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Investigators at Tell Aviv University and Cornell University find that conditions of retirement may lead to substance abuse disorders among older adults. A recent study published in the Journal of Work, Aging and Retirement, conducted a ten-year study investigating this link. The study found that, older adults often lack the skills required to cope with retirement, death of spouses and friends and deteriorating health, which lead to feelings of depression and substance abuse. Click here for more information

The authors of a recent study published in Neurology sought to, “examine associations between complexity of main lifetime occupation and cognitive performance in later life.” The study collected the childhood IQs of 1066 people from a 1936 study. The authors then grouped the participants according to profession and assessed their cognitive performance at age 70. The authors found that people who work at complex jobs generally did better on a range of cognitive ability measures and were associated with better cognitive performance in later life. Full article

A new study at Hospital for Special Surgery accessed the efficacy of hospital-based exercise programs around pain and physical activity level, falls and balance. The study enrolled 132 participants, 75 years and older, who completed questionnaires pre and post completion of program. The study found that older adults experienced significant decrease in levels of pain, stiffness and fatigue after participating in a hospital-based exercise program. The authors conclude that, “exercise programs targeted to older individuals with musculoskeletal disorders may play an important role in pain relief, improved quality of life and physical activity.” The results of this study was presented at [...]

A recent study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, aimed to investigate, "whether internet use and social engagement protect against health literacy decline during ageing, independent of cognitive decline." The authors used prospective data from 4368 adults, ages 52 and older, from 2004 to 2011. The authors measured health literacy at baseline and at follow-up, and studied the influences of internet usage and engagement in social activities on health literacy decline. The study found that, "internet usage and social engagement, particularly cultural activities, may help older adults to maintain health literacy during ageing." Full article

The authors of a recent study published in the Journal of Aging and Health aimed to, “evaluate the cross- sectional and longitudinal association between perceived walkability-related neighborhood characteristics and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older Latino adults.” The authors enrolled 351 older adults, ages 60 and older, who were screened positive for depression at baseline and conducted in-person interviews at baseline, 12 month and 24 month follow up. The study found that, “lower perceived neighborhood crime is associated with reduced presence of elevated symptoms of depression in older Latinos.” Full article

In a recent study published in Musculoskeletal Care, the authors investigated older people’s view on their experiences with pain and its management in relation to their views of successful aging. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with older adults, ages 75 years or older, and the themes determined were, “‘understanding of pain’ and ‘perceptions of aging.’” The study found that, “predictable experiences of pain as one ages may contribute to an acceptance of pain.” The authors concluded that, “there is a distinction between having pain and having a problem with pain.” Full article

The authors of a recent study published in Neurology aimed to “test the hypothesis that low levels of Vitamin D is associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline over a 4.4-year follow-up in a large sample of older adults.” The authors conducted an Italian population-based cohort study of 1,927 older adults, and assessed their vitamin D levels and global cognitive function at baseline. The study found that participants with Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency were more likely to have declining cognitive function during the follow up than those who had sufficient Vitamin D. The authors conclude that the study [...]

A recent study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia examined “the association between parental longevity and late-life cognitive decline or dementia.” The authors included participants from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and recruited a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults, ages 64 or older. The study found that, “offspring age 64 and older with long-lived parents had a slower rate of cognitive decline and a reduced risk of physician-diagnosed memory disorder over 12 years.” The authors concluded that, “parental longevity may be a valuable trait for identifying early biomarkers for resistance to cognitive decline in aging.” Full article

TRIPLL's Roybal Center application to the National Institute on Aging was successful! We were awarded a competitive five year renewal to continue our Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life. We welcome our new core investigators: Jeanne Teresi, PhD, EdD and Mildred Ramirez, PhD from The Hebrew Home at Riverdale and Corinna Loeckenhoff, PhD from Cornell University in Ithaca. Click here for more information

The authors of a recent study published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Journal examined the “association between self-reported sleep disturbances and dementia risk.” The authors conducted a longitudinal study that followed 1574 men for up to 40 years. The study determined dementia incidence by reviewing their patient history between ages 50 and 90 years. The authors found that “men with self-reported sleep disturbances had a higher risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s than men without sleep disturbances,” and concluded that improved sleep quality may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia in older men. Full Article