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Washington University in St. Louis News & Information > News Topics > Culture & Living > Aging >
Productive Aging
Growing old doesn't mean the end of a productive life. The following experts look at ways older Americans can remain healthy and active within their communities well after retirement.
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Showing 4 Productive Aging Experts.
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John Morris
Director and Principal Investigator, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology
John C. Morris, M.D., is the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Professor of Pathology and Immunology and of Physical Therapy, and the Director of the Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Center for Aging, the Memory and Aging Project, and the Memory Diagnostic ...
Expertise: Alzheimer's disease, dementia, memory, aging, mild cognitive impairment
Media assistance: (314) 286-0122 / purdym@wustl.edu
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Nancy Morrow-Howell
Ralph and Muriel Pumphrey Professor of Social Work
Nancy Morrow-Howell studies many issues of concern to the elderly and their families, including adequacy of care for the dependent elderly, community care plans for the elderly, and use of mental health services. She is studying the health and mental health services needed and used by older adults ...
Expertise: elder care, gerontology, productive aging, depression
Direct contact: (314) 935-6762
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morrow-howell@wustl.edu
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Martha Storandt
Professor of Psychology
Storandt's research deals with aging. A major goal is understanding the distinction between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease, especially the very early stages of the disease, and how each affects cognitive function. Most of her research involves administering standard and experimental psychometric ...
Expertise: aging, Alzheimer's disease
Direct contact: (314) 935-6508
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mstorand@artsci.wustl.edu
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John Holloszy
Professor of Medicine
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| Holloszy |
Holloszy is a pioneer in understanding the impact of exercise training on the quality of life of the elderly. One of the leading figures in gerontology research, his seminal studies include investigations into whether exercise reverses some of the deterioration in functional capacity that has traditionally ...
Expertise: gerontology research, calorie restriction
Media assistance: (314) 286-0109 / reckessg@wustl.edu
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Showing 4 Productive Aging Experts.
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| News Stories & Tip Sheets: |
Showing Productive Aging Stories 1 through 3 of 30.
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China's rapidly aging population -- part of a worldwide trend
The global demographic shift is a significant opportunity as long as it is in tandem with a policy and cultural shift, say productive aging experts
Oct. 14,
2009 -- China's population of adults over 65 tops 100 million. This number is steadily growing, putting China at the forefront of a global demographic shift that includes the United States and other developed nations. "While a common tendency is to focus on the burdens an aging population will place on a country's economic and social welfare, an aging society represents an opportunity, not just a crisis," says Nancy Morrow-Howell, Ph.D., productive aging expert and professor at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. "Expanding opportunities for productive engagement, including paid employment, formal volunteering, and mutual aid, may reduce social costs by reducing health care expenses and need for post-retirement income supports. (Video available)
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Understanding dementia
$10 million grant awarded for healthy aging and Alzheimer's studies
June 25,
2009 -- Alzheimer's disease researchers at the School of Medicine have won renewal of a grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to study the differences between people who remain mentally spry in the golden years of life and those who develop dementia.
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Study investigates potential anti-aging drug
Red wine compound may help slow aging process
June 10,
2009 -- For years, scientists have known that red wine can provide certain health benefits. Regular red wine drinkers often have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as other disorders associated with aging. Now researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are studying the active ingredient in red wine to see whether it might enhance longevity in some people.
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Showing Productive Aging Stories 1 through 3 of 30.
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David Holtzman: Attacking Alzheimer's With a New Test for Amyloid Beta
U.S. News & World Report online
July 1,
2009 -- WUSTL neuroscientist David Holtzman and colleagues have devised a test that shows whether an experimental medication has a chance of working in Alzheimer's patients.
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Early Alzheimer's, think less efficiently
United Press International
and 2 others
May 5,
2009 -- Alzheimer's patients sift the important from less important less efficiently early on, according to a study conducted by WUSTL researchers.
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Hypoglycemia linked to dementia
Science News Web edition
April 14,
2009 -- A single episode of low blood sugar severe enough to require prompt medical attention increases a person's risk of developing dementia in old age, a study in people with diabetes suggests. "This is a worrisome association," says WUSTL endocrinologist Philip Cryer. But he cautions that an association doesn't prove that one factor causes the other.
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Antidepressant Eases Anxiety in Older Adults
The Washington Post
and 4 others
Jan. 21,
2009 -- In the largest study of SSRIs in older people with anxiety disorders, a team of psychiatric researchers found the drug escitalopram improved anxiety symptoms and quality of life. The study was conducted by WUSTL associate professor of psychiatry Dr. Eric J. Lenze while at the University of Pittsburgh. His team studied 177 people over the age of 60.
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Never Say Die
Newsweek
and 1 others
Dec. 8,
2008 -- Anne Underwood writes on the biology of aging and anti-aging research being done by scientists, including WUSTL nutritional sciences professor Luigi Fontana, who is tracking the progress of 45 members of the Calorie Restriction Society.
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Unhealthy Meals Dull Older Diabetics' Memory
U.S. News & World Report
and 5 others
June 27,
2008 -- Older adults with type 2 diabetes are apt to have memory problems after eating a meal loaded with fat, but a new study has found the damage can be undone if they take antioxidant vitamins along with the unhealthy food. More study is definitely needed, said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at WUSTL.
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Celebrex, Naproxen Won't Prevent Mental Decline
U.S. News & World Report
and 9 others
May 13,
2008 -- Contrary to prior studies, a new trial shows that daily use of two popular pain-relieving drugs, Celebrex and naproxen, does not prevent cognitive decline in people with a family history of Alzheimer's disease. WUSTL neurology professor John Morris, who is director of WUSTL's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and a member of the medical and scientific advisory council for the Alzheimer's Association, comments.
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Study Details New Molecular Approach to Preventing Alzheimer's
The Washington Post
and 7 others
April 25,
2008 -- German researchers are reporting a new approach to the possible prevention of the molecular "debris" that's associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease.
WUSTL neurology professor James Galvin called the German research "a novel idea."
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Longevity quest moves slowly from lab to life
MSNBC.com
and 2 others
April 23,
2008 -- Human studies plus laboratory work with yeast, worms, flies and rodents are propelling scientists closer to understanding what causes aging, how to delay it -- and how to translate such progress from the lab to real life.
One of the studies mentioned was the first calorie restriction clinical trials conducted by WUSTL and LSU.
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Researchers zero in on Alzheimer's plaque origin
Agence France Presse
and 13 others
April 10,
2008 -- WUSTL researchers have found that a key ingredient for the formation of Alzheimer's plaques is produced by a brain cell activity. WUSTL neurology professor and the study's first author John Cirrito comments.
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McCain works to answer age and health questions
Boston Globe
and 5 others
March 27,
2008 -- David Carr, clinical director of WUSTL's division of geriatrics and nutritional science, said the fact that McCain has gone five years without a melanoma recurrence is good news.
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Researchers Pinpoint Link Between Caloric Restriction and Longevity
CBC News (Canada)
and 7 others
Sept. 21,
2007 -- Harvard researchers report in the Sept. 21 issue of Cell that they have uncovered a molecular clue that seems to explain why cutting calories might lengthen your life.
It turns out that mitochondria guard against cell death, and two specific genes within the mitochondria actually carry out that task. Mitochondria are compartments within a cell that are dedicated to energy production, and their loss is thought to be a major cause of aging.
WUSTL molecular biology and pharmacology professor Shin-ichiro Imai comments on the Harvard study.
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Retirement Cash: Will You Have Enough?
Readers Digest (NY)
Sept. 7,
2007 -- There's a gap between the dream of retirement and the reality Americans face. A recent study from WUSTL School of Social Work estimates that 4 out of 10 people over age 60 will fall below the poverty line at some point in their later years. Countless more will watch their dream retirement fade as they discover that their savings barely cover their immediate needs. But the prospect of fiscal free fall has yet to alter most Americans' behavior, and baby boomers are saving a scant third of what they'll need.
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Humor Hampered By Aging Brain?
CBSNews.com
and 1 others
Aug. 6,
2007 -- Age-related brain changes may make it harder for older adults to understand humor, a new study shows.
The study comes from WUSTL psychology graduate student Wingyun Mak and psychology professor Brian Carpenter.
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Joke comprehension may decrease with age, study at St. Louis university suggests
International Herald Tribune (France)
and 206 others
July 11,
2007 -- It's no laughing matter: a new study suggests older adults have a harder time getting jokes as they age.
The research indicates that because older adults may have greater difficulty with cognitive flexibility, abstract reasoning and short-term memory, they also have greater difficulty with tests of humor comprehension.
The research conducted by WUSTL graduate student Wingyun Mak and WUSTL psychology professor Brian Carpenter.
Findings were published earlier this month in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.
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How Depression Weakens the Brain
The Wall Street Journal
July 3,
2007 -- In findings that highlight the importance of mood and stress to maintaining a healthy brain, researchers and psychiatrists say that a bout of depression may raise the risks of developing dementia later in life.
Article mentions research by WUSTL psychiatry professor Yvette Sheline. Her study showed that people with more days of depression untreated by antidepressants, at any point in their lives, exhibit an average 10% reduction in volume in the hippocampus, which may result in subtle changes to their memory capabilities, The study appeared in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
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How to Talk About Aging
Newsweek
June 11,
2007 -- A recent survey by AARP found that nearly 70 percent of adult children have not talked to their parents about issues related to aging. Some children avoid this most intimate of conversations because they believe their parents don't want to talk. Others think they know what their parents want.
WUSTL psychology professor Brian Carpenter is one of the experts offering advice.
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Eldercare Choices Revive Sibling Fights
Associated Press Online
and 59 others
Jan. 17,
2007 -- With about 20 million Americans providing care for a parent or in-law, such family dramas often with financial questions lurking unsaid are playing out across the country. WUSTL psychology professor Brian Carpenter comments on old family dynamics.
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On the scales: Exercising helps dieters preserve bone strength
The New York Times
Jan. 2,
2007 -- When overweight people lose weight, they often lose bone mineral density as well, increasing their risk for osteoporosis. But new research led by medical professor and lead author Dennis Villareal suggests that losing weight with exercise rather than calorie restriction can preserve bone strength.
The results of the study appear in the Dec. 11 issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Diabetes, obesity can increase your Alzheimer's risk
CNN.com
Nov. 7,
2006 -- November is National Alzheimer's Disease month. CNN medical correspondent Judy Fortin talked about the illness with John Morris, director of WUSTL's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. He said besides old age, diabetes and obesity are also risk factors for developing Alzheimer's.
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