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News and features related to healthy ageing

Does drinking coffee help you live longer?

There is a lot of confusion about whether drinking coffee is bad for your health. Coffee contains the stimulant caffeine, which is not generally considered to be part of a healthy lifestyle. However, some studies have shown that coffee could help boost health because it contains antioxidants. There
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Carers: choosing long term care

Long-term care is defined as helping people of any age with their medical needs or daily activities over a long period of time. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, or in various types of facilities. This section discusses the long-term care needs for older people; however, the
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Carers: Legal considerations for carers

If you're a carer, you may not have realised the law regarding power of attorney has changed. "You used to be able to fill in a form yourself," says Dave Baker, acting chief executive of Carers' Support, Bexley. "Now the forms are quite daunting so you're probably best to consult a solicitor." A sol
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Safe driving for an ageing population

12th March 2012 - The number of older drivers is on the increase. The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTs) says in a major new report, that the number of 70+ year olds holding a driving licence has risen from 15% in 1975 to nearly 60% in 2010. Currently 80% of 60-69 year olds
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Hearing loss could cause falls

Loss of hearing is common as people age, and is frequently ignored or not treated. Hearing loss is not usually thought of as something that increases the risk of falling. However, recent research has raised the possibility that hearing loss could contribute to the risk of falling, either because inn
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Weather alert: Keeping healthy in the freeze

3rd February 2012 - This weekend will see a marked change in the weather as the dry spell makes way for snow and ice in many parts of the country. The Met Office has issued its first England-wide Level 3 Cold Weather Alert of the winter. The ‘big freeze' at the end of last year would have been class
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4.5 million older people teeter on poverty line

24th January 2012 - A survey of poverty among the elderly reveals that 4.5 million people over 60 in the UK can only just afford the basics. Findings from the poll have been released to coincide with a new report by the charity Age UK, 'Living on a Low Income in Later Life'. The research reveals the
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Adults prescribed two or more drugs have a raised risk of falls

Falls are a common cause of injury in people of all ages. Many studies have tied prescription medications to falls in older people, but little research has explored a possible link in young to middle-aged adults. In the new study, researchers gathered information on 335 people, aged 25 to 60, who’d
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Proposals for assisted death FAQs

5th January 2012 - An independent group of experts called the Commission on Assisted Dying says terminally ill people with less than a year to live should have the choice of ending their lives through assisted suicide. Finding out more about the proposals, and what critics say, in our FAQs. The Comm
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The health benefits of how we used to live

As a nation we are fatter, eat more junk food and are less physical than we were a generation ago. So can we learn lessons from the past? What did we used to do back in the day that made us healthier? In days gone by, more children walked to school than they do now. In fact, the school run probably
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