Author: Chelsea Shetty

About Chelsea Shetty

Chelsea is a Content and SEO Growth Specialist at Apollidon Learning, where she helps create, optimize, and refine educational marketing content for university partners. She holds a bachelor’s degree in literature from Florida State University and has spent the past six years working in marketing, including the past three at Apollidon.

Physiology

2 years ago

4 Major Factors That Affect Drug Absorption in the Body

Before any medication can relieve pain or treat illness, it must first be absorbed into the bloodstream. But absorption isn’t automatic. In fact, several internal and external factors shape it. In pharmacology, the four major factors that affect drug absorption are: Physiological state of the patient Drug formulation and manufacturing Method of drug administration Chemical properties of the drug itself Below, we break down each factor with examples to show how the body processes medications differently from person to person. The 4 Major Factors That Affect Drug Absorption Drug absorption isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. How quickly (or slowly) a medication enters the bloodstream depends on four main factors: the patient’s physiological state, how the drug is formulated, how it’s administered and the drug’s own chemical and physical properties

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Aging

2 years ago

Starting a Business After Retirement: What Senior Entrepreneurs Need to Succeed

Just because someone retires doesn’t mean they leave behind the skills they spent decades developing. For many older adults, retirement marks the beginning of a new chapter — one that includes entrepreneurship. Starting a business after retirement is becoming increasingly common as retirees look for meaningful work, additional income or the opportunity to turn lifelong passions into profit. While older entrepreneurs often bring valuable experience, succeeding in today’s market means getting familiar with modern business practices and tools. Below are practical ways communities, organizations and institutions can support retirees who are ready to launch their own small businesses. Why Are More Retirees Starting Businesses? Many retirees enter entrepreneurship with established expertise, industry insight and long-standing professional relationships. Compared to younger founders, older business owners often have more defined goals and a clearer understanding of the markets they’ve worked in. With the right support, launching a venture later in life can be both practical and personally rewarding. Small Business Ideas for Retirees Rather than beginning entirely from scratch, many retirees build businesses that expand on prior careers or long-standing interests

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Physiology

2 years ago

What Is Disease X — and Why Are Scientists Preparing for It?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, one question has lingered in the background of global health conversations: What comes next? That concern has a name. Disease X. Disease X isn’t a specific illness. Instead, it’s a placeholder for a future infectious disease that could cause a global outbreak, similar to or worse than COVID-19. While no one knows exactly what Disease X will be, scientists are preparing now to reduce its potential impact. Disease X is a term introduced in 2017 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to describe a currently unknown pathogen with the potential to cause a serious international epidemic or pandemic. It was added to the WHO’s priority disease list to acknowledge a reality scientists already understood: The next major outbreak may come from a virus or bacterium we haven’t identified yet. What Is Disease X? Disease X appears on the same high-priority list as well-known threats like: COVID-19 Ebola Lassa fever Zika Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever The difference? Disease X hasn’t emerged yet. Why Does Disease X Worry Us? The fear surrounding Disease X isn’t just about the unknown. It’s that modern life could allow a new disease to spread faster and farther than ever before. Taken together, these factors explain why experts see Disease X as a serious global threat: 1

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Aging

2 years ago

6 Unique Careers in the Field of Aging

Whether you’re embarking on a career change, considering graduate school or interested in expanding your professional horizons, get ready to explore six unique careers in the field of aging. #1 Gerontechnology Specialist As the name suggests, a gerontechnology specialist uses technology to improve the lives of older adults. They bridge the widening gap between today’s ever-advancing gadgets and the often not-so-tech-savvy elderly, helping them to learn to use different kinds of equipment that can increase their independence and overall well-being. Some of the technologies they utilize with their clients include: Telehealth platforms that make remote checkups more efficient. Elderly-friendly smart home devices, such as smart locks, refrigerators and stoves that others can control remotely. Health monitoring devices, like smartwatches, blood pressure monitors and medication dispensers. #2 Public Health Administrator Public health administrators oversee and manage multiple aspects of public and private public health programs at the federal and local level, including those focused on the elderly. While your duties would vary depending on your particular sector (state, federal or private), some of your responsibilities would include: Designing and Developing Programs for Older AdultsTo better serve the older population, public health administrators work with a team of other professionals to create programs that address the well-being of older adults. Some of these programs focus on topics of interest to the elderly, including fall prevention, mental health support and disease management. Advocating for Elderly-Friendly PoliciesFrom Medicare and Medicaid to other long-term care services, public health administrators work alongside other policymakers to advocate for policies that promote the improved health and wellness of older adults. #3 Intergenerational Program Coordinator Do you enjoy bringing people together for the greater good? How about seeing their faces light up when they’re enjoying the company of new (and sometimes unexpected) companions? Intergenerational program coordinators plan and oversee programs that unify people from different generations. Why do they do it, you ask? For a multitude of uplifting and joyful reasons, such as: Forging positive relationships between unlikely individuals

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Aging

2 years ago

5 Causes Behind the Growing Baby Boomer Caregiver Gap

As baby boomers turn 80, the realities of an aging population and their increasing healthcare needs are becoming impossible to ignore. Long-term care, support with daily living and professional medical oversight are no longer distant concerns — they’re the reality for millions of families. While baby boomers often cared for their elders, their children are less likely to fill that same caregiving role. So, where does that leave older adults in the baby boomer generation? In short, with a growing caregiver gap. In this article, we’re digging into five causes of the caregiver gap in hopes that we can collectively work toward reducing it and provide baby boomers with optimal care during the next phase in their lives. Why Are Baby Boomers Facing an Aged Care Shortage? The baby boomer generation refers to individuals born between 1946 and 1964. Today, millions of baby boomers are entering their late 70s and early 80s, increasing demand for healthcare services, long-term support and caregiving assistance. The baby boomer caregiving gap refers to the growing mismatch between the number of aging baby boomers who require support and the number of caregivers available to meet their needs. As baby boomers age into their 80s and beyond, demand for long-term care services is accelerating faster than workforce growth. What’s Causing the Baby Boomer Caregiver Gap? While there’s no single cause behind the caregiver gap, several social, demographic and economic shifts have contributed to the growing shortage of support for aging baby boomers

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Aging

2 years ago

Societal Views on Aging

What do you think comes to mind when people see the term elderly? Do they picture themselves helping kind older women across the street or perhaps reading to a room full of people at the local nursing home? Sadly, society’s views on aging have changed dramatically in recent years. Rather than helping elderly family members as they progress through their latter stage of life, many people view them as a burden. But was it always this way — and is there anything we can do to change the current societal views on aging? Join us as we break down the good, the bad and the ugly of ageism in the United States and beyond and what you can do to positively impact the elderly community. What Is Ageism — And Is It the Same Around the Globe? Ageism refers to the social prejudice that people sometimes experience based on their age. For example, some individuals in their teens or early 20s won’t receive an interest-free credit card because they’re young and “inexperienced” when it comes to handling their finances. Similarly, older adults experience various degrees of age bias. Sometimes, family members assume their elderly family members aren’t competent enough to drive their car. Other times, someone will insist on helping them complete a task that they believe they’re not strong enough to complete on their own. But is ageism practiced similarly around the world, or are certain cultures more prone to conforming to stereotypes against the elderly? Western societies like our own often focus more heavily on the glory and benefits of youth and are less likely to prioritize taking care of older family members as they age

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Physiology

2 years ago

What Happens If You Don’t Get Enough Sunlight?

Most of us know the dangers of too much sun — sunburns, dark spots and even skin cancer. But not enough people talk about the other side of the equation: What happens when you don’t get enough sunlight? The same UV rays that can damage your skin also help your body make vitamin D, a nutrient that supports strong bones, a healthy immune system and steady energy. Without it, you could start to feel the effects in surprising, not-so-pleasant ways. So, how much sun is enough, and what really happens when you don’t get it? Let’s dive in. What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sunlight? Not getting enough sunlight is surprisingly common. There are several reasons individuals might fall short on natural light.Whether they live in areas with long winters and short days or have a medical condition that makes going outside difficult, sunlight deficiency affects more people than you might think. Here’s what can happen if your body doesn’t get enough natural light: Can a Lack of Sunlight Weaken Your Immune System? Vitamin D helps your immune system produce proteins that fight pathogens. Without enough sunlight, you may experience a weakened immune system and become more susceptible to getting the flu, cold or other infections. Why Does Low Sunlight Cause Fatigue? Sunlight can boost serotonin levels in the brain, creating a sense of calm and boosting your mood

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Aging

2 years ago

Geropsychology: Helping Older Adults Thrive

The field of psychology has grown immensely in recent decades. What began as the study of the adult mind and behavior in 1879 has since expanded to an array of specialties, from military psychology to child psychology and everything in between. It should come as no surprise, then, that there’s a new branch of psychology on the block and it goes by the name of geropsychology. This up-and-coming specialty applies a combination of traditional and modern psychological methods to help people aged 65 and older. Whether you’re interested in becoming a psychologist with a focus on the elderly population or you’d simply like to utilize some of its practices in your line of work, today we’re answering the question, “What is geropsychology?” and discussing some of the common topics this specialty addresses. Geropsychology: A Brief History By the 1950s, psychology had comfortably nestled itself next to many other established specialties in the behavioral sciences. It was during this time that scientists began to study the cognitive and emotional abilities of humans as they entered the latter phase of their lives. In the 1970s, more formal training in clinical geropsychology began to improve the lives of older adults as they faced impending hurdles like mental and physical decline or the deaths of loved ones

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Physiology

2 years ago

What Is a Supertaster? Definition, Traits and How to Test Yourself

It’s a tale as old as time. Growing up, your family tried to instill a love of broccoli and other leafy greens in you, but it never quite took. Now, you might be an adult who still doesn’t appreciate certain veggies, coffee or spicy foods. Perhaps you’d even call yourself a picky eater. If so, have you ever considered whether you might be a supertaster? While being a supertaster might sound like a covetable superpower, the one in four people who find themselves with this ability might not always see it as a blessing

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