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New steps are underway to improve the detection and management of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias among American Indian and Alaska Native elders. A $11.3 million dollar contract has been awarded to specifically train healthcare providers and support patients’ families in communities that have little access to such specialized care. The program will be led by Dr. Dedra Buchwald, a professor of neurological surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, and it is funded by the Indian Health Service (IHS). She and...
Grapes often get a bad rap as being too sweet or sugary, but they are a nutrient-dense fruit and pack a host of health benefits. Eating grapes can help support brain and heart health. Further, the vitamins and minerals in grapes may provide an immunity boost and more. There are so many health benefits from eating grapes that they are now classified as a "functional food." Grapes are a rich source of bioactive molecules, which contribute to the health benefits. Grape consumption is linked to...
Go for the melons this summer. Eating cantaloupe and other melons on a regular basis may help improve your vision and provide a host of other health benefits. The fiber content may be highly beneficial for older adults. Just one cup of cantaloupe contains 6% of the daily recommended amount of fiber. Fiber can help a person feel full longer. Additionally, it helps regulate digestion and keeps blood sugar in check. "Vision can decline with aging, but consuming antioxidant-rich foods such as...
Osteoporosis is more common in women than in men, so it is often thought of as a women’s disease. Subsequently, it is underdiagnosed and undertreated in men, especially men age 65 and older, who are at risk for developing osteoporosis. In addition, the number of fractures caused by fragile bones in men has increased in recent years. A fracture after age 50 is an important signal that a person may have osteoporosis. Unfortunately, men are less likely than women to be evaluated for osteoporosis after a fracture. Men also are less likely to get o...
If you have a special talent or skill that may benefit a charity or organization, then now may be the ideal to offer your services or ask how you can be of help. April is National Volunteer Month and it is dedicated to honoring all of the volunteers in our communities as well as encouraging volunteerism throughout the month. For many of us, volunteerism was instilled at a young age. Scores of organizations in small towns, rural counties, and the largest cities would not function without...
Vaccinations may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease There now may be new steps a person can take to lower their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Getting your recommended routine vaccinations may provide hidden health benefits, according to new research. In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers found that after receiving the tetanus/diphtheria vaccine and whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine there was a 30% reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Similar results were observed in individu...
If you would characterize your relationship with chocolate as complicated, you're not alone. Sweet, velvety and smooth, chocolate thrills the senses, making it very popular, especially at Valentine's Day. There is mounting evidence that a few nibbles of dark chocolate can not only satisfy a craving, but can also be beneficial for your health. Lee S. Berk, an associate dean of research affairs at the School of Allied Health Professions and a researcher in psychoneuroimmunology and food science...
In the dark winter months, swimming can be enjoyable and an outstanding full-body workout. Further, it can be an effective way of building and maintaining muscle strength. The water provides a natural resistance that makes your muscles work harder. The resistance offered by the water may even be up to 44 times greater than that of air, suggesting that swimming may be a more challenging workout than other forms of exercise. Grant Fairbanks, who is 74 and lives in Bethel, attributes a general...
An estimated 80% of older adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. Maintaining healthy blood pressure can protect against serious conditions like heart failure, heart attacks and strokes. Now, a new study is suggesting that adding a relatively minimal amount of movement, about 3,000 steps per day, can significantly reduce high blood pressure in older adults. It is time to step up your game. "We'll all get high blood pressure if we live long enough, at least in this country," said study...
A first-of-its-kind robotic glove currently is lending a hand and providing hope to piano players who have suffered a disabling stroke. After suffering a stroke, everyday tasks can be extremely challenging due to decreased coordination and strength in one or both upper arms. These problems have spurred the development of robotic devices and now Florida investigators have come up with a new robotic hand that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to improve hand dexterity. The developers claim this...
The Mediterranean diet is ranked as one of the most healthful diets on the planet. The name derives from the geographical region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, which includes Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Tunisia, where this diet has been adopted for centuries. It incorporates different types of food that are mostly unprocessed plant food typically found in this area fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, legumes, extra virgin olive oil, lean proteins and fish. Large studies have con...
Hybrid immunity may be the best protection Analyzing data from controlled studies throughout the world, researchers discovered people with hybrid immunity are the most protected against severe illness and reinfection. Hybrid immunity occurs when someone has had at least the full series of vaccines and has a prior infection, in any order. The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, now is helping public policymakers understand the optimal timing of vaccinations. “The results reinforce the global imperative for vaccination,” said stu...
Music therapy now is moving into a new realm thanks to smartphones. A music app has been developed that provides therapy by consoling, relaxing and uplifting users. Music has the potential to change emotional states and can distract listeners from negative thoughts and pain. It has also been proven to help improve memory, performance and mood. Music and emotions, with an app Man Hei Law of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and his team have developed what they currently are calling...
Swimming is the fourth most popular sports activity in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). However, it is much more popular in Alaska than many other states for a host of reasons. In the winter, swimming can be more than just exercise. Water fitness groups tend to be extensive, welcoming families consisting of seniors, young adults and everyone in between. Amanda Hanley is the aquatics director for the YMCA in Anchorage and said swimming is one of the best...
A lot of hype about an alleged breakthrough drug for Alzheimer’s disease may leave some families disappointed yet again. On Sept. 27, 2022, pharmaceutical company Eisai in Tokyo and biotechnology firm Biogen in Cambridge, Massachusetts, issued a press release claiming a drug called lecanemab slowed the rate of cognitive decline for adults with Alzheimer’s disease by 27%. The new findings were hailed as a significant advance. However, it is far too early to know what its true benefits and risks may be. This agent is a monoclonal antibody des...
Here is some good news for older adults who are worried about long COVID. A new study has found that most people infected with the SARS-CoV2 virus recover within 12 months, regardless of the severity. The study showed that 75% recovered at the 12-month mark after becoming ill with the virus, and 25% of patients still had at least one of the three most common symptoms (coughing, fatigue and breathlessness). Researchers found that patients with persistent symptoms also had antibodies associated with autoimmune illnesses, as well as raised levels...
Combating seasonal affective disorder (SAD) requires a multi-prong approach that may include light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medications, or vitamin D. Known as "the winter blues," Alaskans face the highest risks due to a lack of light in the winter and now is when treatment needs to begin. In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer. This is known as winter-pattern SAD, or winter depression. Some adults may experience...
Gayle Slentz has lived in Alaska for more than 30 years. Now, she is moving from Craig, Alaska to Tucson, Arizona, to live with her sister Kris and brother-in-law Ken Howell. Slentz, age 67, cannot manage her home on her own and the rental market in Craig is virtually nonexistent and has been steadily declining over the past 30 years, she said. “Craig is smaller than it used to be. It now lists 1,036 people, a drop from 1,200 just two years ago,” Slentz said. “When I was looking for a rental, there was nothing. The availability isn’t here. I...
Dissolving implant to replace drugs For the first time, researchers have come up with a dissolving implantable device that relieves pain without drugs. The new device has the potential to provide an alternative to opioids and other highly addictive drugs. Researchers in Chicago, Illinois, have developed a small, soft, flexible implant that relieves pain on demand and without the use of drugs. The biocompatible, water-soluble device works by softly wrapping around nerves to deliver precise, targeted cooling, which numbs nerves and blocks pain...
Everyone has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new study by researchers at the University of Groningen, Netherlands has found that some individuals weathered the stress of the pandemic better than others, in part, due to their genetics. How a person perceives their quality of life depends on a combination of factors that include the genes they inherited from their parents and their environment (a mix of nature and nurture). Studying genes related to quality of life can be complicated, but the COVID-19 pandemic allowed the...
Alaska for the first time is getting a USGA championship. Anchorage Golf Course will host the 60th U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championship, July 30-Aug. 4, 2022. It will mark the first time the USGA has taken one of its championships to the 49th state. Located on a hillside overlooking the city of Anchorage, this course is a municipal golf course designed by architect Bill Newcomb. The 6,600-yard layout features rolling, tree-lined fairways that lead to well bunkered, undulating greens. The...
Wearable device for COVID early detection University of Texas at Dallas bioengineers in collaboration with EnLiSense LLC have come up with a wearable sensor that can detect two key biomarkers of infection in human sweat, a significant step toward making it possible for users to receive early warnings of infections such as COVID-19 and influenza. The sweat sensor can identify the biomarkers interferon-gamma-inducible protein (IP-10) and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Elevated levels of IP-10 and TRAIL indicate...
Ride sharing and van service for older adults in Alaska has taken a terrible beating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many transportation services in much of the state were cut back or eliminated. Now, as the pandemic is winding down, ride services are returning. Fairbanks Senior Center Executive Director Darlene Supplee, executive director said the pandemic changed the center’s operations and how ride requests were handled. Many older adults were unable to go to and from their medical appointments. “Now, we are moving back to congregate mea...
Masks facts and Fiction The issue of wearing a mask is different for older adults who have several medical conditions they are managing. It is not a matter of choice but of necessity. Now, scientists have a better idea of what masks can and cannot do during the current wave of the pandemic. An international research team developed a new theoretical model to better assess the risks of spreading viruses such as COVID-19, with and without a face mask. The results show how the standard ‘safe’ distance of 6 feet does not always apply but varies gre...
COVID-somnia is taking its toll A new survey commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has found that more than half of Americans (56%) say they have experienced “COVID-somnia,” an increase in sleep disturbances, since the beginning of the pandemic. Of the reported sleep disturbances, most common was trouble falling or staying asleep (57%). Additional disturbances included sleeping less (46%), experiencing worse quality sleep (45%) and having more disturbing dreams (36%). “COVID-somnia can be brought on by multiple stres...
