http://labyrinthworld.com/blog This weblog is about issues that affect not only the elderly, but the squeezed generation Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:33:06 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Half of all adverse drug reactions within the US occur among older adults. 28% of all hospitalizations for older adults is because of problems with medicines. Adverse drug reaction is caused by the interaction of drugs with other drugs, alcohol, or even some foods such as grapefruit, and it seems that ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/09/23/a-third-of-hospitalizations-for-older-adults-is-because-of-problems-with-medicines/ According to Forbes magazine, the following cities are the most affordable places to live after retirement. Of course retirement is more than about affordability. It's also about family, about having access to decent health care facilities, about being close to people you can relate to, about weather, and culture ... ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/09/17/most-affordable-places-in-america-in-which-to-retire/ A new study shows that caregivers have a hard time falling asleep at night. It is believed this is because of the depression that most caregivers suffer from.  As a caregiver for my mother during the several years she suffered from Alzheimer’s before ultimately succumbing to it, I can attest to ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/08/19/caregivers-have-trouble-falling-asleep-at-night/ Methadone, a drug that was once associated with heroin addicts is now widely prescribed by doctors and nurse practitioners to treat assorted pain complaints, and the group most likely to die from methadone use is the middle aged. This may be because the middle aged body has had time to ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/08/18/greatest-number-of-methadone-deaths-occur-among-the-middle-aged/ Reuters reports that people age 45-54 are more likely to die from prescription drug overdose than from motor vehicle accidents. Motor vehicle deaths were the No. 1 cause of accidental death, but now, according to the federal government, in 2007 nearly 7 million Americans abused prescription drugs. That’s more than cocaine, ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/08/08/prescription-drug-overdose-leading-cause-of-accidental-death-for-the-middle-aged/ Despite expectations that this would be the year in which the first disease modifying drug to treat Alzheimer's would reach the market, that has not been the case. Just recently two widely anticipated drugs to treat Alzheimer’s failed clinical trials. That is according to the L.A. Times.  The leading theory on Alzheimer’s is ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/07/29/still-no-cure-for-alzheimers/ Now for the good stuff. For those of you not wiped out by the current economic slowdown, Reuters reports on a study that shows that laser treatment can be very effective in removing wrinkles. Although side effects such as lightening or darkening of the skin is associated with the procedure, these ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/07/22/laser-treatment-gets-rid-of-wrinkles/ A new report by the US EPA shows that the poor, the elderly and children will suffer the most from global warming. The cause of global warming is the release of greenhouse gases in to the atmosphere from fossil fuel burning. Experts predict that by the year 2050 global temperatures ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/07/21/elderly-health-at-risk-as-earth-warms/ All of us are familiar with the stiff gait of the old. There is a look of uncertainty on their faces as they attempt even the most minor walks. Their legs are stiff and seem unable to bend, and there is no hip action. Will I make it? they seem to wonder. ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/07/19/older-adults-do-not-need-to-lose-their-balance-skills/ By 2015 those 50 and older will represent 45 of the American population. Increasing numbers of these older Americans are choosing to live in age segregated housing where at least one member of the household must be at least 55 and no one under 18 is ever allowed to live ... http://labyrinthworld.com/blog/2008/07/10/age-segregated-communities/