USA: Can Alzheimer's Be Prevented?

CONSULTATIONS
Can Alzheimer's Be Prevented?
By Laura Blue

TIME
NEW YORK May 19, 2008
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Ian Shaw / Alamy












Few things are as terrifying as losing one's mind. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among the elderly and affects as many as 4.5 million Americans, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It currently has no cure. But recent research offers groundbreaking insight into what causes the disease, and how researchers could reduce people's risk. Walter Kukull, director of the U.S. National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center, explains.

Q: Can Alzheimer's disease be prevented?

A: I think the short answer is that, yes, it can be prevented, but there are a number of different ways that people are working on it right now [to figure out how].

One way stems from genetics. There's a particular protein that's made in people with Alzheimer's — which is made from a protein that all of us make, the amyloid precursor protein. [In people with Alzheimer's] that precursor protein is clipped by enzymes in the wrong place, and begins to form these little toxic parts that aggregate [in the brain] and eventually form fibrils and plaques that are the main pathologic feature of Alzheimer's disease. It's not clear why this happens exactly, and a lot of people have been studying it pretty hard. It's also not clear how much of this protein needs to be formed or where it might need to be formed before clinical signs and symptoms appear.

Drug discovery work is going on right now, mostly in two directions. One is to block these enzymes that cut the precursor protein in the wrong place, so that the plaque-forming bits of the protein aren't formed. And the other is to think of ways, probably [having to do] with the immune response, to break up the aggregated protein bits once they do form.

For people who already have some of these plaques forming, there's not a lot that can be done until we get some disease-modifying therapy. Within the last few years, there have been quite a few [drugs] getting into Phase III clinical trials — that means larger trials with larger groups of people. They're not prevention trials, [but they're] just seeing whether the treatments can modify this aggregation of plaques one way or the other. There is some hope that we'll have disease-modifying therapies in the not too distant future. But I can't put an exact number on it.

There are other [ways possibly to mitigate risk] if we think about dementia generally — of which Alzheimer's is a part — that are a little controversial. A lot of the time there are vascular and metabolic diseases or processes that could somehow modify Alzheimer's pathology. The evidence that these things contribute to dementia is pretty solid, but how it works exactly with Alzheimer's disease still needs a little bit of research. [There is an association between hypertension and Alzheimer's, for example.] So if you have hypertension, treat that. Exercise is still good for a lot of different things and may provide some benefit against Alzheimer's disease, although we don't know exactly what the mechanism might be. You should probably [also treat] other metabolic conditions, like diabetes and obesity and so on. It's the usual advice, but it probably will somewhat decrease the overall occurrence of dementia.

Copyright © 2008 Time Inc.

FINLAND: Yay! A disco for the over-50s!

Tom Turja was dancing so wildly that he had to change his shirt. Photo: Laura Oja

HELSINKI, Finland (Helsingin Sanomat), May 19, 2008:

By Anna-Leena Pyykkönen

Disco K-50 is a monthly disco for the over-50s crowd. The event has been organized in Kappeli Cellar in Helsinki’s Esplanade Park in the past two winters. Entrance to the disco is strictly forbidden for anybody younger than 50, and all visitors are required to present a photo ID.

The event grew out of the monthly club evenings launched in Restaurant G-18 in Helsinki’s Yrjönkatu in February 2006.

The idea of a grown-up disco has been successful, partly because the doors are opened already at 7:00 p.m.and close at a sensible 0:30 a.m.

The soul of the place is Lilu Nissinen-Turja, who is very proud of her creation.

”Everybody thought that this would be a museum, but this turned out to be a real disco. I did not want us to listen to only very old pieces of music. The most important thing is that the music makes you want to dance”, says Lilu.

Helsinki entrepreneur Raimo Vauhkonen agreed, saying that the music was surprisingly brisk considering the crowd that was present.

The 62-year-old gentleman added with respect: ”But after all, these people are the radicals of the 1960s who were hot to change the world!”

The average age of those partying at the disco was difficult to gauge, but it was likely to approach 60 years. One of the party animals was dressed up like a hippie, doing it so well that it was really rather difficult to determine his age.

Initially, there was a risk that the visitors to the disco would be predominantly female, but obviously men have also woken up.

However, last Saturday during the Ice Hockey World Championships the majority of visitors were women, for fairly obvious reasons.

On the other hand, gender is not an issue here, as one does not have to wait for an invitation - anyone can go dancing alone, with a partner, or with a group of friends.

”A woman can boogie while her old man is leaning against the bar counter”, Lilu promised.

Bengt Bradtberg was slurping from a beer mug in the entrance hall and complaining about his 'flu, while waiting for some people who had been his classmates at Munkkiniemi School all of 35 years ago. They were to have an unofficial class reunion.

The collars of the anonymous dog-owners from the Lassila dog park were not too tight. ”We do not know each other from elsewhere - just from meeting in the dog park. And we do not discuss illnesses, jobs, or men”, a female member of the group reported, twirling coquettishly in her new party dress.

The dog women suggested that the age-limit for men could be quietly lowered to 45 years.

Having been living in Spain for a long time, Maire Pylkkänen found the whole K-50 idea surprising and a bit disconcerting.

”This reflects the whole Finnish atmosphere. Why is there a social demand for this kind of a disco? This is age discrimination!” Pylkkänen argued.

”In Spain people celebrate together. Old women are respected, and young men take them to dance”, she reported sternly.

international@sanoma.fi

CANADA: Greying guys

TORONTO (Globe and Mail), May 19, 2008:

By AMY VERNER

Today, Suitable's role is not to pass judgment on men who have greying or balding pates, but to consider why such widespread image issues are viewed so negatively in a professional context.

One answer is that when men don't know how to deal with their hair, they set themselves up for ridicule and reverse favouritism (discrimination sounds way too harsh).

Indeed, it would be a mighty superficial society that determines a man's career potential based on his follicular fate.

But let's admit that comb-overs, ponytails and bad dye jobs will do nothing to promote an individual's career. These are non-verbal signals that can come back to haunt an otherwise capable workhorse.

“When your hair looks dyed, people may wonder what else you're hiding,” says men's image consultant Damon Allan, whose company, Alexander Steel, works with individual and business clients in Southern Ontario.

“You want to keep the honesty in your hair.”

And this means turning an insecurity – such as premature hair loss or greying – into a personal image asset. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper's stylish silver coif is a point of distinction.

“If I can compare [that insecurity] to anything with women, it's either small breasts or the need to have a facelift or eyelift,” Toronto hairstylist Catherine Moreau says.

Although medications such as prescription Propecia (finasteride) and non-prescription Rogaine (minoxidil) are effective options, as are hairpieces (also called hair systems) and transplants, the easiest way to attack thinning hair is to go for a haircut.

Because male pattern baldness begins above the temples, the sides will always be thicker.

Ms. Moreau says that not only will a close crop look fashionable, it will conceal the imbalance and create the illusion of fullness.

Men who have very little hair remaining may think to go the Bruce Willis route, but only after consulting with a professional. “The shape of the head and face is important,” insists Ms. Moreau, who is a national educator for Paul Mitchell salons.

International hairstylist Marc Anthony, who is based in Toronto, agrees. “Shaving it all completely off doesn't always work,” he says, warning that there can sometimes be demarcations and indentations on the scalp that don't look flattering.

Kevin Obregon, copyright photograph by J R Compton.

These days, grey hair falls into a grey area. There are those who think that a silvery mane or a little shake of salt and pepper gives the impression of wisdom and experience.

Others think it is negatively associated with aging, especially when the workplace is dominated by whippersnappers.

“Grey is good for a man as long as it doesn't become dull, ashy, mousy grey,” says Mr. Anthony, who is also a host and judge of Superstar Hair Challenge (on the Slice network). A silicone serum can give hair shine.

Salons can also offer various chemical processes. Ms. Moreau is a fan of a demi-permanent colour. “If permanent colour could be compared to opaque pantyhose … demi-permanent colour is the equivalent of sheer pantyhose,” she says. In other words, it doesn't totally cover up the hair colour and it can be done each time a client comes in for a cut.

Then there's a painting technique, which is the opposite of highlighting. Basically, darker shades are added back to the hair using a wide-tooth comb as opposed to dying the entire head.

Ms. Moreau leaves some grey at the temples and throughout the hair for the optimal realistic effect.

Mr. Anthony says: “You can take someone who is 70-per-cent grey and bring them down to 20-per-cent grey, but we do it over two or three visits over four or five months.”

Unlike highlighting, which results in notoriously noticeable roots, the growth is less pronounced, he says. “You can do it every few months, maybe a couple of times a year. It's not high-maintenance.”

Prices vary by salon, but he says men should expect to pay approximately half the cost of standard women's highlighting.

And while old habits die hard, try to resist the DIY route. “They've gone grey a bit and all of a sudden they look like they put shoe polish on their hair,” Mr. Anthony says.

Ms. Moreau cites a famous saying among stylists that has even been printed on T-shirts: “Quit your bitchin' – you did it in your kitchen.”

© Copyright 2008 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc

USA: Planning for death may ease fears, burden

AGEING DELIBERATELY

Liz Taylor
Special to The Seattle Times

SEATTLE (the Seattle Times), May 19, 2008:

When Benjamin Franklin said, "In this world nothing can be said to be is certain, except death or taxes," he probably couldn't imagine how thoroughly American society would scrub the very idea of dying.

Not only do Americans prefer to ignore their aging but the notion of death is beyond the pale. My parents died several years ago, and I think of them every day. It took my parents' deaths to realize that this is our legacy — to be remembered warmly. I catch a glimpse of my mom every time I look in the mirror; I'm reminded of one of my dad's sayings as the fall air turns cold; I use my mom's measuring cups when I cook — this is all part of the grace that remains after we've left this earth.

I endured the sadness well when my parents died because they had talked about their deaths off and on throughout their lives. It wasn't a secret. It just WAS. Being practical members of the Great Generation, they treated death as a natural part of living.

Life isn't forever, for any living entity. The more we pretend we'll live forever, the more we set ourselves up for great emotional and often financial catastrophe when our lives, as they were meant to do, end. The more we can come to terms with the inevitably of our aging and our dying, the more control we'll have over what happens.

The good news is, there are more options to talk about, more ways to thread this needle than in the past.

The New York Times reported on a program in New Hampshire that allows older people to have "slow medicine" — less-aggressive intervention when the likely outcome is a prolonged dying experience. One of the reasons: a 2002 study published in the journal Heart found that fewer than 2 percent of people in their 80s and 90s who had been resuscitated for cardiac arrest at home lived for a month. Not only can heroic measures be futile, but they can be expensive and unpleasant, leading to a miserable death.

The time to think about what we want done with our bodies is now.

Readers may remember my November three-part series on some of the unsavory realities of the funeral industry (search for "Liz Taylor and funeral" on seattletimes.com to read the series). The villain isn't the providers nearly as much as it is our ignorance — our refusal to think about these things ahead of time. There are many ways of dealing with our bodies after we die.

There are now home funerals, environmentally friendly funerals, and no funerals at all. There are efforts to allow people to take control of their deaths when they're terminal, like the Death With Dignity Initiative (www.yeson1000.org). There are also more than 100 programs in many states — like the People's Memorial Association in Seattle, the oldest consumer funeral planning group in the nation — that build community and legislative support for fair pricing, full disclosure of prices and options, and more affordable choices.

Next month, the Funeral Consumers Alliance, a consortium of funeral planning groups throughout the country, and Seattle's People's Memorial Association will host a national conference in Seattle where all of this will be discussed.

Most of us age accidentally, without planning or forethought. Aging Deliberately tells us how to age on purpose. You can reach Liz Taylor at lizt@agingdeliberately.com. Her Web site is www.AgingDeliberately.com.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

SOUTH AFRICA: R1.2 Billion For Equalisation of Old Age Grants

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (BuaNews - Tshwane), May 19, 2008: By Gabi Khumalo R1.2 billion has been allocated for the current financial year to provide for age equalisation for state old age grants. During the second reading debate of the Social Assistance Amendment Bill on Friday, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said the Bill will see men aged between 60 and 64 years qualifying for social assistance. The minister said that of the many izimbizo he attended, people asked him why men only being eligible for the old age grant from the age of 65, while women received the grant from 60 years, if the constitution stipulates equality between men and women. "We have ridden roughshod over the rights of older men as we have perceived them to be the stronger sex and more able to handle life's hardships than older women. "It is a liberty we have taken reluctantly and one which the Social Assistance Amendment Bill seeks to remedy," Minister Skweyiya said. He said that 450 000 men will benefit from the passing of this legislation, with approximately 121 000 coming on board this year. The first group of men aged 63 and 64 will be done after 1 April 2008, second group from 61 years after 1 April 2009 and from 60 years will be done after 1 April 2010. "These are mainly black males who were excluded by the apartheid regime from obtaining benefits that would prepare them for their retirement and protect them against poverty," said the minister. He said poverty and unemployment have caused many families to rely on social pensions for their survival especially where a social grant is the only source of income in a household. Older persons are instrumental in caring for the needs of their children, grandchildren and orphans as a result of the HIV and AIDS pandemic that is crippling the nation. The legislation, he said acknowledges the strategic role played by older persons in society. "We cannot just simply regard them as grants recipients but also need to recognise and appreciate their role as providers of care and ambassadors for moral regeneration." He noted that applicants are only eligible for payments from the date of application. The second objective of the Bill is also focused on ensuring that access to grants occurs in a fair and equitable manner. The minister said that the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is currently responsible for the process of grant applications stressing that the department including him have no say in this process and are unable to review the rejection of grants. The Bill allows the minister to appoint an independent tribunal that will consider all appeals against the decisions of SASSA. A centralised model of a Tribunal has been set up at the national office and being piloted in KwaZulu-Natal. The independent tribunal consisted of two sections including appeals officers to develop policies, while the adjudication was done by enlisted panel members. There were two phases of adjudication. At the pre-adjudication phase a matter would be investigated by medical practitioners and attorneys. Civil society would then usher in specific contexts like poor socio-economic conditions. The Independent Tribunal will serve as a mechanism that will allow the poor the opportunity to appeal the rejection of their applications without undertaking a costly legal process. Social security has expanded from a coverage rate of 2.5 million in 1994 to over 12.7million in 2008. BuaNews is published by Government Communications (GCIS) GCIS © 2002

GERMANY: Shocked - One quarter poor or on the brink

BERLIN (Monster & Critic), May 19, 2008: Business News New official figures Monday suggested that Germany's economic miracle is far from perfect, with a quarter of the population either living in poverty or conscious that a stroke of bad luck could push them over the brink. That shock to the self-esteem of a nation that prides itself on booming experts, superb technology and sophisticated culture was accompanied by central-bank data reiterating that German affluence lags far behind that of the United States. Both figures underline how the lifestyles of rich German holidaymakers and art collectors is a world apart from life in blighted small towns where the factories have all closed or grim inner-city tenements where immigrants count on welfare to survive. Like other Europeans, Germans have been debating whether soaring executive pay is fair and whether average-ability Germans starting out working lives today can aspire to, and achieve, the middle-class lives that were the norm a generation ago. The federal social-welfare ministry figures released Monday in Berlin show that the incomes of 26 per cent of Germany's population leave them 'at risk of poverty,' a broader category that includes those who are on the brink and have no significant savings. After various social security payments, only 13 per cent technically count as poor, which is still a lower poverty rate than the European Union average, according to Berlin officials. Using European Union methods, Germany defines poverty as a single person having less than 781 euros post tax in income monthly. Welfare provides a safety net of 347 euros monthly, topped up with various supplements, but on incomes between those two figures, diets are dreary, living space is cramped and cars are unaffordable. During the late 1950s and 1960s, Germany underwent an economic spurt, the Economic Miracle, similar to the rapid growth nowadays in emerging economies such as China. Jobs were easy to find, visible poverty shrank and Germany became an industrial world power. Over subsequent decades, Germany expanded its old-age pensions system, largely eliminating poverty among the elderly. Monday's figures show only 2.3 per cent of Germany's residents over 65 rely on welfare handouts. Critics charge however that conditions have become comparatively worse for the low-skilled, the young, solo parents and the unemployed, with the widening spread of incomes beginning to resemble that in the United States. Social scientists say that in a welfare state, an economic slowdown does not change much for those on welfare, but scares those on the brink - those worried that being fired or divorced could wipe out their savings and plunge them into the underclass. The Monday figures showed the poverty risk among employed people had risen in Germany - whereas it has fallen in the rest of the European Union. The reason was the spread of low-paid jobs, defined as those paying less than two-thirds of the national pay average. The figures issued Monday by the central bank, the Bundesbank, provide additional evidence that the affluence of Germany's upper crust is less impressive when averaged across the whole populace. The bank said that in 2007, real per capita GDP in the United States was still 27 per cent higher than in Germany. The income levels are adjusted to exclude differences in prices in the two countries. 'The gap is just as great as at the end of the 1990s,' the bank said in its monthly report, noting that Germany's slight lead in GDP growth figures in recent years had not altered the disparity. © 2003 - 2008 by Monsters and Critics.com, WotR Ltd.

KUWAIT: High Elderly Turnout in Kuwait Vote

. KUWAIT CITY (Arab Times),
May 19, 2008:

Kuwaiti seniors proved today that the democratic spirit is not limited to the youth alone. Elderly voters turned out in droves, overcoming sickness and physical disabilities to vote in legislative elections.

“Kuwait is currently witnessing a vital change in its democratic process,” Fourth Constituency candidate Hussein Mizyad Al-Mutairi said Saturday. Several Kuwaitis flocked to the polling centers early morning Saturday to elect their representatives in the National Assembly. Speaking to the Arab Times after visiting a number of polling stations in the constituency, Al-Mutairi expressed his satisfaction over the smooth flow of the electoral proceedings. He said the large turnout of voters is a clear indication that citizens are also keen on their demand for a strong Cabinet with the ability to safeguard public welfare. He hopes the elections will produce veteran parliamentarians who will push Kuwait towards development.

Throngs of voters arrived in the morning at Farwaniya Secondary School for Boys and Al-Muthana Primary School for Girls in the Fourth Constituency in which nine polling booths were installed. Most of the ‘early birds’ were the elderly who were eager to vote for their preferred candidates.

By Dahlia Kholaif
Arab Times

WORLD: Heart Disease, Strokes are biggest killers

NEW YORK (United Nations), May 19, 2008: Chronic conditions such as heart disease and stroke have taken over from infectious diseases as diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis as the leading causes of death around the globe, the United Nations World Health Organization says in a new report. Based on data collected from the 193 Member States of WHO, the annual report contains measures on 73 separate health indicators covering areas including mortality levels, availability of health-care workers and the prevalence of risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. “We are definitely seeing a trend towards fewer people dying of infectious diseases across the world,” said Ties Boerma, Director of the WHO Department of Health Statistics and Informatics. Source: UN News Centre “We tend to associate developing countries with infectious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. But in more and more countries the chief causes of death are non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.” This year’s report highlights several key issues, including the relatively slow increase in life expectancy in Eastern Europe since 1950 when compared with the rest of the continent, the soaring cost of health care worldwide and the effect that has on the poor, and the vast imbalance between maternal mortality rates in rich and poor nations.

U.K.: Neglected scandal of old age

The lack of decent care home provision for old age causes the children of the elderly acute emotional distress and guilt

Comment by
India Knight

From The Sunday Times
LONDON, May 18, 2008
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I used to really like the idea of being an old lady. I’d daydream sometimes about which version of my OAP self I’d like best. Version A was really fat (farewell, dieting), unwaxed and stubby-nailed (farewell, tyranny of grooming), quite drunk (goodbye, units), living on a diet of cakes (mm, carbohydrates) and gin, happy as a clam. Version B was whip-thin, in Chanel, being insufferably rude and travelling a lot – less blissfully slothful, but perhaps more interesting. I’d have that mad violet hair you used to see in the 1970s. It would be great.

Today, aged 42, I think of old age with the kind of alarm that borders on panic. Forget my gin and cakes, or my pink bouclé suits and matching Sobranies; the more realistic choices are a) being incarcerated in a disgusting nursing home that smells of cabbage and wee, where people talk to you as though you were a stupid baby, and then hit you – or worse; or b) being an unspeakable burden to my poor children and slowly destroying their lives with my gaga demands and bodily malfunctions. Though I suppose at least I have children, which means, hopefully, I’ll at least interact with other human beings every now and then and not die of loneliness. Or, of course, c) I keep the marbles and keep relatively healthy and die in my sleep, but I can’t help feeling that’s a long shot.

And then there’s the financial thing: who pays for the foul nursing home? Who pays for the carer? Do I eat up my grandchildren's school fees with my OAP needs, or do I dispose of my children’s inheritance in order to end my days, at monstrous expense, in a poorly ventilated room full of dribbling strangers and malevolent staff?

I'm not being paranoid; just factual: a report published earlier this month by the Commission for Social Care Inspection found that a record number of care homes for the elderly were so poorly run that they were a danger to their residents. Reading up on this subject also threw up the fact that most abuse of the elderly happens in their own homes by family members. There are an embarrassment of horrific stories to back this up, which I'll kindly spare you, but which point to the salient fact that there is nowhere near enough help or support available to family carers who are at the end of their tether – in most cases, there isn’t any at all. And you don’t need to consider abuse to be in need of help: the lack of provision for old age causes the children of the elderly acute emotional distress, guilt, and the rest, as anyone who’s had to put a parent into an institution – having remortgaged first, for added stress – will know.

Old age is like the elephant in the room of the middle-aged: everyone I know could give themselves a panic attack if they thought about it hard enough – which we choose not to do, because, really, there are very few obvious solutions. So we skip over newspaper stories about elderly abuse – which is on the rise – or about age-related tragedies, like the one last week where a couple who had been married for 60 years chose to kill themselves rather than be sent to separate nursing homes.

The bodies of Tom Hughes, 82, and his wife Nancie, 86, were found in their retirement flat in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, last weekend. They’d been visited by social services and told that Mrs Hughes faced going to a home for people with dementia but that her husband, a retired dentist, was well enough to move to an ordinary care home. A neighbour said: “It was too much to bear for them. They had spent their whole lives together.”

And even as we try to ignore these stories, we suddenly get tears in our eyes, out of the blue, because we spot some poor old man, bent in half and unable to straighten up, painstakingly shuffling to the shops in his slippers to buy his pathetic rations, or see an old lady sitting on a park bench, looking confused and unkempt and crying silently. Or at least I do. And then I torture myself imagining their lives 50 years ago, and their lives today, and it strikes me as scandalous that frail, vulnerable old people should be roaming about like this, clearly completely alone – because frankly the fortnightly visit from their harassed adult offspring doesn’t count.

It wouldn’t be tolerated if they were children – if packs of seemingly broken, half-blind kids wandered about various cities looking traumatised, barely able to put one foot in front of the other but having to in order not to starve, there would be a national outcry. Actually, forget children – if miserable-looking old dogs started popping up everywhere looking distressed, you wouldn’t be able to move for people running to call the RSPCA. And yet here are the old people, and we all feel terribly sorry for them, and for our future selves, and then turn a blind eye and try to think of something more cheerful.

It seems to me that there is the most incredible head-in-the-sandness going on concerning old age – and particularly the way the elderly are treated – both at a governmental and at a personal level. Gordon Brown proposed a new insurance-based system last week to fund care for the elderly; the idea is to stop people fretting about having to sell their homes to pay for care. Under the current system, anyone with a home or savings worth £22,250 or more (ie, everyone who doesn’t live in council property, basically) gets no help with care home fees.

This system, which penalises those who save, is to be scrapped, and replaced with a system where everyone gets government help. It’s something, I suppose, but I can’t help feeling it is only addressing one minute facet of a gigantic web of issues and concerns which, far from conveniently going away, grow in size and complexity by the day. Granted, old age isn’t a “sexy” subject – but we really need to come up with some workable solutions, or even suggestions. Personally, I’ve moved on from my earlier gin-and-cake/globetrotting model and am now planning an old ladies’ commune somewhere by the sea. I’ve thought about this very carefully – I’ve even earmarked a property – and have decided I would like to grow decrepit with my girlfriends: safety in numbers, and all that.

Every single woman of 40 or above that I mention my commune to literally begs for a space in it, which just goes to show how anguished and panicked we all are about the subject, no matter how breezily we cover it up. We’re none of us getting any younger: couldn’t we at least try to muster up some kind of safety net?

India Knight was born in 1965. She lives in London with her three children, writes a weekly column for The Sunday Times.

india.knight@sunday-times.co.uk

AUSTRALIA: Spices May Help Protect You From Disease

Promising results ... cinnamon and ginger are exciting the interest of researchers. Photo: Marina Oliphant

SYDNEY (Sydney Morning Herald),
May 18, 2008:

By Paula Goodyer

As you stir more turmeric into the vindaloo, or grate ginger into the stir-fry, it's good to know that, while these ingredients make food taste good, they may also help to protect you from disease.

Spices and herbs make up one of the newer pieces in the complex jigsaw of nutritional science, says Professor Linda Tapsell, director of Wollongong University's Smart Food Centre. But while scientists have a good grasp of how vitamins and minerals work, and how much we need, they're only just beginning to understand the role of the thousands of phytochemicals in plant foods.

"Some of these phytochemicals are thought to help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's by targeting two underlying problems these diseases have in common - one is oxidation that can damage cells or cause bad LDL cholesterol to oxidise and damage arteries, and the other is inflammation," she explains.

The spice stars currently generating interest include ginger (for its anti-inflammatory properties), cinnamon (for controlling blood sugar), and turmeric, which contains curcumin, a phytochemical from a family of powerful antioxidants called phenolics. Animal and lab studies suggest curcumin may protect against cancers of the stomach, colon, prostate and skin, as well as Alzheimer's.

A small study by Johns Hopkins University in 2006 found that when doses of both curcumin and quercetin (a phenolic found in red onions) were given to five patients with precancerous polyps over six months, the number of polyps shrank by 60%.

What's intriguing about curcumin is that we absorb it better when it's combined with piperine, a substance found in pepper - a combination that cooks have used instinctively for thousands of years.

Still, regular doses of turmeric are no guarantee against cancer, stresses Tapsell, who says there's a lot to learn about the potential benefits of spices and herbs for human health.

Says Tapsell: "It's one thing to get promising results in test tubes and with mice, but humans are more complex - because people are different not only in their genes but in how they live their lives. They can respond to these substances in different ways."

She's cautious, too, about the weight-loss benefits often attributed to eating chilli. "Again, it's one part of the jigsaw puzzle - one of many things that can help weight loss, but in a small way. But you can't take one single element and pin your hopes of weight loss on it; at the end of the day it's the total diet and exercise that counts."

But while we're a long way from knowing exactly how spices can protect our health, there's an argument for using them generously: they're an easy way to boost the variety of nutrients in your diet - and reduce the salt as well.

Copyright © 2008 Fairfax Digital

INDIA: 105, and still going strong

Palghar dairy farmer Raghunath Raut swears by a litre of milk a day

MUMBAI (Mumbai Mirror), May 18, 2008:

Ram Parmar

Raghunath Raut has survived 105 summers, and even today religiously follows a routine that would put many a young man to shame. Raut, who turned 105 on May 12 this year, belongs to Makunsar, a small village near Palghar, 90 km from Mumbai.

Raut was born on May 12, 1903, to Jeevan and Sakubai, and is the lone survivor of a family of six brothers. Traditionally a dairy farmer, even today he makes it a point to supervise and even milk buffaloes in his stable.

Educated only till Std II at the Zilla Parishad Marathi School in Makunsar, Raut can read a bit, but as far as writing is concerned, he can only sign his name, says Yadhunath (44), his younger son. Even today, he follows an "early to bed, early to rise" regime.

Married twice to women named Yashoda and Anandi (both expired), Raghunath has fathered nine daughters and two sons, all of whom are well settled.

A staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi, he gave up tea, meat and is a teetotaller. In fact, the entire household follows a veg diet and alcohol is taboo.

After Gandhi's Quit India call in 1942, Raut took to swadeshi and as a protest to the then British Rule, gave up drinking tea and adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, says Yadhunath.

When Gandhi visited Palghar during the mid-1940s, Raut met Bapu and was swayed by his call of nationalism. It was at his farmhouse in Makunsar that other villagers assembled to participate in a small protest against the British Rule.

Work and diet

Raut drinks a litre of milk a day, and has two tablespoons of ghee (purified butter) with his staple diet of two chappatis, vegetable, rice and dal.

He has been following this diet for the past six decades, and not once has he visited a doctor. For things like routine coughs and colds, Raut turns to homemade remedies, Due to old age, he has problems in his left ear, but has refused a hearing aid.

On Thursdays, he maintains a fast, eating once a day, as it helps ‘cleanse the body of impurities.’

Even today Raut supervises the milking process of the 20-plus buffaloes at his farm. At one time, he used to himself milk at least 15 buffaloes a day, but has slowed down. Since 1991, I have reduced my workload, says Raut.

Around 200 litres of milk from his farm are transported daily to a Virar dairy, from where it is retailed to various Mumbai outlets, says Yadhunath. He gets angry if there is delay in despatching milk cans from Saphale by the 1530 hrs Surat-Virar shuttle.

“When I was young, I used to plough fields, but since 1998 I've stopped,” says Raut. His son Yadhunath has taken over the chore. His elder son, Chintaman (65) is paralytic and lives in Borivli, and so the responsibility of caring for 'Baba' has fallen on Yadhunath, who also doubles up as his barber. He yells at Yadhunath if he suffers even a nick!

Earlier, before setting out for the fields, Raut used to eat chana with jaggery as it gave him energy to plough the fields. But now he has gone easy on this, says Yadhunath. Still, even today, he demands spicy food and the vegetable must be floating in at least an inch of oil. Each day he has bhakri (bread) made out of rice as it is rich in carbohydrates.

“Milk is the secret of my energy, and one should shun alcohol and take to vegetarianism,” said Raut, when asked the secret of his health. And of course, no afternoon naps for Raut.

RAUT'S ROUTINE
04:00: Wake up, bath and prayers
07:00: Frugal breakfast of chana and jaggery. No tea. Drinking 500 ml of milk is a must.
07:30: Supervising milk farm with son Yadhunath
12:00: Lunch - two chappatis, vegetable, dal, steamed rice with two table spoons of ghee.
14:00: Supervising noon session of milking buffaloes
15:00: Supervising despatch of 200 litres of milk to Virar dairy from Saphale with son’s help
16:00-1700: Taking a round of the stable and farm
18:00: Listening to radio (not FM, but AIR) while drinking 500 ml milk
18:30: Playing the mridangum and chanting slokas
19:00: Viewing DD Sahyadri for news on agricultural updates. Then family talk
20:00: Dinner (same as lunch)
20:30: Playing with grandchildren
21:00: Lights off

Raut with grandchildren

Source: The Times of India e-paper

SRI LANKA: Not what the doc ordered for middle-aged men

COLOMBO (The Sunday Times), May 18, 2008:

Middle-aged men who ate seven or more eggs a week had a higher risk of earlier death, U.S. researchers have reported. Men with diabetes who ate any eggs at all raised their risk of death during a 20-year period studied, according to the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study adds to an ever-growing body of evidence, much of it contradictory, about how safe eggs are to eat. It did not examine what about the eggs might affect the risk of death. Men without diabetes could eat up to six eggs a week with no extra risk of death, Dr. Luc Djousse and Dr. J. Michael Gaziano of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School found.

"Whereas egg consumption of up to six eggs a week was not associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, consumption of (seven or more) eggs a week was associated with a 23 percent greater risk of death," they wrote. "However, among male physicians with diabetes, any egg consumption is associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality, and there was suggestive evidence for a greater risk of MI (heart attack) and stroke."

They urged more study in the general population. Eggs are rich in cholesterol, which in high amounts can clog arteries and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. One expert on nutrition and heart disease said the study suggests middle-aged men, at least, should watch how many eggs they eat.

"More egg on our faces? It's really hard to say at this point, but it still seems, if you're a middle-aged male physician and enjoy eggs more than once a day, that having some of the egg left on your face may be better than having it go down your gullet," said Dr. Robert Eckel of the University of Colorado and a former president of the American Heart Association.

"But, remember: eggs are like all other foods - they are neither 'good' nor 'bad,' and they can be part of an overall heart-healthy diet," Eckel wrote in a commentary. The Harvard team studied 21,327 men taking part in the much larger Physicians' Health Study, which has been watching doctors since 1981 who have agreed to report regularly on their health and lifestyle habits.

Over 20 years, 1,550 of the men had heart attacks, 1,342 had strokes, and more than 5,000 died."Egg consumption was not associated with (heart attack) or stroke," the researchers wrote. But the men who ate seven eggs a week or more were 23 percent more likely to have died during the 20-year period.

Diabetic men who ate any eggs at all were twice as likely to die in the 20 years. Men who ate the most eggs also were older, fatter, ate more vegetables but less breakfast cereal, and were more likely to drink alcohol, smoke and less likely to exercise - all factors that can affect the risk of heart attack and death. (Reuters)

© Copyright 2008 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo.

INDIA: The best is yet to come…

CHENNAI (The Hindu), May 18, 2008:

By SWAPNA MAJUMDAR

More and more people are getting married at an age considered ripe for retirement previously. And in most cases, love and marriage seem to work better the second time around.

Photos: Arunangs0u Roy Chowdhury, Joginder Chawla

The comfort of companionship: Often marrying again is a better option than loneliness.

Yezi Tata was a little nervous. After all, it was his first time. But as soon as Tata, 75, saw his winsome 58-year-old bride, his jitters vanished.

Although it had taken him time to make up his mind, he knew the decision to finally get married was right.

This was in 2000, eight years ago and neither Yezi (now 82) nor wife Aloo (now 66) have regretted a single moment. “For me, it was a second marriage. But the difference in our ages didn’t matter then and it doesn’t even today. Both of us needed companionship and there is a deep bond of friendship and understanding between us. We are very happy together,” says Aloo.

It is not merely the Tatas who have taken the plunge at an age considered by many as a time to retire from worldly pursuits. More and more people are beginning life anew after the age of 50. In fact, the number of registrations of people over the age of 50 at matrimonial bureaus has increased by 15-20 per cent over the last year.

Increasing numbers

According to A.M. Badal, chief executive officer of the marriage portal Re-marriage.com, over 4,000 persons over the age of 50 have registered at their matrimonial website. He says that since they started arranging marriages for senior citizens in 2002, there has been an increase of almost 20 per cent in membership. “Age is no bar here. They can be in their fifties or eighties. All that is needed is the will to remarry. Our motto is to bring back spring in the autumn of their lives,” contends Badal.

In fact, when HelpAge India, an NGO working for the elderly, decided to survey matrimonial sites to study profiles of members registered, it was startled to find a sizeable number of older persons. This study in 2004 found that of the 14 matrimonial sites surveyed, about 12 per cent of persons registered were over the age of 50. Over half of these were over the age of 60.

“Obviously, the belief that life doesn’t end at 60 is growing. This is reflected by the fact that when this study was first undertaken, many matrimonial sites did not have age-groups above 55. Today most go up to 99 years,” points out Nidhi Raj Kapoor, Head of Communications, HelpAge India.

However, Jyotsna Sahai is happy that her friend Bishan didn’t wait until he was 99 to propose marriage. But when the executive director of the Jay Engineering Works, Sriram group, finally did propose at the age of 60, it swept her off her feet. “When I asked him why he hadn’t married for so long, he told me he had been waiting all his life for me,” remembers a blushing Jyotsna.

Although she was 55 then, a gold medallist in Rabindra sangeet and already married once, Jyotsna felt extremely shy of talking about her remarriage to her children. Since daughter Nina was married and lived in Toronto, she decided to visit her son Saurav, then based in Mumbai, to tell him. “I was not seeking his permission but I wanted his consent. But somehow I couldn’t tell him. I wrote a letter to him and returned to Kolkata. I passed some anxious hours till I received a call from him the same evening. He told me that he was really happy with my decision,” recounts Jyotsna, now 75.

“I was very glad for my mother since I was unable to live with her for a large part of my life due to studies. Both my sister and I are proud of her brave efforts to raise us as she had to acquire a degree late in life to hold her job, educate and raise us when we had financial difficulties. Her first marriage broke up but it did not break her,” says Saurav, corporate vice-president, HCL Technologies Ltd.

Daughter Nina, a medical doctor, adds that despite living so far away, they are all very close to each other. “I don’t feel guilty at not being able to look after her, as I cannot think of a better person who cares for my mother’s every need than Mr. Sahai. If children support their parents’ decision regarding re-marriage, it creates a more harmonious relationship between families,” she adds.

In fact, Jyotsna says that she was considered a trend-setter by her friends not just because she remarried at 55 but also because her daughter-in-law took over the responsibility of dressing the bride.

If it was not for the active encouragement and support from her three children, Aloo too would have probably continued to live in America even though she was lonely after the death of her husband. But when she realised that her feeling for her good friend Yezi had changed into something stronger, she decided that she wanted to marry him even if it meant returning to Delhi almost after 30 years. “It was Yezi who was apprehensive about whether I could adjust in India, not me. My children and even their spouses knew about my feelings and they were very happy when we finally married,” says Aloo.

It was their children too who played a crucial role in bringing together publisher K.P.R. Nair and teacher Latha. Nair, who steadfastly turned down suggestions that he remarry after the death of his wife from cancer, finally tied the knot five years later when his three daughters and Latha’s son gave the green signal. “I think it was destiny and the blessings of Mata Amritanandmayi that we married. I took the decision to remarry because I realised that my youngest daughter, then 13, needed more than a father. Having lost my mother when I was eight, I knew what it meant to be motherless. So when I decided to remarry, among the two proposals that I thought would be compatible, one was Latha’s. But since her son was quite young, I was more inclined towards finalising the proposal with another lady. But at a critical juncture this lady’s 15-year-old son expressed his opposition to his mother remarrying. So it fell through. This is how I decided to visit Latha in her home in Coimbatore,” says Nair, 60.

Latha’s son Vishnu was then just eight. “I don’t know what it was about him that I liked. It could have been the red Ford car that he came in that tilted the balance in his favour,” says Vishnu with a mischievous smile.

Important consideration

Whatever it was, by the end of the day, when Nair returned to Delhi, Vishnu asked his grandfather how soon he could address him as his father. “I had a bad first marriage and I didn’t want another disaster. Although many proposals were coming I refused them because my son was against my remarriage. Even in this case, if my son had said no, I wouldn’t have remarried,” says Latha.

Even celebrities have embraced geriatric domesticity. Popular Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan’s fourth marriage at 79 was not seen as unfashionable by his loving fans. When Ashok Jaitley, former chief secretary, Jammu and Kashmir, remarried soon after the high profile marriage of his daughter Aditi to cricketer Ajay Jadeja, it created as much a buzz on page three as did his daughter’s. Jaitley, who was earlier married to politician Jaya Jaitley, took the plunge at 60. Veteran journalist and editor-in-chief of The Tribune, H.K. Dua, went in for a registered ceremony when he was 64 years old. It took the former editor of The Hindustan Times nine years after the death of his wife to tie the knot for the second time.

More men in need

Although herbal queen Shahnaz Hussain was in her sixties when she wed a second time after the demise of her husband, it has been more men than women seeking companionship, if the numerous letters and requests that HelpAge has received is any indication. It has been elderly men who have been more persistent in seeking a second life partner after the passing of their first wife.

“The astrologer has said that I will live at least till 90 and I need someone to share the rest of my life with, so could HelpAge find a match?” wrote a 75-year-old. A 73-year-old U.S.-educated Punjabi widower from Delhi sent the details of the ad he placed so that HelpAge didn’t have any difficulty in finding him a lady companion.

Of course, these enthusiasts are not depending entirely on one organisation to find a match. While some are registering with online marriage portals themselves, others are being registered by their children.

According to BharatMatrimony, a marriage portal mentioned in the Limca Book of Records for record number of documented marriages online, of the 3,750 profiles of persons above the age of 50, about 1,500 have been registered by their children.

A couple of years ago, the thought of love and remarriage after the age of 50 would have frowned upon and attracted societal ostracisation. Today, senior citizens are registering on marriage portals and placing matrimonial advertising in newspapers with the active encouragement of their children. Clearly, for all the “silvers” yeh dil maange more.

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu

AUSTRALIA: Strong argument to increase aged pension

SYDNEY (Sydney Morning Herald), May 18, 2008: The federal opposition says there is a very strong argument to increase the age pension, but has not yet committed to such a policy. Pensioners stripped to their underwear in Melbourne on Friday in protest at the government's failure to lift the pension in last week's budget. The same day opposition spokeswoman for ageing Margaret May said she would support an increase to pensioner payments. Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson said on Sunday the coalition had not decided to commit to a policy of increasing the pension but there was a strong argument to do so. He said the coalition's pensioners policy would be released once it was fully costed. "There is a very strong argument for raising the base rate of the pension," Dr Nelson told ABC Television. "I am very strongly of the view that it is time for us now to further strengthen the financial position of Australian pensioners and we are in the process of developing policy at the moment. "I can assure you that we will release that policy once it has been fully concluded." © 2008 AAP Copyright © 2008. The Sydney Morning Herald.

USA: Few Know Stroke Symptoms, Says Survey

Dr. Mallika Marshall Outlines Symptoms To Help You Recognize Them

NEW YORK (CBS News), May 17, 2008:

Some 780,000 people in the United States will have a stroke this year. It's the third-leading cause of death in the country, behind heart disease and cancer.

But a government study finds that a shockingly small number of people can recognize the signs that they are having a stroke.

So, on The Early Show Saturday, medical contributor Dr. Mallika Marshall offered potentially life-saving tips on how to recognize a stroke, and what to do if you think you or someone else may be having one.

Marshall explained that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data from a telephone survey of more than 71,000 people in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Only about 16 percent of those responding correctly recognized the five main stroke warning signs, knew to call 911, and could identify symptoms that are not indicative of stroke.

As a result, Marshall says, federal health officials want to significantly raise the country's stroke awareness by the year 2010.

The first of the five primary stroke symptoms, Marshall says, is sudden weakness or numbness of the arms, legs or face, especially on one side. It is, she says, a classic sign of stroke and, fortunately, one that many people do recognize.

Next is sudden vision problems in one or both eyes. That one, Marshall points out, isn't as obvious for some people. But sometimes the only symptom a stroke victim may have is sudden blurry vision or vision loss. It requires immediate attention.

The third sign is sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or difficulty walking. If you start experiencing any of them, you should think, "Could this be a stroke?"

Fourth on the symptom list is sudden confusion or trouble speaking. If someone is acting normally one moment and then starts to slur his or her speech or seems confused, is making up words or speaking gobbely-gook, get them evaluated immediately.

The fifth and final main sign of a possible stroke is a sudden severe headache with no known cause. If you have a history of headaches and you have one that's typical for you, it's probably not a stroke. But if you develop a bad headache that you've never had before, think: "Could this be a stroke?"

If you or someone you knows develops ANY of these symptoms, even if they have just one, call 911 immediately, Marshall stressed. Don't put the person in a car and try to drive to an emergency room. Don't call their physician to get advice over the phone. Drop everything and call 911.

For the most common type of stroke, one caused by a blood clot in an artery in the brain, you have up to three hours from the onset of symptoms to give that person clot-busting drugs. If someone has a stroke in which they bleed or hemorrhage in the brain, they may require emergency surgery to have the best chance at survival and recovery.

People should also be aware of "TIA," which stands for transient ischemic attack. Some people call it a mini-stroke. Basically, you develop the symptoms of a stroke, but they resolve themselves after a short period of time. That happens when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel, but then blood starts to flow again. A TIA should be taken seriously, because it means you're likely to have a stroke in the future. So, again, you need to call 911.

How can you tell if any of these symptoms are from a stroke or something else - a migraine, for instance?

Often, Marshall emphasized, you don't. With stroke, the onset of the symptom is usually sudden or out of the blue. You can get many of these symptoms from a whole host of other conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, inner-ear infections, and so on. But the point is, they could also mean stroke.

And, since time is of the essence with stroke, don't waste time trying to figure out what's going on. Call 911 and let the doctors do that for you.

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. You can get more information about strokes at the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and at the Stroke Health Center at WebMD.com.


© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc.

CANADA: Nursing the Elderly

MONTREAL (The Gazette), May 17, 2008: Stephanie Whittaker, Freelance Judy Bianco admits that it can be a tough sell. "We have a hard time attracting nurses into gerontological nursing," said Bianco, the head nurse in the Jewish General Hospital's geriatric unit. Then again, she added, many of the student nurses who do internships on her ward end up loving this specialized slice of the nursing profession that cares for the senior population. "It's so challenging," Bianco said. "Unfortunately, no one makes TV shows about gerontologic nursing. It's too bad, because this is a specialized part of nursing that spans the gamut." The "gamut" to which Bianco refers is the physical, psychological and social. "When you're nursing older adults, particularly those who are in failing health, the family is very involved in the care. In gerontologic nursing, we're looking at bio-psycho-social care and the entire patient in the context of the family and the community." That's why the first question a geriatric nurse asks when assessing an out-patient, for instance, is not: Tell me about your health, Bianco said. "The No. 1 question is: What is a normal day in your life like? We want to know the nitty-gritty of how the person functions. We want to know everything, including how they're going to get in and out of a bathtub. It's a bit like detective work. Patients are often surprised at how much time we spend on these questions. Older people may have multiple health problems that require time to understand." Dealing with a vulnerable population, she said, means geriatric nurses must be advocates for their patients. "We collaborate with CLSCs and other community services. Our role is to help people to stay as autonomous for as long as possible." Bianco works on a ward that is dedicated to acute care. Often, patients are admitted suffering the adverse effects of drug interactions. "We take care of the acute medical problem and get them on their feet again," she said. About 35 per cent of the patients admitted to the unit are unable to return to their lives in the community and require chronic care, Bianco said. Others might require palliative care. Gerontologic nurses work with the families of their patients. "We do a lot of anticipatory guidance with families," Bianco said. "When someone is diagnosed with dementia, for instance, we help the families understand it." Not all geriatric nursing takes place in hospitals. At Health Access, a Beaconsfield company that provides nursing and home care to help keep people autonomous at home, owner Donna Byrne says about 85 per cent of her clientele are seniors. "Our nurses co-ordinate the care," Byrne said. "They oversee the plan, which is carried out by our home-care attendants." In addition to evaluating the needs of the elderly clients, she said, Health Access nurses meet with the senior's family members to "decide on the kind of care that's needed." Byrne says the need for geriatric nursing will expand in the next couple of decades as baby boomers move into their senior years. "There'll be huge growth in this area. In the past, nurses weren't that interested in geriatric nursing but there is such a need." It's also becoming high tech, she said. Health Access is participating in a pilot project with McGill University's school of nursing to deliver services to seniors via the Internet. "Three of our seniors have Web cameras and can have conferences with our nurses," Byrne said. "They're equipped with a blood-pressure cuff, which they can put on, and our nurses can read them from the office." Home-care geriatric nurses also tend to be educators, she said. "If one of our clients needs to learn how to administer his own insulin, our nurses can go to the home to teach them. They're helping people learn to help themselves." Lucie Ladouceur, a nurse at the Lakeshore General Hospital who is called a care counsellor in geriatrics, agrees that the need for gerontologic nurses will increase as the population ages. "It's a big concern," she said. "Most geriatric patients have multiple illnesses rather than just one." Like Bianco, Ladouceur says geriatric nurses are holistic. "We look at the psycho-social elements of our patients' lives and not just the physical." Moreover, she said, geriatric nurses work in various departments in hospitals. "We have nurses with a geriatric specialization in the emergency ward as well as in the geriatric unit," she said. "We work on a multi-disciplinary team because the nurses put together the care plan for patients. The medical component is one part of that plan, but you have to look at the overall picture. "For instance, if you're treating an elderly patient having cataract surgery, you need to know whether that person will be able to function both prior to the surgery and afterward. "Perhaps, the person may not be able to cope at home. When you're dealing with the convalescence of a younger adult, you may be looking at a shorter period of time." "A person may be coming in with a heart problem but also has diabetes," said Ladouceur. "It's a challenge dealing with this, but it's also a passion for us. The nurse has to be a central advocate for that patient, as well as the liaison with the patient's family." Ladouceur said "there's a false impression that geriatric nursing is just about doing maintenance. It's not. If you do a good evaluation, you can see the potential to optimize someone's care." Bianco agrees and adds that one of her most important functions is to protect the dignity of her patients. She's also seen nursing students fall in love with gerontology. "When they do their rotations, they say it's nothing like they thought it would be. They didn't think it would be quite this challenging. People have the impression that geriatrics is where people go to end their nursing careers. I say: 'Look at me. Do I look like I'm here to end my career?' " In fact, Bianco returned to the Jewish General two weeks ago after taking an eight-month leave of absence to complete her master's degree. She's in the profession she loves for the long haul. © The Gazette (Montreal) 2008

JAPAN: 1,000 Indonesian Nurses to Help in Elderly Healthcare

TOKYO (Japan Today), May 17, 2008: Japan and Indonesia agreed Friday that Japan will begin accepting a total of 1,000 nurses and nursing-care specialists from the Southeast Asian nation over the next two years from July, government officials said. The move came after the Diet approved a bilateral economic partnership agreement to that effect at a plenary session of the House of Councillors, the upper house, earlier in the day. In the first six months, candidates will receive Japanese-language training and work as caregivers or assistant nurses at hospitals or nursing homes for the elderly. If the nursing-care workers and nurses pass national exams within three and four years respectively, the workers will be able to remain in Japan. But they will be forced to leave the country if they fail the exams. © 2008 Kyodo News.

USA: Will Elder, 86, original cartoonist for Mad magazine dies

Cover of Mad magazine by Will Elder and Harvey Kurtzman

By Dennis McLellan,
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 17, 2008

Will Elder, one of the original Mad magazine cartoonist-illustrators who helped set the irreverent visual style of the legendary satirical publication in the 1950s and later co-created the long-running "Little Annie Fanny" color cartoon strip in Playboy magazine, has died. He was 86.

Elder died of Parkinson's disease Thursday in a nursing home in Rockleigh, N.J., said his son-in-law, Gary VandenBergh.

"His artistic ability was unparalleled, but it was the sense of humor that he brought to it that really set him apart," Hugh Hefner, Playboy publisher and a fan of Elder's work since "the early days of Mad," told The Times on Friday. "He was a zany and a lovable one."

Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times

CHINA: Earthquake-hit Elderly Villagers Get Army Assistance

Chinese soldiers uses a trolley to transfer an elderly woman in Beichuan county. Photo: May 16, 2008 Andy Wong AP

AUSTRALIA: Pensioners bare their grievances

Putting their bodies on the line: pensioners take their protest against the federal Budget to the streets yesterday. Picture: Peter Ward

MELBOURNE
Herald Sun By Kelly Ryan
May 17, 2008

NEARLY nude nannas - and at least one grandpa - dared to undress in the city centre yesterday to protest what they believe are paltry pensions.

True to their threat, er, promise, the pensioners stripped down to their underwear, stopping traffic and clogging a city intersection to highlight their financial plight.

Inspired by the spontaneous shirtless city sit-in by taxi drivers a fortnight ago, hundreds of members of the blue-rinse brigade demanded larger pensions, complaining they had been ignored in this week's federal Budget.

Organiser Shirley Grant was stunned by the turn-out as placard-waving and chanting senior citizens took over the steps of Flinders St station.

Banners read "It doesn't pay to grow old" and "A fair go for pensioners".

They remained mostly clothed and orderly on the steps of Flinders St station until one of them, a retired policeman known as John of Bayswater, ran into the middle of the Swanston St intersection, where he quickly stripped down to his jocks.

When police politely moved in to order him to dress, dozens of chanting protesters rushed to join him, with several women removing blouses to bare their bras.

"We are struggling and we don't get a fair go on $270 a week," John said.

"Stop treating criminals like celebrities and pensioners like criminals.

"Pensioners are the silent majority and they are crapped on all the time."

Realising all cameras were pointing at him, John said: "My wife will be cringing at home in horror."

The protesters want between $70 and $100 more a week.

Family First senator Steve Fielding joined the protesters and also went shirtless.

Another man said an inadequate pension forced him to live extremely frugally.

"I can't afford to go anywhere. I'm stuck at home most of the time. I struggle to feed myself and I struggle to pay my debts," he said.

"It's very, very hard, and the politicians get their pensions when they retire and live like kings and queens.

"They get a hundred times more than we do and yet the ordinary pensioners of this country work harder than any politician every could.

"We built this country and they throw us in the gutter and they tell us that we're worth nothing and they treat us like we don't belong here. It's wrong and we need to get a fair go."

President of the Combined Pensioners of Victoria Bruce Baxter was delighted with the turn-out and warned more was to come.

"We are really starting to get organised like we've never been organised before," Mr Baxter said.

"We are now talking to the Trades Hall Council and the ACTU and are going to ask them to help us out.

"It's starting to build now to where there is no stopping it.

"Unless the Government comes to the party and gives us an increase as far as the pension is concerned, more and more of this will go on.

"We're on the march."

© Herald and Weekly Times

USA: Man's rare ability may unlock secret of memory

LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (CNN), May 16, 2008:

By David S. Martin

Story Highlights
* Wisconsin man has extraordinary memory known as hyperthymestic syndrome
* He remembers specific dates, days of week, events from decades ago
* Researchers hope to gain new insights into how a superior memory works

Give Brad Williams a date, and he can usually tell you not only what he was doing but what world events happened that day. He can do this for almost every day of his life.

Brad Williams has hyperthymestic syndrome, experts say, and remembers what he did on allmost every day of his life.

Williams is one of only three people in the world identified with this off-the-charts autobiographical memory, according to researchers at the University of California-Irvine who gave the condition its name: hyperthymestic syndrome, from the Greek words for excessive (hyper) and remembering (thymesis).

Unlike most people whose memories fade with time, much of Williams' life is etched indelibly in his mind.

"It's just there," said Williams, 51, who reports the news for a family of radio stations in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The California researchers are studying Williams and the two others with hyperthymestic syndrome, a man in Ohio and woman in California, hoping to gain new insights into how a superior memory works.

The goal of the study is to find a way to help people with failing memory.

Williams didn't realize how exceptional his memory was until his brother Eric told him about an article published two years ago in the journal Neurocase, describing a woman referred to by the initials, A.J.

"My brother in California saw this and said, 'She sounds like you. Why don't we talk to the folks at Irvine?'" Williams said.

At Irvine, researchers quizzed Williams, as they have the two other hyperthymestics, about a series of dates, asking for the corresponding event, and vice-versa.

"The speed with which they do this is part of why I find this so amazing because it seems to indicate there's no -- or not much -- intentional calculation going on. It's boom, boom, boom, there's the answer," said Larry Cahill, a fellow at the university's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. "Remember, these are questions they had no idea what we're going to ask them."

Now researchers are using an MRI to create three-dimensional pictures of the hyperthymestic brain. They want to see whether any brain structures differ in size, compared with the average brain.

Cahill and his colleagues are still going over the results but it appears some structures in the prefrontal cortex are substantially larger in hyperthymestics. The prefrontal cortex sits at the front of the brain and has been associated with complex thinking, not learning or memory.

Cahill said he hoped others with this extraordinary ability will come forward.

"I hope that we can identify as many of these people as possible because the more we identify and the more we study the greater the likelihood that we are going to really figure out fundamental new things about brains and memory that we would have never figured out without them," Cahill said.

Flipping through a family photo album with him it was astonishing how much Williams recalled, going back decades.

Asked about one black and white picture taken in the Badlands of South Dakota, he remembered exactly when it was taken: Tuesday, July 28, 1964, the same day as a trip to Mount Rushmore. He also remembered that the temperature reached 100 degrees and that they tried to keep Funny Face drinks cool in a Thermos in the back of the car.

Cahill said Williams and the other hyperthymestics don't do any better than average on standard memory tests, nor are they savants, a condition where one extraordinary mental ability is accompanied by deficits in other areas.

In this age of instant information, what can you do with phenomenal recall?

"I don't really know. I've thought about it for years," said Williams, the 1969 Wisconsin Spelling Bee champion. Williams appeared on "Jeopardy!" but finished second.

For now, Williams said he is content knowing research into his memory might help others. "That would be the ultimate goal."

© 2008 Cable News Network.

INDIA: Insurance cos calculate running age for premium

MUMBAI (The Economic Times), May 16, 2008: Rucha Biju Chitrodia, TNN Senior citizens, who are already grappling with steep premium rate hikes, have yet another reason to be miffed with the controversial health insurance sector. In what could perhaps be a first instance of its kind, last year, a public sector insurer started calculating and charging premium on the basis of an insurance applicant’s running age, against the normal practice of completed age. Mumbai’s B K Shah, himself a medical practitioner, discovered this when he applied for his Mediclaim policy renewal. “In a nutshell,’’ says Shah, “when I went for renewal at the New India Assurance Company in October, the policy showed up my age as 74, although it should have been 73... I was told that they had introduced a ‘running age’ concept.’’ Shah says he thus had to shell out a higher loading (increase) on the premium than if his actual age were taken into account. He paid Rs 700 extra. “With this additional amount, my renewal premium rose to a total of Rs 23,052 last year from Rs 11,053 in 2006.’’ Subsequently, Shah made a right to information (RTI) application, which confirmed the company had shifted to this structure since August 16, 2007, “as a corporate decision’’. Bimalendu Chakrabarti, CMD at New India Assurance, corroborates this development. The RTI document assured that as and when the policy was due for renewal, policyholders would be intimated along with premium calculation. Shah denies receiving any such intimation. The document also mentioned that “the product" was approved by the sectoral watchdog, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda). Shah now approached the Irda to verify the claim. “I received a ridiculous reply that the method of calculating age is an internal underwriting issue to be decided by the concerned insurer.’’ In the absence of Irda chairman C S Rao, who retired earlier this week, a detailed discussion on the subject was not possible. However, an Irda official admits that the regulator has not issued specific instructions in this regard. “Most companies follow (the concept of) completed age and one follows running age... Companies’ policies are disclosed in their documents.’’ Another official adds, “In a detariffed market, the premium has to be decided by the insurance company.’’ The ombudsman’s office too washes its hands of the issue. “This is not an area of dispute. We don’t look at issues such as age. We come into the picture only when a claim is denied,’’ says an official. Blaming this laxity for the situation, K S (Kaka) Samant, general secretary at the General Insurance Pensioners’ Association, Western Zone, says: “Since the Irda has not taken any objection, it is taken as a sign of approval.’’ The consumer organisations TOI spoke to said this was a case of commercial considerations overriding logic. As Mumbai activist Jehangir Gai asks, “Would someone who is 17 and running 18 be allowed to vote?’’ Shah also made RTI requests to other public sector general insurers, Oriental Insurance Company, United India Insurance Company and National Insurance Company. They charge premium according to the applicant’s actual age. Courtesy: www.timesofindia.com

INDIA: Fresh Health Insurance Cover Not Available For Over 60

Q. I want to buy health insurance for my mother, aged 74. Will any company offer me a policy? On what terms? A. Although insurance companies offer packages with different rates and conditions, most provide cover up to age of 60 with renewal up to 70 years. So, as of today, a senior citizen beyond 70 is not eligible for health insurance cover. But, with increasing life spans in India, people above 70 make up an important segment. Following the IRDA’s recommendations to insurance companies to develop products specially tailored for senior citizens, it is possible that in the near future the needs of this segment will be catered to. Ajay Bimbhet is managing director, Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Company Ltd. Source: MONEY MATTERS LiveMint, Wall Street Journal May 17, 2008

USA: Risk Of Death Persists In Heart Patients With Acute Kidney Injury, Study Shows

CHEVY CHASE, MD (ScienceDaily), May 16, 2008: Acute kidney injury (AKI), a common complication of cardiac surgery during hospitalization, is linked to increased and prolonged risk of death in heart attack patients who have been discharged from the hospital, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers. Led by Chirag Parikh, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, the study examined the relationship between AKI and long-term mortality risk in 147,000 elderly patients enrolled in the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project. "We found that among myocardial infarction patients, there was an association with increased and long-term risk of death for surgery patients who made it out of the hospital," said Parikh. "The risk of death did not appreciably dissipate over time, and was still considerable for those who survived the first three years of follow-up." The research team graded the relationship between AKI and long-term risk of death. Those with mild, moderate and severe AKI had a 15, 23 and 33 percent increased risk of death respectively after accounting for other known risk factors. For all severities of AKI, there was a consistent link to increased long-term risk of death. AKI was also stronger than other long-term mortality predictors such as diabetes, heart failure, lung disease and chronic kidney disease. Parikh said that clinicians commonly view AKI as a reversible syndrome and that patients with AKI may benefit from a long-term outpatient follow-up after discharge. "Future efforts should be undertaken to understand the biology of this relationship between AKI and mortality, and efforts to prevent and treat AKI should be continued," said Parikh. Other authors on the study include Steven G. Coca, Yongfei Wong, Frederick Masoudi and Harlan Krumholz, M.D. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal reference: Archives of Internal Medicine Vol. 168, 9 (May 12, 2008) Adapted from materials provided by Yale University.

AUSTRALIA: Con men pair target elderly victims

MELBOURNE (The Age), May 16, 2008: By Lucy Battersby Two con artists posing as handymen are forcing elderly home owners to hand over thousands of dollars for roof repairs that are never completed. The thieves have stolen money from six pensioners in south-east Melbourne - including one Brighton couple who gave them $16,000 - and have even driven some victims to ATMs so they could withdraw more cash. Sergeant David Chapman, from the Divisional Office of Proactive Policing, said there may be more victims and has appealed to the public for help to stop the thieves. "Over the last three months in the area from Mordialloc to Brighton, con men have been targeting elderly citizens in cowardly acts," he said at a media conference yesterday. "They have been offering handymen and roof repair services for a set fee of somewhere around $400 to $500." "This has completely outraged me, it has outraged local police and we will spare no expense and spare no effort in bringing these people to justice." Sergeant Chapman said after yesterday's appeal for help, the Crime Stoppers hotline was inundated with calls that confirmed the con artists are operating throughout Victoria. "We will do everything in our power to bring these bastards to account," he said. A media conference was held yesterday at the house of one of the victims, Kenneth Stirrup, an 87-year-old highly decorated war veteran. Mr Stirrup said a man knocked on his door in mid-March offering to fix his chimney. Mr Stirrup agreed to pay him several hundred dollars in cash for the work. "I don't know how he picked on me," Mr Stirrup said. "He made it sound so important about that chimney that (it) made me worry about it." "Later on, when he took me to the bank and the way he carried on, I said 'You're a bloody con man!'." The men painted the chimney then continued to ask for more money. They even drove Mr Stirrup to the bank so he could withdraw more cash for them. Eventually they demanded a total of $5000. Mr Stirrup said he wrote a cheque to get rid of them. But the ordeal did not end there. The man rang Mr Stirrup two weeks later and told the pensioner he was coming around to see him to get "the money you owe me". An outraged Mr Stirrup then rang the police. Mr Stirrup was relieved to find he was not the only pensioner who had been conned, but is concerned for the other victims. "I didn't want to call the police because I was so disgusted with myself," Mr Stirrup said. Sergeant Chapman said two males, possibly aged 40 to 50 and one with a thick English accent, were behind the scam. They are deliberately targeting elderly people. Moorabbin police believe the men are constantly changing their appearances and are using either a red or white ute. They are also concerned the con men have moved to another area or are operating in another city as no attacks have been reported for three weeks. Police are urging people to ring 000 straight away if they are unexpectedly approached by men offering roof repairs. Copyright © 2008. The Age Company Ltd.

USA: Justice O'Connor a voice for Alzheimer's

Sandra Day O'Connor retired from the Supreme Court to take care of her husband.
JOSE LUIS MAGANA / AP

Nation & World

THE SEATTLE TIMES
May 15, 2008

By Lauran Neergaard
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The first woman on the Supreme Court has become the nation's most prominent Alzheimer's caregiver.

Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor spoke about her family's battle with the illness Wednesday as she urged Congress to speed research in hopes of slowing a coming epidemic.

"Our nation is certainly ready to get deadly serious about this deadly disease," she told the Senate Special Committee on Aging.

She has a personal stake: "My beloved husband, John, suffers from Alzheimer's," she said, her voice wobbling briefly. "He's not in very good shape at present."

It was the first time O'Connor has talked publicly about her husband since her sons revealed last year that he'd fallen in love with another resident of the nursing home where he was then living.

The O'Connor family discussed the situation to help educate people about Alzheimer's. John O'Connor was moved to another facility as his condition deteriorated.

Her story resonated with senator after senator who told of mothers and fathers crippled and then killed by Alzheimer's — and with a crowd of about 300 onlookers, many wearing purple Alzheimer's Association sashes, who applauded the calls for aid in a Senate hearing room.

More than 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease. The number is poised to skyrocket, with 16 million people forecast to have it by 2050 due to the aging population. It afflicts one in eight people 65 or older, and nearly one in two people older than 85.

"I'm getting pretty close to 80, so that gets my attention," O'Connor said wryly. "I think a lot of people will be concerned."

O'Connor told how, when her husband no longer could stay home alone, she would take him to work at the high court. She announced her retirement in 2005 by saying she needed time to care for him, and eventually moved him to an assisted-care center in Phoenix, near two of their three children. She retired in 2006.

Her main message Wednesday, however, was a call to action. She urged better support for caregivers and repeatedly stressed the need to speed high-quality research, citing the possibility of such treatment approaches as attacking a brain-clogging gunk called beta-amyloid that is the disease's hallmark.

O'Connor has joined a group of national leaders, including well-known scientists and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, to create what they call a "national strategy" to battle Alzheimer's, emphasizing research and improving help for caregivers.

Material from the Chicago Tribune is included in this report.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

MOLDOVA: President visits National Gerontology, Geriatrics Centre

CHISINAU (Moldpress),
May 15, 2008:

President Vladimir Voronin of Moldova visited the National Centre of Gerontology and Geriatrics, set up to provide guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis of sick elderly people to Moldovan medical institutions.

Health Minister Larisa Catrinici gave details of the Centre's professional staff, the institution's facilities and modern specialised equipment. The Centre specialises not only in old people's treatment and recovery, but also in scientific research in human aging and its consequences. The Centre is the only medical institution in Moldova with specialised medical assistants who take care and give advice to elderly people, the Minister noted.

Specialists served as instructors for the creation of saloons specialised in geriatrics with medical and social beds in district centres, which are to turn into territorial centres of gerontology and geriatrics in future.

Anatolie Negara, Director of the National Centre of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Anatolie Negara, said the centre has set three goals:
* to initiate scientific research in gerontology, including implications in the organisms' biology and physiology; psychology, public health, economics, society, demography, sociology, anthropology.
* To set up a department of gerontology and geriatrics at the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy Nicolae Testemiteanu, to train family physicians, and set up similar units in all the Moldovan district centres, including the Transnistrian region.
* Continuous training of staff, especially by foreign experts.

President Vladimir Voronin hailed the creation of the National Centre of Gerontology and Geriatrics, as part of the effort to improve elderly people's living standards. Care of old people is a moral duty of the state's and society, he commented.

Voronin said that the Centre will promote sustainable development of the services of elderly people's medical and social protection, and help remove difficulties that lead to social isolation and discrimination of old people, and prolongelderly people's active participation in society.

Vladimir Voronin was satisfied that specialists from Moldovan district centres have become aware of the need to restore gerontology traditions in Moldova. During 1922-32, the Institute for Study and Combating Old Age worked in Chisinau. It was the only institution at that time studying the phenomenon of aging in Europe, Voronin said. He underlined the importance of scientific research in gerontology and geriatrics, and to establish collaboration in these fields with partners from the countries of the region and Europe.

Seniors World Chronicle report based on material from Moldpres News Agency.

INDIA: Grandmas Walk the Ramp at Grandglams

KOLKATA (The Statesman), May 15, 2008:

LIFESTYLE: Ageless Bonding

The mental image of grandmothers wearing wrinkled saris sleeping through the evening does not reflect our times. They are walking the ramp and are gainfully employed, writes Anju Munshi

By now you might be a bit blasé about fashion shows and ramp models, a regular in cities. But once in a while there are events that make you sit up and take notice, like the recent show ~ Grandglams ~ at Kolkata’s Tollygunge Club.

Instead of the usual skinny models, grandmothers walked the ramp. They didn’t reflect the clichéd picture of grandmothers in wrinkled saris, wearing spectacles, stooping over a walking stick or idling away their time in endless sessions of kirtan.

Bollywood reiterated this typical image through the Lalita Pawars and Sulochanas, who played the grandmother’s role with great élan, their salt-and-pepper hair neatly tied in a bun, coughing and slouching.

The change has been drastic. Meet the new-age grandmoms, who wake up with a spring in their toes and continue to indulge in various activities till late into the night. Old age, indeed, is a matter of the mind.

Today grandmoms read bestsellers, is a BBC or CNN buff, play golf and tennis, are online and wind up conversations over a rum punch or mocktail. And some of them work.

Ad-person Mira Kakkar, the moving force behind the NGO Thoughtshop Foundation in Kolkata, is a grandmother herself. She also initiated in the country That Takes Ovaries, a US-based women-centric concept of therapeutic talk sessions. She says with a laugh that it is becoming difficult to find a grandmother with “ample body”, at least in urban areas. “Contemporary medication, fitness and diet awareness routines have helped them to be fitter, slimmer and healthier.”

Bollywood films have been quick to mirror this change. Hema Malini as a grandmom in Baghban, wearing designer clothes, svelte figure and a good head of hair could give competition to any 30-plus actress.

Most of them take beauty tips seriously ~ regular facials, importance of Omega 3 and weight training. They also understand that reading the Ramayana and practicing reiki can go hand in hand. The concept of grandmom’s travelling has also undergone a change. From Badrinath to Bangkok and from Tarakeshwar to Toronto, this indeed is a major shift. Some of them have become globetrotters using their own money. Interest in cricket or golf and the political turmoil is not lacking.

Social worker Sunita Kumar, who is closely associated with Missionaries of Charity, is not lost for words when asked about the modern daadi. She designs saris for Hermes, the renowned French couture house, and paints. Some years ago she presented Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles paintings of Mother Teresa. She also played the role of Rajmata in MF Hussain’s Gaj Gamini. “I couldn’t dream of seeing my grandmom in jeans or pursuing a professional career. It’s wonderful to see the change in attitude,” she says. Today some grandmothers are a part of the social circuit their grand children frequent.

Sixty-six-year-old Shamlu Dudeja is a well-known figure in Kolkata’s social circuit. A post-graduate degree holder in Mathematics, she designs kantha ensembles and looks after an empowerment project that helps economically vulnerable women to stand on their own feet by using their skill at kantha stitch. She is also the chairperson of the board of trustees and is founder-member of She (Self Help Enterprise) that helps underprivileged women. Dudeja’s ‘bedmate’ is a laptop. The day starts with receiving and answering e-mails. After completing the exercise, a bit of meditation, and she is ready to face yet another busy day. After the hectic schedule, she relaxes over a couple of drinks in the company of a few close friends.

It goes without saying they are well up on events taking place around the world. Dudeja says, “I don’t have to wait for others to tell me what’s happening around me. I have watched the Iraq war live on television and I am aware of conflicts taking place.”

In the past some grandmothers were considered to be biased towards boys, reminisces Dudeja. But times have changed, quite evident by the recent selection of a grandmother as beauty pageant. The time has come for them to take the challenge to their young counterparts.

Trans World Features