Publications

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Hyperthermia: Too Hot for Your Health
Now that Li Ming is retired, she likes to work in her garden—even in hot weather. Then last summer, an unusual heat wave hit her area. The temperature was over 100°F, and the humidity was at least 90%. By the third day, her daughter Kim came over because Li Ming sounded confused on the phone. Kim found her mom passed out on the kitchen floor. Li Ming's large fan wasn't enough to fight the effect of heat and humidity. She had heat stroke, the most serious form of hyperthermia.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Hyperthermia, Safety
Hypothermia: A Cold Weather Hazard
Edgar is a retired mailman. Every winter there are a few snowstorms in Virginia where he lives. One day last year the temperature hovered around 10°F, and a snowstorm left 2 feet of snow on the ground, causing the power lines to snap. The temperature inside Edgar's apartment quickly dropped to 55°F. When his neighbor checked on him the next day, Edgar was confused, and his speech was slurred. He was taken to the emergency room where a doctor examined him. It turns out Edgar had hypothermia.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Hypothermia, Personal Safety
It's Never Too Late to Start Exercising
Join Lucy and Pepe as they learn about the benefits of exercise and physical activity from their friends in this fotonovela from the NIA. You can read the story in Spanish or English.
Spanish Version
Keywords: Exercise, Physical Activity
Kidney Disease: A Silent Problem
Henry has been having a hard time managing his health. He knows he’s got high blood pressure and diabetes, but he just can’t resist extra helpings of his wife’s fry bread. During a checkup, Dr. Begay tested Henry’s blood. The results showed Henry had developed chronic kidney disease. Henry wondered if the test results could be wrong because he didn’t feel sick. Dr. Begay explained that people with kidney disease often do not know it. That’s why it is called a “silent” disease.

Keywords: End Stage Renal Disease, Kidneys and Urinary System, Medicare
Legal and Financial Planning for People with Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet
Many people are unprepared to deal with the legal and financial consequences of a serious illness such as Alzheimer's disease. Legal and medical experts encourage people recently diagnosed with a serious illness—particularly one that is expected to cause declining mental and physical health—to examine and update their financial and health care arrangements as soon as possible.

Keywords: Alzheimer's Disease, Financial Planning, Legal Planning
Making Your Printed Health Materials Senior Friendly
Health information can be particularly difficult to understand and act upon, even for the most capable person. There are some special considerations when developing written materials for older people. Alterations to learning and memory may affect an older reader's ability to absorb content, and the way information is presented may need to accommodate the cognitive and physical changes that often accompany old age.

Keywords: Health Information, Training Materials for Professionals
Making Your Website Senior Friendly
This tip sheet offers research-based guidelines that can help you create websites that work well for older adults, the fastest-growing group of Internet users. Besides sending and receiving email, older adults search the web for health, financial, and religious or spiritual information. They also use the Internet to shop, play games, perform genealogy searches, and book travel. As the baby boomers age, the number of older adults using the Internet will continue to grow, and web designers will increasingly be called on to tailor websites to this population.

Keywords: Health Information, Training Materials for Professionals
Medicines: Use Them Safely
When Jerry, age 71, came home from the drug store with his latest prescription, he placed all his pill bottles on the kitchen counter and counted them. “I take five different medications, and you take four,” he said to his wife. “We need a system. We need to know what medicines we have, what they’re for, and when we should take them.”
Spanish Version
Keywords: Medicines, Safety
Menopause
One cool fall day, Ellen and Sue were watching their teenagers play soccer when all of a sudden Ellen flushed and seemed to be sweating. Sue asked if Ellen was okay. "Oh, it's a hot flash," Ellen said. "This is happening to me several times a week now—even at night. At first, I didn't know what was going on, but my doctor told me these are symptoms of menopause." Sue laughed and said, "Yes, I remember hot flashes, but they're over now."
Spanish Version
Keywords: Estrogen, Hormones, Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Menopause
Menopause: Time for a Change
What can a woman expect before, during, and after her last period? This 37-page booklet discusses menopause, hot flashes, and other menopausal symptoms. It also includes what women can do to stay healthy after menopause.

Keywords: Menopausal Hormone Therapy, Menopause, Women's Health