News

A new study led by the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, and the National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland, suggests lifestyle intervention that addresses a variety of risk factors simultaneously can have cognitive benefits for people at risk for cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Read more here.

Carlos Slim, the world's second richest man, has called for a three-day working week, arguing that a shorter week, offset by longer hours and later retirement, would boost productivity and improve our quality of life. Read more here.

A new survey shows almost four out of every five over-50s are overweight or obese.

A similar proportion of those aged over 50 have an “increased” or “substantially increased” waist circumference, according to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), a national study of more than 8,000 people led by Trinity College Dublin. Read more here.

A new study has found that 14% of people in Ireland over the age of 65 have been prescribed at least one inappropriate form of medication in their lives.

The study by RCSI and Trinity College also found that 30% of older people have not been prescribed clinically indicated medications at least once in their lives. Read more here.

The ROI Minister of State for Primary and Social Care, Kathleen Lynch has said that she will retain responsibility for older people under the Social Care element of her portfolio. This follows a change to her title and responsibilities as part of a cabinet re-shuffle. Read more here.

A new study is being conducted about the mental health and wellbeing of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) people in Ireland. The research is being conducted by a research team led by Professor Agnes Higgins from Trinity College Dublin School of Nursing & Midwifery. It is commissioned by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) and BeLonG To and funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP).

Japan is seeing a surge in sales of talking dolls that help elderly people stave off loneliness and perhaps even dementia, it seems.

Several companies have developed childlike dolls that go beyond repeating set phrases to conduct a range of basic conversations. They have become a hit with many pensioners and earned some scientific plaudits too. Read more here.