The Pew research center has issued a new report that takes an in depth look at the country’s current trends in marriage based on statistics gleaned from the census of 2010. Only 51% of the adults in the U.S. are currently married. The large majority of people still report that they have been married at one time but the average age for a first marriage has increased greatly.

The biggest difference between 1960 and 2010 is that many younger people have not been married yet. In 1960 adults aged 18 to 24 were married 45% of the time. Only 9% of that group reported

The Medicare premiums for the coming year have been released and the news is mostly good. The average Medicare recipient has both Parts A and B. Part A, which covers hospital and nursing home stays for the original diagnosis, does not requiring a premium if you have over 40 quarters of Medicare-covered employment. Part A is available to those with less than 40 quarters but that does cost a monthly premium.

Part B coverage does cost a premium and this premium has been reduced for most benefit recipients. The standard premium has been lowered from $115.50 to $99.90. The premium is also based on income and the 2012 threshold is at $85,000 a year. Further details are available on the Medicare.gov website.

Senior citizens are very proud of their homes and taking care of their homestead may be an important part of their daily lives. The chance at making some leisurely home improvements is just one of the things a senior may have been looking forward to when thinking of retirement. Spending more time in the garden and performing lawn care is nowhere near the headache it may have been when they were working for 40 or more hours.

Any time away from home due to an injury or recovery from a surgery may cause frustration and irritation that can make for a difficult recovery. There are ways to help the senior that has been going through this though. Enlisting the help of an in home health aide can relieve a great deal of stress and make for a much faster and easier recovery.

The National Institute of Health has recommendations for those offering in home assistance to those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The caregiver that helps with activities of daily living will want to keep the Alzheimer’s sufferer involved in activities that they are interested in. The best activities are those built on the skills that the patient already has.

Trying to teach the patient new skills will probably lead to frustration and even anger. When involving an Alzheimer’s sufferer in any activity it is important for caregivers to look for signs of frustration.

A new study of men and women over 60 shows a much greater incidence of developing Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease following a diabetes diagnosis. The study observed a group of 1,000 men and women with high level of blood sugar for 15 years.  There have been other studies on this possible link but this current study had clearer definitions of both diabetes and dementia than those in the past.  People with high blood sugar level were shown to have almost 2 times the chance of developing Alzheimer’s or some type of dementia.

Diabetes has been shown to cause vascular dementia due to the damage the disease does to blood vessels in the brain.  The resistance to insulin may make it hard for the body to break down a protein in the brain that can cause plaque build up in brain’s blood vessels also.

Diabetes can be a very hard disease to manage, especially with the added burden of dementia.  Limiting the effects of blood sugar levels by adhering strictly to the recommended diet is a must.  If you have parents or friends who you care for that have this condition you may want to reach out to a professional senior care provider for assistance.

The diabetic with dementia and Alzheimer’s can forget whether or not they have eaten and how to prepare foods.  A home health aide is aware of the importance of diet when it comes to the treatment of diabetes and dementia and can design an effective meal plan and eating schedule.  A specially trained senior care provider can also ensure that the appropriate medications are taken when necessary to keep the diseases under control.

Some health care providers recommend moderate consumption of alcohol to certain patients for its possible health benefits.  Moderate consumption of alcohol has been linked to a reduced risk of stroke, a reduced risk of heart disease and a lower risk of developing gall stones.

The key for reaping the possible benefits of alcohol consumption without suffering a host of potential negatives lies in keeping consumption moderate.  The 2010 dietary guideline define moderate drinking as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men.

Heavy consumption of alcohol has been associated with a number of serious health problems including cirrhosis, high blood pressure, pancreatitis, heart muscle damage and certain cancers.  A recent study has even shown a possible association between heavy

Many health care providers advise patients to consume fish that are high in healthy fats for the potential heart benefits but a new study reveals that consuming fish or fish oil may have additional benefits.  It appears that eating even a single serving of fatty fish per week could have the benefit of reducing the risk for macular degeneration.

Researchers used information from the Women’s Health Study to analyze the dietary and health data of nearly forty thousand women with an average age of fifty three.  Based on the information compiled during a decade long follow up period researchers were able to conclude that women who consumed one or more servings of fatty fish per week reduced their risk of macular degeneration by about 40%.

A new research study consisting of more than 500,000 people from nine different countries in Europe reveals a possible connection between “good” cholesterol and the risk of developing colon cancer.  Information gathered from the participants showed that those with the highest levels of HDL cholesterol had the lowest risk of developing colon cancer even after taking other risk factors into consideration.

From the information gathered, researchers were able to conclude that for each increase of approximately 16 mg/dl of HDL the corresponding decrease in risk of colon cancer was more than 20%.  Previous studies have indicated that people with metabolic syndrome may have an increased risk for colon cancer,

Two new studies published in the Morbidity and Mortality Report from the CDC reveal that approximately one third of adults in the US get less than recommended minimum seven hours sleep.  While different age groups displayed different consequences from insufficient sleep levels, failure to get the appropriate amount of shut eye could put anyone’s health at serious risk.

Participants who reported getting less than the recommended amount of sleep had more difficulty concentrating, issues with memory and showed tendencies for unintentionally falling asleep. 

Researchers evaluated information presented by nearly 2700 adults in the US and UK and feel as though they found significant evidence linking the consumption of sweetened drinks and high blood pressure.  Representatives from the American Beverage Association don’t seem to be in full agreement with the conclusions drawn by researchers, but the study does offer some very interesting information.

Participants submitted detailed questionnaires containing information of the foods that they ate over the course of four days