News Clips & Announcements: News From Mather Lifeways; Carter Institute to Host Conference
Mather LifeWays, based in Evanston, Illinois, and founded in 1941 by entrepreneur and humanitarian Alonzo Mather, is committed to providing a continuum of living and care; making neighborhoods better places for older adults to live, work, learn, contribute, and play; and identifying, implementing, and sharing best practices for wellness, workforce issues, memory care support, and empowering caregivers. For more information, please visit www.matherlifeways.com.
New Resource for Caregivers
Mature Market Institute (March 2007)
A newly updated resource offers caregivers much-needed information and tips to make their lives a little easier. Resources for Caregivers 2007 is now available to answer questions and offer assistance to those caring for sick or disabled friends or relatives. For a copy, visit http://www.maturemarketinstitute.com or call (203) 221-6580.
Cultural Beliefs Ward Off Caregiver Depression
American Journal of Geriatric Psychology (February 2007)
According to a new study, female caregivers of spouses and parents with dementia who have positive cultural and religious beliefs about caring for older adults experience lower levels of depression. This caregiver group, however, sustained levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which put them at risk for physical health problems. For more information, visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/cwru-cwr022007.php.
Medicare Negotiating Lower Drug Prices
AARP (February 2007)
According to a new AARP poll, 87% of Americans support Medicare having the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. More than 1,000 adults ages 18 and older participated in the telephone poll. For more information visit, http://www.aarp.org/research/medicare/drugs/rx_negotiation.html.
U.S. Health Care Spending to Double by 2016
Health Affairs (February 2007)
In 2006, 16% of the U.S. gross domestic product was spent on health care ($2.1 trillion U.S. dollars). Although growth in spending has slowed during the last two years, by 2016, spending will account for 19.6% of the gross domestic product, or $4.1 trillion. Increases are predicted in spending for prescription drugs, hospital care, health insurance premiums, and home health care. For more information, visit http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.26.2.w242
Detecting Osteoporosis at the Dentist?
Bone (May 2007)
Researchers in Amsterdam created a unique way to identify patients at risk of osteoporosis by using dental X-rays. Osteoporosis affects almost 15% of women in their fifties, 22% in their sixties, and 38.5% in their seventies. As many as 70% of women over 80 are at risk, and the condition carries a high risk of bone fractures, with more than a third of adult women falling victim at least once in their lifetime. For more information, visit http://www.elsevier.com.
Caregiver Assessments Integral to Care
The Gerontologist (February 2007)
A recent study assessed patient-centered, family-focused aspects of care for veterans, which also included measures of caregiver burden. Family caregivers were asked to assess their loved one’s quality of care, and appeared to view patient-centered, family-focused aspects of care as integral components of quality care. The findings to this study support recommendations for conducting caregiver assessments as part of routine care. The researchers pointed out that primary care providers will require additional training in order to effectively implement assessments of family caregivers into clinical practice. For more information, visit http://gerontologist.gerontologyjournals.org.
Misperceptions of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (March 2007)
A new survey suggested that African-American and Hispanic caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease are significantly more likely than caregivers of other races to consider the brain degenerative disease a normal part of the aging process and dismiss its symptoms as part of getting older. This belief attributes to a 2.5-year delay in diagnosing Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit http://www.alzfdn.org.
Building Memory “Muscle”
Columbia University (April 2007)
New studies suggest that physical activity boosts a memory “muscle.” Neurologists at Columbia University found that workouts build more brain cells in one region of the brain essential for memory storage. For more information, visit http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20070313/get-fit-improve-memory.
Racial Gap in Life Expectancy Narrowing
Journal of the American Medical Association (March 2007)
A new study from the U.S. National Vital Statistics System showed that the racial gap in life expectancy of African-Americans and Caucasians is narrowing: 5.3 years apart. The life expectancy gap between these two groups widened between 1983 and 1993, and then narrowed significantly over the next decade; the gap dropped from 7.1 years in 1993 to 5.3 years in 2003. For more information, visit http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/11/1224?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=March%2C+2007&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT
250,000 Medicare Patient Deaths Preventable
Health Grades (April 2007)
Preventable medical errors took place at a nearly 3% incident rate among Medicare hospitalizations during 2003 through 2005, as reported in the Fourth Annual Patient Safety in American Hospitals Study. Analysts believe that approximately 250,000 Medicare patient deaths involving medical errors could have been prevented. The study reviewed 16 patient safety measures over a three-year period. To download the report, visit http://www.healthgrades.com
Strategic Action Plan on Aging
Administration on Aging (May 2007)
The Administration on Aging has developed a strategic action plan for 2007 through 2012 to guide the agency’s resources toward providing national leadership on aging programs and policies. The plan establishes goals to empower older adults to make informed decisions about health and long-term care options and intends to enable older adults to remain in their homes with quality care through the provision of home and community-based services, including support for family caregivers. For more information, visit http://www.aoa.gov/about/strategic/strategic.asp.
Baby Boomers Less Healthy Than Previous Generations
University of Texas at Austin (April 2007)
A growing number of studies suggest that Baby Boomers are less healthy than their parents, as recent data suggest that they’re more likely to report difficulty conducting routine activities like climbing stairs, and have more chronic problems, such as high cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. Researchers suggested that these reports coincide with current trends, including obesity and daily routines dominated by desk jobs and less physical activity. For more information, visit http://www.utexas.edu.
Improving Home Safety, Gaining Independence
American Geriatrics Society (May 2007)
The American Geriatrics Society is working on a study to train families of older adults on how to videotape their relatives’ home for safety improvements. Based on the person’s health challenges, the relatives learns which parts of the home to videotape. An occupational therapist reviews the tapes and makes recommendations to improve the ability of each adult to stay independent and safe. Recommendations include the installation of grab bars, handrails, bathtub benches, and ramps. For more information, visit http://www.americangeriatrics.org
Early Detection of Alzheimer’s
Rowan University (April 2007)
A team of U.S. researchers reported that electroencephalogram (EEG), a technology that measures brain activity, offers a highly accurate means of diagnosing early Alzheimer’s. Tests were conducted on 71 patients, and researchers found EEG to be 82% to 85% accurate in its diagnoses. This is greater than the 75% accuracy achieved at community hospitals and clinics using different diagnostic tools. For more information, visit http://www.rowan.edu.
Dementia Treatment Possibilities
British Journal of Psychiatry (May 2007)
A research team in Australia demonstrated that dementia can be stalled successfully and possibly reversed. The study explained that growth processes in the brain are dependent on blood supply. Therefore, the generation of new brain cells may be impaired by vascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, heart attack, and stroke. The researchers have shown that a variety of proactive measures can be adopted to combat these vascular risk factors or reverse acquired cognitive impairment (e.g., diet, physical fitness, and cognitive activity). For more information, visit http://bjp.rcpsych.org.
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving is hosting a conference, Moving Science to Practice in Caregiver Support: A National Summit, October 25-26, 2007, at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, GA.
The conference will emphasize concrete strategies to support the development and dissemination of evidence-based caregiving practices at local, state, and federal levels.
To register or for more information, visit www.rosalynncarter.org or call 229-928-1234.