Vitamin E Deficiency & Physical Decline

Yale University researchers analyzed blood samples from and performed physical functioning tests on more than 700 people over the age of 65 participating in an ongoing longitudinal study. The research team’s analysis suggests that the two strongest predictors of physical decline were age and lack of vitamin E, which is known to reduce physical decline-promoting free radicals. For more information, read the abstract at http://jama.ama-assn.org.

Kidney Functioning & Aging

Researchers at Tufts-New England Medical Center examined the relationship between kidney function and successful aging, which was defined in this study as the absence of cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and physical or cognitive dysfunction. This research found that higher levels of cystatin C increase the risk of these negative outcomes. This research builds on the link between heart and kidney health by linking abnormal kidney functioning to broader measures of health and disease. For more information, read the abstract at http://archinte.ama-assn.org.

Important DNA Strand’s Link to Physical Activity

Researchers in the United Kingdom tested the hypothesis that the length of DNA related to physical aging (leukocyte telomere) would be longer for research subjects who led a physically active lifestyle. They found that sedentary lifestyles do in fact have an impact on the length of the telomeres, which then may in turn accelerate the process of aging. For more information, read the abstract at http://archinte.ama-assn.org.

Moderate Exercise & the Lifespan of Men

A research report confirmed the benefits of exercise in both white men and men of color. Previous research about exercise and mortality focused solely on Caucasian males. This research solidifies the universal importance of physical exercise for health. For more information, read the abstract at http://circ.ahajournals.org.

Promoting Healthy Hearts

The International Council on Active Aging published a newsletter that outlines risk factors associated with heart disease, discusses prevention strategies for maintaining heart health, and provides links to position papers and guidelines on the subject. For more information, read the newsletter at http://www.icaa.cc.

World Glaucoma Day is March 6

The first annual Glaucoma Day was announced through a joint effort by the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Patient Organization. This day is being organized to spark awareness of the leading causes of blindness, with events organized through glaucoma institutions and local patient support groups worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.wgday.net.

Diabetes Diagnoses of Older Adults Soaring

This study demonstrated that the incidence of older adults with diabetes jumped more than 20% from 1994 to 2004. Couple these rates with the increased chances of people living with diabetes and the costs of medical care increasing rapidly. For more information, read the abstract at http://archinte.ama-assn.org.

The Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The European Journal of Health Economics published a special supplementary edition that focuses on the economic and health burdens associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The articles range from a medical overview of the condition to the impact that rheumatoid arthritis has on employment. For more information, read the journal at http://www.springerlink.com.

Fruit’s Protection Against Neurodegenerative Disease

Cornell University researchers, in collaboration with researchers in Korea, examined the impact of consuming apples, bananas, and oranges. They discovered that phytochemicals in these common fruits prevent a large proportion of neural cellular breakdown due to oxidative stress. Apples proved to contain the most antioxidants of the three fruits. For more information, read the report at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com.

Deep Brain Stimulation & Memory

Unexpected findings resulted from a hypothalamic deep-brain stimulation treatment for a person with morbid obesity. Researchers discovered that this treatment induced vivid autobiographical memories. This case study provides hope for possible treatments to enhance memory function. For more information, read the abstract at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com.

Cancer Treatments for Medicaid-Insured Nursing Home Patients

A statewide study of Michigan’s tumor registry and Medicaid database indicates that cancer treatments are rarely provided to Medicaid-insured nursing home residents in the state. Those diagnosed with cancer were highly likely to die within three months of diagnosis (nearly half of the sample), only 28% received hospice care, and an even smaller percentage received cancer-directed care, the majority of which went to residents who had breast cancer (61%). For more information, read the abstract at http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org.

Assessing the Quality of Assisted Living

The National Center for Assisted Living partnered with My InnerView to create a National Satisfaction Database for residents, families, and employees of assisted living. This database can be used to enhance the quality of assisted living by providing services that address the needs and desires of all three of these primary stakeholders in assisted living. For more information, read the news release at http://www.medicalnewstoday.com.

Barriers to Voting Faced by Older Adults

The U.S. Senate recently held a committee hearing to take the testimony of experts concerned about facilitating the voting rights of older adults. Experts testified that great barriers to voting existed for older Americans, and among their concerns were that only 16% of polling places in the country were fully accessible by the disabled, and only 29 states had programs in place to provide voting opportunities to residents of long-term care. For more information, visit http://aging.senate.gov.

Older Women’s Risk for Depression

Yale University School of Medicine researchers conducted a longitudinal evaluation of 754 individuals ages 70 and older and found that men and women displayed significantly different patterns of depression. At each point in the study, women were more likely to exhibit clinical levels of depression than men. Furthermore, they found that depression is much more persistent over time for women, despite receiving treatment more often than men. For more information, read the abstract at http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org.