Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has introduced the Seniors Prescription Drug Relief Act of 2019 to help U.S. seniors pay for prescription drugs, reports the Ripon Advance . "This bill improves the Senate's legislation to lower drug prices and eases the burden on seniors struggling to pay for their medication," he announced. The legislation proposes a monthly out-of-pocket cost-sharing maximum for enrollees who incur significant expenses for covered Medicare Part D medications toward the annual out-of-pocket threshold over a month. A measure recently approved by the Senate Finance Committee would limit the annual dollar amount a person would be required to pay out of pocket, and Cassidy's bill would allow seniors who reach that limit early to stagger out their payments over the full year. "Not only do we need to cap seniors' costs under Medicare Part D, we need to make sure that those who rely on expensive medications don't get saddled with an unaffordable prescription drug bill at the start of every year," said co-sponsor Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). "No senior should have to face a choice between paying a massive prescription drug bill up-front and all at once or forgoing their prescribed medication because they can't."

A study published in Small by researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Bar-Ilan University details how they used a nanochip inserted under the skull just outside the brain to deliver therapeutic stimulation, reports BioSpace . The nanochip dispatched a neural growth factor to treat Alzheimer's, and the device is composed of a nanoscale porous structure that can be loaded with the protein. A silicone framework holds the protein in its active form, then slowly releases it over a month or so. The chip safely degrades and dissolves afterwards. The chip can be inserted directly into the brain by implanting it onto the dura matter, or by using a repurposed "gene gun" to inject it through the nose and circumvent the blood-brain barrier. Experiments with mice models showed the chips were effective, while tests on a cellular model of Alzheimer's proved the protein can preserve nerve cells. The researchers are conducting pre-clinical tests, and they plan to move on to human clinical trials if the results are positive.

A study in Obesity suggests older adults with normal weight but a wider waist may be more vulnerable to developing dementia, reports Reuters Health . The research does not prove that extra fat around the waist causes dementia in healthy-weight individuals, although dementia rates climbed consistently among older adults with a normal body mass index (BMI), along with waist sizes of at least 90 centimeters for men and 85 centimeters for women. The researchers argue that waist circumference is a better indicator of excess fat than BMI, especially in seniors, who tend to lose lean body mass and increase fat without a change in weight. Normal-weight participants with abdominal obesity had a significantly elevated risk, while those who were overweight or obese had a lower risk of dementia than normal-weight individuals. However, underweight subjects actually had the highest risk. The University of California, San Francisco's Katherine Possin thinks increased dementia risk in underweight people may stem from underlying medical conditions, while people who are overweight likely have maintained their lean muscle mass.

The Bristol County Sheriff's Office in Massachusetts is now offering locals seniors Senior Safe IDs to authenticate their identities, reports WBSM . The identification cards feature the holder's name, picture, and address on the front and emergency contacts on the back, and seniors wear them around their necks. Senior Safe IDs are not intended to substitute for a driver's license or an official state ID card. They are supposed to give seniors the ability to always have their name, picture, and emergency contact at hand. Coastline Elderly Services' Brittany Botelho said the cards are "the first step" in what could make substantial differences in their holders' lives, especially in the event of medical emergencies.

A study by Northwestern Mutual found being a caregiver to a family member or other loved one can impact one's career, reports Yahoo Finance . A poll of 1,400 adults who have either previously served as a caregiver or were currently doing so determined 66 percent of respondents are both working and serving as a caregiver for someone, and 62 percent said caregiving duties affected their jobs and careers. People in their prime working years are more likely to experience the professional consequences of caregiving, with 75 percent of Gen Xers and 73 percent of millennials saying they balance caregiving duties with employment responsibilities. In addition, 69 percent of Gen Xers and 70 percent of millennials said caregiving was affecting their careers. Consequently, 20 percent said they needed a more flexible schedule, 19 percent have had to take days off work, and 19 percent have had to adjust their work schedules or shifts. Meanwhile, 12 percent of respondents lost income or long-term earning potential, 11 percent had to pass up promotions or other opportunities for advancement, and 10 percent had to cut back on work duties. Caregiving appears to be affecting men more extensively than women professionally, according to the data.

A preliminary study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions found middle-age adults' brains may be prematurely aging if they are obese or have other factors related to cardiovascular disease, reports U.S. News & World Report . The researchers employed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tests of thinking skills to evaluate more than 2,100 women and men 37 to 55 years old, and compared to the healthiest participants, those who were metabolically unhealthy, obese, or both exhibited brain decline. "This is further ammunition for healthcare workers to convince people to change their lifestyles and to work on early prevention," said Rebecca Angoff at Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The MRIs identified lower total cerebral brain volume in metabolically unhealthy people. Both metabolically unhealthy and obese participants showed the most evidence of subtle white matter injury, which has been associated with early Alzheimer's disease. Angoff noted these injuries stem from blood vessel abnormalities, and may be due to risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes. Obesity also was linked to poorer scores on cognitive tests, which when taken with MRI findings may indicate early symptoms of an aging brain.

Best Buy estimates that it is currently serving one million seniors through its health offerings, with plans to raise that number to five million by fiscal 2025, reports MarketWatch . "Today, most of the seniors we serve are utilizing easy-to-use mobile phone products and connected devices that are tailored for seniors and come with a range of relevant services," said Best Buy CEO Corie Barry. The company additionally offers a "Five-Star Service" that connects customers with U.S.-based agents who can dispatch emergency professionals, act as a concierge, and more. Best Buy has been moving into the health space via its GreatCall devices and services, and the acquisition of Critical Signal Technologies, a monitoring company that has a supplemental benefit covered by the Medicare Advantage plan. Furthermore, the retailer has appointed a practicing emergency doctor, Daniel Grossman, as its chief medical officer.

A mouse study in Aging Cell found extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) can ward off multiple types of dementia, reports Medical Xpress . Whereas previous research from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) showed EVOO preserves memory and shields the brain against Alzheimer's disease in mice, the new study found the substance also arms the brain against tauopathies, characterized by the gradual buildup of the tau protein. In mice engineered to exhibit tauopathy, normal tau protein becomes defective and accrues in the brain, forming harmful tangles. These deposits inhibit neuron communication and impair thinking and memory, inducing frontotemporal dementia. Tau mice were given a diet supplemented with EVOO at a young age, and six months later they had a 60 percent reduction in damaging tau deposits, versus those that were not administered EVOO. Mice fed EVOO also outperformed EVOO-deprived mice on memory and learning tests. Analysis of EVOO-fed mice's brain tissue revealed that improved brain function was likely enabled by healthier synapse function, and linked to higher-than-normal levels of complexin-1, a protein that plays an essential role in keeping synapses healthy. "We are particularly interested in knowing whether EVOO can reverse tau damage and ultimately treat tauopathy in older mice," said LKSOM's Domenico Praticò.