Dementia Care Boomerangs Family RiskFor decades, the stress of caregiving has been a major concern of gerontologists. Family members provide 80% of all eldercare, and any breakdown in that family care system would result in extraordinary social costs. A major factor in the possible breakdown of the family caregiving system is that, often, caregivers are just as ill as the patient. Consider that family caregivers are on-call 24 hours a day with little respite, resulting in decline in physical health, time away from work, and loss of employment due to excessive absenteeism.While caregiver stress has been a topic of concern, the data in support of it was often anecdotal. Times have changed. Researchers are now offering hard data in support of documenting caregiver stress. As a case in point, Ohio State University (OSU) has found that chronic stress of caring for a family member with dementia may dampen the immune systems of the elderly caregivers. The study's lead author, Professor Ronald Glaser says that "Dementia caregiving can be quite taxing". "Family members must cope with severe behavioral problems including incontinence, wandering and the inability to communicate or recognize familiar people." These findings add to growing evidence regarding the negative effects of caregiving on immune response, according to the OSU study. After administering a bacterial pneumonia vaccine to 52 elderly study participants, Glaser and colleagues analyzed their immune responses. Eleven participants were currently caring for spouses with dementia, 13 were former caregivers whose spouses had died approximately two years before, and 28 were non-caregivers. Over the next six months, the immune responses of the caregivers declined, while those of former and non-caregivers remained stable. Chronic stress may have led to a reduction in the number of immune cells in the caregivers or an impairment in the functioning of these cells, suggested Glaser and colleagues. According to the researchers, the poor response of caregivers to the pneumonia vaccine suggests these individuals may also have difficulty protecting themselves from illnesses such as the flu. The researchers had shown previously a similar impact of caregiving on individuals’ response to the influenza vaccine. "These findings are of particular concern since the elderly already experience reductions in immune response as a normal part of aging," said Glaser. "Pneumonia and influenza are together the fourth leading cause of death among individuals 75 or older." The research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute on Aging. Study findings are reported in the November/December issue of the journal of Psychosomatic Medicine. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Online Guide for Today's Eldercare Provider Reduce Caregiver Stress and Burnout Caring Gets Daring for Stressed-out Caregivers AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Puzzle Pundit Pens Best of Boomer TriviaThe period between the late 1940's and early 1960's saw one of the greatest population increases in American history. Known as "Baby Boomers", the children of this generation could arguably be described as the first ones to be influenced by television, the advent of rock-and-roll, and the dawn of the space age.Nancy Bernhard is part of this generation. But while many of her peers had an idlyllic, "Leave It To Beaver" childhood, Nancy's story shows how ingenuity and perseverance can help overcome a major childhood learning disability. Nancy has used puzzles and games to overcome her learning disability. Now, she has employed those same learning exercises to create her new book, "The Best of Baby Boomer Trivia", which transports boomers back to the days of "Howdy Doody", Poodle Skirts, and Elvis. Bernhard was born with Dyslexia and a speech impediment. Now days, these impairments are easily identifiable and corrected with treatment. But back in the 1950's, it was a different story. Children of the 1950's who had impairments were labeled as retarded, mentally unstable, or worse. Nancy was tested for retardation and deafness, and while the tests showed no evidence of either impairment, the tests did show that Nancy had an average I.Q. Her parents, encouraged by the news, did not give up on her. Instead, they helped Nancy read and speak through the use of puzzles and learning games. Before long, Nancy was completing every puzzle her mother could obtain. By the time Nancy reached high school, she could do most of the daily New York Times crossword puzzle. "All my life, puzzles have been an excellent tool for me to learn different things. They have also taught me other important skills, such as utilizing the dictionary to find words I didn't know," says Nancy. By the early 90's, Nancy was forced to leave her job and go on disability. But, being no stranger to adversity, Nancy utilized her spare time to embark on an adventure that would allow her to work on her favorite pastime ... puzzles. The combination of opportunity and a love of puzzles led to creating the "Best of Baby Boomer Trivia" (Vantage Press, New York, 2000, $10.95). Readers will find the answers to a number of 1950's trivia associated with television programs, celebrities, commercial product jingles, famous movies and songs, historical happenings, and much more. Here's a sample quiz to test your Boomer I.Q.
"The Best of Baby Boomer Trivia" is available in bookstores. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Game Helps Family Boost Elder's Memory Game Helps Boomers Re-spark Romance Boomer Girls: Poems by Boomer Women AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP AIDS Up Ten Percent In Older AmericansAdults age 50 and older account for about 11 percent of all known AIDS cases and while the number of AIDS cases reported annually among young persons is declining we are now seeing an increase among older adults by 10 percent, according to the National Institutes of Health.The Center For AIDS and Prevention Studies at the University of California - San Francisco (UCSF) reports that cases among older people may be under-reported, as HIV symptoms and infections may coincide with other diseases associated with aging. As a result, says UCSF, the symptoms may be overlooked. "AIDS related dementia is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimers and early HIV symptoms such as fatigue and weight loss maybe dismissed as a normal part of Aging.” According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, the UCFS data is supported by another study by the University of Alabama (UA) School of Medicine. "Although homosexual and bisexual contact and injection drug use remain the primary means by which HIV is transmitted across all age groups, heterosexual transmission of HIV is steadily increasing in persons more than 50 years of age.” In the UA study, the majority of hospitalized HIV infected patients aged 60 years and older were found to have acquired their infection through sexual intercourse (38%) or injection drug use (16%) with transfusion accounting for only 9% of cases. Consumer Health Education Resources.  Center for Disease Control AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342-AIDS
National Association on HIV Over Fifty, www.uic.edu/depts/matec/nahof.html
National Institute on Aging, Age Page: AIDS Older People, www.nih.gov/nia
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Telesensory Technology Offers New VisionTelesensory, a worldwide developer of products to assist people with low vision announced that it has entered into an agreement with Microvision, developer of the patented retinal scanning display (RSD) technology, for the purchase of Microvision Nomad wearable displays. Telesensory plans to combine its line of low-vision products with the Nomad display to improve the ability of people with low vision to read printed material.Nomad integrates Microvision's patented retinal scanning display (RSD) technology into head worn devices, and allows an individual to view images without the need for a cumbersome screen. The technology scans a low-power beam of light to "paint" rows of pixels to the eye, creating a high resolution, see-through, full-motion image without the use of electronic screens of any kind. To the viewer, the image appears to be floating directly in front of them at about an arm's length away, as if on a large computer or television monitor. The special characteristics of Nomad make it ideal for the partially sighted. These include fully directed scanned light to create the brightest images of any display technology, high contrast range, and no need for a large physical screen, creating a wearable low vision aid that allows the user access to virtually any printed material. Telesensory will focus initially on using the Nomad devices to help people afflicted with age related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of new blindness in the USA with estimates ranging as high as 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The system could also prove useful as a reading system for people with glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or retinitis pigmentosa (RP). In the United States an estimated 15 million people suffer from visual impairment, with an estimated 2 million new cases per year. The prevalence of this condition is expected to grow as the 65-plus population expands. For example, the visual impairment afflicts:
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Lighthouse Offers Vision for Better Living These Symptoms Indicate Vision Problems New Technology Dominates Healthcare's Future AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Drug Interactions: Be Smart, Safe, InformedConsumers are taking more medicines than ever before. With nearly three billion prescriptions dispensed each year, a growing choice of nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, and the increased use of dietary supplements, the potential for drug interactions increases.To help consumers avoid potential problems when taking prescription or nonprescription medicines, the Council on Family Health (CFH), in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Consumers League (NCL), has released an update of its popular free consumer guide "Drug Interactions: What You Should Know". "Consumers need to be aware this holiday season that drug interactions can be caused by medicines, certain pre-existing medical conditions, or even those festive foods and drinks around the holiday table," says CFH President Robert G. Donovan. "With this updated information for consumers, the Council on Family Health is reminding everyone to take steps to have a healthy holiday season and reduce the chance of drug interactions." The guide explains the different types of drug interactions, includes questions to ask health care professionals, and stresses the importance of reading medicine labels and package inserts where such warning information is outlined. The pamphlet also contains a chart of drug interaction warnings for some common nonprescription products. Single copies of Drug Interactions: What You Should Know are available by writing to the Federal Consumer Information Center, Item #600G, Pueblo, CO 81009. Bulk copies can be ordered from: Council on Family Health, "Drug Interactions," 1155 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Meds Plus Herbs Is Prescription for Disaster Herbal Meds Benefit Countless ... salesmen Complementary Medicine Paid Few Compliments AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Low Dose Estrogen Fights OsteoporosisEvery mature women knows about the devastating effects of osteoporosis. And just as many are aware of the unpleasant side-effects of its most popular treatment, estrogen. As a result, many who suffer age-related bone loss are forced to play the "darned if I do and darned if I don't" use estrogen game. Well, that's all about to change, according to a promising new study reported in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.The new study compares the effects of both traditional and low doses of estrogen treatment among White, Black, and Hispanic women aged 65 and older. Interestingly, the study investigates comparative side-effects and benefits of the two different estrogen dosages. To make a long story short, low dosage estrogen treatment was found to effectively treat osteoporosis, as well as, reduce the unpleasant side-effects associated with traditionally higher dosages. The findings couldn't have come at a better time for the 10 million Americans who have osteoporosis, a disease that thins and weakens bones with the most common fractures occurring to the spine, wrist and hip. Some 18 million more Americans have lost enough bone to make them more likely to develop osteoporosis. More than 80 percent of these 28 million people are women. But the findings are important to men and women because osteoporosis is costly both in dollars and in human suffering. Hip fractures alone amount to $10 to $14 billion in health care expenditures each year. Researchers in this new study explained osteoporosis as an imbalance in "bone turnover". Bone turnover refers to the balance of new bone being formed as older bone is dissolved (resorption). With this delicate balance in mind, it's easier to understand the process of osteoporosis. For example, osteoporosis develops when more bone is dissolved than is formed, weakening the bones and making them prone to fracture. In the study, 107 White, Black, and Hispanic women aged 65-plus were organized into four dose groups: placebo (no treatment), traditional estrogen dose of 1.0 mg, experimental dose of 0.5 mg, and experimental dose of 0.25 mg. The study groups were tracked to record dietary intake, physical activity, side-effects, and bone mineral density. In regards to the effectiveness of the estrogen treatment, bone turnover was found to be similar in both the traditional (1.0 mg) and experimental (0.25) dosages of estrogen. In regards to the unpleasant side-effects (breast tenderness, fluid retention, headaches, bloating), the 0.25 mg group had no more side-effects than the placebo group. The study was conducted by the University of Connecticut's Claude Pepper Center (UCONN)under the sponsorship of the National Institute on Aging (NIA). UCONN and NIA believe that longer term studies are needed to determine whether the effects on bone turnover seen with 0.25 mg estrogen will also improve bone density in order to decrease the risk of bone fracture. The results of this research are remarkable and promising. However, that does not mean that Older Americans should sit around waiting for miracle drugs to fight osteoporosis. There are plenty of self-help, lifestyle habits that can be employed to reduce your risk of bone loss. So, here's what to do now. Call the NIA Information Center at 1-800-222-2225 and request a free copy of the NIA Age Page titled "Osteoporosis: The Bone Thief". See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Bone-up on Osteoporosis NIH Experts Offer Osteoporosis Update High Protein Diet Accelerates Osteoporosis AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Home Loan Scams Target 50-plus Boomers"Older and wiser" used to be inseparable terms. But times have changed. In this case, many older adults who should know better are making unwise decisions when it comes to selecting a lender for their home loan. Based on an AARP survey, 28 percent of Americans over age 50 selected lenders for home loans based entirely on advertisements or solicitations. Think that's bad? More than half of those boomers and seniors didn't bother to comparison shop before taking the loan. Bottom line. They literally bet the ranch on smoke and mirror home loan pitches.These careless loan applicants are more likely to find they have agreed to higher rates than they can repay or excessive fees that drive up the loan cost beyond their financial capacity, says AARP National Legislative Council Member Anthony Ludovico. The AARP survey of Americans over 50 shows that 85 percent have seen home equity loan ads in the past year and 73 percent have received direct solicitations to take out such a loan. Ludovico told a panel of State Attorneys General that "AARP remains concerned with any subprime lending which includes predatory lending." Subprime mortgage lenders extend credit at higher than prime rates to many groups of borrowers, some, but not all of whom are higher risk or have impaired credit. AARP warns 50-plus consumers about the predatory practices of subprime lenders. Such practices include:
If you've been fortunate enough not to be victimized by fraudulent home loan solicitations, it's still important to keep your guard up. You may be their next target. Afterall, no one ever expects to be a victim of fraud. So, here's a little insight into how the bogus operators might try to reach out to you. The AARP survey found that among those who had been solicited in the past year,
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Consumer Centers Fight Medicare Fraud Keys to Fraudulent Health Claims Feds Fix Fraud Fretting Home Health Future AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP |
