Diabetes Linked to Cognitive Dysfunction

Older adult diabetics with poor blood sugar control have a high prevalence of undiagnosed cognitive dysfunction, depression, and functional disabilities.  After examining the association between cognitive dysfunction and blood sugar control among 60 diabetics ages 70 and older, researchers in Boston found that their analysis established a link, and they caution that diabetics should be screened for cognitive dysfunction, depression, and physical disabilities, as these conditions may act as barriers to their ability to self-manage.  For more information, visit http://care.diabetesjournals.org.

Older Adult Diabetes Projected to Skyrocket

Diabetes Care (September 2006)

"The number of diabetics ages 75 and older will increase five-fold in coming decades."

Diabetes rates are expected to triple among adults ages 65 to 74 by the year 2050, according to new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The number of diabetics ages 75 and older will increase five-fold in coming decades, resulting in a nationwide rate of 12% and a great toll on health care costs.  Older diabetics usually have several comorbidities such as poor circulation and kidney and heart problems. For more information, visit http://care.diabetesjournals.org.

Quality Improvement Benefits Nursing Homes

Quality improvement organizations (QIOs) have a positive impact on nursing home quality, according to a new study funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). Nursing home, home health, and physician providers that received assistance from QIOs saw greater improvement on 18 of 20 quality measures compared with providers that were not recruited for the study.  The study compared performance data for 41 quality measures collected from August 2002 to July 2005, and nursing homes that worked most closely with QIOs showed greater improvement in the measures, including substantial reductions in the use of restraints and patients’ chronic and post-acute care pain.

Assisted Living Demand Soars

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (September 2006)

"Waiting lists for assisted living drives up prices."

The Wall Street Journal reports that consumers are clambering to get into assisted living facilities. Waiting lists are becoming increasingly common, which has driven up the price. Occupancy at the 36,000 facilities is currently approximately 95%, and the average annual cost for such facilities – without health care expenses – reached about $35,000 in 2005, a 33% increase from 2002.

Rehospitalization in Skilled Nursing Rises Sharply

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (September 2006)

The rehospitalization rate for skilled nursing residents is “alarming,” according to a researcher’s report to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.  Between 2000 and 2004, skilled nursing facilities experienced a 45% to 51% increase in resident rehospitalizations. Additionally, there was a 13% decline in the number of residents being discharged back to the community within 30 days.  Dr. Andrew Kramer, head of the Division of Health Care Policy and Research at the University of Colorado, said the findings illustrate how certain incentives in the Medicare’s prospective payment system encourage facilities to “dump” the most complex patients and send them back to the hospital.

Anger Leads to Poor Lung Performance

A new study found that anger and hostility hasten the natural decline in lung power that is a normal part of aging.  The study tracked lung functioning levels for an average of eight years in more than 600 men ages 45 to 86.  Researchers found significantly poorer lung functioning in men who exhibited high levels of anger and hostility when compared with men with medium to low levels.  Higher levels of hostility also were associated with a faster rate of the natural decline in lung function that occurs with aging.  To read more information about this study, visit http://thorax.bmjjournals.com.

Optimism Helps After Hip Fracture

"Fracture patients with positive outlooks might fare better after hospitalization."

Findings from a Boston University study indicated that hip fracture patients who have a positive outlook on life might fare better after hospitalization than their more depressed counterparts.  The study assessed more than 400 men and women, ages 65 and older, who were hospitalized for hip fractures in the early 1990s.  Older adults with a more positive outlook more frequently reported feeling happy, enjoying life, and felt hopeful about the future.  For more information about this study, visit http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0002-8614.

Waist-Hip Ratio Linked to Mortality Risk

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (August 2006)

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that older people with high waist-hip ratios (WHRs) have a higher mortality risk than those with a high body mass index (BMI).  More than 14,000 patients ages 75 and older received a health assessment, including body measurements that were then analyzed by the research team.  The researchers concluded that current guidelines for BMI-based risk categories overestimate the risks of excess weight in older adult men and women.  For more information about this study, visit http://www.ajcn.org.

Vitamin D Reduces Risk of Falls

"Vitamin D helps absorb calcium while strengthening bones and improving strength." Doctors prescribe vitamin D to help reduce patients' risk of falls, as this vitamin helps absorb calcium, which strengthens bones and reduces the risk of broken bones when falls occur.  Additionally, newer studies have found that the vitamin can improve muscle mass and strength.

1/3 Find It Hard to Locate Caregiver Information

A recent survey by the Commonwealth Fund’s Commission on a High Performance Health System found that more than one-third (36%) of adults experience serious problems when looking for information about caring for an aging parent or seriously ill family member. There is a shared belief that expanded use of information technology, care teams, and improved delivery of preventive services could improve the quality of care. Respondents felt that expanding insurance and controlling costs should be top priorities for federal action. To read the survey report, visit http://www.cmwf.org.

Cost of Caregiving for Dementia

A new study from MetLife showed that the cost and stress involved with caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is greater than caring for persons with other disabling conditions. Compared to people with only physical impairments, caregivers of those with dementia experience more stress on all measures. In addition to the stress itself, caregivers in the study provided an average of 47 hours of care per week, and the average cost of services was more than $77,000 per year.  To read more about the study, visit http://www.alznews.com.

V8 & Risk of Alzheimer's

A study tracking approximately 2,000 participants for as long as 10 years found that those who drank fruit and vegetable juices more than three times per week had a 76% less chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables seem to disrupt the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain, researchers say.  For more information, visit http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home

/525049/description#description.

Herbal Treatment for Alzheimer's Beneficial

European Journal of Neurology (September 2006)

Researchers compared the benefits of a cholinesterase inhibitor (Aricept®) with ginkgo biloba (special extract EGb 761) for people with Alzheimer’s and found no evidence of relevant differences between the treatments in those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s.  To read the abstract of the article, visit http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1351-5101.

Optic Nerve Changes Signal Alzheimer's

Alzheimer’s Daily News (September 2006)

Changes in the size of the optic nerve over time provide clues to diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.  Eye specialists measured the optic nerve where it enters the back of the eye in 40 people with Alzheimer’s and 50 without. The optic nerve carries visual information to the brain, and in people with Alzheimer’s, it atrophies, along with the nerve tissue in the brain. People with this disease are three to five times more likely to lose optic nerve tissue.

Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists Designation

A collaborative effort between the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelors Council and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has developed the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation. These remodelers work with older adults who want to remodel their homes so they can age in place, and the CAPS designation focuses on the customer service, business management, and technical skills to meet the needs of and effectively compete in the fastest-growing segment of the residential remodeling industry — those 50 and older who wish to remain in their homes.  For more information about this program, visit http://www.nahb.org/category.aspx?sectionID=686.

Cranky but Smart?

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (August 2006)

Psychologists at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, suggest that older adults with above-average intelligence tend to be more disagreeable and that among the older participants in a study, agreeableness appeared to be related negatively to intelligence, implying that being older and unfriendly might actually equate to being smarter.

Number of Older Adults in U.S. Tops 12%

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (August 2006) 

"Phoenix, Houston, and Dallas have some of the lowest percentages of older adults living there."

An update of the 2000 U.S. Census found that older adults make up approximately 12.1% of the nation’s household population.  Another noteworthy finding was that the highest concentration of older adults (those 65 and older) resided in Boynton Beach, Florida (21.5%); Lynchburg, Virginia (16.7%); San Francisco (14.6%); Muncie, Indiana (14.2%); and Philadelphia (12.7%). For more information on the census data, visit http://www.census.gov.

Disability Linked to Older Adult Income

New England Journal of Medicine (August 2006)

A new study reports that low-income Americans ages 55 to 84 are far more likely than their wealthier peers to feel limited in doing basic physical activities such as climbing stairs and lifting objects. The research, conducted by the National Institute on Aging, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Toronto, report that there is a social-class gradient of disability; that is, with each increment that education and income increase, functional limitations decrease.  To read the article, visit http://www.nejm.org.