Go Purple: Grape Juice Rules

"Grape juice has more antioxidants than apple, orange, cranberry, and tomato juices."According to a new study by scientists in Scotland, purple grape juice may help prevent heart disease, Alzheimer's, and a host of other chronic ailments. The study found that the good-tasting stuff has the highest concentration of antioxidants when compared with apple, orange, grapefruit, cranberry, pineapple, and tomato juices. For more information about this study, visit http://www.gla.ac.uk:443/stories.cfm?PRID=4032.

Health Coaching/Walking Program Successful

Eat Better & Move More (EBMM), the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging's nutrition and fitness program designed to improve the health of adults 60+, has been shown to have a noteworthy impact on those who completed the program. EBMM utilizes health coaching (12 weeks of diet advice and mini-talks about fitness) in addition to step-counters, and an evaluation of the program found that most participants reported a significant advance in one or more nutrition and physical activity stages of change. For more information about this program, visit http://www.aoa.gov/YOUCAN/EBMM/ebmm.asp.

Angioplasty Benefits Challenged

"Researchers believe that angioplasty doesn't save lives or prevent heart attacks."Researchers at Buffalo General Hospital in New York investigated angioplasty's benefits and suggested that the procedure does not save lives or prevent heart attacks in non-emergency heart patients. An angioplasty involves the insertion of a tube through a blood vessel to a blocked heart artery. A tiny balloon inflates to flatten the clog and a mesh scaffold stent is usually placed at the site. For more information about this study, visit http://content.nejm.org.

Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Heart Disease

A Canadian study suggested that older adults with restless legs syndrome (RLS), a neurological disorder in which people have a strong urge to move their legs, may be at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Periodic leg movements associated with the disorder are typically most severe at night and can occur every 20 to 40 seconds.  The study included 10 patients with RLS and measured changes in blood pressure associated with periodic leg movements (PLMS) during sleep.  The study found that blood pressure increased significantly in association with periodic leg movements among participants, contributing to the risk of cardiovascular disease.  For more information about this study, visit http://www.neurology.org.

Skilled Nursing Beds Hit Record Average Price

The average price paid per skilled nursing bed hit a record $47,400 in 2006, marking a nearly 10% increase over the 2005 average sale price. Analysts suggested that increasing demand from more traditional real estate investors has fueled the price surge. For more information, visit https://www.managedcarestore.com.

Number of Skilled Nursing Beds Declining

"Not-for-profit senior living organizations are increasing their assisted and independent living offerings."A new report from Ziegler Senior Living Finance and the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging revealed that the nation's largest not-for-profit senior living organizations appear to be moving away from skilled nursing offerings. Although the number of skilled nursing beds is declining, these organizations are increasing assisted living and independent living offerings. To view the report, visit http://www.zieglerseniorlivingfinance.com.

Record High Long-Term Care Costs

The 2007 Cost of Care Survey found that the average annual cost of care in a nursing residence, assisted living, or at-home care has increased over the past four years to a new high of $74,806. Financial advisors caution that Baby Boomers must be cognizant of rising health care costs and plan an effective retirement strategy. For more information, visit http://www.genworth.com/genworth/index.jsp.

Brochure Available on Osteoporosis

Institute for the Future of Aging Services (March 2007)

The new brochure, Osteoporosis: The Silent Thief, provides information about osteoporosis based on previous research conducted among women ages 65 and older.  The brochure provides information regarding preventive measures as well as treatment options. Download the brochure at http://www.futureofaging.org/Osteoporosis_Brochure.pdf.

Detecting Osteoporosis at the Dentist?

Researchers in Amsterdam "Dental X-rays are being used to identify people at risk for bone fractures."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

"Caregivers feel family-focused care goes hand-in-hand with quality care."

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.

Health Care Costs & Aging

A new report found that the cost of caring for aging U.S. residents by 2030 will add 25% to the nation's overall health care costs unless those residents actively work to stay healthy and preventive services are provided to help them. The report also found that the cost of caring for older U.S. residents is three to five times greater than the cost of caring for younger adults. For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov.

Misperceptions of Alzheimer's

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'

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.

Boomers' Priorities

Telephone interviews with 564 Baby Boomers, ages 42 to 60, revealed two of their top priorities as they age: living at home and getting any needed care at home. When thinking about residential settings in their later years, independence, being near friends and family, privacy, easy access to health care, safety, and homeownership were the characteristics regarded as most important. For more information about the survey, visit http://www.ecumen.org/boomerreport.html.

Racial Gap in Life Expectancy Narrowing

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/index.dtl.

Supporting Older Adult Computer Use

A new study released in Canada examined the performance outcomes of older adults when being tested on a computer and the Internet. They found that older adults feel less confident about their level of computer knowledge than younger adults do, and they are concerned about how memory issues may impact their performance. For more information, visit http://www.computing.co.uk/vnunet/news/2186199/older-adults-less-confident.

250,000 Medicare Patient Deaths Preventable

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.