Month: August 2014

  • Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s: A Great Threat to the U.S. National Budget

    Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s: A Great Threat to the U.S. National Budget

    Since the last Presidential Election, the national budget has been a sore spot for Republicans and Democrats, the two major political parties in the U.S. While government programs such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are leading debates on reducing the national budget, politicians are oblivious of a looming threat…

  • Fighting Loneliness – Pet Therapy for the Elderly

    For many, retirement and old age is a welcome stage of life with few responsibilities, and a lot of time to pursue interests. To others, it brings on that dreaded feeling which no amount of pills and doctor appointments can cure – loneliness. According to AARP, over a third of Americans…

  • Old and Forgotten: The Crisis of Africa’s Elderly

    Old and Forgotten: The Crisis of Africa’s Elderly

    Africa is currently the most youthful continent in the world. At least 35 per cent of its more than one billion population is between the ages of 15 and 35. While investing in the youth is a priority for the continent’s transformation, the elderly should not be forgotten. As Africa’s…

  • The Threat of Food Insecurity Among the Elderly in the U.S. and Beyond

    In 2012, 1.1 million (9.1 percent) U.S. senior citizens living independently were considered food insecure. This number is expected to increase by 50 percent in 2025 as the U.S. population continues to age. Data reported by American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) described increases in the number of older adults…

  • Sweden: A Role Model for Elderly Care

    As mentioned in previous blog entries, worldwide, countries are facing challenges due to aging. By 2050, the elderly will outnumber children under the age of 15, mostly in developing countries. So, reforms for more cost-effective health care systems for elderly’s long-term care are becoming more and more important. Sweden is…