A study published in Nature Medicine uncovered two gene clusters riddled with mutations that cause an overproduction of the tau protein, which could potentially improve efforts to develop drug treatments for Alzheimer's and other brain diseases, reports Fierce Biotech . Focusing on frontotemporal dementia, the investigators applied analytical tools to study interactions between thousands of genes, cells, and proteins. After they spotted the two gene clusters, they analyzed the mutations in three different strains of mice, observing abnormal genetic activity in the brain at different periods. This verified that the events leading to the destruction of brain cells are restricted to the two identified gene clusters. These findings offer "an important roadmap for the development of potentially effective new drugs for Alzheimer's disease and other dementia," according to UCLA Professor Daniel Geschwind.

A new Medicare program is basing payments to 14,959 skilled nursing communities on how frequently their residents are readmitted to hospitals within 30 days of leaving, reports National Public Radio . Almost 11 percent of residents were sent to hospitals in 2016 for conditions that might have been avoided with better medical oversight. Medicare bonuses and penalties also are designed to discourage nursing communities from moving out residents too quickly, which is a temptation as Medicare fully reimburses only the first 20 days of a stay and generally stops payments after 100 days. From Oct. 1 through the end of September 2019, the best-performing communities will receive 1.6 percent more payments for each Medicare beneficiary than they would have otherwise, while the worst-performing ones will lose nearly 2 percent of each payment. For-profit communities contend with deeper cuts on average than nonprofit and government-owned communities.

A study found employees who participate in language training programs are more confident, perform better, are more productive, engage more, and show greater loyalty to their employers, reports the Association for Talent Development . Seventy percent of employees said language training has made them more confident working with teams, partners, and vendors and more open to sharing ideas and communicating them clearly. Meanwhile, 71 percent of workers who participated in company-sponsored language training saw an improvement in their job performance. Most employees also think language training has made them more efficient in their work, with 50 percent noting they save about three hours or more a week on the job. In addition, 63 percent of workers said they feel more engaged at work when language programs are offered.

Clover Health's December Health Flu Shot Monitor found only about 60 percent of U.S. seniors have gotten a flu shot this season, reports United Press International . In comparison, only 41 percent of seniors reportedly received flu shots in November. According to Clover, Medicare Advantage has been discussing the importance of seniors getting flu shots, while AARP estimated that more than 12,000 people died during the 2017 flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also noted fewer people traditionally get flu shots after November. "In recent years, for example, it's estimated that between about 70 percent and 90 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older and between 50 percent and 70 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among people in that age group," the agency said. The CDC cited the existence of different flu vaccines for people older than 65, allowing for consideration of health conditions in each person receiving the vaccine. "While we are heartened by the improvement from last month's findings, it is well below the 100 percent level where it needs to be," said Clover's Kumar Dharmarajan. "As it gets colder and people spend more time indoors, it is crucial that seniors get vaccinated to prevent the spread of infection in their communities."

A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggests middle-age adults with reduced respiratory function have up to a 27 percent greater risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment later, reports Pulmonary Fibrosis News . People with restrictive lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) tend to have an even higher risk. The researchers enrolled 15,792 individuals, with an average age of 54.2 years, across various communities in Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Maryland, monitoring them for about 23 years. The clinical records of 14,184 individuals were analyzed, and 1,407 cases of dementia were reported over the follow-up period. Generally, individuals with more severely affected lung function, as determined by the lowest values of forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity, were 25 percent to 27 percent more likely to develop dementia or cognitive impairment. The researchers noted that "the magnitude of association was generally stronger for the restrictive impairment pattern" of IPF. They also said the results imply that "suboptimal lung health may be related to dementia or mild cognitive impairment risk through both Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular etiologies."

A study published in the American Heart Journal found the risk of dementia nearly doubles in people with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), reports Medical Xpress . Included were 12,665 white and black individuals whose average age at study onset was 57. The team found approximately 4 percent of participants in midlife had LVH and nearly 9 percent of the entire group developed dementia in the next 20 years. Those with LVH also had lower cognitive scores at the start of the study, likely due to long-term hypertension exposure. Although no difference was observed in the rate of cognitive decline between the LVH and non-LVH groups, this could be due to the lower scores in LVH subjects at baseline. "These results underscore the need for hypertension control to prevent injury to the brain tissue and the development of dementia," says the University of Minnesota's Faye Norby. "We recommend that people get regular blood pressure checks throughout their adult life to monitor their blood pressure. If someone does have high blood pressure, it is important to treat it and try to get it back to a normal level so that he or she does not develop LVH."

A study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found older adults diagnosed with dementia are often prescribed potentially inappropriate medications, reports Medical Xpress . The researchers examined more than 16,500 people who received an International Resident Assessment-Home Care assessment in 2015. About 13 percent were diagnosed with dementia, and 67 percent in that group were prescribed potentially inappropriate medications. In addition, 40 percent of those diagnosed with dementia were prescribed anticholinergic medications, which could be potentially inappropriate for that cohort. "The prescription of anticholinergic medications is associated with a higher risk of negative outcomes including risk of falls, delirium, worsening cognitive function, and increased mortality," said the researchers. "The findings of the study indicate that the quality of prescribing needs to be improved. It is also imperative that medications prescribed to older adults with dementia, especially medications that have anticholinergic side effects, are reviewed regularly by medical professionals to ensure safe prescribing."

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has set up an employer resource for workforce development and recruitment issues, reports the Indianapolis Business Journal . Officials say the new Institute for Workforce Excellence will help businesses "attract, develop, and retain" skilled employees. The Institute is expected to serve as the point of entry for the Chamber's existing programs, like the Wellness Council of Indiana, and also guide employers to state programs such as WorkOne and Next Level training grants. The Chamber's Jason Bearce says the goal is to provide an easier, single-source link for businesses to access programs, the education system, and government resources. Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar observes that employers nationwide are desperate for new and better resources to address workforce demands. Some cities and states are going to new extremes to attract workers. For instance, Tulsa, Okla., is offering $10,000 grants to certain workers who commit to living there for at least one year.

Noted optometrist Dr. Christopher James recommends seniors 65 and older get annual eye exams to manage and treat vision issues, reports the Kokomo Perspective . He says presbyopia, or the loss of ability to focus up close, can start as early as the late 30s. The next common eye issue that can develop is cataracts. In the early stages, the eye slowly will develop a cloudiness to it, and some people have already had a cataract removed by age 65. Not everyone with cataracts undergoes surgery, unless the cloudiness causes too much blurriness and difficulty focusing. Macular degeneration also is a common eye ailment for seniors, and people have a one in five risk of developing this condition by age 65. Macular degeneration is manageable if it is detected during an eye exam, with James recommending retinal examinations every three to six months.