The Week: Most Recent old-age

The experimental drug that could prevent Alzheimer's: A guide

The Week — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:14:00 -0400

The U.S. government wants to have a cure for Alzheimer's ready to go by 2025, and is prepared to spend big money to get there. An ambitious new international study will begin testing an experimental drug intended to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's, in what could mark a huge shift in the way health experts approach the disease. Here, a brief guide to the big undertaking:

Why is Alzheimer's such a big deal?
The degenerative brain disease affects 5.4 million Americans every year, but that figure could climb as high as 8.7 million by the year 2030. Symptoms generally begin appearing in adults around...

How music improves the memory of dementia patients

The Week — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:15:00 -0400

Henry Dryer, a 92-year-old who suffers from dementia and has been in a nursing home for 10 years, loves listening to music. It energizes him, makes him more talkative, and even helps him remember the old days when he would play Cab Calloway records. Dryer's story is featured in a new documentary, Alive Inside, which debuts April 18 in New York City's Rubin Museum. The film follows seven patients who have "come alive" thanks to Music & Memory, a nonprofit organization that donates iPods with personalized music to people with dementia. About 5.4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's, the...

Can playing World of Warcraft sharpen old people's brains?

The Week — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:45:00 -0500

You could always give an elderly loved one a book of sudoku puzzles to keep his mind sharp. But new research suggests it might be more beneficial to get him to summon up his inner Night Elf Hunter and go on a quest. Researchers from North Carolina State University discovered that playing World of Warcraft, the hugely popular online role-playing game, can noticeably improve the cognitive functions of older adults. Here's what you should know:

What is World of Warcraft?
It's a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, or MMORPG, developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Players spend copious amounts...

8 lessons for living a full life

The Week — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:38:00 -0500

WE ARE ON the verge of losing an irreplaceable natural resource. The inexorable process of human aging is depriving us of one of the most extraordinary groups of human beings that has ever lived: America's older generation. The last veteran of World War I has died; those of World War II are now in their 80s. The youngest children of the Great Depression have reached their late 70s. When this generation has passed, where will we go to recover the lessons they learned about life? For five years, I have collected the advice and wisdom of over a thousand of our elders — "experts," as I call them...

Can your DNA predict when you'll die?

The Week — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:00:00 -0500

What if your doctor could tell you how long your life would be — while you were still young? That's the possibility offered by a study released this week identifying a piece of DNA that may serve as a measuring stick for longevity. Here, a brief guide to the research:

What part of the DNA is it?
The telomere — a protective cap on on the end of chromosomes, which are thread-like strands of DNA. Essentially, a telomere serves a "similar purpose to the plastic caps at the end of shoelaces," says Loren Grush at Fox News, and keeps chromosomes from unraveling. Researchers from the...

The 'cumbersome' bodysuit that makes you feel 70

The Week — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:48:00 -0500

Bodysuits are typically used to augment our natural abilities. So why would anyone opt for a suit that simulates the aches and pains of your average 70-year-old? Engineers at MIT have developed just such a specially outfitted suit in an attempt to help the young empathize with the discomforts routinely suffered by the elderly. Here, a brief guide:

What did they build?
The suit is called the Age Gain Now Empathy System, or AGNES for short. It gives young people the chance to experience firsthand the debilitating effects of aging. "Put on this suit and you feel increased fatigue, reduced flexibility...

Can stem cells slow the effects of aging?

The Week — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:10:00 -0500

Scientists have explored everything from drugs to the body's natural senescent cells in the quest for ways to protect humans from the ravages of time. But new research from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center suggests that stem cells may also help slow the crippling effects of aging. Could the secret to living longer, healthier lives be on the horizon? Here's what you should know:

What did scientists do?
First, they artificially engineered mice to age faster, "making them old and weak in a span of 17 days," says Carrie Gann at ABC News. The mice lived an accelerated lifespan, dying within...

Retirement: Is 80 the new 65?

The Week — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:03:00 -0500

The traditional retirement age of 65 is a thing of the past, according to a new survey from Wells Fargo. Many Americans say they intend to work well into their retirement years, and a quarter say they won't have enough money saved to retire comfortably until they're 80, if ever. Three quarters of the 1,500 middle-class Americans surveyed said the amount you have squirreled away — not your age — should determine when you slow down. Meanwhile, just 20 percent said you should pick an age and quit then, no matter how much money you have. What does this survey say about how Americans will...

Breakthrough: Aging without wrinkles?

The Week — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:00:00 -0500

Researchers have made a major discovery that might help slow the crippling effects of aging. The key, according to a new report in Nature, is ridding the body of old cells that can help cause age-related afflictions like cataracts and muscle degeneration. Could the fountain of youth be on the horizon? Here's what you should know:

Why does aging strain our bodies?
It's still a bit of a mystery. But one prime suspect has always been cells that have outlived their usefulness. Most young, healthy cells constantly divide to "keep body tissues and organs functioning properly," says Shirley S. Wang at...

Should doctors even test for Alzheimer's?

The Week — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:50:00 -0400

A debate is raging among researchers who are focused on Alzheimer's, the debilitating, memory-eroding disease from which more than 35 million people worldwide suffer. While there is currently no precise diagnostic test for Alzheimer's — some techniques under development, like an eye scan or a blood test, are years away from approval — an innovative type of brain scan that can detect early signs of Alzheimer's is expected to be available within months. Doctors and Alzheimer's patient advocates, however, wonder if such screening will create undue anxiety in patients, since the disease...

Is it possible to live to 1,000?

The Week — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:25:00 -0400

Forget the fountain of youth. Biomedical gerontologist Aubrey de Grey says doctors might soon be able to "cure" aging. Is that really possible? Here, a brief guide to how medical advances could push human life spans farther than most people have ever imagined:

How old does de Grey think people can get?
The scientist says that the first person who will live to be 150 years old has already been born and that somebody born within 20 years could live to be 1,000. "I'd say we have a 50-50 chance of bringing aging under what I'd call a decisive level of medical control within the next 25 years or so,"...

Does alcohol prevent Alzheimer's?

The Week — Wed, 25 May 2011 06:35:00 -0400

Heavy drinkers are notorious for forgetting what happened the night before. But new research involving elderly patients suggests that drinking in moderation can actually be good for memory. Here, a brief guide to the findings:

So drinking improves your memory?
Yes — or rather, it can help prevent conditions that make your memory fade in old age. The study found that elderly men and women who drank moderately were 30 percent less likely to suffer from dementia — and 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease — than those who abstained completely.

How did the study work...

'The Longevity Project': 5 (surprising) secrets to living longer

The Week — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:59:00 -0500

Everybody wants to live a long, healthy life. In a new book, The Longevity Project, psychology professors Howard S. Friedman and Leslie Martin dig for clues in data collected by psychologist Lewis Terman for a study beginning in 1921 that tracked the lives of 1,500 people, from childhood to death. What do the study's findings tell us about living longer? Here are five of the secrets to longevity the authors identified:

1. Be conscientious
There are "no magic potions" to guarantee living to a ripe old age, says Laura Landro at The Wall Street Journal. The closest thing might be "a quality best defined...

Vampire facelifts: The next cosmetic craze?

The Week — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:25:00 -0500

Legend has it that vampires stay young-looking by feasting on the blood of others, but a new, real-life cosmetic procedure turns the tables. The so-called "vampire facelift" involves injecting a patient's own blood into her wrinkles and hollow cheeks to turn back the clock. Here's a brief guide:

What exactly is a "vampire facelift"?
It's not a facelift really, but rather an in-office cosmetic procedure in which an injectable substance known as Sephyl is used to fill in wrinkles and furrows, to give the appearance of youth. But, unlike common fillers like Juvederm and Restylane, the substance in...

Mickey Rooney's 'tearjerker' Senate plea

The Week — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:20:00 -0500

The story: On Wednesday, an emotional Mickey Rooney admitted that he's been a victim of elder abuse. The 90-year-old Hollywood legend delivered passionate testimony to the Senate Committee on Aging, detailing the emotional and financial abuse he suffered at the hands of a family member. Though Rooney did not mention him by name, the family member is thought to be Rooney's stepson Chris Aber, against whom Rooney was granted a restraining order last month. The actor ended testimony with a "tearjerker" plea to others in his situation. "You're not alone, and you have nothing to be ashamed of... Please...

Why is America's life expectancy lagging?

The Week — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:30:00 -0500

Despite spending more on health care than any other country in the world, the U.S. is lagging in life expectancy. American men and women do not live as long as people in France, Japan, and other wealthy nations, and the gap is widening. Now, the National Research Council has attempted to find out why that is. Here, a quick guide to their findings:

How much does our life expectancy lag?
We rank 36th in the world, behind even South Korea and Cuba, with an average life expectancy of 78.3 years. Japan, whose citizens can expect to live to the ripe old age of 83, ranks first. But what is especially worrying...