Starting today, the state of Kentucky is allowing visitation at assisted living and personal care communities to resume, with Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander announcing this development late last week, reports Eagle Country 99.3 FM . "Kentuckians have patiently waited since March 6 for the opportunity to see loved ones in long-term care communities again in person," said Friedlander. "We are pleased to say that plans are in place to ease back into certain activities." Friedlander explained that the resumption of visitation and certain other activities will proceed while still monitoring the COVID-19 threat. In addition, group activities involving 10 people or less, communal dining, and off-site appointments will resume. Starting on July 15, visitation will resume in state nursing and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities.

A study in Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications gauged the accumulation of visceral fat and preventive measures among seniors, reports Medical Xpress . Visceral fat is deleterious to the health of older adults because it is mostly concentrated in the region of the abdomen that contains vital organs like the pancreas, liver, and digestive tract, and it further affects the normal regulation of hormones in the body. Worldwide, 15 million people between 30 and 69 years old die of a noncommunicable disease (NCD) each year, and there is an increase in NCD morbidity among people older than 70. Accumulated visceral fat in seniors could have harmful health consequences, as it is a predisposing factor for many other NCDs and chronic health conditions. Whereas sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, stress, and inactivity are major causes of excessive visceral fat, accumulation prevention measures are straightforward, and range from regular physical exercise to healthy eating to proper stress management.

A study in Parkinsonism and Related Disorders suggests reduced gray matter integrity may be a key neuroimaging marker for the development of mild parkinsonian signs (MPS), reports Clinical Advisor . A total of 819 subjects who did not use walking assisted devices, could complete a six-minute walking test, and qualified to undergo brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were enlisted between 2006 and 2008. Of these, 315 satisfied eligibility for a 3T MRI, and 205 had complete Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) data at baseline and follow-up, were not on drugs that could induce or inhibit parkinsonism, and were not diagnosed with Parkinson Disease or other neurologic disorders. MPS were present in 62 of 205 participants at the beginning of the study, while the average age of participants was 82.7 years and the mean UPDRS-III score at baseline for was 1.5 plus or minus 2.8. Mean follow-up time was 3.8 plus or minus 0.8 years, and the average rate of UPDRS-III change was 0.6 plus or minus 1.0 points annually for a mean total of 2.29 points. Older age, male sex, and diabetes were associated with a faster rate of UPDRS-III change in those lacking MPS but not those with MPS. The only imaging marker associated with faster UPDRS-III progression among those without MPS was higher gray matter mean diffusivity, while no imaging factors were linked to UPDRS-III change among MPS positive subjects.

Many older workers say they'll need to work longer because of the economic crisis, reports the New York Times . But that will be easier said than done. Between 2014 and 2016, just over half of workers who retired between ages 55 and 64 did so involuntarily because of ill health, family responsibilities, layoffs, and business closings, according to research by the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research. The pandemic has already fueled a surge in early retirements, a report published recently by three economists shows. They found that among people who had left the labor force through early April, 60 percent said they were retired — up from 53 percent in January before the pandemic. The largest increase was among people over 65, but nearly half of this group were 50 to 65, noted report co-author Michael Weber, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Health officials believe at least 15,000 more Americans have died in recent months from Alzheimer's disease and dementia than otherwise would have because of the coronavirus pandemic, reports the Wall Street Journal . According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the death rates began to climb sharply in mid-March. By mid-April, about 250 additional people with some form of dementia were dying every day. People with advanced Alzheimer's and dementia are often frail, reliant on regular routines and close care from family members and other caregivers, but vulnerable to disruption. The National Center for Health Statistics ranked Alzheimer's sixth among causes of death in 2018, and attributed 266,000 deaths annually to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. This means that the estimated 15,000 extra Alzheimer's and dementia deaths during the four months early in the pandemic were in addition to 85,400 typical fatalities caused by the neurological disorders. "It's going to take more complete data and some more time to estimate how much of these are missed COVID-19 deaths and how many of these are indirect," said the CDC's Robert Anderson. Worse still, people with Alzheimer's and dementia are among the most exposed to the coronavirus and the most at-risk for its worst effects. National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care Executive Director Lori Smetanka said the pandemic's sudden halt to family visits with residents in care communities has been especially hard for people with dementia, noting that people are "declining and dying literally from loneliness and feelings of abandonment."

A study published in Neurology found that greater consumption of plant compounds known as flavonols is linked to a 48 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia, reports Produce Blue Book . Flavonols are found in fruits and vegetables, and they promote beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Grapes are a natural source of flavonols, including kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. Kaempferol, myricetin, and isorhamnetin are the compounds most associated with the anti-Alzheimer's benefit, as opposed to quercetin. Other studies have connected the consumption of grapes to brain health, with a study at the University of California, Los Angeles determining that the fruit helped shield against metabolic decline in Alzheimer's-related regions of the brain. "The new findings linking higher intake of flavonols to a reduced risk of Alzheimer dementia . . . supports the previous positive findings of the beneficial impact grape consumption can have on brain health," said California Table Grape Commission President Kathleen Nave. "Importantly, research indicates that just 2 1/4 cups of grapes a day is all it takes to make a positive difference. With more clinical research in this critically important area of human health underway we look forward to having more positive news to share."

The Bristal Assisted Living communities and the Long Island Alzheimer's & Dementia Center in New York will host a virtual pot planting program through Zoom on July 1 and July 8 that all Long Island seniors and their caregivers can participate in, reports Patch . The free, hour-long program will be overseen by Casey Drum, director of recreation at The Bristal at North Hills. "With over 20 years of experience caring for seniors, The Bristal understands the unique burdens caregivers face," said The Bristal Director of Business Development Julie Wexler. "These programs offer a chance for caregivers to connect with others, while offering their loved ones an engaging activity." All required supplies will be delivered or mailed to participants' homes a few days before the first session, and the Zoom class will be recorded so participants can engage on their own schedule. The program is limited to the first 100 people who register.

Treating diabetes may be more harmful than beneficial for older adults who have a limited life expectancy or with advanced dementia, an issue explored by a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society , reports Medical Xpress . The researchers analyzed data from Veterans Affairs nursing communities from 2009 to 2015, looking at whether older adults were overtreated for diabetes, whether they had their medication regimens reduced, and what effects might result from lowered doses, types, and/or different kinds of medication. The investigators saw potential overtreatment in almost 44 percent of nursing community admissions for veterans with diabetes and veterans who had limited life expectancy or dementia. Potentially overtreated residents were about 78 years of age and were almost all male and non-Hispanic white. Two-thirds had been brought from hospitals, while 29 percent had advanced dementia, nearly 14 percent were classified with end-of-life status, and 79 percent had a moderately high risk of death within six months. Many were physically dependent with heart disease and/or potential diabetes-related complications, and roughly 9 percent suffered a serious low blood sugar episode in the year prior. Close to half of residents received two or more diabetes medications. Those with higher Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent received more medications than those with lower HbA1c.

The U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that the baby boomer population expanded in the past decade by 13.8 million people, or 34.2 percent, pushing the national median age from 37.2 years in 2010 to 38.4 years in 2019, reports the Washington Times . "No other age group saw such a fast increase," said the Census Bureau's Luke Rogers. The boomer explosion has driven up the ratio of dependents to nondependents, with the dependent population — those 14 and younger and 65 and older — rising versus the working population, from 49 dependents per working-age person to 53.7. The 65-and-up segment grew by 3.2 percent, or 1.69 million, from 2018 to 2019 alone. The oldest states last year were Maine, Florida, West Virginia, and Vermont, where one in five residents were 65 or older. The oldest county was Sumter County in Florida, with a median age of 68.1 in 2019.

A study in JAMA Network Open found that older adults are more likely to have complications after their first colonoscopy, and tend to suffer from other, underlying chronic health conditions, reports United Press International . The researchers reviewed data from more than 38,000 people who had colonoscopies between 2008 and 2017. Slightly more than 73 percent underwent their first colonoscopies, and 3.4 percent experienced complications within 30 days of their colonoscopy. That number rose to 6.8 percent among adults 75 and older. Anemic subjects were 40 percent more likely to have post-colonoscopy complications, while those with high blood pressure were 20 percent more likely. Moreover, subjects with an irregular heartbeat were 70 percent more likely to experience complications, and those with chronic kidney disease were 80 percent more likely. In addition, people with congestive heart failure and a history of smoking were more than three times more likely to have colonoscopy complications. Those with liver disease or obesity were nearly five times and more than twice as likely to suffer complications, respectively.