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MATURE MARKET HEADLINES updated 8/27/99
Older Adults: Depression and Suicide Facts
Nearly 2 million of the 34 million Americans ages 65 and older suffer from depression, but doctors and patients may have trouble recognizing its signs. To help identify and promote discussion of depression during medical visits, the Administration on Aging (AoA) is joining the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in a widespread dissemination of its new fact sheet, "Older Adults: Depression and Suicide Facts".
The fact sheet includes a cue card of symptoms for older adults entitled, "Before You Say, I'm Fine" which helps professionals recognize signs of depression, reduce suicide risk in older adults, and promote treatment. It presents questions for older adults to ask themselves, such as if they feel nervous or empty, guilty or worthless, or whether life seems worth living. If their answers indicate that they are depressed, the card suggests talking to a doctor. "Older Adults: Depression and Suicide Facts" is promoted on the NIMH Website at www.nimh.nih.gov and on the AoA Website at www.aoa.gov. In addition, AoA, will disseminate the fact sheet to its national aging network of 57 State Offices on Aging and 655 Area Agencies on Aging. Major depression, a significant predictor of suicide in elderly Americans, is a widely under-recognized and under-treated medical illness. According to one study, many older adults who commit suicide have visited their primary care physician very close to the time of the suicide: 20 percent on the same day, 40 percent within one week, and 70 percent within one month of the suicide. Older Americans are disproportionately likely to commit suicide. Comprising only 13 percent of the U.S. population, individuals ages 65 and older account for 20 percent of all suicide deaths, with white males being particularly vulnerable. The highest rate is for white men ages 85 and older: 65 deaths per 100,000 persons in 1996 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), about 6 times the national U.S. rate of 10.8 per 100,000. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Low Cholesterol Linked to Depression and Anxiety Depression May Lower Sex Hormone Levels Psychiatrists Look Into Next Century's Depression New Depression Meds Not Always Better More Docs Encounter Patient Depression AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Family Trends Foster Eldercare ChallengesDivorce can negatively affect the parent-child relationship even in the later part of life, weakening economic ties and reducing informal caregiving, according to a new study which examined the effect of family structure on the relationship between elderly parents and their adult children.The researchers, Barbara Steinberg Schone, Ph.D., of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, and Liliana E. Pezzin, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, point out that the nuclear family, a concept based on close genetic and blood ties, is rapidly being replaced by new family patterns due to the high rate of divorce. The study, based on data from the first wave of the Assets and Health Dynamics of the Elderly (AHEAD) survey, found that:
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Eldercare Trend Grey, Global and Growing Stress of Care-giving Often Health-robbing PCA's Public-Private Partnership in Eldercare Women Continue Caregiver Tradition America's New Boomerang Parents: Grandma & Grandpa AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Senior Housing Net Offers Virtual Walk-ThroughsOne of the toughest challenges facing many families is locating senior housing that meets all of their needs, from cost to location to amenities to specialized care. In response to this growing need, a new website offers a directory of retirement communities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes across the U.S.Senior Housing Net, located at www.seniorhousing.net, allows users to find detailed descriptions, color photographs, floor plans and, for a large number of properties, 360-degree "virtual walk-throughs". As a result, consumers can "step inside and walk around" apartments, dining rooms and lobbies while sitting at their computer. In addition, use of the website is free and does not require a time-consuming registration process. The website's Information Center gives users detailed information on the different types of senior housing available so seniors and their families can determine the one that's right for them. A checklist outlines the factors to consider when selecting a senior care facility. A glossary of terms helps seniors and their families understand the often specialized language of senior housing. "Our goal in building Senior Housing Net was to make it comprehensive, up-to-date and valuable in every way to seniors, their families and friends," explains Jed Katz, founder of the site. The website offers a "one-stop information source to simplify one of the most complex decisions millions of families have to deal with each year, locating the best housing and care for their loved ones." See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Seen Your Options in Senior Housing Lately? Retirement Housing Checklist Fosters Saftey & Comfort Affordable Retirement Locations Assisted Living Offers Cure for Elder Care Limbo Smart Home Technology for Senior Living Center for Assisted Living Launches Website AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Kinerase Skin Care Product Reduces Signs of AgingICN Pharmaceuticals Inc now offers Kinerase™, a new skin care product that helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, sun spots, and moisture loss while improving skin texture.Clinical studies conducted by the department of dermatology at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), College of Medicine demonstrated that Kinerase™ helps delay and improve unwanted changes in the appearance and texture of sun-damaged skin. The most significant improvements were a perceived decrease in the appearance of fine wrinkles, blotches and skin roughness. "The study results indicate that Kinerase™ not only helps improve the appearance of photodamaged skin, but also has beneficial properties that make it an effective moisturizer," says Jerry L. McCullough, PhD, study co-investigator and Professor of Dermatology at UCI. "Our test subjects gave Kinerase™ an extremely high approval rating." Kinerase™ is non-acidic and is derived from a nature-identical plant growth factor known as N6-furfuryladenine. This substance, which keeps plant leaves moist and healthy, helps diminish the effects of photoaging. Kinerase™, available as a cream or lotion in 0.1% concentrations, can be purchased or recommended by dermatologists and plastic surgeons as part of a complete skin care regimen. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. Gerontrepreneurs: Skin Rejuvenation Research Face Facts About Skin Care Doctors Report Longterm Effects of Facelift As Boomers Age, Cosmetic Surgery Increases Aging? Boomers say "Hell no, we won't go" AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP Faced With Stress, Men Drink and Women ThinkWhen women are blue, sad or mad, they are more likely than men to think about their problems in a repetitive, unhelpful way. When men are down or depressed, they're more likely than women to hit the bottle. That's one of the findings of a University of Michigan (U-M) study of 1,300 adults age 25 to 75.In the study conducted by U-M psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, participants were asked how depressed they felt, and what they found themselves doing when their mood was low. Specifically, they were given a test to measure their tendency to "ruminate," or stew about how bad they felt and what they were doing to deserve to feel this bad. Participants were also asked about any problems they had experienced as a result of alcohol dependence or abuse, including losing a job or an important relationship. In addition, they were asked about the extent to which they drank to cope with negative feelings, to help themselves feel better, and to deal with stress. "The gender differences in both rumination and drinking to cope were quite pronounced," Nolen-Hoeksema reports. "Women think and men drink." For both men and women, she notes, the tendency to ruminate is not only linked to depression, but also to alcohol use. Therefore, both might benefit from therapeutic conversations that focus on more adaptive ways of quelling ruminations, such as working with a friend or a therapist to find effective solutions to problems. See related articles in the AgeVenture archives. No Break from Stress for Working Women All Stressed Up and No Place to Blow Sources of Stress Vary for Men and Women Boomer Couples Cling to Role Stereotypes AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com BACK TO TOP View More Headlines |