Category: South America
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Effects of Dance on Health-Related Quality of Life
With the weather getting warmer in Sao Paulo, Brazil, many Brazilians are getting ready to get out and dance in celebration! One dance group in particular, Arte Par Dancar, has been garnering a lot of media attention for their dance moves… and for their age. Apart from being fun, dance…
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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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The Impact of the Chavez Government on Pensions and Health Systems
This is Part 2 of a two-part series on Venezuela’s economic crisis. In Part 1, the main focus was food shortages. In Part 2, pension programs and health systems are emphasized. On the surface, the status of older adults in Venezuelan society should have been secure. The Chavez government had expanded…
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Venezuela’s Economic Crisis Puts Older Populations-At-Risk
This article is the first part of a two-part series on Venezuela’s ongoing economic crisis. Click here to read Part 2. Venezuela is in the midst of an economic collapse. Oil prices have plummeted and the bolivar (Venezuelan currency) has dropped in value compared to the U.S. dollar. The situation…
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The Dangers of Type 2 Diabetes among Older Hispanics
Diabetes is a 5th leading cause of death among Hispanics and Latinos in the USA. Hispanics are 66 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites and they have a 1.4 times greater risk of developing chronic kidney disease due to diabetes, according to the National…
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Battling Beauty Stereotypes in Brazil’s Older Women
If you have ever watched a Brazilian telenovela, you might notice that older women look unrealistically younger than the characters they portray, with the help of botox or other “medical miracles”. Older women in Brazil face pressure to look young, not gain weight, and maintain top physical appearance. As women…
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Employment Prospects Among Older Adults in South America
Many adults eagerly look forward to their “Golden Years” and one of the key features of this period is retirement. It is easy to imagine golf courses, beaches and time to catch up on reading lists. In reality, many older adults continue to work after age 65. The entirety of…
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The Impact of Sleep Disorders Among the Elderly
Getting adequate sleep is a very common recommendation for achieving and maintaining good health. Insufficient sleep has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases (such as diabetes and heart disease) as well as unintentional injuries (such as motor vehicle accidents and workplace injuries). Poor sleep quality can also contribute…
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Aging with Autism in South America
As the world celebrated World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, the conversation around elderly with autism remained sidelined. Blog posts and comment boards were focused on children with autism, a standard practice that is common in other areas. For instance, a quick scan of entries in PUBMED, the National…
Global Health Aging 