Abstract
Using 40 countries’ subnational data, we estimate age-specific mortality-temperature relationships and extrapolate them to countries without data today and into a future with climate change. ...We uncover a U-shaped relationship where extre6me cold and hot temperatures increase mortality rates, especially for the elderly. Critically, this relationship is flattened by higher incomes and adaptation to local climate. Using a revealed-preference approach to recover unobserved adaptation costs, we estimate that the mean global increase in mortality risk due to climate change, accounting for adaptation benefits and costs, is valued at roughly 3.2% of global GDP in 2100 under a high-emissions scenario. Notably, today’s cold locations are projected to benefit, while today’s poor and hot locations have large projected damages. Finally, our central estimates indicate that the release of an additional ton of CO2 today will cause mortality-related damages of $36.6 under a high-emissions scenario, with an interquartile range accounting for both econometric and climate uncertainty of −$7.8, $73.0. These empirically grounded estimates exceed the previous literature’s estimates by an order of magnitude.
Understanding whether labor market discrimination explains inferior labor market outcomes for many groups has drawn the attention of labor economists for decades—at least since the publication of ...Gary Becker’s The Economics of Discrimination in 1957. The decades of research on discrimination in labor markets began with a regression-based “decomposition” approach, asking whether raw wage or earnings differences between groups—which might constitute prima facie evidence of discrimination—were in fact attributable to other productivity-related factors. Subsequent research—responding in large part to limitations of the regression-based approach—moved on to other approaches, such as using firm-level data to estimate both marginal productivity and wage differentials. In recent years, however, there has been substantial growth in experimental research on labor market discrimination—although the earliest experiments were done decades ago. Some experimental research on labor market discrimination takes place in the lab. But far more of it is done in the field, which makes this particular area of experimental research unique relative to the explosion of experimental economic research more generally. This paper surveys the full range of experimental literature on labor market discrimination, places it in the context of the broader research literature on labor market discrimination, discusses the experimental literature from many different perspectives (empirical, theoretical, and policy), and reviews both what this literature has taught us thus far, and what remains to be done.
Background
Nursing home eligible participants in the Program of All‐inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) are at high risk for falls. Physical function is a modifiable predictor of falls and an ...important target for prevention. We engaged a PACE site to explore feasibility of implementing progressive intensive rehabilitation to improve physical function and preliminary patient‐level improvements.
Methods
The research involved a mixed‐methods, pre–post implementation study with longitudinal patient follow‐up at one Denver PACE site. Older adults at risk for institutionalization (N = 28) took part in Screening and high‐intensity interventions to Improve Falls risk and Transform expectations in age and aging (SHIFT) rehabilitation program over six weeks. Outcomes included the short physical performance battery (SPPB); 4‐meter gait speed at baseline, discharge, and 6 and 12 months postdischarge from SHIFT. A focus group with staff explored facilitators and barriers to program implementation in the PACE setting and with complex patients and perceived effectiveness.
Results
The rehabilitation team demonstrated high treatment fidelity to SHIFT (>80%). No treatment‐specific adverse events were reported. SPPB scores and gait speeds improved significantly over time (p < 0.005). The average SPPB score at evaluation was 4.6 ± 0.24 compared to 7.7 ± 0.38 points at discharge. The average gait speed at evaluation was 0.58 ± 0.03 meters/second (m/s) compared to 0.79 ± 0.04 m/s at discharge. Common barriers to program completion included changes in health status and environmental factors (e.g., transportation).
Conclusions
Rehabilitation therapists incorporated a high‐intensity resistance training program into routine care of complex older adults in PACE and improved pre–post physical function to levels above independence thresholds (SPPB ≥6; gait speed ≥0.65 m/s). Our pilot implementation study informed refinement of eligibility criteria, number of visits, and strategies to address long‐term adherence to enhance scalability and optimize impact.
Abstract The papers included in this section represent the effort of the Task Force on Nutrition of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology to synthetize the evidence-based concepts on ...nutritional support of the elderly cancer patients. In the attempt of presenting a comprehensive overview of the topic, the panel included experts from different specialties: basic researchers, nutritionists, geriatricians, nurses, dieticians, gastroenterologists, oncologists. Cancer in elderly people is a growing problem. Not only in almost every country, the proportion of people aged over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group, but cancer per se is also a disease of old adult-elderly people, hence the oncologists face an increasing number of these patients both now and in the next years. The are several studies on nutrition of elderly subjects and many other on nutrition of cancer patients but relatively few specifically devoted to the nutritional support of the elderly cancer patients. However, the awareness that elderly subjects account for a high proportion of the mixed cancer patients population, in some way legitimates us to extend some conclusions of the literature also to the elderly cancer patients. Although the topics of this Experts' Consensus have been written by specialists in different areas of nutrition, the final message is addressed to the oncologists. Not only they should be more directly involved in the simplest steps of the nutritional care (recognition of the potential existence of a “nutritional risk” which can compromise the planned oncologic program, use of some oral supplements, etc.) but, as the true experts of the natural history of their cancer patient, they should also coordinate the process of the nutritional support, integrating this approach in the overall multidisciplinary cancer care.
Dies ist ein Open Access Buch. Wir haben immer mehr Alte, immer weniger Kinder. Dank wissenschaftlicher Fortschritte verlängert sich die Lebenserwartung ständig. Erkenntnisse aus der ...Naturwissenschaft in der post-genomischen Ära deuten darauf, dass diese Entwicklung trotz der Zunahme altersassoziierter Krankheiten und Behinderungen noch nicht am Ende angekommen ist. Droht diese Flut von Alten, Rentnern und „Konsumenten des Lebens“ zum Verlust des Zusammenhalts der Gesellschaft zu führen? Nach der Bestandsaufnahme der jüngsten Errungenschaften der Forschung hat das interaktive Symposium sich mit den Chancen und Gefahren der „gewonnenen Jahre“ auseinandergesetzt. Die Referentinnen und Referenten sind herausragende Vertreter der Biologie und Medizin. Meinungsbildner der Geisteswissenschaften und Persönlichkeiten aus der Politik kamen ebenfalls zu Wort. Dies ist ein Open-Access-Buch.
Successful Memory Aging Nyberg, Lars; Pudas, Sara
Annual review of psychology,
01/2019, Letnik:
70, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
For more than 50 years, psychologists, gerontologists, and, more recently, neuroscientists have considered the possibility of successful aging. How to define successful aging remains debated, but ...well-preserved age-sensitive cognitive functions, like episodic memory, is an often-suggested criterion. Evidence for successful memory aging comes from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showing that some older individuals display high and stable levels of performance. Successful memory aging may be accomplished via multiple paths. One path is through brain maintenance, or relative lack of age-related brain pathology. Through another path, successful memory aging can be accomplished despite brain pathology by means of efficient compensatory and strategic processes. Genetic, epigenetic, and lifestyle factors influence memory aging via both paths. Some of these factors can be promoted throughout the life course, which, at the individual as well as the societal level, can positively impact successful memory aging.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused epidemic spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Seattle, Washington, metropolitan area, with morbidity and ...mortality concentrated among residents of skilled nursing facilities. The prevalence of COVID-19 among older adults in independent/assisted living is not understood.
To conduct surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and describe symptoms of COVID-19 among residents and staff of an independent/assisted living community.
In March 2020, public health surveillance of staff and residents was conducted on site at an assisted and independent living residence for older adults in Seattle, Washington, after exposure to 2 residents who were hospitalized with COVID-19.
Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a congregate setting implementing social isolation and infection prevention protocols.
SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed on nasopharyngeal swabs from residents and staff; a symptom questionnaire was completed assessing fever, cough, and other symptoms for the preceding 14 days. Residents were retested for SARS-CoV-2 7 days after initial screening.
Testing was performed on 80 residents; 62 were women (77%), with mean age of 86 (range, 69-102) years. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 3 of 80 residents (3.8%); none felt ill, 1 male resident reported resolved cough and 1 loose stool during the preceding 14 days. Virus was also detected in 2 of 62 staff (3.2%); both were symptomatic. One week later, resident SARS-CoV-2 testing was repeated and 1 new infection detected (asymptomatic). All residents remained in isolation and were clinically stable 14 days after the second test.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic residents highlights challenges in protecting older adults living in congregate settings. In this study, symptom screening failed to identify residents with infections and all 4 residents with SARS-CoV-2 remained asymptomatic after 14 days. Although 1 asymptomatic infection was found on retesting, a widespread facility outbreak was avoided. Compared with skilled nursing settings, in assisted/independent living communities, early surveillance to identify asymptomatic persons among residents and staff, in combination with adherence to recommended preventive strategies, may reduce viral spread.
A large empirical literature has debated the existence of a U-shaped happiness-age curve. This paper re-examines the relationship between various measures of well-being and age in 145 countries, ...including 109 developing countries, controlling for education and marital and labor force status, among others, on samples of individuals under the age of 70. The U-shape of the curve is forcefully confirmed, with an age minimum, or nadir, in midlife around age 50 in separate analyses for developing and advanced countries as well as for the continent of Africa. The happiness curve seems to be everywhere. While panel data are largely unavailable for this issue, and the findings using such data largely confirm the cross-section results, the paper discusses insights on why cohort effects do not drive the findings. I find the age of the minima has risen over time in Europe and the USA.
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