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Current Issue - March 2008 Edition
New Resources From the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
New Resources Elsewhere on the Web
Please Share "Cheating for A Kiss" - Award-Winning Short Film About Love in Later Life --With Friends and Family And Spread the Word About Our Photo Contest Inspired By the Film
"Cheating for a Kiss" is a funny, touching romantic short film featuring Fred Connors and Rosemary Carney - and shot by their grandson, Mike Potter. The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging has adapted Mr. Potter's "Cheat" -- a Grand Prize winning film at the first annual CellFlix Festival that has been feted in the national media - to draw attention to its Web site. The Foundation hopes both that the film will alert those visiting YouTube -- where the film is now playing -- to the FHA Web site's myriad healthcare resources and that younger viewers will be drawn to information about careers in geriatrics on the Web site. Please visit "Cheating for a Kiss" and share the link with your friends, family, and colleagues. The more hits on YouTube, the greater visibility for the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging! The FHA would like to thank Mike Potter for his generosity and David Katzive of the Leonardo Project, Inc. for his video editing advice and assistance.
In the spirit of "Cheating for a Kiss," the FHA is now sponsoring a "We All Have Grandparents Photo Contest" -- open to professionals and amateurs alike -- celebrating the many faces of older adults. The Foundation is looking for photos that capture the character and experiences of older adults, and challenge stereotypes of older adults. The deadline for entries is May 1.
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American Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging Hosts Free Falls Event for Seniors and Their Caregivers, May 2, In U.S. Capitol
Falls due to age-related changes in health are a very common and serious problem for older adults. All too often, falling results in injuries such as broken bones and cuts, and the need for hospital care or nursing home admission.
Every year, one-third of Americans 65 and older fall. Another 1.8 million seniors require emergency care for injuries due to falls.
To help seniors and their caregivers prevent falls, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and its Foundation for Health in Aging are hosting a free event, "Get Up and Go: A Falls Prevention Program", scheduled for Friday, May 2 from 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. in the West Hall of Union Station in Washington, D.C.
Volunteer healthcare professionals specially trained to treat older adults will provide free screenings designed to detect walking and balance problems, which are some of the leading causes of falls. In addition to conducting the screenings, healthcare professionals will also offer one-on-one education on falls prevention to visitors passing through Union Station.
For more information about this event please contact LiChia Ong at long@americangeriatrics.org or call 212-308-1414. For more information about the American Geriatrics Society visit www.americangeriatrics.org.
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FHA Releases New Tip Sheets For Older Adults -- On Healthy New Year's Resolutions and Maintaining Cognitive Vitality
The American Geriatrics Society's (AGS) Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) recently released two new easy-to-read educational "tip sheets" for older people and their caregivers
The first, "Top 10 Healthy New Year's Resolutions for Older Adults," offers tips to help older people eat better, find safe and enjoyable ways to exercise, maintain a healthy weight, make the most of visits with heir healthcare providers, and get a good night's sleep, among other things.
The second, "Cognitive Vitality Tips for Older Adults", offers advice on staying as mentally sharp as possible, regardless of age. It advises older people to, among other things, socialize with others, and pursue activities that require mental effort, such as participating in discussion groups, doing crossword puzzles, playing bridge, or taking adult education courses.
The FHA's series of health tip sheets for older people is posted on the Foundation's comprehensive public education Web site. The tip sheets can be printed and distributed to patients and others at no cost.
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FHA Seeks Stories for its "Health in Aging Stories Web Site"
For its "Health in Aging Stories" Web site, the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging is seeking stories from older adults and their caregivers describing the care they've received from geriatrics health care providers. The idea behind the site -- which includes stories from older adults and caregivers in a variety of situations -- is to illustrate the difference that geriatrics care can make in the lives of older adults.
The site is designed to help older adults and caregivers find appropriate care. The FHA also plans to share the stories with policy makers and members of the media to help them understand the unique health care needs of older adults.
Please help spread the word about the "Health in Aging Stories Web site" and encourage older adults and caregivers you know to submit their stories online. The more stories the site includes, the more information we can share with older adults, their caregivers, the media, and policymakers.
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Seniors Must File Taxes to Receive Economic Stimulus Payments, IRS Announces
All seniors must file a federal tax return this year - even those with limited means who normally don't need to - in order to receive tax rebates in May 2008 under the newly enacted Economic Stimulus Package, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced. This includes 20 million seniors who rely primarily on Social Security who are eligible to receive $300 per individual or $600 per couple under the stimulus plan.
To find out if you are eligible for a stimulus payment or for more information about the stimulus legislation, visit the IRS Web site. If you do not have Internet access, you may call IRS on their toll-free number at 1-800-829-1040.
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CDC Campaign to "Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury", Slated for March
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) new initiative, "Help Seniors Live Better, Longer: Prevent Brain Injury", kicks off in March, which is Brain Injury Awareness Month. The new campaign is designed to raise awareness of ways to prevent, recognize, and respond to fall-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) in older adults. With falls the leading cause of TBI, adults ages 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and deaths.
The CDC's new educational package provides practical, easy-to-use information for both caregivers and older adults, including a booklet, pamphlet, and fact sheet. Available in both English and Spanish, these free materials are available on the CDC's Web site.
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New NIA Tip Sheet Helps Healthcare Providers Make Printed Health Materials Senior-Friendly
The National Institute on Aging's new "Making Your Printed Health Materials Senior Friendly" tip sheet offers suggestions for making printed health materials easier for older adults to read and understand. It provides specific examples and includes a list of sources of additional information. Preview, download or print copies at no charge. Printed tip sheets are also available in bulk while supplies last. You can reach the NIA Information Center at (800) 222-2225, or via e-mail at NIAIC@nia.nih.gov.
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Standing Strong: Preventing and Treating Osteoporosis
Around 44 million Americans have been diagnosed with, or are at increased risk of osteoporosis - the silent, serious "bone-thinning" disorder. Women are at especially high risk; 1 out of every 2 women is expected to have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime.
The Alliance for Aging Research has created a kit to educate women recently diagnosed with or at risk for osteoporosis. The kit, "Standing Strong: Preventing and Treating Osteoporosis," is designed to assist community and health leaders in hosting workshops that teach women how to prevent and treat osteoporosis, and guide them in communicating with their doctors.
The kit features three items: a Leader's Guide, with instructions and tips on conducting an educational workshop; a Patient's Brochure, with information on preventing and treating osteoporosis; and a DVD with personal stories about living with osteoporosis and information from an expert.
All materials are available online at www.agingresearch.org/standing_strong, along with additional resources. Kits or materials can be ordered from www.agingresearch.org or by calling 202-293-2856.
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NIA "Toolkit" To Help Older Adults Find Reliable Online Health Information
The National Institute on Aging's new Web-based "Toolkit for Trainers", offers easy-to-use training materials designed to help older adults find reliable, up-to-date online health information on their own. Among other things, the kit includes a free, downloadable training curriculum that instructors can use to help older adults navigate the Internet, lesson plans, student worksheets, health-oriented Web-searching exercises, and glossaries. There's also an introductory online video, and trainer tips for creating a senior-friendly classroom environment. The kit has been designed to accommodate users with all levels of Internet experience.
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NCOA Offers Educational Materials to Help Older Adults Understand Risk Factors for Diabetes and Hypertension and Make Most of Medicare Benefits Aimed At Preventing These Disorders
To help older adults understand the risk factors for diabetes and hypertension, the links between them, and preventive Medicare benefits that can help reduce risks of these health problems, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is offering healthcare providers and others a free package of educational materials.
Part of the NCOA's Connect the Dots: How Medicare Helps campaign -- which aims to better prevent and treat diabetes and hypertension in later life -- the package includes a PowerPoint presentation that providers and others in the field can use when making group presentations to seniors. It also includes related flyers, posters and brochures.
The NCOA has posted a training Webinar for those wishing to use the kit when making group presentations. To access the Webinar, and order the presentation package, email Christine Harding at Christine.harding@ncoa.org.
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To make a donation to the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging, visit the donation page on our Web site at http://www.healthinaging.org/donate/ or call Li-Chia Ong, at 212-308-1414.
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