50+Expos return to Maryland, Virginia
Who will be the lucky winner of a 10-day vacation for two to China? One registrant at the 2016 Beacon 50+Expos, that’s who! After several years at Ballston Mall in Arlington, Va., this fall the Expo returns to the site of the former Springfield Mall, now redeveloped and transformed into the beautiful Springfield Town Center. The keynote speaker at both locations will be Lt. Joe... READ MORE
Studying fall prevention among veterans
Falls and their consequences are a serious medical concern for older adults. Complications following falls are the leading cause of deaths due to injury among them, and are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospitalization for trauma. Even if an individual who falls does not sustain an injury, impaired balance among older adults often results in an overall lessening of... READ MORE
Ways to protect against mosquito bites
If you’re trying to avoid mosquito bites, there are four simple ways to do it: Cover up, use insect repellent, stay indoors, and eliminate places where the bug can breed. A mosquito’s first choice for biting is bare, unprotected skin. So be sure to wear a hat, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants when you go outside. You can go one step further and treat your clothing with... READ MORE
Scans find marker of Alzheimer’s decline
Scientists are peeking inside living brains to watch for the first time as a toxic duo of plaques and tangles interact to drive Alzheimer’s disease — and those tangles may predict early symptoms, a finding with implications for better treatments. It’s not clear exactly what causes Alzheimer’s. Its best-known hallmark is the sticky amyloid that builds into plaques... READ MORE
Try behavior therapy for chronic insomnia
Tossing and turning night after night? Don’t automatically reach for the pill bottle. New guidelines say the first choice to treat chronic insomnia should be cognitive behavioral therapy — a way to condition your body to slumber again. It takes more time and effort than popping a pill, but the American College of Physicians says the method known as CBT can be effective and doesn’t... READ MORE
Study seeks former smokers with COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) describes a set of progressive lung diseases that include emphysema, chronic bronchitis, non-reversible asthma and some forms of bronchiectasis (a widening of the airways that can lead to infection). Symptoms of the condition include increased shortness of breath, frequent coughing (with and without sputum), wheezing and tightness in the... READ MORE
Help test a vaccine to prevent avian flu
Bird flu has been out of the news for a while, but that doesn’t mean it may not be a threat at some point, or that it might not cause serious disease. The flu strain known as H5N1 has caused large outbreaks in domestic poultry in parts of Asia and the Middle East. Although H5N1 does not usually infect humans, nearly 650 cases of bird flu in humans have been reported from 15 countries... READ MORE
Exercise builds brain as well as brawn
You probably know that regular exercise offers a wealth of benefits for your body, like staving off excess weight and chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. But mounting evidence suggests that exercise is also good for your brain. A study published in the journal Neurology links better cardiovascular fitness to improved thinking skills in older adults. The findings add to... READ MORE
Pancreas cell transplants help diabetics
Transplants of insulin-producing pancreas cells are a long hoped-for treatment for diabetes — and a new study shows they can protect the most seriously ill patients from a life-threatening complication of the disease, an important step toward U.S. approval. These transplants are used in some countries, but in the U.S. they’re available only through research studies. Armed with the... READ MORE
A prom that has two generations dancing
When you hear the term “senior prom” you probably think of high school seniors dancing the night away in their school gymnasium. However, in this column, I’m going to talk about a different type of senior prom — one that brought together older adults and teens. The Jewish Council for the Aging (JCA)’s Interages program recently hosted a senior prom that could knock your socks... READ MORE
Health 2025
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