Advances in brain imaging technology have revealed how Alzheimer's spreads throughout the brain, reports WebMD . Scientists believe this discovery may allow the disease to be blocked before it can spread. Using a new PET scan technique, scientists at the University of Cambridge were able to look at levels of tau proteins and connections in the brain. The researchers say their findings support the idea that when tau spreads across the brain it infects and destroys nerve cells. This damage results in the worsening of Alzheimer's symptoms. The study, published in the journal Brain , suggests in the future it may be possible to slow or halt the spread of tau proteins by creating drugs that stop tau proteins from moving along neurons.

Despite recent setbacks in efforts to find treatments for Alzheimer's disease, the drug industry has not given up, reports the Wall Street Journal . Axovant Sciences on Monday announced that it has shuttered development for a once-promising Alzheimer's drug. The announcement came days after Pfizer said it was giving up on the space entirely. Roche Holding, Biogen, Eli Lilly, and others, however, are still developing therapies. Startups with neuroscience pipelines, like Denali Therapeutics and Verge Genomics, are attracting funding, and so are early-stage research projects. "It's too early to give up," said Paul Aisen, the director of the University of Southern California's Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research Institute in San Diego. "We're actually on the precipice of major advances. I would not discount all the disappointments over the years, but I believe we're in good shape."

Millennials entering the nursing profession could prevent a shortage caused by the retirement of baby boomers, as millennials are nearly twice as likely to be nurses as boomers, according to a study published in Health Affairs , reports the Indianapolis Star . "We're really seeing an influx of millennial nurses into our workforce," says Lisa Sparks, chief nursing officer at IU Health West Hospital. "I would say it's been the most noticeable over the last 18 to 24 months." Reasons experts cite for the millennial nurse surge include nursing schools nearly doubling enrollment in the past 10 years to help train a replacement workforce for the many nurses who will soon retire. Furthermore, healthcare appeals to millennials' desire to do work that matters and contributes to society, and nursing careers offer a flexibility not often found in other professions. Sparks notes prospective nurses give considerable weight to flexibility in terms of job schedules and the environment in which they work. "The adaptability piece is key," she says. "That's one of the benefits that we offer as a system, because there's a lot of opportunity to move through our different hospitals, or even our different service lines or units. That's very appealing to this generation."

A new survey conducted as part of the 2015-2016 University HealthSystem Consortium/American Association of Colleges of Nursing Nurse Residency Program assessed the effects of a meditation intervention on staff perception of stress, reports Oncology Nursing News . Participants included 34 staffers from the medical oncology and gynecologic oncology units, including registered nurses, nurse educators, and care associates. They were initially asked questions to identify their perception of stress at work and related to actively dying recipient care, years of experience, and coping mechanisms for work-related stress. None of the four participating care associates perceived caring for actively dying persons as a stressful event, so no change was observed in the assessment of stress after guided imagery. Further consideration into differences in nursing and support staff stress levels is justified and monitoring of turnover post-intervention is being undertaken. A standardized tool to assess stress and perception of burnout, as well as a roster of standardized definitions of words and phrases frequently used in the survey and discussion would help provide a tangible reference for participants. For example, nurses and nursing support staff define "actively dying" person differently. Whereas one nurse might use that term to define the majority of care recipients on the medical oncology or gynecologic oncology units, another might consider only a person with agonal breathing or "comfort measures only" code status to be actively dying.

A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found repeated vaccination for influenza in older adults lowered both the severity of the virus and hospitalization rates, reports EurekAlert . The researchers analyzed flu vaccinations in the current and three previous seasons in people aged 65 years and older who visited 20 Spanish hospitals in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. They determined repeated vaccination was twice as effective in preventing severe flu in people hospitalized for the virus versus nonsevere cases, and that this effect was consistent irrespective of flu season, virus subtypes, or subject age. "Repeated vaccination for influenza was highly effective in preventing severe and fatal infection caused by influenza in older adults," note the researchers. The investigators also say because severe flu cases may be prevented by two mechanisms, the vaccination's effectiveness against the virus may be greater than that for mild cases, and the advantage of vaccination may be greater than that calculated in earlier studies. "The prevention of severe and fatal infection caused by influenza was observed mainly in persons who were vaccinated in both the current and previous seasons, which reinforces the recommendation of annual vaccination for influenza in older adults," the team concludes.

Over the weekend, the Boston Globe reports, Pfizer announced that it was halting development of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's drugs. Company officials say the cuts will occur over several months. An official Pfizer statement read: "This was an exercise to reallocate spending across our portfolio, to focus on those areas where our pipeline, and our scientific expertise, is strongest." Successful development of an effective drug to treat Alzheimer's has been elusive. Still, other companies including Cambridge-based Biogen continue to pursue such treatments.

A study has demonstrated that music can invoke memory, and researchers are trying to determine whether music can be used as therapy for people once considered beyond reach, reports inewsource.org . Ten residents at the Villa Coronado nursing community are participating in a $1.4 million California study exploring the linkage between memory and music. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have teamed up with the California Association of Health Facilities to determine whether music can replace antipsychotic drugs in nursing community residents who are vulnerable to agitation and help improve their quality of life. More than 4,500 men and women living in 300 California nursing communities are participating in the study, which targets people with dementia. Those with traumatic brain injury also can exhibit aggressive behavior. Recent research also implies music therapy could help people recover from a coma or a vegetative state. "Half the time you might think that your patient is unconscious, although he is conscious or showing signs of consciousness," says University of California, Los Angeles Professor Caroline Schnakers. "This is mind-boggling."

Guidewell Financial Solutions President Helene Raynaud and Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot write one in five adults aged 65 and older has been targeted by senior financial abuse, with up to $120,000 in losses per senior financial abuse victim, reports the Baltimore Sun . They note in the last decade, the Maryland Comptroller's office has detected and impeded more than 80,000 fraudulent tax returns worth more than $185 million. "Predators can be complete strangers, caregivers, dishonest telemarketers, acquaintances, or even your seemingly-closest friend or family member," Reynaud and Franchot warn. On January 8, Maryland will roll out its "PROTECT Week" campaign to boost awareness of such abuse and how to prevent it. "Five years ago, Maryland law began to require banks and credit unions to report suspected financial exploitation of Marylanders age 65 and up," Raynaud and Franchot note. "Two years ago, AARP launched its Fraud Watch Network designed to help combat the growing fraud problem some seniors have experienced. And last year, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh appointed a dedicated Senior Asset Recovery Unit that investigated and sued on behalf of victims of senior financial abuse in Maryland." Raynaud and Franchot recommend citizens visit www.PROTECTweek.com to access free and inexpensive resources to learn more about senior financial abuse and protective measures. They also suggest anyone who suspects an older adult is being mistreated or victimized by financial abusers contact a local long-term care ombudsman such as those at the Maryland Department of Aging, or the police. Suspicion of financial exploitation of seniors also should be reported to the Office of the Attorney General for further investigation by calling 410-576-6575.

A new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) titled "Serious Illness in Late Life: The Public's Views and Experiences" looks at the general public's expectations concerning late life as well as the steps they have followed to plan for the possibility of serious illness, reports the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) . To collect information specific to living with serious illness, the researchers polled 1,000 people and families coping with serious illness. Among the study's key findings is the discovery of a disconnect between what the public acknowledges as realities of serious illness and what they actively plan for, and the fact that older adults with serious illness often report requiring more help than they get. Persons with both serious illness and documents outlining care preferences more frequently feel their wishes for medical care are being followed. C-TAC, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and KFF will host an exclusive brief on the study's findings in a Jan. 16 webinar. Participants will receive an overview of the study and will have the opportunity to engage with presenters and ask questions. C-TAC Co-Chair Bill Novelli, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Communications Officer Stacey Bailey, and KFF Associate Director of Public Opinion and Survey Research Bianca DiJulio will be among the scheduled speakers, while registration for the webinar is available here .

Patriot Software CEO Mike Kappel offers five ways to nurture a culture of organizational engagement, starting with the inclusion of onboarding and training new hires, reports Forbes . "With a successful onboarding and training program, employees will learn how to effectively do their job," Kappel writes. "This is the time they can engage with you and ask questions, offer ideas, and voice concerns." A second step is establishing annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and monthly corporate goals so workers have something to strive for. "You can set general company goals as well as goals within each department," Kappel says. "That way, each employee knows how their work is impacting the departmental and overall success of your business." A third recommendation is to acknowledge employees for their hard work, while focusing on worker development is a fourth step. "Employees want to develop their skills and continue challenging themselves," Kappel says. "They don't want to do monotonous tasks that require minimal effort. Engaged employees constantly use their mind and enhance their skills." The fifth strategy Kappel suggests is to avoid micromanagement. "Instead of micromanaging, I let each employee make decisions about how to accomplish their work," he says. "This leads to higher levels of engagement."