Aging BiologyClinical Research Cognitive Health

Individuals who have one or more heart attacks in their lifetime may experience faster long-term cognitive decline, according to an NIA-funded study. Heart attacks were not associated with cognitive decline immediately following the event. The findings, published in JAMA Neurology, suggest that heart attacks are an important risk factor for cognitive decline, even after someone has recovered from the heart attack itself.

Participants who had a heart attack generally did not have any change in cognitive function at the time of the event. However, in the years that followed, they had faster rates of cognitive decline than those who had never had a heart attack.

These results add to a growing amount of evidence pointing toward a link between heart and brain health.

This research was supported in part by NIA grants R01AG051827 and K01AG050699

What are your best coverage options?

Did you know you have choices in your Medicare prescription drug and health coverage? Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) is your chance to think about what matters most to you. Plans can change from year to year, and your health needs may change, too. So it’s important to know your options.

Preview Coverage Options

You have 2 main ways to get your Medicare coverage — Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage (Medicare-approved plans from private companies). It’s important to understand the differences between the 2 options.

Start at Medicare.gov, your official source to find the type of coverage that fits you best. If you need more help comparing options:

Call us at 1-800-MEDICARE during Open Enrollment.

Contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiphelp.org to get the phone number for your state.

Sincerely,

The Medicare Team

NOTE: If you make less than $22,000 a year ($30,000 for married couples), it’s worth applying for “Extra Help.” Extra Help can pay for your prescription drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs. Visit ssa.gov/extrahelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply for Extra Help.

With the Medicare Open Enrollment period about to begin, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) – part of the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, a division of the Human Services Agency – will again be providing countywide resources and help.

Medicare Open Enrollment begins on October 15 and runs through December 7. HICAP provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling to the public.

In October, November, and December, HICAP counselors — who are registered with the California Department of Aging — will be all around the county, hosting 37 One-Stops to provide individual counseling sessions, as well as 13 “2024 Medicare Changes” presentations.

Sites for these various events include Ventura (the VCAAA office), Camarillo (Camarillo Health Care District, Pleasant Valley Senior Center), Fillmore (Active Adult Center), Moorpark (Active Adult Center), Ojai (HELP of Ojai), Oxnard (Colonia Senior Center, Palm Vista Senior Center, South Oxnard Senior Center, Wilson Senior Center), Santa Paula (Senior Center), Simi Valley (Senior Center) and Thousand Oaks (CRPD Conejo Creek Community Building, Goebel Adult Community Center).

Visit www.vcaaa.org/HICAP for specific dates, times, and locations.

These events are free, but pre-registration is required for individual appointments at the One-Stops, and requested prior to attendance at the 2024 Medicare Changes presentations. Online signups can be found at www.vcaaa.org/HICAP, or by calling the VCAAA at (805) 477-7300.

His name is Benjamin Garcia and he was born on Aug. 16, 1925 in Torrion Mexico.  He never knew his father because he had passed away when his mother was 6 month pregnant with him.  He was raised by his mother and three sisters until he was old enough to work, then he went to live with his uncle to help him work the farm.  At the age of 18 years he served in the Mexican military for 2 years.  In 1948 he married Nativida Garcia and had 7 children. In 1960 he immigrated to the US with his wife and children.  He first worked in the farm fields of Ventura County and later worked in the packing houses.  His last job, until he retired was at a machine shop on the Avenue.  He now is retired and enjoying life in his home in Colonia Oxnard at the age of 98 years old.

Editor: If you are a senior (over 70-years), or know of one, who would like to share their retirement, life or job, with us please let us know at [email protected].

From NIH Research Matters

As the world population ages, the number of people living with dementia and other types of cognitive impairment continues to rise. Safe and affordable interventions to prevent or slow age-related cognitive decline are greatly needed.

Studies have found an association between hearing loss and the development of dementia in older adults. Research also suggests that using hearing aids to treat hearing loss may help slow the development of cognitive problems. But potential links between hearing loss treatment and improved cognition hadn’t been tested in a large, randomized study.

To close this gap, an NIH-funded research team co-led by Dr. Frank Lin from Johns Hopkins University enrolled nearly 1,000 adults, ages 70 to 84, into a clinical trial. They compared the rate of cognitive decline over a three-year period between people who did and didn’t receive hearing aids.

The researchers recruited participants with substantial hearing loss from two different study populations. About 250 healthy older adults came from a long-term study of heart health at four sites in the United States. Another 739 people were newly recruited from the surrounding communities at the same four sites. Participants recruited from the heart-health study had more risk factors for developing dementia, including being older and having faster rates of cognitive decline than those from the general community.

The researchers randomly assigned participants to one of two interventions. About half received hearing aids and instruction in how to use them. The other half were assigned to a health education program focused on promoting healthy aging. Both groups received follow-up visits every six months to reinforce the training.

Before the start of the study and annually for three years, all participants took a battery of tests to measure cognitive functioning. The results were published on July 17, 2023, in The Lancet.

People who received the hearing aids reported substantial improvement in communication abilities over the course of the study. Those in the health-education group, as expected, did not experience improvement in hearing and communication.

In the main analysis of all study participants, the researchers saw no difference in the rate of change in cognitive functioning between people who received the hearing aids and those who didn’t.

However, when the analysis focused on people from the heart-health study who had a higher risk of dementia, the benefit of the hearing aids was substantial. Those who received hearing aids had an almost 50% reduction in the rate of cognitive decline compared with people in the health-education group.

“Hearing loss is very treatable in later life, which makes it an important public health target to reduce risk of cognitive decline and dementia,” Lin says.

The researchers are continuing to follow the study participants to see how changes in cognition develop over time. They’re also looking at brain scans and data on social engagement to better understand how protecting hearing may prevent cognitive decline in vulnerable older adults.

“Until we know more,” Lin adds, “we recommend for general health and well-being that older adults have their hearing checked regularly and any hearing issues properly addressed.”

Free Ventura County Parkinson’s support group meetings: a community-based support group focusing on sharing relevant information and education about all things Parkinson’s.

Meetings are held monthly on the third Tuesday, 10-11am, at Crosspointe Church (5415 Ralston Ave.) Next meeting: Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Ventura County Parkinson’s Support Group gets together every month with skilled, experienced professionals who present significant breakthroughs, strategies and related issues surrounding Parkinson’s. The group’s mission is for participants to better understand and talk about how this information impacts their own lives and affects immediate family members. In addition to those diagnosed with PD, caregivers, family members and friends are ALL welcome to attend FREE of charge.

More than just a meeting, all discussions/presentations offer interactive, compassionate, relevant education on PD. Topics range from “How to get up off the floor when you’ve fallen,” to “Nutrition and Parkinson’s” to “The benefits of deep brain stimulation and assessing if you’re a good candidate for DBS.”

Jon Everhart, retired accountant, US Marine and regular group attendee said, “It’s nice comparing treatments, symptoms, and the challenges we all face living with Parkinson’s.” This caring group empowers people like Jon to be more proactive and to participate in deciding the direction of his treatment, complemented by his team of doctors’ suggestions.

This unique group gives everyone a great opportunity to learn more about current PD research, to gain more awareness about local help and resources, to share relevant experiences with others — and to have fun along the way.

The Ventura County Parkinson’s Support Group was recently resurrected (post-Covid) by Dr. Vanessa White, owner of Ventura County Neurofitness (a local fitness program designed specifically for those with Parkinson’s and other neurological degenerative diseases). The impetus for her assuming this responsibility was after her mother-in-law, Toy White, was diagnosed several years ago with PD. This important, special group was born upon her passing.

The next meeting will feature Dr. Erin Presant, a neurologist turned nutritionist she is returning to our group and will be bringing some of her best (and favorite) dishes for us to taste and try—dishes that are naturally beneficial for improving quality of living with Parkinson’s. You can find her at medicineofyum.com, but you won’t want to miss this presentation!

Friends and family members are often first to notice the signs of unsafe driving. Another way to evaluate driving skills is to have the person’s driving skills assessed by a professional. The American Occupational Therapy Association maintains a national database of driving specialists, or you can check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or a health care professional to recommend someone who can evaluate driving skills. Note that there may be fees associated with these types of assessments. There are also a number of online resources for assessing driving skills yourself.

What are the laws about dementia and driving?

State laws vary regarding when a person with Alzheimer’s should stop driving. Some states will automatically revoke a license when a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Other states may offer the chance for a diagnosed person to take and pass a driving test.

Many states require retaking a driving test when there is reason to believe someone may be unable to safely operate their vehicle or over a certain age. Information on unsafe driving can come from law enforcement, medical personnel, concerned citizens, and family members. Check with your state’s department of motor vehicles for more information.

What to do when driving becomes unsafe

If you notice unsafe driving, you will need to take steps to keep the person from driving. It is always a tough conversation, and it’s important to do it in a caring way. Try to understand how unhappy they may be to admit they have reached this new stage.

Here are some ways to help stop people with Alzheimer’s from driving:

• Try talking about your concerns with the person. Find tips on talking with someone about no longer driving.
• Take them to get a driving test.
• Ask the person’s doctor to tell them to stop driving. The doctor can write “Do not drive” on a prescription pad and you can show this to the person.
• If necessary, hide the car keys, disable the car, move it out of sight, or consider selling it.
• Finding other transportation options
• Losing the ability to drive can be difficult, but driving is only one form of transportation.
• Consider finding other ways that the person with Alzheimer’s can travel safely on their own.

Your local Area Agency on Aging can help you find local services that may include free or low-cost buses, taxis, or carpools for older people. Call 800-677-1116 or search the Eldercare Locator online. You also can try searching Rides in Sight or calling 855-607-4337, a service of the nonprofit ITN America that provides information about transportation options for older adults.

Some churches and community groups have volunteers who take older adults where they want to go. Family and friends are another great resource.

For more information about driving safety and dementia NIA Alzheimer’s and related Dementias Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center 800-438-4380. www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers

Experience the joy of learning this Fall! Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at California State University Channel Islands is pleased to announce a new set of classes starting soon for people age 50+.

In the class “The Science and Magic of the 2024 Solar Eclipse ”, discover one of nature’s greatest spectacles and learn how and where to see it.

Examine the elements that made America great, why we are now struggling, and a possible roadmap for America’s resurgence in “How America Became Great – And Can Be Great Again”.

Explore the universal theme of love and the challenges of relationships in both the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia in “From Russia With Love”: Experiencing Russia Through Film”.

The six-week classes start on October 23rd, and registration opens October 9th.

Both in-person and Zoom classes are available. Learn more and see the entire catalog of classes at: go.csuci.edu/olli or call 805-437-2748.