. 20, 2007 � Cancer is a major killer of senior citizens � number two behind heart disease � and it does not come as news to many of those over age 65 that a diagnosis of cancer brings a shared suffering between patient and spouse. A new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center confirms that spouses report similar physical and emotional quality of life as the patient.

The study found that what really impacted emotional distress - among both patients and their spouses - was whether the patient was newly diagnosed, facing a recurrence or living with advanced disease.

New Record Reached in U.S. Life Expectancy but Heart Disease Remains Biggest Killer

New Record Reached in U.S. Life Expectancy but Heart Disease Remains Biggest Killer (Posted by Administrator)

Child born in 2005 should live to about 78 years of age, says CDC

Americans celebrating their 100th birthday is becoming more common. The Sussex Post (Del.) reports on two this week. Edna Englehart shares a moment with her grandson Brian during her 100th birthday last Saturday. She had never eaten lobster tail, so her grandson whipped her up a seafood platter to sample. (Sussex Post photo by Michael Short) Click to story.

Perneltha Wise Yates hit the century mark on Aug. 17, and friends and family � five generations in all � celebrated with a surprise birthday bash the following day at the Church of the Nazarene in Laurel.

Smokers in Study Were 50 Percent More Likely to Get Alzheimer�s or Dementia

Smokers in Study Were 50 Percent More Likely to Get Alzheimer�s or Dementia (Posted by Administrator)

Sept. 4, 2007 � A study that followed 7,000 people age 55 and older for seven years has determined that people who smoke are more likely to develop Alzheimer�s disease or dementia than nonsmokers or those who smoked in the past.

Over the seven years of the study, 706 of the participants developed dementia. People who were current smokers at the time of the study were 50 percent more likely to develop dementia than people who had never smoked or past smokers.

Experimental Drug Ketasyn Improves Memory in Age-Associated Memory Impairment

Experimental Drug Ketasyn Improves Memory in Age-Associated Memory Impairment (Posted by Administrator)

Aug. 29, 2007 � Encouraging news about the ability of Ketasyn (AC-1202) to prompt a positive and meaningful effect on memory in older adults was released today by Accera, Inc. The results are from a Phase II study of the company�s lead product in fighting age-associated memory impairment (AAMI).

In June the company reported on a clinical trial with Alzheimer�s patients and said Ketasyn proved safe and its ability to �significantly improve the memory and cognition of subjects.�

Ability of Aspirin-Like Drug Salsalate to Lower Glucose in Diabetics Begins Trial

Ability of Aspirin-Like Drug Salsalate to Lower Glucose in Diabetics Begins Trial (Posted by Administrator)

University of Illinois one of 16 sites needing volunteers in large NIH clinical trial

Aug. 24, 2007 - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), cherished by millions of senior citizens for their ability to relieve pain, have taken a beating in recent years for a potential to increase certain health risks, including heart attack; but they have survived as popular pain relievers. Now, one of these drugs, salsalate, marketed as Disalcid and Salflex, could be on its way to fame. It is being tested for its potential to lower blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes, a massive chronic problem for older people.

Advanced Age Should Not Be Reason to Deny Liver Transplant, Study Finds

Advanced Age Should Not Be Reason to Deny Liver Transplant, Study Finds (Posted by Administrator)

Aug. 21, 2007 - As Americans live longer, the demand for medical services once denied many because of their age, like transplants, has been increasing. The latest study to prove age should not be a bearer has found that the risk of death after a liver transplant cannot be solely attributed to advanced age. In fact, the longest living survivor has reached age 88, 15 years after the transplant.

Senior Citizens Need to Understand Why a Will Sometimes 'Won't'

Senior Citizens Need to Understand Why a Will Sometimes 'Won't' (Posted by Administrator)

Aug. 9, 2007 - A Last Will and Testament is the most basic of estate planning documents, but also one that is often misunderstood. Many think that if they have a Will they don�t have anything to worry about - everything will go to the persons they specify. That�s not true, though, and it�s important you understand why a Will sometimes "Won�t".

Let�s test your knowledge of how a Will works.

Study Offers New Look at �Self-Neglect� Among the Elderly

Study Offers New Look at �Self-Neglect� Among the Elderly (Posted by Administrator)

Aug. 1, 2007 - Many older adults who cannot take care of the tasks of daily life such as eating and bathing are battling a multitude of health problems with little help from family or others in their community, according to a new study.
This portrait of �self-neglect,� the most comprehensive to date, suggests these adults frequently suffer from heart problems and depression. They struggle with simple physical and mental tasks, and might even be oblivious to their problems.

Viagra is No Longer Just About Sex for Older Men, It's About Better Health

Viagra is No Longer Just About Sex for Older Men, It's About Better Health (Posted by Administrator)

July 25, 2007 � Viagra, Levitra, Cialis � they are not just about sex for older men anymore. Viagra is now being used to treat not only erectile dysfunction (ED) but also pulmonary hypertension and, maybe, heart disease. And the drug may have potential for treating several other conditions, reports the August 2007 issue of Harvard Men�s Health Watch.

The three ED medications currently on the market all work by the same means, and they have similar side effects. The most common are headaches and facial flushing, which occur in 15% of men.

Coaching for Doctor Visits Helps To Ask Right Questions

Coaching for Doctor Visits Helps To Ask Right Questions (Posted by Administrator)

By Joan Vos MacDonald, Health Behavior News Service
July 19, 2007 - Asking more questions during a visit to the doctor might help patients get care that is more satisfactory, but many patients are not sure where to start. A new review of 33 studies found that giving patients question checklists or providing in-office coaching can help them ask more questions of their health care provider and get more information that is useful - often extending the length of the consultation as well.

New Study Confirms HRT Does Not Benefit Older Women

New Study Confirms HRT Does Not Benefit Older Women (Posted by Administrator)

July 11, 2007 � It is just one more nail in a coffin that has already been shut on the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for older women. The British Medical Journal today published on bmj.com new evidence that it should not be prescribed to women many years past menopause to help prevent chronic conditions, such as heart disease.

Brain Exercise for Senior Citizens Does Seem to Work, Says Study

Brain Exercise for Senior Citizens Does Seem to Work, Says Study (Posted by Administrator)

June 7, 2007 - Can a fitness program for your brain improve thinking and concentration the way lifting weights can increase muscle strength? From crossword puzzles to computer games, there are a growing number of options promoting brain exercise as a method to keep your mind young. Initial results of a study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, indicates these exercises do teach the aging brain to filter out distracting sounds and increase visual focus.

Problems Identifying Smells may begin Cognitive Decline to Alzheimer�s

Problems Identifying Smells may begin Cognitive Decline to Alzheimer�s (Posted by Administrator)

July 3, 2007 � In an update on earlier research, a study has found that older people who have difficulty identifying common odors may have a greater risk of developing problems with thinking, learning and memory, or mild cognitive impairment. Previous research had found a smell test could help identify which people with MCI are most likely to develop Alzheimer�s disease.