Old age

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Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle. Euphemisms and terms for old people include seniors (American usage), Senior Citizens (British and American usage), or the elderly. As occurs with almost any definable group of humanity, some people will hold a prejudice against others — in this case, against old people. This is one form of ageism.

Old people have limited regenerative abilities and are more prone to disease, syndromes, and sickness than other adults. For the biology of ageing, see senescence. The medical study of the aging process is gerontology, and the study of diseases that afflict the elderly is geriatrics.

For more information about Old age, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with older adults

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Pollution linked to hospitalizations for pneumonia in older adults

Medicine & Health / Health

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Older adults with long-term exposure to higher levels of pollution are at higher risk for hospitalization for pneumonia, according to researchers in Canada.


Link Between Poor Sleep and Poor Learning in Older Adults Investigated

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are trying to decode why aging prevents sleep from enhancing memory. Rebecca Spencer, assistant professor of psychology, says she is trying to isolate ...


Older adults may have a higher risk of complications and death after abdominal surgery

Medicine & Health / Other

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

The risk of complications and early death after commonly performed abdominal surgical procedures appears to be higher among older adults, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Surgery.


New study explores role of sexual, social behaviors in seniors' well-being

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Dec 18, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Researchers and the general public have a new resource for information on the health and intimate relationships of older people, thanks to a new supplemental issue of The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological an ...


Defects in T cells make West Nile virus more deadly in older adults

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 04, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- West Nile virus is more deadly in older adults due to defects in T cells, according to a study conducted by researchers from the UA College of Medicine.


Chronic pain found to increase risk of falls in older adults

Medicine & Health / Health

created Nov 24, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Chronic pain is experienced by as many as two out of three older adults. Now, a new study finds that pain may be more hazardous than previously thought, contributing to an increased risk of falls in adults over age 70. The ...


Reduced muscle strength associated with risk for Alzheimer's

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Nov 09, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Individuals with weaker muscles appear to have a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease and declines in cognitive function over time, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Neurology.


Changing behavior helps patients take medication as prescribed

Changing behavior helps patients take medication as prescribed

Medicine & Health / Health

created Oct 26, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Taking medication as the doctor prescribes is crucial to improving health. However, 26 to 59 percent of older adults do not adhere to instructions, according to a 2003 study published in Drugs and Aging. In ...


Aerobic exercise no big stretch for older adults but helps elasticity of arteries

Medicine & Health / Health

created Oct 25, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Just three months of physical activity reaps heart health benefits for older adults with type 2 diabetes by improving the elasticity in their arteries - reducing risk of heart disease and stroke, Dr. Kenneth Madden told the ...


No elder left behind: Researchers say designers can help close tech gap

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Oct 22, 2009 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

While more older adults than ever are using cell phones and computers, a technology gap still exists that threatens to turn senior citizens into second-class citizens, according to Florida State University researchers.


First-time Internet users find boost in brain function after just 1 week

First-time Internet users find boost in brain function after just one week

Medicine & Health / Neuroscience

created Oct 19, 2009 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (4) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- You can teach an old dog new tricks, say UCLA scientists who found that middle-aged and older adults with little Internet experience were able to trigger key centers in the brain that control ...


Is my robot happy to see me?

Is my robot happy to see me?

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Oct 19, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- People are social creatures. Robots... not so much. When we think of robots, we think of cold, metallic computers without emotion. If science fiction has taught us anything, though, it's that ...


Older adults want robots that do more than vacuum, human factors/ergonomics researchers find

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

created Oct 14, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Researchers at Georgia Tech have discovered that, contrary to previous assumptions, older adults are more amenable than younger ones to having a robot "perform critical monitoring tasks that would require little interaction ...


Simple tool can boost motivation, improve health in older adults

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created Oct 08, 2009 | popularity 2.8 / 5 (4) | comments 4

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified a tool, the "Getting-Out-of-Bed (GoB) measure" to assess motivation and life outlook in older adults. The study, which appears ...


A pet in your life keeps the doctor away

Medicine & Health / Health

created Sep 28, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Lowers blood pressure, encourages exercise, improves psychological health— these may sound like the effects of a miracle drug, but they are actually among the benefits of owning a four-legged, furry pet. This fall, the University ...