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Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens

Fitness at Middle Age Leads to Lower Risk of Chronic Disease in Senior Years

Even study participants who died had fewer chronic ailments to the end

Aug. 27, 2012 - A new study declares that fitness in middle age points to less chronic health problems in later life. And, even those who died in old age, seemed to have less of these chronic ailments right up to the end. The study involved both senior men and women, older than 65, who were Medicare patients.

The study was published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication. But, the findings came with a caution flag waved in a commentary by Diane E. Bild, M.D., M.P.H., of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

The research was by Benjamin L. Willis, M.D., M.P.H., of the Cooper Institute, Dallas, and colleagues. They examined the association between midlife fitness and chronic disease outcomes later in life by linking Medicare claims with participant data from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, a large group of individuals who were examined at the Cooper Clinic from 1970 to 2009.

The study of 14,726 healthy men and 3,944 healthy women, with an average age of 49, when they entered the study, used eight chronic conditions (CCs) for the analysis: congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer disease, and colon or lung cancer.

In the present study, higher fitness measured in midlife was strongly associated with a lower incidence of CCs decades later, the authors note.

With a median follow-up of 26 years, the highest level of midlife fitness was associated with a lower incidence of CCs compared with the lowest midlife fitness in men 15.6 vs. 28.2 per 100 person-years and in women 11.4 vs. 20.1 per 100 person years, according to the study results. Age- and sex-specific quintiles of fitness were based on treadmill times.

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Fitness at Middle Age Leads to Lower Risk of Chronic Disease in Senior Years

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Double Shot Interview: Diana Crossan, Retirement Commissioner with Amanda Morrall - Video

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Transamerica Retirement Services announced today that it will host a webinar for third party administrators and financial advisors that covers the governments current legislative landscape on retirement plans, and how this affects financial professionals and retirement plan sponsors. The webinar will be hosted by Jeanne de Cervens, vice president and director of federal government affairs for Transamerica, on September 18 at noon Eastern Time.

Ms. de Cervens will provide insight on many topics surrounding retirement plans, including tax reform, Multiple Employer Plans, mandatory retirement plan coverage proposals, workplace initiatives, and what the insurance and retirement plan communities are doing to protect tax incentives.

Transamericas Speakers Bureau is a wonderful opportunity to hear from thought leaders in the retirement plan arena, said Stig Nybo, president of Transamerica Retirement Services. I anticipate this webinar will be popular with TPAs and financial advisors, as Jeanne is sure to provide engaging and insightful commentary on a wide range of issues facing policymakers in the months to come.

Jeanne de Cervens is an attorney based in Washington, D.C., and serves as the chief government liaison for Transamerica regarding federal tax, insurance and retirement security issues. She interacts with U.S. Congress Members and federal regulatory agencies, trade associations and financial services organizations. She has been involved in legislative, regulatory and employee benefits issues for more than 20 years, and serves on the Board of the Tax Coalition, a non-partisan organization promoting the exchange of ideas among professional women in federal tax policymaking.

Ms. de Cervens represents Transamerica in various coalitions and groups focused on developing broader policy initiatives impacting the retirement plan business, including the Conversation for Coverage and the Global Coalition on Aging.

Third party administrators and financial advisors can register for the webinar by calling Transamerica at (888) 401-5826 and selecting option one, Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

About Transamerica Retirement Services Corporation

Transamerica Retirement Services Corporation (Transamerica or Transamerica Retirement Services), which is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, designs customized retirement plan solutions to meet the unique needs of small- to mid-sized businesses. Transamerica and its affiliates have more than 17,0001 retirement plans totaling more than $20 billion1 in assets. For more information about Transamerica, please refer to http://www.TA-Retirement.com.

1As of December 31, 2011.

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Transamerica Retirement Services to Host “Legislative Landscape for 2012 and Beyond” Webinar on September 18

A single financial misstep right before retirement can mean the difference between peace of mind and constant money worries in later years.

Misinterpreting a spouse's retirement dreams, failing to plan for emergencies and spending too much are just a few of the mistakes folks approaching retirement may make.

Below, financial advisers weigh in on how to avoid these and other mistakes before you turn in your office I.D.

1. Failing to coordinate

Certified financial planner Christine Fahlund recalls one couple she worked with: The husband thought he had diligently prepared for retirement, including regularly crunching numbers on an online retirement-planning calculator. In his calculations, the husband assumed his wife would retire in six years while he would retire right away.

[More from WSJ.com: How to Avoid Medicare Land Mines]

But once he retired and reminded his wife of their "plan," she was livid. Turns out she had told him several years earlier that she "might" be willing to work six years longer, but had since decided she was no longer willing to do so. The husband ended up going back to work.

To avoid such confusion, as early as five years before retirement, couples should write down their plans and answer questions such as when they'd each like to retire, where each would like to live, what each wants to continue doing in retirement and what new activities each wishes to pursue.

They'll want to revisit these plans annuallyespecially during the six months prior to either spouse's retirement dateshe says.

2. Not expecting the unexpected

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Avoid These Common Pre-Retirement Blunders

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 27, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Traveling everywhere with our laptops has become a way of life, which also makes laptops a target for theft. Did you know that one out of every ten laptops gets stolen, that means a laptop is stolen every 53 seconds! Scary statistics, and a good time to revisit some simple steps you can take to make your laptop more secure when traveling. The Personal Technology Experts at Support.com (SPRT), a provider of technology services and software for consumers and small businesses recommend the following:

1. Avoid Laptop Bags: Almost 12,000 laptops are lost or stolen in U.S. airports each week. To make your laptop less of a target, skip a typical laptop bag and instead try carrying your laptop in a padded briefcase, suitcase or backpack.

2. Free Wi-Fi Means More Risk: Many public wireless networks are relatively unsecure, and all users should be extra careful before connecting their laptop to a free network. If you must connect to a free network, here are 6 steps to connect to a wireless network safely. Instead of accessing a free network, you may be able to use an Internet USB dongle, or some providers like T-Mobile offer mobile hotspot services that let you access the Internet on your laptop with your mobile device.

3. Security/Anti-Theft Program: Install a security program that allows you to track/recover your laptop if lost or stolen. A well-known program is LoJack for Laptops.

4. Backup Data Before You Travel: Back up your data before you travel, it will be there if your laptop gets stolen! For those who travel a lot, consider an online data backup service that offers 24/7 access to all your files.

5. Encryption for Added Protection: Encrypting data on your laptop ensures that it can be accessed or read only by you -- a good idea if it falls into the wrong hands!

Finally, never leave your laptop unattended in hotel rooms or rental cars!

About Support.com Support.com, Inc. (SPRT) provides technology services and software for consumers and small businesses. Support.com(R) Personal Technology Experts provide a quick, cost-effective and stress-free technology support experience over the Internet and the phone using the Company's advanced technology platform. Support.com also offers a wide range of easy-to-use software products that detect and repair common computer problems and optimize performance and security. Support.com offers programs through many of the nation's leading retailers, broadband service providers and technology companies, and provides software to over a million consumers and small businesses. For more information please visit us at: http://www.support.com, http://www.facebook.com/support.com, or http://twitter.com/support_com.

The Support.com, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11893

Support.com, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information, visit http://www.support.com/about/careers.

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Personal Technology Experts(R) at Support.com Offer Five Tips to Make Your Laptop More Secure for Traveling

Jan Vertonghen admitted his performance in Saturday's 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion was pleasing but was dissatisfied with the result.

The Belgian defender made his Spurs debut after signing from Ajax earlier this summer and impressed in defence with his attacking style although the North Londoners could not get the win as the Baggies netted an injury-time leveller at White Hart Lane.

"I was pleased with my performance," said Vertonghen.

"I did a few good things, a few bad things, but we cannot be happy with the result.

"I like getting forward. I can drive the ball into midfield. That's what the manager has asked me to do.

"We have a home game against Norwich next Saturday and we have to win that one. It would be good for our confidence."

Click here to reach the No1 destination for hard news and exciting gossip on Tottenham

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Personal performance pleasing but Vertonghen unhappy with Tottenham result

The Romney-Ryan campaign is gearing up for the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. (David Goldman - AP)

The big goal of the GOP conventionother than avoiding Tropical Storm Issacis reintroducing Mitt Romney to the American people. The Romney campaigns convention game plan is to tell the larger personal story of hard-earned success, as Time Magazine puts it. They will tap an unusually large circle of others who will speak on his behalf, reports the Wall Street Journal, and attempt to make the prospective nominee more approachable to voters who seem to respect him more than like him. In a nutshell, the candidate with only a 38 percent favorability rating coming into the convention is about to get personal.

But while likability and personal warmth matter, what the few independent voters checking in to the election for the first time will also want to see is more about what kind of leader Romney would be. The carefully scripted image-enhancement efforts of the convention need to do more than just depict Romneys personal side. They should also paint a better picture of the leadership traits that everyone expects in a president.

For one, Romney needs to outline his vision for the future. The GOP candidate has been criticized for offering few specifics when it comes to policy. His choice of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate may have helped him in that regardRyans been dubbed the intellectual leader of the Republican party as a result of his budget plansbut those policies are not Romneys vision. They are his running mates. Sweeping statements about how great America is and broad generalities about the need to get the economy back on track wont sway independent voters; a definitive vision that lays out his explicit policies and principles will.

Next, he needs to appear presidential and above the fray. The primaries are long over, but the tone of the current election is said to be one of the most brutal in memory. Romney must be careful not to stoop to too much negativity or make errors of judgment, such as his birther quip on Friday. In his convention acceptance speech, he should be careful not to rely on applause-generating lines that bash the president. Independent voters arent looking for red meat. Theyre looking for sensible, smart and specific presidents they can imagine filling the role.

Finally, Romney needs to come off as authentic. Yes, the parade of speakers this week is likely to make a still undefined candidate more understood and fill in human details of Romneys personal life (he irons his own shirts! he shops at Costco!).

But being relatable is not the same as being authentic. If the stories come off as too scripted, if the family anecdotes feel too corny or out-of-step with someone whos a millionaire many times over, they could hurt more than they help. No matter how many times Washington insider is used as a negative epithet, people dont necessarily want leaders who are just like them. They want leaders who like who they are, and who are true to their authentic selves.

View Photo Gallery:The best and the worst leadership moments of recent U.S. presidents.

More from On Leadership:

Why presidents are rarely breakthrough leaders

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Republican convention needs to sell Mitt Romney’s leadership

He was an average football player from North Miami High who became a star linebacker for Division II Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. She was a hometown girl who taught him how to drive a stick shift car, took him home to her family for Thanksgiving dinners and helped him get acquainted to life in the Midwest.

Three years later, Tanya Stokes got pregnant heading into Everald Flowers senior season. Their plan: She would take care of their son with the help of her family and finish graduate school; he would return home and do the same at FIU.

We pretty much finished everything and were planning marriage, said Everald Flowers, the father of University of Miami freshman right tackle Ereck Flowers. Then, she got sick.

Stokes was diagnosed with stomach cancer in February 2000. She died a few months later before the couple could marry, the day after Thanksgiving at age 30, leaving behind a broken-hearted college sweetheart and a very sad and confused 6-year-old boy.

I didnt really even know she was dying, said Ereck, who moved to North Miami a few months after his mothers passing to live with his father permanently. Then, I woke up one morning and the ambulance was there.

What Flowers didnt know was his parents had been planning for his mothers eventual passing for months.

She said I want you to raise our son to the best of your capabilities, make sure hes the best guy he can be, said Everald, 40, who now works for the federal government. In the end, you always want your kid to have a better life than you.

Making a commitment

Twelve years later, Everald Flowers feels like hes on the doorstep of that reality.

His only child and the only person hes made time for since Flowers mother died will start in his first college game Saturday at Boston College. And like every single one of his sons previous games, Everald will be at Alumni Stadium to cheer Ereck on in person, fulfilling a commitment he made long ago.

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Father’s mentorship guides success of Hurricanes’ Ereck Flowers

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

For Web-scale, consumer-facing applicationswhere response must be immediate, and failure is not an optionmore companies are betting their business on the Aerospike real-time NoSQL database (formerly Citrusleaf). Now the surge of customers in production within some of the worlds most data-intensive environments has led Aerospike to attract premier technology investors and luminaries to support the company in its next stage of growth. New Enterprise Associates (NEA) has led the Aerospike Series B funding round and was joined by existing investors Draper Associates and Alsop Louie Partners. Additionally, Don Haderle, the father of IBM DB2, has joined Aerospike as a company advisor.

The stunning customer traction points to the unique value Aerospike brings to the growing ranks of enterprises that have to predictably process massive amounts of data in real-time without fail, said Bruce Fram, Aerospike CEO. With Don and our investors, we have lined up an amazing team to build on our current success and meet our mission of adding 1,000 more passionate customers in production in the next three years.

New Funding Further Accelerates Company Traction

Aerospike will use the new venture capital investment to accelerate the companys global sales, marketing and support initiatives, as well as rollout new product innovations to address the enterprise demands for more reliable and responsive solutions to their big data challenges.

In conjunction with the Series B round of financing, Rohini Chakravarthy, NEA partner, joins the Aerospike board of directors. Aerospike has solved a very hard problem and delivered a solid product that customers rave about, she said. We are thrilled to team with Aerospike in building on its success and expanding its global role as the leader in real-time transaction processing for big data.

We are thrilled to back Aerospike, one of the most dynamic companies in a new generation of databases for Web-based big data, said Tim Draper, founder of Draper Associates. The team is going after a big problem with revolutionary technology. Customers come from a wide variety of industries, and all have similar enthusiasm for the Aerospike solution.

Aerospike is the Usain Bolt of database technology, said Stewart Alsop, founding partner of Alsop Louie Partners, which led Aerospikes initial venture round. With strong leadership and proven technology deployed in some of the industrys most data-intensive IT environments, Aerospike has what it takes to disrupt the database industry.

Don Haderle Contributes to Big Data Innovation

In his role as an Aerospike advisor, Don Haderle is helping to shape future generations of the Aerospike NoSQL database in addressing enterprises real-time big data demands. Known as the father of DB2, IBM's premier relational database management system, Don played a pivotal role in IBMs research and development efforts for more than 35 years. He was named an IBM Fellow in 1989 and most recently served as vice president and chief technology officer for the Information Management segment of IBM before retiring in 2005. Don also was named Association for Computer Machinery Fellow in 2000 in recognition of his impact on database technology, and elected to the National Academy of Engineering for contributions to the management of high-performance relational databases and leadership in founding the relational database management industry.Additionally, he secured more than 50 patents and disclosures across all areas of database management.

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Rapid Customer Success With Aerospike Real-Time NoSQL Database Attracts Series B Funding Led by NEA, Addition of Don ...

Are you an early-bird-gets-the-worm kind of person, or do you need a bulldozer to shove your head off the pillow each morning?

Scientists in Japan say they can tell the setting of your bodys circadian clock just by examining a small blood sample.

In a report published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers said they have developed a convenient method of estimating an individuals personal body time by examining the concentration of hormones and amino acids in two blood samples taken 12 hours apart.

The development could carry great benefit for those who are dieting, or taking medication with severe side effects: Certain anti-cancer drugs are most potent when taken at specific body-times, and toxic at others.

Internal body time refers to the molecular time-keeping mechanisms that regulate the sleep, digestion and metabolic processes of all mammals.

While scientists have long known that personal body times can vary by as many as 12 hours between individuals -- the difference between a so-called morning lark or night owl -- they have found it difficult to determine an individual's exact circadian clock setting. The current method is invasive and time-consuming -- medical workers must draw a persons blood on an hourly basis for up to 24 hours, and track levels of the hormone melatonin.

The studys lead author, Takeya Kasukawa, a genomicist with the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, wrote that the new method examines the level of 50 different metabolites and compares them to a timetable. Blood must only be taken twice in a 24-hour period. The method pinpoints personal body time to within three hours, the authors wrote.

The study, and formulation of the timetable charts, was based on the observation of six healthy male volunteers in their 20s.

An individuals circadian rhythm can be altered by shift work, jet lag or an irregular lifestyle. Determining a persons body clock setting is important for the administration of medicine, and researchers said it could also have in impact on weight gain and dieting.

Studies with mice concluded that the animals got fatter while eating at the wrong time for their circadian rhythms. These results suggest that food intake at different body times can alleviate or exacerbate diet-induced obesity, those authors wrote.

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Early bird or night owl? Blood test reads personal body clock