Healthy Aging: Improving and Extending Quality of Life Among Elderly Americans

This webpage from the Centers for Disease Control discusses the economic and health effects of an aging society and the opportunities to improve older adult's health, as well as the CDC's role in promoting healthy aging.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/aging.htm

You Must Remember This: Advice for Improving Your Memory

Tips from the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health in Aging based on current research.

http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/memory_tips.php

Broken Trust: Elders, Families and Finances

This study from the MetLife Mature Market Institute (MMI), the National Committee for

the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and the Center for Gerontology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University provides a comprehensive understanding about the extent and implications of elder financial abuse in all its various manifestations—personal, institutional, and societal.

Researchers from the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) reviewed all newsfeed articles from April through June 2008 collected by the Administration on Aging’s National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), National Association of Adult Protective Services (NAPSA.

Key Findings:

• While underreported, the annual financial loss by victims of elder financial abuse is

estimated to be at least $2.6 billion dollars • Elders’ vulnerabilities and larger net worth

make them a prime target for financial abuse • The increased aging of the population, social changes, and technology advances will lead to a dramatic increase in the opportunity for a growing level of elder financial abuse

• The perpetrators of elder financial abuse are typically not strangers and most are

people who have gained the trust of the older individual, including business and service

professionals and family members

• The victims of elder financial abuse come from all walks of life, and this type of abuse

affects elders regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity

To read the full report go to:

http://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/mmi/publications/studies/mmi-studies-broken-trust.pdf

Guidance for the Care of Older People

Published by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, UK) in 2009, this guidance establishes principles for best practice in the care of older people in all settings where nursing care is provided, in both community and hospital settings. It includes guidance for patients detailing the type of care they can, and should, expect to receive. It can also be used as a tool to challenge poor standards of care and provides employers with a set of principles to judge performance against. The guidance is for all nurses, specialist community public health nurses and midwives.
http://www.nmc-uk.org/aDisplayDocument.aspx?DocumentID=5593

Nursing Home Screener

The Communications and Engineering Branch of the National Library of Medicine is developing a "Web 2.0" interface to information about American nursing homes. The goal is to offer the public a timely and easy to use site for the rapid location and comparison of nursing homes, thus identifying those most worth further review or a personal visit. Use by healthcare professionals involved in nursing home placement is also envisioned.

Currently in prototype form, our "Nursing Home Screener" locates homes on a Google Map (see figure). It allows nursing home quality, indicated by map icons, to be surveyed in any of four major categories, based on information provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):

http://archive.nlm.nih.gov/proj/screener.php

Spotlight on Aging Research

The inaugural issue of Spotlight on Aging Research (SOAR): News and Notes from the National Institute on Aging is now available from the National Institute on Aging. This new electronic newsletter is designed to keep the research community, aging services providers, health care professionals, policy makers, media, and others, including NIA staff—informed about the Institute’s programs, people, and achievements. The newsletter features news stories on recent discoveries, new's releases gathered from a variety of sources, notifications of new publications, and upcoming events.

You may sign up for the newsletter at
http://list.niapublications.org/niaalert/lists/?p=subscribe&id=4

The web site for the newsletter is:
http://www.nia.nih.gov/NewsAndEvents/SOAR/v1n1/

Stopping Alzheimer's: What Can You Do?

According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s latest report, 5.2 million Americans already have Alzheimer’s and as they age, one in eight baby boomers will develop this devastating and fatal disease. And despite the fact that the disease was discovered more than 100 years ago, current therapies only treat the symptoms. By 2010 experts predict that there will almost half a million new cases each year and by 2050 this will double to one million cases each year.

If you are middle aged or older you likely know someone who has the disease or who is a caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. Women face a heavier burden than men. One in six women age 55 and older can expect to develop the disease in their lifetime. Even if a woman escapes the disease, she will likely be the caregiver for someone who has it.

A Quick Look at Alzheimer’s, a series of four animated ‘pocket’ films, explains the essence of the disease and its public health implications. The short films, which run only two-three minutes each, are available for anyone at anytime, and are universally accessible—playable on iPods, cell phones, PDAs, laptops and DVD players. They are available for download from www.aboutalz.org, www.agingresearch.org, Google Video, YouTube or as a DVD.

Topics covered in the films are: What is Alzheimer’s Disease?, An Urgent Epidemic, The Race to the Cure and A Message for Patients and their Families. The films are designed to help individuals understand and explain the disease in layman’s terms, including doctors, nurses, caregivers, social workers, scientists, and others. By utilizing the latest technology and social media tools, they can easily be viewed practically everywhere—at home, at work, or in a doctor’s office.

http://aboutalz.org/

Safety Without Restraints

Care givers have asked the Minnesota Department of Health to help educate residents and families about the hazards of physical restraints and alternative methods for achieving safety. The Minnesota Department of Health, Nursing Home Associations, Medical Directors and the State Ombudsman's Office have worked together to create an informational pamphlet which addresses a common misconception about safety - that physical restraints are the only effective way to protect a physically and mentally impaired individual - and promotes newer methods for achieving safety

 http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/safety.htm

Across the States 2009: Profiles of Long-Term Care and Independent Living

Across the States 2009: Profiles of Long-Term Care and Independent Living is the eighth edition of the AARP Public Policy Institute’s state long-term care reference report. Published approximately every two years, the Across the States series was developed to help inform policy discussions among public and private sector leaders in long-term care throughout the United States. Across the States 2009 presents comparable state-level and national data for more than 140 indicators, drawn together from a wide variety of sources into a single convenient reference. This publication presents the most up-to-date data available at the time of production, and is displayed in easy-to-use maps, graphics, tables, and state profiles. (368 pages)
Across the States 2009 comes in two volumes:

• A full report with an overview of key findings and trends, maps and graphs, and individual profiles for each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the nation as a whole. The full report provides a complete picture of long-term services and supports in each state.
• An executive summary with an overview of key findings and trends, and ranking tables for each indicator, such as percentage of Medicaid long-term care spending for older people and adults with physical disabilities going to home and community-based services, which permit readers to easily see variation among states. Copies of Across the States 2009 are available free of charge. To order, please call the AARP Public Policy Institute at (202) 434-3890 or email jgasaway@aarp.org.

State Reports

Short state-specific reports, excerpting the state’s 6-page data profile from the full report, will be available soon. Complete data on each state, including the 6-page profile, can be found in the state profiles section of the full report.

http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/il/d19105_2008_ats.pdf

Caregiving and End of Life Issues: A Survey of AARP Members in Florida

In May 2008, AARP Florida, in partnership with The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast and Florida Hospice & Palliative Care, commissioned a survey of AARP members on caregiving and end-of-life issues.
Key findings:

• 13% of respondents are providing unpaid care for a relative, friend, spouse, companion, or partner
• A third have been providing care for at least 6 years, and 45% have been providing care for 1-5 years
• If they could choose where to die, 58% would choose to die at home
• 9 in 10 have heard of hospice services, and 8 in 10 have a very or somewhat favorable opinion of them
• 64% have talked with their spouse, partner, or another family member about their wishes for care at the end of life
• 57% have completed a last will and testament, and 53% have completed a living will

This mail survey was conducted in May and June 2008 among a random sample of 3,024 AARP members aged 50 and older.

http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/il/fl_eol_08.pdf

 

Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Fact Sheet

This fact sheet on Alzheimer's disease genetics is produced by the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center (National Institute on Aging). It considers the important role that genes play in the development of Alzheimer's disease and covers the genetic links in early-onset and late-onset Alzheimer's, risk-factor genes, and current research projects in this area. A glossary of terms is provided and there are links to other authoritative sources of information. 

Published in 2008.

http://www.nia.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/3C4B634E-A2D8-4415-927F-4B79BEC47EA6/11207/84206ADEARFactsheetGeneticsFINAL08DEC23.pdf

Unforgettable Journey: Tips to Survive Your Parent's Alzhimer's Disease.

"There are many books written about Alzheimer's disease. The concise nature and easy readability of this book will make it an effective tool for family members with a parent who has dementia. The upbeat nature and 'Tips' section at the end of each chapter helps the book read in much the same way that a supportive conversation with a friend would be to the reader. I heartily recommend this book to the adult children of my patients with Alzheimer's disease."-Kevin R. Smith, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, director of Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland

For adult children of parents struggling with Alzheimer's disease, finding useful tips and suggestions for dealing with everyday challenges can be difficult. "Unforgettable Journey: Tips to Survive Your Parent's Alzheimer's Disease" provides an easy-to-read, concise compellation of author Anne P. Hill's experiences coping with her mother's illness.

Hill details the specific methods she used to understand and manage the daily trials of caring for her mother. Broken down into small chapters, Hill focuses on each step of the Alzheimer's journey and offers a compassionate, intimate, and insightful glimpse into the life of those who suffer from Alzheimer's-both patient and caretaker.

http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/Anne-P-Hill/Unforgettable-Journey-Tips-to-Survive-Your-Parent/0595427448.html

A Guidebook: Rituals to Improve Quality of Life for Older Adults

Transitional Keys (TK) is a tested program that teaches how to derive meaning and fulfillment at times of change and transitions.

Transitional Keys offers tools to provide meaning and fulfillment at times of change and transition, especially those marked by celebrations, losses and major turning points. Transitional Keys is a technique to bring integration, connection to community and a restorative approach when meeting the challenges of daily life.

The Guidebook:

• Explains the theory of TK
• Defines ritual as used in TK
• Presents the elements of ritual used throughout TK
• Provides descriptions of rituals and tools that can be adapted to a variety of situations
• Suggests additional reading and resources for those who want to further develop the use of rituals

PRICE: $20.00 + $5.00 shipping and handling in United States. Group discounts available.

http://www.transitionalkeys.org/books_and_kits.shtml

Older Adults and Alcohol: You Can Get Help

This booklet from the National Institute on Aging is designed to provide information on alcohol and aging. It provides facts about alcohol and aging; information on where to get help; helpful tips for family, friends and caregivers; and stories of older adults who have dealt with alcohol issues.

http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/AlcoholBooklet