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New Resources From the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging

• New Easy-to-Understand Summaries of the Latest Research from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
• AGS Foundation for Health in Aging Publishes New Anemia "Patient Education Forum"

New Resources Elsewhere on the Web

• American Foundation for the Blind Launches New Senior Web Site
• "Questions Are the Answer": U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Advertising Council Debut National Public Service Campaign
• New Checklists Help Men and Women of All Ages Determine Which Medical Tests They Need

New Easy-to-Understand Summaries of the Latest Research from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS)

Easy-to-understand summaries of two new studies published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) are now available on the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging's Aging in the Know Web site. Written for older adults and their caregivers, the studies appear in the "New Research" section of the site, at www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/research.asp. The two new studies look at how practicing Tai Chi may help prevent shingles in older adults, and how "tight control" of diabetes may help older people avoid potential eye and kidney damage associated with the disease.

Every month, the FHA updates the "New Research" section with new reports on studies from JAGS. Each summary includes a brief introduction that puts the research in context, and offers advice on how to put the new findings to use. Information on the Web site can be printed and distributed at no cost.

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AGS Foundation for Health in Aging Publishes New Anemia "Patient Education Forum" Guide

The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging and the AGS Public Education Committee have published a new "Patient Education Forum" guide about anemia. Like previous Patient Education Forum guides, the new publication is designed to help older adults and their caregivers communicate more effectively with their health care providers. The anemia guide explains symptoms and causes of and treatments for various forms of the disease. This authoritative Q & A and others appear in the Public Education Forum section of the FHA Web site. Other publications on the site cover topics ranging from adult immunization and persistent pain to safe driving for seniors and urinary incontinence. All may be printed and distributed free of charge.

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American Foundation for the Blind Launches New Senior Web Site

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) recently unveiled a new Web site, The Senior Site (www.afb.org), designed to help older Americans with age-related eye problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts live independently and productively.

The first Web site of its kind - a virtual vision center - the site includes information and practical solutions to help seniors with eye conditions adjust to changes in their eyesight. It connects seniors and their family members with support groups, professional services, and other local resources, and, like the rest of the AFB Web site, features adjustable text, color and contrast for those with low vision. The Web site meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, enabling blind and low-vision users to navigate it using voice browser technology.

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"Questions Are the Answer": U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Advertising Council Debut National Public Service Campaign

"Questions Are the Answer,"(http://www.ahrq.gov/questionsaretheanswer/) a new online patient safety initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council, is designed to increase patients' involvement in their own care.

The "Questions Are the Answer" Web site offers tips for reducing risks of medical mistakes; getting medical tests; planning for surgery; building "questions lists" to bring to medical appointments and more to help patients prepare for their encounters with physicians and other clinicians. The site also includes a glossary of important medical terms, and additional patient safety resources.

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New Checklists Help Men and Women of All Ages Determine Which Medical Tests They Need

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released two new evidence-based checklists designed to help men and women of all ages understand which medical tests they need to stay healthy. The men's (http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthymen.htm) and women's (http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthywom.htm) versions of Your Checklist for Health show, at a glance, what the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends regarding screening tests and preventive medicine. Your Checklist for Health, available in English and Spanish, is a pocket-sized brochure that can help patients and their healthcare providers discuss needed tests. Both checklists also offer advice on adopting a healthy lifestyle--by eating a healthy diet and exercising, for example.

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