A study in Psychology and Aging analyzed the benefits of multiple cognitive training types for both persons who are aging healthily and those with mild cognitive impairment, reports Medical Xpress . This meta-analysis evaluated 215 earlier studies published in 167 journal articles, and lead author Professor Chandramallika Basak at the University of Texas at Dallas' Center for Vital Longevity expects the research to have a broad impact on the field of cognitive training. Such training in older adults concerns activities designed to maintain or enhance cognitive abilities that decline in late adulthood. Most forms of training involve a professional who administers a standardized test, oversees a training module designed to improve the skill or skills applied on that test, and then retests to see if a subject shows demonstrable improvement. According to Basak, subjects who were given any type of training outperformed their related controls on post-training cognitive tests, supporting the concept that even a slightly impaired brain can still benefit. "One key finding was that cognitive training was found to significantly improve everyday functioning in older adults, which in turn can provide additional years of independence and potentially delay the onset of dementia," Basak said.

With average human lifespans longer than they were in previous generations, Americans are rethinking retirement, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . The high costs of a longer retirement, coupled with longer life expectancies, means that more Americans are electing to stay employed longer. A 2019 TD Ameritrade poll of 2,000 adults found that most Americans currently plan to work beyond the traditional retirement age, and one in three respondents said they intend to work at least part-time in retirement. Yet baby boomers staying employed longer may leave younger generations with fewer advancement opportunities and the increased pay that usually accompanies them. About 30 percent of retired survey respondents said they felt like their identity vanished after they retired. "The concept of retirement is evolving," explained TD Ameritrade's Christine Russell. "It's not just about finances. The value of work is also driving folks to continue working past retirement."

A study by University of Queensland (UQ) researchers in PharmacoEconomics assessed a new tool to measure the quality of life of people with dementia, which the authors believe will lead to better targeted care for those with the condition, reports ScienceDaily . The tool evaluates five key quality of life contributors — physical health, mood, memory, living situation, and ability to do fun activities — and factors in the perspectives of people with dementia. UQ Professor Tracy Comans said the tool indicated that physical health was rated the most valuable contributor, followed by a person's living situation. "The priorities of people with dementia and their caregivers differed from the general population, with their living situation and the ability to do fun things being valued as the most important contributors to quality of life," she noted. "However, people with dementia, their caregivers, and the general population all valued memory as least important to good quality of life." Researchers said the tool could now be employed to ensure the views of people with dementia and their caregivers are accounted for when considering interventions for improving quality of life.

Forty exercise science majors at the University of West Florida are participating in a class that pairs them with 40 locals older than 65, to help develop an understanding of the physiological and psychological changes which accompany advancing age, reports WKRG News 5 . The students develop an exercise regimen for their individual seniors and work with them on it. The class is being conducted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic on platforms that include Zoom, Facetime, and Skype. Others have employed text, email, and YouTube videos. Class leader Amy Crawley said she is impressed with participants' adaptability to the new format amid the crisis. "Every student viewed it as a challenge that they could rise up and still do a good job with their senior and still bring activity and physical fitness into their homes," she said.

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society sought to measure the risk of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribed to older adults at the time of their release from the hospital, reports EurekAlert . The team analyzed information from medical and surgical patients to asses the link between PIMs and the risk of four outcomes — harmful drug problems, emergency department visits, rehospitalization, and death after release. The study involved 2,402 subjects who were about 76 years old overall, had been diagnosed with five health conditions, and had been prescribed about eight different drugs at the time of their release. Almost two-thirds had been prescribed at least one PIM at discharge, including both new PIMs and/or those continued from before hospitalization. Most were prescribed one PIM, and 1,176 were re-prescribed at least one of their previous PIMs. Almost 50 percent were prescribed with at least one new PIM. Nearly 10 percent of subjects had a potentially harmful drug reaction and 36 percent visited the emergency department, were readmitted to the hospital, and/or died in the 30 days post-hospitalization. The researchers concluded that older adults who have been hospitalized and prescribed PIMs are at a higher risk for potentially harmful drug reactions and the other considered outcomes.

In New York, the nonprofit Therapy Dogs of Long Island brings certified dogs to comfort people with physical or mental health challenges at senior care communities, hospitals, and private residences with people in long-term care especially benefiting, reports Today . A hallmark of a therapy dog is an easygoing nature in many situations, and the dogs must engage and respond positively, even when the people they are visiting behave in ways that can scare the animals. Nonprofit founder Terry Gallogly says at senior care communities, the dogs are ready to cuddle and play, even when residents are confined to wheelchairs, or cannot speak or move quickly. Residents often laugh, hug, and kiss the dogs, and sometimes engage with them more they do with other people. "What other instance can you go over to something that's living and breathing, get love from and pet them, hug them?" Gallogly said. "They don't care what your mental capacity is or what your physical or looks are. It's that unconditional love and non-judgment I think that brings the most joy."

A study by University of Southern California (USC) researchers in Nature sheds light on how the Alzheimer's disease gene APOE4 triggers leakage in the blood-brain barrier, reports USC News . "Severe damage to vascular cells called pericytes was linked to more severe cognitive problems in APOE4 carriers," said USC's Berislav Zlokovic. "APOE4 seems to speed up the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier by activating an inflammatory pathway in blood vessels, which is associated with pericyte injury." Using a combination of standard memory tests and advanced neuroimaging, the researchers found damaged capillaries in the brain's memory center, the hippocampus, and medial temporal lobe in APOE4 carriers. This damage corresponded with elevated levels of the inflammatory protein cyclophilin A, which is an early sign of the disease in people already at higher risk of Alzheimer's. The findings suggest that a potential treatment could focus on these capillaries.

A study in the Journal of Applied Gerontology determined that physically active U.S. veterans are more likely to fall but less likely to suffer injury, versus inactive older adults who did not serve in the military, according to U.S. News & World Report . The authors analyzed 2006-2015 data from almost 12,000 vets and nearly 37,000 others. Vets had 11 percent more falls that did not result in injuries, but 28 percent fewer falls compared to non-veterans. Although the risk of falling rose more with age for vets than for others, physical activity shielded hem more from non-injury falls. "The inference is that being active puts you at more risk for a fall, but if you are more active/in shape, the fall is more likely to be a minor one and not a serious one resulting in injury," said University of Michigan Professor Geoffrey Hoffman. He explained that such research is vital due to the need to identify a suitable balance between activity and fall risk as people get older — and one possibility is that when a person is active, a fall presents less risk because that person is in better shape, even when being more active marginally elevates the risk of a nonserious fall. "A good trade-off can be made: more activity and independence at the cost of some more minor falls," Hoffman concluded. "It's up to each older individual with the input of family caregivers to weigh those trade-offs."

Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault and others who work for the team and parent company Comcast Spectacor are helping isolated seniors during the coronavirus pandemic, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer . Through the Flyers Phone-Linemates program, participants make weekly phone calls to senior community residents, keeping them connected to the world. Forty people associated with the Flyers have made calls to these seniors. "It's very rewarding to be able to use this time to help others and hopefully brighten their day," Vigneault said. "With everyone at risk and much of the public in self-quarantine, this has also affected senior citizens particularly hard — especially the ones in assisted-care homes." The program currently serves seniors at the Mildred Shor Inn at the Abramson Senior Care Center in North Wales, Montgomery County. Valerie Camillo with the Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center said a planned expansion includes having Flyers Phone-Linemates call other senior communities in the area.

To help socially isolated senior Floridians with Alzheimer's disease and dementia cope with the COVID-19 quarantine, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs announced that it will provide them with therapeutic robotic pets, reports CNN . Research indicates that robotic pets have similar positive effects to traditional pet therapy, and have a high rate of success in decreasing social isolation for older adults. "We know social isolation disproportionately affects older adults, and COVID-19 has required people with dementia and their caregivers to remain alone for extended periods of time," said Department of Elder Affairs Secretary Richard Produm. "We look forward to delivering these therapeutic robotic pets to those who will benefit from their companionship." The robotic pets were developed by Ageless Innovation, which is committed to creating fun and engaging products geared toward older adults. The Department of Elder Affairs will distribute 375 robotic pets to isolated Florida seniors, while Ageless Innovation also has teamed with the Association on Aging in New York to distribute up to 11,100 robots to vulnerable seniors in that state.