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What's New? August 6, 2012 |
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Pension | Health | Elder Rights | Aging Watch | GAA Blog
US
Helping Women Get More Out of Social Security (July 26, 2012) Older women depend on Social Security more so than men, despite the fact that the amount they receive is significantly less. Continue reading to see the proposed fixes to help women.
Doctor
Shortage Likely to Worsen With Health Law
(July 28, 2012)
The Association of American Medical Colleges expects a shortage of over 100,000 doctors by 2025. In parts of California, especially Riverside and San Bernardino, the situation has already become startling. Only 40 primary care physicians and 75 specialist doctors serve every 100,000 people in each county. For older persons who often require more health attention, this reduction in physicians is especially worrisome. While the Obama administration has tried to ease the shortage, it’s not enough. The US must train more health care workers and build more walk-in clinics to serve its citizens. More Older People Treated for Depression (July 25, 2012) Depression among older people is under diagnosed and under treated because its symptoms are quite various. There was less sadness and more physical symptoms than researchers expected. Additionally, mental disorders carry a social stigma. However, in the past decade the recognition and treatment of elder depression has increased. Why? The reason lies with the fact that primary care education has been strengthened in this period.
Growing
Old with HIV (July 26, 2012)
Rayford Kytle, a 65 year old gay man who has lived with HIV for the past 30 years, took part in the 2012 International AIDS Conference. He wanted to learn about the latest developments, research, care and prevention of the disease. By 2020, the projected number of people over 50 living with HIV/AIDS will be over 50 percent of the infected population. Currently, the number of elders living with HIV in the United States is estimated at 33 percent of all seniors. People living with HIV, especially seniors, are more likely to be affected by chronic illnesses than their non-infected counterparts. Elders living with HIV must stay healthy; taking too many medications may have adverse effects. Spain: Older Adults are More Affected by Adverse Reactions to Medications than Other Groups, According to a Experts (July 24, 2012) (Article in Spanish) The Spanish Society of Geriatric Medicine (Sociedad Española de Medicina, abbreviated Semeg) recommends that health care providers take more precautions when prescribing prescription medications to older adults. Physicians should use other therapies to prevent adverse reactions. New Zealand: Homophobia against Seniors would be the Principle Challenge for Caregivers of Older LGBT Adults (July 18, 2012) (Article in Spanish) According to a study by Dr. Gary Bellamy, many older adults fear revealing their homosexuality to their professional caregivers. The study indicates that the sexual orientation of older adults does not influence the quality of care that geriatric facilities and their personnel provide. The majority of personnel view NGO’s that work for older LGBT seniors as a useful resource. New Research: 40% of Elderly Latinos Abused (July 30, 2012) Researchers at the University Of Southern California Davis School Of Gerontology revealed that 40 percent of elderly Latinos are abuse -- either physically or mentally. While cultural norms, such as loyalty, often lead outsiders to believe that Hispanic elders are less likely to be abused, "sometimes solidarity just leads to silence." In fact, 39 percent of elders admitted to having suffered some type of abuse but only 1.5 percent reported the abuse to the proper authorities. Ageless Education: Researchers Create Guide for Intergenerational Classrooms in Nursing Homes (July 25, 2012) A new approach to education allows intermixing of elders and children in the classroom. In an effort to integrate kindergartens and nursing homes into one environment, researcher Stephanie Geller, wrote a book entitled, "Uniting Wonder With Wisdom, An Intergenerational Classroom Replication Guide." She thinks that such projects help ensure that society sees elders as valuable members of society, improve their health, and enhance children's academic and social development. Voter Photo ID Laws Have Harsh Impact on Poor, Elderly and Minority Voters, Study Says ( July 21, 2012) Poverty, states' continuous underinvestment in public transportation, especially in rural areas, and bureaucratic inefficiencies among agencies, all combine to create challenges for many Americans to obtain the necessary documentation to vote in states where such restrictive laws have been enforced. Iran Urges Baby Boom with Population Aging (July 29, 2012) In Iran, authorities are slashing birth control programs in an effort to avoid an increasing an aging demographic similar to many Western countries that are struggling to keep up with medical and social security costs. Isn't there a better way! Mexico: More Than 800,000 Seniors Live in Extreme Poverty (July 21, 2012) (Article in Spanish) Mexico has a population of 10.8 million older adults, and more than half do not have sufficient resources to live with dignity. More than 800 million survive in extreme poverty. AGING
WATCH
Report
of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights
(July 23-27)
This important report assesses the state of human rights and the situation of older persons. The authors discuss existing international laws and other instruments to protect the rights of older adults. This document make clear that older persons face obstacles in the arenas of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. Protecting the Rights of Older People (July 2012) This document details ten reasons why the United Nations Open Ended Working Group on Ageing should recommend the implementation of measures to strengthen the rights of older adults. HIV in Women in an Aging Population: An Interview with Dr. Peggy McEvoy (August 3, 2012) Dr. McEvoy directed the UNAIDS’ Caribbean program. During her interview with GAA, Dr. McEvoy details useful tools in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Women are exposed to HIV through the unfaithfulness of their husbands, an issue compounded by the introduction of erectile dysfunction medications. HIV/AIDS research and prevention campaigns do not presently target older adults. |
