Justice Department Launches Elder Abuse Prevention Site
The United States Department of Justice has launched the Elder Justice Website, a resource for victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation and their families; practitioners who serve them; law enforcement agencies and prosecutors; and researchers seeking to understand and address this silent epidemic plaguing our nation’s elders. Here, victims and family members will find information about how to report elder abuse and financial exploitation in all 50 states and the territories. Simply enter your zipcode to find local resources to assist you. Federal, State, and local prosecutors will find three different databases containing sample pleadings and statutes. Researchers in the elder abuse field may access a database containing bibliographic information for thousands of elder abuse and financial exploitation articles and reviews. Practitioners — including professionals of all types who work with elder abuse and its consequences — will find information about resources available to help them prevent elder abuse and assist those who have already been abused, neglected or exploited. Go here for more.
Older Adults Who Fall May Experience PTSD
Older Adults Who Fall May Experience PTSD (From Health Behavior News Service) A study published in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry shows that older adults who experience a serious fall may develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the days following the event. Symptoms associated with PTSD were found in 27 out of 100 people over 65 who had been admitted to a hospital after a fall. ÛÏAnyone who goes through an accident in which they feel their life may be in danger or they could get physically harmed can develop post-traumatic stress symptoms,Û noted lead author Nimali Jayasinghe, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology and faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. Patients were recruited for the study while they were still in the hospital and assessed using the Post-Traumatic Stress Symptom Scale, which measures 17 symptoms of PTSD. The researchers collected information about their background, marital status, previous mental health issues and current health conditions, and about their fall, including where they fell, how long it took to get help, and the location and severity of injuries. The majority of patients had fallen in their home and had received help within an hour. The most common injury was a fracture. Women, people who were unemployed or who had less education were more likely to report post-traumatic stress symptoms, as were those with injuries to the back or chest. PTSD symptoms were also associated with the number of other medical problems reported. The most common post-traumatic stress symptoms were feeling emotionally upset when reminded of the fall, a change in future hopes or plans, and problems falling or staying asleep. This is a new area for exploration in terms of studying what types of trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress symptoms, said Mary C. Curran, Ph.D., ABPP, a clinical psychologist in Yankton, South Dakota. However, there may be other causes for the stress and anxiety experienced by the patients, she said. ÛÏBeing in the hospital itself causes some anxiety and stress,Û she noted.
Waistlines of U.S. Adults Continue to Increase
Waistlines of U.S. Adults Continue to Increase The prevalence of abdominal obesity and average waist circumference increased among U.S. adults from 1999 to 2012, according to a study in JAMA. Data from 32,816 men and non-pregnant women ages 20 years or older were analyzed. The overall age-adjusted average waist circumference increased progressively and significantly, from 37.6 inches in 1999-2000 to 38.8 inches in 2011-2012. Significant increases occurred in men (0.8 inch), women (1.5 inch), non-Hispanic whites (1.2 inch), nonå_-Hispanic blacks (1.6 inch), and Mexican Americans (1.8 inch). The overall age-adjusted prevalence of abdominal obesity increased significantly from 46.4 percent in 1999-2000 to 54.2 percent in 2011-2012. Significant increases were present in men (37.1 percent to 43.5 percent), women (55.4 percent to 64.7 percent), non-Hispanic whites (45.8 percent to 53.8 percent), non-Hispanic blacks (52.4 percent to 60.9 percent), and Mexican Americans (48.1 percent to 57.4 percent).
Can Librium/Valium Promote Alzheimer’s? Read on.
Can Librium/Valium Promote Alzheimer’s? Read on. A study published by the journal BMJ suggests that benzodiazepine use may promote the development of dementia.
A benzodiazepine sometimes colloquially “benzo“; often abbreviated “BZD“) is a psychoactive drug. The first such drug, Librium, was discovered accidentally by Leo Sternbach in 1955, and made available in 1960 by HoffmannÛÒLa Roche, which has also marketed the benzodiazepine diazepam (Valium) since 1963. Benzodiazepines are useful in treating anxiety, insomnia, agitation, seizures, muscle spasms, alcohol withdrawal and as a premedication for medical or dental procedures. A team of researchers from France and Canada linked benzodiazepine use to an increased risk of being diagnosed with AlzheimerÛªs disease. In the study, the greater a personÛªs cumulative dose of benzodiazepines, the higher his or her risk of AlzheimerÛªs. ÛÏBenzodiazepines are risky to use in older people because they can cause confusion and slow down mental processes, Û says Dr. Anne Fabiny, chief of geriatrics at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance, speaking to Harvard Health Publications. ÛÏHowever, although there is an association, we still canÛªt say that benzodiazepines actually cause AlzheimerÛªs,Û she cautions. The researchers identified nearly 2,000 men and women over age 66 who had been diagnosed with AlzheimerÛªs disease. They randomly selected more than 7,000 others without AlzheimerÛªs who were matched for age and sex to those with the disease. Once the groups were set, the researchers looked at the drug prescriptions during the five to six years preceding the AlzheimerÛªs diagnosis. People who had taken a benzodiazepine for three months or less had about the same dementia risk as those who had never taken one. Taking the drug for three to six months raised the risk of developing AlzheimerÛªs by 32%, and taking it for more than six months boosted the risk by 84%. People who were on a long-acting benzodiazepine like Valium and Dalmane were at greater risk than those on a short-acting one like Halcion, Ativan), Xanax and Restoril. The researchers acknowledge that the use of benzodiazepines could be just a signal that people are trying to cope with anxiety and sleep disruptionÛÓtwo common symptoms of early AlzheimerÛªs disease. Limiting the use of a benzodiazepine for anxiety or sleep troubles may be one small step toward prevention. Check with your doctor.
People Who Get Migraines in Middle Age May Be More Likely to Develop ParkinsonÛªs
People Who Get Migraines in Middle Age May Be More Likely to Develop ParkinsonÛªs People who experience migraine in middle age may be more likely to develop ParkinsonÛªs disease, or other movement disorders later in life according to a study published in the online issue of Neurologyå¨, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Those who have migraine with aura may be at double the risk of developing ParkinsonÛªs. “Migraine with aura” is a relatively new name for the less common type of migraine headache. Aura refers to feelings and symptoms you notice shortly before the headache begins. ÛÏMigraine is the most common brain disorder in both men and women,Û said study author Ann I. Scher, PhD, with Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. ÛÏIt has been linked in other studies to cerebrovascular and heart disease. This new possible association is one more reason research is needed to understand, prevent and treat the condition.Û For the study, 5,620 people between the ages of 33 and 65 were followed for 25 years. At the beginning of the study, a total of 3,924 of the participants had no headaches, 1,028 had headaches with no migraine symptoms, 238 had migraine with no aura and 430 had migraine with aura. Later, the investigators assessed whether the participants had any symptoms of ParkinsonÛªs or had been diagnosed with ParkinsonÛªs or had symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS). RLS is also known as Willis-Ekbom disease. The study found that people with migraine with aura were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with ParkinsonÛªs than people with no headaches. A total of 2.4 percent of those with migraine with aura had the disease, compared to 1.1 percent of those with no headaches. People with migraine with aura had 3.6 the odds of reporting at least four of six parkinsonian symptoms, while those with migraine with no aura had 2.3 times the odds of these symptoms. Overall, 19.7 percent of those with migraine with aura had symptoms, compared to 12.6 percent of those with migraine with no aura and 7.5 percent of those with no headaches. Women with migraine with aura were also more likely to have a family history of ParkinsonÛªs disease compared to those with no headaches. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute on Aging, the Icelandic Heart Association and the Icelandic Parliament. To learn more about migraine and movement disorders, visit www.aan.com/patients.
