[Promoting physical activity in primary care practices. Review fifteen years after the launch of PAPRICA training].

This article reviews the PAPRICA (Physical Activity promotion in PRImary CAre) program fifteen years after the first training course in physical activity counseling for primary care physicians in French-speaking Switzerland. Subsequent developments are also presented, based on the PAPRICA experience. The article then looks at the national strategy for promoting physical activity in the medical practice, the issues involved in financing the services, and the situation in other comparable countries.

Impact of falling on social participation and social support trajectories in a middle-aged and elderly European sample.

Whereas falls are frequent and traumatic events for the elderly, their long-term consequences in terms of the social lives of older fallers are understudied. This study aimed to identify the impact of falling on the trajectories of social participation and social support of older people in Europe. Our sample consisted of 16,583 people aged 50-95 years from 10 European countries who responded to the waves 1, 2 and 4 of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe.

Meeting the Needs of the Growing Very Old Population: Policy Implications for a Global Challenge.

Very old adults are one of the fastest-growing age groups worldwide. Yet they rarely constitute a targeted group for public policies. Drawing on the results of the centenarian studies presented in this special issue, we highlight major challenges that arise from the increase of this population.

Perceptions of Alzheimer's Disease in the French Population: Evolutions between 2008 and 2013 and Associated Factors in 2013.

Background: The negative image surrounding AD has a substantial impact on caregiving and on those affected by the disease. Opinion surveys were created as part of the 2008-2012 Alzheimer Plan in France, which included two surveys of the general population, at the beginning and at the end.

Objective: To evaluate changes of the French population in perceptions, knowledge and beliefs over 5 years and to analyze dimensions with sociodemographics criteria and proximity with AD.

The ambiguous relationships between aging and Alzheimer's disease: a critical literature review.

One reason for the rise in the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) since the 1980s is the new association between the disease and aging. This paper explores the current representations of AD, questioning their relationships to aging, thanks to a literature review of 49 articles published in French and in English between 1995 and June 2010. Aging appears to be a concurrent diagnosis for AD, both for the lay public and for health professionals, but this confusion, which can be interpreted as a lack of medicalization of memory loss on the conceptual level, does not necessarily constitute an obstacle to medical intervention.

General practitioner's clinical practices, difficulties and educational needs to manage Alzheimer's disease in France: analysis of national telephone-inquiry data.

Background: The literature has emphasized the role of general practitioners (GPs) in caring for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Within the framework of the French national AD plan, an inquiry was undertaken to identify the clinical practices, difficulties and training needs of GPs managing this pathology.

Methods: A random sample from a representative national listing of continental French GPs following ≥1 AD patients comprised the study population.

Fear of Alzheimer's disease in the French population: impact of age and proximity to the disease.

Background: The negative image of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in our society has a substantial impact on treating, caring for and integrating those suffering from the disease and their relatives. Little research has been conducted on social perception of AD in the community.

Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the perception, knowledge, opinions and beliefs about AD in the French population.

Association between social relationships and survival of Swiss octogenarians. A five-year prospective, population-based study.

Background And Aims: Data from the literature reveal the contrasting influences of family members and friends on the survival of old adults. On one hand, numerous studies have reported a positive association between social relationships and survival. On the other, ties with children may be associated with an increased risk of disability, whereas ties with friends or other relatives tend to improve survival.