Health & Wellness
 

Canadian Obesity Network-Ethnicity Determines Risks from Obesity: Study http://www.marketwire.com/mw/rel_ca_print.jsp?id=762992 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Aug. 22, 2007) - Canadian researchers have verified that ethnic heritage determines where the body stores fat, meaning some ethnicities, particularly those of Chinese or South Asian descent, face higher risks for diseases related to obesity. Dr. Scott Lear, Assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University and Canadian Obesity Network Investigator led the team that discovered Chinese and South Asians have more dangerous abdominal fat than Europeans, putting them at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other complications. As well, Lear's research suggests current measuring techniques for healthy body fat are not as accurate when used in those ethnic populations, leading to difficulty in diagnosis and treatment. "We now have definitive proof that current targets for waist circumference and body mass index measurements used by physicians, which were developed based on Caucasian populations, are not able to accurately determine health risks in these groups," Lear explains. "Clearly, we can no longer use a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to diagnosing these serious medical conditions." The study, recently published in the high-profile American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared the amount and distribution of abdominal fat, as well as total body fat mass and lifestyle factors, in more than 800 healthy Chinese, South Asian, Aboriginal and European participants. The project was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Institute for Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes. Lear, a member of the Canadian Obesity Network, says that new guidelines are urgently needed to properly screen these groups. "Canada's population is increasing, and many of our new immigrants are coming from China and South Asia. We need to be able to identify risks at an early stage, or we will see increased healthcare costs and mortality in the future." The Canadian Obesity Network is funded by the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence Program (www.nce.gc.ca), a joint initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Industry Canada. For more information, please contact (Or to schedule interviews) The Canadian Obesity Network Dr. Scott Lear (604) 682-2344, ext. 62778 (Mon, Thu, Fri) or (778) 782-7916 (Tue, Wed) Website: www.obesitynetwork.ca

Aging at Home Strategy Good News for Seniors TORONTO, Aug. 29 /CNW/ - The government's announcement of $702 million for an Aging at Home Strategy that will expand community-based services is great news for Ontario's seniors and their families. "Community agencies are at the grassroots of healthcare, providing very important services and supports such as supportive housing, meals, transportation, shopping and adult day programs, all of which help to keep people where they want to be - in their own homes for as long as possible," said Donna Rubin, CEO of the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors. The Aging at Home Strategy will roll out over three years starting April 1, 2008, and will be led by the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). A portion of the funding is earmarked for innovative approaches to service delivery that address the needs of culturally diverse populations, marginalized and at risk seniors and that build capacity for members of the community to help each other. "This very significant investment is a huge boost for a sector that is so passionate, hardworking and committed to helping seniors live healthy, independent lives. It is truly exciting to consider the innovative thinking and creative solutions that will come out of this initiative," added Rubin OANHSS has long recognized the value of an adequately funded, integrated continuum of care that provides seniors with the right service, in the right place, at the right time. With this investment, agencies will have the capacity to enhance and expand the range of services available that allow seniors to live at home. "In the end, all of this will mean more choices for seniors and their families, which is what is most important," said Rubin. OANHSS members offer a diverse and comprehensive network of not-for-profit care and support services across the province. The Association looks forward to working with the Ministry and the LHINs on the implementation of this important strategy. OANHSS is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Members include municipal and charitable long term care homes, non-profit nursing homes, seniors' housing projects and community service agencies. Member organizations operate over 27,000 long term care beds and over 5,000 seniors' housing units across the province.

Study: Participation of older workers Older workers are staying in the workforce longer and, as a result, may be dampening the threat of a sudden and severe labour shortage as baby boomers retire, a new study suggests. An estimated 2.1 million individuals aged 55 to 64 were either employed or looking for work in 2006, more than double the total in 1976, according to the study "Participation of older workers," published today in Perspectives on Labour and Income. They represented 12% of the total labour force in 2006, compared with 10% three decades earlier. The two main forces behind these increases are an aging population and rising labour force participation rates among older workers. In 2006, these older workers represented 14% of the total population, up from 11% in 1976. At the same time, the overall labour force participation rate for this group increased from 53% to 59%. The study examined labour market trends among the population aged 55 to 64 between 1976 and 2006, using data from the Labour Force Survey. Data showed that the majority of individuals in their late 50s were still working last year. Among men aged 55 to 59, three-quarters (76%) either had a job or were looking for one. This rate was below the 1976 high of 84%, but above the 1998 low of 71%. Not surprisingly, a smaller proportion of people aged 60 to 64 were participating in the labour force, but both men and women have made recent gains. Last year, 53% of men in this age group were participating in the workforce, compared with 43% in 1995. A record 37% of women in this age group were doing so as well. The study suggests that the labour force participation among this age group will continue to rise because of three factors: a strong attachment to the labour market among baby boomers; rising levels of education, particularly among women; and an apparent desire among people over 55 to continue working, either from interest, financial concern, or other factors, such as the virtual elimination of mandatory retirement at age 65. In terms of employment, just over 2 million people aged 55 to 64 had a job in 2006, producing an employment rate of 56%. Most jobs were in the services sector, and the vast majority of employment was full time. The study also noted that older employees tend to be absent from their job because of illness or disability more often than their core-age counterparts. In 2006, workers aged 55 to 59 working full time lost just over 10 days for this reason, while their core-age counterparts lost only 7 days. Those aged 60 to 64 lost just over 12 days.

Understanding Alzheimer's http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/mental-health/alzheimer.html CBC News Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and affects one in 20 Canadians over 65 — about 290,000. The number rises to one in four in those over 85. 10 warning signs Some warning signs to look for if you suspect someone has Alzheimer's disease, from the Alzheimer Society of Canada: 1. Memory loss that affects day-to-day function May forget things more often and not remember them later, especially things that have happened more recently. 2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks May have trouble with tasks, such as preparing a meal, that have been familiar all of a person's life. 3. Problems with language May forget simple words or substitute words, making sentences difficult to understand. 4. Disorientation of time and place May even become lost on his or her own street, not knowing how he or she got there or how to get home. 5. Poor or decreased judgment For example, not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing heavy clothing on a hot day. 6. Problems with abstract thinking May have significant difficulties with tasks that require abstract thinking, such as balancing a chequebook, for example, not recognizing what the numbers in the chequebook mean. 7. Misplacing things May put things in inappropriate places: an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. 8. Extreme changes in mood and behaviour Having varied mood swings - from calm, to tears, to anger - for no apparent reason. 9. Changes in personality May become confused, suspicious or withdrawn. Changes may also include apathy, fearfulness or acting out of character. 10. Loss of initiative May become very passive, and require cues and prompting to become involved.