Researchers believe various factors come into play in the development of Alzheimer's disease, reports Discover . Studies have increasingly found that genes are critical contributors in onset, although the disorder can appear at different stages in life. Scientists have found three genes where mutations can cause early-onset familial Alzheimer's. If just one parent carries one of the mutated genes, their child has a chance of inheriting it as well. Yet everyone with early-onset Alzheimer's has mutations in those genes. For the majority of people with Alzheimer's, symptoms begin to manifest round the age of 65 or later. Scientists suspect a combination of genetic and environmental variables influence a person's risk for developing the disease. This means having a relative with Alzheimer's does not necessarily guarantee inheritance, but the person does have a heightened susceptibility compared to others.

A study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America found focused ultrasound to be a safe and effective method for targeting and opening areas of the blood-brain barrier, potentially allowing for new Alzheimer's disease therapies, reports ScienceDaily . Animal studies demonstrated that low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) guided via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reversibly open this barrier for precisely targeted delivery of drug and stem cells. The investigators targeted LIFU to specific sites in the brain essential to memory in three senior-aged women with early-stage Alzheimer's and evidence of amyloid plaques. MRI confirmed after treatment that the blood-brain barrier opened within the target areas immediately following the procedure. Closure was observed at each target within 24 hours. The researchers suggest LIFU could help deliver therapeutic drugs into the brain to enhance their effectiveness.

A new bipartisan bill proposed by Reps. Matt Willhite (D-Fla.) and Scott Plakon (R-Fla.) would establish an Office of Alzheimer's Disease within Florida's Department of Elder Affairs, reports Florida Politics . Willhite said the bill also is intended to strengthen the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee. "The legislation that we are introducing today will help to position Florida as a national leader as we tackle how we, as a state, can provide services for our constituents who currently live with this disease and the 1.1 million caregivers that sacrifice so much," Plakon noted yesterday afternoon. Willhite added that "last year, we were fortunate enough to pass another piece of legislation related to Alzheimer's disease, but there is always more work to be done."

On Dec. 17, the National Center on Advancing Person- Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) will be offering a webinar titled "Finding the Balance: Person-Centered Supports that Honor Both Safety and Dignity of Risk." Participants will hear from people with disabilities about their experience in planning, navigating concerns about well-being, and seeking the "dignity of risk." They will also learn from direct support providers about the challenges, requirements, and successes of the delivery of quality person-centered supports in a way that considers both health and safety while honoring an individual's right to make decisions that may not always be in their best interest. Register here .

A Brookings Institution study estimated that 44 percent of U.S. workers are employed in low-wage jobs that pay median annual wages of $18,000, reports KNOE . This low-wage workforce is primarily comprised of post-college age adults and older Americans, including 19 percent aged 51 to 65. Twenty-three percent of low-wage employees have an associate's degree or more. The Job Quality Index charts a generally downward trend in job quality, which has slipped by 14.3 percent since 1990. The most recent upward trend started in 2012 but began declining again in 2017.

The Dallas Mavericks Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Waxahachie Senior Citizens Center in Texas so it can fast-track construction of its STEM Garden, reports the Neuces County Record Star . The gift will further advance the Technology Teaching area of the "Living Today for Tomorrow" Next Generation Education STEM Garden and finance an outdoor touchscreen panel computer. "The . . . Garden will strengthen Ellis County and surrounding communities through intergenerational learning by providing STEM science, technology, engineering, and math awareness education for K-12 students and meaningful volunteer opportunities for senior adults," declared the city of Waxahachie in a Facebook post. "Seniors also benefit from the program by participating as mentors and teaching assistants by sharing their knowledge and experiences in order to strengthen the bonds between generations."

A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) study found few Medicare beneficiaries shop around during the annual enrollment period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, for private Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO plans or stand-alone prescription drug plans, reports the Worcester Telegram & Gazette . Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the enrollment period at the end of 2016 for the 2017 calendar year. Just 8 percent of Medicare Advantage plan members with prescription drug coverage, and 10 percent of stand-alone prescription drug plan members, voluntarily moved to another plan in the 2016 annual enrollment period for the following year. Data from the 2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey determined 35 percent of beneficiaries living in the community said it was very or somewhat difficult to compare options, which rose significantly among beneficiaries in fair or poor health and with five or more chronic conditions. KFF also found that nationwide, beneficiaries face an average of 28 plans to choose from.

The AARP has canceled the publication of an investigative story in the 2020 edition of the AARP Bulletin about systemic ageism in federal recruitment and hiring, reports Forbes . According to an anonymous source, senior AARP officials killed the article due to political considerations and to avoid risking denial of federal grant funding. Since 2012, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has been running the Pathways "Recent Graduates" Program, which permits federal agencies to discriminate based on age in the recruitment and hiring of workers. Under the initiative, agencies can limit applications for job vacancies to individuals who graduated from a qualified educational institution within the preceding two years. The program not only hurts older workers by arbitrarily excluding them from federal positions, but it endorses the acceptability of ageism among private enterprises. The OPM responded to a 2017 Freedom of Information Act request that about 93 percent of applicants hired for 92,193 jobs under the program from 2012 to 2017 were younger than 40.

The Big Hearts for Seniors program is seeking storytellers in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, Mich., for its "Big Hearted Stories: Experiences of Aging" benefit event in May 2020, reports All About Ann Arbor . Storytellers will be asked to share true stories related to the aging experience, with five finalists selected by a panel of judges to receive individual coaching in the run-up to the event. "The power of story reaches people on a very deep level," noted Big Hearts for Seniors consultant Breeda Miller. "Sharing a profound or sweet story about the experience of aging with a group of people who care deeply about providing the best services for aging adults in Washtenaw County will provide an evening of great entertainment as well as a moving experience."

A pilot study at the Buffalo Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center found the frailty of older veterans was much reduced through high-intensity interval training, reports the Buffalo News . A study is part of a larger initiative by researchers at the University at Buffalo (UB) and the VA to find ways to help people enjoy healthier, more functional lives as they age. "We're looking for exercise that will be more exciting, and when you look at high-intensity interval training, there are published studies that show even a single minute a few days a week can have benefits," said UB Professor Kenneth Seldeen. The study involves tracking veterans for 10 minutes as they ride a recumbent bike three times a week. They pedal for three minutes at 50 percent of maximum oxygen volume, followed by one minute at 80 percent and one minute back at 50 percent three times straight, with another 60-second push at 80 percent at the end. Participants learned that these four daily minutes boosted their oxygen capacity and improved their cardiovascular systems.