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Tomorrow, on Tuesday, November 15, communities across the country are offering free, confidential memory screenings at more than 2,500 sites in the U.S. If you know someone who is concerned about memory loss and wants to get the benefits of early detection and intervention, encourage them to participate...

A researcher in New York is trying to unlock the “key to aging” by studying the city’s oldest New Yorkers. For the past 10 years, geneticist Nir Barzilai has studied a group of 500 people who are living physically and cognitively healthy lives and are well past the 100-year-old mark...

We know that community mobility is an important part of well-being (that’s why we have an entire week devoted to older driver safety ), and when an individual cannot access the community it can lead to depression, isolation, decreased participation in meaningful activities, diminished wellness...

Thought bullying only happened on the playground? Think again. Older adults report instances of social bullying in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and senior centers. In this week’s Productive Aging 1-Minute Update , we’re discussing bullying and older adults. ...

Did you know that an estimated 50 million Americans have some form of arthritis? Arthritis is joint inflammation that affects one or more joints in the body and causes symptoms such as joint and muscle pain, morning stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. If you or someone you knows...

Nursing homes can sometimes get a pretty bad rap, but they provide a very necessary service for older adults who need full time assistance and care. Some facilities are trying to give the nursing home a much better reputation with innovation and new ideas. Like this one—that was featured in...

Are you an occupational therapy practitioner working with clients who have had a stroke? Then you won’t want to miss AOTA’s Specialty Conference—Adults with Stroke on November 30 and December 1 in Baltimore, MD. Registration for the specialty conference...

As you are probably aware, your AOTA President Florence Clark is quite the busy OT. (Check out her blog post about her activities in the last couple of months - whew!). As a researcher, Clark recently published her Well Elderly II study , which found that small, healthy lifestyle changes—coupled...

If you find yourself saying that falls are inevitable, we hope that you will change your mind and recognize that falls are preventable. Falls are a prevalent problem for older adults (1 in 3 over the age of 65 will fall each year), but it is not a natural part of the aging process. ...

You probably know this, but AOTA is in Indianapolis right now ensuring that the 92nd Annual Conference & Expo goes smoothly for the 4,500+ occupational therapy attendees! Conference attendees get a special treat this afternoon when the director of MIT’s AgeLab , Joseph...

Should insurance companies reimburse for exercise programs? Over on the Wall Street Journal ’s Health Blog , readers are chatting about whether structured exercise programs, particularly for high-risk patients, should be reimbursed by health insurance plans. Research on exercise programs shows...

Falling in the home happens to one in every three adults over the age of 65 but half of those who fall never tell a health professional about it. Falling is a prevalent issue that can send people to the emergency room with serious injuries, but falls are preventable. If you (or...

Here at AOTA Headquarters, the weather has been splendid lately—temps in the mid-70s and beautiful blue skies. Warm weather for many means the return of flip flops. If you just dug out your pair from the back of your closet, you may want to be careful before slipping them back on your feet. The...

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and that number is expected to triple by 2050. The U.S. has recognized the importance of planning for this growth by creating a national plan to combat Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is a loss of brain function due to damage to the brain...

If you're an OT practitioner or student you probably know about occupational therapy's role with aging in place and home modifications. Want to share it with others? Show them this video from HGTV Pro about how an OT can assist builders and remodelers. Learn more about Aging in Place here...

News broke this week that legendary women’s college basketball coach, Pat Summitt, has early onset Alzheimer’s disease . The 59 year old University of Tennessee coach said she will continue to work this season with the help of her coaching staff. The story prompted many news outlets to take...

We’re talking about celebrities today and I promise it’s not about the Royal Wedding. Discussing Alzheimer’s With Celebrities: Tune in! With 5.4 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s, it’s no wonder that the disease affects celebrities as well. This weekend,...

When an individual has a critical medical condition like a heart attack or a spinal cord injury they are taken to acute care. The primary goal of acute care is to stabilize the individual’s situation and address threats to life or loss of function. One of the best ways for...

A relatively new law in New York State provides guidelines for how health care practitioners offer information and counseling for end of life care options. Many physicians oppose the law, saying that it interferes with how they choose to deal with their patients and does not take into account the doctor...

An occupational therapy student in Pittsburgh recently developed a program that provides uninsured Spanish-speaking and English-speaking clients who have diabetes the education and services they need to help manage their disease. Read more about her program here . Diabetes affects...

For older adults who are receiving occupational therapy services in their home, a main goal is to keep that person out of the hospital. Home health agencies want to reduce rehospitalization rates and they use occupational therapy practitioners to achieve this. Keeping people...

Prescription drugs are ubiquitous—nearly two-thirds of Americans purchased one or more prescription drugs in 2006 ( source ). And we are often popping more than just one pill a day (more than half of adults older than 65 take at least three to four pills a day). Remembering...