Follow-up Important to Senior Surgery Patients, Study Reveals

A study revealed that patients aged 80 and above are significantly less likely to be carefully examined or aggressively treated after surgery than their younger counterparts, according to national audit of hospital deaths in Australia, published in the online journal BMJ Open.

This is despite the fact that the oldest seniors have higher rates of trauma and multiple underlying conditions on admission, say the Australian researchers.

Care for the oldest of seniors may be less aggressive, or scaled down because the outcome is expected to be poor or treatment considered futile, they say. Perceived future quality of life issues may also be a factor.

The researchers assessed data from a national audit of deaths after surgical procedures in every specialty carried out between 2009 and 2012 in 111 public and 61 private hospitals across Australia. This included one in five private hospitals and virtually all public teaching hospitals (99%).

To learn more about the research, visit http://blogs.bmj.com/bmjopen/2015/05/25/oldest-old-less-likely-to-be-investigated-or-aggressively-treated-after-surgery/. 

Each Home Instead Senior Care^® franchise office is independently owned and operated.

Vegan Diet Could Help Reduce Risk of Colon Cancer

Do you like fruits and vegetables? A good way for seniors to avoid colorectal cancer – the number two cancer killer in the U.S. among cancers – is to eat a vegetarian diet, says a study of Seventh-day Adventist published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Colon cancer incidence rates have dropped 30 percent in the U.S. in the last 10 years among adults 50 and older due to the widespread increase of colonoscopy, with the largest decrease being in senior citizens over age 65.

Although great attention has been paid to screening, primary prevention through lowering risk factors is also an important objective.

Dietary factors have previously been identified as a way to lower the risk factor for colorectal cancer. Eating red meat, for example, is linked to increased risk. On the other hand, food rich in dietary fiber is linked to reduced risk, according to the study’s background information.

The researchers measured the incidence of colorectal cancer among those who eat some form of vegetarian diet and or vegan diet and those that were nonvegetarians or nonvegans.

The risk for colorectal cancer for vegans compared with nonvegetarians was 16 percent lower.

Vegetarians compared with nonvegetarians had a:

·         22 percent lower risk for all colorectal cancers,

·         19 percent lower risk for colon cancer and

·         29 percent lower risk for rectal cancer.

To learn more about this study, visit http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2174939&resultClick=3. 

Each Home Instead Senior Care^® franchise office is independently owned and operated.

Decreased Smoking Likely Driving Down Lung Cancer Deaths

The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer showed death rates for lung cancer, which accounts for more than one in four cancer deaths, dropping at a faster pace than in previous years.

The recent larger drop in lung cancer deaths is likely the result of decreased cigarette smoking prevalence over many years, and is now being reflected in mortality trends. The lung cancer death rate decline, as well as declines in colorectal, breast and prostate cancer death rates, has also helped drive decreases in death rates for all cancers types combined, a trend that began about 20 years ago.

The decreased death rates for these four cancers accounted for more than two-thirds of the overall reduction in cancer death rates in the period 2001-2010.

“Similar to death rates, the overall decrease in cancer incidence rates among men was driven in part by declines in lung cancer, mainly reflecting the success of tobacco control interventions,” said John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society.

“Cancer patients with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, have special challenges,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D. “It’s critical for health care providers to have the full picture of their patients’ health so they can provide the best treatment possible for the patient overall, and for their cancer.”

 

To learn more about this report, visit http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2013/ReportNationDec2013Release.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heart Disease, Stroke Death Rates Drop for Many Seniors With Diabetes

Death rates for people with diabetes dropped substantially from 1997 to 2006, especially deaths related to heart disease and stroke. That information comes from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, and it is encouraging news for seniors, the most common victims of type 2 diabetes.

Deaths from all causes declined by 23 percent, and deaths related to heart disease and stroke dropped by 40 percent, according to a recent study published in the journal Diabetes Care. CDC estimates that 25.8 million Americans have diabetes, and 7 million of them do not know they have the disease.

Although adults with diabetes still are more likely to die younger than those who do not have the disease, the gap is narrowing. Improved treatment for cardiovascular disease, better management of diabetes and some healthy lifestyle changes contributed to the decline. People with diabetes were less likely to smoke and more likely to be physically active than in the past. Better control of high blood pressure and high cholesterol also may have contributed to improved health.

For more about the research, go to http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/6/1252.full.

Combating the Rise of ‘Polypharmacy’ – Tips for Seniors on the Risk of Many Medications

In the past 10 years, research has shown that the percentage of people over 60 who take five or more medications has jumped from 22 percent to 37 percent. More than 30 million Americans take five or more prescribed drugs regularly, often called “polypharmacy.”

Each year, about one-third of seniors experience serious adverse effects as a result of drug interactions, so it’s necessary to be cognizant of the risks and dangers, according to a CVS pharmacy spokesperson. There are a number of measures a senior can take to avoid the health risks associated with polypharmacy. Papatya Tankut, vice president, professional pharmacy services, CVS/Pharmacy, notes:

·         Developing a relationship with a pharmacist can help better manage medications and prevent potential and harmful drug interactions. A patient’s relationship is more effective if all medications are at one “pharmacy home.”

·         Medication adherence is a growing concern as more Americans neglect to fill prescriptions and take medications as directed. These mistakes will decrease the effectiveness of the medication and may lead to the persistence of problems.

·         Pharmacists can offer advice on supplements as well as tips for maintaining overall health and well-being. Be sure to consult a pharmacist before adding any vitamins or supplements to avoid interactions.

·         If a senior is unsure about a medication or is experiencing a side effect, tell the pharmacist or a trained health expert. The fix may be as simple as shifting the dosage or even taking the medication with food instead of on an empty stomach.

For more about specific medications and supplements, including interactions with other drugs, check out http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/drug.html.