Our increasing elderly population suffers from very common age-related eye diseases and potential loss of vision. Part I of this two-part article examines the effect of age and disease on vision and overall vision function. Part I also discusses the symptoms and current effective treatments of cataracts and glaucoma, two of the most common disorders affecting the elderly. Part II will discuss macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, both common conditions for which effective sight-saving therapies are now available, dependent upon early and accurate diagnosis. Dry eye disease, also remarkably common but underappreciated and underdiagnosed, has substantial impact on vision and quality of life, and will be reviewed in Part II. (Annals of Long-Term Care: Clinical Care and Aging 2005;13 [8]:17-22)

Diabetes is common in older adults living in long-term care facilities, and has a significant impact on quality of life. Residents in long-term care facilities may not be particularly concerned about the micro- and macrovascular disease associated with diabetes, and they may not be interested in rigidly controlling blood sugars to prevent further vascular complications. Rather, it is the day-to-day impact of diabetes management on functional activities, mood, cognition, and quality of life that is relevant to these individuals. It is therefore particularly important to consider the daily impact of diabetes on these residents and the more commonly ignored and neglected problem of hyperglycemia. This article reviews the way in which optimal care can be provided for long-term care residents with diabetes by combining behavioral interventions with appropriate medication management. (Annals of Long-Term Care: Clinical Care and Aging 2005;13[8]:26-32)

Prior to and since the development of prescription pharmacologic therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, there has been significant interest in and use of alternative therapies by the lay public. To some extent, this is related to the lack of a variety of available classes of therapies and “cures,” and to some extent, it is related to expense, limited efficacy, and side effects of these prescription agents. Since patients and caregivers often confront the treating physician about efficacy of alternative agents, the practitioner should be knowledgeable and up-to-date on this issue. Part I of this article, which appeared in the July issue of the Journal, covered the latest research on alternative therapies such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, vitamins and selegiline, and homocysteine in the management of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Part II examines the role of herbals, hormones, nicotine, statins, alcohol, exercise, and sociali