MATURE MARKET HEADLINES POSTED 01/12/98
Resolve to be Healthy in 1998
The American Council on Science and Health offers 12 New Year resolutions, one for each month of the year, to help increase your chances of having a healthy 1998.
- 01. Don't Smoke
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five deaths in the U.S. is smoking related.
- 02. Don't Drink and Drive
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, someone is killed in an alcohol-related car crash every 32 minutes.
- 03. Keep Alcoholic Beverages in Moderation
10,000 Americans die each year due to excessive alcohol consumption.
- 04. Practice Preventive Health Care
Regular checkups can detect and deter serious medical problems. According to AgeVenture News Service, 75% of diseases in America are attributed to lifestyle.
- 05. Eat a Well-balanced Diet
One-third of American adults are obese, and obesity increases risk to medical problems.
- 06. Exercise Regularly
Fitness enhances strength, endurance, and flexibility.
- 07. Protect Yourself from AIDS
From 1981 to 1997, over 612,000 cases of AIDS were reported to the CDC.
- 08. Get Appropriate Vaccinations
Immunizations will protect against many serious illnesses.
- 09. Use Auto Safety Devices
For example, air bags saved 1,198 lives between 1987 and 1995.
- 10. Protect Your Dental Health
Decline in dental health is related to decline in proper dietary habits and social activity.
- 11. Install a Smoke Detector
Each year, 5,000 Americans are killed and 40,000 are injured by residential fires.
- 12. Focus on Things That Matter
Only one in ten adults eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
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Estrogen May Slow Memory Loss
A new long-term study from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) suggests that use of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) by post-menopausal women may help reduce normal age-related decline in memory. The study is the first to document the effects of estrogen on age-related changes in memory over a long period of time. Previous studies have indicated that verbal memory may be affected by ERT use, but this study is one of the first documenting an effect on visual memory. Research participants who began ERT were able to maintain stable memory performance whereas women who never took ERT showed predicted age-associated decreases in memory over a six year period, on average. These findings are of interest to the 36 million U.S. women who have been through menopause.
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More Regulations for Eldercare Industry?
A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota are calling for the establishment of standards requiring a minimum level of training for the staff of Assisted Living Facilities who set up or administer medications to elder residents. Of 98 facilities surveyed, more than 20 allowed residents to manage their own prescription medications. Six of the 98 facilities reported that at least one resident had been hospitalized because of an adverse drug reaction or medication overdose. Given the fact that nearly 70% of the facilities administered medications to one or more residents, the researchers believe that special training for these staff is necessary. "We believe" say the investigators, "that there should be some minimum regulation of medication storage and administration in these board and care facilities" because many of the residents are elderly, frail, and vulnerable. The entire study is published in the December 1997 issue of "The Gerontologist", a journal of the Gerontological Society of America.
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Sears EKG Monitor Promotes Fitness
Now fitness enthusiasts can track their workout progress on an innovative home treadmill that conveniently monitors their heart rate using a built-in, grip-pulse system. The new ProForm treadmill has an EKG heart-monitoring system that's built into the front hand rail, eliminating the need for the usual clip-on devices that can inhibit a treadmill workout. Users simply grip their hands around the metal contacts on the hand rail and an accurate heart rate appears in moments. This system takes the guess work out of a workout by indicating the user's optimal heart rate zones that offer the maximum benefits and results. Health club models with this technology cost $6,000. The new ProForm treadmill, available exclusively at Sears, retails for just $699.
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AgeVenture News Service, 21946 Pine Trace, Boca Raton, FL 33428 USA
Dr. David Demko, Editor
E-mail: demko@demko.com
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