Falling down is hazardous to a senior citizen’s health, yet fewer than half of all seniors see a doctor after a fall. And those who don’t seek medical attention are far less likely to engage in any of the six widely recommended activities — such as a review of their medications or getting a cane or walker — that might prevent repeated falls, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
In the study, researchers, using data from the 2007 California Health Interview Survey, found …

Retirees who transition from full-time work into a temporary or part-time job experience fewer major diseases and are able to function better day-to-day than people who stop working altogether, according to a national study. And the findings were significant even after controlling for people’s physical and mental health before retirement.
Read full article via Science Daily

The NHS has an ‘addiction to crisis’ and runs most efficiently when under pressure responding to new policies, adverse incidents and deadlines, a major report has found.
This means the NHS will either be well-placed to cope with the impending financial squeeze on public services due to the recession, or will struggle because the slow build-up to the expected cuts means it is unable to swing into action quickly enough.
Read full story via University of Leeds.

Government ‘must triple’ dementia research funding or ‘pay price’, scientists warn
Elderly woman with carer31 of the UK’s leading dementia scientists have signed an open letter calling on the government to use today’s 21st July ministerial summit on dementia research to end “years of underfunding”. They are calling for a threefold increase in investment into efforts to find new treatments, preventions and cures for Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
The Alzheimer’s Research Trust coordinated campaign has the backing of two other charities: the Alzheimer’s Society and Parkinson’s Disease Society. The letter warns that …

Sunrise Senior Living announced in an 8-K filing earlier this week that it had entered into standstill/amended agreements with some of its lenders extending the term of previous agreements for its Hannover and München communities. The amendments expire on April 30, 2009 and shall automatically terminate upon the occurrence of an event of default, as defined in the respective agreements. As previously reported, Sunrise expects to have enough cash to operate its businesses until April 30, 2009 based upon restructurings and the sale of its Greystone interests.
Read full …

Winchester resident Karen Capellman wants to move her mother-in-law into the Mary Hardesty House Apartments for seniors. Demand for the affordable senior housing apartments is high, with about 40 people on a waiting list.
Read full story via Winchester Star

The Frederick County Planning Commission has given its blessing to rezoning about 370 acres for a campus-style development that will include a National Lutheran Home retirement community in Winchester VA on the north side of U.S. 50 (Northwestern Pike) just west of the city.
Winchester Star.

Tasked with designing a high-performance, modular community center for seniors, 12 architecture students recently competed in the Modular Building Institute’s fourth annual student green building design competition. The competition included a real-world client, Piedmont Housing Alliance, which is currently planning a replacement community center at its low-income senior housing development in Crozet, Va.
Read full article via: Building Design & Construction.

Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. (”Fleetwood”), a leading producer of recreational vehicles and manufactured housing, today filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions for itself and certain operating subsidiaries in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Riverside. The filings do not include any of the company’s foreign or non-operating entities
Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. Files Voluntary Petitions for Chapter 11 Protection; Motor Home, Housing Businesses Will Continue Operations – Mar 10, 2009.

Selling a home and moving into a senior living community may be one of the most important decisions an individual, couple and/or family will ever make. For most seniors, the time to tap into home equity and take advantage of special offerings tailored to their needs is now rather than later. However, during times of economic downturn, this decision is often unnecessarily delayed. Today’s seniors can turn that equity into a lifestyle of comfort and security at a senior living community.”
Read full press release here: