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Because serotonin shortage is suspected of being the cause of depression, researchers seek ways to regulate the amount and activity of serotonin in the brain. Cholecystokinin cells, tiny neuronal cells that help to balance the excitation and inhibition of neuronal activity in the brain’s hippocampus, have a higher number of receptors to serotonin than other neurons. These cells may become the basis for the development of faster-acting antidepressants. In addition to reading our e-newsletter, be sure to visit Today’s Geriatric Medicine’s website at www.TodaysGeriatricMedicine.com, where you’ll find news and information that’s relevant and reliable. We welcome your feedback at TGMeditor@gvpub.com. Follow Today’s Geriatric Medicine on Facebook and Twitter, too. — Barbara Worthington, editor New Hope for Faster-Acting Antidepressants For people suffering from depression, a day without treatment can seem like a lifetime. A new study explains why the most commonly prescribed antidepressants can take as long as six weeks to have an effect. The findings could one day lead to more effective and faster-acting drugs. Shortage of serotonin is believed to be a cause of depression. The most common antidepressant drugs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including Prozac and Zoloft, which block the absorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin, increasing the amount of serotonin active in the brain at any one time. While SSRIs have been used to treat depression for decades, exactly how they work has been a mystery. Another question was why the behavioral effects are delayed for weeks or months despite the immediate pharmacological impact. Full story » Deprescribing Improves Quality of Life Reducing or stopping potentially inappropriate medications can improve medication appropriateness by reducing polypharmacy, adverse drug events, and other medication-related problems. Read more » The Powerful Impact of Meals on Wheels Older adults are at increased risk for malnutrition, so programs such as Meals on Wheels help reduce the risk of malnutrition and improve nutrient intake by providing nutritious meals to individuals who might otherwise struggle to acquire them. Read more » BE-FAST Improves Stroke Detection Adding “balance” and “eyes” to “face, arm, speech, and time” in the acronym to recognize stroke symptoms can reduce the number of missed strokes. Read more »   New Hope for Faster-Acting Antidepressants Deprescribing Improves Quality of Life The Powerful Impact of Meals on Wheels BE-FAST Improves Stroke Detection PET Scans Show Many Alzheimer's Patients May Not Actually Have the Disease Doctors Don't Provide Enough Information About the Side Effects of Drugs When Wounds Won’t Heal, Therapies Spread — To the Tune of $5 Billion Driving While Aging: How Can She Make Her Mother Give Up the Keys? FNCE® Preview Tech & Tools PET Scans Show Many Alzheimer's Patients May Not Actually Have the Disease A recent study found that a significant proportion of older adults with mild cognitive impairment who underwent PET scans showed no evidence of brain plaques, according to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Doctors Don't Provide Enough Information About the Side Effects of Drugs An article in The Philadelphia Inquirer notes the importance of physicians advising patients on the possible side effects from medications that are prescribed. When Wounds Won’t Heal, Therapies Spread—To the Tune of $5 Billion Chronic wound care exacts a huge toll in terms of physical, emotional, and financial demands, according to Kaiser Health News online. Driving While Aging: How Can She Make Her Mother Give Up the Keys? According to an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, there are limitations on authorities’ ability to restrict older adults’ driving, despite the decline in vision and reaction that occurs with aging.

Nutrition Conference Covers a Century of Food Science By Heather Hogstrom The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy) will hold its Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®) in Chicago from October 21–24. This year marks the Academy’s 100th anniversary, which will be recognized with a Centennial Celebration on Saturday evening, where attendees can mingle while enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Offering more than 130 educational sessions, FNCE® features several sessions reflecting on the past 100 years and looking forward to the next century, such as “What Chicago in 1900 Can Teach Us About the Challenges of Science and Food Today,” “Informing the Future: Looking Back at 100 Years of Nutrition Research,” and “Preparing for the Second Century With a Stronger Focus on Public Health.” Full story » The nation's top employers and recruiters of geriatric care professionals advertise in Today's Geriatric Medicine magazine and post their job openings on AlliedHealthCareers.com. Check out the most recent opportunities that have been submitted by employers across the country! Geriatric Hospitalist—Legacy Health, Portland, OR SNF Physicians, Hospitalists, Comprehensive Care Physicians— HealthCare Partners, LA/Orange County, CA Geriatrician—Yale New Haven Health, New Haven, CT Geriatrician—Reading Health System, West Reading, PA Adult Psychiatrist—Reading Health System, West Reading, PA Have a product or service you want to market to geriatricians, other physicians and the geriatric care team of professionals who treat aging patients? Are you a recruiter looking to fill the many geriatric professional openings within a facility, physician practice or academic institution? Then utilize the reach of Today's Geriatric Medicine to accomplish your marketing goals and fill any open positions. A resource for professionals looking for new opportunities, as well as those physicians just curious to see what's out there, our Physician Recruitment Center gives physician recruiters a powerful tool to fill partnership opportunities, academic appointments, and hospital staff positions. To support your product marketing or recruiting needs, e-mail our experienced account executives today at sales@gvpub.com for more information or call 800-278-4400! Have a question you want answered by one of our experts? Send your question to TGMeditor@gvpub.com and it may be featured in an upcoming e-newsletter or print issue.   Mobility Assist Mobility Assist is the first motorized lift assist and ambulation aid in one device. This assistive aid lifts patients safely from a seated to a standing position without staff support using the protection of a safety harness and motorized lift mechanics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recently cited manual lifting and moving of patients as the single greatest risk factor for overexertion injuries among health care workers. Currently 11 states have enacted Safe Patient Handling laws requiring programs to protect safety of both patient and health care provider. Mobility Assist helps to reduce fall-related injuries by providing not only walking assistance but also sit-to-standing support with no lifting required from therapists, nurses, or caregivers. Learn more » The BEAN The BEAN, a personal amplification device, features a built-in sensor that automatically adjusts to the surrounding noise level. It amplifies soft sounds while keeping the volume steady on louder noises and reducing it for extremely loud sounds. It boosts soft high-pitched sounds heard in speech, helping to provide clarity for conversations, particularly in environments with other peripheral sounds. It can be purchased from any source without referral and comes ready to use without adjustments. The BEAN produces a subtle low-battery signal to alert the user before the battery dies. It boasts a long battery life of 10 to 12 days. Another model available is the T-coil BEAN, which can be used with hearing-aid compatible telephones to improve hearing in reverberant conditions or when a talker is too far away to be heard clearly with amplification. Learn more » A Secure, Anonymous Résumé Bank Job Alerts Sent to Your E-mail Set up Job Alerts and create your online Résumé to let potential employers find you today!