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Men with dementia who were taking beta-blockers showed a slight decrease in the rate of bone loss compared with men who were not, according to a small observational study led by researchers at UTHealth Houston. 

Women in the study, published in Calcified Tissue International, did not show a change. 

Beta-blockers are commonly used to manage heart and circulatory system problems. They are also sometimes used to treat conditions related to the nervous system. Beta-blockers work by slowing down certain types of cell activity, which can help control blood pressure, heart rate, and more. 

“Based on previous work in animals, beta-blockers, hypothetically, should help prevent bone loss, so we looked at patients who had been diagnosed with dementia and already taking the medication versus those who were not,” said Nahid Rianon, MD, DrPH, senior and corresponding author on the study and professor in the Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. 

Researchers analyzed data of 535 men and 663 women with a median age of 74 who were followed for 10 years. Among the men, 135 had dementia and 108 were on beta-blockers. Among the women, 149 had dementia and 110 were on beta-blockers. 

Researchers noted that men with dementia who used beta-blockers for nine years had a 0.7% per year lower rate of bone loss compared to those who were not taking beta-blockers. 

“This is the first study to show that we may be able to help slow the rate of bone loss for patients with dementia. We know these patients are at a greater risk of falls and fractures, and if common medicines like beta-blockers (usually prescribed for heart conditions) can help reduce their risk of breaks, we as physicians can choose their medication wisely, knowing it can help them in many different areas,” said Rianon, who holds the Memorial Hermann Chair at McGovern Medical School. 

As people age, their bones become less dense and lose bone tissue, leading to the development of osteoporosis. This is due to a number of factors, including an inactive lifestyle, mineral loss, and hormonal changes like menopause for women, and the gradual decline in sex hormones in men.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 5.8 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including 5.6 million aged 65 and older and about 200,000 under age 65.

“Future studies are needed to confirm these findings in a larger population where we can longitudinally monitor bone health in older adults with and without dementia taking beta-blockers for non-bone-related conditions,” Rianon said. “Older adults often suffer from polypharmacy, which can become challenging, specifically in those with dementia. Wise choices of medications like beta-blockers, when appropriate, could help ameliorate osteoporosis while treating a heart condition in those suffering from dementia.”

Additional UTHealth Houston authors included Khiem Khuc, MPH; Jude des Bordes, PhD; Abayomi Ogunwale, MD, MPH; Catherine Ambrose, PhD; and Paul Schulz, MD. Other authors included Maria-Bernadette Madel, PhD, and Florent Elefteriou, PhD, with Baylor College of Medicine, and Ann Schwartz, PhD, MPH, with the University of California, San Francisco.  

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Reverend William A. Lawson, a civil rights icon who was also known as Houston's pastor and the founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, died Tuesday morning at the age of 95.

Reverend William Lawson, a dedicated member of the Consortium on Aging committee during 2019-2021. Reverend Lawson's presence brought warmth and wisdom to discussions, and his commitment to improving care for older adults was unwavering. We will remember for his contributions to the development of a service line for Senior Care, Telemedicine Hub and Micro-hospitals for senior medicine. Read more about Reverend William Lawson's impacts on the world here.

W. Andrew (Andy) Achenbaum, Ph.D., who profoundly shaped the landscape of aging studies nationally, passed away April 29, 2024, at 77.

Achenbaum, revered for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of gerontology, leaves behind a legacy of scholarship and advocacy that continues to resonate within both academia and real-world issues that affect older adults.

Achenbaum earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Michigan in 1976. He embarked on a remarkable academic journey, enriching the minds of students and colleagues alike at Canisius College, Carnegie-Mellon University, and his alma mater, the University of Michigan where he served as a professor of history and deputy director of the Institute of Gerontology.

In 1999, Achenbaum relocated to Houston, assuming the role of dean of the College of Humanities, Fine Arts and Communication, at the University of Houston. His leadership extended to the position of dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, where he also served as a professor of history. Throughout his career, Achenbaum's dedication to advancing the study of aging and its social implications remained steadfast, igniting a growing interest in a field that had been overlooked if not ignored in the sociologic spheres of the time.

Achenbaum's influence transcended esoteric classroom theories. He became deeply engaged in shaping proactive public policy and discourse surrounding issues of advocacy for older adults.  

A prolific author and researcher, he wrote numerous books, articles, and public policy papers, exploring the multifaceted dimensions of growing older and its implications for society. 

For the past 20 years, Achenbaum was an active scholar at the Institute for Spirituality and Health-Texas Medical Center.  He had a deep commitment to advocate for vulnerable and abused older people. And, he was a stalwart supporter of UTHealth Houston Consortium on Aging and a regular advisor to the late Carmel Dyer, M.D., executive director of the consortium and practicing geriatrician with UT Physicians Center for Healthy Aging.  His tenure on various boards of directors and editorial roles underscored his commitment to advancing the field and amplifying the voices of those advocating for better care for aging populations.

Jason Burnett, UTHealth Houston Institute on Aging faculty member and long-time friend to Achenbaum stated, “Andy was a master of ceremonies, especially in his displays of friendship, generosity, and curiosity for change.”

In addition to his academic and advocacy work, Achenbaum's legacy endures through the lives he touched and the minds he inspired. His passion for understanding the complexities of aging coupled with his compassionate spirit leaves an indelible mark on his colleagues and students in the field of gerontology and beyond.

Achenbaum is survived by his many loved ones and friends, who find solace in the enduring impact of his life's work.

The family invites friends and acquaintances to share their stories and memories of Andy Achenbaum by emailing them to esabaum@gmail.com.

Memorial Service is May 11, 2024, 11:00 AM at St. James Episcopal Church

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) selected UTHealth Houston to participate in the Age-Friendly System-Wide Spread Collaborative.

This first-of-its-kind collaborative, led by the IHI, includes 30 U.S. health systems that will accelerate and spread adoption of evidence-based, high-quality care for older adults across all of their sites and care settings. The collaborative is the latest endeavor of the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative, which promotes four evidence-based elements of high-quality care known as the 4Ms: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility.

UTHealth Houston also earned the initiative’s Committed to Care Excellence designation after demonstrating reliable practice of the 4Ms. Now, during the 18-month collaborative, UTHealth Houston will build on its progress and test changes to ensure that the 4Ms are provided equitably as a standard practice for older adults receiving care across its entire system. All participating teams in the collaborative will learn from each other and expert faculty, and be among the first health systems to achieve an ambitious new IHI recognition for system-wide spread of age-friendly care. 

“We are expanding our commitment to providing evidence-based care for our patients,” said Holly Holmes, MD, the Joan and Stanford Alexander Chair in Gerontology and the director of the Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. “We want to build on what we have established and continue to reach beyond geriatrics. The Age-Friendly Systems-Wide Spread Collaborative will give us the tools we need to provide the highest standard of care to every older adult at every care interaction.”

Holmes is one of the leaders at the Institute on Aging at UTHealth Houston. Other leaders who are part of this initiative at UTHealth Houston include Cristina Murdock, MD; Maureen Beck, MSN, DNP; Min Ji Kwak, MD; Eze Onyema, MD; Lokesh Shahani, MD, PhD, MPH; and Rafael Samper-Ternent, MD, PhD.

“We are honored to have UTHealth Houston participating in this collaborative and applaud their dedication to equitably delivering age-friendly care as older adults and their family caregivers receive care across their practices, hospitals, and nursing homes,” said Leslie Pelton, MPA, vice president at IHI. “This is an exciting and ambitious endeavor and a testament to the increasing importance of the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement as we prepare our health systems and workforce to provide excellent care to the growing older adult population.”

Since 2018, the movement has recognized 3,907 care settings as Age-Friendly, benefiting 3.29 million older adults who have received age-friendly care centered around what matters to them and their families. Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and IHI, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

About UTHealth Houston 

Established in 1972 by The University of Texas System Board of Regents, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) is Texas’ resource for health care education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. The most comprehensive academic health center in the UT System and the U.S. Gulf Coast region, UTHealth Houston is home to Jane and Robert Cizik School of Nursing, John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Medical School, D. Bradley McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, and schools of biomedical sciences, dentistry, public health, and behavioral health sciences. UTHealth Houston includes the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center and UTHealth Houston Harris County Psychiatric Center, as well as the growing clinical practices UT Physicians, UT Dentists, and UT Health Services. The university’s primary teaching hospitals are Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, and Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. For more information, visit www.uth.edu.

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Congratulations to Samper-Ternent on his recognition as a champion from the Age-Friendly Public Health Systems (AFPHS) initiative, Trust for America's Health (TFAH) prioritizes the public health roles in healthy aging and encourages all state and local public health departments to make health aging a core function.

Aanand Naik, MD, Professor and Rafael Samper-Ternent, MD, PhD, Associate Proffesor were the guest speakers at the Huffington Lecture Series of the Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine. They provided training to all Faculty members on the Patient Priorities Care (PPC) approach. This lecture is part of the effort the Institute is spearheading to make the PPC approach the standard of care for all patients in the Division.