Good morning and welcome to agebuzz… Headlining today’s topics:

-Friends With Benefits: Finding New Friends Regardless Of Their Age

-Pain And Suffering: Chronic Pain May Trigger Cognitive Decline

-Crash Course: Finding Ways To Safely And Comfortably Bike As You Age

-Cancer Care: Updates About Cancer Treatments And Resources

-Going Strong: A New Physical Paradigm For Older Women

-Truth Teller: Writer Anne Lamott Dispenses Essential (And Humorous) Wisdom

-The Last Word

Friends With Benefits: Finding New Friends Regardless Of Their Age: Friendships often begin and endure because of common interests and experiences. But does it matter if your friends are all the same age as you? Can you be friends and enjoy the companionship of someone much younger or much older? Increasingly, intergenerational friendships (or“age-gap” friendships, as British writer Marianne Kavanagh has coined them) are not only possible, but probable, as social media and the internet bring people together because of mutual interests rather than chronological age. In fact, internet entrepreneur Gina Pell has coined the term “Perennials” to describe this new movement of people coming together because of likemindedness rather than age or stage of life. Given the mounting evidence that friendships are vital for healthy aging, finding friends wherever we can, and whatever their age, seems to be an essential task. So click on that new Facebook group you’ve been eyeing and read more about the benefits of friendships for healthy aging Here.

Pain And Suffering: Chronic Pain May Trigger Cognitive Decline: Nagging, chronic pain can be debilitating and distracting. You’re always aware that something’s not quite right. And new research suggests the impact of that pain may not only affect you in the moment but could trigger long-term, detrimental changes in your brain. In a newly published study out of the University of California San Francisco, researchers found an association between chronic pain and memory problems, and possibly even increased incidence of dementia. Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study underscores the importance of treating pain, especially as patients age, not only to bring about immediate relief but to protect cognitive skills for the long term. Read more about this new study Here.

Crash Course: Finding Ways To Safely And Comfortably Bike As You Age: Now that it’s summer, pulling out the bike and going for a ride seems like a great idea. But given that new data reflect the escalating toll, both financial and physical, that bike crashes are taking on aging riders, it’s critical that you are comfortable and careful as you hit the road. Over at Bicycling.com, there’s a suggested exercise and weight-lifting routine to help keep your leg muscles strong and pumping as you bike into your later years. Read the advice Here. And if seat comfort as you age is a concern, check out this new bike seat option that provides extra padding without the pain. And, of course, none of this is intended to discourage you from biking- in fact, pumping up those tires and heading out on the road can get better as you age. Find out why by Clicking Here.

Cancer Care: Updates About Cancer Treatments And Resources: There’s no getting around it: advancing age puts you at higher risk of cancer. People over 65 account for 60% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer. If you or a loved one have this disease, it’s always critical to stay up-to-date, as new research studies and services are always on the horizon. Here are a few to consider: First, given the often high costs of cancer drugs, researchers are now investigating whether doses of medication can be cut without jeopardizing treatment success. The goal is to find value, and cut out inefficiencies, in current medication regimens. Read more about this effort Here. Researchers are also discovering that better reporting of symptoms and side effects, via “real time” alerts to nurses, can lead to better outcomes. Read about the benefit of this simple “alert” tech tool Here. Finally, it’s critical for cancer patients and caregivers to have up-to-date, unbiased and easy to understand information, especially given the wide-array of confusing info you may find on the web. Enter The Contact Center, a National Cancer Institute-funded info center run out of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle. It’s open to anyone with a question or concern, and it provides valuable guidance and information from the most basic questions to the most sophisticated concerns. Reach out to The Contact Center Here.

Going Strong: A New Physical Paradigm For Older Women: As they grow older, many women fear the negative toll that aging can take on the body. Skin may sag, fat can accumulate and it’s easy to become self-conscious about one’s body image. But rather than focus on the negative, what if, instead, you focused on maintaining and enhancing your muscle tone and physical strength. If that sounds enticing to you, then you need to know about the new Strength in Numbers project, a Facebook photo project that gives pride of place to photos of strong older women who want to remain physically active and vital. Started by California resident Kris Humphries, the goal is not to glamorize traditional notions of physical beauty but rather redefine beauty by highlighting strong, athletic older women engaged in physical endeavors, whether at the gym or out in nature. So pull out your free weights and read more about the Strength in Numbers project Here, and check out the project’s Facebook site Here. 

Truth Teller: Writer Anne Lamott Dispenses Essential (And Humorous) Wisdom: On the occasion of her 61st birthday, writer Anne Lamott has agreed to share what she’s come to know as true. Revealing her experiential wisdom in a recent TED talk, Lamott has thought long and hard about life, spirituality, and aging, and she doles out her advice in 12 essential truths that are as heartfelt as they are funny. Guaranteed to make you laugh, and learn a little about living a meaningful life, watch Anne Lamott reveal the truth to you by Clicking Here.

THE LAST WORD: “It’s better to be kind than to be right.”  Anne Lamott