Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and wearable devices are among the technologies that could reshape the job interview in the years ahead, reports the Wall Street Journal . Technology is being developed to allow employers to analyze candidates' online history, biometric data, and real-time reactions to simulated on-the-job challenges. Employers may rely less on résumés and interviews and more on a candidate's behavior, cognitive abilities, personality traits, and physiological responses to decide whether someone is a good fit for a job. "If we accept the fact that jobs are going to be disrupted and replaced, and 80 percent of the jobs you will find in 2030 or 2040 don't exist today, and there is a devaluation of expertise and knowledge, then you have to bet on things like curiosity, learning ability, people skills, and motivation," says Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, chief talent scientist at ManpowerGroup and a professor of business psychology at University College London and Columbia University.

The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation's center in Naples, Fla., is the sole rehab location to support an older-adult program for addiction, reports Next Avenue . Executive Director Brenda Iliff says seniors, especially baby boomers, are becoming more receptive to outpatient rehab programs. Naples resident Paul Heflin admits senior adults tend to be more communal in peer-group settings. The growing incidence of addiction among 60-and-older or even 50-and-older people is driven by a combination of factors, including: the free time many retirees have, easy access to alcohol at older-adult living communities, grief from death or divorce, and a lack of purpose. Age-related metabolic changes also can contribute to addiction, and the addition of anti-anxiety medication can make things worse. Nevertheless, older men and women are usually more amenable to rehab. Iliff adds that boomers who have come to Hazelden have shown an increased willingness to discuss their problems in its tailored program.

A study in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests an association between common medication and dementia, reports WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. Anticholinergic drugs including popular medications like certain antidepressants, anti-Parkinson's drugs, antipsychotics, drugs for frequent urination and incontinence, and anti-epilepsy medications may have a link to dementia. MedStar Health's Cheryl Iglesia noted millions of people are on anticholinergics, some of which can cross the blood-brain barrier — a situation that can be exacerbated by age-related metabolic changes. "You can't get rid of the drug as fast as you typically could when you were younger and there's more chances for these molecules to cross the blood-brain barrier and lead to cognitive dysfunction," she said. The researchers said long-term anticholinergic use significantly increases dementia risk. Iglesia said doctors should be aware of these risks in order to recognize symptoms like memory loss as side effects, and not necessarily the disorder itself.

A new AARP report says the aging U.S. population is evolving into a major economic powerhouse, according to Next Avenue . The report estimates that the 117.4 million Americans who are 50 and older currently contribute $8.3 trillion to the national economy, or 40 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), versus $7.1 trillion in 2013. Such findings raise issues about how the United States can maximize the economic and social benefits of increasing longevity and health, as well as what private and public efforts would improve the quality of work well into retirement years, encourage lifelong learning, improve the likelihood for successful late-life entrepreneurship, and spur businesses to imagine products and services for engaged older adults. The AARP report forecasts that Americans 50 and older will increase to 157.3 million in 2050, and contribute $28.2 trillion of GDP. Moreover, this demographic's wages and salaries are expected to climb from $5.7 trillion now to $19.2 trillion by 2050, and they will account for 88.6 million jobs. The AARP report also suggests concepts for improving economic opportunities for older adults in turn boost prospects for younger generations.

In Pennsylvania, the Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) program is offering a way for older adults to exercise indoors during the cold winter months in local groups, reports GantDaily . SAIL is a Pennsylvania Department of Aging Approved Evidence-Based Program designed to prevent falls via exercise classes, educational content, and self-assessments. SAIL classes specifically concentrate on strength, balance, flexibility, and aerobics. The Clearfield Center for Active Living is among those offering SAIL classes to seniors in Clearfield County, Pa.

The relationship between primary care physicians and the people they care for plays a vital role in healthy aging, reports The Villages Daily Sun . "As we age, there is a greater likelihood of developing medical conditions, even if we have been healthy for most of our lives," says The Villages Health's Robert Reilly. The Villages Health Chairman Elliot Sussman adds that all older adults should have a primary care doctor, who "needs to be the quarterback in service to their customers." A Harvard Medical School study found primary care has declined across the country for every decade of age except for Americans in their 80s, which means some Medicare beneficiaries elect to skip primary care. Other studies indicate that persons with access to a regular primary care physician spend less on healthcare overall, and those who cultivate an ongoing relationship with their providers have better health outcomes. According to Reilly, continuous communication helps beneficiaries feel comfortable raising issues that might seem trivial, but in fact suggest bigger health problems. "Having a strong relationship with a primary care physician will help older people navigate a complex medical system and feel assured that they have a true advocate in their care," he concludes.

More employers are looking to offer new skills training for their employees as emerging technologies transform jobs, the Wall Street Journal notes. Some companies are moving beyond tuition repayment for undergraduate course work and grad school degrees to include shorter-term credentials. However, many are struggling to discern worthwhile programs from those that are a waste of money. U.S. workers now have access to more than 738,000 secondary and postsecondary degrees, certificates, badges, and other certifications, according to a 2019 report from Credential Engine, a nonprofit that aims to build a comprehensive registry of training options, along with data about their outcomes. Half of all credentials come from educational institutions. Nearly as many are things like digital badges and online course certificates from non-academic organizations.

An American Cancer Society report in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians found the U.S. experienced its largest-ever single-year drop in overall cancer deaths from 2016 to 2017, partly due to a sharp reduction in lung cancer deaths, reports CNN . "The reason that is encouraging is because lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, causing more deaths in the U.S. than breast, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancers combined," said the American Cancer Society's Rebecca Siegel. "That's really important and reflects improvements in the treatment of lung cancer across the continuum from improvements in staging to advances in surgical techniques, improvements in radiotherapy, all of these things coming together." Analysis revealed that the U.S. cancer mortality rate has continued to decline from its 1991 high of about 215 cancer deaths for every 100,000 people. As of 2017, the overall death rate slipped by 29 percent, or approximately 2.9 million fewer cancer deaths than what would have occurred if death rates had remained at their peak.

Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have begun a study on the connection between playing soccer and dementia by monitoring former male and female professional athletes every six months, reports CNN . This follows a seminal study from the University of Glasgow that showed former soccer players were about 3.5 times more likely to die from neurodegenerative disorders. Most participants in the UEA study will be able to take tests at home, using tablets or computers to complete simple tasks. The UEA's Michael Grey said some techniques for evaluating cognitive function that appear to decline more rapidly than others will be included, such as spatial navigation. "I think the easiest way to explain it is if you drove into work today, you could probably close your eyes and point to your car, and you'd be pretty close to being accurate," he noted. "People with dementia have challenges doing those types of exercises because it relies on an area of the brain that's responsible for remembering where we are in space." The UEA aims to raise $1.32 million for new study, with 10 percent of the amount hopefully crowdfunded.

A study in Aging and Mental Health found persons with Alzheimer's disease prefer participating in familiar activities that are emotionally meaningful rather than task-oriented, reports Medical Xpress . "They want to be around people who make them feel good, that they have connections with, and they want to continue to participate in activities that they did prior to their diagnosis — things that are familiar to them, are comfortable, and that are within the scope of their abilities," said the University of Alberta's Linzy Bohn. She noted the viewpoint of persons with Alzheimer's has for the most part been excluded from research because of the misconception that they are unlikely or unable to provide accurate or reliable information. The researchers learned participants with Alzheimer's were the same chronological age as adults 75 years and older, yet possessed a similar time perspective to young-old adults who were about two decades younger. Meeting new people and learning new skills were the least important factors to people with Alzheimer's in deciding what activities to pursue. These findings have ramifications for activities that care communities should offer. "Individuals with Alzheimer's disease are not much different from their healthy peers, and their perception of what is a meaningful activity is actually a continuation of what you would see in normal aging," Bohn concluded.