5/28/2014 - Learning keeps cells alive in young brains

Scientists have known for years that the neurons in adult rats could be saved with learning. What they didn’t know was if this would be the case for young rats, which produce two to four times more neurons than adult animals. When scientists looked at the hippocampus—a portion of the brain associated with the process… Read more 5/28/2014 - Learning keeps cells alive in young brains

5/27/2014 - Living to 100?

It turns out that living to 100 is a real possibility for many of us in our 70s and for half of kids now in preschool. The 2012 Census reported about 53,000 centenarians in the U.S., but the numbers are growing rapidly. It’s projected that by 2040, there will be nearly a million centenarians (80% of them… Read more 5/27/2014 - Living to 100?

5/25/2014 - More seniors staying in the labor market, data shows (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

In April, 18.9 percent of people over 65 in the U.S. were either working or looking for work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That level of labor force participation by older workers has not been seen, before the past year, since 1964, a year before Medicaid was signed into law. Read the full… Read more 5/25/2014 - More seniors staying in the labor market, data shows (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

5/27/2014 - Exercise program keeps older adults on their feet

In old age, losing the ability to walk a short distance often means losing independence. Now researchers say they have found a treatment that, for some, can prevent that loss of mobility. Read the full article at USA Today.

5/27/2014 - When Older People Walk Now, They Stay Independent Later

According to a report published Monday in JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association, people in their 70s and 80s who walk and do simple exercises in social groups were less likely to become disabled than those who attended classes on successful aging. Read the full article at National Public Radio (NPR).

5/27/2014 - Few workers confident of easy retirement

Half of workers say they have a well-developed retirement plan; a quarter have no plan. Few workers in the U.S. and around the world are truly confident they’re going to have a comfortable retirement, a new global survey shows. Only 28% of U.S. workers are “very” or “extremely” confident that they’ll one day fully retire… Read more 5/27/2014 - Few workers confident of easy retirement

5/22/2014 - Silicon Valley workers are saving more than you (CNN Money)

On average, workers in San Jose and San Francisco save close to 15% of their annual pay in 401(k)s — the highest average savings rate in the country, according to a Fidelity analysis of 13 million savers in 100 metro areas. Read the full article at CNN Money.

5/23/2014 - Stanford Is Looking For a Few Good Midlifers

The Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute, which is accepting applications for its first class of 20 students beginning in January 2015, is looking for established leaders who are eager to “deepen their knowledge and/or embrace new fields” and “reflect on their life journeys, explore new pathways and redirect their lives for the common good.” Read the… Read more 5/23/2014 - Stanford Is Looking For a Few Good Midlifers

5/22/2014 - Alzheimer's and Dementia: Is There Hope In A Bottle?

A older person hears the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease and is devastated. Family hears it and is in denial. Everyone feels compelled to “do something” about dementia. They want to fight it. They want to make it go away or slow down or get better. Pharmaceutical companies have capitalized on this urge and sell countless… Read more 5/22/2014 - Alzheimer's and Dementia: Is There Hope In A Bottle?

5/22/2014 - Light exercise linked to less disability

People who engage in plenty of light movement have a lower risk of developing a disability and losing their capacity to care for themselves, a new study suggests. The study included middle-aged and older adults who had knee osteoarthritis or were at high risk of developing the condition. It focused specifically on low-intensity exercise, like… Read more 5/22/2014 - Light exercise linked to less disability