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November 2009 Edition
News From The AGS Foundation For Health In Aging
Other News
News From The AGS Foundation For Health In Aging
The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging Supports Healthcare Reform
President Obama appeared before a joint session of Congress this summer and assured seniors that, contrary to the misinformation they'd been hearing from opponents of health reform, proposed reforms would be good for older and younger Americans alike. We at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and its Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) strongly agree and believe that all Americans, regardless of age, deserve high quality, cost-effective, and affordable care.
While the President and Congress have called for cuts in Medicare spending, these cuts are aimed squarely at fraud and waste -- now estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars -- not at services.
In fact, proposed reforms would enhance elder healthcare in a wide range of ways. For starters, they would improve seniors' Medicare drug coverage, lower the premiums they pay for drugs and care, and eliminate co-payments for preventive services. Proposed reforms would also address near-critical nationwide shortages of geriatricians and other geriatrics healthcare providers (e.g., geriatrics nurse practitioners and physician assistants) with expertise in caring for even the sickest, most vulnerable elders. They would help recruit and train primary care providers -- who are already seeing growing numbers of older patients -- to meet seniors' unique healthcare needs. Proposed reforms would also provide training for direct-care workers and family caregivers who care for older loved ones. They would enhance long-term care and support the adoption of new, promising, and more cost-effective models of care, including those emphasizing coordination of care and the use of interdisciplinary geriatrics care teams. Because such reforms would make care more cost-effective, they would also make Medicare more sustainable, so future generations can also benefit from this essential government healthcare program.
For all these reasons, we urge you to join us in advocating for proposed healthcare reforms that will greatly enhance care for older adults, now and in the future. Becoming an advocate is quick and easy: Simply visit and register with AGS' Health in Aging Advocacy Center
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FHA Publishes New Tip Sheet Offering Older Men Advice on Good Health in Later Life
The latest longevity statistics show that while Americans are living longer than ever, American men still aren't living as long as American women. On average, men in the US live about 75 years -- five fewer than women. No one knows for certain what accounts for this "longevity gap," but research suggests that a leading contributor may be the fact that American men don't take care of themselves as well as women do.
To help older men do just this, the American Geriatrics Society's (AGS') Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) recently published an easy to understand health "tip sheet" -- "For Older Men: Tips for Good Health in Later Life".
The FHA released a companion tip sheet - "For Older Women: Tips for Good Health in Later Life" earlier this year.
All FHA tip sheets are posted on the AGS' Foundation for Health in Aging Web site, and can be printed and shared at no cost.
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FHA's "New Research" Web Page Includes Summaries of New JAGS Studies
Written for the general public, each summary in the "New Research" section of the FHA's Aging in the Know Web site describes the findings from a new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). Studies in the journal keep healthcare providers abreast of cutting-edge research in geriatrics -- and the FHA summaries make this research easy to understand. Each summary begins with an introduction that puts the new research in context, and includes a subsection, subtitled "What Should I Do?" that offers advice on how to put the new information to use. For readers who want to know more, each summary also includes a link to the original JAGS study. The "New Research" section is updated monthly.
The study summary most recently posted to the site is:
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Other News
NIA Trial to Study Testosterone Treatment in Older Men
To test whether testosterone therapy can treat a range of health problems that may be associated with low serum testosterone levels in older men, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) is conducting a new 12-site national clinical trial.
While testosterone levels normally decline with age, in some older men low serum testosterone may contribute to a number of problems including decreased ability to walk, loss of muscle mass and strength, decreased vitality, decreased sexual function, impaired cognition, cardiovascular disease and anemia.
Led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Testosterone Trial will include 800 men, all 65 or older. The trial will test the effectiveness of testosterone therapy in older men with both low testosterone levels and one of the following conditions: impaired walking, low vitality, or decreased sexual function. The trial will focus on the use of testosterone as a therapy for certain conditions, rather than as a preventive measure.
Recruitment of study participants has begun. Men 65 years or older who are interested in participating should visit the study website or call the study site closest to them.
Participating institutions and their phone numbers are:
- University of California, Los Angeles; 310-222-5297
- University of California, San Diego; 877-219-6610
- Boston University; 617-414-2968
- University of Pittsburgh; 800-872-3653
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.; 718-405-8271
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; 713-798-8343
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; 612-625-4449
- Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; 877-523-5672, 203-737-5672
- University of Alabama at Birmingham; 205-934-2294
- University of Washington, Seattle; 206-768-5408
- Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.; 877-300-3065
- University of Florida, Gainesville; 866-386-7730, 352-273-5919
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Free Nov 12 Caregiver TeleClass on Preventing Medication Errors
"Safe & Sound: How to Prevent Medication Mishaps," a free TeleClass for caregivers responsible for seniors and others who have multiple health problems, take multiple medications, or see multiple healthcare providers, is slated for November 12, from 2 to 3 PM (EST). November is National Family Caregivers' Month and the program is an offering of the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA). Non-caregivers with an interest in the subject are also welcome to take the course.
More than 100,000 people die from medication complications each year, according to the NFCA. Older adults and those with multiple health problems, taking multiple medications, or seeing multiple healthcare providers run an increased risk of these complications.
Caregivers and others can register for the free TeleClass. The class will cover such topics as: when medication problems are most likely to occur; how to minimize risks of these problems; and what to ask doctors and pharmacists about medications.
For more information send an email to Teleclass@thefamilycaregiver.org or call: 1-800-896-3650.
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The FDA Launches New Education Website on Hearing Aids
The FDA has launched a new health education website about medical devices designed to improve hearing.
The site includes basic information about hearing loss, different types and styles of hearing aids, safety issues, hearing aids and cell phones, how to obtain hearing aids and other products and devices to improve hearing, a checklist of steps to remember and consider before purchasing one, and other resources. The site also addresses the importance of knowing the difference between an actual hearing aid, which is regulated by FDA to ensure safety and effectiveness, and a personal sound amplification device which is not a medical device.
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Things We Like: "Helping Grandpa Get His Tech On"
Computers, email, video chatting programs and games, webcams, and social networking "are becoming essential parts of older people's lives," The New York Times' Erica A. Taub writes in "Helping Grandpa Get His Tech On." In fact, older adults make up one of the fastest growing sectors of customers using broadband, notes Taub, who reviews some of the most popular e-choices among seniors, including simplified computer interfaces, video chatting programs, and Internet-connected digital picture frames.
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