On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass the Dignity in Aging Act. The bipartisan proposal reauthorizes the Older Americans Act (OAA) that increases funding for vital programs that help aging Americans live independently and with dignity. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor , was among those applauding the passage. The OAA currently serves approximately 11 million older Americans, including three million seniors who regularly rely on OAA programs to meet their most basic needs. Specifically, the bill authorizes a 7 percent funding increase for OAA programs in the first year, then annual 6 percent hikes in the following years; establishes a National Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Center for the Aging Network in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of HHS; and provides more tailored support to family caregivers who play a vital role in helping Americans maintain their independence as much as possible. It also puts greater emphasis on addressing social isolation among seniors by empowering local organizations to test solutions.

A study of the ratio between the perimeter of the neck of people living in senior communities and the probability of malnutrition published in Nutrition offers clues that could inform corrective actions to be taken, reports Medical Xpress . The researchers found values below 37.8 cm in males and 35.2 cm in females signal risk. The team cross-checked the anthropometric data of 352 seniors from five public homes in Zaragoza, Spain, average age 83, with their answers in a nutritional assessment. Statistical calculations measured this connection, which verified that the circumference of the neck, along with that of the calf, can best predict risk of malnutrition among residents. Following the detection of malnutrition risk, a complete nutritional assessment must be conducted, and other clinical and analytical parameters considered to rate malnourishment. If suspicions are confirmed, a remedial intervention must be performed immediately.

The American Society of Aging will present a webinar on Oct. 29 centered around younger onset Alzheimer's disease and how it affects people ages 65 or younger. Though the exact number of people with younger onset is not known, the impact of living with the disease in midlife is great. For over a decade, the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago has offered Without Warning, a large support program for families living with younger onset Alzheimer's disease. Tuesday's web seminar will examine the emotional journey of younger onset Alzheimer's disease and the importance of community in providing support. Participants will be able to: list four ways younger onset Alzheimer's disease differs from later onset; identify three common emotions in living with younger onset Alzheimer's disease; recognize four common changes to relationships for people living with younger onset Alzheimer's disease; and, finally, list four ways to encourage community for people living with younger onset Alzheimer's disease.

A report from the TransAmerica Center for Retirement Studies found less than a third of U.S. employers offer aging-friendly services, while just 20 percent make allowances like enabling employees to take less physically demanding jobs, or encouraging participation in transition planning, according to FEDweek . Moreover, just one tenth offer retirement-oriented lifestyle and transition planning resources or information about "encore" career opportunities. Furthermore, just 25 percent of employers factor in age as a demographic characteristic in their diversity and inclusion policies, and only another 25 percent plan to do so. "In reality, many employers may not be as aging-friendly as they think they are," the report concluded. Over 50 percent of retirees say they wound up retiring sooner than they had expected, and more than half of those complained of job-related issues, including general unhappiness. The federal government offers a phased retirement program, but it has seen little actual use.

Virtual reality (VR) technology is making inroads into senior care in the United States and overseas, giving older adults opportunities to remotely experience distant places, relive cherished memories, and enjoy otherwise inaccessible activities, reports NBC News . VR also may potentially enhance reminiscence therapy, in which people with impaired memory are encouraged to look at old pictures, listen to music, or study once-familiar objects as a way to engage their minds and improve their mood. A pilot study involving a VR platform from MyndVR showed seniors enjoyed using the technology and seemed calmer and more alert following sessions. "VR has the capability of creating emotionally evocative experiences," says Albert Rizzo at the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies. Users of the MyndVR system can try out a range of virtual activities, from touring cities around the world to watching animals play to reliving their youth through recreations of past experiences. Rizzo thinks VR could be become a routine ingredient of life in senior communities, if it catches on.

A study in JAMA Neurology of Wisconsin Medicaid enrollees with Down syndrome found over half of those 55 and older have filed at least three claims for dementia and nearly one-third have filed at least three claims for Alzheimer's, reports ScienceDaily . Among enrollees ages 40 to 54, 18.8 percent had filed dementia claims, and there was a 40 percent likelihood that a person with Down syndrome 40 to 54 years old would file a dementia claim over the next 11 years, while a person with Down syndrome 55 or older had a 67 percent chance of filing such a claim. Men and women with Down syndrome who were younger than 40 had a roughly equal probability of dementia. But from 40 to 54, dementia was 23 percent more likely in women. The investigators said population studies are needed to detect when dementia symptoms appear, so families and healthcare systems can plan care for people with Down syndrome as they get older.

The latest iteration of the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP), FLTCIP 3.0, adds a premium stabilization feature, reports Government Executive . This is an adjustable amount computed as a percentage of the total premium paid for the policy, designed to lower the potential requirement for future premium increases. The provision accommodates a potential 50 percent decrease in premiums at age 85 if a sufficient amount of money is available in the premium stabilization fund, and if the beneficiary has been enrolled in FLTCIP 3.0 for at least a decade. The amount of the decrease will vary, based on the experience of the FLTCIP in the future. FLTCIP 3.0 also offers a potential refund of a portion of premiums at the time of death. The refund would be applicable to a reduction of any claims that were paid while the policy was in effect. These changes aim to address issues about the potential for future rate hikes, which have hounded the long-term care insurance industry since its launch.

Genworth cautions that every day until 2030, approximately 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65. Furthermore, current data models show that seven out of 10 people will require long-term care in their lifetime. The cost of that care varies based on care setting and level of care required, among other things. Using Genworth's Cost of Care Survey tool embedded in the linked article, households can calculate the cost of long-term care across the United States. Genworth has tracked the cost of care nationwide for the past 16 years to help families understand such costs. Since 2004, the Cost of Care Survey has become the foundation for many Americans' long term care planning. Not surprisingly, the cost of all types of care has steadily risen over the past 16 years — from home services to nursing care.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire is in the process of opening a geriatric emergency department, joining about 100 other hospitals in the United States that have set up specialized acute care for older adults, reports the Portland Press Herald . Dartmouth-Hitchcock is working with the West Health nonprofit coalition to serve northern New England's rural population, where New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont have the oldest median U.S. populaces. The hospital will develop specialized areas within its emergency department in Lebanon, then expand to four other sites around the region via telehealth. The effort is expected to take three years. West Health is allocating $3 million to the effort, while Dartmouth-Hitchcock will provide $1.5 million.

A study in Nature Communications found glial and vasculature cells contribute to macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss among seniors, reports Medical Xpress . "This study helps pinpoint cell types that can be investigated closely to develop new types of therapeutics," said Yale University Professor Brian Hafler. Although the wet form of macular degeneration can be ameliorated by regular eye injections, no effective treatment, other than eye vitamin supplements, exists for the dry form of the disease. The researchers employed a new single-cell sequencing technique to produce the first comprehensive human retinal atlas, and data analysis technology to map the effects of genes associated with the risk of developing macular degeneration on specific cell types linked to the disease. The team found risk genes associated with the cone cells, as well as a connection to glial and vascular cells.