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International Symposium on Healthy Aging: Monday, September 13, 1pm-5pm

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Co-Sponsored by: UCB School of Public Health; the UCB Retirement Center; the Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services, School of Social Welfare, UC Berkeley; UCB Resource Center on Aging; UCB Osher Lifelong Learning Institute; Kazamashobo Publishing, Co. Ltd.

The Symposium on Healthy Aging will address three issues. The first is to clarify predictors of longevity among older adults in the United States, Sweden, and Japan. The second is to examine healthy aging among immigrants in the United States, Sweden, and Japan. Lastly, we will propose recommendations for health care policies for diverse older adults, making use of the perspectives from these three countries.

Please note: seating is limited, so please respond as soon as possible. RSVP with your name and email address to Kazumi Hoshino, Ph.D., planning committee member, at hoshino@berkeley.edu by September 9, 2010.

See the program

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Brain Wellness À la Wii

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Living Well at HomeThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As of August 2010, the Wii leads the generation over the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in worldwide sales and in December 2009 broke the record for best-selling console in a single month in the United States.

Nintendo hoped to target a wider demographic with its console. The productions are Nintendo’s first broad-based advertising strategy and include a two-minute video clip showing a varied assortment of people enjoying the Wii system, such as urban apartment-dwellers, country ranchers, grandparents, and parents with their children.The marketing campaign has proved to be successful: pensioners,  as old as 103 have been reported to be playing the Wii in the United Kingdom.. A report by the British newspaper The People also stated that Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has played using the Wii console!

Now,  we have data that the Wii games have brought back feelings of being young again as the participants flex their mental muscles and improve their physical fitness. The Wii is improving the quality of life of many aging seniors.

Diane Carbo, in an article written for Senior Advice, states that “…Healthy aging and a brain fitness program along with the Wii promotes the development of new skills, and helps aging seniors learn from their mistakes. The best part of using the Wii as part of a healthy aging program is the laughter and excitement you see in the faces of the participants. The environment is electric as the aging seniors enjoy familiar interests in a new format. For many seniors it feels like old times again…”

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Posted in Aging, Aging at Home, Aging in Place, Alzheimer's & Dementia, Announcements, Health & Wellness, News & Discoveries | No Comments »

Exercise and the “Mediterranean Diet” the best options to prevent Dementia, including Alzheimer’s

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Preventing Dementia and Alzheimer's DiseaseIn a recent article appeared on The Hartford Courant of Connecticut , the fact of Alzheimer’s disease being  uncurable and sriking 1 in 8 of us alarmed many. Nonetheless, the article explains that  doing your part by eating the right kind of diet and keeping your body and brain engaged can help to prevent  dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The article explains recent data connected to the benefits of exercising regularly, keeping a diet rich in Omega 3, olive oil, and wine…yes, wine… staying cognitively engaged, and avoiding depression is ultimately the most reasonable approach  not only to prevent dementia but also “… to treat conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity and diabetes…”

Read more…

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Posted in Aging, Alzheimer's & Dementia, Health & Wellness, Liivng Well with Alzheimer's, News & Discoveries | No Comments »

Before You Leave Your Home: Eight Questions To Ask Before Buying Into A Senior Community

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

In an article on Forbes USA, Ashlea Ebeling states that moving into a continuing care retirement community requires a big investment and a lot of research. She invites us to ask the right questions “…Are you (or your aging parent) the kind of person who likes to plan for all contingencies? Then you might want to consider a continuing care retirement community–a development that usually includes independent apartments or town homes for spry seniors; assisted living units for those who need some help; plus a nursing home…”

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Posted in Aging, Aging at Home, Aging in Place, Health & Wellness, Home Care | 1 Comment »

Frustration When it Comes to Avoid Abuse in Residential Facilities

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Alarming is the word we can use to define the findings of the U.S. Department of Justice-funded study by Hawes and Kimbell that examined state processes for detecting, investigating, resolving and preventing elder abuse in Residential Care Facilities.

This study focused on detection, investigation, and resolution of elder abuse and neglect complaints in what are known as residential care facilities (RCFs). These facilities are the most rapidly growing form of senior housing. This growth is a result both of the preferences of the elderly and their families and of public policy aimed at reducing nursing home use. RCFs are referred to by a variety of names across the states, including assisted living facilities, personal care homes, domiciliary care homes, adult congregate living facilities, adult care homes, and shelter care homes. The best estimate is that some 50,000 facilities nationwide house a mainly older population in between 900,000 and one million beds. In addition, an unknown number of unlicensed homes house a mixed population of poor older persons and individuals with mental illness. By contrast, there are about 17,000 nursing homes with 1.6 million residents.

The researchers found a lack of adequate resources in all states and all agencies, as well as deeply flawed processes. The report highlights smart practices by Ombudsmen and identifies policy suggestions, training needs, and research recommendations.

Download the U.S. Department of Justice-funded study by Hawes and Kimbell.

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Caetano Veloso on aging: at the age of 67, I feel at the “infancy of old age.”

Monday, July 5th, 2010

For those, who like me, grew up listening to Caetano Veloso, seeing him getting older is just a reflection of our own aging and the multiple challenges and possibilities to unfold wellness, live well, and have a creative life into old age

Baby Boomers know well these challenges and also know well this poet of the Brazilian music. Caetano Veloso has been called the Bob Dylan of Brazil — a popular musician who has made staggering artistic and intellectual contributions to his country. The New York Times recently dubbed him “Brazil’s unofficial poet laureate”.

Veloso is consistently one of the most literate and beguiling forces in music. To see him in person is to see a sinuous, warm and joyous show in which Veloso’s vocals are backed by a young and edgy band.  Seeing him aging so gracefully and maintaining his core values is refreshing. For Veloso family is everything and he is very close to another DIVA of Brazilian music, his sister Maria Bethania, both always look for young band players who bring new styles to old rhythms reminding us constantly that old and young play together an important role for a rich community.

Caetano and Maria Bethania, are very close to their mother and they say their love for music comes from her with whom, they love to sing.  They do not shy away from politics or for family values. A great way to follow!

See them on a video with their mother

Veloso says, about his own aging: “I’m beginning to be an old man,” Veloso says. “It’s something that can excite you, because you get curious to see how changes go. You lose a lot, but you can gain a lot, too.”

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Posted in Aging, Aging in Place, Caregiver and family support, Health & Wellness, LGBT Aging Issues | No Comments »

Six Questions to Protect Elderly Patients

Monday, July 5th, 2010
How to Help Patients When Being at the Hospital

Living Well provides medical advocacy to help patients who are hospitalized

On the Wellness section of the New York Times, Pam Belluck compile the advice of three experts  on the questions family members can ask to lower a patient’s risk for delirium during a hospital stay.

Pam says “…Many readers have asked me what family members can do to help lower an elderly patient’s risk. To find out, I turned to three experts –  Dr. Margaret Pisani at the Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Wes Ely at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Dr. Sharon Inouye at Harvard Medical School. Based on their advice, here are six questions family members should ask to lower an elderly patient’s risk for hospital delirium…”

Read the article

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Posted in Aging, Aging in Place, Health & Wellness, Home Care, Medical Advocacy for Seniors | No Comments »

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