Scientific research
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Access and utilize the ICAA library of scientific studies, reports and statistics to assist you with the development of your business case for wellness, program and community design and development, evidence-informed lifestyle choices and marketing strategies and approaches.
Tech Talk: Online portal boosts diabetes self-management
As tech continues to make inroads in healthcare, increasing evidence suggests its use improves outcomes. In this case, a study of more than 111,000 patients with diabetes - about 53% men; 29% ages 65-74; and 20%, 75 or older - access to a self-management portal was associated with better medication adherence and glycemic control. Further, researchers found that portal use increased overall from close to 40,000 patients in April 2015 to close to 60,000 in December 2017.
moreTechnology
Hearing aids may delay cognitive decline
Cognitive decline is associated with hearing loss, which affects about 32% of people ages 55 and older, and more than 70% of people over age 70, according to University of Melbourne, Australia, researchers. Now, those researchers have found that wearing hearing aids may delay cognitive decline and improve brain function. Active-aging industry professionals are ideally situated to help ensure that this simple lifestyle step actually happens.
moreCognitive health
No routine screening for cognitive impairment for adults 65+
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against routine screening for cognitive impairment in adults ages 65 and over. The is important to providers because many different brief tests are available that assess one or more domains of cognitive function - i.e., complex attention, executive function, learning and memory, language, perceptual motor function, and social cognition. While some of these tests can be important as part of an evaluation for a diagnosis of cognitive impairment for people with symptoms, the potential benefits don't outweigh the risks in people without symptoms living in the community.
moreCognitive health
Marijuana use continues to climb among older adults
Cannabis use continues to increase among older adults in the US, and while the absolute increase may seem small - 2.4% to 4.2% from 2015 to 2018 - the relative increase is large, at 75%. Industry professionals should pay attention, because among other factors, the analysis of findings from more than 15,000 individuals 65 and older (55% men; 77% white) reveals "significant increases" among those whose demographics are similar to many potential customers: women, individuals of white and nonwhite races/ethnicities, those with a college education, those with incomes of $20,000 to $49,000 and $75,000or greater, and married people.
moreTrends
Stats: $50 rise in out-of-pocket costs tied to lower neurologic meds use
As out-of-pocket costs surge for drugs for the neurologic disorders Alzheimer's disease, peripheral neuropathy and Parkinson's disease, people are less likely to take the drugs as often as their doctors prescribe, a recent study reveals. Study author Brian C. Callaghan, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor commented, "Of course, if people do not follow their prescriptions correctly, they are less likely to benefit from the drug and see improvements in their condition, possibly leading to complications and higher costs later." Industry professionals need to be aware that not taking medications regularly can also trigger symptoms, potentially affecting an individual's ability to participate in programs or leading to disruptions in group activities
moreEconomics of aging
Tech Talk: Global insights on use of the internet, mobile, social media, more
Social media giant Hootsuite has produced a detailed global report and companion global yearbook that provide hundreds of pages of data and insights on the state of the internet, mobile devices, social media and ecommerce, as well as snapshots of digital engagement in more than 220 countries and territories around the world.
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