An activist inside government
Before Laura Newland became executive director of the D.C. Office on Aging (DCOA) two years ago, the Georgetown University law graduate had worked in public interest law and nonprofit advocacy, representing victims of domestic violence, consumer fraud and other issues. A project she spearheaded at AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly led to the creation of a new D.C. Ombudsman in 2014, and ... READ MORE
Review your Medicare plans by December 7
Medicare’s open enrollment for drug and health plans is underway until Dec. 7, which means now is the time to review your choices for 2018. At a minimum, look at next year’s terms for your current plan, because what works for you now may not be the case as of Jan. 1.Each year, plans can change their premiums, copays/coinsurance and networks, as well as covered drugs and... READ MORE
Climbers reach for new heights
For Holly Summers, indoor rock climbing started as a mother-daughter activity.“My daughter was climbing indoors regularly, and I wanted to be able to do it with her,” said Summers of Ellicott City. Though her daughter is now in grad school, Summers, 58, can be found regularly scrambling up the climbing walls at the Roger Carter Community Center.She probably had a leg up when she ... READ MORE
Medicare to pay for PAD treadmill therapy
Three times a week, Rita Driscoll steps onto a treadmill at a Minnesota hospital under the eye of a rehab therapist. She walks until it hurts — pushing her limits, walking faster and adding steeper inclines.“I’m not giving up my legs,” said Driscoll, who walks as part of a study. “Hopefully it will keep me away from surgery and keep me walking and... READ MORE
Studying vitamin D’s effect on fall risk
Falls are the leading cause of injury and accidental death in adults over the age of 65. Every year, more than 33 percent of seniors fall in the United States. Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency room for an injury related to a fall.Clutter, inappropriate footwear, poor balance, distractions and tripping hazards can all contribute to a stumble or fall, potentially... READ MORE
Strategies to cope with the loss of a pet
More than a third of American households own at least one pet, and people often have close bonds with them. In one study, 13 of 16 people said they would give a hard-to-get lifesaving medicine to their pet over non-family people.The death or loss of a pet can be a traumatic experience and result in grief and bereavement. The loss is unique in a number of ways. While pets may die naturally,... READ MORE
Are artificial sweeteners bad for the brain?
Sometimes it seems like people trying to choose a healthy diet and watch their weight can’t catch a break.Past studies have linked the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and obesity. So it’s easy to understand the appeal of diet soft drinks and other artificially sweetened beverages.If you drink two cans of Coke per day,... READ MORE
What’s behind all the talk about turmeric?
The turmeric plant (Curcuma longa or Curcuma domestica) is a relative of ginger grown in India and Indonesia. This yellow-orange spice not only gives curries their rich color, it also has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years.Research on some of the chemical compounds in turmeric is finding a wealth of potential health benefits, but does turmeric itself live up to the... READ MORE
Hospitals can treat pain without opioids
A car crash shattered Stuart Anders’ thigh, leaving pieces of bone sticking through his skin. Yet Anders begged emergency room doctors not to give him powerful opioid painkillers.He’d been addicted once before and panicked at the thought of relapsing. “I can’t lose what I worked for,” he said.The nation’s opioid crisis is forcing hospitals to begin... READ MORE
Speech may be first clue to mental decline
Your speech may, um, help reveal if you’re, uh...developing thinking problems. More pauses, filler words and other verbal changes might be an early sign of mental decline, which can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests.Researchers had people describe a picture they were shown in taped sessions two years apart. Those with early-stage mild cognitive impairment slid much... READ MORE
