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Get Mad ColumnHelping Stop a Devastating Disease: The ACT-AD Coalition Continues its Important Work in Alzheimer's
Winter 2013
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development Health PolicyAlzheimer's disease is a slow, dehumanizing, and fatal disease that strikes 1 in 8 people over the age of 65. While it's typically thought of as a disease that affects memory, it goes well beyond memory loss and eventually leads to death. -
Science in the SpotlightMuscle Loss & Aging: Combatting Sarcopenia and Lost Independence
Winter 2013 | Alliance for aging Research
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Aging Research Drug Development Geriatric Training HealthTypically, our muscles grow larger and stronger as we age. That is, until about the time we celebrate our 30th birthdays. That’s when most of us start down the other side of the hill and begin to gradually lose our muscle mass, strength, and function. While it’s usually not very noticeable in our 30s and 40s, the loss increases exponentially with age and tends to accelerate between the ages of 65 and 80.
This progressive loss of muscle mass is called sarcopenia, and it’s found to play a major role in the increased frailty, disability, and functional impairment that too often come with aging. While sarcopenia is a condition that is not uncommon with age, we don’t have to just sit back and accept it. There are things we can do to slow its progress, and current research promises to make that trip over-the-hill less traumatic. -
Get Mad ColumnTaxes or Medical Research? Tensions Rise in the Battle to Reduce the Deficit
Winter 2013 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Aging Research Federal Funding Health PolicyThe country did not go over the "fiscal cliff" thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), which was passed by Congress on New Year’s Day. While fears loomed that lawmakers would fail to act in time, ATRA addressed the expiration of numerous tax credits, raised some revenue, and temporarily delayed automatic spending cuts scheduled to take effect on December 31, 2012. When ATRA became law America earned a temporary reprieve from imminent economic catastrophe. However, our health and personal economic security may still suffer from the fallout resulting from actions taken by policymakers struggling to find a more permanent solution to the nation’s fiscal woes. -
Fact SheetThe Silver Book: Atrial Fibrillation
February 2013 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Aging Research Cardiovascular Disease Health Medical Innovation Policy Prevention StrokeAtrial fibrillation impacts between 2.7 and 6.1 million adults and can lead to stroke, heart failure, dementia, disability, and death. It also costs a tremendous amount of money--at least $6.65 billion each year. This latest factsheet from The Silver Book brings the leading data on the burden of the disease and the value of innovation to reduce that burden, all into one place. -
Science in the SpotlightUnder Treatment of a Treatable Disease: T.A.K.E. on Glaucoma
An estimated 2.3 million Americans are living with glaucoma and because it is a disease of aging, that number is expected to climb during this decade—surpassing 3.3 million by 2020—a 50% increase. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that are associated with elevated eye pressure that can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss. That vision loss can usually be prevented with early detection and proper treatment and disease management, yet glaucoma continues to be one of the leading causes of blindness in the U.S. -
Feature ArticleGo4Life: NIA Campaign Encourages Exercise at All Ages
Exercise is good for your health. Not surprising right? We’ve all watched countless news reports and read stacks of stories extolling the virtues of regular exercise. So why do only 30% of adults between the ages of 45 and 64 report that they engage in regular physical activity? That number gets even lower as we age with only 25% of people between the ages of 65 and 74, and 11% of those ages 85 and older, saying that they exercise regularly. Keep in mind that those numbers are probably higher than reality because people tend to over-estimate how much they exercise when they are reporting it to others. -
Alliance ViewsThe Common Denominator: The Key to Extending Healthspan
Spring 2012 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Aging Research Health Medical Innovation Policy Prevention ResearchMost people know what lifespan is—the average length of life of a species, often measured within a sub-population like “Americans” or “women.” Essentially—how long we live. But few have even heard of healthspan. Dictionary.com defines it as the “period of one’s life during which one is generally healthy and free from serious disease.” Essentially—how long we live in good health. -
Get Mad ColumnAn Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Are We Sacrificing Health for a Balanced Budget?
Spring 2012 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Federal Funding Health Medical Innovation Policy Quality of CareLast summer, lawmakers were not just feeling the heat of the August sun in Washington when Congress passed the Budget Control Act of 2011(BCA). Under pressure to raise the country’s debt ceiling, the BCA allowed the president to do so by up to $2.8 trillion, but only by requiring the deficit to be slashed by $2.3 trillion over the next decade. Not a bad trade, right? Think again. The methods used to make these cuts could take a fat slice out of the federal budget that pays for research to prevent diseases we all fear as we grow older like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and heart disease. -
Alliance in the News, Science in the SpotlightAlzheimer’s Biomarkers are Ready for Research
March 7, 2012
Related topics: Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Brain Health Drug Development Drug Safety Health Medical Innovation Policy ResearchIn a March 1st interview, Dr. John Morris, co-chair of the Alzheimer's Disease Biomarker Expert Working Group (convened by the Alliance for Aging Research), explains what biomarkers are and how they will help research in the field of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.
John C. Morris is the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Professor of Pathology and Immunology, Professor of Physical Therapy, and Professor of Occupational Therapy at Washington University. He also is the Director and Principal Investigator of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.
For More info on the promise of biomarkers in Alzheimer's, click here. -
BrochureTaking a Closer Look at Age-Related Macular Degeneration
This popular brochure has been updated to reflect the latest advances in detection, prevention, and treatment (released in November 2011). It guides readers through the latest information on age-related macular degeneration symptoms and risk factors, while offering ways to help reduce risk. The widely used Amsler Grid can still be found on the back cover. -
Document, Fact SheetDetecting Glaucoma: Assessing Your Eye Health with a Comprhensive Eye Exam
This tip sheet tells you what to expect during a comprehensive eye exam--the key to detecting glaucoma and preventing its serious consequences. -
DocumentOur T.A.K.E. on Glaucoma
A Declaration from the Glaucoma Working Group to Take Action to Know your Eyes
Today, more than 40 million Americans are age 65 or older. By 2050, it is estimated that figure will rise to 88.5 million. Our nation is aging rapidly, and this demographic shift likely means longer hospital stays, more doctor visits, and greater healthcare expenditures for more and more Americans. If you're a Baby Boomer and looking ahead to your silver years, you already have plenty to think about: retirement, the economy, elderly parents, and young adult children. It's hard to find time to focus on your health--especially if you feel healthy! -
Fact SheetThe Facts About Afib
The most common type of arrhythmia—or abnormal heart rhythm—atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a disorder of the heart’s electrical system that affects an estimated 2.3 to 5.6 million people in the US. During AFib episodes the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) beat irregularly and out of sync with the heart’s lower chambers (the ventricles). In some people these episodes come and go. In others they are chronic and occur regularly. In both cases, the arrhythmia itself isn’t generally serious; however, abnormal blood flow and strain to the heart can lead to serious medical conditions.
Download to learn more about what it means to have AFib, risk factors, treatment options, and making the right treatment decision for you. -
Living LegendAt-A-Glance: Aging Research News
Leading researchers and authorities on aging are constantly making news with their breakthroughs and discoveries. Below is a small sample of the articles, podcasts, blog postings, and other media that highlight some of this important information on aging, age-related disease, and the science behind getting old:
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Feature ArticleConscious Aging: Through Their Art, a Couple Finds Beauty and Peace in Aging
Who hasn’t looked in the mirror only to find someone staring back with too many wrinkles and gray hairs? Someone who we don’t recognize because that person is way too old? When Alice and Richard Matzkin found themselves and their loved ones confronting bodies being etched by time and pulled down by gravity, they became overwhelmed by fear. -
Get Mad ColumnCan We Work the Bugs Out? In Search of the Next-Generation IPAB
Summer 2011 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Federal Funding Health Policy Quality of CareAn IPAB is not the latest device created by Apple to play music or store your online files. IPAB is the Independent Payment Advisory Board and its purpose is to oversee costs in Medicare. The only similarity between IPAB and an iPAD is that both are small and complex units with tremendous power to change lives. But for those receiving their health care under the Medicare program, IPAB’s changes may not be for the better. -
ReportThe Silver Book: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation - Thrombosis
March 2011 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Cardiovascular Disease Health Medical Innovation Policy Prevention Research StrokeThis latest volume in the important Silver Book collection focuses on atrial fibrillation, stroke, and venous thromboembolism--three of the most common causes of and results of thrombosis. The data in this volume emphasize the tremendous burden of thrombosis, especially as our population ages, as well as the potential value of innovation in reducing this burden. -
NewslettersAt-A-Glance: Aging Research News
Leading researchers and authorities on aging are constantly making news with their breakthroughs and discoveries. Below is a small sample of the articles, podcasts, blog postings, and other media that highlight some of this important information on aging, age-related disease, and the science behind getting old: -
Science in the SpotlightTreating Valve Disease: Successful Options for All Patients
Each year, as many as 5 million Americans are diagnosed with valve disease. There are a number of different types of valve disease and all of them involve defects or damage to one or more of the heart’s four valves. While some types are not serious, others can lead to major complications, including death. Fortunately, most valve disease can be successfully treated with surgery in patients of all ages and races. -
Feature ArticleTreatments for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Going Head to Head
Spring 2011 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Drug Development Drug Safety Health Medical Innovation Policy Quality of Care Research Vision LossExciting treatments make slowing and even restoring vision loss in wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) patients a reality. Two of the most frequently used treatments are currently in the spotlight as they go head-to-head in clinical trials comparing their effectiveness, and to some extent, exploring their costs. -
Alliance ViewsSuper Agers: Sharing Their Secrets
A new website from Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University—SuperAgers.com—highlights the findings from more than a decade of aging research and features some of the centenarians that shared their secrets, and their DNA, for this seminal project. -
BrochureLa Enfermedad de Alzheimer: Ayudándote a Ayudar a un Ser Querido - Guía paraQuienes Cuidan a Personas con la Enfermedad de Alzheimer
Como familiar y persona encargada de cuidar a alguien con
la enfermedad de Alzheimer, tienes demasiadas tareas y
mucho que hacer. Hay tanto por aprender, tantas cosas que
planear, tantas preocupaciones. Por eso necesitas leer ésta
guía, no solamente por la persona a quien cuidas, si no
además por tí mismo. -
NewslettersAt-A-Glance: Aging Research News
Leading researchers and authorities on aging are constantly making news with their breakthroughs and discoveries. Below is a small sample of the articles, podcasts, blog postings, and other media that highlight some of this important information on aging, age-related disease, and the science behind getting old: -
Alliance ViewsThe Changing Face of HIV/AIDS: A Graying Epidemic
When the AIDS epidemic first shook the nation in the 1980s, no one with the virus was expected to live long—let alone reach old age. But thanks to the discovery of effective drug therapies, most people with the disease can now look forward to living well into their senior years. Add to that the fact that older Americans are becoming newly infected at an alarming rate, and HIV/AIDS is clearly no longer a problem for the young. -
Get Mad ColumnWhat is the 510(k)? Balancing Benefits, Safety, and Patient Needs
What does a tongue depressor have in common with an artificial knee and a heart monitor? This is not trick question or an unsolvable riddle—all three are medical devices that must go through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. Many of us are exposed to medical devices on a regular basis but few of us give much thought to who develops these products, and even fewer take the time to consider how their benefits and safety were measured. The process by which these products are evaluated and allowed for public use is essential to the quality of life of millions of people in the U.S., however most Americans know very little about it. -
Feature ArticleSearching for Answers & Hope Learning About a Disease that Steals Memories
Summer 2010 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Brain Health Caregiving HealthFirst they told her she had Alzheimer’s disease. Next they suggested that the medications they had prescribed to control her anxiety and depression were the cause. Then they told her it was Parkinson’s. It was years before doctors finally figured out what was making Susan Grant’s mind slip away. -
Fact SheetTalking with Your Doctor About Valve Disease
This quick guide to talking with your doctor about valve disease includes information for patients who think they may have a valve problem, as well as for those who know they have valve disease. This resource can help make these important conversations with your doctor a little bit easier. -
Fact SheetValve Disease: Patient Information
This fact sheet includes basics on valve disease--what it is, how you get it, how you know you have it, how it's diagnosed, and how it's treated. It also covers broad treatment options, what to expect after surgery, and a list of helpful resources. -
DocumentThe Severe Burden of Diabetes on America's Seniors
May 2010
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Diabetes Health Medical Innovation Prevention ResearchIn an Alliance for Aging Research and American Diabetes Association joint briefing, Dr. William Rowley from The Institute for Alternative Futures presented on the economic burden of diabetes and the need for continued research into prevention, management and treatment options. His slides are available here. -
DocumentHuman Burden of Diabetes and The Importance of Research
May 2010
Related topics: Access to Breakthroughs Diabetes Health Medical Innovation Prevention ResearchIn an Alliance for Aging Research and American Diabetes Association joint briefing, Dr. K.M. Venkat Narayan from Emory University in Atlanta presented on the human burden of diabetes and the need for continued research into prevention, management and treatment options. His slides are available here. -
Alliance ViewsAortic Stenosis: Under-Diagnosed and Under-Treated
Spring 2010 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Cardiovascular Disease Health Quality of CareAortic stenosis is a type of heart disease where the aortic valve becomes narrowed over time, obstructing blood flow to the body. It is more common with age and if left untreated, can lead to heart disease, significantly decreased quality of life, heart failure, and even death. Fortunately, aortic stenosis (AS) can usually be treated with surgery in patients of all ages. -
Science in the SpotlightOur Sick Environment: Threatening Healthy Aging
Spring 2010 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Aging Research Health Nutrition Prevention ResearchHeadlines continue to be filled with news about how we are “pre-programmed” for disease, but our genes are not the only things putting us at risk. When it comes to age-related chronic diseases, major risk factors like genetics, age, gender, and environmental factors appear to interact to cause disease. -
Feature ArticlePain and Confusion: Figuring Out How to Safely Treat Pain
Are you or a loved one dealing with persistent pain but confused about what medications are safe? Understandably so! Treating persistent pain can be challenging and now warnings about the risks of leading pain relievers have left many of us wondering what we can do to safely treat our pain. -
Brochure, DVDManteniéndose Firme: Prevención y Tratamiento de la Osteoporosis, Materiales para Taller
In order to educate women recently diagnosed or at risk for osteoporosis about the disease, the Alliance for Aging Research created this workshop kit. This translated kit assists community and health groups in hosting workshops that teach Spanish-speaking women how to best manage their prevention and/or treatment, and empower them to communicate with their doctor. -
BrochureManteniéndose Firme: Prevención y Tratamiento de la Osteoporosis, Guía para Líderes
El propósito de este taller es educar a mujeres que recientemente fueron diagnosticadas con, o están en riesgo de sufrir de osteoporosis, sobre esta enfermedad. La información administrada en este taller ayudará a las articipantes a entender más todo lo referente a la osteoporosis, sus factores de riesgo, diagnóstico, y tratamiento.Tambien ayudará a las participantes a aprender a prevenir la enfermedad o, para aquellas que ya han sido diagnosticadas, a vivir con la enfermedad y mantener una buena calidad de vida. En definitiva, esta información ayudará a las mujeres a manejar mejor la prevención y/o tratamiento de esta enfermedad, y ayudará a equiparlas y darles los medios para poder comunicarse con su personal médico. -
BrochureManteniéndose Firme: Prevención y Tratamiento de la Osteoporosis
Una de cada dos mujeres en Estados Unidos de más de 50 años de edad sufrirá durante su vida una fractura debido a la osteoporosis. Estas fracturas son un problema grave, ya que pueden limitar su independencia y su nivel de actividad por muchos años.
Usted puede protegerse de la osteoporosis. Si aprende todo lo posible sobre este problema, si adopta medidas preventivas y habla con su personal médico sobre los tratamientos, podrá proteger la salud de sus huesos y conservar su independencia. -
Document, ReportThe Silver Book: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation--Diabetes
The first volume of The Silver Book was launched in 2006 and has quickly become a trusted resource for health policy practitioners. The Silver Book®: Diabetes is the latest volume in this important collection. Each section in the volume includes charts, statistics, and key findings that together paint a comprehensive picture of the burden of diabetes and the tremendous potential of innovation. Much of the data focuses on the older population. -
DocumentPractical Facts for Health Care Providers: Assessing and Treating Persistent Pain in Older Patients
Persistent pain is a common problem in older adults, yet many are reluctant to discuss it with their health care provider. They may see pain as an inevitable part of aging, or believe it’s not possible to relieve their symptoms.
Many times it is left up to the health care provider to ask questions of their elderly patients and figure out if pain is a problem. This fact sheet is a summary of the 2009 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) guidelines on the management of persistent pain in older persons. It highlights the AGS panel's main recommendations on assessing and treating persistent pain.
The Alliance also has an updated brochure that provides pain management information for patients. -
BrochureAging with Ease: A Positive Approach to Pain Management
This booklet gives you a brief overview of how to recognize, understand, and safely treat your pain. It provides the latest information, including advice from the American Geriatrics Society’s 2009 guidelines for controlling persistent pain in older people.
The Alliance also has an updated guide for health care providers. -
DocumentAortic Stenosis Podcast with Garry Clarke
Garry Clarke is an aortic stenosis patient and provides details about his own journey with the disease in this podcast. Topics he discusses include his symptoms and when he decided to see a doctor about them, how he was diagnosed, how his knowledge about the disease progressed, how he felt after surgery, and resources he recommends.
To listen to this podcast, click here. -
DocumentAortic Stenosis Podcast with Adam Pick
Adam Pick is an aortic stenosis patient and valve disease education advocate. In this podcast, he discusses many of his experiences including diagnosis, finding a surgeon, resources he used to learn about treatment options, and his blog.
To listen to this podcast, click here.
To learn more about Adam, visit his blog--Adam's Heart Valve Replacement and Repair Blog. -
DocumentAortic Stenosis Podcast with Dr. Harlan Krumholz
Dr. Harlan Krumholz is a cardiologist and professor of medicine, epidemiology, and public health at Yale University. In this podcast, he provides the physician's perspective and discusses many aspects of aortic stenosis such as words commonly used by physician's to describe the disease, risk factors, diagnosis, when a patient should see a cardiologist, treatment options, and what patients should expect after surgery.
To listen to this podcast, click here. -
BrochureAortic Stenosis: Facts about a Heart Valve Disease
Aortic stenosis is a type of heart disease where the main outlet for blood to be pumped to the body--the aortic valve--becomes narrowed over time. It is more common with age and if left untreated, can lead to significantly decreased quality of life, heart failure, and even death.
This brochure provides information about aortic stenosis including risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. -
Brochure, ReportThe Silver Book: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation--Neurological Disease
November 2009
Related topics: Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Health Parkinson's Disease ResearchThe first volume of The Silver Book was launched in 2006 and has quickly become a trusted resource for health policy practitioners. The Silver Book®: Neurological Disease is the latest volume in this important collection. Each section in the volume includes charts, statistics, and key findings that together paint a comprehensive picture of the burden of neurological disease, focusing on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and the tremendous potential of innovation. Much of the data focuses on the older population. -
Alliance ViewsBattling Health Disparities: Closing the Gaps
Summer 2009
Related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Health Osteoporosis Quality of Care Women's HealthThanks to enormous advances in public health and exciting breakthroughs in medical innovation, over the past century Americans have seen dramatic gains in health and longevity. The United States currently spends more on health care than any other nation and for most people, this means access to one of the best health care systems in the world. Unfortunately, it doesn’t benefit all people equally and the reality is that most minorities have less access to care, fewer options for prevention and treatment, and higher rates of disease and illness. -
Living LegendAlice Thomas: Walking a Non-Traditional Path
At 79 years old, Alice Thomas is definitely not your traditional law student, but all her life she’s walked a fairly non-traditional path. Leaving home at just 16 years old, Thomas worked a variety of jobs to support herself including a drug-store waitress, a typist, and even an elevator operator. She eventually found herself in the construction industry despite the fact that it was and continues to be a “man’s world.” -
Report2009 Task Force on Aging Research Funding
May 2009
Related topics: Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Arthritis Brain Health Cancer Cardiovascular Disease Caregiving Diabetes Federal Funding Geriatric Training Health Incontinence Medical Innovation Men's Health Mental Health Osteoporosis Other Diseases of Aging Parkinson's Disease Persistent Pain Policy Research Stroke Vision Loss Women's HealthThe 2009 Task Force on Aging Research Funding--more than 65 non-partisan disease groups, patient advocates, and foundations--urges Congress and the President to restore a national commitment to medical research on behalf of America's aging population. This year's report of the Task Force calls for a at least a 7% increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health in FY 2010. It also presents data on the burden of diseases and conditions that predominately affect older Americans, highlights the emerging research the NIH is doing to decrease these burdens, and serves as a resource for policymakers working to establish the funding levels necessary to advance healthy aging. -
BrochureLiving with Alzheimer's Booklet
This booklet is part of the larger Living with Alzheimer’s: Personal Health Organizer. It provides detailed information to guide you through using the worksheets, tips on finding help in your community, and a list of resources for more information. -
BrochureLiving with Alzheimer's Worksheets
These worksheets are part of the larger Living with Alzheimer’s: Personal Health Organizer. They are designed to help you record important information throughout your diagnosis. -
BrochureLiving with Alzheimer's: Personal Health Organizer
This 3-ring, hardcover binder includes the necessary tools you need to sort through all the Alzheimer's information you come across and keep track of only that which is relevant to you. Since no one experiences Alzheimer’s in the exact same way, your binder can be organized in a way that best fits your needs. This binder is designed to help the person who has just been diagnosed, but many of the worksheets can be used together with family members or by caregivers of those who are in later stages of the disease. -
Alliance ViewsFashion Savvy Seniors Help Redefine Old Age
Today’s seniors are blowing old-age stereotypes out of the water and redefining what exactly it means to be “old.” This is a generation that can expect to live longer than past generations, tends to be better educated and more financially secure, and has a long history of independence. We’re already seeing changes in the lifestyles and typical images of seniors, and with the baby boom generation approaching their senior years, we’re sure to see even more. -
Living LegendCordelia Taylor: Making Change Happen
Working as a registered nurse and nursing home administrator for close to two decades, Cordelia Taylor got a hard look at a system where patient needs were too often put second to the desire for profits. After her ideas for change were rejected by her boss, Mrs. Taylor left her job to start her own facility where residents would be treated with love and respect. -
Science in the SpotlightLong Living in the Blue Zones
You’ve probably heard that Americans are living longer than ever—in fact the average baby born today can expect to live to be 78 years old. But did you know there are close to 50 other countries with even longer life expectancies? -
Living LegendHelen Raffel and Marianne Prichard: Lifetimes of Learning
Helen Raffel, 80, and Marianne Prichard, 62, are a part of a growing number of Americans who are dedicating their retirement years to the Peace Corps—an organization that sends volunteers around the world to assist with issues ranging from AIDS education to environmental protection. With only 6% of its volunteers age 50 and older, the Peace Corps recently launched a campaign to recruit older Americans. -
Alliance ViewsThe Changing Face of Facebook
You’ve probably heard about Facebook—the website that all the teenagers are talking about, right? Well not anymore! Facebook is an on-line social networking site that is rapidly changing and reaching out to audiences of all ages and types. -
Science in the SpotlightFinding the Science Behind Alternative Medicine
More and more Americans are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat a variety of their ailments and help them fight diseases. In fact, a national survey found that more than one-third of adults use some form of CAM. Despite this widespread use, many of these therapies are not supported by science and little is known about how or if they work. -
Living LegendJack Schnepp: Forever Young at Heart
Jack Schnepp doesn’t know what he’d do if he didn’t sing. “It’s just a natural thing now,” he says. The 78-year-old inherited a love for music from his parents—his mother was once involved in vaudeville and his ukulele-playing father performed in amateur productions. Jack began singing lessons when he was a young teenager, following his sister’s lead. He performed in musicals in high school and at the University of Pennsylvania, but his singing career truly began in 1999 when he joined the Young @ Heart chorus. -
DocumentStanding Strong: Preventing Osteoporosis Podcast
What foods are good for your bones and which ones may be hurting them? What exercise is best for warding off weak bones? When should you start getting your bones scanned?
Find out the answers and get other interesting tips on prevention and treatment in this podcast with Dr. Michelle Bellantoni from Johns Hopkins University. An expert in osteoporosis, Dr. Bellantoni discusses the details of prevention and talks about some of the latest news and research on osteoporosis. To listen to this podcast, click here. -
Living LegendMichael Debakey: Renaissance Man of Medicine
In April 2008, the renowned surgeon Michael E. DeBakey, M.D., joined a very exclusive society. Under the imposing dome of the Capitol Rotunda, President Bush presented DeBakey with the nation’s highest civilian honor—the Congressional Gold Medal—whose past recipients include George Washington, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, and Jonas Salk. DeBakey, who will be 100 years old on September 7, 2008, was characteristically articulate and forward-thinking in his acceptance remarks, urging his audience to pursue health care reform. -
Brochure, Fact SheetOsteoporosis Prevention and Treatment: Algorithm and Resources for Health Care Professionals
This laminated clipboard tool is an easy-to-use, go-to resource for physicians and other health care professionals. The tool includes treatment guidelines, a chart of FDA-approved osteoporosis medications, and tips on discussing prevention and risk factor reduction with patients. The treatment algorithm provides step-by-step diagnostic and treatment instructions based on a person's age, gender, and health status. -
DocumentKey Phone Numbers Worksheet
A support network can help you accomplish your tasks as a caregiver by offering physical and emotional assistance. Look for support through family, friends, and the community. Use this worksheet to record these key contacts as well as those from your loved one's health care team. -
DocumentClinical Trial Worksheet
While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are drugs that may improve or stabilize symptoms. New drugs are also under development that offer hope for Alzheimer's patients, and clinical trials test whether these treatments are safe and effective. If you haven't already, you may want to consider enrolling your loved one in a clinical trial. This worksheet is a log that can help you keep track of clinical trials that you find. -
DocumentFinancial & Legal Checklist
By starting the financial and legal planning process now, you can make sure that your loved one is cared for as their disease progresses. It's important for you to start this process early, because Alzheimer's disease will gradually make it harder for your loved one to participate in planning. Use this checklist to get you started. -
DocumentHome Safety Checklist
Alzheimer's disease progresses differently in everyone, but eventually it will affect your loved one's independence. The typical home environment may become unfamiliar and dangerous, but there are steps you can take to make the home less stressful. Use this checklist to make sure that your loved one's residence is safe. -
DocumentMy Personal Schedule Worksheet
As Alzheimer's disease progresses, your loved one will need more and more care. While you may feel that you don't have time to think about yourself, it is important to remember your own health and well-being. By exercising, thinking about your health, and giving yourself time to relax, you will stay healthier and be able to spend more time with your loved one. Use this log to keep track of health care appointments, your exercise schedule, social engagements, etc. -
DocumentMedication List Worksheet
Your loved one may take many medications for Alzheimer's disease and other health conditions. Keeping track of them helps the health care team make sure the medications are working well together, and find possible drug interactions. You can use this medication list worksheet to keep all of the information about your loved one's medications in one place. -
DocumentHealth Care Appointment Worksheet
Taking your loved one to health care appointments may become difficult at times. If you prepare for appointments by writing down questions and scheduling the appointments at a good time for your loved one, you can make sure that the appointment goes as smoothly as possible. Use this worksheet to record information about the appointment so that it's all in one place. -
DocumentHealth Journal Worksheet
It's useful to keep a health journal so you can ensure that your loved one's health care team is able to provide the best care possible. By keeping track of day-to-day health information that only you may observe, you can provide valuable information to your loved one's health care team. A journal also makes it easy to record information about Alzheimer's disease and other conditions your loved one may have, so you can make the most of your time at appointments and be sure not to forget anything. -
BrochureAlzheimer's Disease: Helping Yourself Help a Loved One - Caregiver Workbook
This caregiver workbook provides the information, resources, and tools that caregivers need to develop personalized action plans and to take better care of their loved ones and themselves. The workbook includes worksheets, checklists, and other tools on important issues such as making your home safe, dealing with financial planning, and keeping a health journal. -
BrochureAlzheimer's Disease: Helping Yourself Help a Loved One - Caregiver Resources
As a family caregiver of someone with Alzheimer's, you have a lot on your plate. There's so much to learn about, so much to plan, and so much to worry about. This guide provides some of the many resources that can help you take care of your loved one, as well as yourself. -
BrochureAlzheimer's Disease: Helping Yourself Help a Loved One - Leader's Guide
This leader's guide helps facilitate a workshop to educate family caregivers on how to best care for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease while also taking care of themselves. This is an updated version of the Leader's Guide and includes the latest information on treatments and research. -
BrochureAlzheimer's Disease: Helping Yourself Help a Loved One - Workshop Kit
This kit includes all of the resources necessary to conduct a workshop for caregivers of those recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. It is an updated version of the Alliance's award-winning kit from 2006 and includes additional information on treatment and research, as well as a brand new caregiver workbook. -
Living LegendThe Prophet of Fitness: Jack LaLanne at 93
Say “Jack LaLanne” and most Americans over 30 will remember a dark-haired fellow, in a blue jumpsuit and impressively-muscled arms, on TV. He was performing leg lifts, or one-arm push-ups on his fingertips, and urging you to do the same. Broadcast from 1951 to 1985, The Jack LaLanne Show was the first exercise program on television. -
Living LegendJoe Ichiuji: Preserving the Legacy of Japanese-American Veterans
Eighty-eight year old Joe Ichiuji knows firsthand how easily freedom is lost. In 1941 shortly after Joe was drafted and had completed basic training, the U.S. government moved 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps. Even though many were American citizens, they were suspected of being disloyal. “I was told, ‘You’ve been discharged.’ Because of my Japanese ancestry they thought I was unfit for service.” -
BrochureStanding Strong:
Preventing and Treating Osteoporosis
This brochure provides information on standing strong against an osteoporosis diagnosis including:
- Knowing your risk factors,
- Staying strong through prevention,
- Taking charge through diagnosis,
- Fighting back through treatment, and
- Being your own health advocate by learning more.
-
Report2007 Task Force Report on Aging Research Funding
April 2007 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Aging Research Alzheimer's Disease Arthritis Cancer Cardiovascular Disease Caregiving Diabetes Federal Funding Geriatric Training Health Incontinence Medical Innovation Men's Health Mental Health Osteoporosis Other Diseases of Aging Parkinson's Disease Persistent Pain Prevention Stroke Vision Loss Women's HealthThe 2007 Task Force on Aging Research Funding--more than 85 non-partisan disease groups, patient advocates, and foundations--urges Congress and the President to chart a better course for medical research on behalf of America's aging population. This year's report of the Task Force calls for a 6.7% increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health in FY 2008. It also presents data on the burden of 27 diseases and conditions that predominately affect older Americans, highlights some of the exciting work the NIH is doing to decrease these burdens, and serves as a resource for policymakers working to establish the funding levels necessary to advance healthy aging. -
BrochureMalnutrition & Seniors: A Hidden Threat to Your Patients' Health
This brochure gives health care providers a tool for assessing the nutritional status of elderly patients, recommendations on developing an action plan for those patients identified as malnourished or at risk, and additional resources for patients. -
BrochureNutrition & Aging Quiz:
Discover the Secrets of Eating for Your Age
It's no surprise to hear that good nutrition makes for good health--warding off disease, giving you the energy to stay active, and keeping you mentally and physically fit. But you may not realize that as you age, your body's nutrient requirements changes. Take this quiz and learn the secrets of eating for your age and make sure you get the nutrients that can add vitality and years to your life. -
BrochureLa Enfermedad de Alzheimer: Ayudandote a Ayudar a un Ser Querido - Guia para Quienes Cuidan a Personas con la Enfermedad de Alzheimer
Como familiar y persona encargada de cuidar a alguien con la enfermedad de Alzheimer, tienes demasiadas tareas y mucho que hadar. Hay tanto por aprender, tantas cosas que planear, tantas preocupaciones. Por eso necesitas leer esta guia, no solamente por la persona a quien cuidas, si no ademas por ti mismo. You may also purchase this as part of the larger Alzheimer's Disease Workshop Kit. -
BrochureAlzheimer's Disease: Helping Yourself Help a Loved One - Leader's Guide
October 2006 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Health Women's HealthThis leader's guide helps facilitate a workshop to educe family caregivers on how to best care for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease while effectively taking care of their own needs. This guide will provide guidance to leaders (healthcare leaders, community outreach coordinators, etc.) for conducting the workshop. -
BrochureAlzheimer's Disease: Helping Yourself Help a Loved One - Resources for Caregivers
October 2006 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Health Women's HealthAs a family caregiver of someone with Alzheimer's disease, you have a lot on your plate. There's so much to learn about, so much to plan, so much to worry about. But you need to read this guide--not only for the person you're caring for, but for yourself. You may also purchase this as part of the larger Alzheimer's Disease Workshop Kit. -
BrochureWomen’s Health Quiz: Heart Disease:
About Women, About You
September 2006 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Cardiovascular Disease Health Women's HealthThis brochure quizzes women on how much they know about heart disease and provides helpful tips on talking to health care providers about this important issue. -
BrochureWomen & Heart Disease:
What They Need You to Tell Them - A Physician's Guide
September 2006 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Cardiovascular Disease Health Women's HealthThis guide helps physicians learn more about starting a heart healthy conversation with their patients and attempts to bridge the awareness gaps about women and heart disease. -
Science in the SpotlightUnderstanding the Effects of Grapefruit Juice on Medications
For more than a decade, doctors have known that some compound in grapefruit juice interacts with a small number of drugs to triple the amount of that drug absorbed into the bloodstream. -
Living LegendDr. Henry A. Essex: A Life of Service and Adventure
Veterans who meet Dr. Henry A. Essex at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Center in Providence, Rhode Island are fortunate to encounter a man who deeply understands them and their experiences. -
Feature ArticleWhat Men Don't Know About Their Health And Aging Can Hurt Them
If you are a middle-aged or older man, do you assume that a decline in energy, low libido, moodiness, and weight gain are just part of “normal aging”? -
Feature ArticleThe Power of Tea
You’ve heard the news – drinking tea is good for your health. But did you know that tea may reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases, and that it may improve the health of your bones and teeth? -
Fact SheetPatient Checklist:
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Low Testosterone
Use this checklist of questions to help start a discussion with your doctor about low testosterone. -
Living LegendBob Haldeman Believes in Wellness
At 65, Haldeman is an avid cyclist and competitor in the Senior Olympics and has been athletic and active his entire life. -
Get Mad ColumnInvesting in NIH
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) predict that in the near future, doctors will have the ability to identify life-threatening diseases years before they strike and that new treatments for cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are just years away from discovery. -
ReportThe Silver Book:
Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation
March 2006 | Alliance for Aging Research
Related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Cancer Cardiovascular Disease Diabetes Federal Funding Health Medical Innovation Parkinson's Disease Research StrokeThe Silver Book is a unique almanac of references that the Alliance has compiled to spotlight the impact of chronic disease on our aging population and health care system, and the significant impact medical breakthroughs will have on future health care use and expenditures. Much of the information on this topic is buried in dense and detailed reports and peer-reviewed papers and is spread out amongst many important publications. The Silver Book brings together statistics and data culled from over 130 of these reports and articles, from more than 85 agencies, organizations, and experts. The information is presented in an easy-to-use format that we hope brings it to the fingertips of those shaping policy.
The Silver Book is also available on-line in a searchable database that is regularly updated. Visit The Silver Book On-line to find the latest data, download presentation slides, submit data, and find-out about Silver Book events. -
Science in the SpotlightThe Eyes Have It
Stem cells could hold the key to stopping and even reversing the blinding effects of aging, according to recent research. -
Get Mad ColumnMedical Errors: How Many is Too Many?
Potentially deadly mistakes continue to plague U.S. hospitals, according to a new report. -
DocumentColon Cancer - Caring for the Aging:
Key Survey Findings
The Alliance commissioned a survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, that interviewed oncologists on the importance of caregivers for elderly colon cancer patients. 77% of physicians interviewed agreed that colon cancer patients 65 and older experience better disease outcomes when a caregiver is involved because of better communication. 81% also said that they depend on caregivers at least somewhat, and some a great deal, to act as an intermediary between them and the elderly patients. 100% fell the caregiver is part of a team involved in the patient's disease management.
The physicians felt that the primary roles of the caregivers are to provide emotional support, participate in doctor's visits and in disease management decisions, and to provide transportation to and from doctor's appointments. Unfortunately, only around three out of five colon cancer patients age 65 and older have the support of a caregiver. -
Fact SheetColon Cancer:
Tips for Patients and Caregivers
Caregivers play an important role in ensuring that colon cancer patients age 65 and older receive the best possible care. One of the many important roles that a caregiver plays in treatment is facilitating communication with doctors and making sure the right questions get asked. Both caregivers and patients should read this Tip Sheet and take a proactive role in disease management. -
Feature ArticleCaregiver Involvement Leads to Better Cancer Outcomes
Those who have been diagnosed with colon cancer will tell you that the support of friends and relatives is invaluable. -
Living LegendMyrvin H. Ellestad, M.D.: Lifelong Learner
Around the world, the name Myrvin Ellestad is synonymous with groundbreaking work in cardiology. -
Get Mad ColumnNational Institutes of Health Funding
It’s that time again, the annual struggle over funding for the National Institutes of Health. -
BrochureWhat's On Your Plate May Help Save Your Sight:
Age-related Macular Degeneration
Learn how your diet and lifestyle can help you preserve your vision and protect against eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This exciting brochure teaches you how certain foods and behaviors can provide a good defense against vision-zapping eye disorders. -
Science in the SpotlightLearning More About Breast Cancer
Gatherings of breast cancer researchers have been surprisingly upbeat events lately, as scientists are beginning to feel that maybe - just maybe - they’re making some real progress toward understanding the disease. -
Get Mad ColumnDiseases in the Shadows
Walking. Driving. Working. Most of us take these activities for granted, but millions of elderly Americans do not because they cannot fully care for themselves. -
Living LegendDon Robertson: The Voice of Happy Retirement
As the “Voice of CBS Sports” for 25 years, Don Robertson used his exceptional vocal cords to make a living. -
Alliance ViewsStem Cell Debate
President Bush will disagree, but the House of Representatives has handed him a gift for his second term: a chance to update his Administration’s stem cell policy in a way that would earn him bi-partisan praise for returning American scientists to the forefront of this fast-moving medical frontier. -
Feature ArticleThe Family Healthcare CEO
Having a healthy family is so important to women, they give their family’s health more priority than their own. -
Fact SheetTest Your Bone Knowledge
Answer true/false questions and rate your knowledge of osteoporosis. -
BrochureTaking Charge of Osteoporosis:
A Guide for Patients Understanding Osteoporosis
This helpful tool provides patients with the information they need to understand, prevent, and treat osteoporosis. It also provides helpful tips on how to talk to your patient about the disease, as well as important resources for finding more information. -
BrochureTalking With Your Patient About An Osteoporosis Diagnosis:
A Physician’s Guide
This guide presents information and suggestions on helping physicians work with their patients to develop a workable plan for facing the challenges of living with osteoporosis. The materials include tips for talking with patients about the disease, sample conversations, and helpful resources to direct patients to for additional information. -
Science in the SpotlightTiny Tales
We are on the verge of a new age of discovery that would pique the curiosity of Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. -
Alliance ViewsBarriers to Healthy Aging
Older Americans know how to maintain their health, but they see obstacles in the path to a healthy lifestyle. -
Living LegendVirgie Harris-Bovelle: A Life Full of Heart
Virgie Harris-Bovelle, 70, lives with an implanted defibrillator - a device that automatically shocks her heart out of an irregular rhythm. -
Feature ArticleWoman's Breaking Point
A new national survey reveals too many physicians misread or do not even ask about the fears of their osteoporosis patients and inferentially suggests this may be one more reason why many patients do not stick with their medications. -
Science in the SpotlightThe Secret Genes of Centenarians
If you have lived beyond the age of 100, countless people may ask you for your secret to long life. -
Living LegendBill Wellington: The Return of the Ice Age
Bill Wellington has some pretty high praise for the doctor who performed his double hip replacement surgery, Dr. Patrick Caulfield of Bethesda, Maryland. -
Get Mad ColumnChampagne Wishes and Geriatric Dreams
Those inclined to celebrate the just-passed huge and historic expansion of Medicare should pause in their champagne toasts to consider this: most doctors, nurses and other health professionals in the U.S. receive almost no formal training in geriatrics, which seriously undermines the quality of care - especially safe prescription drug therapy - for America's seniors. -
Alliance ViewsFirst, Do No Harm to Basic Research
President Bush and the Republican Congress are on the verge of wreaking havoc upon on America's preeminent medical research system, at the same depriving themselves of a glowing political legacy. -
Feature ArticleAnti-Aging: Hype v. Reality
Very real remedies that will stop or reverse the aging process may ultimately be discovered, but for now, save your money to spend on a health club membership. -
Science in the SpotlightWhat You Should Know About BPH
As they get older, many men find themselves making more nightly trips to the bathroom. They may fear that this sort of problem is an unavoidable consequence of aging, or - worse - a sign that they have prostate cancer. -
Get Mad ColumnEvery Vote Counts for Aging Issues
Americans' choice for president in 2004 will have a direct impact on the lives of seniors. -
BrochureTen Facts About Depression
This fact sheet provides important information about elderly depression. -
BrochureHow to Talk to Your Elderly Parent About Depression:
A Guide for Caregivers
Depression in older adults is often dismissed as inevitable or a "normal" part of aging, when in fact depression is a treatable medical illness. This brochure outlines the signs of depression in older adults, offers advice on how to approach an older person if you notice these signs, and provides places to get more information. -
BrochureRaising the Index of Suspicion:
Quick Questions to Ask Every Patient Over 65
The purpose of this assessment card for physicians is to help raise awareness of depression in older patients. -
DocumentDealing with a Parent's Depression
This article shares the story of an older woman and her struggle with depression. -
DocumentDealing with Depression in Later Life
This article shares the story of one women dealing with her older mother's depression. -
DocumentDiagnosis Depression
This article explains depression including symptoms, potential causes, and treatments. It also gives advice on getting help. -
Science in the SpotlightHere's to a Long, Long Life with Health, and Happiness, Too
If you could swallow a little yellow pill and live to be 120 years old, would you? -
Alliance ViewsStem Cell Update
Patient advocates for a variety of debilitating and deadly diseases are banding together to step up research into stem cell science, which may hold very real hope for treatments or cures. -
Feature ArticleAtrial Fibrillation
Most of us are happy to make adjustments in our lives now if we know they may reduce our chances of developing health problems later. -
Living LegendJohn Young: Physically Active and Young at Heart
Retiring and taking it easy isn't a part of John Young's life plan. -
Get Mad ColumnLeadership, Commitment, Hope: The 21st Century Challenge
The 20th century witnessed amazing advances in human health and longevity thanks to public health measures and medical research breakthroughs. -
BrochureDon’t Get Blind-sided by Age-related Macular Degeneration
Learn about the causes of of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and ways you can protect your eyes. -
BrochureBeyond Diagnosis:
Next Steps for People with AMD - Resource Guide for Physicians and Staff
This resource guide is designed to inform health professionals about the various services available to help patients with AMD. The resources include information on rehabilitation, financial assistance, support groups, research, and employment options. -
BrochureHow to Better Help Your Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration:
Facts for Effective and Efficient Care
This physician's guide provides helpful hints for treating patients with age-related macular degeneration. Topics include early detection, diagnosis, treatment, patient education, and more. -
Science in the SpotlightAll Roads Lead to...Sardinia!?
A drug now in clinical trials for treatment of type 2 diabetes could eventually be used to promote longevity by treating or preventing major age-related diseases. -
Get Mad ColumnDetecting Depression Before It's Too Late
Spring may be a time of renewal, but it is also the peak suicide season, when the incidence of death rises with the warmer temperatures. -
Feature ArticleDo You Know Your Life Expectancy?
For those of you familiar with the Alliance for Aging Research website, you may have already experienced our most popular interactive feature…the "Living to 100" quiz, a tool that calculates your longevity potential. -
Living LegendNorman G. Anderson: The Scientific Explorer
At an age when most people are winding down, Norman G. Anderson can't stop working. He keeps inventing things. -
Science in the SpotlightDon't Be Such a Pain!
Pain is an unpleasant subject. -
Living LegendFrank Mankiewicz: 'Revolutionary' On the Inside
If you're a lobbyist for a well-known Washington, D.C., public relations firm, it pays to know people. -
Get Mad ColumnRespect Your Elders
We see them sometimes on the evening news-stories about another scam targeting the elderly or the discovery of an employee physically abusing residents of a long-term care facility. -
Alliance ViewsThis Election's Unhealthy Debate Over Health Care
Political consultants this year advised candidates to turn the industry that researches and develops our medicines into a political punching bag. -
Feature ArticleThe Costs of Being a Woman!
It's no secret that chronic illnesses are costly to treat. -
Alliance ViewsAdvancing Quantity and Quality of Life
In the August 12th issue of the New York Times, writer Nicholas Kristof editorialized on what he sees as the ambiguous, and often rogue nature of aging research. -
Get Mad ColumnAgeism Part II: Prevention and Treatment for the Elderly
The perception of older Americans as frail, dependent, and isolated may be a self-fulfilling prophecy. -
Living LegendBob Hope: A Legend That Will Live On
Leslie Townes Hope worked as a shoe salesman, a stock boy, and even a boxer before he found his true calling. -
Science in the SpotlightIs Red Wine Flowing from the Fountain of Youth?
In the search for ways to lengthen the human lifespan and extend good health further into old age, scientists had until now found only one program that demonstrated real promise: severe calorie restriction. -
Feature ArticleLess Might Be More
If you have osteoarthritis, your least expensive option for treatment might also be the most effective. -
Science in the SpotlightAge-Related Macular Degeneration
The eyes are the first to go, the old adage says. -
Living LegendDr. Marie- Louise Johnson: The Sensitive Skin Doctor
Dr. Kenneth Johnson has considered encouraging his wife to retire and step "out of the trenches," but he has abandoned the thought. -
Alliance ViewsGuiding Principles
To ensure that its work is consistent and productive, the Alliance has established the following set of five principles, or overarching goals, that guide all Alliance policy and advocacy initiatives: -
Get Mad ColumnIt's a Matter of Ageism- Part 1
The perception of older Americans as frail, dependent, and isolated may be a self-fulfilling prophecy. -
Feature ArticleSun and Skin...An Unhealthy Partnership
After a long winter spent inside, many of us welcome the appearance of the sun and the return of warm weather. -
TestimonyAgeism in Healthcare Testimony:
Senate Special Committee on Aging
Daniel Perry, executive director of the Alliance for Aging Research, submitted testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, highlighting a report How American Health Care Fails Older Americans. -
Get Mad ColumnFrequently Asked Questions About Therapeutic Cloning
Many of you have probably heard much of the dialogue in the cloning controversy. -
Alliance ViewsOperation NIH Funding
When you have brought the enemy to its knees, you do not turn tail and give up the fight. -
Living LegendRuth Garner: The First Lady of Potsdam
Mayor Ruth Garner is rarely challenged in an election and when she is, she wins convincingly. -
Science in the SpotlightThe Long and Short of It...The Age Link to Telomeres
The tiny "caps" that keep our chromosomes from fusing together are also providing clues that could eventually lead to the achievement of one our nation's most important public health goals: extending good health well into old age. -
Feature ArticleThe Tough Decisions Behind Hormone Therapy
Women have relied on hormone therapy for decades to relieve symptoms of menopause. -
Fact SheetBackgrounder: A Cost-Effective Approach to Treating Osteoarthritis (OA)
Learn about the cost of treating osteoarthritis, as well as the guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology and the American Pain Society for cost-effective treatments. -
BrochureMaking $ense of Arthritis Treatments:
A How-to Guide for Talking to Your Doctor About Osteoarthritis
This guide provides information and questions on how to have a healthy dialogue with your doctor and receive the best and most cost-effective treatments for osteoarthritis. -
DocumentMaking Sense of Arthritis Treatments:
Osteoarthritis Pain Management Decision Tree for Doctors
This Decision Tree guides physicians on the appropriate treatment and management options when caring for older patients with osteoarthritis. -
BrochureMaking Sense of Arthritis Treatments:
Talking With Your Patients about Osteoarthritis
This guide provides advice to physicians on how to explain osteoarthritis, first-line treatments, and pharmacological therapies with their patients. -
Alliance ViewsA Look Back to the Future
When the Alliance For Aging Research was formed fifteen years ago, the country was not focused on the impact of the aging and how the health of the Baby Boomers will affect our economy and our overall society. -
Science in the SpotlightAdvances for the New Millennium
There is a fine line in medical research between hope and realism. -
Living LegendDr. Ray Crist: Probing Nature's Secrets
Dr. Ray Crist's life has come full circle. His boyhood fascination with nature on a Pennsylvania farm eventually led to his pivotal role in the birth of the atomic age. -
Feature ArticleSeniors and Supplements- Risks vs. Rewards
Echinacea, St. John's wort, valerian-these exotic dietary supplements are becoming household names in a society eager to maintain its youthful vigor. -
Feature ArticleA New Class of Medical Tests
Cholesterol checks, mammograms, prostate exams-all these screenings have become routine as science discovers ways to detect disease at its earliest and most treatable stages. -
Get Mad ColumnGet Mad...And Vote!
Campaign commercials, local politician appearances, and issue rallies can only mean one thing…The election season is quickly approaching! -
Living LegendJane Scott: Rock of Ages
Years past the age many would consider time to retire from any job, especially a job that is traditionally filled by the young and hip, Jane Scott was grooving with audience members young enough to be her grandkids as rock critic for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. -
Science in the SpotlightRestricting your Diet, Testing your Willpower
Want to live longer? Just eat less -- a lot less. Some say that cutting calories may well be the key to longer life that researchers have been seeking for generations. -
Alliance ViewsScience Got Us Into This Mess...And Science Will Get Us Out!
One hundred years ago, when life expectancy for a newborn in the United States was less than 50 years, there wasn't a lot of worry over how to care for massive numbers of older Americans. -
Get Mad ColumnMedicare Gaps- What's Not Covered
Medicare, simply stated, is the government's contract that it will provide healthcare insurance coverage for older Americans. -
Science in the SpotlightMental Illness: Closer to Home Than You Think
A Beautiful Mind," last year's Academy Award winner for Best Picture, took us on an extraordinary journey into the mind of a brilliant man suffering from mental illness. -
Alliance ViewsRoad Rage Lookout...Here Comes Diet Rage!
In May of this year, the Alliance For Aging Research conducted our annual survey on Baby Boomers. -
Feature ArticleAdding Luster to Your Golden Years
Exercise may well hold the key to the fountain of youth. -
Living LegendDr. Philip Abelson: A Legend's Scientific Journey
Nearly 80 years ago, a grade school teacher told her class: "Each of you has special potential and talents. -
Get Mad ColumnDemand Better Training for Your Healthcare Provider!
Americans over the age of 65 represent over one-half of physician visits annually, yet only a small percent of healthcare professionals actually have specific training to appropriately care for this population. -
Science in the SpotlightNew Frontiers in Battle Against Alzheimer's
New Alzheimer's research is making dramatic strides in treating one of the most common - and feared - forms of dementia. -
Feature ArticleCentenarians- the Ultimate Survivors!
Living to 100 may well represent the ultimate game of "Survivor." -
Living LegendFlorence Mahoney: A Noble Conspirator Indeed!
Florence Stephenson Mahoney has spent most of her adult years as an advocate for good health for all. -
Alliance ViewsA 15-year Retrospective and Look Forward
Fifteen years ago, the study of human aging was largely an academic backwater: the field lacked sufficient funding, public support, and scientific prestige. -
Science in the SpotlightBody, Heal Thyself: Science Fiction or Reality?
We don't think it's miraculous when a cut finger heals on its own, or a sprained ankle becomes good as new over a matter of weeks. -
Get Mad ColumnDon't Let Medicare Squelch the Promise of New Medical Technology
When throat cancer forced a Pennsylvania physics professor to have his larynx removed, he thought his lecturing days were over. -
Living LegendThe Legendary Lifetime of Senator Alan MacGregor Cranston
Any facet of the late Alan Cranston's life would be enough to fill a profile. -
Science in the SpotlightAlzheimer's Disease: The Cruelest Thief
Alzheimer's is the cruelest of the diseases that strike the elderly. -
Alliance ViewsCellular Therapies Hold Great Promise Despite Controversy
You have all followed the news and debate about stem cells. -
Feature ArticleExercise and Strength Training: It's Never Too Late to Start
The best medicine to combat the vagaries of old age is exercise. -
Living LegendHelen Thomas: Washington Press Doyenne
Presidents may come and go, but Helen Thomas is still at her post, after all these years. -
Get Mad ColumnMedicare Non-Coverage of New Oral Cancer Treatments: A Hard Pill To Swallow
Promising new drugs are revolutionizing the treatment of cancer. -
TestimonyStatement by Alliance for Aging Research Senior Director Debbie Zeldow before the Food and Drug Administration Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committe Meeting, concerning Eli Lilly and Company's bone formation drug, Forteo
My name is Deborah Zeldow, and I am the Senior Director of the Alliance for Aging Research. Thank you for the opportunity to come before this committee today to address the promising findings of Forteo™ (teriparatide, Lilly), Eli Lilly and Company's bone formation drug. -
Feature ArticleSpecial Report! Results from the web version of our Attitudes on Aging Research Survey!
A national opinion survey (you can read the results online) of 1,000 adults conducted on behalf of the Alliance for Aging Research in April provided a snapshot of attitudes toward aging and aging research in America. -
Alliance ViewsBoosting the NIH Budget Will Better Our Lives
It doesn't happen often, but when it comes to boosting funding for medical research, Republicans and Democrats have found a subject on which they all can agree. -
Living LegendDr. Robert Butler: Leading the Longevity Revolution
At 74, Dr. Robert Butler doesn't think about retiring. -
Get Mad ColumnEmbryonic Stem Cell Research To Save The Lives of Millions
In biological terms, embryonic stem cells have a virtually unlimited future. -
Science in the SpotlightHow We Age: Is It in Our Genes? An interview with Caleb Finch, PhD
The role of genetics in determining the quality and length of human life is a million-dollar question right now. -
Feature Article, NewslettersThe 15-Year Forecast for Aging!
We introduced ten impressive thought leaders who gave us their hopes for the next 15 years of aging research in the Winter issue of LLLI! -
Feature ArticlePutting People First: It's Time to Own Your Health Destiny--No one Else Will
Dr. S. Robert Levine is a crusader. He likes to say, "Just as 'all politics is local,' all healthcare is personal. -
Alliance ViewsChampioning Human Genome Research: We need to keep urging for increased public support for research
With all the publicity surrounding the recent mapping of the human genome, it's hard to believe the project was ever less than wildly popular. -
Science in the SpotlightDecoding the Human Genome: Mapping the future of health and aging
Picture your annual medical check-up, sometime in the future. -
Living LegendDr. Jack McConnell: Transforming Health Care, His Community, and Himself
When he retired to the beach after an illustrious biomedical research career, Jack McConnell, M.D. — integral to such advances as the tuberculosis test, Tylenol, and magnetic resonance imaging — tried to be "what they call a typical retiree: play golf, eat at restaurants and travel." -
Get Mad ColumnLost Opportunities on the Campaign Trail: Candidates ignore impending senior boom and its dramatic impact on society
Something momentous is about to happen in this country. -
Living LegendRay Doty: Cartooning into a New Century
One hundred and seventy-six books bear his name, as illustrator, writer, or both. -
Science in the SpotlightRegenerative Medicine: Paving the Way for a Healthier Old Age
Over the next few decades, the new field of "regenerative medicine" promises to fundamentally alter the way diseases, especially those affected by the aging process, are approached and treated. -
Get Mad ColumnTaking Sides in the Great Longevity Debate
Critics of aging research are missing the point.
Here is a sampling of what they are saying: -
Feature ArticleThink Young! Get Creative! Ten Ways to Keep Your Brain Young
Landmark results from neuroscience research are debunking yet another myth about aging - that the brain continually loses cells and naturally dims with age. -
Alliance ViewsWill a Medicare Drug Benefit Help or Hurt?
Congress is trying to repair a 35-year-old shortcoming in the nation's most important health care program for seniors. -
Living LegendNatalie Davis Springharn: Of Grace & Grit
The amazing thing about me is that I'm alive!" Natalie Davis Spingarn comments wryly. -
Science in the SpotlightPeople Who Need People: Clinical Trials
Choosing to participate in a medical research study is an important and very personal decision. -
Get Mad ColumnPrescription for Disaster
Recently, I overheard a desperate young mother beg her pharmacist to call her doctor for a prescription for Diflucan for her ill daughter. -
Alliance ViewsRewinding The Aging Clock At Last: Here Come The Gero-techs!
It may be humankind's oldest dream - somehow to cheat the processes of aging and death. -
Feature ArticleWhat To Take For Hype: The Truth About The Anti-Aging Benefits of Vitamins and Minerals
When it comes to taking care of our aging bodies, some things are obvious: exercise regularly, reduce fat intake, watch your cholesterol, get plenty of rest, and eat a well-balanced diet. -
Alliance ViewsFrom 'Come On, Baby, Light My Fire,' To 'Come On, Baby, Go To Sleep'
It doesn't seem possible that a guy who knows most of the lyrics of Jim Morrison and The Doors can wake up one day to find he is someone's grandfather. -
Get Mad ColumnTalking Aging (Or Not) On the Campaign Trail
The positions of Presidential candidates on improving health care runs from the disappointing to the downright scary. -
Feature ArticleOne Serving of Youth, Please! Or, How to Eat Your Way to Healthy Aging
Did you know you can eat your way to healthy aging? -
Living LegendRuth Ittner: Blazing Trials for 80 Years
Ruth Ittner was six weeks old when she went on her first hike. -
Science in the SpotlightTake a Gene Tweak And Call Me In The Morning
You want cutting edge? Try this: in the health care world of tomorrow, simple blood tests accurately forecast a person's life long predisposition to disease. -
Feature ArticleA Healthy Way to Sweat Aging
If you think your softening body is an irreversible by product of aging, think again. -
Science in the SpotlightA Shot of Hope on the Alzheimer's Front
This is not the case of the mouse that roared, but instead the one where the mouse stayed plaque-free. -
Alliance ViewsFight For Your Independence
Personal independence, the capacity to live where you wish, to do the things you want, with the people you want to be with; this is the essence of freedom that we all cherish. -
Living LegendIke Hager: Teenager at Heart
Someone forgot to tell Ike Hager that adolescence ends at age 20. -
Get Mad ColumnLost Independence: A Costly Problem You Can Avoid
Imagine what it must be like to move to a nursing home. -
BrochureTest Your EyeQ
This health quiz scores your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by questioning your knowledge of prevention and causes and providing information on the correct answers. -
Science in the SpotlightCan We Live Longer by Eating Fewer Calories?
The jury is still out on whether caloric restriction can prolong human life or prevent age-related diseases, but the results of recent studies with rodents and rhesus monkeys are moving us closer to a verdict. Richard Weindruch, Ph.D., professor of medicine at University of Wisconsin-Madison and one of the nation's top caloric restriction researchers, shares some thoughts about this promising area of research. -
Alliance ViewsShortage of Geriatricians: A Quiet But Critical Health Care Crisis
Ever wonder whether the doctor treating your parent, older relative or friend, or you, if you happen to be over 65, has any special training in treating older people? -
Get Mad ColumnWhere Are All the Geriatricians? We Need Them, Now!
Despite more than 20 years of clear warnings from some of the most prestigious health policy and medical groups in the country, America is facing a severe shortage of health care professionals trained to manage the special health care needs of older people. -
Feature ArticleShattering the Myths of Old Age
What is more important in determining how well we age -- genetics or lifestyle choices? -
Living LegendThomas L. "Lou" Letizia: The Rookie
Thomas L. "Lou" Letizia is 70 years old and a police officer in Palm Beach County, Florida -
Alliance ViewsBe Part of a New Force for Healthy Aging
Find out your chances of living to 100 on the latest addition to the Alliance home page, The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator© . -
Living LegendEvelyn Nef: This Traveler Knows No Bounds
Evelyn Nef decided to give herself a flat stomach for her 80th birthday. -
Feature ArticleSeven 'Secrets' to Healthy Aging
A social portolio is like a financial portfolio. -
Science in the SpotlightStem Cells: Small in Size, Big in Hope
Imagine a world without debilitating costly diseases such as Parkinson's, heart disease and diabetes. -
Get Mad ColumnUnderfunding of Medical Research Threatens Your Future Health
Although medical research is a major avenue to healthy aging, it is seriously under-funded. -
BrochureTaking a Closer Look at Age-Related Macular Degeneration
This popular brochure takes a "closer look" at age-related macular degeneration--outlining symptoms and risk factors and offering ways to help reduce your risk. -
ReportSeven Deadly Myths:
Uncovering the Facts About the High Cost of the Last Year of Life
This report tests some of the most common myths surrounding the financial and medical impact of end-of-life care, separating fact from fiction to show what really happens for most people during their last years of life.