Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA - Generosity Could Be an Early Sign of Alzheimer’s [SciTechDaily, July 2022]

Title:

Generosity Could Be an Early Sign of Alzheimer’s

 

By:

Keck School of Medicine at University of Southern California (USC), USA 

Published:

SciTechDaily, 19 July 2022

https://scitechdaily.com/generosity-could-be-an-early-sign-of-alzheimers/

 

From the article:

Researchers are attempting to identify those who are most vulnerable to financial exploitation in order to help protect older adults. Recent research from the Keck School of Medicine at USC suggests a connection between financial generosity and the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. These results were recently published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

 

Traditional Korean Medicine Home Care for the Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea [Scholarly Article - Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 2022]

Title:

Traditional Korean Medicine Home Care for the Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea

 

Authors: 

Soo-Hyun Sung1, You-Sang Baik1,2, Ji-Eun Han1, Eun-Jin Lee1, Jihye Kim3, Minjung Park4, Ji-Yeon Lee4, Jang-Kyung Park5, Jung-Youn Park6 & Eunkyung Lee7 

 

1 Department of Policy Development, National Development Institute of Korean Medicine, Seoul 04554, Korea 

2 Department of Korean Medicine Classics, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Korea 

3 Research Institute of Korean Medicine Policy, The Association of Korean Medicine, Seoul 07525, Korea 

4 National Agency for Development of Innovative Technologies in Korean Medicine, Seoul 07525, Korea 

5 Department of Korean Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea 

6 Department of Health and Welfare, Yuhan University, Bucheon 14780, Korea 

7 Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02453, Korea

 

Published:

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19(1), 2022

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/493

 

Abstract:

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the status of community care services regarding traditional Korean medicine (TKM) for older adults and raise awareness on current opinions and services of TKM institutions. Methods: The National Development Institute of Korean Medicine conducted a survey of 16 local governments by sending official letters through an electronic document system from October 2020 to November 2020. The survey items included basic demographic information and information about TKM service. Results: Eleven (68.8%) of the 16 local governments provided TKM home care services. A total of 136 TKM clinics provided home care services for 598 older adults with musculoskeletal disorders. The number of TKM services provided in five or more local governments were cupping 11 (100.0%), acupuncture 11 (100.0%), education and consulting 10 (90.9%), and moxibustion 9 (81.8%). Moreover, pain (recorded on visual analogue scale) and quality of life significantly improved following TKM services (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Covered under medical policy, TKM homecare services could function as a viable alternative for continued medical care disrupted during the coronavirus disease 19 pandemic. In addition, standardisation and legalisation of these services could ensure and improve their efficiency.

 

Optimization of furniture configuration for residential living room spaces in quality elderly care communities in Macao [Scholarly Article - Frontiers of Architectural Research, December 2021]

Title:

Optimization of furniture configuration for residential living room spaces in quality elderly care communities in Macao 

 

Authors:

Xiaoxiao Wanga, Ruiting Shib & Fangru Niua 

 

a Faculty of Humanities & Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China 

b Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, City University of Macau, Macau 999078, China

 

Published:

Frontiers of Architectural Research, 8 December 2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095263521000868

 

Abstract:

The living conditions in Macao are characterized by a dense population, a land shortage, and old residences, especially on the Macao Peninsula. This work investigates the demands and living conditions of different types of aged residents of the Youhan Community of Macao through a questionnaire survey and research analysis. The demands and living conditions are then classified and summarized through quantitative analysis, and their correlations are identified. Based on ergonomics and the physical, psychological, and behavioral patterns of aged people, issues that require attention when configuring furniture for different types of aged people in their residential living spaces are identified. Finally, several criteria for interior furniture configuration for different types of aged people are proposed by integrating the demands of different types of aged people with the concerns that need attention. A preliminarily quantifiable model is then proposed for living room furniture configuration from the perspective of aged people.

Your dream retirement: sleep enough to stay sharp as you age - New study among the elderly proves that slumber affects how your mind works [Sunday Times, October 2021]

Title:

Your dream retirement: sleep enough to stay sharp as you age

 

Author:

Claire Keeton

 

Published:

Sunday Times, 20 October 2021

https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times-daily/science/2021-10-20-your-dream-retirement-sleep-enough-to-stay-sharp-as-you-age/

 

From the article:

Finding your sleep “sweet spot” is vital to staying sharp, a new study on the cognitive function of older adults shows. Declining brain function was associated with too little or too much sleep — suggesting moderation wins.

 

Dying of loneliness: How COVID-19 is killing dementia patients [Aljazeera, 22 October 2020]

Title:

Dying of loneliness: How COVID-19 is killing dementia patients

 

Author:

Allison Griner

 

Published:

Aljazeera, 22 October 2020

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/10/22/loneliness-isolation-and-depression-how-the-pandemic-is

 

From the article:

Elderly people living in care homes are not just dying from coronavirus; they are dying because of the response to it.

Older People Are Physically And Mentally Fitter Than 30 Years Ago, Says Finland Study

Title:

Older People Are Physically And Mentally Fitter Than 30 Years Ago, Says Finland Study

 

Author:

Carly Cassella

 

Published:

Science Alert, 23 September 2020

https://www.sciencealert.com/today-s-older-people-are-physically-and-mentally-better-off-than-they-were-30-years-ago

 

From the article:

Over the last few decades, human life expectancy has increased by an extraordinary amount. The average person born in the 1960s lived to around 52 - in Finland, they can now expect to live to over 80.

 

What's less clear is how many of those extra years are spent in good health with relatively good mental and physical function.

 

United States of America - Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities Account for 42% of COVID-19 Deaths (FREOPP, 7 May 2020, updated 22 May 2020)

Title:
Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities Account for 42% of COVID-19 Deaths

Author:
Gregg Girvan

Published:
FREOPP, 7 May 2020, updated 22 May 2020
https://freopp.org/the-covid-19-nursing-home-crisis-by-the-numbers-3a47433c3f70

From the article:
Based on a new analysis of state-by-state COVID-19 fatality reports, it is clear that the most underappreciated aspect of the novel coronavirus pandemic is its effect on a specific population of Americans: those living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany - Robots popular with older adults

Title:
Robots popular with older adults

Author:
Sebastian Hollstein

Published:
TechXplore, 12 March 2020

From the article:
"A world without robots is now almost inconceivable. Not only do they take on important tasks in production processes, they are also increasingly being used in the service sector. For example, machines created to resemble humans—known as androids—are helping to care for elderly people. However, this development conflicts with the preconception that senior citizens are rather hostile to technology and would be skeptical about a robot. A study by psychologists of Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany suggests, however, that older people are far less anxious and hostile regarding such 'human robots' than previously thought."

To read this article:
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-robots-popular-older-adults.html