Paul Allen's "brain atlas" unlocking mysteries of the ultimate computer

Paul Allen's "brain atlas" unlocking mysteries of the ultimate computer
[26 October 2006 - Seattle Times] The $40 million Allen Brain Atlas, available free online to anyone, is expected to dramatically boost understanding of the human brain's circuits and chemistry. More

Politicians urged to face up to demographic timebomb

Politicians urged to face up to demographic timebomb
[18 October 2006 - The Guardian - UK] Social care must be forced back onto the political agenda to meet the needs of the baby boomer generation, a thinktank head warned today. Niall Dickson, who heads healthcare thinktank the King's Fund, said politicians had yet to seriously debate future social care provision as he argued the case for extra funding in light of changing demographics and client expectation. A landmark report commissioned by the King's Fund earlier this year concluded that social care funding for older people in England will have to treble to about £30bn a year by 2026 to meet the needs of the ageing baby boomer generation. More

Is it mild cognitive impairment? Many want to know

Is it mild cognitive impairment? Many want to know
[6 October 2006 - Reuters Health] There appears to be considerable interest among healthy older adults in screening and treatment for mild cognitive impairment, a condition now generally considered to be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. Among 149 healthy adults aged 35 and older, 98 percent said they would be willing to be tested for mild cognitive impairment if a family member suggested they had memory problems. African Americans were more willing than whites to be screened at the suggestion of a family member (75 percent vs. 57 percent). Ninety-nine percent would be willing to take a drug if it would halve their risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease, while 92 percent would take a medication to delay onset of AD by 1 year. Dr. William Dale from the University of Chicago and colleagues report their survey results in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. More

Labor Shortage to Top 4.8 Million in 2020

Labor Shortage to Top 4.8 Million in 2020
[8 October 2006 - The Korea Times] South Korea is projected to face a shortage of up to 4.8 million workers in 2020 _ unless the country improves labor productivity - due to a rapidly aging population and falling birthrates. The Bank of Korea (BOK) reported yesterday that the government should emphasize increasing labor productivity as well as producing a sufficient number of workers to maintain sustainable growth in the future. The Ministry of Finance and Economy also said the government should abolish a range of regulations hampering market competition across business sectors to enhance workers’ efficiency. More

Older folks can learn creative new tricks

Older folks can learn creative new tricks
[7 October 2006 - Newsday] That ancient idea that old dogs can't learn new tricks is now being turned around. Recent research shows that human creativity, although it changes and matures, doesn't inevitably decline with age. Instead, creative impulses sometimes get stronger with age in fields such as the arts as older people find the time, resources and inspiration to delve into writing, sculpture, art, music, photography and other satisfying pursuits. In other words, age is not a handicap, and researchers say new talents often blossom even as frailties such as hearing loss and fading vision appear. And, compared to the young, older people have depths of experience to draw on, they often already have many skills and they aren't as driven by the need to prove themselves. More

Ten ways to tell if your community is ready for an aging population

[29 September 2006 - U.S. News & World Report] As you get older, your needs for housing, healthcare, transportation, and recreation often change. MetLife, in a study released this week, found that only 46 percent of American communities have begun to address the unique needs of an aging population, expected to reach 71.5 million people over age 65 by 2030. Thus, MetLife and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, by sending questionnaires to local governments asking about their aging readiness, have identified 10 areas of concern that communities must address to meet the needs of an aging population, and singled out communities that are taking steps to care for their older population. More