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Pension
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PENSION
UNITED
STATES
Report: Allowing Retiring Employees to "Test Drive" an
Annuity (2010)
If defined contribution (DC) retirement plan sponsors haven't already done so, they soon will give serious consideration to providing retiring plan participants with options to convert at least a portion of their savings into retirement income. Only time will tell whether employers will be encouraged to make those options available to participants or whether governments will require them to do so.
WORLD France: Senate Tempted by German Pension Model (August 12, 2010)
(Article in French) French Senators will refer to the German Pension System when they amend the Pension Reform Plan this autumn. Germany’s success in increasing the minimum retirement age as well as raising retirees’ taxes constitutes a model for the French. France will look to pass on long-term structural reforms though its legislation, based on gradual modifications.
Angola: Veteran Pensions To Be Updated This Year (August 12, 2010)
(Article in French)
Pensions for former Angolan military veterans will be increased and updated as a result of the decision of the 11th Consultative Council of the Ministry of Former Combatants and Veterans of the Motherland.
HEALTH
UNITED
STATES Antidepressant Use Can Help Treat Major Depression During Perimenopause and Menopause, VCU Study Shows (August
16, 2010)
Statisticians show that depression in the United States is approximately twice as common among women as in men. However, not everyone knows that women may respond to antidepressants differently from men; they may also respond to medication differently at different times in their lives. A new study by Virginia Commonwealth University reviews the effectiveness of an antidepressant specifically for
peri- and postmenopausal women with depression.
WORLD
China: Increasing Number of Older Persons Threatens Sustainability of Insurance Funds (August 20, 2010)
(Article in Arabic)
The rapidly increasing number of older people in China is posing a threat to the sustainability of the government health insurance fund. China now has an older population of 167 million people, constituting 12.5 percent of the population, an increase by half a percentage point last year.
Jordan: Physician Activity for the Elderly is an Urgent Need during Ramadan (August
18, 2010)
(Article in Arabic)
In a Royal Society for Health Education study, the authors suggest regular physical activity is important for preserving one’s health and preventing illness, especially
among older persons. Sweden: Stress in Middle Age Could Contribute to Late-life Dementia (August 15, 2010)
Research from the University of Gothenburg established the relationship between stress in middle age and development of dementia in elder years. Previously, other studies confirmed similar findings for stroke, heart attack and hypertension. The new research leads to better understanding of both the consequences of stress and the causes of dementia. World: Alzheimer’s: The Hope of Cerebral Stimulation (August 9, 2010)
(Article in French)
Scientists may have found a new way to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Neurologists can now use a probe system to stimulate the cerebral lobes, which could slow the disease by 6 months or a year. It is important to note that patients least affected by the disease got the best results. However, this kind of treatment is in its infancy and these results must be confirmed over the coming years.
Canada: Hospital for Seniors (August 9, 2010)
(Article in French)
The Montmagny Hospital in Quebec welcomes old people, even though its infrastructures were not designed for seniors. In this hospital, care is focused on keeping seniors physically agile as long as possible. A new program called Vision Gerontonomie has demonstrated that one of the worst things to do is to leave elder patients alone in their beds. To the contrary, they must attempt to walk and move to conserve the autonomy they had before entering the hospital. However, to extend this kind of program, the Quebec hospital must re-design its facilities to accommodate older patients.
Pakistan: Healthcare for Elderly a Dream Gone Sour (July 28, 2010)
Despite planning for national healthcare for older persons during the past two years, the Pakistani government has been unable to provide it. The World Health Organization has urged the government to develop a national program aimed at providing health care to older persons. Yet the Ministry of Health showed no interest, so it was not approved as a policy. Old people in Pakistan make up 5.6 percent of the population. That number is expected to rise to 11 percent by 2025.
Report:
World: Effects of Memory Training on Cortical Thickness in the Elderly (May 2010)
Scientists studied the short-term effects of an intensive memory training program on cognition and brain structure in middle-aged and older volunteers who were in good health. The results showed that memory training improved source memory performance. Memory trainers also demonstrated regional increases in cortical thickness among those who had memory training, compared with those who had none. This research study included short-term assessments. However, follow-up studies are needed
to assess whether such training indeed alters the long-term structural path of memory retention. Report:
World: Are there Sex Differences in Physical Aggression in the Elderly (April 2010)
Sexual selection theory suggests that the correlation between physical aggression and gender may be due to greater competition to reproduce for males than for females. This difference seems to peak for people around 20 to 30 years of age. This study explores the relationship between aggression and gender among those between 65 and 96 years old. Although differences in physical aggression were present, the effect size was lower than the effect sizes obtained in younger samples. Furthermore, women showed higher levels of anger. Although the results seem to fit with sexual selection theory, they will have to be confirmed by future studies in new cohorts.
Report: Portugal: Cognitive
Impairment in Old People Living in the Community (March 2009)
Cognitive impairment often affects older persons and concerns elders who live alone in their communities or with their families. Any possible intervention will benefit from early detection of declining cognitive abililties. The Portuguese version of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) assesses the cognitive impairment in a sample of 1,266 old community-dwellers in Portugal, around 70 years of age. In general, cognitive impairment is higher among women, older people, widows(ers), and people with a negative self-perception of their health or those who have difficulties in basic and in instrumental activities of daily living (ADL and IADL). Cognitive impairment can be predicted by gender, age and psychological distress, explaining 18 percent of variance. The study also points to helpful available literature and possible interventions for community residents.
ELDER
RIGHTS
UNITED STATES
Report: Elder Abuse (May 2010)
The author of this study focuses on persons in their 60’s or older who have experienced criminal victimization. The authors review the results of the 2005 and 2006 Texas Crime Victimization Surveys, administered by the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University. Both surveys included questions related to property and violent crimes. These surveys also asked respondents about their lifestyles and feelings of personal safety, as well as crime victims’ perceptions of how the police responded to their reported victimization.
WORLD
United
Kingdom: Son Guilty of Killing 100-Year-Old Mother (August 23, 2010)
A son stabbed his mother in the neck, resulting in her death. After killing his mother, Michael Fitzgibbon, 62, confessed to manslaughter. Psychiatrists agree he was suffering depression of “moderate severity.” Also his family had not noticed that he suffered
from the early stages of Parkinson's disease. GAA and many other aging organizations demand that the caregivers of older persons have the physical resources and financial support they need to manage their caregiving responsibilities.
Japan: Man Kept Dead Mother in a Backpack (August 20, 2010)
Japanese investigators have been searching for missing old people. In the latest gruesome discovery, a woman's son told police that his mother died in 2001 but he was unable to pay for a burial. Some 40,000 old people in Japan are listed as above 100 years of age. Investigators are now searching to find whether the centenarians are living; Japanese officials believe that dishonest relatives may have been exploiting the welfare system.
Germany: Retirees Prefer Jaguar (August 16, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
Older Germans are big fans of expensive car brands, mainly Jaguar and Mercedes. According to statistics, the average buyers of new Jaguars are getting older every year, reflecting the aging German population. European car makers are more likely to follow the preferences of their older clients by focusing on safety, gas mileage and environmental friendliness.
Saudi Arabia: Study Shows Importance of Social Centers for Elder Life (August 15, 2010)
(Article in Arabic)
According to a special study, Saudi Arabia needs to review and analyze patterns of violence against old people in its society. The authors
suggest establishing public centers of psychosocial health to provide older persons with appropriate care. This is especially important due to the increasing proportion of older persons in Saudi society.
Russia: Elder Professors Face Employment Problems (August 14, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
If not addressed in a timely way, the approaching demographic changes could cost university professors their employment. Experts expect decreasing numbers of students, brought on by lower birth rates, to enter Russian universities in coming years, eliminating thousands of teaching positions. Older educators are particularly vulnerable to lay-offs.
Japan: 200 People Over 100 Years Old Remain Missing in Japan (August 13, 2010)
(Article in French)
Following the case of Sogen Kato, a national investigation has led to the conclusion that more than 200 Japanese centenarians are missing, probably dead. The city of Kobe has the most cases of disappearances with 105 out of its 847 centenarians unaccounted for. The Japanese public is shocked and the families of the disappeared suspect fraud.
Russia: Aid for Victims of Fires (August 13, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
While the destructive fires of recent weeks have apparently receded, the departments of the Pension Fund of Russia continue to work in emergency mode. Many old people lost their property, including identification papers for their pensions, complicating the process of payments. Authorities are working to issue duplicates of the documents necessary to obtain allowances and state compensatory payments.
Germany: Elderly Make up Most of Car Accident Victims (August 8, 2010)
(Article in Arabic)
It is well known that older Germans are cautious drivers; however, those who are pedestrians or ride a bicycle often fall victim to slipping under the wheels of cars. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, children and old people comprise the largest percentage of victims
in road accidents.
ARMED
CONFLICT
WORLD
Pakistan: Pakistan Floods Spreading Fast and Affecting Millions (August 11, 2010)
Floods in Pakistan could affect up to one million older persons. Relief organizations are distributing aid to vulnerable old people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. More than 1,600 persons have died in the monsoon floods. Despite mass evacuations, many fear the death toll will rise as the floods reach the southern province of Sindh and as the risk of water-borne disease outbreaks increases.
Turkey: Experts Warn as High Temperatures Cause Heatwave in Istanbul, Turkey (August 6, 2010)
Experts have warned children, old people and those with health problems about the risks of the heatwave. The warmest day in early August saw temperatures rising to 107.6 degrees Fahrenheit, prompting warnings by health officials. They also advised older persons not to fast during Ramadan should the hot weather continue.
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