Category: Global
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Alcohol And Ageing: The International Trends Worrying Health Researchers
Risky drinking – defined as drinking at levels that put a person at risk of medical or social problems – has for centuries been viewed as an affliction of youth and immaturity. Yet, as the first wave of baby boomers reach retirement age, a startling trend is revealing itself: older adults are…
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The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering
Hoping to Help: The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering, written by Judith N. Lasker, shines light on healthcare-based volunteering in developing contexts. While it does not explicitly focus on aging, this book poses a bold and poignant question: Does international medical volunteering really help patients? Developing countries struggle…
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Alone Together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other
Sherry Turkle is a professor at MIT who views artificial intelligence and technology through a sociological and psychological lens. In the first half of her most recent book, Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less from Each Other, Turkle addresses the impact of technology on older adults. Technology…
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A Brief Highlight of Older Athletes at the Summer Olympic Games
The 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are almost here. Starting next week, athletes from around the world will perform amazing feats including older Olympians who are generally not reported in traditional media. Older athletes have always participated in the games. For example, Brazil’s 2016 Olympic qualifying tournaments had…
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Why Society Needs More Older Social Entrepreneurs for Culture Change
Social entrepreneurship – or business solutions to social issues – has evolved to be the big billion dollar idea over the last three decades. And it is here to stay. Both the developed as well as the developing world, public and philanthropic sectors are pushing for impact investing, and market-based…
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How Climate Change Affects the Health of Older Adults
Climate change and its consequences are an impending reality, ones that have both socio-emotional and physical effects on older adults. Our lives, livelihoods and health are intrinsically tied to that of the planet, so it is crucial to look at how we can improve resilience to climate change, especially in…
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The Flu in Focus: Epidemiology, History and Research of Global Influenza
I live in Baltimore, USA and it has been getting cold here. The nippy winds have been turning my nose red and when I come inside, I always need to have a tissue handy. With the cold weather, there is a looming fear of the flu. Even if it is…
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Microneedles: A New Innovation in Medical Care for the Elderly
Rita Barrock is an 84-year-old Alzheimer’s patient. She lives in a nursing home, where she has to be under constant supervision. One of the daily challenges that the nurses who care for her face, is getting her to take her medication. As an Alzheimer’s patient, Barrock is not always…
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Keeping Brains Healthy Across the Lifespan: Is It Really As Easy As Counting to 5?
Research over the last 20 years on the impact of lifestyle on brain health indicates that how people live each day can strongly influence the delay and potential prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. To appreciate the full weight of these findings, the World Alzheimer’s Report 2014 estimates that if…
Global Health Aging 