Ì첩ÌåÓý

In the journals

Some antidepressants may not offer much relief for people who battle both depression and a chronic disease, according to research in the Nov. 21, 2017, Journal of the American Medical Association.

Nearly half of Americans live with a chronic condition, according to the CDC, and many also suffer from depression, including more than half of Parkinson's disease patients, 41% of cancer patients, and more than 25% of those with diabetes.

Feeling afraid about life issues is common as you age, but if it takes over your life, you may have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

ÌýImage: © pixelheadphoto/Thinkstock

Everyone feels afraid or worried at times, but if these feelings begin to take over your life, then you may have crossed over into generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is the most common anxiety disorder among older adults, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).

"The issue with many older men is they often just endure the discomfort of GAD, or think it's normal, and do not talk about the problem," says Dr. David Mischoulon, director of the Depression Clinical and Research Program at -Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "However, left alone to manifest, GAD may lead to serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, depression, and addictive behavior like excessive drinking."

In the journals

ÌýImage: © Purestock/Thinkstock

If you have persistent trouble detecting or identifying odors, that may be an early sign of dementia, according to a study in the Sept. 25, 2017, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Almost 3,000 older adults, ages 57 to 85, who did not have dementia were asked to detect and identify five common odors like peppermint, fish, orange, rose, and leather. Five years later, the researchers found that almost half of those who performed poorly on the smell test (were either unable to detect the odors or unable to identify what the smells were) had been diagnosed with dementia. In comparison, 79% of those who scored high on the smell test did not have dementia.

The results only show an association between poor sense of smell and dementia, but the researchers noted that a smell test could be a simple way to identify high-risk people. It isn't clear how sense of smell and dementia may be linked, but the researchers speculated that underlying causes of dementia, like amyloid plaque buildup and tau tangles in the brain, also may affect the olfactory (sense of smell) system.

While the holiday season is a time of festivities and reconnecting with family, for people in recovery from substance use disorders, these specific situations and events can be especially stressful. For them it’s crucial to plan ahead and to make sure recovery remains the priority at all times.

Get through the season on your own by changing your perspective, creating new traditions, and reaching out to others.

Ìý Image: © verbaska_studio/Thinkstock

The holidays are traditionally a time for family and friends. But plenty of people find themselves alone at this time of the year, especially older adults who live by themselves, are unable to drive, or live far from grown children. "I think it's probably hardest for people who have recently lost a loved one," says Dr. Suzanne Salamon, associate chief of gerontology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Emotional impact

A number of emotions may creep in when you face holidays alone. One is pressure to make the holiday an event. "There's a feeling that it's supposed to be a celebration. That may be stressful if you have no one to celebrate with," says Dr. Elyse Park, director of behavioral health research at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine.

MCI can be tough to identify, but there may be ways to postpone, and possibly prevent, its impact on memory and thinking.

Everyone has the occasional bout of forgetfulness, whether it's misplacing your keys or blanking out on a name. But if these episodes become frequent or interfere with daily life, you may have mild cognitive impairment, or MCI.

MCI falls somewhere between the usual cognitive decline of normal aging and the more serious signs of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. An estimated 10% to 20% of adults older than 65 have MCI, according to the Alzheimer's Association. But this gray area of brain health is often difficult to detect.

Try these strategies to help you fill your social calendar.

ÌýImage: © Mike Watson Images/Thinkstock

In an effort to ward off the loneliness that followed his wife's death, a 94-year-old man in Minnesota decided to install a swimming pool in his back yard for the neighborhood children. His back yard is now a hub of activity in the summer, filled with laughter, splashing children, and their parents and grandparents. And he's no longer alone.

While not everyone would be willing to go to such extreme lengths to make social connections, contact with other people should still be a top priority. Chronic loneliness does more than just make you bored; it can actually harm your health.

Being resilient is a skill you can learn and sharpen, andÌýit's never too late to give it a try.

ÌýImage: © Ariel Skelley/Thinkstock

The ability to bounce back from stress or adversity is important throughout life, especially in our older years. That's when we face many transitions, such as health problems; job, income, and home changes; the loss of loved ones; and isolation or separation from friends, grown children, and grandchildren. How we adjust to these changes helps determine what life will look like moving forward. "Many people are living longer, and we want to make the most of these years so people can thrive," says Laura Malloy, the Successful Aging program director at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine.

The benefits of resilience

Coping with stress in a positive way is known as resilience, and it has many health benefits. It's associated with longevity, lower rates of depression, and greater satisfaction with life. "There's a sense of control, and it helps people feel more positive in general," Malloy says.