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Valerie Hagan is health programs coordinator at the Alliance for Aging Research. She is responsible for assisting with background research, development, design and production of age-related educational materials for consumers and health care audiences. Prior to joining the Alliance, she was the cancer education coordinator at the Calvert County Maryland Health Department. At the health department, she developed and implemented various educational activities related to cancer awareness in at-risk populations, and also coordinated patient care for the colon cancer grant program targeting uninsured county residents. She has held several research assistant positions in the fields of health, psychology and ecology. Valerie holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park.


Researchers from UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh have found more support for the benefits of exercise on dementia.

Posted in: Health, Research at 09:30 AM | Comments (5)
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No matter your health status, a health organizer is a simple yet very helpful tool to keep track of important health information, so you don’t have to search high and low every time you or your health care provider needs to know information related to your health.

Posted in: Health at 01:30 PM | Comments (3)
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Seniors age 85 and older are five times more likely to die in a fire than those younger mostly because of physical impairments. In addition, falls in the home can cause fractures, which can lead to loss of independence and health complications. During home safety month seniors and their caregivers should take steps to create a safer home environment.

Posted in: Caregiving, Health at 10:00 AM | Comments (6)
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Results from a new study show that a home-based occupational and physical therapy program extended the lives of those who received the therapy compared to those who did not.

Posted in: Health, Quality of Life, Research at 08:30 AM | Comments (3)
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If you are one of the 5 million Americans that have heart failure, a new study published in JAMA provides evidence that exercise may help you feel better. Researchers found that moderate exercise is not only safe, but beneficial for heart failure patients.

Posted in: Quality of Life, Research at 02:00 PM | Comments (8)
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Colorectal cancer is one of the few cancers that can be prevented. Through a routine colonoscopy, physicians can remove pre-cancerous polyps which grow along the colon wall. Take the time during March, colorectal cancer awareness month, to learn more about risk factors and preventative measures for this disease.

Posted in: Health at 01:00 PM | Comments (1)
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In January, the Alliance held a briefing that discussed obesity in the U.S. aging population. Two experts in the field discussed the negative effects of obesity on chronic disease in this group. A new study presents more evidence that obese and overweight aging Americans could be putting their health at risk.

Posted in: Longevity, Research at 08:45 AM | Comments (0)
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During the past couple years, you may have noticed red dress pins being worn by women across the country. Maybe you also noticed the red dresses printed on some food labels in your local grocery store. This red dress has become the national symbol for heart disease awareness in women. On February 6, National Wear Red Day, wear red and encourage those around you to talk about heart disease—the number one cause of death for women in the U.S.

Posted in: Health at 12:30 PM | Comments (2)
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