Free Health Information for Hispanic Seniors Offered by the National Institute on Aging

For Immediate Release:
April 2001

Contact: Jeannine Mjoseth
(301) 496-1752

Reliable information on diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep problems, medication safety, and foot care is now available in Spanish from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Five new Age Pages describe how to recognize and treat these conditions, which are common in older people, and provide up-to-date addresses and telephone numbers for further help.

The free, science-based leaflets are written for older adults but also are useful to family members and health professionals who care for older adults. The Age Page on diabetes, for example, talks about how Hispanic Americans are at very high risk for type 2 diabetes, which is most common in adults over age 40. The Age Page identifies diabetes symptoms like feeling thirsty, urinating frequently, losing weight, feeling tired, and having blurred vision. This very serious disease can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart, but diet, exercise, and sometimes drugs can prevent or delay complications of this disease.

The NIA has pledged to make health information available to minority elders a vital part of its 5-year strategic plan. In 2000, there were 1.9 million Hispanic adults age 65 and older in the U.S., a number that is expected to increase rapidly, according to the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics.

For single or bulk copies of these Age Pages , call the NIA Information Center weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. toll free at 1-800-222-2225 or TTY 1-800-222-4225. An information specialist will be available to respond to queries in Spanish.

The NIA is part of the Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health. The NIA is the lead Federal agency supporting and conducting biomedical, social, and behavioral research and training related to aging and the diseases and special needs of older people.

###