The Recession, Debt, & the Work Environment: Impacts on Retirement

April 8, 2013

Retirement planning is influenced by a wide range of individual and social factors. Personal preferences, cultural expectations, large-scale economic climates, and household debt and assets all influence an individual’s decision making about retirement. The economic downturn that began in 2008 caused significant losses of wealth to individuals nearing retirement, and led to many layoffs and [...]

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Cognitive Interventions for Individuals with Dementia

April 8, 2013

To improve quality of life for individuals with dementia, researchers have been investigating the use of cognitive and/or behavioral therapies to diminish related symptoms and improve overall functioning. A recent article published in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology reviews the current literature on cognitive interventions for individuals with dementia. The researchers found most interventions [...]

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Memory Support Training for Mild Cognitive Impairment

April 8, 2013

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a form of cognitive impairment that does not meet the criteria for dementia, but in which memory loss is the dominant symptom. This subtype of MCI is thought to be particularly likely to lead to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Although there are support services and products available for memory loss, [...]

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Longing for Spring

April 8, 2013

I’ve had it with winter! Unseasonable cold, gray skies, and lingering piles of snow are dragging me down. Where are the warm breezes, budding trees, and blooming daffodils? I’m longing for spring to spark my sapped energy. Are you also feeling depleted? Whether it’s the cold, caregiving, or some other concern that’s getting you down, [...]

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Factors That Predict Recovery from Mild Cognitive Impairment

April 8, 2013

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a recent diagnostic category that describes a decrease in cognitive ability that is less severe than that seen in dementia. MCI is associated with an increased risk of dementia, but many individuals diagnosed with MCI revert to their normal cognitive function. It is important for clinicians and researchers to identify [...]

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Dementia & Physical Performance at 90+ Years of Age

April 8, 2013

The population of individuals age 90 and better is growing, but is not often included in research studies. Research has identified an association between decreased physical performance and cognitive decline in younger older adult populations, but the relationship between physical performance and dementia has not been examined in the oldest old. A study in the [...]

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Cardiovascular Disease Risk Profile Predicts Cognitive Decline

April 8, 2013

There is great interest in identifying factors that can be used to predict cognitive decline. Research increasingly suggests that midlife risk factors may be particularly important for later cognitive decline and dementia, with cardiovascular health appearing to be particularly significant. An article in Neurology reports on a longitudinal study which compares two widely used cardiovascular [...]

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Aging Research in France: Emerging Trends in a Changing Europe

April 8, 2013

Attention to aging policies, demographic trends, and research findings in other countries can provide researchers and policy makers with valuable perspectives. A recent International Spotlight review in The Gerontologist presents an overview of aging research and policies in France, a country with higher population replacement rates than its European neighbors but which is likewise experiencing [...]

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Studies Suggest Strategy to Reduce Age-Related Forgetting

March 20, 2013

Memory is typically viewed as a skill that declines with aging, with studies showing that older adults have greater susceptibility to forgetting new information, and have higher distractibility in learning tasks, than younger adults. Some studies have suggested, however, that some cognitive changes that occur with aging are better seen as shifts rather than decline. [...]

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Case Studies of IT Sophistication in Nursing Homes

March 20, 2013

Information technology (IT) has become a crucial area of development in the US long-term care industry. Adoption and use of health IT and electronic health records is a high priority for nursing homes (NHs) because of technology’s potential to improve the safety, quality, and efficiency of NH care. In 2010, the federal government invested $25.8 [...]

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