A study published in JAMA Neurology implies that African Americans' greater susceptibility to developing Alzheimer's compared to white Americans could be partly explained by racially disparate biological mechanisms, reports National Public Radio . The researchers used data from 1,255 black and white people, and found the cerebrospinal fluid from African Americans often had lower levels of a substance associated with Alzheimer's, although these lower levels did not appear to shield African American participants from the disease. Analysis determined neither black nor white participants differed in terms of the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain, but the accumulations of tau proteins were notably different between races. Spinal fluid from African Americans had lower tau protein levels, and this factor was most pronounced among those who carried the APOE4 gene.

A new Transamerica survey calculated that 36 percent of seniors feel their financial health has declined since retirement, reports The Motley Fool . Avoiding such a decline can be accomplished in a few steps, by first specifying how much money must be saved to retire comfortably. This will depend on various factors, with employees assuming they will need about 80 percent of pre-retirement income to live comfortably after leaving the workforce. It is likely that a sizable amount of income will come from Social Security, and pre-retirees should determine that sum via the Social Security Administration website, using the 4 percent rule to work their way backward to estimate how much savings are necessary. Plotting out a retirement budget is the next step, and pre-retirees can start by considering their larger bills and what they might be at retirement. A third step is to adjust expectations as needed, factoring in the income they have access to and working backward from there.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) discusses the value of what are often referred to as vocation and technical degrees in a Wall Street Journal commentary . "Those who earn what people usually call vocational and technical degrees have long been viewed as inferior to those who graduate with a series of letters after their names," she writes. Noting there is an innately "classist" aspect in discussing education, Foxx argues, "We are all but telling people that the trade jobs this country needs are dirty, and that skills-based education is for people without means or, much worse, without potential. We have perpetuated the idea that baccalaureate degrees and desk jobs are for middle-class and affluent people; community college and technical pursuits are for the poor." Foxx concludes, "We need to think about the words we use and why we use them if we are to break the stigma around all forms of education. If we don't, we will never overcome the abiding sense of inequality and unfairness that so many Americans feel."

An analysis of data from the Health and Retirement Study by ProPublica and the Urban Institute found 56 percent of older workers experience at least one involuntary job loss after age 50, reports CNBC . Among the observations was that older workers often have more difficulty finding jobs because of age discrimination and are unlikely to earn as much as they did with their previous employer when they do find work. Exacerbating this situation is the assumption among many workers that they will leave the workforce at an age of their own choosing, making earlier-than-expected layoffs a low priority. To mitigate a potential late-career job loss, experts suggest employees exploit any and all training opportunities their employer offers to expand their job skills. Another recommendation is to specify and strive toward achieving retirement saving goals early on, rather than counting on future income. Diversifying savings should be another priority for older workers, with advisers stressing they set aside three to six months' worth of expenses, at minimum. Paying down debt ahead of a potential job loss also is advised.

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests older adults who pursue meaningful daily activities may sustain better health as they age, reports HealthDay News . The investigators found when middle-aged and older adults felt their days held meaningful engagement, they more often reported better health and wellbeing four years later. They were less likely to decline physically or experience chronic pain than others, and were more physically active and less likely to suffer from depression. Generally, the more meaning people perceived, the better their physical and mental health at both the beginning and conclusion of the study period. The likelihood of developing a new disease, depression, chronic pain, or a disability fell as "worthwhile" ratings subjects assigned to daily activities climbed. "We think there is a two-way relationship between our experiences and life seeming worthwhile," says University College London Professor Andrew Steptoe. "People who are socially engaged and healthy may rate their activities as more meaningful, while at the same time this sense of meaning may contribute to more engagement, better mental health, less loneliness, and so on."

A study published in Nature Medicine suggests a hormone called irisin released during exercise has a strong connection with the prevention of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's and other dementias, reports New Atlas . The researchers found the presence of irisin is significantly reduced in the hippocampus and central nervous system of people with late-stage Alzheimer's as well as in animals engineered with the disease. The artificial impairment of irisin levels in the brains of normal mice caused reductions in synaptic plasticity and memory, while raising those levels in mice engineered with Alzheimer's significantly improved those same functions. Furthermore, the inhibition of irisin in the brain of Alzheimer's-modeled mice impeded the beneficial effects of exercise. Daily exercise among the Alzheimer's-engineered mice that lacked the irisin-block decelerated synaptic degeneration, or even shielded them against it. The implication is that exercise can at least retard, even possibly prevent, the onset of neurodegeneration through a muscle-to-brain axis mediated by the hormone.

A study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found video chatting to be the premier technology for helping seniors combat loneliness and depression, according to U.S. News & World Report . In a review of video chat, email, social media networks, and instant messaging, older men and women who used the last three tools exhibited roughly the same rate of depressive symptoms as those who did not use any communication technologies. However, those who employed video chat applications like Skype and FaceTime cut the estimated probability of depressive symptoms by nearly 50 percent after adjusting for other variables, like pre-existing depression and education level. "The savvy use of technology and video chat that is as close to mimicking face-to-face contact as we can, that is the gold standard here," says Oregon Health and Science University Professor Alan Teo. "Quality time spent face to face with loved ones is one of best things we can do for our emotional health on a long-term, sustained basis."

The National Recreation and Park Association has allocated $25,000 to fund a joint venture with Appalachian State University to collect online survey data on the sports and activity participation behaviors and interests of adults older than 50, reports Mountain Times . Appalachian Professor Stephanie West will use the money to conduct the survey in collaboration with fellow instructor Jill Naar. According to West, the poll's results will help specify the current sports behaviors and interests of 1,200 older adults, in addition to practices and policies of parks and recreation departments that might optimize their participation. The outcomes also will enable West and Naar to spot factors that motivate and/or discourage older adult participation in sports, which parks and recreation departments can then manage. Moreover, the survey will help determine the negotiations older men and women typically follow to be active, like seeking a community recreation center they can use, going to a park, or walking on neighborhood sidewalks, especially if they lack the money to join a private health club. "While parks and recreation practitioners might help older adults negotiate things like self-esteem or transportation, or even the self-esteem needed to use public transportation, some strategies for helping others negotiate constraints might not be cost-effective or practical for implementation on a larger scale," West notes.

A recent Aberdeen poll found 83 percent of employers have low engagement levels among employees, with the biggest challenge being a lack of ability by leadership to define engagement in a meaningful way, reports Fast Company . This and other reports highlight a growing need for firms to accelerate professional growth holistically, so they can help workers realize their strengths and leverage them to develop their own career path. One tip for achieving this is to adjust managerial mindsets to develop processes workers desire and will engage with. A second strategy is to give employees, particularly millennials, a sense of purpose in their jobs with a specific mission and vision. Also recommended is cultivating more effective leaders by implementing processes that support first-time managers. In addition, employers should help managers impel clarity and alignment by practicing regular check-ins with their direct reports, clear communication, and goal setting. Finally, recognizing employees for good work also should be embedded within the workplace, as should a culture of regular feedback.

The New York-based Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the oldest orthopaedic hospital in the United States, is undertaking major expansions, including out-of-state branches and partnerships, to deliver care closer to where people live and work, reports the Wall Street Journal . "Our strategy for our growth stems from our ability to develop the HSS model and extend our reach and impact," says HSS Chief Executive Louis A. Shapiro. In general, he notes, "there's more demand because people are more active." An HSS expansion in South Florida is designed to attract people from South America and across the South U.S., while a collaboration between HSS and Aspen Valley Hospital will establish an orthopaedics practice in Colorado. This year, HSS also will open two locations on Manhattan's West Side, including a Hudson Yards office concentrating on sports medicine and a larger outpatient unit in Columbus Circle. Increasing care for knees, hips, shoulders, and backs is emerging as Americans get older and health, wellness, and fitness become core priorities for everyone.