Dr. John's Health Matters
Welcome to Dr. John's Health Matters blog.
The articles posted here are from various sources who are duly acknowledged. I would appreciate being immediately notified, if any copywritten material needs to be removed. This blog is not intended to replace the qualified advice of a licensed health practitioner. Readers should exercise their own judgment. Enjoy, subscribe, participate and tell others :)
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Posts tagged "senior"
Sunday, Aug 30th, 2009 ↓Aged skin found more prone to cancer →
Aug 30, 2009 (Presstv.com)—Deficiencies in mobilizing the cells responsible for defending the body contribute to the higher vulnerability of seniors to skin cancer and infection.
Previous studies had reported that defects in a type of immune cell known as T cells account for the reduced immunity and subsequently a higher risk of skin cancer in older individuals.
A new study, however, finds there is nothing wrong with the T cells in the elderly.
According to the study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the signals responsible for directing T cells to the right place is missing in this group.
“At the outset we thought it would be the cells responsible for combating infections that might be at fault, but the surprising thing was the T cells were fine but they couldn’t get into the skin - the signals were missing,” said lead researcher Arne Akbar.
As the skin is believed to be capable of sending the required signals when forced, by boosting the immune system in seniors scientists can help them fight infection and reduce their risk of skin cancer.
Scientists hope their findings will pave the way for the development of effective treatments for the reversible condition.
PKH/HGH
Older Drivers Unaware Of Risks From Medications And Driving →
Aug 13, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Most older drivers are unaware of the potential impact on driving performance associated with taking medications, according to new research from the Center for Injury Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The findings, released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, indicate that 95 percent of those age 55 and older have one or more medical conditions, 78 percent take one or more medications, and only 28 percent have an awareness of the risks those medications might have on driving ability.
The researchers surveyed 630 drivers ages 56 to 93. Only 18 percent reported receiving a warning from a health-care professional about potential driver-impairing (PDI) medications such as ACE inhibitors, sedatives and beta-blockers. The study found that such warnings do not increase with increasing numbers of medications used or increasing numbers of medical conditions.
“These findings indicate that health-care professionals need to take a more active role in educating their patients about the risks of PDI medications,” said Paul MacLennan, Ph.D., assistant professor of surgery at UAB and the study’s lead author. “Society needs to understand that PDI medications are a driving-safety issue, and there is a need for increased education geared at older drivers, their families and health professionals.”
For full article see link above.
Tags: elderly older senior education driving car vehicle medication drug prescription awareness safety ACE inhibitor sedative beta-blocker
Older Cancer Patients Have More Frailty Than Other Seniors →
Aug 8, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Older people with a history of cancer are more likely to have disabilities and be frail and vulnerable than older adults who have not had cancer, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, published online July 29.
The prevalence of frailty and vulnerability among older cancer patients will pose an increasing challenge for physicians as the population ages. By the year 2030, persons who are older than 65 years are projected to make up 70% of cancer patients and have 65% of cancer deaths.
Supriya Gupta Mohile, M.D., from the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester in N.Y., and colleagues used data in the 2003 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey to evaluate whether non-skin cancer was independently associated with vulnerability and frailty. They found that survey respondents with a history of non-skin cancer had statistically significantly more limitations in the activities of daily living and other measures of frailty and vulnerability than those who had not had cancer.
For full article see link above.
A Silly Pat On The Head Helps Seniors Remember Daily Medication →
July 30, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Doing something unusual, like knocking on wood or patting yourself on the head, while taking a daily dose of medicine may be an effective strategy to help seniors remember whether they’ve already taken their daily medications, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
We’ve all heard warnings that some medications may be habit-forming, but research also shows that “getting into the habit” of taking a daily medicine in a routine and precise fashion can be a befuddling challenge for some older adults, many of whom tend to err on the side of over-medication, taking a dangerous second dose when in doubt about the first.
“In extended medication-taking situations, the habitual nature of the task may make it difficult for older adults to remember whether or not they took the medication on a particular day, especially if pill boxes are not used,” explains Mark McDaniel, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a professor of psychology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University.
“To remedy this potential problem, older adults could be instructed to take their medication while placing one hand on their head or in some other unusual or silly way, like crossing their arms,” he suggests. “Our results indicate that older adults can use these sorts of more complex motor tasks to effectively reduce repetition errors in habitual prospective memory tasks, such as taking a daily medication.”
For full article see link above.
Interactive Video Games Offer Exercise Benefits →
June 5, 2009 (HealthDay News) — Couch potatoes beware: If you start playing a new generation of video games that require users to get up and move around, you may find yourself getting a bit more fit.
New research suggests that several exercise-based Nintendo Wii video games provide health benefits, in one case equal to that of light jogging.
For full article see link above.
Over-the-counter drugs up elderly brain damage →
June 7, 2009 (presstv.com)—Taking common over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for pain, cold symptoms or sleep disorders places the elderly at a greater risk of cognitive problems.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Interventions in Aging, individuals aged 65 and older who take certain OTC medications and sleep aids are at an increased risk of developing delirium or a decline in attention-focus, perception and cognition.
For full article see link above.
