Why looking at awe-inspiring art could lead to a happier, healthier life
CNN - It may be a sunset, a stirring orchestral number or a striking painting — whatever gives you goosebumps or makes you shed a tear. Experts believe that consistently seeking out these awe-inspiring experiences could lead to a significantly happier and healthier life.
Observation - this should not surprise anyone and why we need to give serious consideration to social prescribing in this country.
Poll finds 1 in 3 adults age 50-80 feel socially isolated
NPR - The National Poll on Healthy Aging released new findings in a report of trends in loneliness and isolation among older adults 50-80 years old, between 2018-2023.
The study was conducted between 2018-2023. According to its findings, 34% of participants felt isolated from others, a significant decrease from the 56% in 2020, but still higher than pre-COVID levels.
Dr. Preeti Malani, professor of medicine at the University of Michigan and a member of the National Poll on Healthy Aging, says many older adults are less lonely than during the COVID pandemic, but those with mental and physical challenges are facing higher rates of loneliness.
And to add to that…Survey: Older adults less active, more isolated than before pandemic
McKnight’s - Many older adults in the United States continue to experience COVID-19 exposure anxiety, keeping them less active and more isolated, according to new survey results.
In a quantitative study commissioned by Walgreens, surveyors queried approximately 1,000 adults aged 55 years and older. Participants were asked about their feelings on socializing after the pandemic.
The researchers estimated that 42% of U.S. seniors are currently less socially active than before the pandemic. And 20% feel lonelier now than they did before the pandemic.
Observation - Surprising and then maybe not so surprising. NYTimes had an article addressing that and one story centered on a husband and wife, fit and active, who have since become skittish in going out in public for fear of exacerbating their chronic conditions. Seems like some people would prefer the masking and precautions we had in place to stay in place. Some people truly feel they are putting their lives at risk going out.
The new face of Alzheimer’s: Early stage patients who refuse to surrender
WAPO - When Rebecca Chopp was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer’s disease, she and her husband did the only thing that seemed to make sense: They went to their favorite Mexican restaurant, held each other in a back booth and drank margaritas. And cried. After a while, they helped each other back across the street to their home.
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Editor’s Note - The Aging Experience is not endorsing advertisers on the publication by publishing their advertisements and cannot be held accountable for the claims made or the satisfaction with the service.
Popular keto and paleo diets aren’t helping your heart, report says
WAPO - Ketogenic and paleo diets may be trendy, but they won’t do your heart any favors.
That’s the conclusion of a report from the American Heart Association, which analyzed many of the most popular diets and ranked them based on which approaches to eating are best and worst for your heart.
40% of clinicians thinking of quitting
McKnight’s - More than 40% of clinicians who responded to Keep Financial’s Healthcare Attrition Report said they were considering leaving the jobs for better pay, work-life balance or to relieve burnout. However, approximately 85% of those surveyed said they would remain on the job if they were offered up-front cash bonuses for staying with their employer for a specific period of time.
Another reason to stamp out ageism
McKnight’s - Researchers at Yale found that older adults with mild cognitive impairment were 30.2% more likely to regain normal cognition if they had absorbed positive beliefs about aging from their culture compared with those who absorbed negative beliefs.
Observation - previous studies showed that positive perceptions of aging could extend your real age and help delay dementia onset. This is taking that to another level - actually reversing damage.
Sleeping Pills May Protect You From Alzheimer’s, Study Finds
Daily Beast - Brendan Lucey, the director of Washington University’s Sleep Medicine Center and the first author of the new research, said in a press release that the drug used in the study, a sleeping pill generically known as suvorexant, might be a promising way to impede the development of Alzheimer’s.
In the study, Lucey and his team monitored 38 middle-aged participants for two nights in a sleep lab. After giving them no dose, a lower dose, or a higher dose of the sleeping medication at 9 p.m., participants were asked to sleep while researchers took samples of their brain and spinal fluid every two hours.
Observation - 38 participants over two nights? I’m skeptical.
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Pickleball Helps Older Adults Stay Physically Active
NC State University - Pickleball isn’t just fun and easy to play – it’s also potentially heart healthy. Playing pickleball helped a small group of adults aged 65 years and older reach their recommend weekly dose of moderate to vigorous physical activity, according to a pilot study by North Carolina State University researchers.
Can’t Resist a Cat Story - 'Gloriously gluttonous' cat finds diet partner in new owner - May Want to Read Diet Story Above
CNN - Woman adopts a humongous 40-pound cat then puts the kitty AND herself on a weight loss program. CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.
How — and why — you should increase your social network as you age
WAPO - What can older adults who have lost their closest friends and family members do as they contemplate the future without them? If, as research has found, good relationships are essential to health and well-being in later life, what happens when connections forged over the years end?
It would be foolish to suggest these relationships can be easily replaced: They cannot. There’s no substitute for people who’ve known you a long time, who understand you deeply.
Still, opportunities to create bonds with other people exist. “It’s never too late to develop meaningful relationships,” said Robert Waldinger, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development.
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