SIGNS: Aging Check-Up

How to check for signs of aging?

By Staff Reporters

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Standing on one leg

Dr. Claudio Gil Araujo’s 12-year study in Brazil of 1,702 people enlisted participants to try the above exercise (it was then repeated on the other leg.) One hundred and twenty-three people died in the 10 years that followed – equivalent to an 84 per cent heightened risk of death, when adjustments for underlying conditions, age and sex were made. 

Causation has yet to be established. However: “this rapid and objective feedback… adds useful information regarding mortality risk in middle-aged and older men and women,” the paper reports.

And, the findings of the study has led to Araujo pushing for balance tests to be part of health screenings for the elderly due to correlation between poor balance and various medical conditions – from hearing loss to severe diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Even if you are considered to be a healthy adult, the inability to balance on one leg for over 20 seconds could be linked to an increased risk of small blood vessel damage in the brain, reduced cognitive function and strokes.

EDUCATION: Books

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BRAIN HEALTH: Bilingualism

Bilinguals show evidence of brain maintenance in Alzheimer’s disease

By Staff Reporters

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A new analysis of neuro-imaging data has found that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease who speak only one language (monolinguals) have reduced hippocampal volume in the brain. This reduction was not observed in individuals who speak at least two languages (bilinguals).

The research was published in Bilingualism: Language and Cognition.

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NOVEMBER: National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd

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The number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease is growing. The ripple effect is straining families, communities, and the healthcare system, yet talking about the disease on a personal level can be difficult.

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month because it can happen in any family, and because it’s worth talking about the challenges of living with or caring for someone with this disease.

You may notice splashes of teal and purple sprouting up this November, as both colors are associated with Alzheimer’s awareness. Teal is the color of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, chosen for its calming effect. Purple is the signature color of the Alzheimer’s Foundation, which stands for strength in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

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