Boomer and Senior Health News for The Sandwich Generation Issues

Thank you for sharing...

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post, which is at no additional cost to you. :)

Since I am actively involved in caring for elderly parents as well as being a member of the baby boomer generation, flirting with being a senior citizen (depending on which seniors discount I am looking at) and writing all about it, I often visit various medical and caregiving sites for news and updates of interest to myself, my family, and of course, you! 🙂  While visiting various caregiving sites this week, I found several interesting news updates for many of us caring for the elderly parents and relatives in our families:

• Anthony Cirillo shared encouraging information for those caring for elderly parents who are veterans at his website, Who Moved My Dentures? Essential Information for Boomers on Healthcare, Aging and Caregiving.

• In addition to the new book on Lewy Body Dementia Disease, that just came out, I discovered there is also a new book recently published, Help! What Do I Do Now? Caring for Your Loved One With Alzheimer’s by Nancy Nicholson, LBSW. Ms. Nicholson has both professional and personal experience in caring for elderly parents and other seniors with Alzheimer's Disease accompanied by dementia symptoms. It definitely looks interesting. 

• There has been a new government study that finds two pesticides associated with Parkinsons Disease. Having dealt with this disease with several family members, including my senior dad, from the early stages of Parkinsons Disease to the difficult end stage of Parkinsons Disease, this was especially interesting to me:

"New research shows a link between use of two pesticides, rotenone and paraquat, and Parkinson's disease. People who used either pesticide developed Parkinson's disease approximately 2.5 times more often than non-users.

The study was a collaborative effort conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center in Sunnyvale, Calif.

"Rotenone directly inhibits the function of the mitochondria, the structure responsible for making energy in the cell," said Freya Kamel, Ph.D., a researcher in the intramural program at NIEHS and co-author of the paper appearing online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. "Paraquat increases production of certain oxygen derivatives that may harm cellular structures. People who used these pesticides or others with a similar mechanism of action were more likely to develop Parkinson's disease."  You can read the entire article about this Parkinsons Disease news by clicking here.

• MedPage had an important warning about breast cancer and cigarette smoking, "Cigarette smoking — both past and present — was associated with an increased risk of invasive breast cancer among postmenopausal women, a prospective cohort study found. " I am not a smoker, by the grace of God Who made sure the cigarettes I sneaked from my parents tasted AWFUL (no filters 🙂 ). But I grew up surrounded by smokers – parents, grandparents, in-laws, and more. And according to this article, that means I am at higher risk than someone never exposed. It's vital for us to be setting the right example for our grandchildren, as well as protecting them from any second hand smoke from us! 

• I was very encouraged to notice that the Womans Day magazine for March, 2011 has a complete section for caregiving – The Ultimate Caregiving Guide, including Afford the Cost, Choose the Right Doctor, and Manage the Stress. You can read one of the articles, The Caregivers Survival Guide, online. If you are interested in reading the rest of the articles, it may still be available at grocery stores or book stores, or you can probably find a copy at the library.