Geriatrics | Penn Today

A group of people with Alzheimer's and an instructor stand in a circle in a large dance studio with their arms outstretched, bending their knees.

Memory in Motion uses dance as communication when words fail

The goal for Memory in Motion, a program at the Penn Memory Center, is to get participants—both those with cognitive deficits of many levels and their caregivers—to listen and move to music.

person in wheelchair looks out the window, elder in an eldercare facility with a lack of nurses present.

Nursing home nurses lack time and resources for complete care

Evidence from hospitals has shown for years that nurses are more likely to leave necessary patient care undone when employed in settings with insufficient staff and resources. This “missed care” has been linked to poor care quality.

5 questions: Penn doctors study why elderly patients become confused after surgery

Lee A. Fleisher of the Perelman School of Medicine and Rebecca Trotta of the School of Nursing discussed post-surgical cognitive changes in older adults. “The severity is really a function of what their baseline state is. So if they come in with some memory decline, what people might call mild memory problems, and they’re frail, they are at the greatest risk,” said Fleisher. “On the other side, a higher education level is protective. People who are more active, physically and mentally, are less at risk.”

Taking out the protein garbage becomes more difficult as neurons age

As cells age, their ability to remove damaged proteins and structures declines, which could be a risk factor for neurodegenerative brain diseases.

Prostate cancer patient sits in wheelchair while nurse listens to chest with a stethoscope.

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may raise risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia

A Penn study of more than 150,000 men with prostate cancer shows androgen deprivation therapy was associated with a higher likelihood of developing dementia when compared to patients who were not exposed to the treatment.

Senior’s weakness for scams may be warning sign of dementia

Jason Karlawish of the Perelman School of Medicine said a recent study on aging and scam awareness doesn’t prove a link between susceptibility and cognitive decline in seniors. However, Karlawish says, the results “should be a call to action to health care systems, the financial services industry and their regulators.”

a couple walking a bulldog in the sunshine

Is dog walking hazardous to senior health?

Between 2004 and 2017, dog walking related fractures in people 65 or older more than doubled, and two factors are the cause: increased pet ownership and a greater emphasis, in recent years, on physical activity at older ages.

Joey the senior cat triumphs over illness with help from friends

A professor at Pen Vet who specializes in geriatric feline medicine is able to identify what was ailing Joey, a cat d’un certain âge.

A group of college students sitting on a street between colorful buildings.

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

The national population of people 65 or older experiencing homelessness is estimated to grow from 40,000 to 106,000 by 2030.

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