Several studies published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found 50-plus-year-olds who regularly do word and number puzzles have better brain function that improves over time, reports MarketWatch . "We've found that the more regularly people engage with puzzles such as crosswords and Sudoku, the sharper their performance is across a range of tasks assessing memory, attention, and reasoning," said Anne Corbett at the University of Exeter Medical School. "The improvements are particularly clear in the speed and accuracy of their performance." Grammatical reasoning tests especially highlighted these findings, with subjects who do puzzles more than once a day exhibiting brain function of people about 10 years younger, and the short-term memory of people about eight years younger. "We would recommend doing puzzles daily if you can, but the message is that every little bit helps," Corbett noted. "We saw the greatest impact in people who complete puzzles more than once a day."

A new Alzheimer's drug has successfully passed the first phase of human testing, reports Medical News Today . PRI-002 purges toxic beta-amyloid oligomers suspected of causing and advancing Alzheimer's. Researchers previously demonstrated in a preclinical study published in Molecular Neurobiology that PRI-002 could significantly alleviate symptoms in older mice that were genetically engineered to develop an Alzheimer's-like disease with the addition of a mutant human gene. For the more recent trial, healthy volunteers took daily doses of PRI-002 for four weeks. "Our next goal is the proof of efficacy in people with Alzheimer's," said Forschungszentrum Jülich Professor Dieter Willbold. The next clinical phase is planned to be conducted through Priavoid, a private company that the scientists founded in 2017 to develop drugs for treating severe neurological conditions.

The National Center for Health Statistics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the American birth rate reached its lowest point in 32 years in 2018, which could have serious ramifications for Social Security and Medicare, reports Yahoo! Finance . Approximately 3.79 million babies were born in the United States last year — a 2 percent decline year over year — and the fertility rate remained below the replacement level to maintain the national population at current levels. The U.S. Census Bureau has forecast that 20 percent of U.S. citizens will be 65 or older by 2030, while population growth should decelerate substantially between 2017 and 2060. This will likely place a greater financial strain on social programs that rely on workers paying into them through income taxes to support older Americans. "All past projections of the proportion of the U.S. population that will be seniors, and eligible for Medicare and Social Security, have assumed that the previous higher birth rates remained constant," said Columbia University Professor John Rowe. "As rates have fallen, and fewer young people ultimately enter the labor force and pay into the Social Security and Medicare Trust funds, the solvency of these funds is threatened." An earlier Social Security and Medicare trustees report warned the programs' reserves are expected to be emptied in 2035, when just 80 percent of benefits will be payable. Meanwhile, Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund is expected to be depleted by 2026.

University of Cincinnati (UC) Professor Claudia Rebola is working with graduate students to revamp an existing line of robotic pets to better care for older adults, by expanding their realism and repertoire of tasks, reports News-Medical . The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded the team a $1 million grant to overhaul the Joy For All Companion Pets brand acquired by Ageless Innovation. These robotic cats and dogs have simple, toylike designs, sounds, and movements to comfort seniors through companionship and fun. Rebola says the overhaul concentrates on human factors, like "understanding the user, their needs, and how to translate those needs into unique design opportunities for these pets," in collaboration with industrial design and engineering grad students. The team will hold pilot studies and focus groups with older adults and community caretakers. Cincinnati-area communities, including Scarlet Oaks Retirement Community and Episcopal Retirement Services, are involved in a longitudinal study of the robotic pets, with members from UC's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute adding feedback as well. In redesigning a robot dog, Rebola's team is focusing on adding caregiving applications that include detecting/preventing falls, connecting users to caregivers and loved ones, checking vital signs, and providing helpful reminders.

A national poll found many Americans in their 50s and early 60s are concerned about declining brain health, particularly if they have loved ones with memory loss and dementia, reports ScienceDaily . A majority of respondents said they take supplements or do puzzles to ward off this decline, yet few have consulted with doctors about substantiated ways to prevent memory loss. About 50 percent of respondents to the University of Michigan (U-M) Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation's National Poll on Healthy Aging expected to develop dementia as they aged, and almost the same percentage worried about this possibility. Research suggests fewer than 20 percent of people who have reached age 65 will lose cognitive ability from Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, or other disorders. Yet just 5 percent of the entire poll cohort, and 10 percent of those reporting a family history of dementia, had apparently spoken with a healthcare provider about prevention. Nearly three quarters of those with a family history of dementia said they were "somewhat" or "very likely" to develop the condition as they got older versus 32 percent of respondents with no family history. "Most haven't sought advice from medical professionals, who could help them understand which steps actually have scientific evidence behind them," said U-M's Donovan Maust. "Many people may not realize they could help preserve brain health by managing their blood pressure and blood sugar, getting more physical activity and better sleep, and stopping smoking."

The free My House of Memories smartphone app developed by the Minnesota Historical Society helps people with dementia recall old memories via reminiscence therapy, reports Being Patient . The app has more than 100 pages of curated images designed to evoke events from the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers. Users can tap through images depicting things that were popular during their childhood. "The app can be a springboard for conversation about something other than the weather," notes Maureen Aksamit with the Charter House-Mayo Clinic Retirement Living Community in Rochester, Minn. "It's an opportunity to enjoy each other's company." A 2018 Cochrane review determined reminiscence therapy can modestly enhance quality of life, cognition, communication, and possibly mood in people with dementia, depending on how it is administered, and how frequently. Meanwhile, an earlier study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association said reminiscence therapy can effectively treat depression and cognitive difficulties in people with dementia, and should be applied as routine treatment for institutionalized residents.

A study published in JAMA Network Open determined older women may be at a higher risk of hip fracture if they take supplements with high doses of vitamins B6 and B12, reports KFGO . Current U.S. dietary guidelines recommend women over 50 take 1.5 daily milligrams of B6, while those females 14 and older should get 2.4 daily micrograms of B12. The researchers monitored nearly 76,000 female U.S. nurses in for an average of 21 years. Nearly all subjects had total B6 and B12 intake from foods and supplements that was higher than recommended. Some 2,300 women fractured a hip during the study, and 50 percent had these fractures before they were 76 years old. Fifty percent of the women in the study had at least 3.6 milligrams of B6 and 12.1 micrograms of B12 daily. In comparison with women who had the lowest intake of B6 and B12, those who had the highest daily dosage were 47 percent more likely to have hip fractures in the study period. "Normal intakes of these vitamins, corresponding to recommended dietary allowances, were not associated with increased fracture risk," noted the University of Oslo's Haakon Meyer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first guidelines for cutting the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, reports the Wall Street Journal . "The WHO's recommendations reinforce that dementia is not a normal part of aging and that there are lifestyle changes people can and should take to potentially lower their risk," says Alzheimer's Foundation of America Chief Executive Charles Fuschillo Jr. The WHO's Tarun Dua notes the guidelines target medical professionals and policy makers, by recommending public-health policies for curbing adults' dementia risk factors. The most prominent recommendations call for regular physical activity, elimination of tobacco use, and hypertension and diabetes management. Also urged is eating a nutritious diet, reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption, cognitive stimulation, and managing weight and cholesterol. Dua also reflects that data on depression management, hearing-loss management, and increased social activity lacked sufficient available evidence for the WHO to make a recommendation for reducing dementia risk. However, the organization cites such interventions as important for overall well-being.

The state of Pennsylvania this week filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, claiming the Oxycontin maker fueled the state's deadly opioid epidemic through a deceptive marketing campaign that targeted seniors and military veterans, notes NBC News (May 14, Winter, Schapiro). Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro claims in the suit that Purdue supervisors urged sales staffers to "focus on the geriatric population." The company also launched a website called exitwoundsforveterans.org, which "deceptively assured veterans that Purdue's opioids are not addictive." The lawsuit adds to the more than 1,600 claims against Purdue. More than 35 states have sued the company over allegations that it aggressively marketed OxyContin while underplaying the pharmaceutical's addictive qualities.

A report from the Senior Citizens League forecast this year's Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) at 1.7 percent for 2020, reports CNBC . If tariffs are enacted, the cost of living could go up and boost the COLA for next year. The Senior Citizens League's Mary Johnson warns retirees reliant on Social Security benefits could by hit by elevated costs for goods. Last year's COLA was 2.8 percent, marking the highest increase since 2012. Johnson says spiking gas prices and housing costs have helped push up the COLA for this year. The Senior Citizens League report also verified that monthly Social Security checks now cover fewer costs compared to years past. For people retired since 2000, their benefit purchasing power has improved by only 1 percent. COLAs have raised retirement benefits by 50 percent from 2000, but goods and services costs for retirees have risen 100 percent. Prescription drug costs have climbed 53 percent since 2000, while homeowners insurance has risen 199 percent, and Medicare Part B premiums 198 percent.