MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'boomers'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:56:57 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182360&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FbcbWYgCiXCk%2Folder-americans-more-comfortable-with.html The number of adults using social media sites increased to 65%, according to a report from a new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. It’s the first time more than 50% of all adults said they’re using the sites, and a dramatic increase from the first survey in 2005, which showed that just 8% of internet users or 5% of all adults said they used them. While 61% of users aged 30 or older reported they use social networking site on a typical day, it remained relatively flat over the last year. Baby Boomers (ages 50-64) on the other hand reported that social networking site usage on a typical day grew a significant 60% (from 20% to 32%). “The graying of social networking sites continues, but the oldest users are still far less likely to be m... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182360 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:41:00 +0100 5182360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159891&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FpdrJbmhzB3U%2Fboomers-will-be-spending-billions-to.html The following is an interesting article written by National AP writer David Crary. Baby boomers heading into what used to be called retirement age are providing a 70 million-member strong market for legions of companies, entrepreneurs and cosmetic surgeons eager to capitalize on their "forever young" mindset, whether it's through wrinkle creams, face-lifts or workout regimens. It adds up to potential bonanza. The market research firm Global Industry Analysts projects that a boomer-fueled consumer base, "seeking to keep the dreaded signs of aging at bay," will push the U.S. market for anti-aging products from about $80 billion now to more than $114 billion by 2015. The boomers, who grew up in a culture glamorizing youth, face an array of choices as to whether and how to be a part of that... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159891 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:36:00 +0100 5159891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140333&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2Fbo7vxgxnfg8%2Fdetroit-jumping-on-board-senior-citizen.html Independence and the ability to age at home are the top two concerns for many in the rapidly expanding senior citizen demographic, and mobility is an important aspect of seniors maintaining their freedom. In response to the aging population, Ford Motor Company has developed a number of innovations for its vehicles to make them more “senior friendly.” “As you get older, the possible loss of that driving capability is equated with the removal of freedom, so what we can do to try to help older people continue to drive is important to them, because it really equates to a loss of freedom if they can’t do that,” says Gary Strumulo, Manager of Vehicle Design and Infotronics at Ford. The innovations Ford has incorporated into some of its vehicles include specially contoured seats that ... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140333 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:40:00 +0100 5140333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086356&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FuEjEDMUJhrQ%2F First of all, an announcement. We are starting a Virtual Internship Program @ SharpBrains, allowing full-time undergrad and grad students and postdocs to lead 100-hour projects jointly defined by themselves and by SharpBrains. Interested candidates should Contact Us indicating a) a preliminary project proposal (200 words or less), and b) brief bio and qualifications (200 words or less). Internships don’t require travel and will be paid in-kind, with access to SharpBrains reports and conference recordings. SharpBrains will select a limited number of Interns based on fit between candidates’ proposal and bio and SharpBrains mission and activities. Let’s now explore the latest edition of the monthly Sharp­Brains eNewslet­ter, starting with a comprehensive perspective on the educati... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086356 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:29:36 +0100 5086356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069647&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FLn-_yPbE_50%2F (Editor’s Note: this timely new report illustrates the need for innovative brain fitness interventions focused on maintaining if not enhancing targeted cognitive functionality, such as driving safety or financial decision-making, leveraging lifelong neuroplasticity and cognitive reserve. What the report presents as inexorable, somewhat genetically pre-programmed decline, it is not.) BMO Retirement Institute Report: Boomers’ Ability to Make Financial Decisions Often Declines With Age (Market Watch): - “The BMO Retirement Institute released a report today which raises awareness of the potential impact on aging Canadians of declining cognitive abilities — often caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia — and describes how this decline can affect their ability to ma... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069647 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:33:51 +0100 5069647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051286&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FzbpSNCC9Sd0%2Fsenior-helpers-heat-helpers.html As the nation wilts during an especially brutal summer, warnings have gone out to the elderly to try to stay cool. The problem is, many seniors hear the message but don’t think it applies to them — because they don’t see themselves as old. Deciding who counts as elderly is a tricky business. The United States Older Americans Act, for instance, targets people aged 60 and older, but it's a rare 60-year-old who considers himself or herself elderly. Younger adults, too, call 60 the start of old age, but baby boomers are pushing that number back, according to the Associated Press-LifeGoesStrong.com poll. The median age they cite is 70. And a quarter of boomers insist you're not old until you're 80. But no matter how you define elderly, or how healthy a senior is, high temperatures can be... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051286 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:35:00 +0100 5051286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029268&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2F5fKdD5lLWcs%2Fcognitive-decline-can-have-hazardous.html As Baby Boomers age, policy makers and economists may be served by looking at the condition of not just their nest eggs, but the health of their brains. The late Brooke Astor is an example of the dangers of declining cognitive function. So says economist David Laibson, of Harvard University in a speech called “The Age of Reason.” Prof. Laibson spoke at Morningstar’s annual conference in Chicago before hundreds of financial advisers and asset managers — industries grappling with the inevitable shift of assets from workers accumulating money to those trying to live on it as they grow older. Prof. Laibson opened with an image of the famously wealthy Brooke Astor. “One of our most remarkable individuals ended up in this terrible state” because of a lack of cognitive abilities, he... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029268 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:57:00 +0100 5029268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934108&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FLVNfBuzfyRE%2F By Randal O'TooleAccording to Transportation for America — which is largely a shill for the transit industry — the nation is about to face a new crisis: a shortage of mobility “options” for retiring baby boomers. According to a report published by the group on June 14, “By 2015, more than 15.5 million Americans 65 and older will live in communities where public transportation service is poor or non-existent.” The appropriate answer to that, of course, is “So what?” Most seniors don’t ride transit. Census data show that more than 12.5 percent of all Americans are over 65, yet data from the American Public Transportation Association show that only 6.7 percent of transit trips are taken by senior citizens. The average American rides transit less... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934108 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:36:42 +0100 4934108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862630&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F24%2Ftwitter-chat-tonight-on-mental-health-in-older-adults-mhsm%2F I’ll be hosting my first Tuesday night #mhsm chat on twitter tonight, on the topic of mental health in older adults. I blogged about this issue earlier this month, and we recently started a whole blog about getting older, Boomers on the Rise: Aging Well. Older adults have the same human needs, wants and desires as the rest of us (as we’ll all find out first-hand soon enough). Sometimes loneliness and depression is a factor for seniors, and sometimes seniors feel forgotten in life, as they watch their children grow up, move away, and have lives quite independent of their parents. It is a time of change, a time of recognition that our bodies often can’t do all the things they once could, but also a time of new discovery and reinvention. Much of an older adult’s mental... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862630 Tue, 24 May 2011 18:55:22 +0100 4862630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775432&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F02%2Fmental-health-needs-of-older-americans%2F As the baby boomers age here in the U.S., they are going to swell the ranks of seniors. And senior care — especially mental health care — is one of the most ignored in America. We act as though seniors don’t matter much, and few health care and mental health care professionals go into specializations, such as geriatric psychology, that can help senior citizens. Perhaps that will change, with more attention and focus provided on this group of people. Because as we age, we often face many of the same difficulties as we did earlier in life. Except these difficulties are often amplified, because of the loss of social support — our friends — and isolation — most often from our own family. The New York Times profiles Marc E. Agronin, M.D., a geriatric psychiat... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775432 Mon, 02 May 2011 13:50:19 +0100 4775432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762797&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F28%2Fintroducing-boomers-on-the-rise-aging-well%2F I’m pleased to introduce our newest blog, Boomers on the Rise: Aging Well with Tamara McClintock Greenberg, Psy.D. This blog will discuss the increasingly complicated landscape of modern day aging, because, let’s face it, none of us is getting younger. Topics relate to healthcare and medicine, gender differences related to aging, coping with illness, and the many demands today’s middle-aged and older adults face. We’re all getting older, and with a generation of baby boomers getting to retirement age, this is the largest group of individuals that will become seniors in our nation’s history. There is a lot to navigate as we age, and few of us get a handbook to help guide us on our journey. I hope this blog will help give us the valuable tips and information that will make ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762797 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:02:31 +0100 4762797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636670&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FJ6HVw1UZWqw%2Fsharing-good-news.html Aging with Grace is proud to announce we have been ranked #22 by  Seniors for Living as one of the Top 100 Senior & Boomer Blogs & Websites in the category of  All Things Aging. We are honored to share this category with: 20.  New Old Age Blog 21.  AARP 22.  Aging with Grace 23.  RetireLife 24.  Love to Know: Seniors View the entire list (Source: Aging with Grace CareConnection) Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636670 Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:45:00 +0100 4636670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459959&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-forecast-for-heart-disease-gloomy-with-a-strong-chance-of-boomers%2F2011.02.10 As a youngster, I loved being part of the baby boom — it meant there were dozens of kids on my block who were ready to play hide-and-seek or join mysterious clubs. Now that I’m of an AARP age, there’s one club I don’t want to join: The one whose members have bypass scars, pacemakers, or other trappings of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association’s (AHA) gloomy new forecast on cardiovascular disease tells me it won’t be easy to avoid. The AHA foresees sizeable increases in all forms of cardiovascular disease (see table) between now and 2030, the year all of the boomers are age 65 and older. Those increases will translate into an additional 27 million people with high blood pressure, eight million with coronary heart disease, four million with stroke, and thr... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459959 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:00:43 +0100 4459959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429239&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2F-u0aT9wEjFA%2Fgeneration-alzheimers.html The Alzheimer’s Association has nicknamed the baby boomer generation “Generation Alzheimer’s” in a new report, since one in eight boomers is expected to develop the disease, for which there is no cure. Deaths related to Alzheimer’s are soaring, increasing 66 percent between 2000 and 2008, and scientists predict an approaching tipping point.The report finds that most of America’s greatest generation will spend their retirement years with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone who has it. About 13.5 million Americans are expected to suffer from Alzheimer’s by 2050 costing an estimated $1.078 trillion in current US dollars.The report also concludes that Alzheimer’s research is underfunded. “If you think finding a cure is expensive, consider the cost of facing people living with... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429239 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 20:38:00 +0100 4429239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389182&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbaby-boomers-2011-a-new-frontier-with-few-guideposts%2F2011.01.23 This is a guest post by Dr. John Schumann. ********** In 2011, the first wave of baby boomers will turn 65 years old. Sixty-five still has currency because that’s the age at which non-disabled Americans are eligible to be covered under the Medicare program (now itself having reached middle age). As our economy continues to recover (hopefully) from the Great Recession, the entrance of millions of Americans to the Medicare rolls over the next decade and a half will be a formidable planning challenge. Look at this chart to see how the baby boomers population has surged: So is the promise of healthcare reform (the “PPACA“), which will enlarge Medicaid by an additional 16 million Americans — about half of the projected growth in coverage for those currently uninsured.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389182 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4389182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361075&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34817&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshrinkwrapped.blogs.com%2Fblog%2F2011%2F01%2Fin-his-own-words.html One of the under-reported stories from the 1960's is a fundamental change that took place at that time in the male rite of passage.  Ever since the first humans began the arduous trek from primitive tribal societies to civilized society, the male adolescent's progression to adulthood included some rite which demarcated childhood from manhood.  Most of the time this rite of passage was explicitly designed to evince the young prospective man's physical prowess and courage.  There is a clear line of communication from the young tribesman who was expected to kill a lion or bring down a buffalo by himself and the British aristocrat training at Sandhurst.  There were always those who did not take part in such rites, but for the culture's elites... ShrinkWrapped blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361075 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:06:50 +0100 4361075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343355&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FLcSuYRumiTc%2Fboomers-and-seniors-digging-into.html Baby Boomers and seniors in the United States are taking a more pragmatic approach to their housing choices as an effect of the economic downturn according to a new study released today. A joint study by the 50+ Housing Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the MetLife Mature Market Institute reveals that home design considerations have taken a back seat as financial matters have been more prominent in home purchase process for 55+ buyers. The new study, "Housing Trends Update for the 55+ Market,", explores households living in active adult communities, either age-qualified active adult communities where at least one resident must be age 55+, other non-age-qualified 55+ owner-occupied communities (not explicitly restricted to 55+ households but nevertheless occupi... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343355 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:35:00 +0100 4343355 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331262&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=38949&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAgingWithGraceCareconnection%2F%7E3%2FAdXeRc_CDhU%2Fmore-trouble-at-border.html Boomers, are you aware that Medicare stops at the Border? The exposure to financial harm is high for anyone traveling outside the United States, especially for seniors who are on Medicare, since Medicare stops at the border except for limited circumstances. If you have a Medicare Supplement, there is some relief for emergency medical care, but that too has limits – you can very easily exceed the limit causing you to dip into your retirement savings. The lifetime maximum for foreign travel coverage outside the United States on Medicare Supplement policies is $50,000. This amount can be easily exceed when traveling. Without Travel Medical Insurance, you are required to pay for services at the time you receive them. However, if you have travel medical insurance, those issues are handled by... Aging with Grace CareConnection blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331262 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:54:00 +0100 4331262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314007&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-year-begins-with-a-baby-boom%2F2011.01.05 On January 1, Kathleen Casey-Kirschling became the first of the baby-boom generation to qualify for Medicare. She’s hardly alone: The baby-boom generation will cause enrollment in Medicare to soar. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicare enrollment will increase from 47 million today to 64 million in 2020 to 80 million people by 2030. At the same time, the ratio of workers paying into the program to support each Medicare enrollee will drop from 3.4 (2010) to 2.8 (2020) and then to 2.3 workers per beneficiary in 2030, denying the program the tax revenue needed to sustain it. What happens then? Well, the President and Congress would have a dismal menu of political and policy choices. They could impose huge tax increases, inflicting great harm on working families and the economy... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314007 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4314007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259032&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FXzPIfCIS5Y8%2F Yesterday I had the chance to chat with Yaakov Stern, leading Cognitive Reserve researcher at Columbia University, and then with a group of 25 lifelong learners in Arizona who attended a brain fitness class (hello, Robert and friends!) based on our consumer guide The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness. On reflection, I found both conversations to be very stimulating for the same reason: they were forward-looking, focused not so much on status quo but on how emerging research, technology and trends may impact our society and lives in years to come. Let’s continue the conversation. Let me share the 10 main trends that we analyzed/ forecasted in our book, and then ask you, sharp readers, to add your own 2 cents to the discussion. 1. We predict an increased emphasis on brain maintenance in ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259032 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:51:03 +0100 4259032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4167958&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhappy-birthday-baby-boomers-one-more-eligible-for-medicare-every-8-seconds%2F2010.11.15 Today begins a lame duck session of Congress before it breaks for Thanksgiving. It’s the final chance to work out a temporary patch to Medicare reimbursement before a 23 percent cut takes effect Dec. 1. Doctors are going to stop taking new Medicare patients if the cuts happen. And, as one breast cancer surgeon explains, if Medicare stops paying, so to private insurers and even military health programs. Congress will meet in December, but the damage will be done. This all is happening two weeks before the baby boomers become eligible for Medicare. That populous generation starts to turn 65 beginning on Jan. 1, which means they become eligible for Medicare on Dec. 1, which, as we mentioned, is the day the 23 percent Medicare pay cut kicks in. Boomers will continue to become eligible ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4167958 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4167958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168081&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FdfcQS1SUj6s%2F CONCLUSIONS Just as the idea of hospice care revolutionized death and dying in America, the idea of bundling many aspects of Alzheimer’s care under one roof in a cognitive shop could change the way we approach this dire disease—one that has no cure and leaves no survivors. Certainly, the scope of the problem poses medical and economic risks for the country. These risks, and potential steps for a solution, were charted by the bipartisan Alzheimer Study Group in the spring of 2009. The report, issued by the Alzheimer Study Group co-chaired by former congressman Newt Gingrich and former senator Bob Kerrey, minces few words. It likens the failure to address the impact of Alzheimer’s to the failure to strengthen the levies of New Orleans against an overwhelming hurricane. “Alzheimer’... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168081 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:25:55 +0100 4168081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018266&cid=t_150764_118_f&fid=39279&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffoxepractice%2F%7E3%2F6_KsMQ5cTP4%2Fsocial-network-use-among-seniors Well, I sure didn’t until I read an article the other day which said that “middle boomers” are those individuals who were born between 1952 and 1958.  I quickly realized that I was a member of this group, one which apparently, differs distinctly from the youngest and oldest boomers, so called “bookends”.  We middle boomers (can I call us “mb’s” for short?) number 29 million, comprise 38% of all baby boomers and make up 10% of the U.S. population, which makes us mb’s the largest of the three baby boomer segments. A recent MetLife study shows some interesting characteristics for us mb’s: Most middle boomers consider themselves in good health but many are concerned about their ability to afford rising health care costs. Only 8% of middle boomers are fully retired and... Fox ePractice blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018266 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:41:19 +0100 4018266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938420&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fl09if-uJcmc%2F If you happen to be in Barcelona, Spain, on September 14th, make sure to attend Alvaro Fernandez talk there titled “How and Why Digital Technology Will Transform Education, Training and Brain Health”. Date: 14/09/2010 Time: 19:00 Place: ESADEFORUM. Av. Pedralbes 60–62. Description: You have a brain. Make it reflect on this provocative vision of how the convergence of demographic and political trends with the discoveries of neuroscience and digital technology can give rise to a global market capable of transforming the way in which we develop and maintain our brains, in order to attain the highest possible level of brain health and performance throughout our lives. The neuroscientist Ramón y Cajal once said: “Every man can, if he so desires, become the sculptor of his own brai... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938420 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:24:11 +0100 3938420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858157&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbaby-boomers-are-bypassing-primary-care%2F2010.08.11 Office-based practices are focusing increasingly on patients 45 and older, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2008, those 45 and older accounted for 57 percent of all office visits, compared to 49 percent in 1998. Prescriptions, scans and time spent with the doctor also became increasingly concentrated on those middle aged and older, according to data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Also, physician visits increasingly concentrated on medical and surgical specialists and less on care provided by primary care practitioners for those ages 45 and older. Furthermore, for patients ages 65 and older, the percentage of visits to primary care specialists decreased from 62 percent to 45 percent from 1978 to 2008, while the percentage of visits ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858157 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3858157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3924954&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F18374156%2F1r1zxc%2Fneuromarketing%7EKeep-it-Simple-for-Boomers-amp-Seniors.htm Targeting Boomers or seniors with your advertising? Keep it simple. While that’s usually good advice for any kind of advertising, brain scans show a dramatic difference in the ability of older brains to suppress distracting information. Studies by Dr. Adam Gazzaley (then at UC Berkeley, now at UC San Francisco) found the [...] CommentsAccelerating disinhibition is a challenge in 50+ brains — ... by Rich and CoOf course other research has shown that younger people now have ... by Mark (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3924954 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:43:20 +0100 3924954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644832&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F09%2Fmiddle-age-suicides-continue-to-rise%2F Suicides amongst the middle-aged — 45 to 54 year olds — continued to rise for the second straight year in a row, from 2006 to 2007 (the last year we have the final government data on). This means this age group enjoys the highest suicide rate in the U.S. The rate in 2007 was 17.6 per every 100,000 people, up from 17.2 per 100,000 people in 2006. Typically, according to the article in the New York Times, the eldest segment of the population — those 80 and older — suffers the highest suicide rate. Men typically commit suicide nearly four times as often as women, and most people who contemplate suicide would carry a depression diagnosis. Since 2000, the age-adjusted death rate for suicide has increased by 8.6 percent, according to the U.S. National Center for Health St... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644832 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:00:38 +0100 3644832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3617811&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fdating-rules-google-is-a-girl%25e2%2580%2599s-best-friend%2F Dear Potential Suitors, I’m not sure how you ended up on Blisstree, since it’s filled with stories about bikini waxing, detoxifying foods, alternatives to milk, breast implants, and what we women stick up our vaginas. Well, maybe the last two interest you. But chances are, you happened upon this story by Googling my name. Maybe I met you at a friend’s party, or perhaps on one of those dating websites that continue to prove I am a glutton for punishment. We may have already shared in a few drinks, some idle conversation, eye contact, a laugh or two, a hug, or maybe a little smooch goodbye. One of us may have remarked that we should get together again. It’s even possible that we have yet to go on date #1, and you’re just doing some preliminary research. I don’t blame you. To imag... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3617811 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:08:54 +0100 3617811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533837&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-primary-care-shortage-what-can-we-do-today%2F2010.05.05 The new healthcare reform law, which is called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), will be a huge disappointment to the millions of previously-uninsured people who finally purchase insurance policies when they try to find a doctor. Primary care physicians are already in short supply and the most popular ones have closed practices or long waits for new patients. Imagine when 2014 hits and all of those patients come calling. Who is going to be available to treat them? (more…) *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533837 Wed, 05 May 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3533837 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494472&cid=t_150764_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FpzS21cduK8c%2F Thirty-seven years after Roe v. Wade, the fight for reproductive rights is still being waged across America. Last month, President Obama’s health care bill just barely passed in the Senate, thanks in part to the support of Rep. Bart Stupak, who came to Obama’s side only after the President signed an executive order confirming the ban on federal funding for abortions. While the National Right to Life movement has had no trouble attracting young women, the pro-choice side that fought for and won abortion rights several decades earlier is seeing its membership age without much new blood coming in, according to National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws (NARAL) president Nancy Keenan, who was recently profiled in Newsweek. Keenan considers herself part of the “post-menopaus... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494472 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:38:25 +0100 3494472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3425156&cid=t_150764_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FnVj60HoNuOQ%2F Yesterday I gave a presentation to a group of boomer job seekers explaining how and why to use Facebook and LinkedIn. What follows is my slides. They did videotape the event, so if I can get some video, I’ll share that too. Facebook and Linkedin Jobseekers View more presentations from Phil Gerbyshak. Questions for you: How could this be improved? What did I forget to include? What suggestions do you have for boomers who want to use Facebook and LinkedIn in their job search? (Source: Phil Gerbyshak) Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3425156 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:49:54 +0100 3425156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3359063&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34817&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshrinkwrapped.blogs.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F03%2Ffrom-holden-caulfield-to-jihad-jane.html Holden Caulfield was the literary embodiment of adolescent existential angst.  He was familiar to all of us who grew up privileged in America.  We were blessed with freedom and amazing wealth compared to every prior generation, but suffered from a paucity of meaning.  The baby boomers grew up in an era where God and country were slowly becoming less important and central than the aggrandizement of the Self.  The 1960s were a time where John F. Kennedy's stirring Inaugural speech on January 20th, 1961: "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." Morphed into Grace Slick singing, in 1967's After Bathing at Baxter's: Rejoyce Steven won't give his arm to no gold star mother's farm;War&#39... ShrinkWrapped blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3359063 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:59:30 +0100 3359063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346580&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FBtlcJu1TV9w%2F This week the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the main association of health clubs worldwide, is holding its annual convention in San Diego. Information Here. I will be presenting a session on Wednesday titled Brain Fitness Offerings to Attract and Retain Baby Boomers, to help participants… Understand the implications from emerging research, tools and trends that will affect how health clubs attract and retain baby boomers Learn about the 4 lifestyle pillars for lifelong brain health, including physical and mental exercise Review a proven checklist to build a solid business case and navigate through the growing array of options Find the best mix of brain health products and practices by discussing best practices and case studies Identify low-cost a... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346580 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:31:24 +0100 3346580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322425&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34817&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshrinkwrapped.blogs.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F03%2Favatar-the-glenn-beck-problem-and-ted-kaczynski-part-ii.html Avatar, "the Glenn Beck Problem", and Ted Kaczynski: Part I Avatar is a deeply religious movie and is nothing so much as a visual statement of Pantheism and Gaiaism.  In the movie, the biosphere is all connected, communicating through the trees.  Spirits/souls live on independent of the flesh and as a result there appears to be no gratuitous violence, warfare, or all the other ills fallible humans have been prone to.  In a paean to the idealized American Indian of contemporary myth, hunters apologize to their prey and thank them for their contribution to the people.  It is a lovely vision of a Godless religion, one that can be imagined to have evolved without benefit of a Deity.  It is scientific and decidedly amoral, in that morality requires choice... ShrinkWrapped blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322425 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:33:37 +0100 3322425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3178996&cid=t_150764_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FjcQa2Ujv4VM%2F Baby Boomers Swell the Ranks of Problem Drinkers in Nursing Homes A new study shows that the number of problem drinkers in nursing homes is rising, and is expected to sharply increase as Baby Boomers age, the Associated Press reported. “Older people with an alcohol problem are more likely to end up in health-care settings,” said study author Frederic Blow, director of the Veterans Affairs’ Serious Mental Illness Treatment, Research and Evaluation Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. According to Blow’s research alcoholics make up; 5 to 7% in the general population 10 to 15% of those in hospitals or other primary-care settings, 10 to 20% of those in nursing homes, and 5 to 10% of those in community mental-health centers. Blow found that up to 20 percent of the people in nursing home... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3178996 Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:07:10 +0100 3178996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3097036&cid=t_150764_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FYinXuILkMpw%2Fconcerned-baby-boomer-surveys-our.html We need an attitude shift. We treat people with dementia as if they were potted plants to be infrequently watered until they die.By Kathy Harmon I’m terrified of getting Alzheimer’s. I didn’t used to be--actually, I never thought much about getting sick or old or even dying. I'm like most Baby Boomers: I prefer happy thoughts! Then I hit 55, gained weight, and began to lose my hearing and my car keys. My mother turned 80, we launched http://www.greatplacesinc.com, and the door to aging opened wide for me and welcomed me inside. Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email Over the past couple of years I've visited more than 300 senior housing facilities and dozens of adult day care centers. I've networked and taught with hundreds of care providers, financial advisors, se... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3097036 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:24:54 +0100 3097036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827174&cid=t_150764_117_f&fid=38815&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FGetPrimed%2F%7E3%2Fr9Go4R6x6t4%2F   For some boomers thrust into employment interviews as a consequence of job losses, it can feel like a tough sell when competing with younger, fresh looking candidates. Experience, skills and intellect aside, appearances do matter and unfortunately wrinkles and hollow eyes make many a candidate look harried rather than refreshed and eager to do the job at hand. For a boost of confidence, some women are opting for facial rejuvenation procedures before hitting the interview circuit. Injectable dermal fillers are designed to replace the lost facial volume that occurs as one ages and can be used for a number of issues such as crow’s feet, laugh lines, brow furrows and marionette lines. Although dermal fillers are temporary, lasting anywhere from a few months to a year, there is little reco... Get Primed! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827174 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:06:50 +0100 3827174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890786&cid=t_150764_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fcranham%2Fcranham-on-fluoride-and-baby-boomers%2F It’s interesting that we find conspiracy theorists that think fluoride is a communist plot. I don’t think there’s been a more successful campaign in medicine as the addition of fluoride in the public water supply to reduce caries. We know fluoride works. Now we also have to think about the Baby Boomer Generation – people who will keep their teeth longer than ever. With the recession and economy as it stands today, Baby Boomers are prone to tooth decay 1) as they retain their teeth longer, 2) as they may not prioritize dental care due to finances or time constraints, and 3) their dexterity deteriorates an interferes with proper oral homecare. In my office, we’ve moved away from fluoride gels and toward the fluoride varnish by 3M. I like this product because after a standard prophy... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890786 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:04:20 +0100 2890786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774723&cid=t_150764_117_f&fid=38158&url=http%3A%2F%2Famericanacupuncture.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fbaby-boomers-beware.html As a medical physician for over 50 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects and let you, the reader, come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an practicing medical acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary that results in astounding healing in pain management, addictions to cigarettes and food, and a host of other maladies. Let me know how we are doing. Your constructive comments are always appreciated. Click the RSS post button on the upper right hand corner if you would like to receive by email our future medical blogs. Visit http://www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more detailed information on healing.MEDICAL PLAN WILL RIP OF... Dr. Needles Medical Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774723 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:34:00 +0100 2774723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2223659&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F2F4NxwMMu_U%2F Here you have the February edition of our monthly newsletter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, simply by submitting your email at the top of this page. Cognitive training (or structured mental exercise) definitely seems to work - as long as we define properly what "work" means, don't expect magic cures, and help navigate options. Please keep reading... Interview: Baycrest Interview with Baycrest's CEO Dr. William Reichman: Discussing the recent Centre for Brain Fitness at Baycrest, Dr. Reichman suggests that "we have an opportunity to make major progress in Brain Health in the XXI century, similar to what happened with Cardiovascular Health in the XXth, and technology will play a c... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2223659 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:56:02 +0100 2223659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2170177&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F535195978%2F Round-up of recent news with a variety of angles, from the effects of gaming to cognitive training for driving skills and brain fitness classes. Seniors use brain training software to sharpen their minds (Dallas Morning News) - "Allstate Insurance has invited some policyholders and other older drivers to try InSight so researchers can evaluate whether the software reduces accidents." - "Depending on the results, the auto insurer says it may expand the pilot project and offer premium discounts to drivers who take the brain training." - "Today, only one in seven licensed drivers is 65 or older. But by 2030, when the last of the boomers turn 65, the proportion will be one in four. " Brain games (Palo Alto Weekly) - "There is research that justifies the belie... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2170177 Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:54:42 +0100 2170177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2160937&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F531109477%2F Below you have a collection of recent news and announcements: 1) Brain Fitness Coming to Senior Exercise Classes (press release): - "The American Senior Fitness Association (SFA) has announced a new brain fitness training program designed for exercise professionals. Brain Fitness for Older Adults teaches senior fitness instructors and personal trainers how to incorporate effective cognitive fitness into physical activity programs, offering seniors the opportunity to boost both physical and mental fitness simultaneously." Comment: a very timely initiative, given the interest we see in brain fitness education and initiatives, and the benefits of both physical and mental exercise on brain health. It makes a lot of sense to enhance public awareness through train-the-trainer initiativ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2160937 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:15:34 +0100 2160937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2104992&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F511462725%2F Good article in the New York Times today: An Epidemic of Crashes Among the Aging? Unlikely, Study Says - "The (Insurance Institute for Highway Driving) insurance institute is conducting further research to determine why the risks appear to be going down for older drivers. It may be that today’s older drivers are simply in better physical and mental shape than their counterparts a decade ago, so they are not only less likely to make a driving mistake, but also less frail and better able to survive injuries." There is no doubt that, as a group, older persons of any given age are in better physical and mental shape today than their counterparts years ago. For context, worldwide life expectancy has increased more than 20 years in less than 6o years - so you can imagine how a person... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2104992 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:09:36 +0100 2104992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1976343&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F459178021%2F We offered some Brain Fitness Predictions in our Market Report , including... "7. Doctors and pharmacists will help patients navigate through the overwhelming range of available products and interpret the results of cognitive assessments. This will require significant professional development efforts, given that most doctors today were trained under a very different understanding of the brain than the one we have today." The American Medical News, a weekly newspaper for physicians published by the American Medical Association, just published an excellent article along those lines: Steps to a nimble mind: Physical and mental exercise help keep the brain fit -- Neuroscience is uncovering techniques to prevent cognitive decline. A few quotes: - It's an example that highlights a wave... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1976343 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:09:40 +0100 1976343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1868599&cid=t_150764_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2FUeGcr3_-6mo%2F AlzheimersNotes.com As I consider the activities used with Alzheimer’s patients of my mother’s era, as well as movies shown and music played, I realize these may change as a younger generation, essentially Baby Boomers, reach the Alzheimer’s stage.  They won’t recognize some of the movies and music, will enjoy some of the same activities, but many different ones, too. I recall visiting Mother and finding the residents entranced by World War II era and earlier movie stories.  They sang songs that Mother sang to us as children and from her earlier years.  Languages May Differ Also, languages spoken in nursing homes may vary, too.  There will be more residents from other countries, who have learned English here, but still recognize their native tongues which are di... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1868599 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:00:21 +0100 1868599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1701779&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F363198200%2F Good article in the Washington Post today:  Is It Really Smart to Teach Old Brains New Tricks? The reporter presents a good overview of what is happening, but framed around a highly artificial choice for consumers: either you a) do physical exercise, or b) take part in social interactions, or c) engage in mental exercise. What about switching off those TVs and having time for all a, b, c, and more? Research does not support a "general solution" to cognitive health but a multi-pronged one, featuring a good nutrition, stress management, and both physical and mental exercise. Each individual presents different contexts and priorities: for example, while research has shown how doing zero weekly aerobic exercise can translate into lower cognitive functioning, it does not support t... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1701779 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:56:34 +0100 1701779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1649634&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F343731943%2F In an emerging, dynamic, high growth market, like brain training, it is difficult to make precise projections. But, we can observe a number of trends that executives, consumers, public policy makers, and the media should watch closely in the coming years, as brain fitness and training becomes mainstream, new tools appear, and an ecosystem grows around it. 1. We predict an increased emphasis on brain maintenance in locations ranging from retirement communities to gyms. As a computer-savvy baby boomer population looks for ways to stay mentally fit, brain fitness, or brain training, is becoming part of their vocabulary and concern. 2. Physical and mental exercise will be better integrated. Physical exercise has been shown to increase the rate of neurogenesis, whereas mental exercise helps ens... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1649634 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:49:38 +0100 1649634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1561642&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F324128976%2F Here you are have the twice-a-month newsletter with our most popular blog posts. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, simply by submitting your email at the top of this page. News CNN: Aging boomers fuel 'brain fitness' explosion: An excellent article via Associated Press exploring why the brain fitness market passed a tipping point in 2007 and predicting future trends building on our market report. Brain Age: Great Game, Wrong Concept: One reason why we believe the field will keep growing is because we are seeing more tools available than ever before to assess and train a variety of cognitive skills. The bad news (is this really news?) is that we shouldn't be expecting magic pills and that "brain age" is a fiction. Why a Walking Book Clu... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1561642 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:06:58 +0100 1561642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1532291&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F315095475%2F One of the best articles so far on the growing brain fitness market, by the Associated Press. Click Here to check out story: "This is not just a Nintendo-fueled fad," he says. "The brain fitness market passed a tipping point in 2007 thanks to the convergence of a very proactive boomer generation hitting their 60s." Article: Here. Highly recommended.  Now, as you read it, please remember the theme of our most recent newsletter: Emerging Tools, Not Magic Pills. And, for all new readers who are joining us given the extra coverage (CNN, CBS, CHicago Tribune, dozens of other papers and websites), let me reprint now an article I wrote here in February: ----------------- A spate of recent news coverage on brain fitness and "brain training" reflects a growing inte... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1532291 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:10:27 +0100 1532291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1418695&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F282910329%2F In the past two days, The New York Times has published two excellent articles on brain and cognitive fitness. Despite appearing in separate sections (technology and editorial), the two have more in common than immediately meets the eye. Both raise key questions that politicians, health policy makers, business leaders, educators and consumers should pay attention to. 1) First, Exercise Your Brain, or Else You’ll ... Uh ..., by Katie Hafner (5/3/08). Some quotes: - "At the same time, boomers are seizing on a mounting body of evidence that suggests that brains contain more plasticity than previously thought, and many people are taking matters into their own hands, doing brain fitness exercises with the same intensity with which they attack a treadmill." - "Alvar... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1418695 Sat, 03 May 2008 20:03:03 +0100 1418695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1367154&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F268131761%2F This study challenges the theory that depression and dementia are caused by another factor. It therefore adds weight to, but does not prove, the theory that depression is a risk factor for dementia. However, this study has shortcomings, and further research that is free of these should provide a clearer picture. Until more is known, depression sufferers should not be overly worried that they will develop dementia." Comment: I guess that last sentence offers good news...   aging brain, Alzheimers Association, Alzheimers Tests, baby boomers, Baycrest, Brain games, Brain Training, brain training game, Casual Games, Centre for Brain Fitness, cognitive ability, cognitive deficits, Cognitive tests, Depression and Alzheimers, executive skills, fit brains, High blood pressure, Humana, life... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1367154 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:37:51 +0100 1367154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1365102&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F268131761%2F This study challenges the theory that depression and dementia are caused by another factor. It therefore adds weight to, but does not prove, the theory that depression is a risk factor for dementia. However, this study has shortcomings, and further research that is free of these should provide a clearer picture. Until more is known, depression sufferers should not be overly worried that they will develop dementia." Comment: I guess that last sentence offers good news...   aging brain, Alzheimers Association, Alzheimers Tests, baby boomers, Brain games, Brain Training, brain training game, Casual Games, cognitive ability, cognitive deficits, Cognitive tests, Depression and Alzheimers, executive skills, fit brains, High blood pressure, Humana, lifestyle, Medicaid, Medicare, memory cl... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1365102 Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:31:36 +0100 1365102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1356661&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F266362196%2F Ever wondered what explains the sometimes surreal, often misguided, health policies by our government? Well, it is beyond our humble brains to capture and articulate what may be going on...but we now see that lack of access to quality information is certainly not the main problem. Decision-making processes, and structural incentives, would probably merit more attention.... I mention this because we are really impressed by the just-published 24-page special issue on Preventing Memory Loss by Congressional Quarterly Researcher, one of the main publications in Capitol Hill. The publication is not free, but worth the price for anyone active professionally in the healthcare sector, or interested in learning about latest research and policy trends, from academics to students. You can buy ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1356661 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:09:17 +0100 1356661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1349932&cid=t_150764_158_f&fid=36024&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fcaregiver%2Fjeff%2Fthe-grim-numbers-around-alzheimers-disease-and-caregiving%2F You may have noted the 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report that was released last week by the Alzheimer’s Association. Most of the news organizations that covered the report focused in on the shocking statistic on the cover: “10 million U.S. baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s disease.” So, as usual, the Baby Boomers were the center of the story in the Boomer-dominated media, but I was more interested in some of the facts buried inside the report related to caregiving for someone with Alzheimer’s. I’ve always thought that in many ways Alzheimer’s disease is the worst-case scenario of caregiving. In severe cases, people with Alzheimer’s may need bathing, dressing, feeding and constant watching by their caregiver. They may have challenging behavioral problem... Caregiver Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1349932 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:01:17 +0100 1349932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1325587&cid=t_150764_137_f&fid=36083&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FIAmAnAlzheimersCaregiver%2F%7E3%2F257715640%2Fnew-alzheimers-study-underscores.html “The long term care stakeholder community must work together in an intelligent, realistic manner to ensure the Medicaid safety net does not fray in the critical years ahead and that the rising numbers of Alzheimer’s patients are not relegated to a status unworthy of our great nation” Long Term Care Facilities Predict Older, Sicker,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver) I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325587 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:54:02 +0100 1325587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1295082&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F249622607%2F After many months of work (and we hope many new neurons and stronger synapses in our brains), we have just released our inaugural report on the emerging Brain Fitness Software Market, the first to define the brain fitness software market and analyze the size and trends of its four customer segments. We estimate the size of the US brain fitness software market at $225M in2007, up from $100m in 2005 (50% CAGR). The two segments that fueled the market growth: consumers (grew from $5m to $80m, 300% CAGR) and healthcare & insurance providers (grew from $36m to $65m, 35% CAGR). Highlights from The State of the Brain Fitness Software Market 2008 report include: 1) 2007 was a seminal year for the US Brain Fitness software market, which reached $225 million in revenues – up from an estimated... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1295082 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:36:07 +0100 1295082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1283611&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F246840951%2Folder_workers_sidelined_unfair.html As new and younger managers parachute into cubicle jungles … some older workers complain of being sidelined unfairly. Have you seen it happen?Interestingly, this trend is at sharp odds with new information about the aging brain … which is seen as sharp as the youthful brain. It’s also the antithesis of older workers who spot those often hidden values of mature minds. Luckily some older workers burn strong rather than burn out … and they are assets to younger workers … who look to their problem solving capabilities … rather than their age.As boomers age, more are taking advantage of the brain’s ability to change at any age. For instance … we now know how to teach new tricks to old neurons in ways that increase your workplace IQ.The way t... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1283611 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:40:35 +0100 1283611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1177652&cid=t_150764_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fbaby-boomers-who-will-look-after-them.html The Labour Party manifesto promised that the NHS would provide free medical care from cradle to grave. Just a minute, though, that was 1945 when Aneruin Bevan, one of the great socialists and the architect of the NHS was still around. Tony Blair’s worst detractors would not insult him by calling him a socialist. Hard to categorise the sub-prime minister but again the word “socialist” does not trip off the tongue.The baby boomers, who are now casting an eye towards the cemetery, should not be complacent about their old age. There is no longer free medical care for the elderly. There is a sort of acute medical care – fall over, break your hip, have it pinned, in and out in five days – but nothing for chronic illness and dementia. The government has “solved” that problem by deem... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1177652 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:57:00 +0100 1177652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146526&cid=t_150764_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2F215438763%2F AlzheimersNotes.com  The PBS program, Sufferers of Early Onset Alzheimer’s Describe Life with the Disease, consists of interviews by Susan Dentzer of those in the baby boomer age who suffer from this disease.  Ms. Dentzer introduces those she will be interviewing, then follows with a very informative program: We wanted to know more about what it’s like to be struck by Alzheimer’s in the prime of life, so we sat down for a conversation with this group, all suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s. All have worked with the National Alzheimer’s Association and are among the nation’s most vocal spokespersons for the urgency of fighting the disease. For more insight, from people who are experiencing early onset Alzheimer’s, read the transcript of t... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146526 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 10:00:10 +0100 1146526 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1122606&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F208613763%2F I hope you are having a joyful holiday season, and wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2008. The Brain Fitness field has made a great deal of progress in 2007, and we are looking forward the New Year. Here you are have the Monthly Digest of our Most Popular Blog Posts. You can consider it your monthly Brain Fitness/ Exercise Newsletter. (Also, remember that you can subscribe to receive our blog RSS feed,  or to our monthly newsletter at the top of this page if you want to receive this monthly Digest by email). Let me first of all introduce you to our new "Author Speaks Series", where we will give leading scientists and experts a forum to present their new brain-related books. We are honored to kickstart the series with Larry McCleary, former acting Chief of Pediatric Neurosurge... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1122606 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:54:11 +0100 1122606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1122216&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F208613763%2F I hope you are having a joyful holiday season, and wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2008. The Brain Fitness field has made a great deal of progress in 2007, and we are looking forward the New Year. Here you are have the Monthly Digest of our Most Popular Blog Posts. You can consider it your monthly Brain Training/ Exercise Magazine. (Also, remember that you can subscribe to receive our blog RSS feed,  or to our monthly newsletter at the top of this page if you want to receive this monthly Digest by email). Let me first of all introduce you to our new "Author Speaks Series", where we will give leading scientists and experts a forum to present their new brain-related books. We are honored to kickstart the series with Larry McCleary, former acting Chief of Pediatric Neurosurger... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1122216 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:35:45 +0100 1122216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1109995&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F203805359%2F A quick note to alert you of two very interesting, growing, and somehow linked debates: 1) Very insightful article on The Aging of the Baby Boomers: What Does It Mean for the Legal Profession (thank you, Stephanie!). Some quotes: - "As I pen this article, it seems as though I’m writing about someone else—the older worker. Age and aging, it seems, are in the eye of the one looking back at you in the mirror. I have this theory, especially as it pertains to men, that when we look in the mirror, we still see that 20 year-old stud who can leap tall buildings. But I know that my vertical leap is not what it used to be. The reality of aging in the legal profession is upon me and those of our generation." - "Also, the perception of how old is old varies depending on the job o... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1109995 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 06:25:41 +0100 1109995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1097359&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F200812895%2F Neuroplasticity is defined as "the ability of the brain to rewire itself through experience".  We typically summarize a lot of brain research by encouraging SharpBrains readers is to seek for novelty, variety and challenge, as guidelines for "brain exercise" that will help build new connections in the brain, force one to be mindful and pay attention, improve abilities such as pattern-recognition, and in general contribute to lifelong brain health. A friend just sent an update on her amazing experience in Namibia (the pic on the right shows the entrance to the University of Namibia) that shows how Travel and Engagement with meaningful projects can provide superb mental stimulation, or "brain exercise". This is relevant at all ages, and we are encouraged to ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097359 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:49:28 +0100 1097359 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1087898&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F198708954%2F Reader Theresa Cerulli just forwarded this Letter to the Editor that she had sent to the New York Times and went unpublished. The letter addresses the OpEd mentioned here (pitching physical vs. mental exercise), and refers to the Cogmed working memory training program, whose results have been studied in multiple papers published in top medical and scientific journals. ------------------------------- Dear Editor: I applaud Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang for throwing some cold water on the current brain fitness craze in their recent New York Times Magazine Opinion Editorial “Exercise on the Brain.” They are correct in labeling the host of “mental fitness” products that target aging baby boomers as “inspired by science — not to be confused with actually proven by science.” For the ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1087898 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:09:05 +0100 1087898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1075384&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F196312481%2F Very interesting collection of recent news...let's connect some dots 1) Great article titled Boom time for retirees writeDate( 1196878752000, 'Grey', '18:12', 9999999999999); (Financial Times) - "By 2015, boomers will have a net worth of some $26,000bn (£12,750bn, €17,670bn) – equivalent to a year’s gross domestic product for the US and eurozone combined. They will control a larger proportion of wealth, income and consumption than any other generation in the country – the first time that consumers over 50 have held such sway over the world’s largest economy." - "But as the boomers aged – by 2015 they will all be outside the fabled under-49 cohort – corporate America failed to grow old with them. Marketing experts argue that the continued focus of large compan... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1075384 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 22:26:32 +0100 1075384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1063152&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F193174916%2F Here you are have the Monthly Digest of our Most Popular Blog Posts. You can consider it your monthly Brain Exercise Magazine. (Also, remember that you can subscribe to receive our RSS feed, check our Topics section, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter at the top of this page if you want to receive this Digest by email).  Gratitude is a very important emotion to cultivate, as Professor Robert Emmons tells us in this interview, based on his last book. Please take some time to read it, and to find at least one thing you are thankful for-it will be good for your health. We are grateful about a very stimulating November: Brain Fitness Market News 10 Neurotechnology Trends: a leading industry organization released their Top 10 NeuroTrends for 2007, and brain fitness matters appeared in... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1063152 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:25:40 +0100 1063152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1040422&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F187798615%2F We presented these important results at the Annual Meeting of GSA, because aging experts need to spread the word that cognitive decline is not an inevitable part of aging,” said Dr. Zelinski. “Doing the properly designed cognitive activities can actually enhance abilities as you age.” View Study Poster presented at the GSA. I will be interviewing Elizabeth Zelinski as part of our Neuroscience Interview Series, so keep tuned. One clarification: this is not the first study to show how cognitive training can generalize beyond the tasks directly trained. Others have already shown an effect on cognitive abilities and even on real-world tasks, on a variety of age groups and trained functions. But the size of it (468 participants) makes it by far the largest that does so, and the effects... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1040422 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:24:47 +0100 1040422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1001285&cid=t_150764_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F178813753%2F The Neurotechnology Industry Organization (NIO) just announced the top ten emerging areas of neuroscience that will "impact the future of treatments for brain and nervous system": Top 10 Neuroscience Trends in 2007. It provides superb food for thought. And some of them will sound familiar to readers of this blog: * 6. Normal brain aging gets more attention: More research and development is being focused on thinking impairments that only partially limit independence and quality of life for senior citizens, adults and school aged children. Neurosoftware will penetrate nursing homes and schools, as brain fitness software becomes new first-line treatment strategy. * 8. Prevention evidence grows: You are what you eat; smoking is as bad as we thought; and new studies reveal the effe... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1001285 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:04:37 +0100 1001285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=908756&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F162228596%2Fready_for_the_coming_brain_dra.html There’s a great deal of talk lately about brain drain coming ... with boomers leaving work in record numbers. Surveys suggest that few companies are prepared to cope when their senior staff walks off with a great deal of key company knowledge.The Monster Organizational Knowledge Retention Report affirms that organizational knowledge retention is a serious problem in an age of brain drain. Recommendations include the responsibility of firms to recognize the value of knowledge and actively manage and protect it. The idea is to locate knowledge that is considered an asset. Then catalogue, organize and redistribute that knowledge. Offer rewards for the sharing of knowledge within a firm. Organizations that manage knowledge with a wider strategic approach will be more effective than those... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=908756 Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:52:22 +0100 908756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=674466&cid=t_150764_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthcarebloglaw.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fhere-come-aging-boomers.html Nick gives us all a little education about what impact baby boomers will have on the health care system. Always great insight (and writing) from Nick.Add to this what I haved called the Pig in a Python health care effect and it is going to make the delivery of what Nick and his generation expect very difficult. By the time I roll through the system (I'm the tail end of the baby boomers being born in 1966) who knows what the system will look like. Will it be bankrupt? How much will I be paying? Will there be a surplus of of health care workers to take care of me? (Source: Health Care Law Blog) Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=674466 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 12:05:00 +0100 674466 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=592735&cid=t_150764_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F114625369%2F Thinking ahead. Where will Charlie live one day when he is older? I read about a plan that New Jersey’s Human Services Department put out on May 2nd, to move more than half of the 3,000 disabled people living in instititutions in the state into group homes. As the May 3rd Star-Ledger notes, reactions are mixed: “I’m ready to go,” says 36-year-old Fredrena Thompson. Robin Sims’s 23-year-old daughter is autistic; says Sims: “‘There are some people who are so severely retarded and disabled that you can’t imagine them raising their hands and saying, ‘Let me be free.’ We are going to kill these folks’” if they are moved. Thinking about school and educational programs. An article in today’s Detroit Free Press mentions ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=592735 Sun, 06 May 2007 20:43:32 +0100 592735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=479264&cid=t_150764_109_f&fid=34875&url=http%3A%2F%2Fballoonballoon.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F09%2Fgeneration-x.html . . .a.If you were born between the approximate years 1965 and 1980, then cultural labelling of generational identification classifies you as a member of Generation X.But you already knew that. And you are already poised to beg to differ about the idea of being labeled, classified, or stereotyped. But let's forget about that part of the discussion -- for it simply doesn't let us move ahead with the more important and interesting elements of discussion about being an individual in the world and in our beloved Generation X.As you know, the generation after us is called the Y Generation. And the generation before us is the Babyboomer generation. No one really talks about Generation X anymore. So, what kind of relevance do we have to the present time in the world, and perhaps to the future?How... American Center for Surreal and Paranoid Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=479264 Sun, 10 Sep 2006 10:38:00 +0100 479264