Innovation Stories - Aging News Alert

Case Management Program Improved Outcomes for Diabetics

A provider of rapid diagnostics has made public the results from an innovative type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) care plan implemented by the Rio Grande Valley Accountable Care Organization Health Providers LLC (RGV ACO) demonstrating that point-of-care HbA1c and Lipid testing, home visits and other personalized strategies significantly improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

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Canada, Marijuana, and the Treatment of PTSD

The term "post traumatic stress disorder" became part of the American lexicon during the 1970s, largely due to the diagnoses of U.S. military veterans returning from the Vietnam War. It was officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 1980 in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental Disorders. Apollo Applied Research, a network of medical cannabis clinics across Canada, regularly conducts studies to examine the benefits of medical cannabis on various conditions. Apollo currently prescribes medical cannabis for patients diagnosed with PTSD and has seen its benefits as a viable treatment option.

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Wisconsin U. Spearheads Global Effort on ‘Accessible’ Net

A global effort to create a new computer ecosystem that is easily accessible to people with disabilities, senior citizens and others with special needs is set to become reality through a $20 million federal grant to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The five-year project will develop and deploy the first operational version of the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure (GPII) in a large-scale pilot test.

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Lowering Rehospitalization Rates for Hip, Knee Replacement Patients

In late 2013, a Medicare analysis of hip and knee replacement patients showed a 5.4% chance of rehospitalization. A 2014 study of 76,289 patients with total hip or knee replacements resulted in more than 1,070 rehospitalizations at a cost of more than $25.5 million. A new model of home healthcare may be an option.

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Sensors, Gadgets, Interventions to Improve Life for Aging Population

The University at Buffalo’s Institute for Person-Centered Care, founded in 2012, leads research surrounding person-centered care and aging. The Center works to ensure individuals receive the highest level of quality of life, and remain engaged in meaningful relationships and purposeful activities throughout their lifespan, despite disability.

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Tempe-based CCRC Embraces Hi-Tech with New CIO

At one retirement community in Tempe, AZ, technology is more than an amenity; it’s a way of life.

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Researchers Explore Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Alternatives

Current testing usually requires a brain scan in an MRI machine the size of a school bus. Researchers are looking at a more portable diagnostic method that is easier to administer and may better assist in determining who needs the more complicated and expensive tests for a more definitive diagnosis.

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Studies Explore Home Care Worker Cooperatives

The case studies provide information on the genesis, start-up phase, financing and opportunities of home care worker cooperatives in Bellingham, WA and Hilo, Hawaii.

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AARP, UnitedHealthcare, Pfizer Launch ‘Project Catalyst’

AARP, the nation’s largest senior advocacy organization, is joining forces with healthcare giants UnitedHealthcare and Pfizer to launch a new program designed to spur development of health tech products and services in order to meet the needs of aging Baby Boomers.

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New Project Addresses Safety of Older Drivers

To help meet the needs of the Baby Boomer generation for safe mobility, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has launched the Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) project.

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