11/15
Geriatrics
Seeing health care disparities firsthand in Chile
Seeing health care disparities firsthand in Chile
A senior in the course Health and the Health Care System in Chile reflects on lessons from a 10-day Nursing Study Abroad winter break trip, which offered a holistic view of the South American country’s health system.
Report predicts aging homeless population will nearly triple by 2030
Report predicts aging homeless population will nearly triple by 2030
The national population of people 65 or older experiencing homelessness is estimated to grow from 40,000 to 106,000 by 2030.
Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?
Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?
That’s the aim of a recently completed pilot program connecting Penn Memory Center patients, Penn graduate students, and Curtis Institute musicians.
Breaking the cycle of despair for people with dementia
Breaking the cycle of despair for people with dementia
A new book dissects the challenge of living with the disease for individuals who have it, and for their caregivers.
‘Alarming’ diabetes epidemic in Guatemala tied to aging, not obesity
‘Alarming’ diabetes epidemic in Guatemala tied to aging, not obesity
A new study by Penn Center for Global Health, published in PLOS One, finds that 25 percent of the large indigenous population in Guatemala has either type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Technology, aging patients, and the people who care for them
Technology, aging patients, and the people who care for them
In a quest to ease the care process for older adults and the very sick, as well as their family-member caregivers, PIK professor George Demiris is studying the intersection of smart-home technologies and health informatics.
When a loved one’s memory diminishes, these caregivers are here to help
A group of Social Policy and Practice interns provides social and emotional support for patients diagnosed with memory loss or other neurological or physical impairments.
In the News
AARP.org
Fifteen things to know about the two new Alzheimer’s drugs
Jason Karlawish of the Perelman School of Medicine says that some reactions to new Alzheimer’s drugs can resemble flu-like symptoms, such as chills, shortness of breath, and rash.
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HealthDay
Dementia may not be as common among Parkinson’s patients as thought
A study by Daniel Weintraub of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that dementia is not inevitable with Parkinson’s and is actually less common than presumed.
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The New York Times
A blood test accurately diagnosed Alzheimer’s 90% of the time, study finds
Jason Karlawish of the Perelman School of Medicine comments on a study which found that a blood test could correctly identify patients with Alzheimer’s.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Redefining how we age
Lisa Walke of the Perelman School of Medicine discusses how to rebalance work, education, and family life with today’s longer life expectancies.
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The New York Times
Apparently healthy, but diagnosed with Alzheimer’s?
Jason Karlawish of the Perelman School of Medicine says that amyloid is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s in the same way that smoking is a risk factor for cancer.
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KFF Health News
Who will care for older adults? We’ve plenty of know-how but too few specialists
Lisa Walke of the Perelman School of Medicine says that artificial intelligence represents a great frontier for developing products to help older adults live independently at home.
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