Researchers tracking over 46,000 men ages 60 and older for an average of eight years found that smoking may increase the risk of developing dementia, reports the New York Times . Compared with continual smokers, men who had quit for up to four years had a 13 percent lower risk, those who had quit for four years or more a 14 percent lower risk, and never-smokers a 19 percent lower risk. The study was published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology . The authors acknowledge, however that they had no data on education level, which is a risk factor for dementia, and that the eight-year follow-up may not have been long enough to pick up all cases of dementia.

The U.S. Census Bureau forecasts that Americans over 65 years old will soon outnumber those younger than 18 for the first time in U.S. history, reports KVAL . "By 2035, there will be 78 million people 65 years and older compared to 76.7 million under the age of 18," says the Bureau's Jonathan Vespa. One in five Americans will be of retirement age by 2030, with the Census predicting that "The population is expected to grow at a slower pace, age considerably and become more racially and ethnically diverse. Net international migration is projected to overtake natural increase in 2030 as the primary driver of population growth in the United States." Vespa anticipates that by 2030 the nation will add approximately 1.1 million people via net international migration, but only about 1 million people by natural increase. "Between 2020 and 2050, the number of deaths is projected to rise substantially as the population ages and a significant share of the population, the baby boomers, age into older adulthood," the Census says. "As a result, the population will naturally grow very slowly, leaving net international migration to overtake natural increase as the leading cause of population growth, even as projected levels of migration remain relatively constant." The old-age dependency ratio is projected to rise as well to slightly more than three-and-a-half working-age adults for every retirement-age person by 2030, before declining to just under two-and-a-half working-age adults for every retirement-age person by 2060.

A study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers published in Science found neurogenesis in the brain structure in which memories are stored can improve cognitive function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's, reports the Harvard Gazette . They determined cognition can be impeded by the hostile inflammatory environment in the brains of persons with Alzheimer's, and physical exercise can "clean up" that environment, aiding the survival of new neurons and improving cognition. Experiments revealed that adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) could be induced in the mouse model either via exercise or treatment with drugs and gene therapy. Specimens in which AHN was induced by exercise exhibited improved cognitive performance and lower levels of beta-amyloid. "Newly born neurons, induced by drugs and gene therapy, were not able to survive in brain regions already ravaged by Alzheimer's pathology, particularly neuroinflammation," notes MGH's Rudolph Tanzi. According to MGH Professor Se Hoon Choi, "exercise also turned on the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF — known to be important for the growth and survival of neurons — which created a more hospitable brain environment for the new neurons to survive. By combining drugs and gene therapy that both induced neurogenesis and increased BDNF production, we were able to successfully mimic the effects of exercise on cognitive function."

A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found an association between osteoporosis and a 1.3-fold increase in the risk for dementia among men and a 1.2-fold increase among women, reports Healio Rheumatology . The researchers analyzed 29,983 people with osteoporosis followed by 1,215 general practitioners between January 1993 and December 2012. Also included were 29,983 controls, with the primary outcome being the proportion of participants with dementia diagnoses within 20 years of the index date. The researchers estimated that 20.5 percent of women with osteoporosis and 16.4 percent of women in the control group were diagnosed with dementia within those 20 years, as were 22 percent of men with osteoporosis and 14.9 percent of male controls. "The major hypothesis to explain the association between osteoporosis and dementia is that these two conditions have similar risk factors," says IQVIA's Karel Kostev. "Physicians who diagnose and treat osteoporosis — including orthopedists and, partly, gynecologists — should recommend their recipients receive memory checks or refer then to neurologists at least once per year. Neurologists should check beneficiaries for dementia or even mild cognitive impairment when they know that these persons have osteoporosis."

A survey from the Pew Research Center suggests Facebook may become a less effective way of reaching prospective senior living residents and their family members if the current situation continues, reports McKnight's Senior Living . The poll determined fears of unauthorized collection of personal data and a desire for greater privacy may be discouraging Facebook use by older adults. Forty percent of respondents aged 65 or older said they have suspended Facebook checkups for several weeks or more within the past year, while 33 percent said they have adjusted their privacy settings on Facebook in that time. Meanwhile, 12 percent of respondents reported deleting the Facebook app from their smartphones, and 61 percent noted they understand "not very well" how Facebook ascertains which posts display in their news feeds while 28 percent said they did not understand it at all. Furthermore, 79 percent said they have not intentionally attempted to influence which content gets displayed in their news feed by adjusting settings on Facebook. People aged 50 to 64, the age of many children of prospective residents, noted similar percentages for these actions. Pew said Facebook is the most commonly used social media site by American seniors.

AARP's 2018 Home and Community Preferences survey determined more older adults are sharing their homes with others, climbing from 2 percent in 2014 to 16 percent this year, reports PRNewswire . Most seniors who prefer to be solitary as they get older say they would consider sharing their home if they needed help with everyday activities, companionship, or additional income. They also were highly interested in other living and housing options, such as joining a "village," or living in or building an accessory dwelling unit. The top community features cited by respondents included: well-maintained streets, healthcare services, and safe parks, as well as affordable housing and safe, timely public transportation. "As people live longer and family dynamics change, people of all ages are more open to new living and transportation options," says AARP's Danielle Arigoni. "Some of these creative options are old concepts applied to new issues, such as re-envisioning 'in-law' suites for caregivers, while others use new technology to solve old problems, such as ridesharing services filling in transportation gaps." The poll also indicated that most adults, especially seniors, prefer staying in their current residence and communities as they age, consistent with findings from a 2014 survey.

A study finds marijuana usage is up among older Americans, with rates doubling among people 50 to 64 and rising almost seven-fold among those 65 and older, reports the Daily Mail . Nine percent of persons between 50 and 64 said they have used marijuana in the past year, versus 3 percent of adults 65 and older. Moreover, over 50 percent of adults ages 50 to 64 have used cannabis at least once in their lifetime versus about 20 percent of those 65 and older. "The baby boomer generation grew up during a period of significant cultural change, including a surge in popularity of marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s," says lead study author Benjamin Han. "We're now in a new era of changing attitudes around marijuana, and as stigma declines and access improves, it appears that baby boomers — many of whom have prior experience smoking marijuana — are increasingly using it." Growing acceptance and legalization of marijuana use in the United States for medicinal and recreation uses is cited as an underlying factor. Also playing a likely role is the fact that many users were probably already using and simply aged into the bracket being studied. "Marijuana has been shown to have benefits in treating certain conditions that affect older adults, including neuropathic pain and nausea," Han notes. "However, certain older adults may be at heightened risk for adverse effects associated with marijuana use, particularly if they have certain underlying chronic diseases or are also engaged in unhealthy substance use."

A study published in JACC: Heart Failure suggests older women who exercise could cut their risk of heart failure, reports Reuters . The investigators analyzed data on 137,303 postmenopausal women 50 to 79 years old, of whom about 33 percent had high blood pressure while few had other risk factors for heart disease. After about 14 years, 2,523 women had heart failure, and those who got at least some exercise were 11 percent less likely to develop heart failure while those getting the most were 35 percent less likely. A total of 451 women who developed heart failure had a subtype characterized by reduced ejection fraction. Versus women who did not exercise, those who received at least a little activity were 19 percent less likely to develop this subtype, while women who exercised the most were 32 percent less likely. An additional 734 women with heart failure had a subtype with preserved ejection fraction, and those who got a little exercise were 7 percent less likely to develop this subtype than sedentary women. Women who got the most exercise were 33 percent less likely. The University at Buffalo, New York's Michael LaMonte notes that walking, the most common leisure activity among older adults, seems to be as effective as more vigorous regimens.

A new study from the Social Science Research Network finds bankruptcy among Americans older than 65 has more than doubled, reports CNBC . The U.S. government estimates that the average monthly Social Security check is $1,404, and more than 40 percent of single adults receive more than 90 percent of their income from that check. The U.S. Government Accountability Office says the population of Social Security recipients 65 and up who had their check reduced because of their student loans rose more than 500 percent between 2002 and 2015. Possible remedies include mapping expenses, according to financial experts. This should make it more likely that consumers stick to a budget, and therefore avoid deeper debt. Meanwhile, the National Council on Aging's Economic Check Up website lets users secure a free personal report on money management and budgeting. Lori Trawinski with the AARP Public Policy Institute suggests consumers who are anticipating problems paying their mortgages contact their financial institution immediately. Meanwhile, Craig Copeland with the Employee Benefit Research Institute says, "To pay off the debt, you're going to have to give up some living standards. You may have to stop traveling or going out for dinner."

A study from the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation suggests primary care providers could play a key role in promoting vision care for adults age 50 and older, especially for those most in need of eye exams and those most sensitive to the cost, reports News-Medical . Overall, 18 percent of survey respondents said they had not had a professional eye exam in three years or more, or were unsure when they had their last exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. A quarter of respondents cited cost as the main factor discouraging them from receiving vision care, and almost as many cited lack of insurance coverage. The most common reason was they had no vision problems. Meanwhile, about 25 percent reported being diagnosed with either cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, or diabetes-related eye disease. U-M Professor Joshua Ehrlich says primary care providers are important partners with eye care specialists in advising high-risk adults about when to get an exam. The poll may in fact underestimate the population of people over 50 who have not received sufficient vision screening or care, since it could have been difficult for those with poor vision to complete the survey.