Geriatrics

Tai Chi Improves Balance and May Prevent Falls in Elderly

Improvement of balance control ability and flexibility in the elderly Tai Chi Chuan practitioners: A systematic review and meta-analysis Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 12/08/2014  Evidence Based Medicine  Review Article Huang Y, et al. – In this study, the authors aim was to evaluate the effect of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) on the balance control […]

Midlife T2D Tied to Later Cognitive Decline

Published: Dec 2, 2014 By Kristina Fiore, Staff Writer, MedPage Today Story Source Having type 2 diabetes in middle age was tied to cognitive decline later in life, researchers found. Having type 2 diabetes in middle age was tied to cognitive decline later in life, researchers found. In an analysis of data from the ARIC […]

Effects of differences in serum total homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 on cognitive impairment in stroke patients – FULL TEXT

Bo Jiang, Yumei Chen BMC Neurology 2014, 14:217 doi:10.1186/s12883-014-0217-9 Published: 30 November 2014 Abstract (provisional) BackgroundVascular cognitive impairment-no dementia (VCIND) refers to the early or mild cognitive impairment induced by cerebral vascular injury. Research shows that serum total homocysteine (tHcy) level is an independent risk factor for cerebral vascular disease and may be closely related […]

Vitamin D Deficiency Predicts Cognitive Decline

Megan Brooks November 20, 2014 Story Source A new study supports a link between low levels of vitamin D and increased risk for cognitive decline, prompting calls for clinical trials to test whether vitamin D supplementation may delay or prevent dementia. In a group of cognitively intact older adults, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels below […]

Cocoa Flavanols May Reverse Age-Related Memory Decline

Liam Davenport October 28, 2014 Story Source Age-related memory decline may be reversed with high doses of naturally occurring cocoa flavanols, US researchers have discovered in findings that establish the dentate gyrus as central to cognitive decline. “Together, these results provide evidence that age-related changes in the DG [dentate gyrus] observed in aging humans underlie […]

The effect of hearing aids on postural stability

Laryngoscope. 2014 Oct 24. doi: 10.1002/lary.24974. [Epub ahead of print] The effect of hearing aids on postural stability. Rumalla K, Karim AM, Hullar TE. Abstract OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: In the United States, falls are the leading cause of accidental deaths in adults aged over 65 years. Epidemiologic studies indicate that there is a correlation between hearing loss […]

Lower limb osteoarthritis and the risk of falls in a community-based longitudinal study of adults with and without osteoarthritis

Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2014 Oct 20. doi: 10.1002/acr.22499. [Epub ahead of print] Lower limb osteoarthritis and the risk of falls in a community-based longitudinal study of adults with and without osteoarthritis. Doré AL, Golightly YM, Mercer VS, Shi XA, Renner JB, Jordan JM, Nelson AE. Abstract Objective: Knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) are known […]

Postural balance and falls in elderly nursing home residents enrolled in a ballroom dancing program

Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2014 Sep-Oct;59(2):312-6. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2014.03.013. Epub 2014 Apr 5. da Silva Borges EG1, de Souza Vale RG2, Cader SA3, Leal S4, Miguel F2, Pernambuco CS5, Dantas EH5. Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a ballroom dancing program on the postural balance of institutionalized elderly residents. The sample […]

Evidence-Based Recommendations for Chiropractic Care of Older Adults (With References)

Annual Research Issue: Using Research to Defend Chiropractic: Medicare Edition Story Source By Dr Daniel Redwood, DC The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes transparency provisions requiring the federal government to publicly disclose data on all payments by Medicare to healthcare providers. On April 9, 2014, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) […]

Hypercholesterolemia Treatment in Older Patients

PracticeUpdate.com REVIEW · September 17, 2014 Take Home Message This clinical review emphasizes that there are no randomized clinical trials of hypocholesterolemic medication, including statins, that include people with baseline age >80 years. Results from trials with 75- to 80-year-old patients favor statin treatment for secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and possibly primary […]

Chiropractic Use in the Medicare Population

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2014 Sep 15. pii: S0161-4754(14)00144-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.08.003. [Epub ahead of print] Chiropractic Use in the Medicare Population: Prevalence, Patterns, and Associations With 1-Year Changes in Health and Satisfaction With Care. Weigel P Abstract OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine how chiropractic care compares to medical treatments on 1-year […]

Physical therapies for improving balance and reducing falls risk in osteoarthritis of the knee

Physical therapies for improving balance and reducing falls risk in osteoarthritis of the knee: A systematic review Age and Aging, 08/26/2014  Review Article  Clinical Trial Below Mat S, et al. – This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of physical therapies in improving balance and reducing falls risk among patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Strength training, […]

Spinal manipulative therapy and exercise for seniors with chronic neck pain

Michele Maiers, DC, MPH The Spine Journal Volume 14, Issue 9, 1 September 2014, Pages 1879–1889 Abstract Background context Neck pain, common among the elderly population, has considerable implications on health and quality of life. Evidence supports the use of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and exercise to treat neck pain; however, no studies to date […]

More Evidence Fish Protects the Aging Brain

Megan Brooks August 12, 2014 Eating fish regularly can help protect the aging brain, new research confirms. In cognitively healthy older adults who were followed long term, weekly consumption of baked or broiled fish was positively associated with increased gray matter volumes in the hippocampus, precuneus, posterior cingulate, and orbital frontal cortex. “Our study shows […]

Exercise May Reverse Memory Loss in MCI Patients

Fran Lowry August 06, 2013 Walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day 4 days a week over a 12-week period improved memory scores and neural efficiency in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to new research. The finding suggests that exercise may protect against or delay conversion to Alzheimer’s disease in at-risk individuals. […]

Personalized Preventive Care Reduces Healthcare Expenditures Among Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries

Published Online: August 20, 2014 Shirley Musich, PhD; Andrea Klemes, DO, FACE; Michael A. Kubica, MBA, MS; Sara Wang, PhD; and Kevin Hawkins, PhD Objectives To investigate the impact on healthcare expenditure and utilization trends of a personalized preventive care program designed to deliver individualized care focused on disease preventionamong Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Study Design […]

Vitamin D and cognition in older adults: updated international recommendations

C. Annweiler Article first published online: 18 JUL 2014 DOI: 10.1111/joim.12279 © 2014 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine Journal Abstract Full Text PDF Full Text HTML Abstract Background Hypovitaminosis D, a condition that is highly prevalent in older adults aged 65 years and above, is associated with brain changes […]

Multipronged Lifestyle Change Reduces Cognitive Impairment

Medscape Medical News > Conference News Susan Jeffrey July 16, 2014 COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Results of a randomized trial suggest lifestyle intervention that addresses a variety of risk factors simultaneously can have cognitive benefits for people at risk for cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The 2-year trial, called the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to […]

Hypertension After 80 Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

Medscape Medical News from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) 2014Susan Jeffrey July 14, 2014 COPENHAGEN, Denmark — New results from the 90+ Study show that new hypertension after 80 years of age is not only not a risk factor for dementia but is actually associated with reduced risk. In a longitudinal study of participants […]

Striking a Nerve: Brain Exercise and Cognitive Decline

Another study links a habit of vigorous mental exercise to delayed onset of cognitive decline, but is it really causal? by John Gever, Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today June 24, 2014 A study published this week in JAMA Neurology adds to the already large body of evidence indicating that people who engage in vigorous mental activity throughout their […]