Did You Know?
Yet Another Reason to Be Socially Active
A recent New York Times article, “Socializing Appears to Delay Memory Problems”, sheds light on yet another motivating factor for being active and engaged throughout life. The article reports on a study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), which showed that people with strong community ties who spend a lot of time interacting with others experienced the slowest memory decline. Significantly, according to HSPH researchers, no evidence of “reverse causation” was found—that is, poor memory was not found to cause social withdrawal in the study subjects.
After ER Visit, Patients in a Fog
University of Michigan Health System researchers report that more than three-quarters of emergency room patients leave with an inaccurate idea of their condition and recommended treatment. The study includes recommendations for ER personnel, and also for consumers. Among the suggestions: ask the physician more questions, and repeat back to health care personnel what you think is going on.
Sleep Needs Decline with Age
A new study from the division of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston suggests that what some older adults interpret as insomnia may in reality just represent a lessening need for sleep as we grow older. According to the U.S. Healthfinder website, it may be that the traditional suggestion to get eight hours of sleep each night doesn’t apply to those over 60. But the report cautions that real sleep orders should be reported, and are often treatable.
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DID YOU KNOW?
