Vitamin D Predicts Physical Performance

An age-stratified random sampling of Dutch older adults was taken to ascertain the impact of vitamin D on physical performance. The study found that lower concentrations of vitamin D led to greater decline in physical performance for both men and women. Furthermore, around 50% of the study participants had vitamin D levels below the optimal threshold, indicating a need to develop public health and nutritional strategies to address the issue. For more information, see the abstract at www.jcem.endojournals.org.

Balance Training and Fall Prevention

Researchers at the University of Toronto developed a perturbation-based balance training program that targets previously reported age-related impairments in change-in-support (CIS) balance reactions, which are important for falls prevention among older adults. The training program involves a multi-directional moving platform that provokes stepping and grasping reactions in the feet and legs. Researchers will evaluate the program's 30 participants, who are older adults between the ages of 64 and 80 and have a recent history of instability or falling. The evaluation will focus on the efficacy of the training program and determine whether perturbation-based balance training can improve balance recovery in older adults. For more information, see the article at www.biomedcentral.com.

Aerobic Activity and Maintaining Muscle

University of Texas at Galveston (May 2007)

“Walking before exposure to insulin helps restore the muscle-growth-stimulating effects of insulin.”

Experiments were conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the University of Southern California to address the loss of muscle mass in older adults. Insulin helps build muscle, but its ability to build muscle reduces significantly with aging. The study included 13 healthy participants in their late 60s who took part in moderate aerobic exercise. The results found that walking at least 45 minutes 20 hours before exposure to insulin helped restore the muscle-growth-stimulating effects of insulin to levels seen in healthy young adults. For more information, see the press release at http://blog.utmb.edu/newsroom.

Key Indicator of Caregiver Burden in Dementia Care

Researchers in Rhode Island examined the relationship quality between live-in caregivers and the older adults for whom they cared and found that both caregiver burden and family functioning were strongly related to the caregivers’ satisfaction with their prior relationship with the older adult. High quality relationships led the caregiver to demonstrate more positive reactions to memory and behavior problems, and caregivers demonstrated enhanced problem-solving in the face of stress and more effective communication skills. These findings indicated that programs designed to address caregiver burden should provide strategies for building quality relationships between the caregiver and the cared-for older adult. For more information, see the abstract at http://jgp.sagepub.com.

Avoiding Caregiver Burnout

The American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation for Health on Aging published an information sheet that provides tips designed to help with the fatigue associated with caring for older adults. The sheet includes interpersonal tips, such as asking for assistance from trusted friends and family, as well as organizational information linking caregivers to resources, such as descriptions of services provided by local Area Agencies on Aging. These resources are important to caregivers so that they can avoid burnout. For more information, see the sheet at http://www.healthinaging.org.

Higher Quality of Life in Small-Housing Nursing Homes

A two-year longitudinal, quasi-experimental study assessed the resident outcomes of three different models of nursing home care. Self-reported dimensions of quality of life were found to be significantly higher in small-house nursing homes than in more traditional settings. This research indicated that long-term care settings that replicate the settings of a private home tend to produce a greater satisfaction and quality of life for nursing home residents. For more information, see the article at https://profreg.medscape.com.

The Future of Long-Term Care

The Center for American Progress produced a report that addresses the future of long-term care and the issues it faces, including insufficient funds and staff shortages. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of older adults in the United States will increase from 34 million today to 80 million. There is a growing demand for long-term care services, but there is an absence of trained caregivers. As a result, 80% of caregivers are family members, of which 42% are over age 50. The full report presents seven principles of ethical caregiving, which are designed as guides for policymakers working to address these problems. For more information, visit http://www.americanprogress.org or http://www.americanprogress.org.

The Healthy Brain Initiative

The Centers for Disease Control and the Alzheimer’s Association recently released The Health Brain Initiative: A National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health, a roadmap that outlines current social and medical research trends on factors that affect healthy cognition and establishes a set of programmatic proposals. These proposals are designed to reach a long-term goal of “maintaining or improving the cognitive performance of all adults.” The report displays a commitment to the public’s cognitive health and represents an organized attempt to deal with health and care disparities between racial and ethnic groups. For more information, see the report at http://www.cdc.gov/aging.

Frequent Brain Activity and the Risk of Alzheimer’s

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago tracking the brain functioning and cognitive activity of more than 700 older adults for periods of up to five years discovered that cognitively active older adults were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than older adults who were less active. Of those older adults who passed away, autopsies revealed that the most active adults were less likely to have developed the types of neuropathological lesions commonly associated with dementia. The types of activities performed by more active older adults include newspaper reading, attending plays, and playing board games. For more information, see the abstract at http://www.neurology.org.

Osteoporosis Risk and Antidepressants

Archives of Internal Medicine (June 2007)

“Sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of hip fracture in men.”

LA recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine measured the risk of osteoporosis in women taking antidepressants. The study included 2,722 women with a mean age of 78.5 years. Researchers assessed current use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and obtained serial bone mineral density (BMD) measurements from the participants. The results indicated that use of SSRIs, but not TCAs, is associated with an increased rate of bone loss at the hip. For more information, see the abstract at http://archinte.ama-assn.org.

Reducing Fracture Risk With Exercise

Researchers from University Hospital in Uppsala, Sweden, conducted a longitudinal, population-based study measuring physical activity and its effect on hip fracture risk in men. The study measured the physical activity in 2,205 participants age 49-51 during a span of 35 years. The findings indicated that men with sedentary lifestyles had an increased risk of hip fracture compared with men who participated in regular sports activities for at least three hours per week. The results indicated that regular sports activities can reduce the risk of fractures in older men. For more information, see the article at http://medicine.plosjournals.org.

Rethinking Community for All Ages

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Partners for Livable Communities issued a report seeking to build more aging-friendly communities. This report encourages community leaders, health practitioners, caregivers, and everyday citizens to think outside the box when it comes to community design and encourages developing communities to allow residents to age in place comfortably. Key recommendations include engaging older adults in the community planning process, retooling zoning practices to consider building aging-friendly communities, and creating more responsive and flexible transportation services. For more information, see the report at http://www.aginginplaceinitiative.org.

Outlining Our Aging Population

The Brookings Institution (May 2007)

“Population growth of Baby Boomers is occurring everywhere, including suburbs of major cities.”

A report detailing the population growth of older adults and Baby Boomers was issued by The Brookings Institution, whose analysis, based on U.S. Census data, goes beyond the general knowledge that Baby Boomers are driving the “aging” of America. The analysis concluded that population growth in this age group is occurring everywhere (especially in southern, western, and northeastern areas), that “aging-in-place” drives much of this growth, and that suburbs of major cities are aging faster than the cities themselves. For more information, see the report at http://www3.brookings.edu.

Hospitals Tracking Infection With CDC’s Help

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a Web-based reporting network that allows all health care facilities in the United States to track health care-related infections. The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) enables health care facilities to participate in a voluntary national surveillance system and exchange data. It also provides tools that aid in the prevention of health care-associated infections, including methicillin resistant staph infections (MRSA). For more information, see the report at http://www.cdc.gov.

Tips for Beating the Heat

Environmental Protection Agency (July 2007)

“The EPA provides tips to help older adults with chronic health conditions avoid heat-related illness.”

Existing health conditions, including chronic illness, mental impairment, certain medications, and obesity, increase older adults’ vulnerability to excessive heat events. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compiled a list of steps that older adults and their caregivers can follow to decrease the risk of excessive heat exposure, including visiting designated cooling centers in the community and remaining hydrated while avoiding beverages containing caffeine or large amounts of sugar. For more information, see the article at http://www2.craigdailypress.com.