MATURE MARKET HEADLINES updated 11/26/99
Plastic Surgery Treatment for Aging Hands
"The search for ways of rejuvenating aging hands has been increasing," said Dr. Edith Kawano Horibe at a recent Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Dr. Horibe, reporting on new treatment options, said that a new erbium/YAG laser is a good option for the treatment of aging hands.
"Results from this procedure were shown to be highly satisfactory
and well tolerated by patients." The laser used in the study produces a short pulse and causes less skin redness because the thermal effect on the skin is limited. In laser treatment, a beam of laser energy vaporizes the upper layers of damaged skin at specific and controlled levels of penetration.
The study was conducted on 12 patients between the ages of 31 and 68. Results of the surgery as measured by the surgeon, the patient and another observer were as follows: 33.4 percent of the surgeries were considered excellent; 58.3 percent were good; 8.3 percent were rated as regular; there were no bad outcomes.
The ASPS represents 97 percent of all physicians certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). ASPS members also include physicians certified in plastic surgery by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. By choosing an ASPS member plastic surgeon, patients are ensured that the physician has graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of additional residency, usually three years of general surgery and two years of plastic surgery. To be certified by ABPS, a physician must also practice plastic surgery for two years and pass comprehensive written and oral examinations.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Kinerase Skin Care Product Reduces Signs of Aging
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Solving the Mystery of Human Aging ... the Butler Did It
Aging Boomers Focus of New AGS Foundation
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Depressed Elders Higher Risk for Disease
Older Americans who have symptoms of depression are as likely as those who smoke to develop a new disease within two years, according to a University of Michigan study of more than 6,000 Americans age 70 and over. The study was conducted by Caroline S. Blaum, assistant professor of internal medicine in the U-M Medical School.
"The relationship of depression, disease, and disability is complex," says Blaum. "Not only do disease and disability lead to depressed symptoms, but depressive symptoms seem to be a precursor of the development of future disease. This effect is seen with relatively mild depressive symptoms such as decreased energy and restless sleeping, not just severe clinical depression."
The average age of respondents was 77 years old. Blaum analyzed how age, race, body mass index, smoking, physical limitations and depressed symptoms were related to the odds of developing a new disease during the two-year period.
Older people who smoked or had multiple symptoms of depression such as feeling lonely or sad in the past week were 34 percent more likely than those who did not to develop new disease, according to Blaum's analysis. Older people with a high body mass index, a widely used indicator of obesity, were 18 percent more likely to develop a higher disease burden in the following two years.
"Other recent studies have suggested that depression and depressed symptoms are risk factors for cognitive decline and cancer," says Blaum. "This study suggests that depressed symptoms may represent pre-clinical indicators of a wide range of future diagnosed diseases.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Older Adults: Depression and Suicide Facts
Depression May Lower Sex Hormone Levels
Psychiatrists Look Into Next Century's Depression
More Docs Encounter Patient Depression
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Pneumonia Vaccine Cost-effective for Elders
Pneumonia vaccination will reduce hospitalization and death rates among elderly patients with chronic lung disease, says Dr. Kristin L. Nichol, chief of medicine at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and claims more than 40,000 lives each year. Up to 90 percent of these deaths occur in the elderly population, says Nichol.
More than 50 percent of the elderly and other high-risk persons have not been immunized in the United States. According to Dr. Nichol, non-immunized participants in the Minnesota study were 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for pneumonia or influenza than elderly people who do not not suffer from chronic lung disease, a disorder suffered by 12 percent of the general elderly population.
The pneumonia shot also provided an added bonus of direct cost savings in medical care. For example, the average savings per person vaccinated was $294. An analysis of best and worst case scenarios showed a possible range of cost savings from $21 to $784 among vaccinated individuals.
The study was funded in part by a grant from the Group Health Research Foundation. Veterans Affairs research projects are intended to improve medical care for veterans, as well as the general population.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Pneumonia Risk Linked to Elder Dysphagia
Hospital Fosters Wellness Via Mind-Body Services
Doctors Cure Fear of Hospitalization
Functional Illiteracy Linked to Hospitalization
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Alert Family Physician About Elder Abuse
Two million older adults are mistreated each year in the United States, says the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Likened to an epidemic, elder abuse is rarely talked about or even acknowledged due to fear and shame, reports the AAFP's Dawn Zimmer.
Just in case you might think that the issue of elder abuse does not affect you, then think again. Most elder abuse is inflicted by the family, which provides over 80% of all elder care in America. Here's the point. If the family cannot continue to function as the primary provider of elder care, government assistance would have to increase 800% in order to fill the gap. And that's why the issue of elder care is important to everyone.
Many Americans are unclear about just which actions or inactions constitute elder abuse. That's because abuse is complex, including physical, emotional, and economic characteristics. Here's a list of the many forms of elder abuse.
- physical abuse includes hitting or slapping,
- psychological abuse includes any demeaning behavior,
- financial exploitation of assets,
- neglect ranges from leaving an elder isolated to withholding a hearing aid or glasses.
Almost all victims of elder mistreatment are abused by a caregiver, usually a relative. Abuse sometimes starts when there are other troubles in the family like job loss or divorce. Many times the abuser has drug or alcohol addictions.
If you are being abused, talk to your family physician. If you can’t get to your doctor, call either Adult Protective Services or Elder Protective Services: their numbers are in the state government section of the phone book. If you are a caregiver, talk to your family physician about reducing your stress level. They can help you and in turn help your family.
To talk to a family physician about elder abuse, call AAFP representative, Dawn Zimmer at(800) 274-2237. Founded in 1947, the American Academy of Family Physicians is the 88,000-member physician organization representing the nation’s family physicians, family practice residents and medical students interested in a career in family practice.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
National Elder Abuse Findings Released
Abuse Raises Elder's Death Risk By 300%
How to be a Power Patient at Next Doctor Visit
Strengthening Doctor-Patient Relationships
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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