A study detailed a blood test that can diagnose brain changes related to Alzheimer's with 94 percent accuracy, reports Newsweek . The test measured beta-amyloid levels, in conjunction with cerebrospinal fluid analysis and positron-emission tomography (PET) scans of the brain. One hundred out of 158 participants older than 50 underwent a second PET scan, and those who tested negative for beta-amyloid in first scan had a 15-fold risk of later testing positive if beta-amyloid 42/beta-amyloid 40 turned up in their blood. "The blood test, especially in combination with age and APOE e4 status, is very accurate in diagnosing the brain changes of Alzheimer's disease," says Washington University School of Medicine Professor Suzanne Schindler. "It also suggests that some results thought to be false positive positive blood test, negative amyloid PET scan, are actually indicating very early disease." Washington University Professor Randall J. Bateman suggests the blood test will likely be used for screening in trials within 12 months, and potentially available in clinics in one to two years.

A study published in PLOS Medicine found adults who want to lower the odds of developing dementia may benefit from socializing during middle age, reports SlashGear . Data analysis on more than 10,000 adult participants saw a positive correlation between cognitive test results and social contact frequency. Adults who had more social contact at 60 years old were found to be "significantly" less likely to develop dementia in later years. For example, 60-year-olds who saw friends almost every day had a 12 percent lower dementia risk, versus adults who saw their friends once every few months. Older adults who had more socialization at the ages of 50 and 70 years enjoyed similar benefits, although the connections were statistically insignificant. Nevertheless, the implication is that socialization may reduce the chances of developing dementia, at any age. "People who are socially engaged are exercising cognitive skills such as memory and language, which may help them to develop cognitive reserve. While it may not stop their brains from changing, cognitive reserve could help people cope better with the effects of age and delay any symptoms of dementia," said University College London's Gill Livingston.

U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) recently hosted an event with her constituents to discuss phone scams with older adult advocates, shortly after voting to pass the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, reports the Las Vegas Sun . "Nevada and Congressional District 3 is home to a large number of seniors who represent probably the most vulnerable part of our community," she noted. Lori Power with the Nevada Senior Medicare Patrol cited a scam that older adults could fall victim to that reaches beyond robocalls. She said seniors may receive medical equipment deliveries without ordering it, and the sender bills Medicare for them. "In some cases, these providers aren't even giving the back brace; they're just charging Medicare," she pointed out. The Medicare Patrol's Melissa McDonald added that victims may then learn that Medicare will not cover the cost of a device when it is really needed. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) has proposed legislation to punish Telephone Consumer Protection Act violators with up to 12 months in prison, as well as boost the maximum fine for falsifying caller ID numbers to $20,000.

The proposed Health Savings for Seniors Act would allow older Americans to deposit money in health savings accounts (HSAs) even after they enroll in Medicare, but they would be unable to tap that money to cover Medicare premiums, reports CNBC . Furthermore, consumers would be charged a penalty for making withdrawals for non-qualified medical costs. "Allowing seniors the choice to have a health savings account will help them pay for the out-of-pocket costs Medicare doesn't cover — like dental, vision, and hearing expenses — and allows them to do so with pre-tax dollars," said Kevin McKechnie with the American Bankers Association's Health Savings Accounts Council. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that only 18 percent of all adults with employer healthcare coverage said they were enrolled in a high-deductible plan paired with an HSA. Forty-seven percent said they contributed less than $1,000 to their account in the past year, and 11 percent contributed more than $5,000.

Robert Mueller's recent testimony, which prompted speculation that a "health issue" was inhibiting his performance, gives rise to consideration of "normal cognitive aging" — how older adults, without necessarily having any dementia-related cognitive impairment, experience declines in certain cognitive skills, reports Forbes . These declines particularly concern processing speed, memory, problem-solving, and executive functioning, which dovetail with policy issues around older adults in the workforce. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that one third of all Americans between 65 and 74 suffer from some measure of hearing loss. Meanwhile, AARP has been warning that people with hearing loss are at a greater risk of developing dementia. In the workplace, this means some staffers will have to get used to accepting co-workers with hearing aids as capable contributors and not stigmatize them. Whether the U.S. workforce is ready to do this remains an open question.

University of Massachusetts (UMass) researcher Katie Potter aims to recruit older adults to participate in a free dog training class, reports WWLP . Project Rover is a three-week pilot program to help boost physical activity for both human and canine participants. "We need to find ways to get our older adults moving more and sitting less," Potter said. "We know people love their pets so if we can find a way to bond with our pets, walk every day so we can incorporate it into our routine and think it's one approach that can work for some people." The twice-weekly, 45-minute classes at the UMass Behavioral Medicine Lab will demonstrate skills and commands for dogs, like walking and listening. "You wear an activity monitor, you fill out some surveys, you do memory tests and some physical functions and that's it," Potter explained. "It's a pretty good deal." The classes begin in September.

A study published in Neurology suggests low or high hemoglobin concentrations in the blood could elevate the risk of dementia later on, reports News-Medical . The study focused on 12,305 people, average age 65, without dementia. Hemoglobin readings at the start of the study showed 6 percent of the participants had anemia. Subjects were followed for a median of 12 years, during which 1,520 developed dementia, with Alzheimer's exhibited in 1,194 subjects. Individuals with anemia were 41 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's and 34 percent more likely to develop any kind of dementia. Of the 745 participants with anemia, 128 developed dementia, versus 1,392 of the 11,560 people without anemia. Those with high hemoglobin levels also were more susceptible to dementia. Outcomes remained consistent following adjustment for other factors that could affect dementia risk, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and alcohol use.

Babylon Health researchers collaborated with Dementia Trust UK on five puzzles that demonstrate the experience of living with dementia, reports Interesting Engineering . The puzzles present five separate concepts, designed to make users experience the kinds of emotions that someone with dementia might have in answering questions. The puzzles include a challenge designed to make users feel stupid, an unwinnable memory game, an image test that will bring the user's abilities into doubt, a reading comprehension test weighted against the subject, and a questionnaire that makes unexpected conclusions. "The humiliation arising from not being able to complete simple puzzles gives rise to anger," says researcher June Andrews. "Do you feel like you're being set up to fail? It's even worse if you didn't want to be tested in the first place. It's not surprising therefore that people avoid seeking a diagnosis, but that delay can stop them from making preparations and accessing care while time runs out."

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found roughly one in 10 older adults binge drinks, elevating the risk of health problems, reports NBC News . Analysis of data on 10,927 people older than 65 who participated in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2015 and 2017 found an estimated 10.6 percent of participants admitted to binge drinking within the previous 30 days. "A lot of patients don't realize that as they get older, their body becomes more sensitive to alcohol," says New York University Langone Health Professor Benjamin Han. Experts warn binge drinking can exacerbate chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. "If you drink regularly and you are taking blood thinners, then there's going to be a risk of bleeding in your stomach," notes the Cleveland Clinic's Ronan Factora. "Binge drinking can also make your sugars go up, which can create problems for people with diabetes."