Latest Senior Health News

21Aug
2023

More Americans Grow Old Alone, and Faltering Minds Bring Risks

More Americans Grow Old Alone, and Faltering Minds Bring RisksMONDAY, Aug. 21, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- An estimated 26 million Americans 50 and older live alone, and researchers estimate that more than 4 million have dementia or cognitive impairment.That means a large number of older Americans are at risk for medication mix-ups, unsafe driving, wandering and missing important medical appointments. And, a new study warns, the U.S. health care system is ill-equipped to address the needs of this population.“Our study is significant because it provided, for the first time, strong evidence that it is much more difficult to care for patients with dementia who live alone," said lead author Elena Portacolone, an associate professor at the Institute for Health & Aging at the University of California, San Francisco. "As a result, in the United States,...

Vaccines Against Shingles, Pneumonia May Also Lower Your...

21 August 2023
Vaccines Against Shingles, Pneumonia May Also Lower Your Alzheimer`s RiskMONDAY, Aug. 21, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Certain adult vaccines, including shingles and pneumonia shots, may also help seniors fight off Alzheimer's disease, new research reveals.Prior vaccination with the shingles vaccine, pneumococcus vaccine or the tetanus and diphtheria shot, with or without an added pertussis vaccine, are associated with a 25% to 30% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.This study follows one published last year in which the researchers found that adults who received at least one flu shot were 40% less likely than their unvaccinated peers to develop Alzheimer’s disease.“We were wondering whether the influenza finding was specific to the flu vaccine. This data revealed...

Most Alzheimer's Patients May Be Ineligible for Newly...

17 August 2023
Most Alzheimer`s Patients May Be Ineligible for Newly Approved DrugsTHURSDAY, Aug. 17, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Two recently approved treatments offer newfound hope for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but most people who could benefit will likely be deemed ineligible, a new study finds.Alzheimer's affects about 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older. But only about 8% to 17% of older adults with early signs of the disease meet the eligibility criteria as determined by clinical trials for the drugs, Leqembi and Aduhelm, researchers say.The vast majority would be disqualified because of chronic health conditions and brain scan abnormalities common in older adults. Leqembi and Aduhelm are monoclonal antibody treatments. Because of the tremendous need for Alzheimer's treatments, they received accelerated approval by the U.S. Food...

Living With Air Pollution Raises Chances of Dementia,...

15 August 2023
Living With Air Pollution Raises Chances of Dementia, Study FindsTUESDAY, Aug. 15, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- People who daily breathe in air pollution, particularly from wildfires or agricultural sources, might need to add a heightened risk of dementia to their list of health concerns. New research looked at the potential effects of particle pollution on dementia, finding an association even when pollution levels did not exceed national ambient air quality standards. Dementia affects more than 55 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.While past research has mainly focused on particle pollution from other sources, such as fossil fuels, researchers found a bigger connection to dementia with pollution from farming or wildfires. “At first, when agriculture and wildfires were the two that popped out," the team was...

Playing Football Might Raise Parkinson's Risk

11 August 2023
Playing Football Might Raise Parkinson`s RiskFRIDAY, Aug. 11, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- The link between pro football and the risk for a neurodegenerative disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is well known, and now a new study suggests that football may also up the risk for Parkinson’s disease, even among past high school and college players.“Parkinson’s disease has been commonly reported in boxers, but we have not explored this link in great detail in football,” said study author Michael Alosco, an associate professor of neurology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. "This is additional evidence that shows a link between football and later-in-life neurologic problems." The common denominator is likely blows to the head.Parkinsonism is an umbrella term for a group of neurological...
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