ARGENTINA: Pork better for sex than Viagra, declares President Cristina

.
LONDON, England / Sky News / World News / January 31, 2010

The president of Argentina has announced that pork
is a more effective sexual stimulant than Viagra,
as she tries to boost the country's pig industry.

By Heather Christie, Sky News Online

Buenos Aires -
Cristina Fernandez claimed she and her husband had just spent a fulfilling weekend of marital bliss after tucking into some barbecued chops.

"Eating pork improves your sex life. I'd say it's a lot nicer to eat a bit of grilled pork than take Viagra," she said in a speech to the leaders of Argentina's pig farming industry.

"And let me tell you, I am a big fan of pork meat, and I am not just saying that to look good here."

Where's the beef? Argentina's president Cristina Fernández, 57, is attempting to promote the pleasures of pig meat to her citizens, as the cattle industry goes through a crisis. Photo: Eduardo Di Baia / AP

Ms Fernandez's half-joking comments were met with applause from the country's pork industry leaders. The light-hearted comments introduced Fernandez's proposed subsidies for Argentina's pig business. Fernandez was elected in 2007.

The president did, however, voice concern as to how her husband, former Argentinian president Nestor Kirchner, would react to her public revelation.

"I just realised what I said - Kirchner will kill me," she said.

The comment has been played repeatedly on television and radio stations, and has sparked fierce debate on whether Argentines, some of the world's most avid beef consumers, should add more pork to their diet.

Argentinians consume a little more than their body weight in beef every year and have little interest in replacing their beefy meals with chicken, pork or other meats.

The head of the association of pork producers, Juan Luis Uccelli, has supported Ms Fernandez's speech, saying that Denmark and Japan have a much more "harmonious" sexual life than Argentinians because they eat a lot of pig meat.

"In Osaka, Japan, there is a village in which the people who reached 105 years old and ate a lot of pork had a lot of sexual activity," he told a radio station.

Others were sceptical.

A specialist in sexual dysfunction, has told the Argentinian newspaper La Nacion that there was no study showing that pork meat significantly improves sexual activity.

Argentines are the world's biggest per capita consumers of beef, but the government has sought to promote pork as an alternative in recent years due to rising steak prices and as a way to diversify the meat industry.

"Trying it doesn't cost anything, so let's give it a go," Fernandez said in the televised speech.

Copyright ©2010 BskyB

Backgrounder

Who Is Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner?

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will have no trouble finding her way around Argentina's presidential palace, the Casa Rosada or Pink House.

For the past four years, it has been her husband's workplace and from 10 December it is set to be hers for the next four.

Cristina, as the majority of Argentines call her, has often been described as a strong-willed woman, obsessed with her image.

But she is a politician with a long track-record, a record many say facilitated the political rise of her husband, Argentine President Nestor Kirchner. There is no doubt that they make a formidable political couple.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was born 19 February, 1953, in La Plata, the capital of the province of Buenos Aires, where she graduated in law.

She married Mr Kirchner, who she met at university in 1975; a year later, the couple went to live in his home region, the southern province of Santa Cruz.
At the end of the 1980s Cristina Elizabeth Fernandez began her political career, first as a provincial then as a national deputy.

But it was her husband who rose through the Peronist ranks.

In 1991, Mr Kirchner was elected governor of Santa Cruz, a post he won twice more, while Cristina supported him in her capacity as a deputy.

Wives duel:  When Mr Kirchner took office as president in 2003 - in the midst of one of the worst economic and social crises in the country - a similar pattern emerged.  By then Cristina Fernandez was a senator herself with her own political weight in Congress, where she actively supported her husband's policies. Cristina cemented her political position in the congressional elections of 2005.

Taking 46% of the votes, she won in the province of Buenos Aires in a contest dubbed "the wives' duel", beating her main rival, Hilda Gonzalez, the wife of the former President Eduardo Duhalde (2002-2003).

During Mr Kirchner's administration, there was almost no decision taken in which she did not have a say, her influence exceeding that of an ordinary lawmaker.  She was also the first senator to have an office within the presidential palace, provoking criticism from the opposition.  The governing party insisted that the office was small and is hers by virtue of her position as first lady.

Now Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is set to take occupy the Casa Rosada in her own right.  She is expected to continue her husband's policies, but with more emphasis on international ties, in particular easing the at times strained ties with Washington.

During the campaign she offered few specific policies, took part in no debates and avoided Argentine media interviews until the day before campaigning ended.

Evita: As a legislator, Cristina Fernandez was recognised for her intellectual strength and for her determined campaigning in the fields of human rights and women's issues. But some members of the opposition - and even her own party - seem daunted by her strong character, accusing her of arrogance.

She is said to be obsessed with her fitness and health, as well as her public image. She drinks mineral water from just one brand and often wears designer labels.

Analysts say that perhaps her weak spot is her inexperience in office. She is certainly taking over at a testing time for Argentina, where despite the economic recovery of recent years, many still live in poverty.  Rising prices and continuing energy shortages seem set to pose very real challenges to her administration.  Cristina Fernandez has been compared to Eva Peron, Argentina's legendary first lady who formed a formidable ruling partnership with her husband Juan Domingo Peron in the late 1940s and early 50s.  But Evita was never elected. Cristina Fernandez, by contrast, has become Argentina's first elected female president. [rc]

By courtesy of  BBC News

© BBC MMX

EMIRATES: GE Healthcare in largest medical diagnostic, healthcare service jv

. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates / Zawya.com / Business / Healthcare / January 30, 2010 Strategic alliance will design, develop and implement a regional platform for the delivery of healthcare services Initial focus on Egypt and Saudi Arabia, followed by a greater regional expansion GE Healthcare, the healthcare business subsidiary of General Electric Company (GE)General Electric Company (GE), has signed a strategic alliance agreement with Gulf Capital, one of the largest private equity firms in the Gulf, to develop the largest regional chain of medical diagnostic and healthcare service centers. GE Healthcare will offer strategic support to Gulf Capital's healthcare portfolio company investments, and the two companies will collaborate closely to roll out and grow these investments into regional platforms offering world-class services.[rc] Click here for full story Copyright © 2010 ABQ Zawya Ltd.

JAPAN: Abuse of elderly up, said often unintended

. TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Life / January 30, 2010 By Sawako Obara, Kyodo News Abuse of elderly people has been increasing physically, psychologically, economically and in neglect of required nursing care. Some families also do not understand what dementia is and become victimizers. One one incident in which a neighbor reported apparent abuse to a local government, an official who responded to the tip visited the home of a woman in her 80s living with one of her sons, finding her dazed and apparently unwashed and incontinent on her bed. A bottle of juice and a sweet bun were left next to her pillow. The woman had dementia. Her son, in his 50s, had left her unattended as he was overwhelmed with how to take care of her, including changing her clothing and adult diapers. Protecting the elderly: Kenichi Nagano, who heads the Elder Abuse Prevention Center in Kita Ward, Tokyo, answers a phone at his office in November. Kyodo Photo The official said such neglect is not an extreme case, but it is often difficult for outsiders to know about it. Some families also think they are properly taking care of the aged but in fact are not. According to a welfare ministry survey in fiscal 2008, consultations and reports about abuse of elderly people by their families numbered 21,692, with 14,889 cases judged as abuse, up 12 percent from fiscal 2007. Physical abuse accounted for 64 percent of the total in a multiple-choice questionnaire, followed by psychological abuse at 38 percent, neglect of care at 27 percent and economic abuse at 26 percent. There were 3,976 consultation centers nationwide in fiscal 2008. Center employees visit the homes of possible abuse victims and if abuse is confirmed, the victims are sent to hospitals. If necessary, victims and their families are separated, and the victims are taken to facilities. The Elder Abuse Prevention Law that took effect in fiscal 2006 allows municipal officials to do thorough audits in case of life-threatening abuse, and seek police intervention. Using pension benefits, savings and other assets of elderly people by their relatives without their consent is believed to constitute another form of abuse, although in many cases, those who use the money feel it is only natural to do so because they are caring for the aged. Kenichi Nagano, head of the Elder Abuse Prevention Center in Kita Ward, Tokyo, cited a rise in cases of offspring using their parents' money because of financial difficulties in recent years. He said such cases come to light when it becomes difficult for offspring to pay for care services, when savings are suddenly withdrawn from parents' accounts and when there is a large gap between the income of the offspring and their living situation. "Children's neglect of nursing care because of their resistance to spend money is inextricably linked to economic abuse," Nagano said. As for abuse prevention, early discovery is vital, said Kinuko Takasaki, head of the Japan Academy for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and a professor at the Open University of Japan, adding, "Everybody should know from an early age what abuse is. "We'd like local governments to try to open people's eyes to abuse by pamphlets and other means, and support the creation of regional networks. It's good for the elderly to have others to confide in, whether they're medical doctors or friends, in an emergency," she said. [rc] (C) The Japan Times

INDIA: HelpAge India's campaign honours "Inspirational Achievers"

. NEW DELHI, India / HelpAge India / January 29, 2010 HelpAge India today launched its new campaign “LED India, FED India, TAUGHT India" with awards for “Inspirational Achievers” over 60, as a tribute to forgotten leaders. Ms. Shalini Dewan, Director (UNIC) launches the HelpAge India campaign - Led India, Fed India, Taught India - along with Mr. Kapil Kaul, and Mr. M.M.Sabharwal (centre) The Inspirational Achievers honoured today were: * Zohra Segal, 98, Theatre and Cinema Legend, who could not attend due to physical frailty. * Dr. (Wg. Cdr.) Ashis Roy, 78, Marathon Man of India, who recently ran his 100th Marathon in Mumbai. * Mr. J.N. Chaudhry (Chairman, VIMHANS), 84. * Mr. Keshav Malik, 80, Poet & Arts scholar/ critic. * Mr. Chander Dhawan, 87, Pictographer, who at 82 years of age traveled by road to Leh. * Ms. Nirmala Narula, 80, President, Alzheimer's & Related Disorders Society of India. * Dr. Avtar Pennathur, 70, social worker and pioneer, President & Founder Trustee, Harmit Trust & Home for Senior Citizens. * Mr. Chetan Chauhan, 63, cricketer and politician. Special Guest at HelpAge India's “LED India, FED India TAUGHT India” event today was Ms. Shalini Dewan, Director, United Nations Information Centre. Ms Dewan and Mr. M. M. Sabharwal, President Emeritus of HelpAge India, also launched the campaign website www.helpageindia.org and felicitated veterans who had led exemplary lives. Dr. Ashis Roy, Marathon Man of India receives the HelpAge Inspirational Acheiver Award from Mr. M.M.Sabharwal, looking on are Mr. Kapil Kaul (Second from left) and Mr. Mathew Cherian of HelpAge India. . The campaign focuses on the lives of older persons who have given so much of their lives to help shape ours, whether the school teacher who taught us in our growing years, or our very own grandparents, persons who built life in independent India from scratch and helped shape our destinies, elders who have contributed so much but have often remained ignored. HelpAge India's campaign serves its goal to help older persons to live with dignity, work with elders, rather than just for them, give them a sense of empowerment, inclusion and power to demand what’s rightfully theirs. [rc] Facts About Aging India • Current estimate - 90 million older people in India. • By 2050 the population is projected to be 326 million. (UN). • Life Expectancy in 1986 for both M & F: 58 yrs.Today, its touching nearly 70. • 21 % of the population is projected to be 60+ by 2050. (UN). Source: HelpAge India

USA: 'We' not 'me' couples resolve conflicts better

. NEW DELHI, India / The Times of India / Life & Style / Relationships / January 29, 2010 Haven’t our elders been telling us that it should always be ‘we’ and never ‘I’, especially when we are in love? Well, now the fact is backed by research which says, spouses who use "we-ness" language are better able to resolve conflicts than those who don’t. To reach the conclusion, UC Berkeley researchers analyzed conversations between 154 middle-aged and older couples about points of disagreement in their marriages and found that those who used pronouns such as "we," "our" and "us" behaved more positively toward one another and showed less physiological stress. Couples who use "we-ness" language do better at resolving conflicts (Getty Images) In contrast, couples who emphasized their "separateness" by using pronouns such as "I," "me" and "you" were found to be less satisfied in their marriages. This was especially true for older couples. Their use of separateness pronouns was most strongly linked to unhappy marriages, according to the study. Moreover, the study found that older couples identified more as "we" than did their middle-aged counterparts, suggesting that facing obstacles and overcoming challenges together over the long haul, including raising families, may give couples a greater sense of shared identity. The study has been published in the journal Psychology and Aging . "The use of ‘we’ language is a natural outgrowth of a sense of partnership, of being on the same team, and confidence in being able to face problems together," said study co-author Benjamin Seider, a graduate student in psychology at UC Berkeley. [rc] Copyright © 2010 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

CAMBODIA: Phnom Penh gets first association for the elderly

. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia / The Phnom Penh Post / January 29, 2010 By Tep Nimol and Mom Kunthear, The Phnom Penh Post The Ministry of Social Affairs has established Phnom Penh’s first Association for the Elderly, one of hundreds that have been set up nationwide to assist Cambodia’s senior citizens. Sok Tho, the director of the new association, which is located in Chamkarmon district, said it had been inaugurated last week and already had 231 members. Members of the association are required to pay dues of 2,000 riels (about US$0.50) per month, which are used to provide financial assistance to members who become sick or injured, Sok Tho said. Grandmother in paddy fields in Kampong Chang, Cambodia Dr Pay Sambo, deputy director of the retirement and pensions department at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, said Thursday that the ministry had established 334 similar associations in the provinces but had never before set one up in Phnom Penh. “We wanted to establish this Association for the Elderly because it expresses that we are paying attention to the old people, not only in the province but also in the city,” he said. Citing 2008 census figures, he said 37 percent of Cambodians were older than 55, adding that the age group was expected to grow to 62.5 percent of the population by 2050. Khan Yun, a 68-year-old resident of Phsar Doem Thkov commune, who has joined the association, said she hoped it would provide the types of services commonly available to the elderly in the West. “We must have associations for the elderly in our country that are the same as the Western countries, because all old people can help each other by sharing what we have, like money, with old people from poor families,” she said. rc] Copyright © 2010 The Phnom Penh Post.

JAPAN: Bowling hopes to be spared by luring elderly as youths exit frame

. TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Life in Japan / January 29, 2010 By Tomoya Okabe, Kyodo News Bowling is striking out with young people as the birthrate continues to fall and students increasingly favor other leisure activities, so lanes are looking to seniors and the middle-aged for survival. Alarmed by the trend, the industry is trying to promote bowling as an extracurricular activity for high school students and foster it as part of regional development. In 2008, the number of bowling alleys nationwide was under 1,000 for the first time in 28 years. The value of the market meanwhile plunged below ¥100 billion. Photo for illustration. Credit: ehow.com According to a survey by the Japan Productivity Center, 23.5 million people went bowling in 2008, down 6 percent from the previous year. Meanwhile, 25.5 million were jogging and participating in marathons, up 12 percent and turning running into the most popular sport. The Bowling Proprietors' Association of Japan said there were 3,697 bowling alleys at the height of the sport's popularity in 1972, but the number has gradually decreased due to a growing range of other leisure activities and fewer young people going bowling. Many owners of older lanes razed them to build condominiums. As a result, the number of alleys dropped to 987 in 2008. The productivity center said the market, which reached ¥204 billion in 1993, had fallen to ¥91 billion in 2008. Between just 2007 and 2008 it declined 10 percent.[rc] (C) The Japan Times

USA: Caring For Caregivers

. WASHINGTON, DC / The White House / Middle Class Task Force / January 28, 2010 By Terrell McSweeny This week the Middle Class Task Force unveiled a series of initiatives in the President's FY 11 budget that are aimed at helping families with soaring child care costs, balancing work with caring for elderly relatives or people with disabilities, paying for college, and saving for retirement. These are costs that – along with health care – have risen dramatically for families at a time when their incomes haven't. Some people call this "squeeze" because of the pressure these costs put on family budgets. But for many families it just seems like it is impossible to get ahead. This is particularly true for the so-called "sandwich generation" – people who are caring for children (or grandchildren or adult children who are struggling financially) and their parents. The Vice President often speaks very personally about his experience caring for his parents and in-laws. And almost all of us know someone who has juggled caring for a parent or relative who can’t get along completely on their own. Millions of Americans provide unpaid care to aging relatives – including approximately 23 million caregivers with jobs and 12 million who are also caring for their own children. That's why the Middle Class Task Force’s "squeeze" initiative includes help for family caregivers. These caregivers play a vital role in helping seniors stay in their communities or at home. But too often they don’t have the support they need to balance caregiving with work and family responsibilities. As Elinor Ginzler of AARP put it:

"AARP is grateful that the Middle Class Task Force has drawn attention to an issue that is deeply important to our members—the critical role of family caregivers and what we should be doing to help them. Approximately 65 million Americans provide care to a loved one, giving more than $375 billion worth of unpaid care each year—often at their own financial and emotional expense. Increasing support to these invaluable individuals would be an important step to help those who do so much to help others."

The nearly $103 million investment proposed by the Middle Class Task Force will support more respite care, counseling, training, referrals, and adult day care. As Sandy Markwood, CEO of National Association for Area Agencies on Aging explained:

"Vice President Biden’s Middle Class Task Force’s recommendation to increase funding for the National Family Caregiver Support Program and Lifespan Respite, along with strengthening supportive services through Title III-B of the Older Americans Act, represents a huge investment in community-based programs that support the independence of older Americans and their caregivers. These funds will enable them to access and get the critical services that they need while avoiding unnecessary and more expensive institutional care or spending down to Medicaid. We applaud the work that has been done by the Administration that serves to strengthen long term living options through home and community-based services."

The extra funding proposed by the Task Force will allow nearly 200,000 additional caregivers to be served and 3 million more hours of respite care to be provided. It adds funding to programs that provide transportation help, adult day care, and in-home services including aides to help bathe and cook. Some have said these things are modest. And, to some extent, they are. But sometimes it is these small things that add up to make all the difference. Eric Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alzheimer’s Foundation is well aware of the vital help these services give families:

"Family caregivers who struggle each day with practical and financial challenges have been anxiously waiting for this issue to be brought to the national stage and for relief in their own homes and communities. For these families, assistance at any level can help delay nursing home placement and enhance caregiver well being. The proposed initiatives represent a welcome change in direction, from minimal or flatlined funding to amounts that will make a difference for hundreds of thousands of American families."

And here’s what Gail Hunt, CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving who represents family caregivers said:

"The National Alliance for Caregiving is proud to support the Middle Class Task Force and their efforts to support family caregivers. This is a wonderful addition to the National Family Caregiver Support Program and it is a perfect way to recognize these caregivers who on average spend 18 hours a week providing care. The funding for transportation, adult day care and other services under Title III b will also help family caregivers by assisting the older adult they are caring for. We are grateful to the Middle Class Task Force for bringing much needed public awareness to the family caregiver."

The caregiver initiative won’t magically alleviate all the strain on caregivers and their families – but it is an important first step toward providing more support for families and caregivers and the vital services they are performing. [rc] Terrell McSweeny is Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President Source: The White House

USA: 'Catcher in the Rye' Author J.D. Salinger Is Dead at Age 91

. NEW YORK, NY / Wall Street Journal / Life & Style / Books / January 28, 2010 By Stephen Miller Perhaps the most reluctant celebrity in the history of American letters, J.D. Salinger leaves behind some of its most-read stories. Mr. Salinger, who died Wednesday at age 91, leaves behind one fully-realized novel ("The Catcher in the Rye") and five collections of shorter writings, all surrounded by a penumbra of unknowns about the author, who went into seclusion in 1953. Yet Mr. Salinger's books have remained highly visible, iconic presences in American classrooms and have sold more than 65 million copies, including translations around the world. "The Catcher in the Rye" is often cited in lists of the best 20th- century novels. The son of a cheese importer, Mr. Salinger grew up on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He attended a military academy for high school and never graduated from college. Critics and enthusiasts had little problem drawing parallels between Mr. Salinger's youth and that of the "Catcher in the Rye's" narrator, Holden Caulfield. J.D. Salinger in 1951 Getty Images Mr. Salinger's early stories appeared in magazines while he was serving in the Army in Europe during World War II, in magazines including The Saturday Evening Post and Esquire. His more mature work appeared in the New Yorker starting in the mid-1940s, including "A Perfect Day for Bananafish." "The Catcher in the Rye" caused a sensation when it was published in 1951, unusual for its salty language and sentiment, attributed to Caulfield, who styled himself an enemy of "phonies." Taken as portraying a thirst for authenticity by some, the work is seen by many young people these days as merely whiney. .Mr. Salinger's celebrity was hardly dimmed by his decision to live out of the limelight. He appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1961 yet remained a sphinx. His last original published work, "Hapsworth 16, 1924," appeared in the New Yorker in 1965. Visitors who caught sight of him in New Hampshire where he lived described an unkempt recluse. More and more, his public face consisted of lawsuits brought against unauthorized publishers of his early works or unpublished letters. After Mr. Salinger filed suit, a federal judge last year barred a Swedish writer and publisher from publishing a sequel to "Catcher in the Rye." In one of the few public statements he made after 1953, Mr. Salinger told the New York Times in 1974, "There is a marvelous peace in not publishing." Mr. Salinger's death is almost certain to generate renewed interest in his work and increasing pressure to bring his work to the big screen, something the author for the most part resisted. More Speakeasy: How 'Catcher' Helped Create Young Adult Literature Speakeasy: Will 'Catcher' Finally Be Filmed? Mr. Salinger allowed his short story "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut" to be optioned, resulting in the 1949 film "My Foolish Heart." But it was apparently so bad in the eyes of both Mr. Salinger and the critics that it soured him from ever again selling film rights. "I toy very seriously with the idea of leaving the unsold rights to my wife and daughter as a kind of insurance policy," Mr. Salinger wrote in a 1957 letter attributed to him and made public by a Washingtonville, N.Y. memorabilia dealer in 2009. "It pleasures me to no end…to know that I won't have to see the results of the transaction." [rc] —Steven Kurutz, Jeffrey Trachtenberg and Christopher Farley contributed to this article. Copyright ©2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

UK: Pensioners in Poverty - 2 Million Too Poor To Heat Homes

. LONDON, England / The Daily Express / Retirement / January 28, 2010 By Sarah O'Grady, Social Affairs Correspondent TWO million pensioners are still living in poverty with half of them so poor they cannot afford to heat their homes. And decades of failure to guarantee older people a decent pension means fewer are able to rely on the state pension to pay the bills. In 1977, 53 per cent of the average retirement income was made up of the state pension - now the state pension makes up just 37 per cent of the money pensioners have coming in. Pensioners: 2million are too poor to heat their homes This leaves hundreds of thousands of older people with no private pension or savings living on the breadline. The depressing picture of old age in Britain was revealed in official data released by the Office of National Statistics yesterday. Latest figures show that, in 2007 one million pensioners in England were living alone and unable to afford fuel - meaning they have to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on heating. Hefty rises in energy prices in the two years since mean many more pensioners are likely to have fallen into fuel poverty since then. Dot Gibson, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said: "At least one in five pensioners are living in poverty with millions more just struggling to make ends meet. "Older people are spending as much as 40 per cent of their income on fuel, food and council tax - leaving them with very little to live on. "The reason for this is that successive governments have allowed the value of the state pension to fall as a result of linking it to prices rather than earnings - so that it is now amongst the worst in Europe. "We need a state pension of at least £165 a week that takes all older people out of poverty." The Liberal Democrat's work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb said changes to the pension system had failed to help many older people. "It is still the case that pensioners who are forced to rely on the state pension and Labour's complex and undignified system of means-tested benefits are more likely to live in fuel poverty," he said. "The basic state pension is simply too little to live on for the millions of pensioners who have no other income." The Daily Express crusade Respect for the Elderly has highlighted the poverty faced by pensioners struggling to get by on a state pension of just £95.25 a week for a single person or £152.30 for a couple. Poverty is officially defined as living on 60 per cent of the average income, once housing costs have been paid. Income from a company or private pension scheme is a crucial factor in determining whether someone will be well off in retirement or not. "In 2007-08, pensioners with private pensions were more likely to be in the top 20 per cent higher income groups for the whole population, while those without private pensions were more likely to be in the bottom income groups." reported the ONS Pension Trends survey. But the increasing reliance on private and company pensions is very worrying because more and more employers are cutting back on expensive salary-linked pension plans. Earlier this week the Equality and Human Rights Commission called on the government to scrap the default retirement age to make it easier for older workers to stay in employment. David Sinclair, head of policy and research at the International Longevity Centre thinktank, thinks this would help the fight against pensioner poverty. "We need greater support for young people to enter the job market and for older people to stay in active employment, if they choose to do so. "For older people, flexible working and allowing people to continue to work past 65 years of age is critical if we are to achieve this goal," he said. However, according to the ONS, the number of pensioners living in poverty has fallen by nearly a third from 2.9million in 1998/99 to two million in 2007/08. Figures also show the liabilities faced by unfunded public sector pension schemes fell to £770billion in March 2008, down from £810billion 12 months earlier - although it said much of the improvement was due to changes in accounting.[rc] Copyright ©2006 Northern and Shell Media Publications

USA: New Yorkers worried about aging relative

. NEW YORK, NY / United Press International / Health News / January 28, 2010 New Yorkers say they are more wore worried about managing the care of an aging or elderly relative than they are about the economy, a poll indicates. A survey by Partners in Care, conducted by Gotham Research Group, indicates 55 percent of people living in New York say they worried about managing the care of an aging or elderly relative, while 57 percent say they are over the cost of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The telephone survey of 502 New York residents conducted Jan. 5 to Jan. 7 demonstrates managing the care of an aging/elderly relative is a major concern for New Yorkers. Almost half of New Yorkers -- 49 percent -- report they are very worried about making sure their relative can remain independent and stay in his or her home as long as possible. The level of reported concern regarding this issue is on par with New Yorkers' concern regarding the direction of the nation's economy over the next few years at 52 percent. "The poll is very telling," a spokeswoman for Partners in Care says in a statement. "It speaks to the universal truth that underneath all of our concerns about money and politics, New Yorkers are deeply concerned about making sure all people live their lives with dignity and respect." The survey has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points. [rc] © 2010 United Press International, Inc.

JAPAN: "Unless parents put dynamite under their kids' butts, they never move out."

. TOKYO, Japan / The Japan Times / Life / January 28, 2010 WORDS TO LIVE BY Fruit vendor Takahiko Takahashi By Judit Kawaguchi Come rain or shine, Takahiko Takahashi, 69, is outdoors joking with customers and packing delicious peaches, mikan (mandarins), nashi (Japanese pears), apples and melons into their shopping baskets. Though he's a Tokyo fruit vendor, he knows and loves his vegetables, too. He even grows his own spinach, komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) and cabbages on a plot of land in the city's Edogawa Ward. Always full of energy and in perfect health, Takahashi is a poster boy for the power of fruit and veggies. Fruits are like babies; they need protection and constant care. Japanese farmers put a lot of effort into growing wonderful products. They individually wrap each fruit — such as biwa (Japanese loquat), apples and bunches of grapes — into paper to protect them from bugs and the cold. They even change the paper as the fruits mature. Takahiko Takahashi Judit Kawaguchi Photo Unless parents put dynamite under their kids' butts, they never move or move out. Our son and our daughter are still single and living with us. Sure, we love them, but he's 37, she's 39 and they have no intention of marrying or ever getting a place of their own. Why should they? We've never pressured them to be independent. Now it's too late. They're the perfect parasite singles and only my wife and I are to blame. We spoiled them. Parents should be tougher on their kids or they'll end up like ours, no doubt. In Japan, a small difference is a big deal, even if you are a cucumber. For example, if a cucumber is not perfectly straight, it's considered grade B and sells for only ¥30, not like a grade A that has a ¥90 price tag. A more curvy cucumber will be graded C, and that fetches only ¥5. Grade D is pretty much free. Cucumbers are judged harshly, even though they all are delicious and good for your health. Jokes sell more products than low prices. Customers love buying from me as I am always kidding around with them, but my way of doing business is dying out in Japan. Only fishmongers keep this funny style of selling. No wonder the Japanese eat so much fish! There's no need for a couple to share everything. I hate dealing with money so my wife takes care of our finances. I just do the manual work; she's got the brains. I think her life is tougher as she has to deal with a dummy like me. If you wish for something, it can come true. At 20, I decided what I wanted: a nice wife, a good job, a house, a few kids, land to grow our food and maybe even a few apartments to rent out. It all came true. Make everything into money, not garbage! As the sun goes down, so do our prices. We keep lowering them so that by the time we close for the day we have sold out. But the cake shops in the depachika (department store basement shops) never give discounts; instead they throw out the leftovers at the end of the day. That is mottainai! (wasteful) Picking out the best apple from the fruit stand is like picking a good person out of a crowd: You must talk to them. And if you get an answer, listen well. The ones that have a nice hollow sound are the sweetest. Grow veggies, no matter where you live! I'll never stop being a farmer for as long as I have a plot of land. But even if you don't have a farm, you can grow komatsuna and spinach on your veranda. They are easy to grow. So are tomatoes. Men don't change, or at least not for the better, yet women never stop trying to improve them. My wife constantly scolds me for being a slob — ever since we got married 42 years ago, every morning and night. Is it working? No, I think I'm actually getting worse with each day I get older. I even have to put a towel on the tatami floor under my seat, kind of like a dog would have, because I drop pieces of food. I don't do it on purpose, it's just me. Sorry, I can't fix it. Yet my wife gets a little upset at every meal. She is always cleaning our house until it sparkles and I'm thankful to her for that, but I can't change my nature. Men are animals. Don't judge a job by the clothes you have to wear to do it. Being a salaryman looks good because of the nice suits and the clean look, but actually there's nothing good about that life. Salarymen work all the time and to make matters worse, they pay the most income tax in Japan. Companies take out taxes from their monthly salary and they can't even get any of the money back at the end of the year. Business owners have more freedom to pay less tax. Farmers have it easy because we are supported by the government. Not only do we not have to pay high taxes but we can also get government assistance. Still, nobody wants to be a farmer, and that's because we have to get our hands dirty. I'd rather have dirty nails and lots of money than clean nails and less cash. If you don't work hard, you'll get a bad reputation in your neighborhood. I'm always on the move and I keep on working because it is healthy, but I'm also like that because otherwise people in the neighborhood would call me a useless guy. I have a great life, thanks to my wife. She takes care of our home, our finances — everything. I never worry about money. I always make more than we need, but then we never need much. I think that's because she's great with money. When I imagine the future, I feel both happy and miserable. I'm sure our children will take good care of us in our old age. It's a bittersweet reality that they probably will be with us but we won't have any cute grandkids. [rc] Judit Kawaguchi loves to listen. She is a volunteer counselor and a TV reporter on NHK's "Out & About." Learn more at: http://juditfan.blog58.fc2.com/ (C) The Japan Times

USA: Aging of Blood Stem Cells May Be Reversible

. NEW YORK, NY / BusinessWeek / Executive Health / January 27, 2010 Older mice 'rejuvenated' when treated with blood factors from younger mice, researchers found HealthDay News Scientists have found a way to make old stem cells in the blood act like young stem cells, a discovery that could lead to ways to slow the aging process. Taking certain factors from the blood of young mice and putting them in old mice made old stem cells take on the characteristics of younger stem cells. In addition, the tissues of the older mice appeared much more "youthful," according to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center. The change in the older stem cells is driven by signals from another type of cell nearby in the bone, the researchers explained. They added that this finding improves understanding of aging of the blood-forming system and points toward blood-based treatments for age-related health problems. The study findings are published in the Jan. 27 issue of the journal Nature. "What's most exciting is that the changes that occur in blood stem cells during aging are reversible, through signals carried by the blood itself. This means that the blood system offers a potential therapeutic avenue for age-related stem cell dysfunction," Amy J. Wagers, an associate professor in Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, and an investigator at the Joslin Diabetes Center, said in a news release from the center. The study doesn't directly address diabetes-related mechanisms but "there's more and more evidence of an overlap in the regulatory pathways that are implicated in aging and in type 2 diabetes," Wagers said. [rc] More information The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more about stem cells. -- Robert Preidt SOURCE: Joslin Diabetes Center, news release, Jan. 27, 2010 Copyright © 2010 HealthDay.

USA: Still sexy at 70! Many seniors report active sex lives, study finds

. NEW YORK, NY / New York Daily News / Lifestyle / Health / January 27, 2010 By Rosemary Black, Daily News Staff Writer Sexy at 60 or even 70? Apparently so. In fact, senior citizens who lead spicy lives in the bedroom are in the majority, according to studies that were part of the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project. Some 84% of men and 62% of women between 57 and 64 reported having sex in the past year, and some 38% of men and 17% of women ages 75 to 85 said they’d had sex. The research, conducted at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, gathered facts on several areas of older-adult sexuality. “Older people can and should have very active sex lives, and the idea that they don’t is a societal misconception,” says Dr. Dennis Lin, director of the psychosexual medicine program at Beth Israel Medical Center. “The need for intimacy and contact with another person doesn’t change with age.” You're never too old for a little - or a lot - of intimacy, a recent survey of people aged 57-85 found. Getty Images The researchers found that older men were more likely than older women to be sexually active and more open to having sex. But University of Chicago associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology Stacy Tessler Lindau, who worked on the research, says this is because it’s harder for older women to find partners. “Women tend to outlive marriage,” she says. “Men tend to live with their spouse until they die. So there are fewer older men around to choose as sexual partners.” Healthy sex, for older as well as younger adults, means generally better health, Lindau says. And there’s really no age limit on having sex, says JB Berns, author of “Do It or Age Quickly.” “There’s no reason a man or a woman can’t have sex regularly into their 80s,” he says. [rc] © Copyright 2010 NYDailyNews.com

USA: A Long Life - 7 People, Sailing Past 90 With Lots Left to Do

. WASHINGTON, DC / US News & World Report / Health / Family / January 27, 2010 A Long Life: 7 People, Sailing Past 90 With Lots Left to Do By Katherine Hobson Active people in their 90s and 100s provide models of healthy aging 1 of 8 Age is often seen as an enemy to be battled or outwitted—never mind that it's impossible to avoid and that the alternative to growing older is, well, dying younger. But when you talk with people who are nearing or have reached the century mark, still vital, you realize that they have arrived not by running for hours a week on a treadmill, downing vitamins by the handful, or spending their free time in the plastic surgeon's office. They've been too busy living—working, traveling, engaging in creative pursuits, spending time with friends and family, doing with gusto whatever it is that gives them joy. Elsa Brehm Hoffmann plays gin on a regular basis at a club near her home in Hillsboro Beach, Florida. (Charlie Archambault for USN&WR) Lynn Adler, founder of the National Centenarian Awareness Project, a nonprofit that promotes active aging, says that among the active centenarians she meets (about half of people age 100 plus fill the bill, she says; the other half are disabled by dementia or some other ailment), there are common threads, including, of course, good genes and luck: They have a positive, but realistic, attitude about what they can do. Time to give up the car keys? OK, they'll find a ride or use public transportation. They also have a love of life and a sense of humor, often share strong spiritual beliefs, and show a "remarkable ability to renegotiate at any turn and accept the losses and changes that come," Adler says. After all, it's impossible to reach age 90 or 100 without facing adversity—the loss of a spouse, friends, or even children, as well as medical problems—head-on. "Old age," she notes, "is not for sissies." In the portraits that follow, you'll see those qualities in spades. While there is no guarantee that following the example set by these folks when you're young or middle-aged will help you live a long and rich life, doing so will certainly make the journey more enjoyable. So find work or a vocation that inspires you—paying or not—and keep doing it rather than abruptly retiring. Be moderate in your eating and drinking. Move the body that you have. And reach out to people around you of all generations. "Being part of one's community," says Adler, "is really important." [rc] Related News * Multimedia: 7 People Reflecting on Their Long Lives * Scientists Are Changing the Definition of 'Old Age' * 10 Health Habits That Will Help You Live to 100 * How 5 Longevity Researchers Stave Off Aging Copyright © 2010 U.S.News & World Report LP

UK: Care for older people is not all about keeping them out of hospital

. LONDON, England / The Guardian / Society / Older People / January 27, 2010 Plans for a national care service must be based on some fundamental principles, says Stephen Burke There are worries of a financial imperative to keep older people out of residential care at all costs. As councils finalise their budgets for 2010-11, the cost pressures on care are worrying. The harsh winter has already increased concerns about tightening budgets and the lack of support for some older people in their own homes. With the imminent publication of a care white paper and a general election, there are worries that an ambitious agenda for reforming care could be replaced by a financial imperative to keep older people out of hospital and residential care at all costs. Better care at home is what most older people want – and if it's free, then even better. But we need to ensure that proper support is available in local communities so that staying at home doesn't mean loneliness, isolation and neglect. It has to mean more than four 15-minute visits a day, rushing older people in and out of bed with no support to eat proper meals, chat or enjoy life. And it must recognise that a care home will still be the option of choice for many older people and their families. Free care would be a popular pledge at the election. People want to know what care they will get and how much they will be asked to pay. And it needs to be set in the much wider context of family policy, with an ambitious vision for a reformed care and support system that is fairly funded. The recent green paper on families acknowledges the role of grandparents. We now need to go further and look at families of not just three but often four or five generations and their mutual caring responsibilities. Grandparents in their 50s or 60s increasingly do not only provide childcare for their grandchildren but also care for their own parents – some while trying to continue working. A new care system must reflect this reality. It has to reflect the fact that older people's and carers' lives don't just depend on social care but also better housing, transport, safety and community facilities as well as adequate income. That can only be achieved by housing and health and other partners working closely with local government. So when the forthcoming care white paper maps out plans for a national care service, it must be based on some fundamental principles: universality – creating a system that everyone uses and providing support such as information, advice and advocacy to all. Portability – a national assessment process that is consistent wherever you live and that doesn't change if you move. Personalisation – giving older people and their carers real choice and control, a real voice and a chance to contribute themselves. Quality and equality – better care for all wherever they live, delivered by a better paid and trained workforce. Prevention – investing in home adaptations, telecare and other early interventions that are increasingly recognised as paying dividends. Support – for family carers and other social networks in local communities. Integration – shared local priorities reflected in pooled budgets and joint commissioning, building on the Total Place pilots. Value for money – getting care and support at the right time and in the right place. Underpinning – a national care service must be a transparent funding system. Free care could be paid for by introducing a care duty on estates, generating the extra funding needed. This would be seen as fair and simple, much fairer than losing your home to pay for residential care. The potential rewards are huge. The economic and social benefits would far outweigh the costs. And despite looming cuts in public spending, with older people and their carers making up the majority of voters at the election, no party can afford to be less than ambitious in its manifesto. [rc] • Stephen Burke is chief executive of Counsel and Care. © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

CHINA: Say Wii to senior fitness

. BEIJING, Chaina / People's Daily / Life & Culture / Health / January 27, 2010 New research shows that video and console games help improve reflexes, memory, attention and spatial abilities in older people Slaying orcs, charting military campaigns and gunning down bad guys might not sound like things seniors would be interested in pursuing for fun or exercise. But they might want to start, some experts on aging say. Research has found that off-the-shelf video games have the potential to help seniors age more gracefully, keeping their minds sharp and responsive through game play. "There's a growing body of evidence that suggests playing video games actually can improve older adults' reflexes, processing speed, memory, attention skills and spatial abilities," says Jason Allaire, an associate professor of psychology at North Carolina State University and co-director of its Gains Through Gaming Lab. With the advent of the Nintendo Wii, there's even the potential that video games could provide seniors with an outlet for physical exercise. The Wii uses special controllers that require arm and body movements, and a number of games have been developed for the system specifically to provide an exercise program. One study found that a Wii bowling game boosted the heart rate of players at a senior center in Pensacola, Florida, by about 40 percent. The game required that the players, who were in their 60s, 70s and 80s, hold the controller like a bowling ball and swing it to hit the pins in a virtual bowling alley. "The Wii is a perfect vehicle because it is so easy," Allaire says. "It's in a lot of senior centers already. Older adults already tend to use it." The potential of video games to keep minds sharp was highlighted in a 2008 study in which 40 people in their 60s and 70s were asked to play Rise of Nations, a real-time strategy game for computers that can be found in many stores that sell video games. "We wanted to see whether we could take an off-the-shelf game and see fairly substantial changes," says Art Kramer, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who participated in the study. Researchers measured the cognitive abilities of the players, none of whom had played any video games for at least two years. They then had half the group play Rise of Nations for nearly 24 hours over an eight-week period. Follow-up tests found that the seniors who played the strategy video game improved their performance on tests of memory, reasoning and cognition. There were particular improvements, Kramer says, in what's called executive control processes - abilities such as planning, scheduling, dealing with ambiguity and multi-tasking. "As we get older, we show declines in many of those abilities," he says. "As a result of doing certain things, we end up doing them less often. The kinds of processes that were exercised in the video game were some of the processes that older adults show deficits on." Allaire is part of a team that has been given a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to do further research on whether and how video games can boost memory and thinking skills in the elderly. The researchers plan to have seniors play a Wii game called Boom Blox that involves using weapons such as slingshots and cannonballs to demolish on-screen targets. The research will also involve World of Warcraft, an online role-playing game, Allaire says. The plan is to assess three aspects of video game-playing that are thought to drive cognitive improvements in older people, Allaire says. They are: Attentional demand. "You have to pay attention to what's going on on the screen and react quickly," he says. "The more attention you expend on the video game, the better you get at focusing your attention." Novelty. "There's a lot of research that, when we're put in novel situations or are learning novel things, it activates our brains," he says. Social interaction. "People who stay more socially engaged have more cognitive function," he says. "We think people will interact with each other through collaborating and playing the game." Although the research efforts show the possibility of using video games to help aging adults, Allaire noted that no studies have shown a transfer of video-game skills to real-world activities. "Is it going to help you remember to take your medications, or to remember what you wanted to buy at the store?" he asks. "That really hasn't been proven." Kramer says that seniors should consider video games as one of a number of things they can do to keep themselves sharp. "I would not suggest that video games would be the only or even the best way to exercise those cognitive functions," he says, noting that physical exercise, social interaction and diet are already proven ways to promote mental abilities as you get older. "I would recommend they get out and ride a bike. I would recommend they learn a new language." [rc] Source: China Daily/Agencies

USA: Retirement Home Residents React to 80 Year Old Man Shooting at 87 Year Old

. ODESSA, Texas / CBS 7 News / January 26, 2010 Retirement Home Residents React to 80 Year Old Man Shooting at 87 Year Old By Beau Berman, CBS 7 News An 80-year-old Odessa man is now the oldest man in the Ector County Detention Center. He’s accused of firing a gun at a fellow resident in his retirement home. Eighty-Year-Old Clarence "Bunky" Hunt is one of dozens and dozens of elderly residents at Odessa's Lincoln Tower Retirement Residence. But what no one seemed to know was that Hunt had a gun. Related Charge: Aggravated Asaault With Deadly Weapon NewsWest9.com report "We were all wondering how in the world did he get that damn gun in there without anybody knowing because the barrel looked like it was that big", said resident, Eleoweese Elder. She was sitting across from Hunt when he fired the shot. "I've never heard a bullet go over my head before", she said. All the residents we spoke with at the Lincoln Tower retirement home say they came here to be safe and that's why it's the last place they'd ever expect someone to fire a gun. Robert Dale's surprised a gun was fired here in a place he trusted his mother in law would be safe. "I wouldn't think these elderly people would even have a gun in this place", he said. Dale's mother in law, Mary Skalicky was a friend of Hunt. "There were certain people he didn't like. I think he had a psychological problem", said Skalicky. Tonight Hunt is in jail on $100,000 bond, charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He faces up to 20 years behind bars. It’s a potential punishment that would see him locked up until he’s 100 years old. "I never saw so many policemen, I really was surprised. And they're big men, don't get in trouble", said Elder. It’s good advice, just a little too late for Hunt. [rc] Beau Berman E-Mail: bberman@cbs7.com Copyright © 2010 K2 Interactive

UK: Martin Amis: Ageing provocateur

. LONDON, England / The Guardian / News / Culture / Life & Style / January 26, 2010 Comment is free As a award-winning writer in my 70s, I find Martin Amis's attack on 'worthless' old people as vile as any racism By Joan Brady, The Guardian Joan Brady is a winner of the Whitbread prize. Her latest novel Venom is published in February As a writer who's just turned 70, I have to admit that Martin Amis has riled me with his remarks in the Sunday Times about euthanasia and what he sees as the worthlessness of old people. It's not just that he is suggesting that at my age I can or should no longer carry out my profession. He also seems to be casting doubt on my right to be alive at all. Ageism seems to me almost indistinguishable from racism, a point that couldn't be made clearer than he makes himself: old people are "like an invasion of terrible immigrants, stinking out the restaurants and cafes and shops". That's what racists say about anybody with a different skin colour or an alien headdress: "They stink." True, there is such a thing as a smell of death. I know it all too well – I nursed my husband through a long and terrible illness – and very ill people of any age tend to stink of it, young ones as well as old ones. But people that are sick, no matter what their age, aren't eating out in restaurants and cafes or buying tufted carpets at Habitat. Ageists also tend to say the old are stupid. Here's Amis again: "Talent dies before the body." But what about the poet John Keats or the cellist Jacqueline du Pré? Their bodies gave out way before their talents. In my own field there are and have been many prose writers writing well past their 70s and into their 80s, some of whom have had a falling away of their talent, but many of whom, like one of Amis's heroes, Philip Roth, now 76, come roaring back. Lots of people go through bad periods at all kinds of ages. Lots of elderly writers are very productive and at the peak of form: PD James (89) and Ruth Rendell (79) come to mind at once. Which brings me to the question: Should people be allowed to work when they're older? Of course they should. It's idiotic to pension off people just because of age. True, some people do need pensioning off. Some of them need it at 40, some at 50. Some should never have been employed at all. And some should definitely be kept on at 70 or 80, especially now with the old skills in decline: writing readable sentences, manipulating basic ­mathematics, everyday diplomacy in interpersonal relationships. More on this story 'How can a man prostitute himself like this?' ... Joan Brady. Photograph: Johan van Gurp * Whitbread winner condemns Martin Amis call for euthanasia booths News: Joan Brady accuses author of 'prostitution just to flog a book' * News: Martin Amis in new row over 'euthanasia booths' It's health that matters, not age. What people are capable of at any age depends partly on that and partly on luck. Some aren't ever good at anything. Some lose their capacity early. Some don't. But everybody who lives gets old. I remember Shirley MacLaine on the box talking to an interviewer about it. "You think it's not going to happen to you," she said, shaking her finger at the grinning younger man in the chair opposite her. "You just wait. It is going to happen." He didn't believe her. But by now, he's probably as old as Amis. I'm not saying it's pleasant to get old, to sense the edge coming closer, to know the body is weaker, the energy levels lower. But that's true of many athletes who have to retire at 30, crippled with arthritis. And many of the very old remain fit and well. To get personal about it, I've just turned 70, and my new book is a thriller called Venom, not exactly an old lady's kind of thing. I wrote it under difficult circumstances. I have a hereditary heart condition that flared up and called for major surgery. That was two years ago and I feel stronger than ever. I do Pilates and I box to keep fit and, to tell you the truth, my writing is better as a result. One of God's nastiest tricks is that often people don't realise they're getting old. My brother-in-law caught sight of an ancient man in a shop window and thought, "Jesus, look at that poor old fool". Then he realised that old man was himself. And here's Amis, talking like a callow teenager, who sees the old as a smelly, ugly invasion, blissfully unaware that he's already one of them.[rc] © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

USA: Doubts Build On Glaxo's Antiaging Drugs

. NEW YORK, NY / Forbes.com / Business / Pharma & Health / January 26, 2010 By Matthew Herper GlaxoSmithKline shocked the pharmaceutical industry in 2008 when it dropped $720 million to buy Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company working on drugs based on resveratrol, a chemical in red wine thought to combat the effects of aging. The drugs are thought to enhance the activity of SIRT1, a key enzyme involved with the aging process. Glaxo hopes the drugs will lead to myriad new treatments for diabetes, cancer and other diseases. But now researchers at rival companies are openly questioning whether the compounds will work. They say they are unable to replicate key laboratory experiments backing the drugs' promise. In the latest salvo, Pfizer researchers report in the January Journal of Biological Chemistry that neither resveratrol nor several other Sirtris drugs hit the SIRT1 enzyme at all. They suggest that Sirtris' earlier findings to the contrary might be due to an experimental artifact. The Pfizer study follows on the heels of similar study last year from researchers at Amgen. In 2007 Sirtris made headlines when it reported that a compound called SRT1720 lowered blood sugar in diabetic mice. But when Pfizer researchers tried to repeat the experiment, they found that low doses of SRT1720 had no effect on blood sugar whatsoever--and the mice gained weight. High doses of the drug, meanwhile, killed three of eight mice, the Pfizer study says. Sirtris has generated mountains of hype over the years. Its cofounder, Harvard biologist David Sinclair, had published studies showing evidence that large doses of the resveratrol chemical in red wine extends the lives of fat mice. Breathless press coverage has hinted that the compound, or its successors, could one day become life-extending pills for humans. Sirtris' raison d'etre was to create more potent versions that could combat myriad diseases of aging. Photo credit: expressnews.ualberta.ca The Pfizer scientists "have thrown down the gauntlet: They claim that the reported Sirtris compounds do not do what they are claimed to do," pharmaceutical chemist Derek Lowe, wrote recently on his popular In The Pipeline blog. It is "almost certainly the case" that there are problems with the Sirtris compounds, he argues. In an interview, Glaxo's chief executive says his company's approach has always been "much more subtle" than "this very simplistic notion of this as a longevity pill." He calls the dustup "a bit of a storm in a teacup" and says the drugs Pfizer tested in animals are not the same ones that Glaxo is currently testing in people as possible diabetes or cancer treatments. "We're not at all surprised that there's some controversy," says Witty. "Because there always is. People always have different opinions. Frankly, we didn't think what was published was particularly comprehensive. We feel good about where we stand today." Witty says he's comfortable with paying for high-risk research that may not always pan out. This focus on unpopular approaches has been a key part of Witty's attempts to revive Glaxo's research. Like those of every drug company, Glaxo's labs have been relatively fallow for years. Already, the unpopular thinking has paid off. Wall Street expected a lupus drug Glaxo was developing with Human Genome Sciences to fail. Instead it is likely to be one of the biggest-selling new medicines launched this year. Other risky bets include a drug that aims to prevent heart attacks by combating artery inflammation, and a partnership with Anacor, a San Francisco company that makes drugs based on a new type of chemistry involving the element boron. Witty says that researchers at Glaxo thought it was "completely mad" to do the Anacor deal. "There's no doubt there's risk in pharmaceuticals, and there should be!" Witty says. "If you make 30% returns it should be a risky business. If you don't want risk, go be a grocery store and make 6%." [rc] 2010 Forbes.com LLC™

USA: Uncovering secrets to a longer life

. ATLANTA, Georgia / CNN International / Living / Opinion / January 26, 2010 By Dan Buettner, Special to CNN Dan Buettner is the author of "The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest." He spoke at the TEDxTC Event at the Science Museum of Minnesota at St. Paul, Mn in September, 2009. His Web site is http://www.bluezones.com/ How to live to 100 Click to play In the same way organisms select for characteristics that favor the survival and well-being of its species over successive generations, so too do cultures. With organisms, we call this process evolution and it represents a sort of accumulated wisdom. There is no word for this process in cultures, but there is one for the result. And that word is tradition. For that past eight years, my team of scientists and National Geographic researchers have explored five parts of the world -- "Blue Zones" -- where people live measurably longer lives. STORY HIGHLIGHTS * Researchers looked at regions where people live long lives * Dan Buettner says they found common practices in these "Blue Zone" regions * People live longer when they have active physical and social lives, he says * Buettner: Pills, diets aren't as important as having purpose in life Compared to American averages, we found a bronze-age culture in Sardinia's interior that produces about 10 times more male centenarians; a remote peninsula in Costa Rica where 50 year-olds have a three-fold better chance or reaching age 90; a Greek island completely free of Alzheimer's (about 50 percent of Americans over age 90 suffer from dementia); and islands in southern Japan where people suffer one-sixth the rate of heart disease. How do they do it? The Danish Twin Studies established that only about 20 percent of average lifespan (within certain biological limits) is dictated by genes. Lifestyle explains most of the rest of the longevity formula. We found that all five Blue Zones possessed the same nine lifestyle characteristics. Among them: a low-meat, plant-based diet (all of them ate a lot of beans) and a ritual of "downshifting" each day. They experience the same stresses we do -- kids, health, finances -- but they managed it through daily prayer, meditation, ancestor veneration or city-wide happy hours (like the Sardinians). The secret to longevity, as I see it, has less to do with diet, or even exercise, and more to do with the environment in which a person lives: social and physical. What do I mean by this? They live rewardingly inconvenient lives. They walk to the store and to their friends' homes and they live in houses set up with opportunities to move mindlessly. They do their own yard work, hand-knead their own bread dough, and, in the case of Okinawa, get up and down off the floor several dozen times a day. They live in strong families that keep them motivated to support loved ones. Centenarians are still living near their children and feel loved and the expectation to love. Instead of being mere recipients of care, they are contributors to the lives of their families. They grow gardens to contribute vegetables, they continue to cook and clean. This has a powerful two-fold effect: Children and grandchildren in these families benefit from their grandparents' wisdom and care while the centenarians feel the motivation to stay active, to get out of bed in the morning, and live for a purpose. They live in cities where it is easy to walk to their friends' houses, to the store or to church. So, we figured they get about 105 minutes of physical activity everyday -- and no health club membership! We know from the Framingham studies that happiness, smoking and obesity are all "contagious." If your three best friends are obese, there's a 70 percent better chance that you'll be overweight. People in the Blue Zones either proactively surround themselves with people who practice the right behaviors or are born into communities of people who do -- or people whose idea of fun is gardening, or bocce ball or swimming; people who eat meat sparingly, who have faith, who are trusting and trust-worthy. Why is this so important? No supplement, hormone, antioxidant or pill of any sort has been shown to reverse, stop or even slow aging. The problem is two-fold: to do the study properly, you'd need to follow two groups of people for life: one who takes the pill, the other that doesn't. Then you'd have to control for all other factors and compare the average age of death for each group. No such study has ever been done on a "longevity" supplement. The second problem is adherence. People in general just don't stick to doing anything for very long. Are you taking supplements? How long have you been taking them? I'll bet not more than a few years. Science (and hucksters) have offered us countless diets but research done by the University of Minnesota's Dr. Robert W. Jeffrey has shown that fewer than 2 percent of people adhere to diets for more than two years. For anything to really impact your life expectancy positively, you need to do it for most of your life. Friends, unlike pills or diets, are much more likely to be much longer-term undertakings. The secret to solving much of America's health care crisis and battle with chronic diseases lies in emulating the environment in Blue Zones. Is it possible? Last year, my partners and I made Blue Zones-inspired changes to the environment of an entire American town -- Albert Lea, Minnesota, (see AARP Magazine article). We made the town more walkable and bikeable, dug public gardens, made it easier for kids to walk to school and people to expand their face-to-face social networks to include more people motivated to change their health habits. The results were astounding. If the trends continue, life expectancy for the average participant would rise about three years and health care costs for city workers would decrease by 48 percent. The wisdom of the world's Blue Zones represents centuries or even millennia of observed human experience. As Democrats and Republicans argue over how to solve the health care crisis, perhaps they should take a moment to consider the wisdom of their grandmothers. [rc] © 2010 Cable News Network.

IRELAND: Longer life in prospect as ageing population set to grow

. DUBLIN, Ireland / The Irish Times / Life / Society / January 26, 2010 By Eithne Donnellan, Health Correspondent THERE WILL be more than 8,500 people over the age of 100 living in Ireland in 30 years’ time, according to a report published yesterday. The Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (Cardi) says that while there were 620 centenarians in Ireland in 2006, this is expected to rise to more than 8,500 by 2041. And there won’t be just a bigger demand for cheques from the President to mark these birthdays, there will also be a greater need for pensions, with the number of people aged 65 and over projected to rise from about 700,000 to 1.89 million by 2041, an increase of 169 per cent. Photo credit: friendsoftheelderly.ie Furthermore, the number of people aged 75 and over will reach almost one million by 2041, three times the number living now. And even more dramatic is the change projected in the 85-plus population, which will rise almost fivefold from 74,000 in 2006 to 356,000 in 2041. The Cardi document points out though that as older people live longer they can expect to spend more of their later years in poor health. It says while in 1999 Irish men aged 65 could expect to live another 14 years with 4.7 of these in poorer health, by 2007 their life expectancy had increased by 17 years, but they could expect to experience ill health for 7.5 of these. The pattern is similar for women. In 1999, Irish women aged 65 could expect to live another 17.6 years with 6.6 of these in poor health, while their life expectancy had increased by 20 years by 2007 but with 9.7 of these in bad health. Some differences in trends among older people on different sides of the Border are noted in the report, Illustrating Ageing in Ireland North and South . It shows the number of people over the age of 60 in work in the North continued to rise, but that the corresponding figure fell by 7,000 in the Republic. [rc] © 2010 irishtimes.com

INDIA: Republic turns senior citizen

. NEW DELHI / The Hindustan Times / Feature / January 26, 2010 Harish Chander Kharbanda, 70, at the Ashiana Utsav retirement resort in Bhiwadi. Hindustan Times Senior citizens are immensely proud of India’s achievements and have great faith in today’s youth. An overwhelming 68 per cent, or more than two-thirds, of India’s 81 million senior citizens (defined as those who are 60 years old or more) feel the country should rely on younger people to run the country. [rc] The Hindustan Times-CNN IBN poll of 1,224 senior citizens across four metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata), large towns (Patna and Bhopal) and small towns (Surat and Vijaywada) on the occasion of the Indian republic’s 60th anniversary threw up these and many other interesting findings. (Details in 60 & Counting pullout) What senior citizens think GfK Mode conducted the survey for us. Copyright © 2009 HT Media Limited

UK: Let the over-65s keep on working, says Equality Commission

. LONDON, England / Daily Mail / News / January 25, 2010 By Chris Brooke The equality watchdog today backed radical plans to stop forcing workers into retirement at 65. Strengthening rights to allow flexible working for older people would also give a multi-billion pound boost to the British economy, it claims. Proposals announced today by the Equality and Human Rights Commission echo the views of Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman, who announced a fast-track review of the retirement age earlier this month. Senior service: The equality watchdog is backing plans to stop forcing workers into retirement when they reach 65 (Posed by model) She said it was vital to smash the idea that people are 'past it' once they reach 65. The commission claims a new survey of older people indicates substantial support for change. Around 1,500 men and women aged between 50 and 75 took part in the poll. The survey found 24 per cent of men and 64 per cent of women want to keep working beyond the state pension age (due to be 65 for both sexes by 2020). And a significant number still believe they can be entrepreneurs after 'retirement.' One in ten men and seven per cent of women would like to set up their own business after reaching the retirement age. Almost two-thirds said they were as strong physically and mentally at work as they were in their 20s and 30s. While almost half of older workers were content with their jobs. The survey indicates many elderly enjoy work as a lifestyle factor. Enjoyment was the main reason for working for 27 per cent of people aged over 65. Flexible work arrangements are seen as vital, with 85 per cent of people over the retirement age saying availability of part-time or flexible work would be the key to getting a job. Baroness Margaret Prosser, Deputy Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: 'Radical change is what older Britons are telling us needs to happen for them to stay in the workforce. 'Employers with a focus on recruiting and retaining older workers on flexible working arrangements are telling us it makes good business sense, allowing them to recruit and retain talent while meeting the flexible needs of their customers. 'Britain has experienced a skills exodus during the recession and as the economy recovers we face a very real threat of not having enough workers - a problem that is further exacerbated by the skills lost by many older workers being forced to retire at 65. 'Keeping older Britons healthy and in the workforce also benefits the economy more broadly by decreasing welfare costs and increasing the spending power of older Britons.' [rc] © Associated Newspapers Ltd

UK: Rise of 'grey-haired gallivanting' as over-65s catch the travel bug

. LONDON, England / Daily Mail / Health / Travel Mail / January 25, 2010 It seems that globetrotting is no longer the preserve of gap-year teenagers - their grandparents could soon be giving them a run for their money when it comes to clocking up the passport stamps. The older generation is becoming increasingly young at heart with pensioners travelling abroad in greater numbers. Last year saw a huge surge in sales of Age Concern Enterprises' annual worldwide travel insurance. And it is these grey-haired gallivanters who are increasingly likely to don a backpack and go travelling overseas in the future as the population ages. There was a record take-up of both annual European and worldwide multi-trip policies in 2009, with the fastest year-on-year growth in the 65 to 74 and 75 to 87 age groups. Young at heart: The over-65s are turning to travel as they seek out adventure in their retirement years Joe Young, from Age Concern Insurance Services, said: "Over-65s are as likely to be travelling the world as younger generations as they search for ways to bring excitement to retirement. "And, as the population ages, we predict a travel boom which will see even more mature people exploring far-flung destinations." [rc] © Associated Newspapers Ltd

CANADA: How to make Hamilton age friendly

. HAMILTON, Ontario / The Hamilton Spectator / January 25, 2010 How to make Hamilton age friendly Council on aging releases report, suggests affordable dental care, greater respect for elderly Mary K. Nolan, The Hamilton Spectator The irony isn't lost on Debbie Christie. During 2009, as her Hamilton Council on Aging was examining the city's "age-friendliness," bulldozers demolished two of the most age-friendly places in town. The Mountain Plaza Mall and the Centre Mall -- where seniors routinely congregated for coffee, walked in climate-controlled comfort and enjoyed one-stop shopping -- were converted to outdoor, car-centric, big-box plazas. Christie, the council's executive director, says that kind of regressive development, where the needs of the community's older members are overlooked, is exactly why the council undertook its year-long Age-Friendly Hamilton project. The results of the study were to be released this morning at St. Peter's Hospital. A total of 92 recommendations on ways to make Hamilton easier for the aging came out of the brief but meaty 24-page report. Some are as straightforward as conducting an accessibility inventory of parks and trails or extending free bus passes to riders under the current eligibility age of 80 Others, such as affordable dental care or greater respect for the older generation, are more problematic because they require significant funding or seismic shifts in society's attitudes toward its elder members. But Christie is undaunted. "I'm excited," she says. "I think it is a topic whose time has come. Our slogan is Hamilton: A City for ALL Ages because an age-friendly Hamilton is not just a seniors' issue but an issue for all. And that's what excites me about it." Hamilton is not the only Ontario city to assess its suitability for seniors, but it was the first in the province to do so under standards set in 2007 by the World Health Organization, which defines an age-friendly city as "an inclusive and accessible urban environment that promotes active aging." As populations age worldwide, the issue becomes more than a matter of helping little old ladies across the street. The WHO reports that in 2000, the global population of people 60 and older was 600 million. By 2025, there will be 1.2 billion and by 2050 almost 2 billion. In Hamilton, according to census figures, 14.3 per cent of the population in 2001 was 65 or older. Five years later, that age group accounted for 14.9 per cent of the population. It's estimated that older persons will make up more than 20 per cent of the city's population by 2021. With those projections in mind, the council launched the study using eight features identified by the WHO to measure Hamilton's age-friendliness: Outdoor spaces and buildings; transportation; housing; social participation; respect and social inclusion; civic participation and employment; communication and information; and community support and health services. Over the year, the council held 15 focus groups with 130 people, 60 and older, from 11 of the 15 wards; two focus groups of 16 service providers; one with five caregivers; and a forum of 150 people in November to review the findings and make recommendations. "We are hoping that most of the 92 recommendations are doable over time," says Christie. "This is a 10-year process. But I'd say at least half are doable in the short term." For example, Christie says, it was suggested that a customer service manual be developed to help retailers and service suppliers understand the unique needs of their elderly clients and customers. Another recommendation was to improve sidewalk maintenance so that the city is more walkable and the risk of falls is reduced. "Over the next year, we'll be looking at two or three features and concentrating on improving those features," says Christie. "One for sure will be transportation and what we can do to make sure we're at the right tables ... the light rail table, the DARTS table." Christie says that within 10 years, the council would like to see considerations for the elderly entrenched in policy and law, just as they are now for the disabled. It's an investment for the future, she says, and for the entire community. An age-friendly community benefits people of all ages, the report states. Safe neighbourhoods are safe for everybody, not just the elderly. All families benefit when they know their older relatives have the necessary services and supports. Barrier-free spaces improve mobility for all citizens, young, old and with disabilities. "I think there's a lot of room for improvement," she says. "But it's not that bad. Most seniors say they enjoy living in Hamilton and they find a lot of benefits to it." [rc] Information on the council on aging can be found at coahamilton.ca Mary K. Nolan E-Mail: mnolan@thespec.com © Copyright 2007 Metroland Media Group Ltd.