We all know that aging brings with it many aches and pains. Studies have also shown that those with chronic pain live shorter lives. You would probably guess that’s because most people with chronic pain have health issues, not because pain itself shortens people’s lives.
This month, three separate studies all published in Nature Medicine and Science have shown that putting young blood into older mice helps reverse both the mental and physical symptoms of aging. Specifically, memory, endurance, muscle strength, and sense of smell improve. These findings could open new ways to treat conditions ranging from impaired mobility to Alzheimer’s disease.
Scammers often target seniors because 1.) Many seniors have accumulated a considerable amount of money, and 2.) Seniors are often less up-to-date on current financial scams. So in an effort to educate, here are 5 of the most common financial scams seniors should watch out for.
“I’m getting older but I’m not getting old,” says Hildegard Gigl (pronounced “giggle”), a 99 year old fitness instructor. All the members of her fitness group are 75 or older. Some, including Gigl herself, use walkers and other mobility devices, but that doesn’t stop them from doing wall pushups, weightlifting soup cans, and other exercises to the tune of big band hits.
Scientists have long studied aging in short-lived lab animals such as yeast, worms, flies, and mice. But this presents several problems. For example, many lab animals are inbred and therefore don’t represent the same genetic variability we humans have. The lab animals also live in very different environments than ours, and don’t live long enough for scientists to closely study their entire lifetimes.
Trouble walking during pregnancy is nothing new. It’s a symptom of pelvic girdle pain or PGP, a pregnancy discomfort that physicians have been treating since the time of Hippocrates. During pregnancy, the growing baby causes a woman’s center of gravity and posture to change. This, along with pregnancy hormones, can cause the pelvic joints to become unstable leading to a variety of mobility issues ranging from minor discomfort to significant pain and sometimes the inability to walk.
As we age, our reaction speed, coordination, and physical strength tend to decrease, making driving more difficult and potentially risky. In fact, studies have shown that older drivers receive more tickets and get into more accidents than younger drivers. That’s not to say seniors can’t drive well, but those who do would be smart to take some extra precautions.
One of the benefits of using a rollator rather than a traditional walker is that they allow you to move quicker-- which is especially important when you’re racing!
A bunch of seniors racing each other using their mobility aids may sound silly, and perhaps it is. But it’s also a lot of fun and great exercise.
A team of students in Utah known as the Rec N Crew will be going to this year’s National Wheelchair Basketball Association Championship for the first time ever. The team is made up of both guys and girls ages 11 to 18. Though the kids come from a variety of schools, the team is sanctioned like a regular high school team, meaning the players have to keep up with their grades in order to compete.
According to entrepreneur Dr. J. Craig Venter, “Your age is your number one risk factor for almost every disease.” This means that the most efficient way to fight disease isn’t by treating them individually, but slowing down the aging process itself. And that is exactly what Dr. Venter hopes to do through his new company Human Longevity.
