Blood glucose meters, which millions of diabetics rely upon to regulate their blood sugar, have become less costly and easier and less painful to use.

But they haven’t become more accurate, a top Food and Drug Administration official said May 21 at a meeting of researchers analyzing studies that show wide variation in the performance of the machines used to measure blood glucose levels.

Katherine Serrano, diabetes branch chief in the FDA’s division of chemistry and toxicology devices, said the federal government is aware of accuracy problems with meters on the market. But she said the FDA is limited in its response because some manufacturers are in Asia, and the agency must rely on the manufacturers’ own studies related to accuracy.

Health experts say if a blood glucose meter provides a false reading, it puts a patient at risk of dosing with too much or too little insulin. If too much insulin is given, it can bring blood glucose levels down to dangerously low levels, putting the patient at risk of severe hypoglycemia and possible hospitalization.

Typically, a person with diabetes tests his or her blood sugar before eating or exercising to find out if he or she is within normal range. The patient then uses insulin or diet to restore blood glucose to a healthy level. About 24 million people have diabetes in the United States,  and nearly a third of that number rely on insulin to regulate their blood sugar.

Researchers at the Diabetes Technology Society meeting in Arlington, Va., presented several studies done in the United States and Germany showing it is common for many devices to fall short of the 95 percent accuracy standard required by the FDA. Consumers often buy the devices based on which is cheapest, or which is covered by their insurance policy without realizing that not all meters offer same accuracy, they said.

Serrano said several factors can reduce a meter’s accuracy, such as storing it in a hot or cold area, or failing to wash your hands before using them. She said studies done by manufacturers seeking approval are done in labs by trained personnel.

“There have been a lot of advances in the technology of the meters but we have not seen great strides in accuracy,” Serrano said.

Serrano notes that manufacturers don’t have much incentive to improve accuracy because federal law requires only that they prove they are “substantially equivalent” to another meter already on the market. The FDA relies on the manufacturer’s own studies to analyze accuracy and does not require any independent testing, she said. Here are some tips to help improve accuracy.

Also of Interest

• 5 Things Caregivers Must Know About Diabetes
• The 9 Unhealthiest Restaurant Meals Are…
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

According to the GeriJoy website, the virtual dog, which can be displayed on a computer or other Internet-connected device, provides “all the availability and unconditional love of an adorable pet, combined with the ability to talk with true intelligence and compassion,” adding: “It’s as if it lives inside a picture frame, so you get the benefits of pet therapy without any smells, allergies, cleaning up, bites, or food and veterinary bills.” (And in the event of a tornado, GeriJoy users don’t have to worry about finding their companion in the wreckage, as this woman did.)

Yet another plus: Because the virtual pet actually provides feedback to GeriJoy staffers about what’s happening with the user, it actually can serve as a sort of online watchdog as well. In a recent blog post, GeriJoy cofounder Victor Wang recounts how GeriJoy detected that a user’s human caregiver was being verbally abusive, and contacted the user’s daughter to let her know about it. As a result, the daughter fired the caregiver and replaced her with gentler helpers.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Wang, a former Canadian Army officer who did research on human-machine interaction for NASA while at MIT, was inspired to develop the virtual dog by his grandmother in Taiwan, who became depressed while she was living alone.

GeriJoy also will be on exhibit at AARP’s Health Innovation@50+ Tech Expo on May 31 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Also of Interest

• Can Caregivers Help Slow Dementia?
• Putting a New Face on Alzheimer’s
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Certainly, heredity is a factor in maintaining mental acuity.

This is where I have some hope. My Dad was head of International for a large technology firm before he retired. He maintained this interest in global affairs, and right up until he passed at 84, he could name the head of state of every country (or almost every country).

When I would visit him, we would sit in the living room over tea and graham cracker cookies in the afternoon, and he would test me to see how much I knew about the political  affairs of the Middle East (pretty hopeless). So I’ve got good genes, but what can I do to make sure I don’t “lose it?”

A key sign of the onset of Alzheimer’s is the loss of smell, and I find myself testing whether I can still smell things. It’s a bit awkward in social situations. There has to be something better, right? AARP has heard our concerns, and on Thursday May 16 launched AARP Brain Fitness powered by Brain Q as part of our overall brain health initiative. This program  is not just about playing games, as acing games does not necessarily mean you are sure to mitigate memory loss. That would really be too easy. Importantly, good brain health  is rooted in five activities: eating smart, being fit, working your mind, socializing and stressing less.

So before you start to sniff everything, check out our fact sheet below to get the latest brain health research scoop and then go to AARP Brain Fitness and try the free brain health exercises. I know I will!

More on Becky: Becky is AARP’s Senior Vice President of Research & Strategic Analysis, and is focused on fostering understanding of the interests and concerns of people age 50-plus  and their families. Before coming to AARP, Becky served as the Vice President of Global Market Research & Guest Satisfaction for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. In her spare time, she likes visiting her niece in Ohio, gardening, and collecting American art and antiques.

If you’re ready to start a makeover to slim down and give your body the nutritional boost it needs, consider a pantry makeover. The March 2011 Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter provides great ideas. Listed below are ideas for items to add to your pantry or use as replacements for less healthy counterparts:

Barley: Good for your heart and for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels, barley packs plenty of fiber and nutrients. Add to soups or stews or serve as a side dish.

Beans: A rich source of protein and a good source of B vitamins, beans are a hearty, healthy food. If you eat the canned variety, you can reduce nearly half of the sodium content by draining and rinsing the beans.

Brown rice: Made of whole grains, brown rice is a healthy and satisfying staple. Unlike its counterpart, white rice, brown rice lowers your risk for diabetes.

Canned fish: Albacore tuna, canned sardines and canned salmon are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Tuna packed in water is best. If you make tuna salad, remember to go easy on the mayonnaise (or switch to low-fat mayonnaise).

Canola oil: Canola oil contains an ideal mix of unsaturated fats that promotes heart health. Canola oil supplies the body with essential fatty acids.

Cooking spray: As a no-calorie alternative to oil, cooking spray works well when you need just enough oil to prevent sticking.

Cornstarch: As an alternative to flour, cornstarch works well for thickening soups and sauces. A teaspoon of cornstarch is relatively low in calories (10) and adds twice the thickness of flour.

Dried fruit: Dried fruit makes a great snack or a nutritious topping on cereal or yogurt. Blueberries are particularly healthy. Check the ingredients and avoid dried fruits that contain added sugar.

Green tea: Packed with healthy antioxidants, green tea also produces feelings of satiety. Drink a cup or two with meals to suppress the urge to overeat.

Hot sauce: Hot sauce is great for adding flavor to food without adding calories or sodium. Check the label to make sure the sodium content is low.

Lentils: Quick, easy and nutritious, lentils are a good source of fiber, protein, iron and potassium.

Low-sodium chicken stock: Many recipes call for chicken stock. Make sure you use a low-sodium brand.

Nuts and nut butters: A good source of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, nuts are often avoided because of their high calorie content. In moderation, nuts make a healthy snack.

Oatmeal: Oat groats and steel-cut oatmeal are the most nutritious, but even the quick-cook variety is chock-full of good ingredients.

Olive oil: Olive oil in vinaigrette makes a great substitute for bottled salad dressings. Add vinegar and a little Dijon mustard for a tasty vinaigrette.

Popcorn: Literally popping with antioxidants and loaded with fiber, popcorn makes a healthy snack. Remember to go easy on the salt.

Powdered egg whites: As a substitute for liquid egg whites, powdered egg whites are an excellent low-calorie, low-fat source of protein.

Quinoa: A healthier substitute for rice, quinoa makes a great side dish.

Sugar substitutes: Choose from a variety of zero-calorie sugar substitutes to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding pounds.

Vinegar: Red-wine vinegar contains only one milligram of sodium per tablespoon and no saturated fat. A caloric bargain, vinegar has only three calories per serving. Add to salads or your favorite dish.

Whole-wheat flour: Whole-wheat flour can be substituted for bleached white flour (up to one-third) in most recipes. For lighter baked goods, check supermarkets for whole-wheat, white and whole-wheat pastry flours.

Whole-wheat pasta: Stock up on this healthy alternative to white pasta. Substitute whole-wheat couscous for white rice.

Wild rice: Although some varieties of wild rice take extra time to prepare, quick-cook varieties are now available. Heat the quick-cook versions in boiling water or microwave for a nutritious and wholesome side dish.

The average American consumes 35 percent of his or her calories from SoFAS—solid fats and added sugars. Your pantry makeover can move this number down for you and your family, and the lower number will help trim surplus pounds. This list of ideas will turn your pantry into your ally in looking and feeling your best during the summer days ahead. And if you’re cooking for family members, they’ll appreciate the pantry makeover as well. Imagine the compliments when the new, trimmer you shows up in your new bathing suit!

Photo: ajft on Flickr.

What’s the best work out for people of all ages?

According to a recent study, it’s this: running.

Researchers, who followed participants over a 30-year period, were amazed to discover that those who ran in moderation showed the greatest health gains and benefits when compared to those who ran faster and more often. The ‘sweet spot’, it seems, is running about 3 – 4 times a week at a slower pace, proving that the “less is more” philosophy really applies to exercise.

That’s good news for me because a few years ago–just around the time I was turning 50 and trying to come to grips with the changes my body, mind and life were going through—I decided to try running, against my better judgment. Even my husband and daughters raised their eyebrows (one actually rolled her eyes, but I’m not naming names).

I knew I had to do something to get my health, weight and stress level back on track. But run? Even I questioned the good sense of this since I’d never never willingly run in my life, except during the dreaded annual Field Day at P.S. 203 in Brooklyn, or when chasing down the Good Humor truck. More importantly, the slow but steady weight gain and loss of energy were wreaking havoc with my health. Not good.

Luckily I learned how to run safely (without hurting my knees!) by following a program created by Jeff Galloway, the Olympian and marathoner who developed the Run-Walk-Run plan used by hundreds of thousands around the world. It’s the best way for people of all ages–especially those of us over 50–to get out there and move our bodies.

Take a look at this quick video–Running After 50–which is the most recent episode of “The Best of Everything” series for the AARP YouTube Channel. And please subscribe to the full series at the end of the video:

Like many people over 50, I was worried because I thought running, or even strenuous walking, can hurt our joints. Research shows, however, that it won’t if done right. After 30 years of following his own program, Jeff has never had an injury. The reason is simple: it calls for slow, gentle running, with scheduled walk breaks, just like I demonstrated in the video. Distance, not speed, is the goal. It’s easy on the joints, yet gives a high performance cardio work out, and helps build muscle mass in our legs and hips, which is crucial in the battle against osteoporosis.

I’ve been running for the last few years, and it’s helped me lose–and keep off –15 lbs and improve my overall health and well being. Running may not be for everyone, but if you’re thinking about it, check with your doctor first.

I want to hear from you! Leave your questions and ideas about living your best life after 50 in the comments section below, and share this article and video with your friends.

And remember this: We can’t control getting older, but, we can control how we do it!

I’m the National Osteoporosis Foundation ‘Ambassador for Bone Health’ and a fierce champion of positive aging. For more tips on living your best life after 50 (or 60, or 70…) check out “The Best of Everything After 50: The Experts’ Guide to Style, Sex, Health, Money and More” and www.bestofeverythingafter50.com. Keep me posted on how you’re doing by subscribing to me on Facebook and “tweeting” me on Twitter at @BGrufferman.  Check out the full video series–“The Best of Everything”–on the AARP YouTube Channel. 

Photo credit: Diego David Garcia via Flickr.

Also of Interest

• Losing Weight After 50: Is “Intermitent Eating” Right for You?
• The Best All-Around Exercise for Your Post-50 Body
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

My Dad and me hiking at the farm in Ohio.

I recently spoke about my Dad with NPR’s Jacki Lyden for their Weekend All Things Considered story on Alzheimer’s disease. I told her it was a bittersweet experience for me. I started listening to the show as a young child with Dad, and there I was, 40 years later, at the NPR studio, talking about him and the ways that Alzheimer’s disease  is slowly robbing his brain.

The first few notes of the show’s theme song immediately summon warm, secure “all is right with the world” feelings for me, transporting me to the backseat of our Pontiac station wagon as Dad drove home from his office where I had walked after school.  He listened daily to the local NPR station for classical music, local interest programs and All Things Considered.  He would have been so happy and proud for me to be on the show. Now, he still loves the music, but has trouble processing what he hears in the news programs. I may play the recording for him, but now it won’t really register for him cognitively as it once would have.

Still, I know I’m doing what Mom and Dad want me to do when I share my caregiving experiences. He was an educator — a university professor of Communication and even had his master’s degree in radio. My Mom was an educator too. We talked early on about my work and they both agreed that we have the opportunity to help others by educating them about our experiences.

As Jacki noted in the story, there are 5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease today, and that number will triple by 2050. Dr. Dorene Rentz, also interviewed in the story, says it’s reached epidemic proportions. But she also offers hope with new treatments, and that’s what I’m counting on.

“I’m not just trying to keep my parents alive; I’m trying to have a good life with them and live my life at the same time. There’s still a lot of fun and a lot of surprises and just a lot of love. My parents are just very sweet individuals and I’m very lucky in that way.”

                                        — Amy Goyer

Listen here to the NPR Weekend All Things Considered story: Alzheimer’s Cases Rise, But Hope Remains.

Amy Goyer is AARP’s Home & Family Expert; she splits her time between Washington, D.C. and Phoenix, Ariz. where she is caregiving for both of her parents who live with her. Her new book, Juggling Work and Caregiving, will be published this fall. Follow Amy on Twitter @amygoyer and on Facebook.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health regulators say an experimental insomnia drug from Merck can help patients fall asleep, but it also carries worrisome side effects, including daytime drowsiness and suicidal thinking.

Related: ER Visits Soar for Older Adults Taking Ambien

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday released its review of the company’s sleep aid, suvorexant, ahead of a public meeting on Wednesday. The pill works by temporarily blocking chemical messengers that keep people awake.

The FDA said company trials show suvorexant is better than placebo at helping people fall asleep and stay asleep. And regulators said the drug’s effectiveness was consistent across several doses tested by Merck & Co. Inc.

But patients taking the higher doses of the drug showed an eight-fold increase in daytime drowsiness, which sometimes interfered with driving the next morning. Patients taking 20 milligrams and 40 milligrams of suvorexant had trouble staying in their driving lanes when tested by company researchers. FDA notes that four women actually had to stop the driving test due to excessive sleepiness.

The FDA review also notes that suvorexant was associated with increased risk of suicidal thinking. Over 12 months, there were eight cases of suicidal thinking or behavior reported among patients taking the drug, compared with no cases among patients given placebo.

Merck has proposed a starting dose of 15 milligrams for seniors and 20 milligrams for non-seniors. Doctors would gradually raise these doses to 30 milligrams and 40 milligrams, respectively, or until the patient’s insomnia has been successfully treated.

On Wednesday the FDA will ask a panel of outside experts to vote on questions of the drug’s safety and effectiveness. The agency appears to favor eliminating most of the higher doses of the drug tested by Merck.

The FDA says Merck data suggest that a 10 milligram dose may be safer, while still being effective.

“Indeed, if a dosage strength lower than 15 milligrams is unavailable, we would need to consider if the drug could be marketed safely at all, if we believe that a substantial proportion of the indicated population needs a lower dose,” the agency states in its review.

The agency plans to ask its advisers whether there is enough data to support a 10 milligram dose, according to draft questions posted online.

ISI Group analyst Mark Schoenebaum called the FDA’s review “tough.”

“The high dose is deemed unsafe, and the FDA wonders if there is enough data at the safer low dose to draw firm safety conclusions,” Schoenebaum said in a note to investors. He says it could take Merck 18 months to resubmit its drug, if FDA requires another study of low-dose suvorexant. The potential impact on Merck’s revenue is relatively small, since the drug is only expected to generate peak sales of $650 million by 2018.

In January, the FDA required drugmakers of Ambien and similar sleeping pills to lower the dosage of their drugs, based on studies suggesting a link to drowsiness-related injuries. The agency cited research showing that the drugs remain in the bloodstream at levels high enough to interfere with driving.

In midday trading, shares of Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Merck slipped 52 cents to $45.48.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Photo by Soulfull via Flickr

Also of Interest

• FDA: Sleeping Pill Doses May Be Cut By Half
• Does Your Doctor Prescribe Too Many Risky Drugs?
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Nicotine residues and other chemical traces “don’t stay in the smoking rooms,” lead researcher George Matt, chairman of the psychology department at San Diego State University, told USA Today. “They end up in the hallways and in other rooms, including nonsmoking rooms,” he said.

The study, published last week in the journal Tobacco Control, found smoke residue on surfaces and in the air of both smoking and nonsmoking rooms in 30 California hotels where smoking was allowed. Levels were highest in the smoking rooms, but levels in nonsmoking rooms were much higher than those found at 10 smoke-free hotels.

Even the hallway surfaces outside of smoking rooms showed higher nicotine residue than the hallways outside of nonsmoking rooms, the researchers wrote.

Volunteers who stayed overnight in the smoking hotels ended up with nicotine residues on their fingers, whether or not they stayed in smoking rooms. Urine tests found additional evidence of nicotine exposure in those who stayed in hotels that allowed smoking, though not in those who stayed in the smoke-free hotels, according to the study.

Smoke-free hotels are becoming more common, yet they’re not as common as smoke-free restaurants and bars. Only four states — Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota and Vermont — have laws banning smoking in hotels, Matt said.

The American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation told USA Today that many large chains, including Marriott, Westin and Comfort Inn, have gone smoke-free. But a recent survey by a hotel trade association found that only 39 percent of economy hotels ban smoking.

For travelers with breathing problems who are trying to avoid any secondhand smoke residue, staying in a nonsmoking room in a hotel that also has smoking rooms may not be a wise choice. Seek out completely smoke-free hotels instead.

As Matt told the New York Times, “Smokers leave a legacy behind that they cannot control.” The tobacco residues permeate the fabrics, the blankets, the upholstery, the drywall “and you can’t just take them out.”

Photo:  Drongowski/flickr

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And I’m not alone. Recently, I was having dinner with friends and we were all grousing about how busy we are (they are all working caregivers on some level too) and our lack of exercise. We are all different shapes and sizes, but we were all feeling so far from “hot” it was depressing us, not to mention feeling the physical effects. After a couple bottles of wine, Debra, Kim, Afsoon and I got very wise (wine has a way of doing that!) and decided to do something to light the flame of our “hotness factor”!

To jump-start our hotness, we knew we had to be realistic and make it fun. Kim pointed out that if you do one thing every day for 21 days it will become a habit. We wanted exercise to become a habit again, and we knew we needed help. That’s where non-judgmental, enthusiastic, reinforcing friend power comes in!

That very night we formed our “Hot” group to rediscover the hotness within us. Our formula is simple:

• We each committed to one minimal physical hottie activity per day: I am doing at least one yoga sun salutation, Kim is doing squats, Afsoon and Debra have a short exercise routine.
• We email our hotness update daily. The others respond with kudos and their hottie reports. (Emailing works for us, but you could text, call or form a Facebook group.)
• If we skip a day, there is no berating or lecturing. We get encouragement and get back on track.

It’s working! Every night as I wearily start to crawl into bed, usually after 1 a.m., I stop, remember my hotness group and do my sun salutation. My friends report the same — we are motivating each other down the hotness path.

BONUS: Our once a day minimal exercise is motivating us to do more. We find ourselves eating better, doing more exercise, walking when we could drive. Debra is even working with a trainer now. Some of us are losing weight!

We all feel better about ourselves. We also feel more in touch with each other on a daily basis — and as an isolated working caregiver, I think perhaps that is making the biggest difference for me.

Here’s to the hotness in all of us … one day at a time!

Photo Credit: Doug 88888

Amy Goyer is AARP’s Home & Family Expert; she splits her time between Washington, D.C. and Phoenix, Ariz. where she is caregiving for both of her parents who live with her. Her new book, Juggling Work and Caregiving, will be published this fall. Follow Amy on Twitter @amygoyer and on Facebook.

Also of Interest

• 7 Beauty Blunders Women Over 50 Keep on Making (and How to Stop)
• Best All Around Excercise for Every Post-50 Body
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more