By Andrew Carey A LIMERICK pensioner stabbed a man in a pub after the victim failed to put a bet on winning Aintree horse. 78-year-old Eddie Holman of Bruach na Siona, Castleconnell pleaded guilty to assaulting the victim at Devane's Pub in Hospital Co Limerick and to producing a kitchen utility knife on the same […]
The age at which a worker retires has no bearing on how long they will live afterwards, researchers have claimed. Those who have to work long into old age have the same prospect of enjoying a...
FIREFIGHTERS in Hampshire will visit older people to give fire safety advice during a new campaign.
HALO Leisure to help get older people in the county active and feeling 'full of life'.
Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may not protect against cognitive decline among older people as previously hoped, new research has suggested. More than 2,100 women aged 65 to 80 were given annual tests of thinking and memory skills by researchers from the University of Iowa over six years. The results revealed that there was "no difference" in cognitive ability between women with high ...
These past weeks, older activists from Nairobi and neighbouring towns gathered at the HelpAge Kenya offices to discuss their activities for the Age Demands Action (ADA) campaign. Among those present were veterans of the campaign like Mama Rhoda Ngima and Philomena, as well as newcomers from the nei...
Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may not protect against cognitive decline among older people as previously hoped, new research has suggested.
Background: little is known about the prevalence of at-risk drinking in older adults.
Objective: to compare rates of at-risk drinking in 75-year-olds examined in 1976–77 and in 2005–06.
Design: cross-sectional survey.
Setting: two samples representative of the general population in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Participants: 75-year-olds born in 1901–02 (n = 303) and in 1930 (n = 753).
Methods: participants took part in a multidisciplinary study on health and ageing. Protocols regarding alcohol consumption were identical for both cohorts. Total weekly alcohol intake was estimated and at-risk drinking was defined as ≥100 g alcohol/week.
Results: the proportion abstaining differed significantly between birth cohorts (18% in 1976–77 versus 9% in 2005, P < 0.001). Frequencies of drinking beer and liquor were similar in the two cohorts for men, but were lower for women in the later-born cohort. Proportions drinking wine were higher in the later-born cohort for both sexes. Total weekly alcohol intake was higher for both men and women. At-risk drinking was observed in 19.3% of the men in the earlier-born cohort, and in 27.4% in the later-born cohort (P = 0.117). Corresponding figures for women were 0.6 and 10.4% (P < 0.001). At-risk drinking was significantly associated with birth cohort in women (OR: 13.77, CI: 1.82–104.0, P = 0.011) and the occupational group in men (OR: 1.60, CI: 1.13–2.26, P = 0.008).
Conclusions: alcohol consumption in 75-year-olds has changed markedly, especially in women. Studies need to be carried out in varied settings in order to evaluate the clinical and public health implications of changing trends in alcohol consumption.
Delirium is one of the foremost unmet medical needs in healthcare. It affects one in eight hospitalised patients and is associated with multiple adverse outcomes including increased length of stay, new institutionalisation, and considerable patient distress. Recent studies also show that delirium strongly predicts future new-onset dementia, as well as accelerating existing dementia. The importance of delirium is now increasingly being recognised, with a growing research base, new professional international organisations, increased interest from policymakers, and greater prominence of delirium in educational and audit programmes. Nevertheless, the field faces several complex research and clinical challenges. In this article we focus on selected areas of recent progress and/or uncertainty in delirium research and practice. (i) Pathogenesis: recent studies in animal models using peripheral inflammatory stimuli have begun to suggest mechanisms underlying the delirium syndrome as well as its link with dementia. A growing body of blood and cerebrospinal fluid studies in humans have implicated inflammatory and stress mediators. (ii) Prevention: delirium prevention is effective in the context of research studies, but there are several unresolved issues, including what components should be included, the role of prophylactic drugs, and the overlap with general best care for hospitalised older people. (iii) Assessment: though there are several instruments for delirium screening and assessment, detection rates remain dismal. There are no clear solutions but routine screening embedded into clinical practice, and the development of new rapid screening instruments, offer potential. (iv) Management: studies are difficult given the heterogeneity of delirium and currently expert and comprehensive clinical care remains the main recommendation. Future studies may address the role of drugs for specific elements of delirium. In summary, though facing many challenges, the field continues to make progress, with several promising lines of enquiry and an expanding base of interest among researchers, clinicians and policymakers.
Consumers could soon see energy firms as 'part of the problem' rather than the solution if they refuse to work with Labour on plans to freeze gas and electricity prices, party leader Ed Miliband ha...
