Advances in the field of medicine have seen the advent of pharmacogenomics; the ability to predict which medications an individual will likely respond to and which will cause adverse effects, all based on personalized DNA from a simple cheek swab.  ...

Regularity rather than intensity of these exercises is integral to preserving mobility and function. Exercise built into daily routines is a time-tested principle of “Blue Zone” cultures (areas of the world with the most successfully aging populations). The Sardinians, for example, live on rocky terrain and for centuries they’ve visited neighbors and friends by walking or cycling over. Similarly, Tai Chi balance exercises are a mobility-promoting gift from ancient civilizations. ...

There is a silver lining and some hope for the treatment of dementia if we look in the right places. As I say to my patients, medication is only 2% of the solution; 98% is the non-medication lifestyle changes that each of us can make today and every day to preserve and actually improve memory.  ...

As new research highlights the role of underlying sleep disorders, hearing loss and macular degeneration on memory, it is imperative to adopt proactive successful aging care. All of this takes time, which traditional primary care visits do not allow for. It also requires a team, a village of geriatricians, geriatric pharmacists, social workers, nutritionists and audiologists, working together on a unified platform.  ...