A study published in Innovation in Aging found emergency department visits by people 65 and older presenting with opioid misuse and dependence rose more than threefold between 2006 and 2014, reports EurekAlert . The researchers also saw a link between opioid misuse and a higher number of chronic conditions, greater risk of injury, and higher rates of alcohol dependence and mental health diagnoses. The authors said these findings emphasize "the critical need for additional research to better understand the national scope and impact of opioid misuse on older adults, as well as to better inform policy responses to meet the needs of this particular age group." They added that "targeted programs aimed at screening, intervention, and treatment specifically geared toward older adults are warranted. Results from this study also highlight the complexity of treating opioid dependence in this population, which reflect in part, high rates of coexisting mental health and other substance abuse disorders."

In May, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) will lead the national observance of Older Americans Month. This year's theme, "Connect, Create, Contribute," encourages older adults and their communities to connect with friends, family, and services that support participation; create via engagement learning, health-, and personal enrichment-promoting activities; and dedicate time, talent, and life experience to benefit others. To be included on a dedicated webpage will be suggestions, resources, and material to celebrate older Americans and their communities. Leading up to Older Americans Month 2019, the ACL website will promote #OAM19 with associated materials .

More than 260 individuals have been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) with scamming over $750 million from American seniors in the biggest federal crackdown on senior fraud in U.S. history, reports the Washington Times . "It is a particularly despicable crime because the people involved are vulnerable and because of their stage of life they don't have the opportunity to recover," announced Attorney General William P. Barr. The defendants are accused of operating various scams, including tech-support fraud, mass mailing, telemarketing, investment fraud, and identity theft. DoJ said it toppled a tech-support scheme to fool victims into giving remote access to their computers. "Victims of these schemes often lose thousands of dollars or more apiece, which can cause significant harm to senior victims and their caretakers," said Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray. A so-called money mule scam, in which thieves acquire money illegally from their victim and then forward the proceeds to other perpetrators and ringleaders, was also undone.

Businesses in need of workers in a tight labor market are increasingly training existing employees, seeking to enhance the skills they need from within as the modern workplace becomes more digitized, reports the Wall Street Journal . "The level of commitment in investing in employee training and retraining is at a level that we have never seen before," notes Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. According to Taylor, the U.S. workforce's skills gap is partly driven by falling birth rates, an education system that has failed to train workers with some of the most sought-after skills, and accelerating workplace digitization. Companies also are finding it tougher to entice outside employees due to a lower unemployment rate. Business leaders with the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board acknowledge the long-term solution to the skills shortage must combine educational and immigration retooling, along with greater use of underutilized employees. However, Taylor says internal retraining is the most immediate solution and urges, "We are past the point that this is a choice."

A study published in Age and Ageing suggests healthy older adults with long-term obesity may be at higher risk of developing dementia than non-overweight counterparts, reports Reuters Health . The researchers monitored two groups of dementia-free adults aged 65 to 74 years for up to 15 years. One group, deemed healthy, included 257,523 non-smokers who did not have cancer, heart failure, or multiple chronic health problems. The second cohort of 161,927 adults, considered unhealthy, smoked or had serious chronic medical issues. During the study's first 10 years, healthy people who were obese or overweight were less likely to develop dementia than healthy subjects at a normal weight. However, afterwards, obesity was tied to a 17 percent higher risk of dementia. A total of 9,774 people in the "healthy" cohort were diagnosed with dementia, and slightly more than 50 percent had lost at least 5.5 pounds in the 10 years prior to diagnosis. Meanwhile, 6,070 individuals in the unhealthy group developed dementia.

A report from the Alzheimer's Association forecasts the number of Americans with Alzheimer's will more than double by 2050, increasing to 13.8 million persons 65 or older from 5.8 million now, barring breakthroughs in treatment, according to PBS NewsHour . The Association's Keith Fargo says age remains the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's, followed by family history; as the baby boomer generation ages, the number of cases also are likely to rise. Meanwhile, the combined cost of healthcare, long-term care, and hospice for all people with Alzheimer's and other dementias could amount to $290 billion this year alone — an increase from $277 billion last year. Half of all the money paid for Alzheimer's and dementia care comes from Medicare, while another 22 percent is paid out-of-pocket by beneficiaries. Medicaid covers an additional 17 percent. Not included in those numbers is the cost, in lost wages, of informal caregiving. That adds up to 18.5 billion hours and is worth about $234 billion. Last year, 66 percent of these caregivers were women. Although 94 percent of primary care doctors and 82 percent of Americans 65 or older say they think cognitive assessments to detect dementia symptoms are a good thing, only 16 percent of polled Medicare beneficiaries receive these routine health check-ups annually.

A study published in JAMA Surgery found the estimated number of fractures associated with walking leashed dogs has grown 163 percent among people 65 and older, from 1,671 in 2004 to 4,396 in 2017, states U.S. News & World Report . "Clinicians may play a role in identifying at-risk persons and minimizing fracture risk by advocating for preventative actions, such as obedience training to ensure dogs do not lunge while leashed, or suggesting smaller dog breeds for individuals contemplating ownership," the study's authors suggest. Hip injuries comprised the highest share of identified fractures, followed by upper arm and wrist fractures. Most fractures occurred among women, and 28.7 percent required hospitalization. "For older adults — especially those living alone and with decreased bone mineral density — the risks associated with walking leashed dogs merit consideration," the report concluded. "Even one such injury could result in a potentially lethal hip fracture, life-long complications, or loss of independence."

A Florida Senate committee has taken steps to set up a new education property tax exemption for some of the state's older adults, reports the Tampa Bay Times . The measure would freeze the taxable values of Florida residents age 65 or older who have lived in their homes for 25 years or more. This follows an amendment to the original version, which would have removed school taxes for those homeowners. State Sen. Manny Diaz (R) expects to further adjust the terms as the bill moves through the legislative process. He said he did not intend for the owners of multimillion-dollar homes to exploit the proposal, stressing the objective is to meet the "dire need for relief" of seniors who live on limited incomes in their modest homes and cannot afford rising property taxes. Sen. Gary Farmer (D) supports both measures, expressing a desire to help seniors on fixed incomes without harming schools. The bills next go to the state Senate Finance and Tax Committee for consideration.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) are testing a new drug they hope will have the potential to restore hearing, reports the Evening Standard . Phase one trials conducted last summer at the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital verified the drug's safety, and the phase two trials seek to determine if the treatment can regenerate sensory hair cells in the inner ear, administered via three weekly injections through the eardrum. The drug was developed by Audion Therapeutics in the Netherlands and is being tested by the Regain trial consortium. The trial will evaluate the drug's usefulness in 40 adults with mild to moderate adult-onset sensorineural hearing loss, with participants recruited in England, Germany, and Greece. Such hearing loss can be induced by old age, by an adverse reaction to chemotherapy or antibiotics, or exposure to noise.

A Finnish study published in the BMJ suggests a link between long-term use of oral hormone therapy and a slightly higher risk of Alzheimer's in postmenopausal women, reports NBC News . The researchers examined roughly 85,000 postmenopausal women, between the ages of 70 and 80, diagnosed with Alzheimer's between 1999 and 2013. Women who took oral hormone therapy for 10 or more years and began before age 60 had a 9 percent to 17 percent higher risk for Alzheimer's, while women who used vaginal hormone therapy showed no elevated risk. The University of Helsinki's Tomi Mikkola said biological differences between Alzheimer's and vascular dementia may be one reason hormone therapy does not protect against the former disease. "What we know is that the disease has started decades before we see symptoms of memory loss," he noted. While Mikkola suggests that hormone therapy can accelerate the progression of Alzheimer's, Brigham and Women's Hospital's JoAnn E. Manson said, "For the short-term management of hot flashes, night sweats, and disruptive sleep, the benefits of hormone therapy seem to outweigh the risk."