Category: Global
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The Problem with Being Old and Incarcerated
In the January issue of The New Statesman, Britain’s leading weekly magazine of politics, culture, and international affairs, Andrew Katzen examined elderly inmates in British prisons. His article, “Should we be sending the elderly to prison”, argues that British prisons are slowly turning into dysfunctional nursing homes. According to Katzen, Partner at Hickman & Rose,…
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Ebola and the Elderly: Focusing on a Vulnerable Population
Certain diseases like pertussis and dementia are associated with distinct populations. Pertussis is generally linked to children and dementia is generally linked to older adults. While both diseases can affect atypical populations, health professionals cannot have the same mindset when rare diseases like Ebola are concerned. The Ebola outbreak continues to make headlines around the…
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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 experiencing food insecurity since 2007.…
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Aging, Health, and Social Networks
Across the globe, nearly every country of the world is experiencing population aging. According to the United Nations, the number of people aged 60 years or older is expected to increase to more than 2 billion by 2050. While this shift in demographics carries implications for the social and economic makeup of our global society,…
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June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. Worldwide, there are at least 44.4 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia’s. Dementia is a non-communicable disease and one of the main health challenges for the elderly in continents such as Africa and Asia. The current health systems of these continents are not designed to…