Food safety for seniors All food can carry microorganisms or chemical agents that may cause illness when eaten. But, safe food handling practices can prevent growth of bacteria to lessen the possibility of foodborne illness. Most cases can be controlled by proper production, processing and preparation.
Road traffic noise linked to deaths, increased strokes Living in an area with noisy road traffic may reduce life expectancy. Research has found a link between long-term exposure to road traffic noise and deaths, as well as a greater risk of stroke, particularly in the elderly.
Multiple pathways progressing to Alzheimer's disease The amyloid cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) posits that sticky aggregations or plaques of amyloid-beta peptides accumulate over time in the brain, triggering a series of events that ultimately result in the full-blown neurodegenerative disorder. The hypothesis has been a major driver of AD research for more than 20 years.
Functional class helps predict mortality risk after surgery Information on functional status—whether or not a person can carry out routine daily tasks independently—improves the ability to predict risk of death in patients undergoing surgery.
Patient outcomes could improve by preparing nursing homes for health information exchange When older adults transfer between nursing homes and hospitals, inefficient and unclear communication between the organizations can hinder patient care. Now, a team of researchers is working to improve patients' health outcomes by increasing efficient, secure communication between nursing homes and hospitals using an electronic communication system called a health information exchange.
