Health stories in the news

Staying sharp as you age

Benedict Carey writes in the New York Times about the work of researchers who are trying to figure out why some people are able to stay mentally sharp well into their 90s.

Carey writes:

“The evidence suggests that people who spend long stretches of their days, three hours and more, engrossed in some mental activities like cards may be at reduced risk of developing dementia. Researchers are trying to tease apart cause from effect: Are they active because they are sharp, or sharp because they are active?”

To learn more:

• Read Carey’s article: At the Bridge Table, Clues to a Lucid Old Age (includes video on the New York Times Web site).

Opinion: Swine flu outbreak a “wake-up call”, say Seattle experts

The H1N1 “swine” flu outbreak has been grabbing the headlines lately, but the seasonal flu, which strikes every year, killed 13,000 Americans between January and late April, three Seattle-based infectious disease experts point out  in an op-ed piece in the Seattle Times.

Yet, despite the threat posed by this yearly visitor, many of us at high risk of complications from the flu fail to get vaccinated, write Dr. David Fleming, director of Public Health – Seattle & King County, Kathleen Neuzil, director of the Influenza Vaccine Project at PATH, and Dr. Ann Marie Kimball, professor of epidemiology and health services at the University of Washington.

Among those who are at high risk for serious flu complications are infants, pregnant women and the elderly, yet only 30% of infants, 15% of pregnant women and two-thirds of the elderly get their annual flu shot. 

The authors write:

“As we race to find solutions to defeat this new flu, we are at risk of tripping over an old problem — failure to effectively vaccinate ourselves against seasonal influenza.”

To learn more:

• Read the Seattle Times op-ed piece: Use swine-flu to fight a hidden threat: seasonal flu.

How to get the most out of your company’s “wellness” program

More and more businesses are adopting “wellness” programs that seek to reduce healthcare costs by helping their employees stay fit.

Some employees find these programs “meddlesome,” writes Kesley Alderman in the New York Times:

“But whether you love them or hate them, wellness programs are probably here to stay. Here’s how you can make them work for you.”

Understand the tools, Alderman writes, make the program work for you, and make suggestions to options that you want.

To learn more:

• Read Alderman’s tips in the article:  Getting Healthy, With a Little Help From the Boss.

Tags: Aging, Dementia, Fitness, Flu, Prevention, Vaccination, Wellness Programs

Category: Fitness & Exercise, Influenza, Nutrition, Occupational Health, Prevention, Public Health, University of Washington