Virtual cognitively enhanced tai chi program improves cognition and executive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

A study of more than 300 older adults experiencing mild cognitive impairment or self-reported memory concerns found that cognitively enriched tai ji quan, also known as tai chi, was superior to standard tai ji quan or stretching for improving global cognition and reducing walking interference associated with dual tasking. The authors note that the virtual, home-based exercise program also had high fidelity and adherence, suggesting that it could be a feasible, acceptable exercise-based therapy for older adults concerned about cognitive impairment. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Older Adults Show Greater Increase in Body Temperature in Simulated Heatwave Than Previously Reported

Under conditions designed to better mirror real-world conditions, a new study finds that adults 65 and older are affected more by heatwave-like temperatures than previously reported. The study included intermittent bouts of light activity and was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Maintaining Stable Weight Increases Longevity Among Older Women

UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science researchers investigated the associations of weight changes later in life with exceptional longevity and found that women who maintained their body weight after age 60 were more likely to reach exceptional longevity.

Study Reveals Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 Faced Nearly Twice the Rates of Death After Discharge As Patients with Flu

Researchers demonstrate that among individuals who were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 and were discharged alive, the risk of post-discharge death was nearly twice that observed in those who were discharged alive from an influenza-related hospital admission.

Having a partner more important than children to staving off loneliness during pandemic, new study finds

A new study released in the European Journal of Ageing found that having a partner had a greater impact than having children in helping to stave off loneliness among older adults during the pandemic’s first wave. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island, University of Florence, University of Maryland Baltimore County and the SGH Warsaw School of Economics analyzed data on more than 35,000 adults aged 50 and older from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe to examine if unpartnered and childless older adults reported more loneliness and how that changed over the course of the pandemic.

Chula’s Innovations for the Aging Society

As one of the countries with a rapidly increasing aging population, especially this 2022, Thailand is now becoming an ‘aging’ society and will likely become a ‘super-aging society’ by 2031. To better meet the needs and provide services to the nation’s aging society, experts from various fields at Chulalongkorn University have conducted research to produce and develop innovations for the elderly.

NIH awards Joseph Mikels $2.6 million to research motivation and health

Tapping into positive emotions and social connections may be key to motivating older adults to exercise. DePaul University psychology professor Joseph Mikels has been awarded a $2.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his work on emotion, aging and decision-making throughout the life span.

Stress-relief Music Therapy Can Also Effectively Relieve Pain

Medical results show that music therapy can lower blood pressure, relieve pain during chemotherapy and dialysis, as well as stimulate the elderly brain. The Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University is offering a Music Therapy Program aiming to heal the ever-increasing patients with various chronic diseases in society.

Geriatric Emergency Departments Associated with Lower Medicare Expenditures

As the U.S. population ages, more hospitals are implementing geriatric emergency department (GED) programs with specialized staff focused on transitional care for older adults. A new study finds that providing specialized geriatric emergency care results in lower Medicare expenditures up to $3,200 per beneficiary.

Government of Canada invests in first-of-its-kind research study on the health impacts of inactivity

Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, and the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced an investment of $3.34 million in research to understand the health impacts of extended periods of inactivity and the effectiveness of preventative measures to mitigate the impact of inactivity on our health. This investment will support eight teams of researchers whose data collection will begin in spring 2021.

Rush Receives $3.5 Million in Funding to Address Behavioral Health Disparities in Older Adults

As the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging continues its commitment to improving the health of older adults, others are taking notice. Rush was designated a Center of Excellence Behavioral Health Disparities in Older Adults by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Rush System Leads The Way in Age-Friendly Care

After Rush University Medical Center was designated as an Age-Friendly Health System, the American Hospital Association developed a case study that took a deep dive into the Rush Center for Excellence in Aging and its successful impact on older adult health care.

University of Miami Miller School Plays Pivotal Role in Securing a $15 Million National Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine investigators play a pivotal role in a consortium of Florida institutions just awarded a $15 million grant to collaborate on Alzheimer’s disease research. The five-year National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging grant brings together top Florida researchers to focus on better understanding how to diagnose, treat, prevent, and potentially cure Alzheimer’s in diverse populations.

The Rate We Acquire Genetic Mutations Could Help Predict Lifespan, Fertility

Differences in the rate that genetic mutations accumulate in healthy young adults could help predict remaining lifespan in both sexes and the remaining years of fertility in women, according to University of Utah Health scientists. Their study, believed to be the first of its kind, found that young adults who acquired fewer mutations over time lived about five years longer than those who acquired them more rapidly.

‘Age-Friendly’ care coming to retail clinics

Nursing researchers and planners at Case Western Reserve University, funded by a new three-year, $2.44 million John A. Hartford Foundation grant, will work with CVSHealth and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to integrate into 1,100 CVS MinuteClinic locations the signature “Age-Friendly” approach developed by the foundation and institute. They will incorporate the age-friendly concepts into day-to-day care for older adults and track their implementation at all retail locations.

Scientists Discover New Clue Behind Age-Related Diseases and Food Spoilage

Berkeley Lab scientists have made a surprising discovery that could help explain our risk for developing chronic diseases or cancers as we get older, and how our food decomposes over time.

WHEN CAREGIVERS NEED CARE

People who regularly care for or assist a family member or friend with a health problem or disability are more likely to neglect their own health, particularly by not having insurance or putting off necessary health services due to cost, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.

Sarah Szanton, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing professor and developer of CAPABLE, will be live on POLITICO

Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) Professor Sarah Szanton, PhD, ANP, FAAN, has been invited to serve on the POLITICO Live panel “Combating Chronic Conditions,” December 3, Washington DC. She will join panelists across the health care spectrum to discuss policies, strategies, and innovations that can improve primary care treatment for patients with chronic conditions.

Combination of More Hospitalizations and Brain Pathologies Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline

Older people who experienced more hospitalizations and also had more Alzheimer’s pathology in their brain experienced the fastest rates of cognitive decline, according to study results published in the October 15 online issue of the Annals of Neurology.

Rutgers study examines smoking status, health conditions in older Chinese American men

The findings of the study by the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research underscore the need for culturally targeted interventions to prevent and reduce tobacco use, manage chronic disease and screen for lung cancer.

More Older Americans Will Suffer From Low Vision, Here’s How to Make Life Easier and Safer

The number of older Americans with low vision is expected to double in the coming years, as more people live longer. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is taking the opportunity of September’s Healthy Aging Month to let people know they can retain their independence and stay safe, despite declining vision.

Research shows music aids memory performance in older adults and patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

For this year’s World Alzheimers Day, Dr. Deason from Texas State University, reflects on how aging and disease affects the human mind, particularly in older adults.  Who: Dr. Rebecca Deason, Associate Professor of Psychology at Texas State, investigates how we…

FSU experts available to comment on healthy aging

September is Healthy Aging Month, an annual national observance to focus attention on the positive aspects of growing older.Florida State University faculty are among the global leaders in the study of gerontology, aging and longevity. These experts are available to comment on a variety of topics related to healthy aging and successful longevity.