March 11, 2016

Today's Top News


MUST READS

March 11, 2016 The Daily Beast article reported on the use of smart sensors to assist dementia patients and caregivers. According to the article, “While smart tech, like Wi-Fi enabled sensors that can talk to each other and access information, could help caregivers and patients, very little data exists about how to best use tech for older adults—particularly those with dementia. University of California at San Francisco (UCSF)’s Memory and Aging Center, in collaboration with three other universities, is trying to change that through their three-year, web-based “care ecosystem” clinical trial of over 300 dementia patients and their caregivers.”

A March 10, 2016 Reuters article reported that “Dementia afflicts black people and American Indians more than other racial groups in the U.S., according to a recent study highlighting dramatic disparities in the prevalence of the disease.”

A March 10, 2016 The Ripon Advance article reported that “U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) called on Tuesday for implementation of a program that would evaluate how support for family caregivers impacts the long-term care needs of those with Alzheimer’s disease.” According to the article, “In a letter to the acting administrator of the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Capito requested a demonstration program to evaluate whether support for family caregivers can delay or reduce the need for long-term institutional care and other services.”

A March 10, 2016 The Telegraph article reported that “A daily drink which manufacturers say can ‘manage’ Alzheimer’s disease actually does stop the brain from shrinking, a two year clinical trial has shown.” According to the article, “Souvenaid, which was created by Irish firm Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition, contains a cocktail of vitamins and nutrients which have been shown to boost brain function. It has been on sale in Britain since 2013, but has never been independently tested to see if it actually worked.”


INTERESTING READS FROM AROUND THE WEB

BBC News: Can mobile apps help to improve our health?

The White House: Technology and the Imperative of Citizenship

Harvard Political Review: Interview with Meredith Viera: On Alzheimer’s Advocacy and Journalism

NY Mag: Behind the Scenes of an Audaciously Ambitious Social-Science Project