Do you take your medications as required?

One of the workshops I deliver is about the misuse of medications by Seniors. It is a major problem, not just  for seniors but  for all ages, yet this is a problem identified as Seniors do not take their prescribed medications as they should.  This is identified by the medical profession as no adherence. Adherence can be defined as the extent to which medication administration coincides with medical advice and instructions.  

The following is taken from an article from NICE. NICE is an international network of researchers, practitioners, and students dedicated to improving the care of older adults, both in Canada and abroad. Their members represent a broad spectrum of disciplines and professions, including geriatric medicine, gerontological nursing, gerontological social work, gerontology, rehabilitation science, sociology, psychology, policy, law and older adults themselves and their caregivers.

30 to 50 % of the ambulatory population does not adhere with their medication directives and non-adherence can be as high as 60% in the elderly.

Adherence varies with the disease state; number and type of medications taken; characteristics of the patient; the nature of communication between practitioner and patient; and economic factors.

Elderly patients not adhering with medications results in 10% of hospital admissions and 23% of nursing home admissions

Adherence in Seniors may be a result of:

•       Not filling the prescription

•       Not refilling the prescription

•       Prematurely quitting the medication

•       Taking more or less of the medication prescribed

•       Not taking the medication according to the dosing schedule

•       Not taking the medication according to special instructions such as taking on an empty or full stomach (can affect absorption or cause stomach problems)

•       Taking medication not prescribed (sharing medication) that do not have symptoms in the early stages of their natural history have high rates of non-adherence because patients assume if they do not have pain or other symptoms they must not be ill

Patient education is critical, explaining in lay language the consequences if the disease is not treated in the early stages. Example: stroke and heart attack for uncontrolled hypertension.

Explaining the pathophysiological change in the body when medication is not taken helps the patient understand the role medication plays in prevention.

Multiple medications with complex dosing or administration schedules can be problematic because the elderly may have memory problems, diminished eyesight, hearing, arthritic hands that make opening bottles or administering medications difficult. Some ways to help would be to

•      Counsel family members or caregivers to monitor medication taking if possible

•      Use pill organizers that can be filled weekly

•      Use special bottle caps and large print

•      Simplify the regimen of taking medication by eliminating duplication 

•      Prescribing extended release medications or medications in alternative formulations that require less frequent administration

How The Toilet Changed History

This is a fascinating little documentary on the commode, throne, privy, latrine, potty, whatever you want to call it. It is not as new an invention as you might think and no, it was not invented by Thomas Crapper (isn't that too bad.)

Medical alerts for kidney stones

Many people are not aware of it but there are actually different types of kidney stones that some individuals suffer from. Among those types, the most common that most people develop is called "calcium oxalate stone." While others are called "struvite stones," "uric acid stones," and "cystine stones." These types vary depending on what cause them and their characteristics. 

People who are prone to kidney stones must familiarise themselves with the different types as early as possible so they would know what to adjust. Aside from setting lifestyles changes, knowing what type of kidney stones develop in the body is also important because it will help you do the things that will prevent their existence in your body system. 

The symptoms of kidney stones

To be able to address the condition properly, it a must for people who are prone to having kidney stones to familiarise themselves with the condition. In order to determine if one is suffering from kidney stones, here are some medical alerts or symptoms to be noted: 

1. Pain in all levels. As vague as it is, pain in varying levels is one of the major medical alerts of kidney stones. Considered as a common symptom for kidney stones, pain may vary depending on the size of the kidney stone and the length of time that it remains undiagnosed. Experts say that pain—which can be mild or extreme—is normal for people who suffer from kidney stones. This is because as the stone increases in size and weight, the more discomfort it brings especially during urination. Another form of pain that can be experienced due to kidney stones is from renal colic, which brings waves of severe pain that last for more than 10 minutes and can even last for an hour depending on the location of the kidney stone.

2. Blood in the urine or "hematuria."  The presence of blood in the urine is quite disturbing but this is one of the most common medical alerts of kidney stones. 

Other symptoms of kidney stones include nausea or vomiting, pain with urination, and at times, the urgent need to urinate which are usually characterised among children and adults. 

The importance of diagnosis 

Did you know that almost 50 percent of the people who suffer from kidney stones would likely have them again in the next 10 years or so? This is because many of the sufferers do not continue medication and they cease from maintaining healthy diet and lifestyle. 

People who are likely to suffer from kidney stones can go to any hospital's Emergency Room or "ER". Here, you can ask the attending physician or the hospital clerk on duty to undergo testing. It is advantageous for you to go straight to the ER because hospital people will attend to you directly. In most cases, it would take a long time before one can actually set at check up with a specialist. So it would be best if you go directly to the ER and get the prompt attention that you need.

Diagnosis can be done through an assessment of the person's clinical history, a physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and x-ray for follow up. Having early diagnosis can definitely help you determine which type of kidney stone is present and would lead to faster and reliable treatments.

DriveABLE BC

The following is a report done by the Social Concerns Committee of the Retired Teachers Association. In BC when a person reaches 80, they are required to take a test to determine their ability to drive. This test is done every two years and there is no standard fee for the test. As a result, some seniors have paid over $300 for the test by the Doctor and some have paid $50.00.

 

The Province's DriveABLE program tests drivers with a computer touch screen and has resulted in people having their drivers' licence cancelled. We believe recent efforts to improve the DriveABLE program's image and accessibility are simply wrongheaded. 

The program is not "misunderstood" – it is simply wrong: poorly conceived, unsupported by current science, a violation of our charter rights and tainted by conflict of interest. Improved access will only bring more harm.

 

BC Motor Vehicles Fitness to Drive

A member’s bitter experience led us to look into the DriveABLE program. His wife's driving licence was revoked after failing a computer-based test. We did some digging and "put out the word". Our members and others are really angry. Rather than a scientific breakthrough in public safety, we have a program based on out of date research. We have privatized public policy developed by consultants, delegated to clerks and computers and outsourced to independent contractors.

Recent Developments

On March 19, 2016 Shirley Bond, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, announced changes to the DriveABLE program: "… a decision regarding a person’s ability to continue driving will not be made solely from an in-office computer assessment. People who fail the computer assessment will be offered a DriveABLE road assessment. The results of the in-office assessment combined with the on-road evaluation and medical information will ensure licence decisions are made in the fairest manner possible. The Province will pay for the cost of both assessments."

Our efforts, and those of others advocating for seniors have had some impact. Drivers' licences will no longer be suspended "on the spot" as a result of a screening test.

Are we there, yet? No.

We believe that efforts to improve the program's PR and accessibility are simply wrongheaded. The program is not "misunderstood" – it is wrong. It should be cancelled. Improving access will only result in more people's lives being damaged.

Background

There are two programs under the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV) that affect seniors' driving: the 80+ medical assessment and DriveABLE.

•      After the age of 80, accident free or not, drivers are required to get a doctor’s assessment of their medical fitness to drive. While most receive a positive report, others may be referred for further assessment. (DriveABLE)

•      Under the DriveABLE program, a report from the police, health care provider or "concerned citizen" may result in having to take a DriveABLE test. The purpose of the test is to assess cognitive fitness.

The DriveABLE program is based on an out-of-date view of the world. Twenty years ago, there was what amounts to a moral panic about aging and driving; an apocalyptic vision of a "grey wave" of demented "wrinklies" careening down the roads. It was not hard to convince funding agencies and academic journals of the risks inherent in the rising tide of demented drivers. Clever entrepreneurs have used fear, uncertainty and doubt to promote their agenda and their products.

The real world, thank goodness, has not cooperated. Seniors' accident and death rates have gone down, not up. Cooler heads have prevailed in the academic world. Where mass screening of drivers for cognitive fitness was sliced bread in the '90's, a respected voice in health care now says:

…the available literature fails to demonstrate the benefit of driver assessment for either preserving transport mobility or reducing motor vehicle accidents."

adding their reasons:

the cognitive test that most strongly predicted future crashes would … prevent six crashes per 1000 people over 65 screened, but at the price of stopping the driving of 121 people who would not have had a crash.

Attitudes about senior drivers are changing but we still have work to do. Too many conversations about aging drivers include words like these:

"No one wants unsafe drivers on the road"

thus justifying almost any level of heavy-handed intervention into seniors' lives.

This is unhelpful. We will always need to strike a balance between mobility and safety. The only way to have no unsafe drivers on the road is to have no drivers or close the roads. Drawing neat little lines in the sand isn't possible.

Our Continuing Concerns

•      The harm caused by the DriveABLE program far outweighs the benefits. The program casts too wide a net, damaging people's lives. We have seen little acknowledgement of the impact of driving cessation. We need a balanced, thoughtful review of this program with community input. The review must exclude those who have an institutional bias or business interest in the outcome. • The driving record should be the "gold standard" not the DriveABLE road test.

•      The over 80 medical exam should be discontinued. In reviewing European experience, the UK Transport Research Laboratory stated: "There is no evidence that any licence renewal procedure or requirement for a medical examination has an effect on the overall road safety of drivers aged 65+"

•      Since the fatal crash rate for 70-74 year olds, 75 - 79 year olds and 80+ year olds is now less than that of 35-54 year olds there is no justification for discriminating against seniors.

•      Retraining and remediation are absent from the OSMV's program. The belief seems to be that cognitive impairment is incurable, decline inevitable and remediation impossible. This doesn't square with modern science. One cognitive factor which modern research has found to be strongly predictive of crashes is the Useful Field of View - UFOV. Training is readily available which remedies UFOV problems and would undoubtedly reduce risks and promote independence. There are likely other remedial approaches. OSMV relies solely on driving cessation.

•      Our doctors have been misled into believing that they are liable for damages under case law if they don't report on those they believe unfit to drive. A professional development document for BC doctors cites a 1973 precedent that was overruled in 2003. A minor quibble, you say? Ask your doctor how she feels about being misled and bullied into reporting. We believe this program damages the doctor-patient relationship; patients becoming guarded about disclosing information to doctors; doctors reluctant to bring up the subject of driving. Medicine doesn't work on a "don't ask, don't tell" basis. We support the Neurologists position; physicians should be free to report or not report based on their assessment of the needs of the individual, the family and the community.

•      If seniors must be screened and assessed, then individual and community needs must be taken into consideration. We believe that physicians - people we trust - should be the major players in the complex decisions about driving restriction, retraining, remediation or cessation. We need the "meaningful and trusted consultation" that only our doctors can provide, not a heavy-handed approach with all of the decisions being made by clerks, computers and contractors.

If you or anyone you know has lost a drivers' licence through taking a DriveABLE test, you should write to:

Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles

Attn: Driver Fitness Unit

PO Box 9254 STN PROV GOVT Victoria, BC V8W 9J2

and request a road test.

Men's mental health influenced by blood pressure, heart rate in adolescence

New research out of Sweden shows a link between blood pressure and an increased risk for psychiatric disorders. The following was written by by Hannah Nichols and published in October 2016. The full article is here

New research - involving more than 1 million men in Sweden - finds that differences in heart rate and blood pressure in late adolescence may be associated with an increased lifetime risk for psychiatric disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders.
Men who have high blood pressure and high heart rate in their teens are more likely to develop OCD, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders, say researchers.

Previous smaller studies have reported elevated resting heart rate in people with major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and psychotic disorders. Alterations in blood pressure have also been observed in people with schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.

However, results of these studies have been inconsistent, with some studies reporting higher or lower blood pressure levels, and they have been skewed, in part, by side effects of medications.

The researchers aimed in this new large-scale cohort study to investigate whether differences in resting heart rate and blood pressure are associated with psychiatric disorders during the lifetimes of men in Sweden.

Researchers from Sweden and Finland conducted a study based on data of 1,794,361 Swedish men whose resting heart rate and blood pressure were measured at military conscription at an average age of 18 years between 1969-2010.

High heart rate linked to OCD, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders. Antti Latvala, Ph.D., of the University of Helsinki in Finland, and co-authors included several potential factors that may influence the outcome of the results, including physical, cognitive, and socioeconomic factors. They included height, weight, and body mass index (BMI), due to their potential association with both cardiovascular functioning and the risk for mental disorders.

The data were adjusted for general cognitive ability (IQ), because, according to the study authors, IQ is associated with psychiatric morbidity, although its association with resting heart beat and blood pressure is unknown.

Research results - published online in JAMA Psychiatry - show that male teenagers who had a resting heart rate above 82 beats per minute had a 69 percent increased risk of developing obsessive-compulsive behavior (OCD), compared with male teenagers with a resting heart rate below 62 beats per minute.

Similarly, compared with males in the lower heart rate category, men in the higher heart rate category had a 21 percent increased risk for schizophrenia and an 18 percent greater risk for anxiety. In contrast, teenage males with a lower resting heartbeat were linked to substance use disorders and violent convictions, particularly after adjusting for physical fitness.

The study authors reported similar associations for OCD, schizophrenia, anxiety, substance use disorders, and violence with higher and lower blood pressure readings.

"In this large-scale longitudinal cohort study, we found men with higher resting heart rate and higher blood pressure in late adolescence to be more likely to have received a diagnosis of OCD, schizophrenia, or anxiety disorder later in life," say the authors.

The strongest associations were seen with OCD, with men in the higher resting heart rate category 70-80 percent more likely to be at risk than men in the lower category. Correspondingly, men in the highest blood pressure category had a 30-40 percent greater risk for OCD than men in the lowest blood pressure category.

Stress Management

The Basics Of Stress Management

Stress has always been a part of our daily routine; problems at work or issues with your business, or even some conflicts between your friends and family members -- stress always rears its ugly head to make our life difficult. If left unchecked, stress will result to wrong decisions due to our confused state of mind. In fact, being unsuccessful is also attributed to stress -- which involves a person's fear and anxiety taking over their rational thinking. 

Stress Management aims to help an individual cope with stress. This involves techniques and strategies to help a person to physically, mentally, and emotionally cope with their individual problems. If it's your first time to hear this term then you might want to read on to know more about it and apply it to yourself if you need to. 

Stress management involves methods and strategies in which a person can directly take control of their problems before they take its toll on their bodies. In most cases, a person who is under the grip of stress is often plagued with physical ailments, emotional problems, or even mental and behavioral changes that can affect your lifestyle.

There are different techniques and tricks that a person can use to deal with their own stress and problems. Even if one method of stress management worked on some, there is no guarantee that it will have the same effect on you. In truth, the application of stress management depends on our mindset on how we view stress and our capability to deal with it. 

Relaxation Is The Key

Experts would agree that stress always starts with problems that crop up in our life from time to time. Small problems are easy to deal with, but when they start piling up on you that they become stressful. In truth, stress takes root in our minds and may become a problem when we let it control our way of thinking. 

It is very important for an individual to relax when gripped by stress. There are plenty of relaxation methods you can use to achieve a calm state of mind. Meditation is a great way to focus your thoughts on a more productive subject than wallowing in your problems that will eventually result to self-pity and depression. Practicing meditation daily will help a person develop a method of looking into a problem in a detached state -- which is to say that your emotions will not be affecting your decision and you can proceed to fixing it without worries of making a mistake. 

Breathing exercises are also very useful if you want your mind to achieve a relaxed state. Proper intake and distribution of oxygen throughout your body can help keep our mind clear and focused. Also breathing exercises serves as a prologue to meditation. 

Ask The Help Of A Professional

If you are having problems in dealing with stress on your own, then its fine time to look for a professional to help you out. You can have an expert on stress take a look at your condition and help you cope with it. In most cases, these experts will help you face your fears and worries head-on and help you find a solution to cope with the problem to remove stress from your system. 

The brown bag test

As part of the workshops I do on memory and aging, we recommend the participants do the brown bag test. We recommend that the participants make an appointment with their pharmacist (or their doctor) to review all of the medications they are taking. 

In this review we recommend they take both their non-prescription and prescription drugs with them to the appointment. We recommend that they ask the pharmacist to review how the medications and over the counter drugs interact and what, if any, long term affect they may have on the individuals health. 

According to a CBC story  the wrong mix of medications causes dementia

Larry Chambers, a scientific adviser with the Alzheimer Society of Canada, says up to 20 per cent of dementias could be due to a bad mix of medications.

"Some of the anticholinergics and antihistamines are very dangerous for cognitive impairment. The other really big one is benzodiazepine that is used for helping people sleep," he says.

It's not just prescription medications that can lead to cognitive issues — over-the-counter ones can too.

"Three really big ones are omega 3 fish oil, Aspirin, and garlic," Chambers says.

"These are known to be contraindicated and cause problems with cognitive functioning and lead to dementia if taken with some heart medications that a physician might prescribe."

In these cases, says Chambers, the dementia can be reversed once the medication is stopped or adjusted.

That's why he encourages seniors and their families to track all prescription and non-prescription drugs and share that information with their doctor and pharmacist.

If you are taking more than one type of prescription, don’t delay take the brown bag test as soon as you can.

What about falling?

We fall, and falling is not a remote possibility for seniors.  It is likely to happen. However, when a person falls he or she needs to have a plan in place to get help. My mother-in-law fell and we thought she was okay, three weeks later, she was in the hospital with a concussion. Falls are the leading cause of injuries among older Canadians and the sixth leading cause of death. Among seniors, falls are responsible for:

·       40% of residential care admissions

·       84% of injury-related hospitalizations

·       90% of hip fractures; 50% of these never regain pre-fall functioning and 20% die within a year of the fracture

Each year 1/3 of seniors fall at least once and are then 3 times more likely to fall again. Note that 50% of people who fracture their hips NEVER regain pre-fall functioning. 

Why do seniors fall? Well, it is because of decreased strength, stability and confidence. Women are 3 times more likely than men to be hospitalized for a fall-related injury. The older you are, the more likely you will fall and be seriously injured.

Almost half of all fall injuries occur in your home doing daily activities

In Canada, health care for seniors injured by falls costs at least $2 billion per year

In BC, falls among seniors cost more than $180 million each year

So what kind of injury can occur when seniors fall:

There were in 2014, 3,100 hip fractures – the most frequent injury, and 10,000 hospitalizations due to falls in Canada.

Other costs that cannot be measured in dollars when seniors fall are the pain and suffering and perhaps permanent disabilities, along with loss of independence & reduced quality of life, that may come with admission to long term care and finally the damaging effects on families.

Half of falls occur in the home so here are some steps to take to reduce the possibilities of a fall at home

·       Remove clutter from walkways and stairs

·       Install and use grab bars and handrails

·       Increase wattage of light bulbs to 100 or more

·       Eliminate high contrast lighting areas

·       Use night lights and/or motion-activated lights

·       Clean up spills in the kitchen and bathroom immediately

·       Use step stools and/or reachers; even better, keep items you use often within easy reach

·       Reorganize all cords that go across areas where you walk

Robotic Caregivers the future or a dream?

Even though fully functioning robot caregivers may be a long way off, roboticists and physicians predict that a new wave of advances in computerized, robotic and Internet-connected technologies will be available in coming years to help older adults stay at home longer.

Here are some robots that are already here and although they are yet to be in mass supply, they all contribute to the idea we can help as we age whether at home or in a home. 

Mabu, produced by Catalia Health, is available now but only through healthcare providers on whom the price is dependent, according to the website.

The Vasteras Giraff is a mobile communication tool that enables the elderly to communicate with the outside world. It's remote controlled, and it has wheels, a camera and a monitor. Essentially, the Giraff is a robot that provides two-way video calling similar to Skype. A caregiver can control the robot using a typical PC. 

The Aethon TUG is an automated system that allows a facility to move supplies such as medication, linens and food from one space to another. The robot moves through hospital corridors, elevators and departments at any time during the day to make either scheduled or on-demand deliveries. End users can attach the system to a variety of hospital carts to transport supplies and it can be employed for a variety of applications. According to the company, the system allows for increased productivity since it "doesn't get distracted while making a delivery, allowing it to accomplish more in less time.

The Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant, or RP-VITA, which combines iRobot's AVA telepresence units with InTouch health's distance education tools, creating a system that allows physicians to care for patients remotely.

The system features mapping and obstacle detection, as well as avoidance technology and an iPad user interface for control and interaction. The robot can also interface with diagnostic devices and electronic medical records (EMR) systems. The remote rig will eventually be able to navigate to specified target destinations autonomously.

Bestic is a small robotic arm with a spoon on the end. The arm can be easily maneuvered, and a user can independently control the spoon's movement on a plate to choose what and when to eat. According to the company, the robot has a "unique design" that fits on tables and can also be adjusted for each user by choosing buttons, a joystick, a foot control or another control device they prefer.

Healthcare Robotics' Nursing Assistant uses a direct physical interface (DPI) that lets a nurse have direct control over the movement of the robot, a "human-scale" mobile manipulator called Cody. Using the DPI, the nurse is able to lead and position Cody by making direct contact with its "body." When the user grabs and moves either of the robot's end effectors -- or the black rubber balls attached to the robot -- Cody responds. For example, pulling forward or pushing backward make the robot do the same, and moving the end effector to the right or the left causes the robot to rotate. Users can also grab Cody's arm and abduct or adduct it at the shoulder, causing Cody to move sideways.

CosmoBot is part of a phenomenon called robotic therapy. Doctors use CosmoBot to enhance the therapy of developmentally disabled children between 5 and 12 years old. Using the robot can make therapy more interesting for children and allows for better success when achieving long-term therapy goals.

The company designed CosmoBot to collect data on a child's performance. This allows therapists to evaluate how successful the therapy is. Similar to CosmoBot are robots mirroring stuffed animals, also used for therapeutic purposes. For example, PARO, which resembles a stuffed toy baby seal, allows patients to have the experience of animal therapy without the problems associated with live animals. AIST, a leading Japanese industrial automation pioneer, developed the PARO robot, which is designed to "express different moods" depending on the patient's interaction with it, and it can learn how to respond to a certain name when called it a number of times.

Several scientists and researchers around the world are manufacturing "microbots" -- an assortment of free-roaming robots that carry out precise, delicate tasks inside the human body. For example, a minibot named Steerable Surgeons is made of flat nickel parts assembled to make a 3-D tool that can be used during retinal surgeries, in drug therapy and for ocular disease. Its power sources are external electromagnetic coils, and it uses magnetic field gradients as a steering mechanism.

Similar to Steerable Surgeons are microbots such as Robot Pills and Plaque Busters. Robot Pills are designed as a capsule that contains a magnet, camera, wireless chip and a set of mechanical legs. It's powered by DC motors and magnets outside of the body, and it uses a camera and wireless telemetry system. The Robot Pill is about two centimeters long and clinicians use it in disease screening.

Similarly, Plaque Busters are magnetic capsules equipped with a micro drill head. Surgeons use these microbots, which are 10-mm long, to remove plaque from arteries. They're powered by electromagnetic coils and use magnetic field gradients to steer.

Anybots was founded in 2001 and performs robot research and development. Within healthcare, AnyBots provides a type of immersive telepresence, meaning instead of focusing merely on audio and video communications, the AnyBots robot allows for movement controlled by a remote.

"If you're a doctor and have to manage 10 different nursing homes ... the robot can go in, and the doctor can control his movement and direction," said Shahid Shah, health IT analyst. "It can turn on sensors at the control of not the person in the room, but the person who wants to do the communication," he said. Shah said this type of telepresense is impressive since it can move in and out of a specific area and record findings. "In the future, I'd hope to see new sensors shine a beam of light, for example," he said. "Today, it's more about [helping] a human being who's not in a specific location feel like he's there."

The Swisslog RoboCourier is an autonomous mobile robot. The tool dispatches and delivers specimens, medications and supplies throughout the hospital, according to the company. Once the robot is carrying what needs to be delivered, a person identifies the destination and the robot selects the most efficient route to deliver the materials.

Unlike other conveying systems, the robot can navigate throughout specific environments without lines, beacons, reflectors, magnets or tape, since each robot is guided by an electronic map that plans the best route to the selected destination. The robot uses laser detection to ensure precise and safe navigation, while voice-activated messages alert staff of the robot's presence. The robot also stops and waits until traffic is clear, and it can signal doors to automatically open so it can move through.

GeriJoy is a Caregiving Companion, built to address many of the unique challenges faced by seniors and their families The GeriJoy Companion uses a special tablet, a remote team of human caregivers and advanced computer intelligence systems, to provide personalized, around-the-clock emotional support and real, stimulating social interactions.

Seniors with the GeriJoy Companion are less lonely, because they always have someone to talk to. Their health improves, because they always have someone reminding them about important things like medication and exercise. And their family relationships and mental function improve, because they’re happier and more engaged with their environment.

The latest creation from Aldebaran, Pepper is the first humanoid robot designed to live with humans. At the risk of disappointing you, he doesn't clean, doesn't cook and doesn't have super powers... Pepper is a social robot able to converse with you, recognize and react to your emotions, move and live autonomously.

Engaging and friendly, Pepper is much more than a robot, he’s a companion able to communicate with you through the most intuitive interface we know: voice, touch and emotions.

The impact of technological advancement on peoples' job prospects will probably grow. Many (though not all) of the experts surveyed on the future of jobs by the Pew Internet and Life Project last year believe that artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation will imperil white-collar jobs, from media to medicine to finance to law, along with many aspects of the retail, hospitality and customer service industries.

Finally, owning a pet is good for your health, but many places do not allow them, so Hasbro has been selling what they call an animatronic cat for elders who cannot have a living pet. It responds to touch, movement, sound, and it purrs: - See more

Cataract surgery a thing of the past?

I had cataract surgery about five years ago, and it was a success. After my surgery, I no longer had to wear glasses. Many of my friends are going to be needing this surgery over the next few years, so the following could be great news for them.

Cataract surgery could soon be a thing of the past. At least that’s what two studies, one published in Nature and the other in Science, suggest.

Cataracts are cloudy regions that develop in the lens of the eye. They take years to form, but can be dissolved in a matter of weeks with a substance called lanosterol, a precursor to cholesterol and several related sterols.

The Nature paper showed that an injection followed by eye drops containing lanosterol reversed clouding in the lenses of dogs after treating them for just six weeks. Veterinarians may soon be able to substitute eye drops for the scalpel to treat their canine patients, which is just as well as cataracts are common in some pedigree dogs including, ironically, guide dogs for the blind.

The Science paper reports the discovery of a class of small molecules also derived from cholesterol. These sterols were shown to reverse lens clouding in mice and, remarkably, the effects were seen in just two weeks.

Surgeon shortage

Cataracts and the clouding that happens as a result of protein aggregation was considered a point of no return. Until these two new studies came along, no one even thought that restoring the transparency of the lens was an alternative. These papers change that perspective and open a completely new therapeutic strategy to treat cataracts in the future.

Cataracts occur as a result of protein clumping together on the eye’s lens, preventing light from reaching the retina. Once the cataract is formed, there is one option: surgery. Cataract surgery involves removing the natural lens through tiny incisions and replacing it with a plastic “intraocular” lens.

Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed procedures and it has a high success rate. The problem is that there simply aren’t enough ophthalmic surgeons to perform all of the procedures that are needed.

In 2010, there were 95m people requiring cataract surgery, worldwide, and of these people 20m were blind as a result. With people living longer, the problem is only going to get worse.

If you live long enough, you will develop cataracts. So something that radically shifts not only our understanding of cataracts but also its treatment is badly needed. And the two recent studies may be just that something. They herald the most remarkable discovery to emerge in the field of cataract therapies since Harold Ridley developed the intraocular lens in the mid-20th century.

It’s not just cataracts

The Science paper shows that selected sterols could help in the treatment of a host of other human diseases such as cardiomyopathy and neurodegenerative diseases where similar proteins are involved. As more details on the mechanism of action become known, it is possible that such sterol-based drugs could have applications for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Another possible application for sterol-based treatments is presbyopia (long-sightedness). This is the other universally experienced ageing effect on the eye lens. When we reach middle age, our arms need to grow a couple inches every year so we can continue to type and read the computer screen. It is believed that presbyopia is the first stage in age-related cataracts. By mid-life, the lens proteins have accumulated significant damage, enough to change their properties and start the process of forming “aggregates” that eventually become a cataract. So the research described in the two papers really does offer something momentous: the preservation of our sight as we age.

Source: The Conversation

Caregivers

Caregivers are important in our society, but they rarely get the support and help they need for a number of reasons.
My wife was a caregiver for her mother for many years and the toll on my wife was heavy. So she coped with giving care for her mom before her mom died and it was hard on her.

Over the years I gathered what I thought was extremely important advice about caregiving and how to lessen the strong emotional impact it can have on an individual. So if you are a care giver or if you are trying to help a caregiver, this advice is for you.

1)     Recognize that there is no such thing as a perfect caregiver.

2)     When people offer to help, the answer should usually be YES

3)     Remember that you are responding to a disease, not to the person that once was

4)     Initiate the 3 types of activities that you need for yourself – choose activities that:

a.      Involve other people such as lunch with a friend

b.      Give you a sense of accomplishment such as exercising

c.      Make you feel good or relaxed such as watching a funny movie

5)     Remember that if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of anyone else

6)     Look in the mirror and see a very special person doing the best you can

7)     Try to sleep at least 7.5 hours a night

8)     Look for humour in everyday situations

9)     Keep a journal and write down your thoughts and feelings

10)        Make quick but healthy meals

11)        Arrange a telephone contact so that someone calls daily to make sure everything is OK

12)        Watch out for signs of depression and get help right away 

13)        When people offer to help, suggest specific things they can do such as getting information (e.g. about support services), cooking or housework 

14)        Learn how to give physical care without injuring yourself (e.g. proper lifting and transfer techniques) 

15)        Learn about ways to promote the independence of the care recipient

16)        Stand up for your rights as a caregiver and as a citizen

17)        My final word of advice get support when you need it.

a.    Support groups provide a wonderful service, both for the patient and the caregiver.  

b.   Don’t be afraid to get involved, at least to determine whether the group “fits” the situation