A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found estrone and testosterone levels show wide variance among older women, with higher testosterone concentrations possibly indicating lower disease risk, reports Healio . The researchers analyzed sex steroid data from 6,392 women at least 70 years old participating in a randomized controlled trial of how low-dose aspirin fared against placebo on older adults without cardiovascular disease or impaired cognition. Women aged 80 to 84 years had estrone levels that were on average 9.2 percent higher versus women 70 to 74, while women at least 85 years old had average estrone levels of 11.7 percent higher versus women 70 to 74 years. Excess weight further affected sex steroid levels, with average estrone levels in older obese women being 34.1 percent higher than in women with normal weight. Meanwhile, women 80 to 84 had average testosterone levels that were 9.3 percent higher than those of women 70 to 74 years. That portion climbed to 11.3 percent for women at least 85 years old, while older women who were overweight or obese had higher testosterone levels compared to those with normal weight. "The study suggests that higher testosterone may confer a survival advantage, particularly considering that between the ages of 70 to 95 years, older women have higher testosterone levels in this age group," concluded Monash University Professor Susan R. Davis.

A pilot study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease suggests meditation can prevent mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from progressing into Alzheimer's, reports the New York Post . Meditation was found to help relieve chronic stress, which adversely impacts the brain and raises the probability of developing Alzheimer's. The researchers studied 14 men and women ages 55 to 90 with diagnosed MCI, with nine participating in an eight-week-long mindfulness meditation or yoga course. Subjects who completed the course skewed toward better cognitive health and better understanding of mindfulness. "While the concept of mindfulness meditation is simple, the practice itself requires complex cognitive processes, discipline, and commitment," said Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Professor Rebecca Erwin Wells. "This study suggests that the cognitive impairment in MCI is not prohibitive of what is required to learn this new skill." Meditation also has been associated with a more satisfactory life, by helping practitioners feel more connected.

A study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease suggests a poor handgrip may signal impaired cognition and memory in older Americans, reports University of Michigan News . Examination of about 14,000 participants from the 2006 Health and Retirement Study, age 50 and older, over eight years determined each five-kilogram reduction in handgrip strength was linked to a 10 percent greater likelihood for any cognitive impairment and an 18 percent higher risk for severe cognitive impairment. The researchers inferred from the findings that a reduction in grip strength is associated with neural degeneration, which highlights the importance of muscle-building exercise. "These findings suggest that this is another instance where you're seeing that staying physically active affects your overall health and your cognitive health," said University of Michigan School of Nursing Professor Sheria Robinson-Lane.

A study in Science Translational Medicine found genes that affect the brain's immune cells may contribute to the risk of developing early-onset or late-onset Alzheimer's, reports Being Patient . The researchers identified two genes, MS4A4A and TREM2, in the microglia, which influence the levels of a protein also called TREM2. Scientists think this protein regulates the microglia's ability to purge amyloid and tau from the brain, and the alteration of its levels by the two genes exacerbates the danger of developing Alzheimer's. An examination of 813 older adults found some had Alzheimer's, while some had mild cognitive impairment, and some were considered cognitively normal. "We observed TREM2 risk variants more often in people who had Alzheimer's or were mildly cognitively impaired, compared with those who were cognitively normal," said Washington University School of Medicine Professor Celeste Karch. She noted about 30 percent of the study population exhibited some level of variation with the MS4A4A gene, which could either raise their risk of Alzheimer's or shield them from it. NeuroGenomics and Informatics Group Professor Carlos Cruchaga said the findings suggest "if we can do something to raise levels of the TREM2 protein in the cerebrospinal fluid, we may be able to protect against Alzheimer's disease or slow its development."

After age 50, the aging process affects people's brains in various ways, reports Northwestern University professor Sally Blount in Forbes . "At 50 or so, people begin to move from viewing their lives as interminable stretches of time to seeing them as finite, and this transition shapes how we allocate our attention and the types of goals we choose to pursue," she writes. Blount also observes that the value of emotional comfort — spending time with friends and family — starts to grow past age 50. "It's important, as the average lifespan lengthens, that we push ourselves to stay open to new people and ideas as we age," she argues. Blount specifically says "we need to keep our deep learning muscles alive and active — both physically and mentally." A third phenomenon she notes is a tendency "to hold tighter to long-held world views" as the perception of death becomes more palpable. "In an effort to give voice to and justify their life story, people defend their life choices more vigorously and become less open to other ways of seeing the world," Blount remarks. She says the most active seniors more often "consciously restrain their drive to talk in favor of listening and asking questions."

Virtual reality (VR) technology is enhancing the lives of seniors around the world, with companies like Viarama, Mynd VR, Rendever, VR Genie, and Virtual Exercise paving the way, reports Forbes . Viarama is using HTC Vive headsets and Google Earth VR to offer seniors in nursing communities or hospices virtual travels. "We've had mountain climbers climbing mountains. We've had artists with dementia who have had to give up their life's work, and we let them draw, paint, and sculpt in VR," notes Viarama CEO Billy Agnew. Mynd VR's goal is to update and improve healthcare practices for seniors, with tools to help users deal with Alzheimer's and dementia, create meaningful experiences without leaving assisted living communities, and offer entertainment. The company uses 360-degree cameras to capture experiences on film and incorporate them into immersive environments. Rendever, meanwhile, has set up its VR platform in more than 100 senior living communities across the United States and Canada, providing over 40,000 experiences to help users revisit key locations from their past and counter social isolation. VR Genie's tools are designed to improve seniors' quality of life, partly by providing virtual "bucket list" excursions. Finally, Virtual Exercise's repertoire is designed to make exercise an immersive, exciting experience for seniors instead of a slog via VR training.

AARP is calling on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to hold a presidential primary debate focused solely on issues concerning "older Americans," reports The Hill . "Our 38 million members and broader constituency of Americans age 50 and older are very concerned about the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, making sure that Medicare and Social Security are strengthened for current and future generations, and age discrimination in the workplace, among other issues which have not been sufficiently addressed in the debates to date," the organization stated. According to AARP, a debate is needed, since exit polls estimated that Americans older than 50 comprised roughly 56 percent of voters in 2018 and 46 percent of voters in 2016. The group noted this age group was especially populous "in the early nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada — and we believe that they will again be decisive in the 2020 election cycle."

A study published in JAMA Network Open found rates of obesity-related cancers are increasing among people aged 50 to 64, and falling among seniors, reports the Chicago Tribune . The researchers reviewed 2.7 million cases of 13 types of cancers associated with obesity between 2000 and 2016 and parsed the data by sex, race, and ethnicity. A total of 3.4 million cases of non-obesity-related cancers for the same period also was analyzed and did not find significant elevations in rates of obesity-related or non-obesity-related cancers in the 20- to 49-year-old cohort. Although people aged 50 to 64 had increased rates of both obesity-related and non-obesity-related cancers, this trend was more significant for cancers associated with excess weight. The researchers suggested the decline in such cancers in the 65 and or older cohort implies that as people turn 65 and qualify for Medicare, "more . . . will be cancer survivors with a high burden of mental health problems, functional impairment, and medical bankruptcy."

The University of Mississippi (UM) has established the new Department of Applied Gerontology to meet the challenge of training future geriatric medical practitioners, reports Ole Miss . "People are living longer, more active lives, and applied gerontology majors and minors will engage with faculty from many different disciplines through interprofessional academic and experiential offerings that prepare them to help citizens live the dynamic lives they want, for as long as possible," said UM's Teresa Carithers. "Our program will be innovative in addressing critical preparation, recruitment, and retention issues presenting enormous national challenges within the interdisciplinary, long-term care workforce through education and training initiatives." Carithers added that the new department will use targeted technological innovations to better equip students to be leaders in the field of aging amid an ongoing population shift that is seeing larger numbers of adults living longer than previous generations. The new department offers a bachelor's degree in applied gerontology, requiring enrollees to take courses in everything from communication disorders and advanced composition to nutrition and exercise science. Students also must pursue a recognized minor or second major to help them specialize in an area related to their career goals.

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found adults 60 years and older with vision and hearing impairments may have fewer years of life as well as healthy life versus those with no impairments, reports ScienceDaily . People with both hearing and vision impairments had the greatest reduction in health expectancy, and an overall lower life expectancy. At age 60, persons with both impairments could expect a life expectancy about four years shorter than healthy participants, in addition to about three more years of life with limited physical function. Older adults with both impairments could expect to spend 62 percent of their remaining life with restricted physical function, compared to 38 percent for unencumbered adults. Moreover, older adults with both impairments could expect to spend about 31 percent of their remaining life with limitation in activities of daily living, compared to 16 percent of persons with neither impairment. The researchers concluded that spotting and managing these conditions early could potentially extend life lived in good health.