A study published in Nature suggests the seeds of Alzheimer's could have been planted by a protein passed to eight persons decades ago in contaminated growth hormones, reports Scientific American . If validated, the implication is that the disease could potentially be transmitted via close contact with the brain tissue of someone with the condition. The eight subjects received doses of human growth hormone as children from the pituitary glands of numerous cadavers. University College London's John Collinge said any risk of transmission is likely only from surgical instruments. All the subjects developed Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from the growth hormones, and those same hormones apparently carry the amyloid beta protein, which clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Collinge detected the protein in the subjects' brains and blood vessels, and all eight were in their 30s and 40s, which is too young for so much amyloid beta to be present in normal circumstances. The subjects also developed a condition known as cerebral Aß-amyloid angiopathy, which is found in 90 percent of persons with Alzheimer's. Brown University's Stephen Salloway said the new study and the notion of transmissibility is supported by growing evidence from animal models that the disease process can be triggered by injecting brain tissue from persons with Alzheimer's into animal brains.

With dementia care the fastest-growing segment of assisted living, some communities across the United States are coming up short on ensuring security and attentive care, reports the New York Times . A Kaiser Health News study of inspection records in the three most populous states — California, Florida, and Texas — found many assisted living communities have violated state regulations related to dementia care. The rules for assisted living are less stringent than for nursing communities, with no federally-mandated program to license or oversee these communities, while states' rules are minimal. The National Center for Assisted Living's Lindsay Schwartz says assisted living communities must balance safety with allowing people with dementia as much independence as possible. Moreover, the industry contends rigid government rules are incompatible with the individual strategies that assisted living communities aspire to create for residents. However, residents' families, lawyers, and advocates say the sometimes violent behavior of agitated residents and escapes could be avoided with improved training and staffing.

A report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB's) Office of Financial Protection for Older Americans determined American homeowners have a greater degree of financial well-being than non-owners, while lower housing costs also correlate to more positive financial well-being, according to ReverseMortgageDaily . The CFPB says the survey aims to provide "detailed information on the financial well-being scores by individual characteristics and issues of interest to people who work with older adults." Overall, general financial well-being improves with age before resuming a decline at later ages. The report noted older homeowners also have a greater degree of autonomy than non-homeowner peers, but both renters and homeowners are united in that their low monthly housing costs are "positively associated with financial well-being." A higher level of financial well-being also was observed among older adults who express much satisfaction with their housing situation and/or community, compared with those who are less satisfied. "Among older homeowners, carrying a high mortgage balance is negatively associated with financial well-being," the report stated.

A study published in the European Heart Journal suggests aerobic exercises such as jogging and interval training can make our cells biologically younger, while weight training may not yield the same benefit, reports the New York Times . The experiment sought to determine whether exercise would change telomeres, the matter that caps the tips of chromosomes. The researchers enrolled 124 middle-aged people who were healthy but did not exercise, determining their aerobic fitness and telomere length in white blood cells, while also checking blood markers of the amount and activity of each person's telomerase enzyme. A segment of participants continued their routines as is; another either took up brisk walking or jogging for 45 minutes three times a week, or a thrice-weekly, high-intensity interval program. A third cohort engaged in weight training, completing a thrice-weekly circuit of resistance exercises. Exercising participants were more aerobically fit. But at the molecular level, those who had jogged or completed intervals had much longer telomeres in their white blood cells now than at the start and more telomerase activity. The weight trainers' telomeres resembled those of people in the control group, having remained about the same or, in some cases, shortened over six months. The outcomes apparently indicate that exercise must be aerobically straining to lengthen telomeres and slow cellular-level aging.

OhioHealth is partnering with ChenMed, a senior primary care company in Miami, to open three new clinics next year to serve low- to moderate-income seniors in Columbus, Ohio, reports HealthLeaders Media . The new clinics will feature onsite services that include pharmacy and radiology. OhioHealth's Michael Krouse says the clinics will be the starting point for a wider strategy to customize care offerings to specific classes of care recipients. They will be based in neighborhoods that are underserved by primary care providers. "The bottom line is serving as many people in our community as we possibly can, with an eye toward minimizing total cost and an eye toward maximizing access," Krouse notes. ChenMed clinics use a capitated payment per member per month scheme. A study published in the American Journal of Managed Care estimated that the ChenMed model yields about a 50 percent reduction in hospitalization, a 33 percent reduction in emergency room utilization, and a 28 percent reduction in costs.

A study published in Sexual Medicine indicates that sexual activity can improve well-being amongst older adults, measured through higher enjoyment of life scores, reports EurekAlert . The researchers analyzed data from 6,879 older adults, average age 65, living in Britain. Older men and women who reported any type of sexual activity in the previous 12 months had a higher life enjoyment score than those who were not sexually active. A greater frequency of kissing, petting, and fondling was associated with a higher enjoyment of life among women, as was feeling emotionally close to their partner during sex. However, older women did not have a significant association between sexual intercourse and enjoyment of life. Meanwhile, satisfaction with sex life and frequency of sexual intercourse was associated with greater enjoyment of life among older men. The results suggest sexual intercourse may be more important for older men than women in terms of promoting well-being, with women's enjoyment more closely tied to other sexual activities. "The findings of our study suggest that it may be beneficial for physicians to query geriatric beneficiaries about their sexual activity and offer help for sexual difficulties, such as problems with erections, as sexual activity helps older people live more fulfilling lives," says Anglia Ruskin University's Lee Smith.

A study published in Social Science and Medicine found an association between hearing loss and a higher risk for mortality before the age of 75 due to cardiovascular disease, reports ScienceDaily . The researchers analyzed data from 50,462 Norwegian adults enrolled in a hearing loss study from 1996 to 1998. The team determined mortality among those with hearing loss is elevated, especially among men and women younger than 75 and those who are divorced or separated. However, mortality risk was lessened in adults with a well-hearing partner. Among the possible explanations for the link between hearing loss and mortality is that families may be more likely to stay supportive and present even during spells of poor health compared to friends or those with looser associations. Having a partner could allow someone with hearing loss to be more socially active to a greater extent, as the spouse may offer support, take initiative, and help them overcome thresholds for socialization. A spouse also could encourage the use of technical support like hearing aids and assist in consulting health services when necessary. Being in a relationship also may cushion against detrimental economic consequences of hearing loss.

A study published in Neurology found the risk of dementia was elevated in female military veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or depression, reports Medical Xpress . The research involved 109,140 female veterans 69 years old on average, who received care at a Veterans Health Administration medical center and had at least one follow-up visit. A total of 81,135 women were depression-, TBI-, and PTSD-free, while 20,410 had depression only, 1,363 had PTSD only, 488 had TBI only, and 5,044 had several conditions. Over an average four years of follow-up, 4 percent of the subjects developed dementia. The investigators determined those with PTSD were about 80 percent more likely to develop dementia than those without PTSD, and women with depression were about 70 percent more likely to develop dementia than women who lacked it. Women with TBI were about 50 percent more likely to develop dementia than those who lacked it, while the risk of dementia was doubled for women with more than one of these conditions, versus those who did not have any. "These results highlight the need for increased screening for TBI, PTSD, and depression, particularly among female veterans, as well as the potential role for treatment of these conditions to reduce dementia risk," concluded the University of California, San Francisco's Kristine Yaffe.

The Stratton VA Medical Center Nursing Home in Albany, N.Y., is experimenting with robotic cats to comfort residents with dementia, reports WNYT . The artificial intelligence-enabled pet can stretch, purr, and roll on its back in a simulation of normal cat behaviors. These programmed reactions are triggered in response to how much people interact with the robot. "The idea is that it's a non-pharmacological intervention that can help with anxiety, it can help with agitation, restlessness," says VA psychologist Caitlin Holly. The robots cost about $100 each, and the VA has deployed one dog and three cats, with plans to expand their menagerie. However, not all VA residents with dementia may qualify for a robotic pet. "If a veteran really had a close connection with a particular animal, if their family member thinks they would benefit — some of it is based on what we notice them struggling with," Holly says.

Baby boomers are aging alone more than any other generation in American history, and their loneliness is a looming public health threat, reports the Wall Street Journal . About one in 11 Americans age 50 and older has no spouse, partner, or living child, comprising roughly eight million people. Research has found a physical cost to loneliness, and as close an association with early death as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day or consuming more than six alcoholic drinks on a daily basis. "If we want to achieve health for our population, especially vulnerable people, we have to address loneliness," argues former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Donald Berwick. Individuals most likely to lack close kin include college-educated women and people with little money, according to Pennsylvania State University Professor Ashton Verdery. Meanwhile, Brigham Young University researchers found a link between greater social connection and a 50 percent lower risk of early mortality. Research implies that isolated people face a higher risk of depression and cognitive decline and that social relationships can affect blood pressure, immune functioning, and whether people take their medications. Partial remedies may be found in support networks, especially after health episodes.