Psychotropic Medications and Falls Risk
- Mon, 6/27/11 - 10:51am
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- 1062 reads
Older adults with dementia are two to eight times more likely to fall than their cognitively intact peers. An estimated two-thirds of cognitively impaired older adults fall every year. While factors such as attention deficits and gait and balance problems clearly contribute to the risk of falling in older adults, there are numerous other factors to consider. For instance, in patients with dementia, psychotropic medications may affect falls risk.
Study Shows Late-Life Depression Increases Risk of Future Cognitive Impairment
- Fri, 2/18/11 - 10:37am
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- 576 reads
Given the unprecedented projected growth in the number of older adults in the United States and abroad, identifying potentially treatable contributors to late-life cognitive impairment is imperative. A number of studies have found an association between depression later in life and a subsequent diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and dementia, but whether depression is a risk factor for cognitive decline—rather than a consequence of it—has remained a key question.
Why I’m a Member of the American Geriatrics Society
- Wed, 2/2/11 - 11:12am
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- 750 reads
Decreasing the Risk of Cognitive Decline through Exercise
- Tue, 12/21/10 - 12:45pm
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- 816 reads
With the prevalence of dementia expected to increase significantly as the population ages, it is imperative to identify factors that protect against cognitive impairment. A significant body of research suggests that physical activity can lower the risk of cognitive decline, and a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez /20609030) underscores the importance of encouraging exercise among older adults who have never been physically active.
Examining Medicare Changes in 2011 and Resources for Patients
- Mon, 11/15/10 - 11:33am
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- 1058 reads
Medicare’s annual open enrollment period runs from November 15 through December 31, and this time it is particularly important for older adults and their caregivers to start investigating the policy options early. The healthcare reform law mandates a range of changes in Medicare coverage in 2011, and as a result of the new legislation and other factors, there will be significant changes in the coverage plans offered, with some plans no longer available in 2011. There will also be changes in what the available plans charge.
Why I’m a Member of the American Geriatrics Society
- Mon, 10/18/10 - 1:56pm
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- 309 reads
I first joined the AGS about 25 years ago. At the time, I was a fellow at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and was excited to belong to an organization where I could expand my clinical skills and knowledge base so that I could take better care of my patients. I used much of the clinical content that I obtained at the AGS annual meeting to organize my studying for the first certificate of added qualifications in geriatric medicine in 1988.
Decision-Making About Feeding for Persons with Advanced Dementia
- Thu, 9/16/10 - 3:33pm
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- 1864 reads
I recently ran across an article in The New York Times about a subject that has long been an important and pressing issue in geriatrics and long-term care: the use of tube feeding in patients in the final stages of dementia.
Frailty Study Highlights Importance of Increased Protein Intake for Older Adults
- Tue, 8/24/10 - 9:48am
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- 1083 reads
Frailty—a common geriatric syndrome characterized by unintentional weight loss, weakness, fatigue, and low physical activity level—puts older adults at significantly greater risk of falls, fractures, disability, hospitalization, and death. Some research has suggested that increased protein intake can help protect against frailty in later life, but prospective observational studies investigating this relationship have been lacking.
Sleep Disturbance in ALF Residents Associated With Declining Functional Status and Quality of Life
- Wed, 7/21/10 - 8:58am
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- 963 reads
Sleep Disturbance in ALF Residents Associated with Declining Functional Status and Quality of Life and Increased Depression, Study Finds
Why I'm a Member of the American Geriatrics Society
- Thu, 5/20/10 - 2:49pm
- 0 Comments
- 873 reads
I joined the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) more than a decade ago. I’ve been a member of AGS' Program Committee, and its Education Committee. I was also the first formal liaison between AGS and the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP), of which I'm also a member.
I think one of the AGS' strengths is that it’s multidisciplinary. It's the umbrella organization for all providers in the field.
Both the networking opportunities that AGS membership affords and the aging policy advocacy work that AGS does are centrally important to me. Mental health issues are alway
