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Health: World

- Archives 2005 -




Articles in Arabic | Chinese | French | Russian | Spanish


Also see our section on US Health Issues



Africa


South Africa: The Impact of Social Health Protection on Access to Health Care, Health Expenditure and Impoverishment: A Case Study of South Africa (2005)

This case study examines the impact of health insurance on health care access and poverty reduction in South Africa. According to the report, “every year about 100 million people worldwide are forced into poverty by health care costs.” The study found that health insurance may reduce poverty by providing financial security for catastrophic health care costs and enabling people to have better access to health services. 

United Republic of Tanzania: HIV/AIDS Alliance Puzzles Elderly Persons (December 18, 2005 )

Many elders in northern Tanzania do not know the difference between HIV and AIDS. According to Stephen Kitomari, chairman of the Arusha Retired People's Association (known by the acronym CHAWAMA), providing the elderly with accurate information about HIV/AIDS is crucial in the fight against this pandemic. Accurate information will empower elders as peer educators especially since they are the primary care givers for HIV/AIDS victims. 

Liberia: Sight Savers International Focuses on Liberia to Prevent the Spread of Blindness (November 25, 2005) 

With the end of the conflict that devastated Liberia, leaders are re-thinking access to health care. The country needs to develop some special services that do not exist yet, such as eye care, especially in the rural areas. Indeed, about 5% of Liberians suffer from severely restricted vision. From now on Liberia plans to work hand in hand with the United Nations to rehabilitate its damaged infrastructure. 

Eritrea: Rural Eritrean Complain About Food Aid Cuts (October 29, 2005)
Elderly are increasingly complaining about the drastic food aid cuts that the Eritrean government made so as to not rely so heavily on foreign humanitarian assistance. Eritrea, one of the most food dependent countries that the United Nations provides for, needs food for about two-thirds of its population. This month Eritrea only allowed food for 72,000 people out of the previous number of 1.3 million in August. If this food aid cut continues, the people of Eritrea may have a serious problem on their hands.

Africa: "Taking Care of My Own Blood": Older Women's Relationships to their Households in Agincourt (September 2005)
While a relatively small percentage of elderly in Africa are infected with HIV/AIDS, many older persons are being left with care-giving responsibilities for their infected adult children or their young grandchildren, who have been orphaned by the disease. Women are more likely than men to be left with this responsibility. In Zimbabwe, a World Health Organization and Help Age International study found that 74% of all the caregivers caring for AIDS orphans were women. This report is based on statistics as well as interviews with elderly South African women who are caring for HIV/AIDS orphans, and elderly women from households that did not experience an HIV/AIDS death. These women were residing in an area with an estimated 33% prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The report discusses the potential of social pensions to provide for families in situations of poverty and unemployment. 

Southern Africa: Southern Africa Facing Starvation (September 18, 2005)
In Southern Africa, millions of people face hunger. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), urgent assistance is needed to avert a "major catastrophe" in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. HIV/AIDS has exacerbated the problem, as many adults have died or are too weak to work. The disease has orphaned many young children, leaving their elderly grandparents with the responsibility to care for them. The elderly are forced to till fields and scrounge for food to feed the orphaned children. This article provides a glimpse into the lives of just a few of the people who are now in desperate need of assistance.

Mozambique: '
Dramatic Stories' of Elderly Caring for Aids Orphans (August 15, 2005)
The HIV/AIDS pandemic has introduced Africa to a sense of overwhelming loss and despair. Men, women, children and older persons have all suffered immensely at the hand of this illness. One of the most affected groups of people, however, are the children who have been left parentless and homeless.  For children in Mozambique, burying their parents has become a terrifying reality of life. Fortunately, these children have the assistance of their grandparents and elderly friends and neighbors to take the orphaned children into their homes. The elderly, too, have lost loved ones, and now live with the additional responsibility of creating a livelihood for the young children in their old age. These elderly people in Africa are true heroes.

Africa: HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa Takes Toll on Grandparents Caring for Orphans (July 13, 2005)
With the widespread pandemic of AIDS in Africa , many grandparents care for their orphaned grandchildren, instead of being cared for by their own children. While the elderly do receive a monthly social pension of about 720 South African Rand (or 105 US dollars), sometimes the money is not enough to support the added expenses. The situation is serious and emotionally debilitating, as these grandparents must choose between basic necessities.

Niger: Niger's Most Vulnerable Famine Victims 'On the Brink': UN (July 13, 2005)
A United Nations food representative has come forth to say that the vulnerable (including the sick and the elderly) of Niger are at risk of being ‘wiped out.’ Roughly one third of Niger ’s total population is currently malnourished. Foreign aid is currently being sought after, to carry Niger out of this period of tremendous devastation. This latest crisis in Niger , which is among the world’s poorest countries, is said to be the result of a recent drought.

Namibia: A Cup of Soup for the Elderly (June 21, 2005)
No society can exist without elder persons to teach and nurture successive generations. As the elderly age, it is up to the younger generations to return the favor and lend a hand to elder persons in need. This pattern of generational reciprocation is currently being practiced among the sick and impoverished of Katatura, Africa . Subsequent to months of seeing hungry elderly standing in lines from dawn for their pension checks, the Kalahari Sands Hotel staff has begun to feed the elders of this community. It has opened a soup kitchen right at the pay-point to feed the elderly while they wait for their payments. Now the older persons can avoid the excessive hunger that they had felt standing in line waiting for their payments. Way to go! 

South Africa: State Gives Unsuitable Drugs to Elderly (June 19, 2005)
According to a study conducted in Durban, South Africa, one third of elderly state patients are prescribed medication known to have serious side effects, such as mental disorders. Will publicizing this issue provoke change? 

Namibia: In Africa, Life After AIDS (June 9, 2005) 
Documenting the success of antiretroviral treatment programs in treating HIV-AIDS patients in some parts of South Africa and Namibia, the reporter credits US funding to buy drugs and to pay medical doctors from many countries. Bobwalla, a young black woman born in Cape Town , was abused by her husband for the first nine years of their marriage. She tested positive for HIV and she was very depressed. Eventually, she found a clinic that could give her antiretroviral drugs. Her husband, who is also HIV positive, got treatment as well. He stopped drinking as well as abusing her. “For some, HIV brings death,” she says. “For some, HIV brought life into my home.” 

Nigeria: The Erosion of Traditional Forms of Care For the Elderly and Its Implication For the Elderly in Nigeria (2005)
This study explores how Nigerian youths feel about care-giving for the elderly and the difference between feelings and action, considering that they will have the responsibility of taking care of the elderly in the future either as family members or as policy makers. 
Care for the elderly has always been assumed as the children’s responsibility with little or no government support in Nigeria . However current social and economic changes have put into doubt the continued viability of such traditional arrangements for the elderly.

Tanzania: Older People Treated With Disrespect By Hospital Staff In Tanzania (May 12, 2005)
HelpAge International asked older people from Tanzania to share their medical experiences with hospital care in order to improve healthcare for the elderly. The results were very much worse than expected: waiting for hours, sometimes standing, to see a doctor, paying for the consultation, being ignored by the hospital staff and finally not receiving to finally not receiving good care because they are told  “you are not ill, just old.”

Kenya: Sunset Years Marred By Poverty, Neglect (April 30, 2005)
Kenyan society totally abandons the elderly. When it’s not HIV/Aids that kills their adult children leaving them alone to raise grand-children, older people get little care themselves from family members as was the tradition not long ago. Now, younger people move far away from their hometowns to find a job. Besides, many see the elderly as stigmatized and an unnecessary burden so that they become "the poorest of the poor." Help Age International is organizing in Kenya against this human rights abuse.

Swaziland: Help Is On the Way to Assist Swaziland's Elderly Financially (April 14, 2005) 
As Gogo Dube, a lot of older persons in Swaziland have to raise their grandchildren because their adult children died of AIDS. Then, it’s very often the women who are in charge of feeding all the family and providing everything. With polygamy, men live far away with their younger wives. Fortunately, help is on the way with a new government initiative to help elderly, and some non-governmental organizations try to help this older women who deserve an easier situation after a life of hard work. For example, in Swaziland, Swazis for Positive Living (SWAPOL), founded by five HIV-positive women, uses the profits from its agricultural cooperative to assist not only AIDS orphans but also grandmothers like Dube who take care of them

Africa: Aging and Poverty In Africa and the Role of Social Pensions (March 2005)
This report details the aging experience for the poorest of the poor in Africa. Three main contributing factors to elder poverty are examined: the burden on the elderly which has been the result of prime-aged adults being lost to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the traditional safety net of the nuclear family diminishing as a source of social support, and the elderly assuming the roles and responsibilities involved with child-rearing and breadwinning.

Uganda: 600,000 Face Starvation in Northeastern Uganda (March 18, 2005)
About 600,000 people face food shortage in northeastern Uganda as a result of a long drought, the World Food Programme (WFP) said March 16, 2005. WFP and local NGO’s try to feed the frailest population: the children, the pregnant and breast-feeding mothers and the elderly.

Swaziland: Elderly Bear Burden of Orphan Crisis (March 17, 2005)

Swaziland is the second country most touched by HIV/Aids and many children lose their parents every day leaving them without support except from grandparents if they are yet still alive. That’s why in the Swazi language the expression, 'umuntfu lomdzala akalahlwa', which means “an older person is too valuable to throw away,” has taken on more meaning than ever.

Namibia: HIV-Aids Employees Triple State Costs (March 2, 2005) 
The average Namibian public employees who receives HIV-AIDS treatment has claimed about N$17,616 for treatment, while members who are not infected claimed N$5,352. Even though the Health Ministry has received several funds for HIV-AIDS, some do not cover public employees. As a result, the government health insurance is asked to cover medical costs for employees who are HIV-AIDS positive. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Finance Minister, said that, “in spite of the reported progress in reducing new HIV-AIDS infections in a number of our regions, the disease is taking its toll on our country and no aspect of our lives is escaping its impact.”


Americas & Caribbean 

Cuba: Laugh One Hundred Times a Day (December 2005)
(Article in French)
In Cuba lives the man considered the oldest in the world.  Born in 1880, Benito Martinez Abogan, has the nickname "Avion" (which means airplane) because he worked so fast as a fieldworker. Some tests which cannot be done in Cuba are necessary to confirm his age to enter the Guinness Book. Nevertheless this portrait of a very old man is drawn with humor and happiness. Avion still has three dreams: visit his natal country, Haiti; meet Fidel Castro in person; get a wider mattress which could host more comfortably his feminine conquests.

Canada: Elder Alcoholism (November 28, 2005) 

(Article in French) 
Senior citizens are growing faster than the rest of the population. In Canada, there will be 7 million people over 65 in 2021. Among this population, alcohol is the "drug" of choice, unlike younger persons who use psychotropic drugs. As a matter of fact, there is a link between alcoholism, depression and suicide among the senior citizens. Depression must not be considered as a normal aspect of aging. It is an illness that needs to be cured. Alcoholism varies among older persons. Drinkers who got old must not be confused with senior citizens who recently started drinking to overcome depression.

Barbados: Give More Home Care (November 18, 2005)

Advocates at a panel discussion on women and public health at the National Union of Public Workers headquarters in Barbados urged the government to develop more home healthcare programs for the elderly. One of the advocates emphasized that providing support to the elderly in their homes can help to decrease costs to the healthcare system. The head of the Barbados Accident and Emergency Department said in the past that caring for the elderly was reducing the efficiency of the department. Increasing home health care for the elderly would be likely to remedy this situation.

Canada: Prescribed in Pity, Psychotropic Drugs Trivialized (November 17, 2005) 
(Report in French)
Johanne Collin teaches a course on the sociology of drugs. She explains in the report that numbers of people over 65 years old taking psychotropic drugs has become a social phenomenon. Indeed, more and more doctors tend to prescribe these types of drugs to the elderly because patients are depressed or because the doctors feel sorry for the patients. But depression is not due to aging. Causes must be treated rather than the symptoms. As a matter of fact, these doctors are not the only ones to blame, Johanne Collin explains, because they are the ones the elderly turn to when they have problems. The problem comes from isolation and neglect of the elderly. 

Canada: The National Week of Elder Citizens Security (November 12, 2005) 

(Article in French) 
Most people usually feel safest at home. But most of the accidents seniors had in 2005 occurred in their homes. Usually older people fall because they don't realize their house is not adapted to their current age. That's why Canada just launched a campaign to inform seniors of the risks that they may encounter at home and encourage them to adapt their homes as they age. 

Argentina : Elderly Adults: Between 10 and 15 Percent Administer Their Own Medical Care Instead of Regularly Consulting With a Health Professional (November 11, 2005)

(Article in Spanish)
Of the 10-15% of elderly adults in Argentina who rely on self-administered medical care rather than on the full support of medical professionals, the majority of these "self-doctors" encounter many new medical problems that compound the ones they already face. This results from a failure to follow treatment plans and neglecting to take medications prescribed by doctors. Many of these self-doctors are also inconsistent in the treatment they provide for themselves, often switching to a new treatment plan 18 months after beginning a previous one. According to Vicente Tedeschi, president Of Argentina's Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, elderly adults are the largest consumer of health and medical services in Argentina because there is no illness that is particular to the elderly, but, rather, because this group is susceptible to every type of ailment that afflicts various groups of the general population.

Mexico : Vaccinations Against the Flu for Children and the Elderly Continue (November 9, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
In Michoacán , Mexico, the Secretary of Health has implemented a program that provides free vaccinations for children and elderly adults to protect them against the flu. This population is the most vulnerable to the complications that can arise from inadequate precautions taken against the flu.  The government recognized the necessity of taking extra measures to ensure that people from 6 to 23 months and those over 60 receive the medical care they need to remain healthy as winter approaches. Along with providing vaccinations, the program distributes information about how a person can guard his immune system against the flu.

Canada: Filling a Gap in Geriatric Care (October 26, 2005)

Irwin Lightman, a retired Toronto dentist, is determined to see something done about the state of geriatric dental care. He says that many residents in Ontario's nursing homes suffer from rotten teeth, advanced periodontal disease, painful mouth sores and ill-fitting dentures that make it difficult to eat. The Ontario Dental Association, social service agencies, seniors' organizations, local public health officials and dentists have urged the health ministry to develop an oral health plan for the elderly. Sadly, the government has not given elder dental health serious consideration. 

Canada: Aging, a Curable Disease? (October 24, 2005)

(Article in French)
Fighting against aging generates new hope: more and more people think ageing is something wrong, a « disease » a doctor can cure. And many doctors encourage this trend by actually saying aging can be avoided. Among them, Aubrey de Grey, a Canadian biologist, explains that aging can be considered as a disease as "it kills". Who could have thought we could live forever? No one. On the contrary, A de Grey seriously thinks it is reachable. And as a matter of fact, he belongs to a large group of scientists that consider aging as a something they can remedy. 

Canada: Advice for People Who Take Care of Older Persons at Home (October 18, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
Taking care of older persons can be a real job but many adult children care for their disabled parents. L Tapp Mc-Dougall, who wrote the Complete Canadian Eldercare Guide, explains: "My mother's life had changed and mine did as well. All of a sudden, I had to learn how to steer a wheelchair, how to make medical and financial decisions for her." The book contains caregiving advice. The author provides financial, feeding, and managing daily life and many other useful instructions to the reader so that disabled elderly can be cared for properly.


Barbados: Health Becoming Profit Driven (October 10, 2005)

A Democratic Labour Party spokesperson on Health and Member of Parliament, Richard Sealy, has expressed concerns about the rising cost of healthcare in Barbados. Privatization of hospitals and nursing homes could result in a "two-tiered healthcare system between the have and the have-nots." Sealy appeared particularly concerned about the elderly. He said the state needs to take responsibility for caring for the aging population and create more elderly care facilities, rather than funding private nursing homes.

Canada: World Day of the Mental Health (October 10, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
This year, the World Day of Mental Health aims to enlarge people's knowledge of the existing link between mental and physical health. "Mental health is a part of the well being of the population but a part of the well being of all societies as well" WHO (World Health Organization) affirmed. Neglecting the health of any part of the population impacts the whole society. That's why Mr. Robichaud affirmed the new investments carried out this year in mental health services to improve intervention in mental health crises. The funding will increase accessibility of psychiatric services, especially in rural areas. These investments were necessary since about 20 % of the Canadian population suffers from a mental disorder, from depression to alcoholism and drug abuse. 

Canada: Canada's Cure (October 10, 2005)
The mystery illness that claimed the lives of 17 nursing home patients in Toronto has been identified as Legionnaires' disease. Officials believe a contaminated water system. may have caused the outbreak of the rare form of pneumonia. The incident received worldwide attention, mainly due to the memory of the 2003 SARS outbreak, in which 44 people died and thousands were quarantined. Since then significant improvements have been made to the public health system; improvements that will save lives if a SARS-like virus or a flu pandemic hits Canada . While the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease is tragic, Canadians are relieved that it has been identified and can be treated or contained with the use of antibiotics.

Canada: Health Minister Urges Ontarians to Get Flu Shot After Seniors' Home Outbreak (October 5, 2005)
A mysterious respiratory illness has killed 10 people and infected more than 80 others at an aged care facility in Toronto. Elderly persons are particularly vulnerable to respiratory illnesses, especially in institutional environments such as nursing homes. The illness does not appear to have spread beyond the nursing home, and is being monitored by public health officials. However, the outbreak prompted the nation's Health Minister to remind seniors to get their free influenza shots.

Canada: Canadian Online Pharmacies a Better Deal for Meds (September 20, 2005)
Researchers have reported that Americans could save up to 24 percent on their prescription drugs if they purchase brand-name drugs from an online Canadian pharmacy rather than a U.S. drug store. This saving could amount to hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year, depending on the type and quantity of prescription drugs required. Many Americans are already ordering their prescriptions from Canada . However, some have voiced concerns about the practice - Canadian health officials have announced plans to curtail such internet transactions, while experts have warned of the dangers of bogus websites.

US and Japan: Scientists Discover a Means to Increased Longevity (August 26, 2005)

(Article in Spanish)

Scientists in the US and Japan have discovered a protein that may prolong life by controlling insulin. Although the medical community continues to debate whether the protein can extend the life of human beings and improve the quality of ageing, the authors of the study in “Science,” maintain that the protein can be used as the basis of a therapy plan that may, if not extend human life, at least 
mitigate the ailments of old age. Harry Dietz, an expert in genetics at Johns Hopkins   University in Baltimore , Maryland , cautions that the protein is not a panacea against ageing, but declared that “we have discovered something that perhaps has the capacity to make ageing much more enjoyable.” If the protein becomes available to the elderly community, some older adults may realize the dream of ageing without ailment.

Canada: Ontario Boosts Geriatric Care (August 3, 2005)
The Ontarian Health Minister, George Smitherman, has allotted 2.7 million dollars for elder health care in the Canadian province. The money will go towards projects such as senior centers, long-term care residences and towards improving the general quality of life for the seniors. Under the Canadian government, health care is regulated on a provincial level.

Canada: The Challenge of Growing Old (August 2, 2005)
Aging in a positive and healthy manner in rural Canada is no easy feat for many elderly today, a new report shows. While social programs help ease the many economic, legal and health-related burdens, older persons still suffer from hardships in every facet of social life. Elder Canadians tend to migrate to big cities where services are readily accessible, but those in rural centers are often left to fend for themselves. Canada must address these issues.

Peru: Life Expectancy Rises (August 1, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)

A recent Ministry of Health study reveals that Peruvian life expectancy has increased from  63 to 72 years from 1990 to 2005. Cecilia Solís Rosas, coordinator of the National Sanitary Strategy of Prevention and Control of Non-Transmissible Damages, noted the encouraging developments but said that nontransmissible diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cancer increase year after year as well.  Solís Rosas said that the Ministry of Health is trying to improve health awareness put an emphasis on prevention in its work with patients and their families.

Chile: Milk, It Does A Body Good (August 1, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
The Program of Complementary Nourishment for the Elderly in Chile has officially launched its new milky beverage named “Años Dorados” (Golden Years). Fortified with vitamins and minerals, and reduced in lactose, fat and sodium, the milky substitute is designed for older persons. The Program also provides influenza vaccinations, physician consultations and prescription drug delivery.

Central America: Activists See CAFTA as Gift to Big Pharma (July 26, 2005)
International health activists criticize the Central American Free Trade Agreement for its intellectual property provisions. The provisions will prevent cheaper drug manufacturers from selling life-preserving treatments for AIDS victims in the region. ''Big Pharma,'' the brand-name pharmaceutical companies, successfully lobbied for such provisions, after spending over $800 million dollars over the past 6 years on campaign contributions, most of which went to Republicans. 

Chile: Sexual Revolution (July 26, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Simply stated, sex is good for the health and well being of adults of all ages. Contrary to popular belief, sexual interest persists into later years. Older persons fear ridicule and criticism by a double moral standard, one which classifies them as overgrown children and the belief that their sexual functions and urges should simply not exist. However today older women have begun to take advantage of the fact that menopause is not synonymous with the end of intimacy. As older Chileans stir the pot of convention, Chile will continue to live a new revolution in sexual mores.

Jamaica: Developing a Culture of Assisted-Care for the Elderly (July 25, 2005)
As the older adults of Jamaica turn into elderly adults, more and more care and treatment options will be required, according to Jamaican Health Minister, John Juror. At the present time, the concept of assisted living has not been widely embraced by Jamaicans. "There is not a culture of persons checking into assisted living facilities, but, increasingly, it's an option that we are not going to have much choice about," noted Juror. As with many other nations worldwide, the modernization of the family unit (with fewer family members available to serve as caregivers) will force Jamaica to rethink its attitude on nursing homes. It is something that must be done, for the sake of the elderly. From a Global Action on Aging perspective, sooner is always better than later in this circumstance.

El Salvador: Glasses for the Elderly (July 20, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
La Asociación Salvadoreña Pro Salud Rural (The Rural Salvadoran Pro-Health Association) y el Programa Salud Visual (Visual Health Program) have donated  eyeglasses to groups of elder adults living in Sonsonate. They also have coordinated with the Ministry of Labor in Sonsonate to put into effect an immediate plan that will help to medically and financially support the elderly living there. The plan attempts to help those suffering from serious visual impairments, so that they can carry on their daily lives.

Canada: Older Women say Doctors Ignore Some Health Issues they Find Important: Study (July 19, 2005)
Many elderly Canadian patients feel that their medical concerns aren’t being adequately addressed. A study has shown that Canadian women aged 55 and older report that their personal physicians do go over the hazards of potential killers (such as diabetes, stroke and breast cancer) but neglect to discuss less talked-about issues (such as vision loss, memory problems and the side-effects of medication).  Many of them received no counseling on the process of aging, end-of-life issues, and other important concerns that come with age. Perhaps physicians should re-evaluate the way they treat their elderly patients.

Peru: UN Expert Concerned US- Peru Free Trade Accord Could Deprive Poor of Medicine (July 13, 2005)
UN Representatives worry that recent talk of establishing a free-trade accord with Peru, may translate into the suffering of the country’s sick and elderly. Experts anticipate that the accord would result in stronger patent laws, and ultimately the inaccessibility of essential drugs and medications. "I am concerned that the US-Peru free trade negotiations could lead to the World Trade Organization (WTO)," the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt of the United Nations, said. "Higher protection of patents could restrict Governments from taking action to protect the right to health in the future." The Peruvian government has been warned, and is expected to consider all possibilities for the nation’s people prior to signing an agreement.

Canada: Parkinson's Medication Linked to Gambling, Sex (July 11, 2005)
It’s scary, but true. Being on a medication to treat one frightening, life-debilitating disorder can create a whole new one of an entirely different nature. Clinical psychiatrists have started to notice a connection between consuming medication to treat Parkinson’s symptoms, with developing extreme addictions-anything from compulsive gambling to sex, to food or alcohol. “The main thing I want people to realize is that this still is a very unusual occurrence, that they don't need to be panicked and discontinue their medication, because these are still really good medications for their disease process,” says Dr. Leann Dodd, co-author of the study. Elderly patients on Parkinson’s medication are urged to be careful, nonetheless.

Canada: Experts Call for Older Women to Reclaim Sexuality (July 10, 2005)
A revolution has begun! Older women are starting to reclaim their sexuality, after years of buying into the popular public opinion that sexual desire diminishes with age. It’s not only the general public that’s confused though; many older women themselves are perplexed by the presence of a strong libido after age 50. "The range of sexual desire after 50 is in fact really broad," said Deborah Nedelman, a clinical psychologist based in Everett , Wash. , and co-founder of Women Beyond 50. Experts in the field attribute this change in sexual attitude to the growing popularity of Viagra. "Viagra has increased the anxiety about living up to sexual standards. Being a true human being now means being a sexual being for life," said Meika Loe from Colgate University in Hamilton , N.Y. Let the revolt rage on, women!

Canada: Canada Drafts Curbs on Drug Exports to the US (June 29, 2005)
In an attempt to ensure that domestic availability is not threatened, Canada has recently drafted a legislation to limit the exportation of medication to the US . Ontario ’s Health Minister, Mr. Ujjal Dosanjh remarked in a statement concerning the issue, "We have to make sure that we protect the safety and supply of the drugs for Canadians, and also the safety of the consumers of these prescriptions." He added that new regulations were needed because he expected the United States Congress to pass legislation that would allow large imports of prescription drugs. Americans have become used to relying on Canada ’s cheaper drugs available online, but in Mr. Dosanjh’s own words: “ Canada cannot be the drugstore of the United States of America any longer.” Perhaps now that Americans can no longer depend on Canada for drugs, some reform in the American system of obtaining medication can be put into action. We definitely hope so.

Canada: Aging Population in Atlantic Canada will Put Stress on Health Care, Workforce (June 21, 2005)
A recent rise in the population of elderly individuals in the Atlantic region of Canada (in such areas as Halifax, St. John’s and Prince Edward Island among others) will likely put a major strain on the health care system, as well as the workforce. Locals fear that the swift departure of the elderly from the workforce will leave the economy in despair, and as these individuals age, will cause a great use of resources and health care dollars for their care. GAA reminds the policymakers and media to avoid viewing the elderly as a “strain” or a “problem” in our societal systems. Younger generations ought to be pragmatic and learn to cope with the issues the elderly face, rather than viewing negatively the issues that they must confront.

Canada: Canada's Healthcare Identity (June 20, 2005)
Universal health care for all: it’s a value forged deep within Canadian culture, and a major element of what many feel it “means to be Canadian.” The great importance that healthcare has within the country, is the same thing that makes any and all changes to the system carry tremendous weight. A recent court ruling in Canada’s Supreme Court recently stated that individuals should be given the right to subscribe to private care if they so desire, despite one province’s ban on private health insurance. This change may have the potential to change healthcare in Canada forever.

Canada: Certain Antipsychotic Drugs Pose Risk for Elderly With Dementia: Heath Canada (June 16, 2005)
Health Canada is alerting elderly people suffering from dementia and their caregivers to exercise discretion and caution when using antipsychotic drugs-an increased risk of death could be involved. Unsafe drugs have been found to include: Seroquel, Zyprexa and Clozaril. All of the preceding medications are not approved for treating behavioral disorders in elderly patients with dementia. Please be advised, and be careful.

Mexico: Mexico City Mayor Announces Free Home Medical Care For Elderly (June 1, 2005)
Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador today announced free home medical care for all of the city's 350-thousand elderly. Already he has implemented an historic social pension for Mexico City ’s elderly—a welcome move for older people and their families.

Equity of Access to Health Care for Older Adults in Four Major Latin American Cities (May/June 2005)
Do older persons have equal access to health care in four large Latin American cities? Researchers examined records in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Mexico City, Mexico; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Santiago, Chile, with some surprising results. In Sao Paulo and Mexico City that have great gaps between the rich and the poor and also are home to the largest number of older persons in their respective countries, older people have better access to health care than those living in Montevideo and Santiago. Both Mexico City and Sao Paolo continue to have more public health care and public clinics than Montevideo and Santiago, despite their relative wealth and better economic standing…The conclusion? Older people fare better in countries with public health programs, including clinics and other health support—even though they live in a relatively poorer country. 


Asia Pacific

China, Hong-Kong: 71.6% of Elderly Have Chronic Diseases (December 20, 2005)
This press release issued by the government of Hong Kong gives the latest figures about the situation of the elderly. Though 93% of the elderly say they are able to perform daily activities independently, 72 % also say they have to face one, two, three of more chronic diseases.

Bangladesh: Stroke, Parkinson's More Common in Poor Countries (November 29, 2005)
Researchers at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University stated that stroke, Parkinson's disease and dementia are among the neurological diseases that are more common in poor countries like Bangladesh.. Research institutions in two Asian and two European countries have formed affiliations to focus on the elderly population in poorer countries.

Korea: Researchers Find a Trigger of Alzheimer's (November 29, 2005)
Korean biologists have discovered a way to regulate a substance that is known to potentially lead to Alzheimer's disease. The discovery will be likely guide the development of drugs to prevent a build up of the substance in the human body. The team's discovery has added to the global achievements in developing cures and preventative medicines for Alzheimer's disease.

Japan: Let Elderly Pay Medical Bills Based on Means (November 28, 2005)
The Japanese government is discussing changing the public health coverage plan that the country now enjoys. At present, people from the ages 3-69 pay 30 % of their medical bills while those who are 70 and over only pay 10% with the exception of those who are earning "the same level as those of working age" who pay 20%. But now the government wants to raise the percentage for the elderly who are earning "the same level as those of working age" to 30% (same as those people in the 3-69 age range). This reform will complicate the recent tax reforms since income disparity must be taken into account. While changes to the medical insurance system is being discussed, there's no discussion yet about the social security system.

Vietnam: Help Age International Helps the Vietnamese Elderly's Protection Against HIV-AIDS (November 27, 2005)
(Article in French)
Help Age International has supported a four year project to protect the elderly from HIV-AIDS in four Vietnamese cities. The support comes close to $500,000. 

Australia : Inventor launches memory machine (November 21, 2005)
A bad memory for names encouraged an Australian inventor to launch the first memory jogging device. He built it after noticing going through the whole alphabet usually helped him find the name he wanted. The machine works on the same principle. If you recall the first letter of the word, the rest will quickly follow. 

Japan: Old Textbooks Used to Treat Dementia (November 17, 2005)

Reprinted editions of old primary school textbooks are being increasingly used in Japan to treat dementia. Some of the original versions are over 50 years old and the reprinted versions are printed on coarse paper to give the elderly the same rough touch of the textbooks they used when they were young. This method was introduced in the United States in the early 1960s as a way to encourage memories of earlier life and prevent brain deterioration. Listening to the patients is an equally important part of such treatment.

India: Lifestyle, genes make you live longer (November 14, 2005) 

Being a women, having good nutrition and health habits can help one live for a hundred years. Taking a closer look at centenarians, scientists have found other elements that might predict extreme longevity. Among them, being the first born child of a large family or being raised in the rural western US or being born during the fall. 

Nepal: Vitamin Sherpa: Ram Shrestha (October 31, 2005)

When health experts in the 1980s discovered the key to reducing infant mortality in Nepal could be found in Vitamin A pills, the next step was to figure out the best way to distribute them. The scattered population in the country instinctively suspects strangers. That was when Ram Shrestha, a Nepali chemist and health expert, brainstormed the concept of using the family members who have the most influence in the society-grandmothers. Today, 49,000 grandmothers distribute vitamin A pills to 3.5 million Nepalese children every year. The infant mortality rate has been reduced by 50% since the 1980s. Grandmothers also now distribute the pills to pregnant women.

Australia: Families Could Be Paid For Aged Care (October 31, 2005)
The government in Australia is considering a proposal to pay relatives and friends to take care of elderly persons in their own homes. Aged Care Minister Julie Bishop suggests that there is a growing trend among the elderly to receive at-home care, rather than move to aged-care facilities. The scheme is intended to give older people a greater range of options in decisions about the ways they can receive care.

Japan: Government Eyes Upping Patient Fees/ Seniors Face More Expensive Health Care Under Before Plan (October 21, 2005)

The Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry of Japan is discussing 3 proposals for healthcare reform. Under these "reforms" starting in 2008, elderly between the ages of 65-74 will have to cover 20-30% of their medical expenses; current seniors between the ages of 65-69 are paying 30% and those who are 70 years or older are paying 10% (with some exceptions). The ministry's goal is to cut 7 trillion yen in medical benefits by the year 2025. The debate is expected to finish by the end of this year, we will just have to wait and see the verdict. Will this policy create older, poorer Japanese or those with no health care? 

Japan: Japan to Cut Medical Insurance for Elderly to Reduce Costs (October 19, 2005)
The Japanese government plans to cut spending on state-run medical insurance for the elderly by 7.5 percent over the next 10 years, and by 12.5 percent over the next 20 years. These cuts will mean that contributory payments for some elderly people will rise from 10 percent to 20 percent. Some elderly people on higher incomes will contribute 30 percent, up from 20 percent. Japan also plans to reduce the number of people affected by diabetes, high-blood pressure and obesity, which can be caused by unhealthy lifestyles. The government estimates that prevention will reduce significantly medical spending as it spends about a third of Japan's medical coverage budget on these conditions.

Australia: Improving Management of Pain in Aged Care Facilities (October 18, 2005)
Research has shown that undetected and untreated pain is common amongst many aged care residents. Many residents suffer from cognitive impairment and are unable to report that they are experiencing pain. New national guidelines have recently been launched in Melbourne, Australia to attempt to counter this trend. The guidelines aim to help staff to promptly identify and treat residents suffering from pain.

Taiwan: Nursing Homes are Unsafe, Unsanitary: Foundation (October 16, 2005)

The Consumers' Foundation in Taiwan inspected 28 nursing homes and found conditions that they described as unsanitary, cramped and unsafe. There are 900 registered nursing homes in the country, but the Consumers' Foundation raised doubts about whether these were regularly inspected. In defiance of state regulations, 19 nursing homes did not have staircase railings and 15 did not have wheelchair ramps. Twenty-two of the homes were overcrowded by the standards of state regulations and some did not have enough doctors to care adequately for the patients. The foundation highlighted the country's aging population and stressed that the government should better manage, inspect and subsidize nursing homes.

Pakistan: Quake Pushes Pakistan's Health System to Breaking Point (October 14, 2005)
The Pakistan earthquake disaster has devastated the country's already inadequate public health infrastructure. Pakistan is close to the bottom of international rankings in public spending on health. The earthquake hit some of the poorest areas in the country and has affected many vulnerable groups, including the elderly population. According to the United Nations, 1,000 medical facilities were completely destroyed in the earthquake and many doctors were killed. With around 63,000 people injured, combined with fears of disease due to decomposing bodies and imminent cold weather, the country is facing a massive crisis. "Quite simply, we are no match for this big a tragedy," said Arshad Rana, president of the Pakistan Medical Association. The visiting regional head of the World Health Organization said that the relief operation would be more difficult than assisting the survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami in December.

Australia: Pollution: a Real Danger for Seniors Over 65. (October 13, 2005)
(Article in French) 
All the big cities in the world are becoming more and more polluted. During days of high pollution, the number of people who go to the Emergency Room significantly increases, especially among people over 65 years old who have cardiovascular problems. This Australian study shows how strong the impact of pollution can be on the most fragile part of the population. According to this study, pollution should be held responsible for about 6% of the deaths among the elderly. The World Health Organization says pollution has a strong impact on 1.1 billion people's health.

India: Law Soon For Care of Elderly (October 1, 2005)
The advent of the International Day for Older Persons was marked with the promise of legislation to provide care and security for older citizens. Although the elderly citizens, numbering about 80 million, are outnumbered by the younger population, India will soon become the home to the second largest elderly population in the world, with the number of people over the age of 60 set to reach 100 million in 2013 and to 198 million in 2030. The announcement of the legislation came as a relief to India 's elderly population.

Japan: Design and Impact of Public Long-Term Care Insurance in Japan (September 2005)
In April of 2000 Japan introduced a mandatory long-term-care insurance (LTCI) system. The system provides institutional or community-based services. Persons over 65 are deemed eligible by an assessment of physical and mental function, not on income or the willingness or ability of relatives or friends to provide care. The system covers the full cost of institutional care, except for food. In community care, beneficiaries receive financial entitlements ranging from US$ 500-3600 per month, depending on eligibility level. This article assesses the program as it exists in 2005, 5 years after its implementation. Government spending has increased, as well as the percentage of people over 65 who have been deemed eligible. The government has introduced "preventative" services including exercise training, oral health and nutritional counseling.

Guam: Elderly Also at Risk for Suicide (September 30, 2005)

Elderly persons may experience difficult times in old age. The death of loved ones and physical illness are not uncommon amongst elderly persons. However, difficult circumstances do not have to lead to social isolation, loneliness or despair. Suicidal behavior among elderly persons particularly affects males. This article tells the story of an elderly man in Guam who was able to pull himself out of despair with the help of others.

Korea: In Korea's Rest Homes, the Care Can be Deadly (September 21, 2005)
Korea 's aging population has prompted the government to increase the number of facilities for the elderly. However, many of the homes currently existing in the country are run at a sub-standard level. Professor Lim Chun-sik of Hallim University said that employees at public care facilities in Korea must care for five times as many patients as an employee at a facility in the United States . As a result, unnecessary deaths are occurring due to neglect, inappropriate treatment, and in some cases, serious abuses of human rights. The process for investigating deaths occurring in care facilities is far from satisfactory. In many cases autopsies have not been conducted. In a recent case, a team from the National Human Rights Commission discovered the remains of 221 residents in a cupboard behind the funeral hall of an elderly care facility in Incheon.

New Zealand: Elderly Starving in Their Homes - Doctor (September 18,  2005)

It has been estimated that, internationally, five to ten percent of older people living at home are not getting enough food to maintain their weight. In New Zealand , doctors are voicing their concerns about elderly people in their community who are at risk of malnutrition. 31% of elderly people admitted to Auckland hospital geriatric wards were significantly malnourished, according to a recent survey. In rest homes, the number of malnourished elderly was estimated to be about 25%. Older persons do not have the same capacity to recover from sickness, and this is magnified by an insufficient diet. A healthy diet and body weight is also thought to reduce the risk of dementia.

China: Country Tackles Problems Facing Seniors (September 15, 2005)
The Shanghai government is currently addressing the city's aging population in developing plans to improve services for the growing number of elderly persons. By 2020, the number of elderly people over 60 in China is predicted to reach 243 million, representing 17 per cent of the country's total population. Although the current plans are promising, they still fall short of providing for all elderly people. Complicating spending plans are emerging problems such as the impact of AIDS on older persons (caregiving and raising orphaned grandchildren) and the health of China 's elderly women. 

China: Women’s Life Expectancy 73.8 Years in Guangxi (August 28, 2005)

The average life expectancy for women in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has increased from 70 years in 1995 to 73.8 years in 2004, while the infant mortality rate and pregnancy-associated death rate have dropped. The region attributes this new trend for longer lives to its investments in health protection for women and children, which totaled 383 million yuan (over 4 million US dollars) last year.

US and Japan: Scientists Discover a Means to Increased Longevity (August 26, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)

Scientists in the US and Japan have discovered a protein that may prolong life by controlling insulin. Although the medical community continues to debate whether the protein can extend the life of human beings and improve the quality of ageing, the authors of the study in “Science,” maintain that the protein can be used as the basis of a therapy plan that may, if not extend human life, at least 
mitigate the ailments of old age. Harry Dietz, an expert in genetics at Johns Hopkins   University in Baltimore , Maryland , cautions that the protein is not a panacea against ageing, but declared that “we have discovered something that perhaps has the capacity to make ageing much more enjoyable.” If the protein becomes available to the elderly community, some older adults may realize the dream of ageing without ailment.

China: Keeping Well Hydrated is Beneficial for Your Health (August 24, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
Health experts point out that keeping well hydrated is beneficial to one’s health. It is especially important for seniors to do so. Some good tips in doing that include drinking plenty of fluid, keeping a humidifier in the room. Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much fluid. When you stop drinking water or lose large amounts of fluids through diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, or strenuous exercise, your body's cells absorb fluid from the blood and other body tissues. Dehydration can occur at any age, but seniors are especially at risk. Being mindful of your body’s fluid levels at all time is a great way to ensure that you remain healthy.

Korea: Online Medical Care Benefits Elderly (August 23, 2005)
Once again developing technology helps assist older persons. In Korea, many elderly living in rural areas have been receiving medical care through the Tele-Diagnosis System. This system allows patients to get expert medical consultation through a computer at their local health centers instead of traveling to distant large cities. This arrangement benefits those who do not have an easy access to a major hospital or specialized doctor. In order to use this service, patients visit to a city or county health center for a thorough examination and then follow up appointments are done through the computer located at a local health center. This Tele-Diagnosis System is still quite new but it is safe to say that it produces positive outcomes.

Thailand: Coping with Love: Older People and HIV/AIDS in Thailand (August 23, 2005)
A detailed report released by HelpAge International (
a global network of not-for-profit organisations who work with poor older people worldwide) documents the current HIV/AIDS crisis in Thailand. HelpAge is currently studying, along with local NGO’s, how HIV/AIDS affects the older population. Local leaders are beginning to address the needs of elderly people and to develop services tailored to this segment of the population.

China: Moderate Consumption is Beneficial (August 17, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
Health experts point out moderate consumption of sugar is beneficial. As the process of aging proceeds, the human body’s ability to adjust to blood sugar weakens. A sudden drop of blood sugar may cause severe health problems, so sugar is needed in our system.

Guam: Decades After Abuses by the Japanese, Guam Hopes the U.S. Will Make Amends (August 11, 2005)
Elderly Guam residents hope that the U.S. government will compensate them for injustices they suffered under Japan ’s 32-month occupation during WWII. This is what the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, a House bill introduced in April, with 83 Congressional sponsors, hopes to accomplish. Compensation for the Guamanians would be comparable to the compensation paid to interned Japanese Americans, so the Guam program would cost about US $135 million. While the Navy Department did judge damage claims filed under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945, most of the isolated and largely Chamorro-speaking* population was unaware of the 1945 claims system, and the process itself was hurried and missed many claims (US $8 million was paid at the time). The injustices that the Guam WWII Loyalty Recognition Act hopes to rectify were largely enumerated in the 2003 Guam War Claims Review Commission, where elderly witnesses painted a picture of Japanese colonial occupation that turned progressively violent against anyone suspected of sympathizing with the United States .
* Chamorro is the Spanish-influenced dialect of Guam ’s native people.

Japan: Solving Daily Math Problems Alleviates Some Dementia (August 2, 2005)
Math problems are often regarded as nothing more than a pain. They take time and careful consideration and are regularly the source of great stress and anxiety. But the next time you’re about to pull your hair out while playing with your budget for the month, or calculating the sales tax on a sweater, remember this: math is a workout for your brain. Researchers are now saying that fiddling with these problems can even help alleviate some symptoms of dementia in elderly persons. Research conducted in Japan has shown that solving math problems helps to maintain optimal brain functioning in the aging population.

China: Elderly Obesity and Weight Loss (July 27, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
In the process of aging, the human body’s immune system weakens and we become prone to many diseases. Obesity is one of the major problems facing the elderly.  Possible complications include cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and coronary disease. Higher incidence rate of diabetes is also observed. As a result, it is critical for elderly to maintain a healthy weight range.

China: Population, Ageing, AIDS: Key Challenges Over Next 50 Years (July 26, 2005)
The world population has shot up, and with it has come new concerns. A recent international conference held in Paris, critically examined issues such as population dynamics, the AIDS epidemic and ageing issues worldwide. According to UN figures, 20 per cent of today's population in developed countries is over 60 and by 2050 that proportion is projected to rise to 32 per cent.

Japan: Japan Looks to Robots for Elderly Care (July 20, 2005)
As the number of elderly persons continues to rise, and more and more people are leaving the work sector and focusing on life as a senior, the elder care business in Japan is setting off now more than ever. Elderly people require more assistance in their daily lives, with everything from mobility to feeding themselves. Japan does not bring into the country much cheap, foreign labor and consequently the elderly have more difficulty finding personal caregivers. This has left the Japanese people to look to alternative care, the most recent one being in the form of a robot. Through motion detection, sensors and other types of ‘intelligent’ technology, robot caregivers may soon be able to assist older people with almost any task that a human would perform. Robots may also solve the problem of a sense of privacy- there are people who would prefer help from a robot with things like bathing and dressing, than from a fellow human being.

China: Aging In China (July 19, 2005)
A compilation of articles collected and reviewed by Ms. Evelyn Chow, examining the current experience of  growing old in different parts of China. The articles include information on emerging health and elder rights issues. Read on for more!

Asia and the Pacific: Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2005
This report, released by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, details the dynamics of a growing aging population in these areas. It looks at how changes may be brought forth as a result of this aging population in areas such as pension reform, economic growth, the labor and workforces as well as the healthcare sector. In the health arena, it describes how a re-evaluation of services will have to be made to adjust to the needs of the elderly population. As demand increases, countries are looking at ways to maximize their efficiency in providing appropriate services, while keeping in mind that their resources are limited. The report also underlines the concepts of health promotion (chiefly physical activity and diet), insurance for the elderly, and providing nursing home care.

Australia: Asthma Research Sounds Warning for Older Australians (July 5, 2005)
Current findings in Australian medical research suggest that many older people may be living with undiagnosed cases of asthma- as many as a third of all people 55 years and older. Asthma is a medical condition whereby breathing is restricted, due to an inflammation of the air passage, usually caused by an extra-sensitivity of the air-passage to foreign particles. Despite the fact that so many elders suffer from the condition, most of asthma research is targeted at the younger population. One possible reason for the under-diagnosis in the elderly, is due to the fact that many physicians find it much harder to detect in older people-it is a complex disorder to treat. Key strategies in rectifying this problem for older persons include: increasing awareness of asthma and its effects in families, improving the diagnosis of asthma in the elderly, as well as tailoring treatment options to best suit the specific needs of elderly suffering from asthma.

Australia: Sex Hormone Levels Ruled Out As Cause for Low Sexual Function in Women (July 6, 2005)
What was previously thought to be the case has now changed with respect to hormone levels and women’s sexual functioning, researchers say.  A low libido or sexual dysfunction is completely independent of male sex hormones, or androgen levels in a woman’s blood. Sexual dysfunction, primarily low libido, is common among women, with prevalences of 8 percent to 50 percent and even more so among older women. Dr. Susan Davis, remarked "There's a relationship between hormones and sexual well-being but there's no hormonal cut-off point that defines dysfunction."

Japan: Diet Passes Bill to Curb Geriatric Care (June 23, 2005)
Japan has recently proposed a new development in the health care strategy of the nation, emphasizing preventative care rather than resorting to sky-high spending for geriatric nursing care. The amendments made to the nursing-care insurance bill, included elderly people at public nursing homes paying for personal accommodations and meals starting in October. The payments are expected to average 30,000 yen per month. In addition, the sponsorship of muscle training and nutritional counseling for the elderly will be added to the amendment- hopefully serving as a preventative measure. The effects of these cost-cutting methods will be reviewed three years after their implementation.

Australia: Friends Better Than Family to Help You to Live Longer (June 15, 2005)
Results of a recent Australian study suggest that it’s important to keep your family close, but keep your friends closer. The study shows that elderly people who have a close network of friends may outlive people with only close family ties. Research subjects demonstrated that having a network of good friends can be equivalent to a 22-percent reduction in the risk of dying during this period, when compared to those who had close ties with their children or relatives. Close friends are quite psychologically rewarding for seniors to have--they encourage them to eat healthy, to quit smoking or to drink less, and also have a major impact on mood and self-esteem. 

Turkmenistan: Healthcare System Virtually Destroyed, Says UK-Based Group (June 9, 2005)
Is health for all people a fundamental right? Does it exist solely for some and not others? Evidently, the latter of the two may very well be the case. A report outlining the condition of the healthcare system and system of human rights in Turkmenistan (a country in Central Asia lying between Afghanistan and Iran), described a deteriorating situation in the former Soviet republic. "The current situation in Turkmenistan 's healthcare system is very serious and in recent years, the healthcare system has been systematically dismantled. Since independence, state funding for healthcare has significantly decreased," noted Bernd Rechel, an author of the report. Along with a lack of funding, the system is also suffering from the introduction of unaffordable user fees for the general public. Political and government influences have also contributed to the despairing healthy system, with a ban on the reporting of infectious diseases in the country, as well as the shutting down of higher education institutions-making it impossible to train future healthcare professionals.

Asia: Asian Elder Care Faces New Dilemma (May 31, 2005)
Traditional Eastern ideas on the family unit, family dynamics and elder care have become barely recognizable in the past ten years. With steady changes being introduced all the time, the elderly Eastern population has had quite a bit to adjust to. In a recent conference held in Rotorua, New Zealand
, representatives of Asian countries explained the numerous adaptations they have been faced with as well as the efforts they have made to cope with them. Where it was previously the norm for aging parents to live with their children, many younger individuals have decided that they are no longer willing to care for their parents. In addition, mental health issues among the elderly which were once very carefully concealed by their families, are now becoming more apparent as they break away from their grown-up children. New services are currently being implemented to assist the elderly Asian communities as they reorient themselves through this period of development. 

Tatarstan: Only 65% of the Need For In-home Special Social Service For Elders Is Met (May 19, 2005) 
(Article in Russian)
The waiting list of lonely, seriously ill aged persons and invalids for in-home social service lists some 1,738 persons. This data was revealed at the Republican Inter-departmental Social Security Commission held in the Tatarstan Republic Cabinet Ministry. 

Korea: Where Life Goes On (And On) (March 22, 2005)
The Korean village of Sunchang is called the “longevity village” because they have an unusual number of centenarians and older people. Park Bok-dong, who is 105 years-old, is very glad to be still very healthy thanks to the soybean heavy diet, clean water, plenty of exercise and the prevalence of extended families. Some other inhabitants seem to regret this long life thinking that their life has been rich and complete enough.

Thailand: Grandmothers Find It Difficult to Be Mothers Again (March 4, 2005)
The lethal spread of HIV/Aids in Thailand produces more and more orphans due to the disease. Often grand-parents, especially their grand-mothers, take over raising the children. In Thailand alone, 220,000 grand-parents take care of their grand-children who are often affected themselves by AIDS. These elderly persons face poverty and isolation as they try to support their grandchildren, reports Help Age International.

Japan: Yawning Yumel (March 1, 2005)
Tomy, a toy manufacturer in Japan, is marketing a talking, 'healing' doll named Yumel to older persons. Inventors programmed this nighttime companion with six sensors and an IC chip to keep track of the owner's sleeping patterns. Yumel says phrases, such as, "I love you!" "Washing clothes is hard, isn't it?" and "Someday I want to go over the rainbow." Click on this article to see more samples of Yumel's 1,200 statements!

Sri Lanka: Examining the Health of Older People and Their Families In Sri Lanka (February 2005)

This report details the living circumstances for the elderly population of Sri Lanka, as well as the conditions in which they find themselves. It outlines government responses to national problems facing the elderly, the status of health care services as well as home care nursing services in the country, social problems reported by elderly individuals (including elder abuse), the working conditions for the elderly in tea plantations, and finally the work of NGO’s dedicated to improving the health and well-being of elderly Srilankans, as well as the changes they hope to implement. The report closes with a description of future planned strategies, including advocacy measures, creating awareness and other initiatives. We really hope things improve for our elderly friends in Srilanka.

Korea: UN Needs $202 Million to Feed 6.5 Million Hungry People in DPR of Korea (January 27, 2005)
With millions of children, women and elderly in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) barely living at subsistence level, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today it needed $202 million for 2005 to feed the 6.5 million most desperately hungry, over a quarter of the total population. Will the world respond generously? 

Thailand: Thailand's older population: Social and Economic Support as Assessed in 2002 (January 2005)
This analysis covers characteristics of Thai elderly, older than 60, trends and differentials in their living arrangements, the impact of living arrangements on their well-being, sources of material support, caregiving and social support. For example, the family, and in particular adult children, still plays a major role in providing support and care for the elderly in Thailand

China: China Facing Rapidly Growing Aging Population (January 7, 2005)
China has the same challenge that most developed countries face with the aging of their population. Chinese persons over 65 will be 14% of the population in 2007 and 24% in 2050. Their low fertility rates, their increasing life expectancy and the "westernization" of the younger population who are moving away for jobs will require the government to find new approaches. For example, the government will need to increase the number of places in nursing homes which today hardly reaches 1% of the ageing population. Or build a community-based care system to allow older people to stay at home.


Europe

 

UK: Care Homes need a Jamie Oliver ( December 28, 2005)
British Charities and Liberal Democrat MP Paul Burstow want a celebrity chef like Jamie Oliver, who has advocated for school children's diet, to improve the meals given to the elderly living in nursing homes. A recent report shows that 2,000 nursing homes in England do not meet the minimum standards set by the Social Care. Inspectors found that one in five institutions do not provide adequate and nutritious meals to its people. Paul Burstow believes that a celebrity chef would successfully advocate and campaign for better food for the elderly. Chef Paul Ranki has already said that he will be willing to help promote healthy menus and proper diets next summer, as well as press for an increase in the food budget. 

UK:
New nurse guidelines to protect the elderly (December 12, 2005)
The National Health Service (NHS) is providing nurses with new standards covering the care of hospitalized older persons. "The new guidance is designed to help nurses deliver the care we would all want to receive in our senior years," says Jan Warner, a NHS director. Nurses will have a key role in tracking the conditions of older patients, their dental and general health as well as their ability to eat. The new instructions should prevent UK hospitals' care for the elderly from being "a disgrace in a developed Western country."

UK: Aging Population to "Strain" NHS (December 9, 2005)
The British Medical Journal highlights how aging will impact the British health system in the next thirty years. With an increase in the number of over 65s by 53% between 2001 and 2031, hospital admissions will likely increase by 44% and increase the NHS expenditures especially to fight coronary and heart diseases. A Department of Health spokeswoman says, "Healthy eating and physical activity have an enormous impact on health improvement, reducing the risk of major chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer" but will also lessen the impact of aging on NHS.

France: Alzheimer: Patients Who Shall Not Be Forgotten (December 6, 2005)
(Article in French)
The growth of Alzheimer's Disease makes organizing care for older persons much more difficult. Alzheimer's attacks the core of one's identity through the brain and memory. Today, two patients out of three are not diagnosed and seven out of ten are not treated. According to Professor Vellas profiled in this article, the priority remains informing of the public.

Ireland: Budget to Help Deliver Home Services for Elderly (December 6, 2005)
The government of Ireland has launched a new program to help thousands of elderly to qualify for extra services to be delivered to their homes. This program aims at keeping the aged out of nursing homes and public hospital beds. The Health Service Executive will design a "home care package" for this service defining the options that patients have. The program is currently being tested through two pilot programs in hopes that it will be available to the elderly soon. 

Belgium: Senior's Pain Is not a Normal Thing (December 6, 2005)
(Article in French)
Pain in old age comes so frequently that it is considered normal. Some 40 % of senior's suffering goes unrelieved.  It's difficult for patients to describe their pain and its intensity. As doctors hear the descriptions of pain they decide if it's really important. Great pain impacts the entire patient and can provoke depression, loss of autonomy and sleeping troubles.

France: A Campaign for Elderly's Pain Treatment (December 5, 2005)
(Article in French)
The Health Department of the French region of Picardie has organized a vast communication, promotion and information campaign about the treatment of older people's pain. The risk of pain is considered four to six times greater for those over age 65 than for people between 16 and 25 years old. The campaign aims to inform health professionals that effective tools exist to evaluate and relieve the pain of senior patients.  There's no reason to ignore treating pain or consider it as a mandatory part of aging.

France: "Pro-activ"; When the Yogurt that fights cholesterol is reimboursed (November 28, 2006)
Unilever announced its partnership with a French insurance company. It aims to allow insured people to be reimbursed for a Unilever product called "Pro-Active." In a society were most deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases, this partnership will give the insured a chance to buy anti-cholesterol product at a lower price. It also demonstrates that food marketing has infiltrated the French insurance company.

UK: Elderly "Can't Afford to Live Healthy Lives" (November 22, 2005)

The charity Age Concern is forcing the government to review pension and benefits and see the link between income and health. Age Concern has found that one fifth of men and two-thirds of women that are between the ages of 65-74 are unable to walk comfortably at 3 mph due to lack of exercise. They want the government to have health information targeted directly for the elderly since many times the health of elderly is overlooked. Last, they would like to see older people involved in planning and designing programs that meet their needs. 

UK: Stroke Pioneers Praised as Model for Rest of Britain (November 17, 2005)
A team of specialists at a hospital in Edinburgh has pioneered an emergency stroke treatment. It involves treating stroke victims with clot-busting drugs within three hours of the stroke.  This intervention dramatically improves a patient's chance of recovery. The experts are now working on developing treatment plans for patients who receive treatment within six hours of a stroke. However, other hospitals in the area are not able to offer the treatment, and are even failing to meet the standards that demand that all stroke patients be treated as an emergency case.

UK: Elderly Go Private as Flu Jabs Run Low (November 17, 2005)

Flu vaccination shortages in the UK are forcing elderly people to pay for vaccinations from private clinics. These elderly people are entitled to free vaccinations through the National Health Service, but undersupplied clinics are not able to provide enough vaccinations and are awaiting deliveries. The shortages have reportedly been caused by an increase in demand because of fears of avian flu. For many elderly people, the £20 vaccine fee is a lot of money, and many are upset that at having to pay for a service they are entitled to receive for free.

Europe: Providers Are Close to Running out of Flu Vaccine (November 12, 2005)

(Article in French)
Fear of avian flu led many people to get their flu vaccine early. There may not be sufficient vaccine supplies in other European countries. Unfortunately, it is impossible to re-supply these countries with such vaccines because the current production is targeted for Southern Hemisphere countries. Did all frail older persons receive a vaccine this winter? The answer will be contained in the next report from the social security program that lists the reimbursements for flu vaccines. 

UK: Sedatives Raise Fears For Elderly (11 November 2005)
Up to a third of older people in the UK suffer from irregular patterns of sleep and their doctors prescribed sleeping pills. A recent study on this use of sedatives among elder people has shown that, although often effective, sleeping pills pose risks such as dizziness, loss of balance or falls. The researchers suggest that these risks may not justify the benefits of sleeping pills, and advised older people with sleep problems to pursue other, non-drug avenues, such as cognitive behavior therapy. The researchers stated that these findings did not apply to older persons with psychiatric conditions such as anxiety or illnesses which caused them severe pain. These people would benefit from sleeping pills.

UK: NHS Managers Play Down Privatisation Fears (November 11, 2005)

Labor union leaders and medical professionals expressed concern over a possible shift to private health care in the UK. The government announced plans earlier this year to scale back the role of Primary Care Trusts (PCT's) to provide health care in local communities. However, officials say it is more likely PCT's will contract out highly specified health care services to private providers rather than a wide scale shift from the public sector. British citizens recognize the value of universal access to health care and seem to oppose possible privatization reforms that would jeopardize access to services. 

Switzerland: Seniors and Alcoholism, a Hidden Issue (November 8, 2005)

(Article in French)
6,4 % of Swiss seniors (73 000 people) drink alcohol in a proportion that threatens them at a moderate or high risk. A moderate risk corresponds to the consumption of about two alcoholic beverages daily for women and four for men. The risk turns high with the consumption of four beverages a day for women and six for men. Most of the time, medical team's tolerance hides elder dependence on alcohol.  Senior isolation and no social life can hide alcohol abuse as well. 

UK: Push for Elderly Community Care (November 8, 2005)
Ministers in England have allocated £60m to 19 projects across the country that aim to support elderly people. The programs will improve community support in an effort to keep elderly people in the community and out of hospital. The projects include early home visits to assess needs, "dementia cafes", where elderly people and their caregivers can discuss their needs with staff and meet other patients. Services will also be offered in libraries, village halls and post offices. The programs are being launched in response to the desire of elderly persons to live independently as long as possible, as well as in an effort to reduce the pressure on resources as the number of older people increases.

France: An Ethical Dilemma about End of Life Situations (November 8, 2005)

(Article in French)
Last week a colloquia in the French "Hopital Cochin" in Paris dealt with the issue of feeding and hydrating dying people. Letting someone starve and go without water at the end of his life is a terrible image. But it is a major ethical issue in the current debate about euthanasia. Should the medical team also stop feeding and hydrating when it stops curing? "In France laws are not clear enough about this issue," say health professionals. Before a proper ethical debate, this colloquia tried to raise the issue from the medical and technical standpoints. 

France: What's The Point of Quitting Smoking After 70? (November 7, 2005)
(Article in French)
Research proves that it is worth quitting smoking at any age, even after being a smoker for 40 years. For the older smoker the advantages of quitting are instantaneous. The cardiovascular risks are cut in half for older people who quit smoking and the total death rate decreases as well. As for general health, respiratory problems decrease slowly. As bronchitis and emphysema are, for 80%, due to smoking, after a few years of non smoking life, older persons are more likely to stay healthy and even able to exercise.. It is never too late to quit smoking. 

UK: New Breed of Medics 'Will Cut Waiting Times' (November 4, 2005)

New healthcare workers in the UK will begin training soon to take on a similar role to junior doctors. They will be able to perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat illnesses and give advice about medication after two years of training. Senior doctors will continuously supervise the medical care practitioners (MCPs). The Department of Health says that this staffing change will allow doctors to spend more time with patients with more complex problems and help cut waiting times for all patients.

France : Fng-Servier Aging Biology Award (November 3, 2005)
(Article in French)
The fourteenth edition of the Aging Biology Award honored young researchers dealing with aging from the standpoint of biology. The award committee insisted on the importance of understanding the deep mechanisms of aging and wanted to promote this emerging research field.

Russia: Looking for Elixir (October 28, 2005) 
(Article in Russian) 
People can live until 120 year old according to US biologist, New York University Professor Eugeniy Nudler. Why do we get old and die much earlier? Dr. Nudler will try to find the answer to this question in Russia where he recently opened a special research laboratory.

France: Doped Older Employees: the Truth About What They Risk (October 31, 2005)
(Article in French)
A toxicology expert has been studying what's in the older employees medicine cabinet.  Her report is very alarming. Indeed, employees after 50 years old usually worry about keeping their job in the company where they've worked for years. And, to stay on top, they take different kinds of drugs. The range of commonly used drugs is wide: sleeping pills, psychotropics, pep pills, antidepressants, diet pills and of course, caffeine, on top of everything else. These drugs mean that work is generating high anxiety for people over 50 and putting employees at risk. These drugs are potentially very dangerous and will likely damage the concerned people's health.

France: 10 Researchers Who Boost Science! (October 31, 2005)
(Article in French)
Georges Delsol, Georges Massiot and Pierre Monsan are 3 of 10 well known scientists who encourage new fields of industry by studying a specific area of science. Among them, Georges Delsol, one of France's best oncologists, is trying to gather cancer researchers into one scientific group.  Hélène Grandjean, who works on the medical consequences of aging on the society, plans to open her research to the public and encourages publishers to welcome scientist-writers. Another, Anne Cambon, is creating  a new center that would study the concrete impact that genetics has on society. These researchers are actually creating more opportunities for medical science to develop, become more powerful and in the end, find the financial backing to fight diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's. 

France: Older People Becoming Thin: A Possible Symptom of Alzheimer's (October 31, 2005)
(Article in French)
An American study published in "Neurology" shows that undesired weight reduction could be a symptom of Alzheimer's several years before memory troubles surface.   Such weight reductions by Alzheimer's patients is not the consequence of their new life habits.  Rather, loss of weight signals that the disease has attacked the brain areas governing eating or is the result of depression preceding Alzheimer's appearance.

Switzerland: Clinical Attempt for Alzheimer's Vaccine (October 28, 2005)
(Article in French)
The Canadian Firm Neurochem has started a clinical attempt to develop a possible vaccine against Alzheimers. This vaccine should slow down or even stop the progress of the disease in Alzheimer's patients. This possible vaccine does not fight the symptoms but rather the source of the disease in brain, the amyloidal plaques appearing in the brain about ten years after the first symptoms. This clinical attempt in Europe parallels another one organized in North America. Great hope for future Alzheimer's patients! 

France: What Costs Inactivity? (October 24, 2005)
(Article in France) 
Inactivity is as dangerous as cigarette! In other words, failing to exercise is just as dangerous as smoking after 40 years old. Diseases due to inactivity are personal tragedies first but they also have a cost that weighs on the whole society. US studies show that 18% of cardiovascular diseases and 22% cases of colon cancers are due to inactivity. These diseases cost of $26 billion a year-a cost that could have been avoided by a 20 minute walk every day. 

Russia: The Diagnosis is Loneliness (October 24, 2005) 

(Article in Russian)
The feeling of worthlessness provokes suicides among older persons. In Russia the number of elders who commit suicides is increasing by 10% annually. According to WHO data, Moscow and Petersburg have the greatest number amount of elders who commit suicide in the country. The author discusses the reasons for this situation and the attempts of the government to change it. 

France: Poll Institute Highlights How Older People's Dependence is a Known but Unanticipated Issue (October 21, 2005)
(Article in French)
850 000 older people are dependent in France. This number will increase to reach 1 million in the next 15 years. While 70 % of persons told survey takers that they felt that if they became dependent in old age they could not afford to spend for their needs in the future. Currently, this form of senior spending runs an estimated 1000 to 2000 euros a month. Respondents also thought that neither their family nor welfare would provide sufficient financial help. Most French people cannot afford a possible dependence in old age.

Scotland: Bad Winter Fear for Lives of the Elderly (October 20, 2005)

Cold temperatures in Scotland have caused the number of deaths to rise 46% in recent years. This winter is predicted to be the worst in almost ten years. Cold temperatures, combined with rising heating costs, mean that many older persons are at risk of cold-related death. The Scottish Executive said that they were concerned by the rise in winter deaths and are reportedly working on strategies to support the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

France: Cancers Due to Menopause Treatments Are Dropping (October 18, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
In 2003 doctors obeyed the new instructions about the THS (hormonal substitute treatment). As a result, the consumption of this drug was cut in half. Previously, this hormonal treatment had been massively prescribed to women experiencing menopause and was then proved to be carcinogenic. That's why doctors began to prescribe it only if it was absolutely needed. As a matter of fact, the drop of THS prescriptions contributed to half as many of cancers due to the drug. Ironically, many drugs that actually contain the same substance still remain in the drug market. What are they and why don't we know their names?

France: How to Behave With an Alzheimer's Patient (October 18, 2005)
(Article in French)
The French daily newspaper Le Monde explains how persons with Alzheimer's use their logic and mind in spite of their difficulties to understand what is happening and or said. The author describes how to behave with an Alzheimer's patient to prevent embarrassment for the person's relatives as well as to protect the psychological balance of the person. In caring for a person with Alzheimer's, "it is all a matter of respect and nuance" says Jerome Pelissier, co-author of a book dealing with this question. 

Switzerland: Mortality Still Went Down in 2001 and 2002 (October 17, 2005)
(Article in French)
Mortality decreased in both 2001 and 2002 in Switzerland. This decrease is related to the decrease of cardiovascular diseases, which dropped from causing 930 deaths out of 10,000 in 1990 to 700 out of 10,000 in 2002. This article also reveals that cancers of the lungs and brain diseases have increased over the period and explains why some regions have a higher mortality than others. 

France: Pollution, the French Poison (October 16, 2005) 
(Article in French)
"In France, at least 800 000 people will die from the impact of pollution in the next 20 years, most of them will be older persons", the French journalist Vincent Nouzille explains in his highly polemic book, "les Empoisonneurs." He adds that polluting chemicals are a major health risk. But France seems to be willing to ignore all this. "In many respects, France is 10 to 15 years behind the rest of Europe in terms of dealing with pollution," the journalist claims. On many environmental issues, France is actually at the same level of poor countries, far behind Germany, for instance. 

France: What Is Exactly the Cancer Policy? (October 16, 2005)

(Article in French)
Two years ago, Jacques Chirac started a 5 year policy to fight against cancer. And since then, much has changed to fight cancer. New steps have been taken: Screening for breast cancer has been generalized, the price of tobacco was raised. "However, nothing really changed in terms of fighting cancer," the journalist explains. Indeed, each year 300 000 new cancers are detected. Every year the number of people suffering from cancer increases as does the social cost (around 13 billions euros every year). The cancer cases keep rising and no epidemiologist can explain the situation. As a matter of fact, in spite of the cancer policy, France still lags behind in terms of cancer.

France: Hospitals: Older Persons Are Left Dying in Terrible Conditions (October 17, 2005)
(Article in French)

In her new book, Dr Veronique Vasseur describes in pragmatic language the day-to-day life of a Parisian hospital. The book shows unexpected things happen in such a place, especially concerning older persons. End of life conditions are unbearable for Dr Vasseur, who criticizes the lack of special services for dependent persons. The Hospital doesn't offer a decent death to the elderly because it is not its mission. Dr Vasseur highlights the necessity to create ways to help dependent and dying older persons. For example, she suggests including end of life courses in medical schools, giving more attention to appropriate care for the long-term patients, and most of all, giving personal attention to the individual who is very frail or dying. 

Russia: Brains and Muscles - Friends for Ever! (October 14, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Gerontologist Evdokia Holostova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, says that if person's life style is not physically active, the person falls into a  risk group of premature aging accompanied by physical and intellectual exhaustion. In the article Dr. Holostova gives some advice for active aging.

France: We'll Live Longer.But in What Health? (October 13, 2005)
(Article in French)
How long can we live? Medical research makes greater progress every day: life expectancy will likely reach 100 years in the 22nd century. This is what scientists affirm as they succeeded in increasing the life expectancy of worms by modifying their genes. Transferred on a human scale, this discovery would mean we could live up to 120 years old. However, we are not all equal when facing ageing; this is a matter of a chromosome -chromosome 4- that is responsible for life expectancy. And the same scientists add that if we live longer, we will also live with all kinds of degenerative diseases. 

France: Could Depression Lead to Heart Attack? (October 10, 2005)
(Article in French)
Older persons who are depressed are more likely to have a heart attack and have a 60% greater chance to die. That's why checking the mental health of the elderly should be part of the prevention program for heart attack. According to several doctors, people who worry or those who lose one of their relatives are more exposed to strokes, especially after 65 years old. Depression at that point is only treated as a mental disease. Perhaps it should be included as an important part of their health program in the near future.

UK: 'I'm Seen as On My Way Out' (October 9, 2005)
A mental health charity in the UK claims that many elderly people face discrimination in accessing services as a result of their age. The report sharply criticized mental health access for the elderly. Consider Beryl Gidney. The 81 year old Norwich resident has suffered from depression over the last 30 years. She describes how she has been treated differently since turning 65, and made to feel "worthless" and like "a little old lady on (her) way out." 

UK: Elderly Mental Health 'Neglected' (October 9, 2005)
According to a report released by the charity, Mind in the UK, clinical depression affects one in six people over 65 and a third of suicide cases each year involve people over the age of 55. The charity found that older people face discrimination in accessing mental health care. Many GPs are not trained in assessing the mental health needs of the elderly. Elderly patients are more likely to be given older antidepressant drugs, rather than modern drugs. The report also found that elderly people do not have access to a range of treatments. It is more likely that older persons will be given drugs, rather than talking therapies. The chief executive of Mind said the report, "highlights the shameful neglect of this vulnerable and often isolated group of people."

France: French Parliamentary Committee Published the Evaluation of Health Policies About Alzheimer's and Other Linked Diseases (2005)
(Report in French)

In July, the French parliamentary committee published the evaluation of health policies about Alzheimer's and other linked diseases. This exhaustive report gives an analysis of today's situation in terms of diagnoses of Alzheimer's, assistance from medical institutions, the State and society. It deals with the issue both from the medical and social standpoint and tries to give a precise analysis of the policies. In particular the report poses questions about sufficient care and ways to make it affordable through the current social security system. The hyperlink above links to the report's table of contents and details where the report itself can be downloaded.

Sweden and US: Alzheimer: a Reachable Vaccine (September 2005)
(Article in French)
The fight for an Alzheimer's vaccine may soon be over. Over the last twenty-five years there have been various attempts to fight how Alzheimer's alters the brain and even to rebuild the damaged areas of brain. At the moment two different vaccines are under study in the US and in Sweden . The first consists of injecting a special protein to make the body produce the proper antibodies without provoking secondary effects. The second deals with a lab-prepared antibodies injection. This research reveals the hopes and challenges facing aging societies. 

Spain: Three Out of Ten Elderly Spaniards Suffer from Insomnia (September 30, 2005)

(Article in Spanish)

Health experts in Seville, Spain, report that three out of every ten elderly Spaniards suffer from insomnia, often as a result of respiratory or cardiac ailments. According to Francisco Segarra Isern, Coordinator of the Estivill Sleep Clinic of Dexeus University in Barcelona , most human beings, on reaching 70 years of age, experience a change in the biological clock that shifts the sleep phase. This development causes many restless nights for a great number of elderly adults. Isern maintains that before embarking on a treatment plan, it is essential that an elderly person develop a sleep routine to follow every night before retiring, thereby eliminating any irregularity in routine, which is a common cause of insomnia.

Switzerland: Elderly Should Not Pay More for Health Cover (September 30, 2005)
According to a recent survey in Switzerland , most Swiss are against forcing higher health premiums on the elderly. The survey came just after a Swiss organization raised concerns that Switzerland 's health system is unsustainable because of an increasing number of elderly patients. But a Swiss majority favor reducing the 100 health insurers down to one for the entire country, presumably as an economy measure. The survey also revealed that 70% of interviewees are in favor of giving financial incentives to those who refrain from smoking and engage in regular exercise.

Russia: Rejection of the Benefits - the Pensioners Have No Choice (September 28, 2005)

(Article in Russian)
October 1st is the deadline to sign the rejection for the so-called social package - the healthcare benefits the government offers to the pensioners. The Pension Fund offices are overcrowded with elderly who want to refuse the privilege of receiving free medical prescriptions. The reason is not because the elderly don't need the medicines.  On the contrary.  The irrational system makes them skeptical. With a free prescription the medicine is not available.  If they had money, they could buy the medication in the same pharmacy.

UK: Poorer Families Struggling to Meet Care Bills for Elderly (September 15, 2005)
A UK system requires older patients or their families to pay for long-term care. This policy hits the poor very hard. Many elderly people have been forced to sell their homes to pay health care costs. A social research charity, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, has released a report that describes the current system as "unfair and incoherent." The report outlines options for reform, and urges the government to especially consider those on low incomes.

Ireland: New Study Indicates that Old Age Arrives not until 80 (September 8, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
A study presented by Ian Robertson, Head of Research at the Institute of Neurosciences at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, confirms that the psychological, mental, and physical decline often associated with old age may not fully begin until a person reaches 80. Through a program of regular aerobic exercise, mental stimulation, avoidance of stressful living conditions, an active social life, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish, and, above all, keeping a positive mindset, adults can limit and even delay the onset of such symptoms as memory loss and physical pain that often affect elderly adults. Robertson's optimistic conclusion, from a 1999 study to determine the effects of ageing on the human brain, suggests that while "old age" may be inevitable, those who experience it may avoid its more negative aspects by following a healthy, vigorous lifestyle.

Russia: Emotions and the Quality of Life (September 8, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
High spirits and positive emotions create our physical health. Evdokiya Holostova, Professor of Gerontology, explains how to deal with emotions and save the nervous system. She sees aging through the lens of psychological disorders.


Australia: Trial Seeks to Iron Out Elderly Falls (September 7, 2005)
The aging Australian population has led to an increase in the incidence of falls among the elderly. Doctors in Sydney will soon commence a trial study that will aim to eliminate a major cause of falls in the elderly. Studies have revealed that a key culprit in the 'epidemic' of falls are the multi, bi and trifocal glasses worn by 60 percent of people in Australia over the age of 65. These glasses blur the lower visual field, making it difficult for people to see potential stumbling blocks such as cracks in the pavement. Doctors at Royal North Shore and Prince of Wales Hospitals are running the first study to determine which glasses can help eliminate this hazard.

UK: Word Test May Give Clues to Alzheimer's Disease (September 6, 2005)
A recent study has revealed that patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease are not able to write down as many animals and fruits in a one-minute period as healthy individuals. The study also showed that Alzheimer's sufferers retained only very familiar words and words learned in early childhood. Healthy elderly people were able to list animals and fruits that were rarely seen on an Alzheimer's patient's list. These words were more likely to have been learned in late childhood. The scientists hope that a test based on the findings can assist with the early detection of Alzheimer's and enable patients to receive treatment as soon as possible.

Denmark: Less Blood Flow to the Brain Leads to Dementia (September 6, 2005)
In findings that emphasize the importance of monitoring blood pressure in older adults, researchers in the Netherlands have learned that less blood flow to the brain may lead to dementia. Although studies have shown that persons with dementia require less blood flow as the brain becomes less active, the new evidence shows that decreased blood flow may cause some types of dementia.

Germany: Telemonitoring of Multiple Vital Parameters in Chronic Heart Failure (September 5, 2005)
The TeleMedical Centre of Brandenburg in Germany has been providing continuous telemonitoring to 40 patients for over a year. A home based electronic device takes measurements of weight, blood pressure, heart rate, ventilation frequency and oxygen saturation of the blood. Each day the information is e-mailed to the Telemedical Centre where it is evaluated. The patient may also elaborate on his subjective state of health or changes of medication. If there are any problems, the primary care provider is promptly notified by fax so that treatment can be adjusted before hospital admission becomes necessary.

United Kingdom: Cases of Potentially Lethal Bug Top 44,000 (August 26, 2005)
 
According to the UK Department of Health, there were almost 45,000 cases of a potentially fatal diarrhea infection among elderly patients in England last year. This was the first year that mandatory surveillance of the diarrhea-causing infection, Clostridium difficile (C difficile), was undertaken. The figures are provisional and only cover infections contracted in hospitals, nursing facilities and the community. And while C difficile is not a superbug and is treatable, this is no reason for such a high number diarrhea infection cases.

United Kingdom: Footsore Elderly 'Turn to Razors' (August 20, 2005)
Trouble accessing podiatry care in the UK has lead some elderly to take matters of their feet, into their own hands. Elderly persons suffering from corns, foot fungus or any other health hazards of the foot, have resorted to objects, such as razors, to tend to their feet. Campaigners suggest that the reason for this potentially dangerous behavior has to do with the fact that people simply aren’t able to reach NHS when help is desired. Others turn to razors as a means to save money. For many older persons, serious medical attention may be required for problems concerning foot health, but it’s usually just basic preventative care they need help with. If you are having foot pain, or have noticed anything abnormal with the appearance of your feet, please seek the assistance of a qualified podiatrist. They are there to help you.

United Kingdom: 80-Year-Olds Fit for Heart Bypass (August 18, 2005)
A British study in the journal Heart has concluded that octogenarians are just as able to withstand heart bypass surgery as younger patients. Researchers studied nearly 12,500 heart bypass patients, more than 700 of whom were older than 80 when they had the surgery. Most of these eighty year-old patients were still alive five years after the surgery, and were also at half the risk of death compared to their peers in the general population. The study also found that older patients were more likely than younger patients to undergo emergency bypass surgery, which suggests a tendency by doctors to treat older patients more conservatively until they reach a critical situation.

United Kingdom: Folate May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk (August 12, 2005)
Could the answer to stopping the number one neurodegenerative disease in the elderly be as simple as broccoli? Nutritionists and medical experts are convinced that the consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in a vitamin, called folate, can help to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease. According to recent clinical studies, older persons who consumed at least the recommended daily intake of folate were proven to be at a significantly lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s. However, before seniors rush to stalk up on leafy greens and refill their medicine cabinets with folate supplements, they should be aware that these findings have not been universally accepted. One previous study examining the link between mental functioning and the level of folate in the diet of elderly persons, showed that folate actually encouraged the initial stages of the disease. Given the contradictory nature of the findings, experts urge seniors to be aware of the possible positive and negative effects folate can have on Alzheimer’s progression.

UK: Vitamins 'Do Not Stop Infections' (August 4, 2005)
Vitamins have long been regarded as a quick and easy solution to get healthy fast. With a quick swig of water and a swallow of a pill, you have instantly ingested the recommended dosage of nutrients and minerals your body requires to perform in an optimal fashion. One quarter of all people in the UK take nutritional supplements. Recent studies suggest however, that the practice of ingesting vitamins actually does nothing in terms of fighting infection. Study authors are unsure of the effects when it comes to the elderly, however, "It remains to be seen whether those at higher risk of infections, such as older people living in care, would benefit from supplementation."

UK: Vitamin D Low in Nearly All Elderly Who Break Hip (August 1, 2005)
The latest in medical research shows that if you have suffered from hip problems, chances are that you are lacking in a major nutritional staple-vitamin D. A study of close to 600 patients admitted to a British hospital showed that 97.8 percent, or nearly all of the patients tested, were dangerously low in Vitamin D. If you feel that you may be at risk of poor nutrition resulting from a lack of this vitamin, there are easy ways to increase your consumption by including some of the following foods in your diet: fortified milk, egg yolks, fortified cereals, cod liver oil, salmon, sardines, herring or mackerel. Supplements are also a simple way of making sure you have enough Vitamin D.

UK: Black People More Likely to Survive A Stroke Than White People (July 28, 2005)
Black elderly persons are more likely to survive a stroke than their white counterparts, research suggests. Oddly, the risk of stroke and death from stroke are generally higher in black people than whites in the United Kingdom and the United States . Some experts conclude that the increased survival rate in black people is due primarily to better access to stroke unit care and more active management of some risk factors before stroke. They also realize however, that factors of socioeconomic status, education and access to care must be further examined in order to draw the strongest conclusions possible.

UK: Hospital Care 'Fails the Elderly' (July 19, 2005)
Neglect of care, a lack of professional treatment and complete, utter disrespect of fellow persons has lead to an uproar in the healthcare system of Great Britain . Nurse Margaret Haywood entered a Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton , England , on behalf of the BBC, undercover, and was astonished at what she saw. Hidden cameras captured staff workers routinely eating the meals of their elderly patients, refusing them assistance, and even going as far as to leave an elderly patient to die on her own. Ms Haywood, the undercover nurse was shocked with the goings-on of the hospital, "Seeing this kind of care makes me feel angry, it makes me ashamed of my profession. We're talking about basic human needs here, basic nursing care," she remarked.
The purpose of a hospital is to provide care to sick people. Why aren’t hospitals more careful about the type of ‘care’ that’s delivered?

UK: Being Smart No Guarantee to Happiness In Old Age (July 15, 2005)
Is being gifted the key to being glad? Is braininess an avenue to blissfulness? Intelligence is in no way an indicator if happiness in old age, experts claim. "In older people there seems to be no relationship between how well they do on tests of their mental ability and thinking memory skills and how satisfied they are with their life," said Alan Gow, of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland . Although it appears as though cognitive levels and happiness in old age are not correlated completely, it does look as though there is some small connection. "With an aging population it is important to know what causes people to age successfully. What it is about some people that allows them to have a full and independent old age. One of the things that allows people to live independently is maintaining their cognitive ability," said Gow. Conclusions have been drawn, but scientists worldwide continue to probe this issue. It’ll be interesting to see what they find out next!

Spain: The Spanish Elderly Appear to Have the Most Balanced Diets (July 14, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Who would have thought that the diets of Spanish elders appear to be the more balanced than the rest of the elderly population, considering their weight does not correspond to their healthy nutrition intake? According to Informe 2004: Las personas mayores en España, the weight gain consequence is caused by their poor eating habits during their younger years.  These habits had a very significant effect on potential health risks in their later “golden” years.

Spain: Pharmaceutical Companies in Support of Free Pricing (July 14, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
The Ministry of Health in Spain will make important regulatory changes on pharmaceuticals. European and Spanish industries and other powerful critics now support them on these changes. These improvements will allow pharmaceutical laboratories to sell their drugs at no cost and provide discounts on medicines that have no generic equals.

Russia: The White Negligence (July 14, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Three hospitals refused to hospitalize an old woman who was brought by ambulance. The woman died, the fourth one who had been refused hospitalization.  The representative of the Human Rights Office in the Sverdlovskaia region mentioned that starting in 2003 the number of citizens complaining about being deprived of immediate medical care in the emergency rooms had increased considerably. This category includes all ages and people: it can be a homeless elderly or an eight year old child.  Why is this happening?

UK: UK Dept of Health Launches Its New Vision For Older People's Mental Health (July 11, 2005)
British visionaries Louis Appleby and Ian Philp have joined forces to improve the standard of mental health care for the elderly in the United Kingdom. Specialists in the area want to combine traditional mental health services with elder care services, to create a new, higher quality system of care.  Over the course of the next ten years, mental health conditions such as dementia are expected to affect more elderly, as the elderly population grows. GAA is delighted to see that constructive work is being done to better understand these conditions and how to treat them. A boom in the elderly population is drawing closer, and we need all the help we can get!

Europe: As the Heat Rises, So Do Concerns for Elderly (June 30, 2005)
In Italy , 10 people have already died due to the heat wave. Heat threatens the elderly because their bodies don’t regulate their inner temperature well. They often don’t feel thirsty and forget to drink regularly and more frequently. It’s everyone’s responsibility to become aware of this new challenge: due to global climate change, summers like 2003 will become much more common. In 2003, heat waves killed 2,000 Italian elderly.

UK: Depression in Elderly People (June 23, 2005)
Depression is never a normal occurrence, even among the elderly; it has biological and sociological roots. Depression can be debilitating both mentally and physically. The elderly often suffer more physical symptoms than younger people, and they take longer to respond to treatment. Yet, there is hope for anyone suffering from depression. This article details the patterns of depression in the older population and various approaches to help aid recovery.

UK: Bid to Cut Brittle Bone Fractures (June 17, 2005)
Can screening decrease the number of fractures suffered by osteoporosis patients? The University of East Anglia aims to find out. Doctors at UEA are conducting experiments involving 70 year old female patients to see if the benefits of preventive bone scans outweigh the costs of treating bone fractures. Doctors hope that the findings from the study will show that screening patients with high risks for bone fractures before they have bone injuries will reduce the amount of time, money, and energy spent by osteoporosis patients in hospitals and on medical bills. 

UK: 'Digital Plaster' Monitors Health (June 17, 2005)
Scientists at London ’s Imperial College have developed an innovative digital monitor that can be life saving for many senior citizens. This small device, measuring a mere 3 x 5mm, evaluates and monitors changes in a patient’s vital signs and heart. In case of an accident or medical crisis, sensors in the device would alert medical professionals and relatives to the emergency. Although more tests are needed before the digital monitor can be open for public use, it offers hope to seniors that need constant medical surveillance but who also wish to keep their independence.

UK: Smokers and the Obese Get Old Fast (June 13, 2005)
Of the never-ending health complications concerning smoking and obesity, a markedly shorter lifespan for both heavy smokers, as well as heavy individuals- may just be icing on the cake. Researchers can to see the differences in lifespan between those who smoke and/or have above-range BMI readings with those who are healthy, by looking at the lengths of their respective telomeres. Telomere length can reveal that smoking and obesity can make a 60-year-old body seem like 67. Want to live a long life? It’s more important now than ever to make healthy life decisions!

Russia: Gerontology Center’s Staff Received Congratulations (June 9, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
The staff of Voronezh Regional Gerontology Center celebrated its professional holiday. There are 40 people who serve the center now. Some of them have been working in this medical establishment for all their life. Lubov Dobrosotskaya is one of them.

UK: Elderly 'Denied Dignified Death' (May 25, 2005)
According to a University of Sheffield study, inherent age discrimination in the UK’s National Health Service’s palliative care services prevents many older people from having a dignified death. Terminally ill older patients are less welcome in hospices, receive less attention from the staff about their wishes and cares and are less informed than their younger counterparts in spite of their longer payments into the health system. Help the Aged in the UK called for more staff and better training while condemning the discrimination against the dying elderly. The report includes some testimony from patients, family members and hospital staff on this issue.

Russia: 100-Years Old Young Man ( May 6, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Victor Saraev, a Moscow biologist has invented “Macropulus medicine” that would permit older people to have children and in general slows the aging processes. He started his experiments in the 70’s working at the Institute of animal morphology in the USSR Academy of Science. He had no idea that in the future this medicine would influence human gerontology. Together with his colleagues he planned to increase the weight of cows, sheep, rabbits, and hens. This medicine is named FAM – physiologically active metabolites. 

Russia: Catching Grandmas (April 29, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
A national conference, “Man and Medicine,” recently took place in Russia. The conference specifically addressed the issues of doctor-patient relations and the type of medications they prescribed. Many patients do not trust doctors’ advice and opt for “natural” medical products or “pseudo” medicine sold over the phone. The elderly people, who are not used to questioning the sources of mass media, fall into this trap more than others and spend considerable amounts of money on such medicine. The conference participants associate this problem with doctors’ reluctance to inform the patients about all treatment possibilities. More often than not, they assume that older people lack financial means for medication and prescribe obsolete and ineffective methods of treatment. 

France: French Revolt Over Giving Up Bank Holiday for Elderly Care (April 29, 2005)
Two years ago, the French were horrified when thousands of elderly and infirm people died in a summer heatwave. But give up a bank holiday to make sure it does not happen again? Not likely. 

Latvia: “You Are Too Old to Need A Doctor”(April 16, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Pensioner Matvey Timofeev is one of many Latvian elders who despair about the situation in their health care system. He complains about medical personnel’s bureaucratic manner and their indifference. An ambulance doctor said to him recently: “You are so old and you still dare to bother us…”

Italy: Elderly Depend on Immigrant Women For Caregiving (March 30, 2005)
The image of a senior citizen leaning for support on a younger woman who is visibly an immigrant has become more and more common on the streets of Italian cities. Women from Eastern Europe, Latin America and other regions increasingly have taken over caregiving for the elderly. Of course, the State is glad to let the private sector take care of the problem while a public system could cost more but would assure the right care—for both the old person and the immigrant carer.

France: French Live More Than 80 Years-Old (March 24, 2005)
(Article in French)
Life expectancy for 80 years-old in France has lengthened. Now French women rank in 2nd position after Japanese women and Spanish women follow in third place. Sixteen percent of the girls born today will be centenarians. One or two will reach her 94th birthday. However, there is no equal opportunity for long life—the conditions of one’s life determine longevity. In France , a blue collar worker can expect to live a shorter life than the white collar worker.

Russia: The Head of Health Ministry Denies Rumors About Pensioners’ Lines to Get Invalid Certificate (March 20, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
One of the few ways for Bashkiriya elders to increase their pensions is to register on the federal list of invalids. This brings more benefits than the regional register of invalids. Due to red tape, this process takes much time and creates long queues of elders. For some people, these lines will come to an end only in 2008. Nevertheless, Fanil Shamigulov, Bashkorostan Minister of health denies these “rumors”. 

France: The Perverse Effects of the Health Insurance Reform (February 24, 2005)
(Article in French)
Eight medical specialties have already increased the rate of their consultation fees since March 1st, 2005. Others will follow on May 1st and July 1st, 2005. If the Douste-Blazy plan succeeds, these increases could lower the Social Insurance deficit. Citizens will see their own financial contribution increased.

Ukraine: Chernobyl's Ghost Town (February 12, 2005)
Maria Shylan, a pensioner from Paryshev, lives 23 kilometers from the Chernobyl plant, which became a synonym for nuclear disaster when one of its reactors exploded and burned April 26, 1986, spewing radioactive waste. Once home to 135,000 people, the zone now has 358 residents like Shylan, according to official statistics. While older persons live in the Chernobyl area, the young who departed quickly after the disaster have not returned. The new Ukraine government hopes to attract sufficient foreign aid to contain the remaining radioactive waste more effectively.

Russia: Free Medicine Is Expensive (February 10, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Vladimir Putin, president of Russia had to admit that "the implementation of the law about monetization of benefits was not provided (ensured) neither federal nor regional governments". He called for establishing the order especially in transportation and medicine supplying issues. As a result deputy members of some legislative assemblies have decided to refuse their right of free public transportation. It was not a huge sacrifice as being provided by luxurious state cars they never use public transportation, anyway.

Lithuania: It Is Inadmissible to Save Money on Health (February 1, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Lithuanian citizens worry about coming increase in medical care costs. Meanwhile, the government of Lithuania is spending millions of Lats for militarization. Aivar Zdanovsky, the head physician of Daygavspils regional hospital, is strongly opposed. He believes that the State should not frighten citizens over external threats and ignore health issues at home. The good news for Daygavspils'pensioners: so far they will be treated free of charge. Two questions remain: How long will free care last and why is it that only elders from this city have such luxury and not all persons?

Italy: Ageing Italy Leans on Immigrants (January 4, 2005)
Italy is a typical example of the aging challenge in western countries. With one-fifth of the population over 65 and a disinterest in the elderly's cares by the younger, the older Italians need to appeal to immigrants who don't frown on taking care of the elderly and often do it with good will. To send parents to nursing homes remains culturally and socially unacceptable. Of course, legal issues and appropriate skills of such carers are sometimes problematic but the immigrants are available and cheap.


Middle East & North Africa

Report: Lebanon; Determinants of Depression Among Poor Elderly Women: Findings from Refugee and Non-Refugee Communities in the Outskirts of Beirut , Lebanon (2005)

This study highlights depression among poor elderly women in Lebanon , with a focus on refugee women in particular. Palestinian elderly women were found to be more likely to be depressed than their Lebanese counterparts. Leading to depression in this particular case are issues of identity and historical trauma as a result of being Palestinian, poverty, lack of physical activity, and disability. The paper recommends that policy makers improve the living conditions of the poor communities in Lebanon, especially for Palestinian refugees.

Iran: Sleeping Pills Adversely Affect Old People Rather Than Help Them (December 15, 2005)
Old people often suffer from insomnia and cannot have a quiet and normal sleep bringing them to the top of the list of sleeping pills users. The article presents the results of a Toronto University study suggesting that the side effects of sleeping pills far outweigh their benefits. The side effects include short lapses of memory, headache, nausea, dizziness, and a high rate of falls and traffic accidents.

Jordan: Darouza: Elders will have Health Insurance Soon (October 4, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
Jordanian elders were pleased that the Association of Elders' Friends, in collaboration with the ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), organized a conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Amman on October 3rd, 2005. The celebration hosted around 200 older men and women. Mr. Sameeh Darouza, the Jordanian Minister of Health, stated that the ministry is working hard to offer health insurance to older persons in Jordan in the near future. The WHO representative acknowledged the progress that Jordan has made in the health sector which has extended life expectancy of Jordanian men to 71 years old.

Israel: Aging Holocaust Survivors at Risk of Suicide (August 10, 2005)
Holocaust survivors are at increased risk for suicide as they get older, according to an Israeli study of psychiatric patients. The study also shows the need for suicide prevention strategies for elderly people who've suffered traumatic experiences in their lives.

UAE: Welfare of the Elderly is Close to Khalifa's Heart (August 7, 2005)
The United Arab Emirates has put forth its priorities for older people in Abu Dabi.  A recent statement makes clear the need for quality health care and support from community-based institutions.  The government recognizes these issues as vital for the well-being of the elderly in the UAE city of Abu Dabi. A study based on the social role of the elderly in the UAE asserted that older citizens should have the right to enjoy harmony in their psychological, social and physical lives.


Saudi Arabia:  Forty-Nine Percent of Older Women in the City of Riyadh Are Obese, 60% Are Diabetic and 73% Suffer from Joint Pains (February 8, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
Saudi Arabia has made great progress in its health services. The percentage of the older women who are 60 years old has increased by 6.6% since the year 2000. Aging can change one's life biologically, socially and psychologically. Aging problems are usually related to changes in the digestive system. Elders, in general, experience changes in their bodies such as physiological changes, problems with the mouth and teeth and chronic diseases. Elder Saudi women, as many old persons in rich societies, suffer from obesity. Consequently, they need serious health care planning. Nutrition institutions in the city of Riyadh advise older women to drink water several times a day and eat more fruits and vegetables. 

Israel: Most Road Fatalities In Tel Aviv Are Elderly People (January 25, 2005)
According to the police, more than 60 percent of pedestrians killed over the past year in traffic accidents in the greater Tel Aviv area were over age 60. Why? Simply because they did not look at the traffic before crossing the street. Whatever the underlying reason, once a car hits a frail older person, it is difficult to recover.


Global

 

World: Sports Help Prevent Older Women from Falling (December 8, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
Pursuing sports and exercise regularly can help older women prevent falls in the streets and public places. Research shows that weak bones cause many falls. Some experiments have demonstrated that a continuous healthy workout such as light weight lifting, aerobics and dancing classes can strengthen older women's muscles and help them keep their balance.

World: Thyroid Condition Associated With Increased Heart Failure Risk Among Older Adults (November 30, 2005) 
A hormonal condition known as subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with an increased risk of heart failure among older adults. Subclinical hypothyroidism might be associated with congestive heart failure (CHF) which is a failure of the heart to pump blood with normal efficiency, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD, partial or total blockage of an artery, usually an artery leading to a leg or arm), death, and cardiovascular-related death. 

World: Obesity and Health in Europeans Ages 50 and Above (November 29, 2005)
The RAND Corporation recently conducted a study documenting the effects of obesity on health in ten European countries. About one-half of the men and more than one third of the women ages 50 or older in these countries were obese or overweight. The study found that obesity is strongly linked to major health risk factors, like depression, heart disease or high cholesterol levels. There were, nevertheless, cross national differences. Spain had the highest prevalence of obesity; France had relatively low levels of obesity, but also the highest rate of high cholesterol levels.


World: Vitamin D Deficiency Common with Brittle Bones (October 28, 2005)

A recent cross-continental study involving postmenopausal women older than 55 and suffering from osteoporosis has found that more than half of the women in all regions studied are vitamin D deficient. The production as well as the absorption of vitamin D by the body is reduced with aging. A researcher who led a similar study in Argentina advised osteoporotic patients to have their vitamin D levels checked because it "can certainly influence the outcomes of any (bone strengthening) treatment."

World: Researches on Aging: Towards a Larger Understanding and Deeper Experiments (October 27, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine held its 13th Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December 2005. The Conference discussed new developments and research in the field of aging. Characteristic of the most recent medical research is a focus on all aging-related issues: illness, health changes and different means of care for older persons. The increase in life expectancy in many societies worldwide boosts research in these areas. Nowadays, human beings can enjoy old age well into the 100s.


World: Centenarians Increase in Age and Numbers (October 23, 2005)

According to the census bureau, there are 71,000 centenarians in this world. The numbers of centenarians are still considerably increasing. From a USA/ABC News poll, out of 1,000 adults, 87 was the average age that most wanted to live to and only a quarter said that they would like to live to 100 years old or even older. Many did not want to live too long because they do not want to plague their family with the burden of their health problems that they are most likely to have. Today, 120 years is the oldest recorded age that a human has achieved. Among the centenarians, there are a few common characteristics; they are rarely obese, eat healthy foods, get enough exercise, and have close ties with friends and family. 

World: Fish Is Necessary to the Completion of Embryo’s Brain and to the Preservation of Older People’s Memory (October 13, 2005)
(Article in Arabic) 
Two unconnected scientific studies show that fish is necessary to the completion of an embryo’s brain and to the preservation of older people’s memory. Researchers from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago emphasized that eating fish at least once a week greatly reduces the deterioration of both the memory and nervous capacities of the elderly, and weakens the possibility of senility.


World: Loosing Weight Can Be a Symptom for Alzheimer's (September 28, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
American Researchers claim that elders who lose weight with no reason may be experiencing the early stages of the Alzheimer's disease. They, also, discovered that elders who lose around 2 kilograms (4.41 pounds) a year are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's than those who are obese. Therefore, a slight decrease in weight of an old person can be considered as a preliminary indicator for the Alzheimer illness in addition to the other symptoms such as: damage in brain memory (forgetfulness) and physical movement.

World: 14 National Broadcasters Join Together for AIDS Awareness (August 9, 2005)

Fourteen international broadcasting corporations will be converging for the purpose of sending a powerful message out to the world: the global risk and danger posed by AIDS, is enormous. The project will join a number of short segments from corporations all around the globe, highlighting the human or social dimension of the epidemic in the contributing producer’s home country. A number of UN organizations, as well as ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union) are backing this endeavor entirely, and are offering their continual support.

World: Capsaicin Lozenge May Prevent Aspiration In Elderly (June 7, 2005)
A study revealed that capsaicin lozenges given to elderly with aspiration problems may well improve the swallowing reflex after a few weeks.


World: Taking Care of An Alzheimer’s Patient (May 2005)
(Article in French)
Alzheimer’s disease has a real impact on the family circle of a patient. The disease causes many troubles for its victims: loss of autonomy and behavioral disturbances (depression, anxiety, aggressiveness). Sometimes, the patient can’t stay at home or even in a nursing home but requires specialized healthcare.

World: Exercise Can Cut Risk of Dying From Breast Cancer (May 25, 2005)
Being physically active boosts the possibilities that breast cancer patients will survive the disease, according to a study. It produces evidence that exercise improves the prospects of beating any malignancy. So, lace up those sneakers and let’s go…

World: Therapies Shown to Cure Breast Cancer (May 13, 2005)
Chemotherapy and hormone treatment have dramatically reduced the death rate from early breast cancer, according to a major international analysis that indicates the often arduous regimens do cure many women. Early treatment seems key to survival. GAA would like to know class distinctions exist. Do richer women in the US get better care because they can afford expensive doctors earlier? 

World: When Are Alzheimer’s Patients Incapable of Making Decisions? (May 9, 2005)
People with very mild Alzheimer’s disease are still competent to make decisions about their treatment, while those with moderate Alzheimer’s may no longer be able to competently make those decisions, according to a study published in the May 10 issue of Neurology. The study also found that people who were aware of their Alzheimer’s diagnosis, symptoms, and prognosis were more likely to be able to make competent decisions, regardless of the severity of their disease.

World: Third World Healthcare Corruption (April 25, 2005)
This article describes rampant absenteeism by health care providers, as well as teachers, in developing counties as a form of “corruption.” As a result, there is no reliable network of reliable health care practitioners and the public has lost confidence in using the services that are available.

World: Alzheimer: A Vaccine with Hopeful Results (April 13, 2005)
(Article in French)
The first tentative treatment using a vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease, which was voluntarily interrupted in 2002, now turns out hopeful. After three years, the vaccinated patients in Europe and in the United States had a check-up that showed a statistical improvement in their cognitive functions. Neurology Magazine published these results.

World: About 70 Percent of Older Adults Use Alternative Medicine (April 9, 2005)
Nearly three out of every four adults over age 50 use some kind of alternative medicine, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine, according to a new study. The most used alternative medicine is chiropractor treatments. People who tend the most to use that kind of medicines are those who have a poor health with daily pains. Maybe lower costs for alternative approaches are appealing.

World Health Day 2005: Meeting the Health Needs of Older Women (April 7, 2005)
Older people are stigmatized in gaining access to health care because of their age and their financial means which are usually very modest in developing countries. Many see age as a disease and sickness as a integral part of aging. Therefore, no treatment is required. However, elderly, especially older women, are often the epicenter of developing countries’ families. Whole families and communities couldn’t live without their precious help.

World: Why It's Important For Older People to Exercise (March 28, 2005)
Researchers now have the physical evidence to show why it's important for older people to exercise. And it comes with the discovery that, in aging racehorses, regular aerobic workouts decreased the prevalence of muscle damage that can be caused by exertion.

World: Happily Ever After In Retirement (March 9, 2005)
Health, money, interests and hobbies are as much as answers to the question “How to be happy after your retirement?” Take a look to this article to learn the definition of happiness for a civil servant, a pharmacist, an economist and a physiotherapist.

World: The Baby Boomer Tuneup (March 8, 2005)
It's not too late. The tricks for a long, healthy life -- don't smoke, eat right and exercise -- are well-known. But putting that into practice often seems so daunting that people don't even try, and by their 50s, many baby boomers figure that the damage has been done anyway. But it’s not too late! Begin now!

World: Ageism Said to Erode Care Given to Elders (March 7, 2005)
Older patients often suffer needlessly from cancer, depression, and heart disease because society's age bias gets in the way of treatment, according to a growing body of research. For instance, half of all seniors with advanced colon cancer don't get chemotherapy after surgery to remove the tumor, although older patients who get the treatment live longer, according to researchers at Columbia University .

World: Internet Weaves A Lethal Web (March 3, 2005)

Vast amounts of drugs like cocaine or heroine and billions of doses of medicine are sold illegally over the Internet every year, according to a report by the International Narcotics Control Board. Some painkillers and powerful analgesics are bought often via internet to people who usually didn’t see a doctor beforehand and can be killed by the incorrect prescription or the dosage. But maybe a lot of people don’t have another financial choice because they cannot afford the expensive (and high profit) medications available in their country.

World: Can Prostate Cancer Be Prevented? (February 2005)
The goal of primary chemoprevention is to decrease the incidence of a given cancer, simultaneously reducing both treatment-related adverse events and mortality. Middle-age and older men suffer from prostate cancer. The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) demonstrated that finasteride can prevent prostate cancer but with an apparently increased risk of high-grade disease. A substantial amount of epidemiologic, molecular, and clinical evidence suggests that both selenium and vitamin E might also prevent prostate cancer, and this combination is being tested in the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial. Ultimately, the adoption of a preventive strategy hinges on its potential benefits weighed against the potential risks of the specific agents used.

World: Drugs Raise Risk of Suicide (February 28, 2005)
Adults taking popular antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide as patients given sugar pills, according to an analysis released yesterday of hundreds of clinical trials involving tens of thousands of patients.

World: Elderly Receiving Inappropriate Prescriptions From Their Doctor's Office (February 24, 2005)
28% of elderly patients received at least one of the 33 drugs identified as potentially inappropriate by medical experts and 5% received one of the 11 drugs classified as not recommended for older persons. In spite of reviews and warnings from medical research for a decade, these cases are not decreasing in the United States .

World: Opinions Towards Elders’ Sex Life (February 17, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
The purpose of sex life is to produce the next generation. Some think that since elder women have passed the age range to become pregnant, they should not have a sex life. However, even if the elders are not able to bear babies, they still need a normal sex life. Research shows that the elders should keep their normal sex life until 80 years old. Among the males who are older than 60, 54.7 % of them still have strong requirement for sex. 

World: Treatment for Prostate Cancer Shows Promise (February 17, 2005)
An experimental treatment that helps the immune system to attack tumors can extend the lives of men fighting advanced prostate cancer, according to a study released February 16, 2005. This marks the first time a cancer vaccine has been shown to improve survival for any malignancy.

World: Sex Disease Risk for Older Women (February 11, 2005)

Sex and older persons are not often associated and that's a big problem in the preventing of sexually transmitted infections (STIs.) Health officers often think older people, especially females, have lived in long monogamous relationships or are quite sexually inactive. However, more and more women have a second life in their older age that means possible sexual relations and exposure to sexual diseases. Prevention campaigns must target older persons, even though it challenges younger persons' usual way of thinking.

World: Seniors Research How to Age Gracefully (January 31, 2005)
Many seniors may feel as if their generation and the subject of aging has been studied to death, and usually by researchers many years younger than themselves. But an innovative University of Calgary pilot project recruited and trained seniors as researchers to talk to others in their age group about the challenges of making the so-called golden years a great part of their life.

World: How Old Is Too Old to Have A Baby? (January 24, 2005)
Can someone ever be too old to be a parent? Several recent cases involving older single women having children have helped bring this issue into the spotlight and make it a topic of international debate. The last one is the case of a 66-year-old woman who gave birth to a premature baby girl and lost 2 babies during her pregnancy. Dr Arthur Caplan gives his opinion on these cases of later life pregnancy.

World: Scientists Detect Probable Genetic Cause of Some Parkinson's Disease Cases (January 17, 2005)
Two new studies strongly suggest that a mutation in a recently discovered gene is the most common genetic cause of Parkinson's disease identified to date. The international research team's discovery provides fresh evidence that genetics may contribute to the development of some cases of Parkinson's disease. The findings could lead to the development of a genetic test to detect the mutation in individuals at risk. The research team includes investigators at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and scientists supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

World: Medicines Tests Will Be Reported to the Public (January 7, 2005)
(Article in French)
Is it still possible to stop the crisis which affects the pharmaceutical industry? Facing intense pressure, the four main associations of pharmaceutical firms in the world officially reacted to the different scandals of the last few months to commit themselves to make public all the results of all their drug tests beginning January 6, 2005.

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