New research using reconstructed exposure histories suggested a clear association between heavy metal exposure, including lead, and Parkinson's disease. For a period of time, lead was a common ingredient in paints and other building materials. Studies also suggest that it does not take a great deal of toxic metal to store in the bone and cause health issues later in life.
Yach, D., et.al. (2006). "Epidemiologic and Economic consequences of the Global
Epidemics Of Obesity and Diabetes." Nature. 12 (1): 62-66.
One of the most visible issues facing older adults is obesity. Medical doctors, scholars, researchers are all in agreement that there is a complete link between what we eat and drink, and the consequences to our overall health. One need only look in the newspaper, magazines, grocery store aisles, or pop-up ads to see thousands of ads for diet pills, diet aids, etc. -- one need only look at the increasing demographic of vitamin and supplement stores and offerings to see that American's are rabid for something to bring quick results and better health (Fumento). Are there negatives to healthful eating? Older adults are particularly vulnerable since they tend to exercise less and are typically on a fixed budget.
Zalaquett, C.P. And A. Stens. (2006). "Psychosocial Treatments for Major Depression
in Older Adults." Journal of Counseling and Development....
However, the side effects of drugs, especially in older adults, and the less-than-universal effectiveness of current therapies prompt the continued search for alternate safe treatment interventions. Numerous research studies report the use of psychotherapeutic approaches and compare them to medical therapies. (Mcfarland, 2005) Medical treatments have been assessed through various studies. Mcfarland, reports on studies on cognitive behavioral therapy. Research was conducted in hopes that there would be a significant
Changes in the brain such as decreased adaptive capacity, neurotransmitter and receptor changes, cognitive impairment, and dementia increase the risk of depression, as more factors enter the equation and the patient becomes more depressed, the likelihood of a suicide attempts increases (McFarland, 2005).As previously mentioned, diagnosing depression in the elderly can be a challenging task due to all of the factors involved. When considering if an individual is depressed,
Depression in the Elderly Although many of the elderly citizens in the United States in the future will enjoy better health than in years past, many will still suffer from various age-related healthcare and mental health problems as they grow older that may contribute to the development of depressive disorders. In fact, older people in particular have a number of factors working against them that appear to contribute to the incidence
Discussion Depression can have profound and devastating effects on individuals, including the elderly. Since the elderly population is continually aging, it is important that factors involved in treatment interventions for depression among the elderly be investigated to its fullest extent. The purpose of this study is to illuminate the effectiveness of different treatment modalities among the elderly and the influence that personality traits have on outcomes. This proposal aimed to ask
The authors of this research studied 690 individuals between the ages 65 and 89 over a five-year period. They called the survey the "Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly" study (ACTIVE) -- and the results indicate that "cognitive reserve reflects the persistence of earlier differences in cognitive functioning" as opposed to the differential rates of "age-associated cognitive declines" (Tucker-Drob, p. 431). Moreover, the authors offer a pair of
Elderly and their Risk of Depression Until just recently geriatric depression was not regarded as a medical diagnosis, however, with the elderly suicide rate being the highest in the country it has now come to the forefront of medical research. There are numerous reasons for depression in anyone, at any age, but it seems to plague the elderly at a much higher rate. This is due to a variety of
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