City life can be hostile terrain for the elderly

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/comment/article/542009--city-life-can-be-hostile-terrain-for-the-elderly
April Lindgren
04 June 2010 06:00

My 78-year-old neighbour Rosa holds court on her front porch every evening with a few of her equally aged friends. They yak in Italian, greet passersby and berate me for not watering my flowers. I think of them as the neighbourhood mayor and council.

When the evening “meeting” breaks up, Rosa goes inside, Theresa walks a block and a half home, Lucia goes to her house three doors down and Maria limps around the corner to her place.

These women live a good life in our downtown neighbourhood. None of them drive, but there are three drug stores, three butchers, myriad greengrocers, a shoemaker, a half-dozen hairdressers, dentists, lawyers, a doctor’s office, a church, a post office, a hardware store and a subway stop within a few short blocks of home.

Statistics Canada predicts there will soon be a lot more seniors like Rosa and her friends. The number of people 65 and older is expected to nearly double to between 9.9 million and 10.9 million by 2036, up from 4.7 million in 2009.

With 60 per cent of seniors living in communities of more than 100,000, the aging population poses a significant challenge for cities. Simply getting around, for instance, will be a growing problem for the surburban elderly who can no longer drive.

Research suggests that inadequate transit, the lack of nearby amenities and an environment hostile to pedestrians means seniors living in sprawling developments take fewer trips each week than those living in denser, downtown neighbourhoods. They are less likely to leave their homes on any given day. What’s more, traffic lights that change too quickly and streets that are too wide make walking a dangerous endeavour: In 2001, there were 3.7 pedestrian fatalities per 1,000 population among those 65 and older — the highest rate for any age group in Canada.

Cities are hostile places for the elderly in other ways. They lack public toilets. There are too few places to sit and rest. Rough sidewalks make it easy to trip.

Having said all that, there is hope. The first of the baby boomers turns 65 next year and by 2031, they will all be 65 or older. This is a demographic that gets what it wants and if boomers demand better transit, safer intersections, more public toilets and more places to sit — well it just might happen. And that means better cities for people of all ages.

– April Lindgren teaches at Ryerson University’s School of Journalism, where she specializes in local news and urban affairs reporting; april.lindgren@arts.ryerson.ca.

Reduce your footprint with a plastic diet

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/comment/article/570460--reduce-your-footprint-with-a-plastic-diet
Lindsay Coulter
05 July 2010 09:00
I’d like to know if plastics are safe to microwave and if so, how can I tell?
Justine from Vancouver, B.C.
The answer is simple: Do not microwave plastic containers or plastic wrap, ever. Heating up plastics can cause phthalates (a toxic petroleum derivative) to leach into your food.
Instead, reheat last night’s dinner in glass or ceramic dishes. Safely cover food with a plate or lid to avoid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic wrap and to prevent a mess in the microwave.
Finally, take stock of plastic containers spilling out of your kitchen cupboards. Check for cracks and scratches. Damage like this will ruin leftovers because toxic chemicals can leach out. But before tossing them in the blue bin, repurpose them throughout the home. Worn plastic containers — with or without lids — make great storage. Organize a cluttered closet or nuts and bolts in the garage.
A plastic diet will help you reduce your exposure to toxins in the home and lighten your environmental footprint at the same time.
Plastic diet
Start your plastic diet today with these steps:
• Step 1: Avoid plastic packaging on your next trip to the grocery store.
• Step 2: Store leftovers in reusable glass or stainless steel containers.
• Step 3: If you reuse plastic containers in the fridge or freezer, only reuse those numbered 2 (HDPE), 4 (LDPE), or 5 (PP). These are found on the bottom of most containers and lids.
Lindsay Coulter gives you the straight goods on living green. Send your questions to queenofgreen@metronews.ca. For more great tips, visit The David Suzuki Foundation at davidsuzuki.org

Canada's Prosperity will Suffer Without Federal Support for Digital Literacy
OTTAWA, July 7 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada's leading digital literacy organization, Media Awareness Network (MNet), is sounding the alarm that Canada will continue to trail other countries in productivity and innovation unless a national plan for digital literacy is put in place.
In its submission to the Government of Canada's consultation on the digital economy MNet asserts that there is a connection between Canada's declining performance in the digital economy and its failure to develop a national digital literacy strategy. The paper, Digital Literacy in Canada: From Inclusion to Transformation, calls on the federal government to take a leadership role in supporting solutions that will create citizens who know how to use digital technologies to their fullest and can think critically about digital content.
"Canada is at a crossroads", says Jane Tallim, MNet's Co-Executive Director, "we can either continue with our traditional ways of doing business and educating our students, workers, and citizens, or we can seize the new economic, social, and cultural opportunities generated by digital technologies. Other countries are recognizing digital literacy as a key cornerstone of their economic plans; Canada must do the same or risk falling behind."
"Digitally literate citizens have the skills to take advantage of e-commerce, e-government and e-health services, and know how to use technology effectively for communication, collaboration and creation. These are skills that all Canadians - from children to seniors - need for active participation in a digital society." concludes Ms. Tallim.
MNet outlines several action items the government needs to take to support digital literacy in Canada, including the immediate steps of:
- creating a digital literacy taskforce to develop a blueprint for a
National Digital Literacy Strategy;
- supporting national research on the digital skills needed by Canadian
children and youth; and
- facilitating a summit of key stakeholders to discuss implementation
through the education, government, community, and job training
sectors.
To read the discussion paper Digital Literacy in Canada: From Inclusion to Transformation, visit: http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/corporate/media_kit/reports-publications.cfm.
Media Awareness Network (MNet) is a Canadian not-for-profit centre of expertise in media and digital literacy. Its vision is to ensure children and youth possess the necessary critical thinking skills and tools to understand and actively engage with media. MNet's programs are funded by its public and private sector sponsors and partners, who include: CTVglobemedia - Canwest - TELUS - Bell - Canadian Internet Registration Authority - National Film Board of Canada. (http://www.media-awareness.ca/)

Study: Think you're hot now? Just wait a few years

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/world/article/574200--study-think-you-re-hot-now-just-wait-a-few-years
Randolph E. Schmid, The Associated Press
08 July 2010 03:43

WASHINGTON - Folks sweating out the heat wave battering parts of the United States may just have to get used to it.

As global warming continues, such heat waves will be increasingly common in the future, a Stanford University study concludes.

"In the next 30 years, we could see an increase in heat waves like the one now occurring in the eastern United States or the kind that swept across Europe in 2003 that caused tens of thousands of fatalities," Noah Diffenbaugh, an assistant professor of environmental Earth system science at Stanford, said in a statement.

Diffenbaugh and Moetasim Ashfaq, a former Stanford postdoctoral fellow now at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, used a series of computer models of climate to calculate changes in the future with increased levels of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere. Their findings are reported in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

They calculate that within 30 years average temperature could be 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2 Celsius, higher than in the mid-1800s.

That level of increase has been reported by others, and most atmospheric scientists expect it to lead to warming and a change in a variety of weather and climate conditions.

Diffenbaugh and Ashfaq focus specifically on heat waves over the United States.

They reported that an intense heat wave equal to the longest on record from 1951 to 1999 probably will occur as many as five times between 2020 and 2029 over areas of the western and central United States.

In addition, they said the 2030s are projected to be even hotter.

"Occurrence of the longest historical heat wave further intensifies in the 2030-2039 period, including greater than five occurrences per decade over much of the western U.S. and greater than three exceedences per decade over much of the eastern U.S.," the researchers reported.

"I did not expect to see anything this large within the next three decades. This was definitely a surprise," Diffenbaugh said.

The research was funded by the U.S. Energy Department and the National Science Foundation. The climate model simulations were generated and analyzed at Purdue University.

Depression hurts, but only half of Canadians* know it

New survey results show few* recognize the painful physical symptoms of depression

About depression in Canada

During their lifetime about 1 in 10 people in Canada will experience an episode of major depressive disorder (the diagnosis given to those suffering from depression). People from every age, social, economic, occupational, cultural and religion groups get depressed. A distinctive feature of depression is the overwhelming feeling of isolation it causes.
Feeling 'alone' can lead to a sense of shame in somehow being 'different' from others. Depression is in fact a widespread medical condition.

TORONTO, July 12 /CNW/ - Although the majority of Canadians* believe in a mind/body connection, agreeing how they feel physically is related to how they feel emotionally (87 per cent),(i) only half make the link when it comes to depression.(i)
Depression comprises a broad range of emotional/psychological, behavioural and physical symptoms.(ii) While the emotional symptoms of depression, such as hopelessness and prolonged sadness are readily identified by the majority of Canadians*,(i) a recent phone survey conducted by Harris/Decima finds that only 52 per cent of Canadians* can identify its painful physical symptoms including headaches, back pain and other general aches and pains.(i)
"Very often people with depression don't seek help for their condition because they don't connect their physical symptoms with depression," says Phil Upshall, National Executive Director, Mood Disorders Society of Canada. "It is important to pay attention to all possible symptoms of depression, including bodily aches and pains, as these could be physical signs that you could be at risk of sliding into a depressive episode."
The link between pain and depression
Depression may be associated with painful physical symptoms such as back pain or headaches that may have no apparent physical cause.(ii) It may also increase one's response to pain, or at least increase the suffering associated with pain.(iii) This is because depression and pain have been shown to share common pathways and chemicals known as neurotransmitters(iv) within the central nervous system that are involved in controlling both mood and pain.(iii)
According to the survey, Canadians* associate emotional symptoms such as hopelessness or despair, social withdrawal and prolonged sadness with depression (91, 89 and 88 per cent respectively),(i) but only half (52 per cent) can identify the painful physical symptoms.(i) Meanwhile, although 62 per cent of Canadians* say they know most of the symptoms associated with depression,(i) they identify several erroneous physical symptoms such as hair falling out, frequent urination and gas.(i)
Implications for diagnosis
The level of recognition of depression significantly decreases when patients present primarily with physical symptoms, which may have implications for timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.(ii)
"Too often, the sufferer may not be aware of the true source of the painful problem and the depression may go untreated," says Dr. Tom Janzen, a Canadian family physician who specializes in mental health. "The pain is indeed real, but it likely drives many people to orthopedists or other specialists in the mistaken belief that something has gone awry in their body, and there follows an unproductive search for an organic source."
The good news is that 96 per cent of primary care physicians who have treated depression make the link between depression and physical pain,(v) and they have the tools and resources to help Canadians with depression cope. Treatments may include psychotherapy, peer support groups, psychoeducation and medication.(vi) Most people treated for depression make a full recovery.(vi)
"We're becoming more sensitized that depression may have a physical as well as emotional symptoms," says Dr. Janzen. "Understanding the mind/body connection is pivotal in the treatment of depression. Management of the disorder should address the full range of emotional and physical symptoms in order to achieve remission and reduce the chance of relapse."
For more information on depression and tools to facilitate the patient/doctor discussion, please visit www.depressionhurts.ca.

Health benefits associated with urban cycling outweigh risks

Big News Network.com (ANI
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=655256
Sunday 4th July, 2010

Health benefits associated with urban cycling outweigh risks
Big News Network.com (ANI) Sunday 4th July, 2010

A study has found that even though there are many risks that urban cyclists face, it is still far healthier to get on a bike than to drive.

The study also showed that the health of the individual cyclists may improve as they drive less and exercise more, and the resulting reduction in exhaust emissions will benefit the entire community.

"The promotion of walking and cycling is a promising way to increase physical activity across the population by integrating it into daily life," state the study authors.

However, they note that if cycling is to be promoted for health reasons, the health benefits of cycling should outweigh the risks.

Studies in Denmark, Finland, and China have shown that cycling is healthier than driving, but these studies have not tried to quantify specific health risks and benefits related to cycling, making it difficult to extrapolate results to specific environments and populations.

To develop an integrated assessment of the health risks and benefits of cycling, the researchers analysed data from international studies on exposure to components of automobile exhaust, traffic fatalities, and benefits of exercise.

For their analysis, the authors estimated the health impacts if 500,000 Dutch people aged 18-64 years were to switch from driving to cycling for one round trip of 7.5-15 km each day.

They chose to estimate health in terms of mortality (years of life gained or lost) rather than morbidity (illness) because data about mortality tend to be more consistent; for example, minor traffic accidents involving cyclists tend to be far underreported compared with traffic deaths.

The authors found that cycling even short times in traffic can cause significant exposure to components of car exhaust, including ultra fine particles and soot, which can contribute to respiratory and cardiac illness.

Cyclists are also more vulnerable to fatal traffic accidents than drivers, even in the Netherlands, which has a strong cycling culture and infrastructure, including dedicated bike trails.

The authors estimated that in the Netherlands, the risk of dying in a traffic accident is four times greater per kilometre travelled for cyclists than for drivers.

The risk ratios vary by age, because younger drivers are far more likely to die in traffic accidents than older drivers, so their risk of death might actually decrease if they switch to cycling.

Health benefits from cycling may also vary by the age. For example, older, sedentary adults tend to benefit most from increased exercise.

However, benefits of exercise can be substantial for persons of all ages; some researchers estimate that inactive individuals who begin moderate exercise programs can lower their risk of death from all causes by 10 percent to 50 percent.

The community health benefits are also greater than the risks to the individual cyclists, primarily because eliminating 500,000 car trips per day would reduce air pollution.

In countries like the United Kingdom, which has a higher rate of traffic fatalities among cyclists, the researchers estimated that benefits of cycling would still be seven times greater than the risks.

The health benefits of cycling may be less in some developing countries where cyclists may face higher levels of pollution and higher risks in traffic, according to the researchers.

Nevertheless, they state that their results are part of a growing body of research that supports the public health benefits of walking and cycling for transportation.

The study has been published online in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). (ANI)


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Teen exercise: Less dementia as a senior?

Anne-Marie Tobin, The Canadian Press
30 June 2010 12:10

TORONTO - Exercise has been linked to possible benefits in staving off dementia in numerous studies in the past decade, but a new look at the topic suggests the earlier the better.

The prevalence of cognitive impairment was significantly lower in women aged 65 and older who reported they were physically active as teens than in those who were inactive in their teen years, the study found.

"If we want to optimally prevent dementia, it's important to start physical activity as early in life as possible," said principal investigator Laura Middleton of the Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.

"More and more people are starting to recognize physical activity as one of the most promising means to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia. And what this study adds is that it's not only important in mid and late life — that we really have to start as early as possible."

The study was published Wednesday and appears in the July issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Middleton worked on the project while she was at the University of California in San Francisco, and used data from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. She analyzed the responses of 9,704 women in four U.S. cities: Baltimore, Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., and Monongahela Valley, Pa.

They women reported on their participation in regular physical activity as teens, at ages 30 and 50, and in late life. Their cognition was evaluated using a standardized test, and those who performed well below the average were classified as cognitively impaired, Middleton said.

The researchers looked at the relationship between physical activity at each age, and cognitive impairment in late life.

"People who were active at teenage had a greater reduction in their risk of cognitive impairment compared to any of the other ages," Middleton said.

The prevalence of cognitive impairment in the women who'd been physically active in their teen years was 8.5 per cent, compared to 16.7 per cent among those who weren't physically active as teens.

For those active versus inactive at age 30, prevalence of cognitive impairment at age 65 or older was 8.9 per cent compared to 12 per cent, and at age 50, 8.5 per cent versus 13.1 per cent.

But even women who were inactive as teenagers and became active in later life had a lower risk of cognitive impairment than those who remained inactive, the study found.

Louis Bherer, director of clinical research at the Montreal University Geriatric Institute, said most people in the field agree that physical activity is probably the most promising strategy to protect against cognitive decline.

The novelty of this study is the idea that even physical activity as a teen might protect against cognitive decline in older adults, which he says is kind of surprising.

"Although I would love to believe in it," said Bherer, professor of psychology at University of Quebec at Montreal.

"I would love to be able to tell my kids, you know, if you exercise right now you protect your brain against cognitive decline. But there's some limits of the study."

He's concerned about how cognition was measured, and also noted that participants were self-reporting their physical activity and it's common for people to over-rate themselves. In addition, there are no guarantees that people who are 65 or 75 years old remember well their levels of activity from decades earlier, he suggested.

"I think it's far-fetched a little bit to conclude that physical exercise at teen age protects your brain against decline," Bherer said.

"There's so many things that can happen from your teen age to retirement," he said, noting that lifestyle factors come into play along with nutrition, social networking and cognitive stimulation.

But he said it's not harmful to suggest that people engage in physical activity. And Middleton said that from a public health perspective, people need to be persuaded to exercise.

"Physical activity can be fun and engaging, and we have to convince people of that in order to prevent some of these diseases of old age."