GREAT FALLS, Va. — When doctors told Carol Blackwell that her husband — her best friend and the love of her life — had Alzheimer’s disease, they assured her “a cure was just around the corner.”
Bob Blackwell was 64, recently retired from the CIA as an analyst on the former Soviet Union and Europe and still functioning normally. “He was brilliant then.”
That was five years ago.
“Here we are, and there’s no cure and no promise of a cure,” Carol says, sitting in her family room, eyes wet with tears.
She is Bob’s primary caregiver, and the last couple of months have been “tough,” she says. There are days when Bob doesn’t know she’s his wife. “I’ve been through a lot of grieving,” she says. “I know it’s too late for a cure for Bob, the disease has moved into too many parts of his brain, but I’m praying for my children and grandchildren. We have to find a cure.”
Finish reading this heartfelt story by clicking on this link: http://tucsoncitizen.com/usa-today-news/2012/01/16/u-s-launches-war-on-alzheimers/
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Is Life One Big Goodbye
Some of you may know this, but then, some may not. After spending almost a year Homeless I wrote the book, “Is Life One Big Goodbye” One Homeless Woman’s Survival Story.
I’m happy to say it went on Amazon.com on my mother’s birthday, November 6th. The paperback will be out soon. To all of you who have supported me and gave me hope, I thank you.
Rose
Below is a description:
I blended into the walls, like other women: faceless, no expression—a dead look. I’d lost my identity, my individuality. I no longer knew myself. The other women were young, Black, Hispanic, and a very few White, like me. Most had been abused by fathers, mothers, husbands or children. Children who didn’t want to care for their mothers signed them in after they had been released from psychiatric facilities. Twenty-year olds were put here by their mothers or fathers after they came from drug or alcohol centers. Children don’t want to care for mothers. Mothers don’t want to care for children—their own flesh and blood. If there’s a ‘me’ underneath this faceless disguise that has attached itself to my body, I want it to leave, now!
After having been married with two children, a nice home, belonging to golf country clubs, a divorce, an Alzheimer’s caregiver for 14 years, at age 68, after surgery and many medical bills, I had to move into a Homeless Shelter.
I’m happy to say it went on Amazon.com on my mother’s birthday, November 6th. The paperback will be out soon. To all of you who have supported me and gave me hope, I thank you.
Rose
Below is a description:
I blended into the walls, like other women: faceless, no expression—a dead look. I’d lost my identity, my individuality. I no longer knew myself. The other women were young, Black, Hispanic, and a very few White, like me. Most had been abused by fathers, mothers, husbands or children. Children who didn’t want to care for their mothers signed them in after they had been released from psychiatric facilities. Twenty-year olds were put here by their mothers or fathers after they came from drug or alcohol centers. Children don’t want to care for mothers. Mothers don’t want to care for children—their own flesh and blood. If there’s a ‘me’ underneath this faceless disguise that has attached itself to my body, I want it to leave, now!
After having been married with two children, a nice home, belonging to golf country clubs, a divorce, an Alzheimer’s caregiver for 14 years, at age 68, after surgery and many medical bills, I had to move into a Homeless Shelter.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Alzheimer's entered my world.
This is what happened when the word Alzheimer’s entered my world.
This is what it’s like when Alzheimer’s enters your world. A ‘word’ that still has no cure. How many Baby Boomers will be diagnosed next year? I can’t even guess.
Monday morning I run down to the motel’s continental breakfast, bringing back cereal, bananas, and coffee. Just finishing coffee, the phone rings. I look at Carol, then pick up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Good morning. How are you this morning?” Dr. Greenberg asks.
“Fine, thank you.” I’d been waiting for this call. We both had been waiting, but not mentioning it in words. I’m sure it’s nothing, maybe a gland problem they haven’t found yet, or a blood disorder not picked up. In New York, we had the best doctor’s and hospitals. I was sure someone would find out what was wrong with her, and finally asked, “Do you have any news for us?”
He goes into a long explanation of Carol’s PET scan and other tests. Some I understand, most I don’t. “I’m sorry to tell you Rose, Carol has a dementia disease known as Alzheimer’s.”
I hear him, yet don’t. I ask him to repeat it. Again, I hear the word, Alzheimer’s. I stand from my safe sitting spot on the bed. I can’t say anything and want him to take back the ‘word’. I’m unable to say anything while he finishes telling me his findings.
“Thank you,” I say and hang up.
Thank you. Thank you for what? You don’t thank someone for this word. You thank someone when they say God bless you, after you sneeze, or when they give you a gift. This wasn’t a sneeze or a gift. There wasn’t anything to say Thank you for?
Carol, reading by the window looks at me. “Who was it?”
I can’t answer.
“Was it the doctor?”
I hear, but don’t know what to say. I need to get my thoughts in order. Alzheimer’s? How? Why? Where did she get it? How bad is it?
Again, as in a distance she asks, “What is it?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” How do I tell her when I don’t believe it myself? How do I do this? There were no lessons in school on this. How do you tell someone they’re ill or possibly going to die? Who knows what will happen? We never used this word. We didn’t know anyone who had this word. After a few minutes I put my words together, “Yes, that was the doctor.”
“Well, what did he say?”
I look at her, feeling pity—no, sorrow—no, nothing. I’m numb, in shock. Like a robot, I speak, “The doctor says you have Alzheimer’s disease.”
She stares at me for what seems a long time. Then her eyes go wide, and then closes them. Her mouth forms an O as she throws back her head, “Oh, my God…No!” Her hands cover her face and she leans forward, her body shakes with hard sobs. I go to her, kneel on the floor and hold her.
“Oh God,” she cries. And my heart cries with her. “I’ll need to go to a nursing home,” she says.
“No—no, you won’t. We’ll go through this together. I promise. Maybe they’re wrong, maybe they made a mistake.” I cry with her, letting her know we will go through this together. Somewhere tucked in my heart, I know the love between us is stronger than any illness. That alone will cure her. I know YOU will hear our cries, dear Lord. In bed I pull the cover up around us, and hold her for a long time.
***This is what it’s like when Alzheimer’s enters your world. A ‘word’ that still has no cure. How many Baby Boomers will be diagnosed next year? I can’t even guess.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
I Lost my Temper.
You think you know what you're doing and where you going, then POW, you're knocked off that solid piece of ground you thought you were on. Why couldn't it have been something else? A cold. A virus. The flu? No, Alzheimer's.
For years, I watched Carol fade away to some other place in her mind. I saw her as if through a pane of glass, walking away, getting smaller and smaller. I loved her. My job was to care for her, make sure she was clean and fed. She didn't need anything else; she was adrift in a world unlike mine. A year or so into the disease, she lost all function to put words into sentences, and spoke another language that neither I, nor others understood. A morning in November after I had showered her and tried dressing her, I lost my temper. Trying to put on her sneakers, she wouldn't lift her foot off the floor, and had cemented it there. For the first time, I lost my temper, and smacked her across the arm. "Do it yourself," I yelled. Then went to the bathroom—my safe haven—and cried.
I was tired, and nothing mattered. She was on her feet day and night, pacing the floors, keeping me up with her. My nerves were raw, and most of the time I couldn't think. I couldn't feel anymore, and had become immune to my feelings. Depression had taken over. That morning I got up from my sitting position on the floor, threw cold water on my face, and looked intently at my reflection in the mirror. I studied myself with distaste, hating myself, realizing what I had done. I slapped her.
Walking to the phone, I dialed the nearest nursing home.
That was the beginning of the Nursing Home Horrors.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Something I Learned
Something I learned
Well, I’m learning blogs, twitters and other ways to communicate. Never thought I’d learn a different language, a shorter one, but I’m trying and won’t give up.
I had lunch the other day at a Florida retirement center. Two women with dementia sat on either side of me. I had to think hard what to say. I didn’t want to upset or make them feel uncomfortable. I remembered my friend Carol, who had Alzheimer’s, how upset she’d get when asked questions. She’d stammer, and grab at words that didn’t pertain to the conversation. Then, upset, she’d wring her hands and wind up in the bathroom crying, because she couldn’t hold a conversation. As her caregiver, she taught me something. I learned Alzheimer’s talk.
I sat at this table with six women, two with Alzheimer’s. No one spoke at first; I guess fear of not knowing what to say. I broke the silence. “So what does everyone think of the economy?” I said. Two women shook their heads. “Do you think we need to plant a ‘Victory Garden’? I asked. “Remember them?” The woman on my right with dementia said yes. She remembered the gardens. She had one. I asked her what she grew. She stammered a bit, but soon was telling me and others, she grew tomatoes, string beans and corn that fed her family through the year. She went back in time and remembered. I could see the changed look on her face, calm, not one of fear, I had first seen in the beginning of our talk. We reminisced of living up North: New Jersey, New York, and Ohio.
There were some repetitive questions and answers from the ‘two’, but also from others, including me.
So what did I learn this day? The day reinforced in me, that we are all the same, all one, just different at certain times. And, how much our past becomes our present.
Well, I’m learning blogs, twitters and other ways to communicate. Never thought I’d learn a different language, a shorter one, but I’m trying and won’t give up.
I had lunch the other day at a Florida retirement center. Two women with dementia sat on either side of me. I had to think hard what to say. I didn’t want to upset or make them feel uncomfortable. I remembered my friend Carol, who had Alzheimer’s, how upset she’d get when asked questions. She’d stammer, and grab at words that didn’t pertain to the conversation. Then, upset, she’d wring her hands and wind up in the bathroom crying, because she couldn’t hold a conversation. As her caregiver, she taught me something. I learned Alzheimer’s talk.
I sat at this table with six women, two with Alzheimer’s. No one spoke at first; I guess fear of not knowing what to say. I broke the silence. “So what does everyone think of the economy?” I said. Two women shook their heads. “Do you think we need to plant a ‘Victory Garden’? I asked. “Remember them?” The woman on my right with dementia said yes. She remembered the gardens. She had one. I asked her what she grew. She stammered a bit, but soon was telling me and others, she grew tomatoes, string beans and corn that fed her family through the year. She went back in time and remembered. I could see the changed look on her face, calm, not one of fear, I had first seen in the beginning of our talk. We reminisced of living up North: New Jersey, New York, and Ohio.
There were some repetitive questions and answers from the ‘two’, but also from others, including me.
So what did I learn this day? The day reinforced in me, that we are all the same, all one, just different at certain times. And, how much our past becomes our present.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sugar and Dementia
I found this news very interesting and wanted to share it with you.
Glucose sugar is the brain's primary fuel. Declining brain glucose metabolism appears to contribute to dementias such as Alzheimer's. A brain with mild Alzheimer's may make better use of glucose with the help of MSDC's new experimental drug.
Metabolic Solutions Development Company (MSDC), a drug discovery and development company exploiting novel molecular targets to treat metabolic diseases, announced that it has received a $773,000 grant from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) to conduct a pilot Phase 2a trial of MSDC-0160, MSDC's pioneer compound for the treatment of metabolic diseases associated with altered mitochondrial function.
"This funding from ADDF enables us to take an important step in the search for a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease," said Jerry Colca, president and chief scientific officer of MSDC. "MSDC-0160 is a novel insulin sensitizer that modulates mitochondrial metabolism. Growing evidence suggests that loss of mitochondrial function and decline in brain glucose metabolism could be a contributing cause of Alzheimer's disease. This study will help us determine if MSDC-0160 affects glucose utilization in specific regions of the brain and determine the feasibility of conducting future large-scale clinical studies in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease."
Please read the rest and watch a small video
here:http://alzheimersweekly.com/content/regulating-sugar-stabilize-dementia
Glucose sugar is the brain's primary fuel. Declining brain glucose metabolism appears to contribute to dementias such as Alzheimer's. A brain with mild Alzheimer's may make better use of glucose with the help of MSDC's new experimental drug.
Metabolic Solutions Development Company (MSDC), a drug discovery and development company exploiting novel molecular targets to treat metabolic diseases, announced that it has received a $773,000 grant from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) to conduct a pilot Phase 2a trial of MSDC-0160, MSDC's pioneer compound for the treatment of metabolic diseases associated with altered mitochondrial function.
"This funding from ADDF enables us to take an important step in the search for a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease," said Jerry Colca, president and chief scientific officer of MSDC. "MSDC-0160 is a novel insulin sensitizer that modulates mitochondrial metabolism. Growing evidence suggests that loss of mitochondrial function and decline in brain glucose metabolism could be a contributing cause of Alzheimer's disease. This study will help us determine if MSDC-0160 affects glucose utilization in specific regions of the brain and determine the feasibility of conducting future large-scale clinical studies in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease."
Please read the rest and watch a small video
here:http://alzheimersweekly.com/content/regulating-sugar-stabilize-dementia
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Excellent article on Sundowers
Dear Dr. Gott: Please write something on sundowner’s syndrome. It seems as though this is fairly common. Thank you for all the great information I have read.
Dear Reader: Sundowner’s, or sundowning, is confusion that generally occurs late in the day, although it has been known to occur during early-morning hours as well. The cause appears elusive and is often misunderstood.
The disorder is commonly seen in hospital or nursing-home settings where an older individual may be forced to adjust to a different setting. Or, in some cases, it can manifest following illness or surgery. Sundowner’s may be temporary for some but prolonged in other instances. It is seen primarily in Alzheimer’s patients, in those with Parkinson’s and with other forms of dementia. As a matter of fact, up to 25 percent of all diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients have been found to exhibit sundowner’s as well.
As the day progresses, a patient becomes fatigued and less able to deal with stress. In the case of hospital or nursing-home placement, it is likely all visitors have gone home for the day and there is less to occupy a person’s mind. Perhaps medications have been administered prior to sleep. The patient who was stimulated earlier in the day has nothing to occupy his or her mind and appears increasingly forgetful and agitated. Memory loss seems greater. Blood-pressure readings may be lower. Patients may see things that aren’t there or perceive things to be other than what they actually are. These visions can be extremely frightening.
Treatment might include establishing a repetitive routine that a patient can rely on. Continuity is good. Noise from the radio and television during evening hours may exacerbate agitation in some but help others. Allow the patient’s sleeping area to remain lit during the night such as with a nightlight. Review all medications to be assured they don’t have insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns as a side effect. Ask the doctor about the use of over-the-counter melatonin or St. John’s wort as a possible sleep aid. Avoid giving food items later in the day that contain caffeine, such as coffee and chocolate. Monitor the patient’s diet to determine whether any specific foods trigger agitation.
While not always possible to accomplish, family members or caregivers who can spend nighttime hours with a patient in a nursing home or hospital setting will provide a comforting sense of familiarity that may avoid symptoms. Keep in mind that with those patients able to ultimately return home to familiar surroundings, sundowner’s can disappear completely, making the process of providing appropriate care easier. The fact that the condition may appear out of the blue is no reflection on the quality or capabilities of a facility where a patient may be placed. Family members need not be overly concerned by perceived wrongdoing after hours but should express their thoughts regarding the possibility of a misunderstood disorder that affects their loved ones.
Most of all, remember that anyone with sundowner’s is unaware of the havoc that he or she may impose on family members and caregivers. The condition is not fatal but can be extremely difficult to deal with.
Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,”
“Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is
http://www.askdrgottmd.com/.
Dear Reader: Sundowner’s, or sundowning, is confusion that generally occurs late in the day, although it has been known to occur during early-morning hours as well. The cause appears elusive and is often misunderstood.
The disorder is commonly seen in hospital or nursing-home settings where an older individual may be forced to adjust to a different setting. Or, in some cases, it can manifest following illness or surgery. Sundowner’s may be temporary for some but prolonged in other instances. It is seen primarily in Alzheimer’s patients, in those with Parkinson’s and with other forms of dementia. As a matter of fact, up to 25 percent of all diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients have been found to exhibit sundowner’s as well.
As the day progresses, a patient becomes fatigued and less able to deal with stress. In the case of hospital or nursing-home placement, it is likely all visitors have gone home for the day and there is less to occupy a person’s mind. Perhaps medications have been administered prior to sleep. The patient who was stimulated earlier in the day has nothing to occupy his or her mind and appears increasingly forgetful and agitated. Memory loss seems greater. Blood-pressure readings may be lower. Patients may see things that aren’t there or perceive things to be other than what they actually are. These visions can be extremely frightening.
Treatment might include establishing a repetitive routine that a patient can rely on. Continuity is good. Noise from the radio and television during evening hours may exacerbate agitation in some but help others. Allow the patient’s sleeping area to remain lit during the night such as with a nightlight. Review all medications to be assured they don’t have insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns as a side effect. Ask the doctor about the use of over-the-counter melatonin or St. John’s wort as a possible sleep aid. Avoid giving food items later in the day that contain caffeine, such as coffee and chocolate. Monitor the patient’s diet to determine whether any specific foods trigger agitation.
While not always possible to accomplish, family members or caregivers who can spend nighttime hours with a patient in a nursing home or hospital setting will provide a comforting sense of familiarity that may avoid symptoms. Keep in mind that with those patients able to ultimately return home to familiar surroundings, sundowner’s can disappear completely, making the process of providing appropriate care easier. The fact that the condition may appear out of the blue is no reflection on the quality or capabilities of a facility where a patient may be placed. Family members need not be overly concerned by perceived wrongdoing after hours but should express their thoughts regarding the possibility of a misunderstood disorder that affects their loved ones.
Most of all, remember that anyone with sundowner’s is unaware of the havoc that he or she may impose on family members and caregivers. The condition is not fatal but can be extremely difficult to deal with.
Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,”
“Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is
http://www.askdrgottmd.com/.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia, Related?
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Older people who are leading active, healthy lifestyles often have silent vascular disease that can be seen on brain scans that affect their ability to think, according to a new study led by UC Davis researchers and published online today in the Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA Archives journals. “This study shows that silent vascular disease is really common as we get older and it influences our thinking abilities,” said Charles DeCarli, professor of neurology in the School of Medicine at UC Davis and director of the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center. “We’re beginning to realize that vascular disease plays a major role in Alzheimer’s disease — they go together.”
The study findings are based on data from participants in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. The initiative tracks individuals who are normal, those who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and people with Alzheimer’s disease using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and laboratory and cognitive testing to track changes in their cognitive status.
Over 5 million elderly people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive, incurable and terminal disease and the most common form of age-related dementia. In its 2009 World Alzheimer Report, Alzheimer's Disease International found that there are more than 35 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. It also projected that the number should nearly double in the next 20 years.
Cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis, is also common in the elderly, and causes “white matter hyperintensities,” regions of damaged brain tissue that look like white-hot areas on MRI scans. The purpose of the study was to better understand the relationship between white matter hyperintensities and the extent to which they precede, coincide with or follow short-term changes in cognitive functioning.
For the study, more than 800 participants ages 55 to 90 were recruited from more than 50 research sites throughout the United States and Canada. Some 200 participants were cognitively normal individuals who were followed for three years. Approximately 400 people with mild cognitive impairment also were followed for three years. Two hundred people with Alzheimer’s disease were followed for two years. Potential participants with serious brain anomalies, such as brain tumors or prior surgery, were excluded from the study.
All of the participants’ baseline cognitive functioning was established using clinical diagnostic evaluation, including the Mini Mental State Exam and the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale. Criteria for the normal group included no evidence of depression, mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Individuals were included in the MCI category if they had a subjective memory complaint or objective memory loss, among other measures. Participants with Alzheimer’s disease met nationally accepted criteria for probable Alzheimer’s disease.
Participants whose white matter hyperintensities were significantly above average at the beginning of the study lost more points each year in cognitive testing than those whose white matter hyperintensities were average at baseline. Those with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease at baseline had additional declines on their cognitive testing each year, meaning that the presence of white matter hyperintensities and MCI or Alzheimer's disease together added up to even faster and steeper cognitive decline. In addition, participants who were older at baseline saw faster declines over time in their Mini Mental State Exam scores.
The researchers found that, at the outset of the study, the extent of white matter hyperintensities was associated with greater subsequent declines in global cognition over a one-year period.
http://alzheimersweekly.com/content/alzheimer-s-overlaps-vascular-dementia
The study findings are based on data from participants in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. The initiative tracks individuals who are normal, those who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and people with Alzheimer’s disease using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and laboratory and cognitive testing to track changes in their cognitive status.
Over 5 million elderly people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive, incurable and terminal disease and the most common form of age-related dementia. In its 2009 World Alzheimer Report, Alzheimer's Disease International found that there are more than 35 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. It also projected that the number should nearly double in the next 20 years.
Cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis, is also common in the elderly, and causes “white matter hyperintensities,” regions of damaged brain tissue that look like white-hot areas on MRI scans. The purpose of the study was to better understand the relationship between white matter hyperintensities and the extent to which they precede, coincide with or follow short-term changes in cognitive functioning.
For the study, more than 800 participants ages 55 to 90 were recruited from more than 50 research sites throughout the United States and Canada. Some 200 participants were cognitively normal individuals who were followed for three years. Approximately 400 people with mild cognitive impairment also were followed for three years. Two hundred people with Alzheimer’s disease were followed for two years. Potential participants with serious brain anomalies, such as brain tumors or prior surgery, were excluded from the study.
All of the participants’ baseline cognitive functioning was established using clinical diagnostic evaluation, including the Mini Mental State Exam and the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale. Criteria for the normal group included no evidence of depression, mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Individuals were included in the MCI category if they had a subjective memory complaint or objective memory loss, among other measures. Participants with Alzheimer’s disease met nationally accepted criteria for probable Alzheimer’s disease.
Participants whose white matter hyperintensities were significantly above average at the beginning of the study lost more points each year in cognitive testing than those whose white matter hyperintensities were average at baseline. Those with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease at baseline had additional declines on their cognitive testing each year, meaning that the presence of white matter hyperintensities and MCI or Alzheimer's disease together added up to even faster and steeper cognitive decline. In addition, participants who were older at baseline saw faster declines over time in their Mini Mental State Exam scores.
The researchers found that, at the outset of the study, the extent of white matter hyperintensities was associated with greater subsequent declines in global cognition over a one-year period.
http://alzheimersweekly.com/content/alzheimer-s-overlaps-vascular-dementia
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Tracking Device for Alzheimer's
I have lived through Carol wandering away from home or from the store we had just gone into. I ran after her hoping she hadn’t gotten far, scared something awful would happen to her, like lost and unable to tell anyone. I’ve watched neighbors wander outside their homes, winding up in the middle of a main road caught between traffic not knowing which way to go, also unable to tell someone they were lost. When I saw this on Alzheimer’s news I had to share it. Wouldn’t it be great if wearing a Wrist Watch helped dispel the fear of our loved ones getting lost.
When 87-year-old Ray Olson starts his daily morning walk, his wife starts the clock.
For about two years, Olson, who lives with his wife Joy Olson, 83, in San Jose, Calif., has been taking medication for dementia. At first, he would just forget little things, she said, but as his lapses became more serious, she began timing his morning walks.
If he didn't return home within an hour, she'd hop in the car and start driving around to find him. But after a couple of walks that lasted too long, she decided to seek some extra help.
Through the local sheriff's office, she learned about EmFinders, a technology company that uses the 911 network to locate missing people, and ordered one of its wristwatch-like tracking devices.
In the beginning, Joy Olson said, her husband wasn't too fond of the bracelet, refusing to wear it around his wrist but reluctantly agreeing to attach it his belt.
When the band helped her to locate him after he wandered off one morning, she said, his attitude toward the device changed.
Memory People with Rick
I ran across this man on Facebook, Rick is his name. He is the founder of Memory People also on Facebook. To me he’s an explorer, as Columbus, except he’s exploring the disease Alzheimer’s also a new found land. I have to admire people like Rick, for if it weren’t for him, people wouldn’t know the beginnings of Alzheimer’s and what it feels like to have it. He does a great job explaining it, as he see or goes through his journey with it. Listen, look, and learn about Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. We need a cure. We need to STOP it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zay8Ytw-dU
Monday, April 4, 2011
Insulin and Alzheimer's
Being an Alzheimer's caregiver for fourteen years, and listening to other caregivers, I always felt Sugar and Alzheimer's were connected. This recent news article possibly confirms my feelings. Let me know what you think.
Washington, April 3, 2011 (IANS) Insulin in low doses has shown promise in Alzheimer’s disease, currently not amenable to any treatment.
Insulin tends to suppress the activity of four proteins associated with Alzheimer’s, according to new study by endocrinologists.
In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, people may experience irritability, anxiety or depression. Later other symptoms may occur, including sleep disturbances, verbal outbursts, delusions and hallucinations.
‘Our results show clearly that insulin has the potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent for Alzheimer’s, for which no satisfactory treatment is currently available,’ says Paresh Dandona, senior study author and professor of medicine at Buffalo University.
One of these four proteins is linked with beta amyloid, the main component of plaques in Alzheimer’s, reports the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
In the study, a group of obese, type-2 diabetic patients were infused with two 100 ml units of insulin per hour over a period of four hours, according to a Buffalo statement.
The patients were all taking oral drugs to treat their diabetes. None of them were taking insulin or any antioxidant or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The control group received five percent dextrose per hour or normal saline solution.
The low-dose insulin was found to suppress the expression of amyloid precursor protein, from which beta amyloid is derived.
Washington, April 3, 2011 (IANS) Insulin in low doses has shown promise in Alzheimer’s disease, currently not amenable to any treatment.
Insulin tends to suppress the activity of four proteins associated with Alzheimer’s, according to new study by endocrinologists.
In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, people may experience irritability, anxiety or depression. Later other symptoms may occur, including sleep disturbances, verbal outbursts, delusions and hallucinations.
‘Our results show clearly that insulin has the potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent for Alzheimer’s, for which no satisfactory treatment is currently available,’ says Paresh Dandona, senior study author and professor of medicine at Buffalo University.
One of these four proteins is linked with beta amyloid, the main component of plaques in Alzheimer’s, reports the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
In the study, a group of obese, type-2 diabetic patients were infused with two 100 ml units of insulin per hour over a period of four hours, according to a Buffalo statement.
The patients were all taking oral drugs to treat their diabetes. None of them were taking insulin or any antioxidant or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The control group received five percent dextrose per hour or normal saline solution.
The low-dose insulin was found to suppress the expression of amyloid precursor protein, from which beta amyloid is derived.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Alzheimer's and Dementia
We hear the words thrown around literally whenever we speak of the elderly, but do we know what they mean? Alzheimer’s and Dementia that is.
What is dementia, and how is it different from Alzheimer’s if at all?
First, the dictionary definition of: de•men•tia – noun, Psychiatry, severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration, due to the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain.
Next: Alzheimer’s or Alz•hei•mer’s disease – noun, Pathology; a common form of dementia of unknown cause, usually beginning in late middle age, characterized by memory lapses, confusion, emotional instability, and progressive loss of mental ability.
Is that helpful? In my experience it seems that dementia can have levels of impairment that are not necessarily severe, while Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia with attitude. In other words, all dementia is not necessarily Alzheimer’s but all Alzheimer’s is dementia.
Rather than getting all hung up on the definitions perhaps it is better to give some examples of behavior to look for if you suspect a friend or relative may be in early stages of Alzheimer’s.
A common forewarning of Alzheimer’s is permanent memory loss including important dates or events. Some memory loss is normal, however, and we all have moments when we forget something. The key is that we remember it later. Alzheimer’s sufferers won’t remember.
Reduced ability to do simple math or follow a plan such as a long-established recipe or the rule of a game we have played many times. Again, we all make occasional mistakes. With Alzheimer’s this is a permanent loss.
Another sign of Alzheimer’s is losing track of the passage of time. An Alzheimer’s sufferer may not remember the day, month or even the season. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there. It is common to occasionally forget what day it is or where we are going, but we will remember later on.
For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. Normal vision changes can occur due to glaucoma, retina damage, cataracts or eye diseases and may have nothing to do with Alzheimer’s. Charles Bonnet syndrome can cause visions that are misdiagnosed as mental disorders.
People with Alzheimer’s may have difficulty following a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or have difficulties finding the right word. This also can occasionally happen to people who aren’t suffering from Alzheimer’s.
A person with Alzheimer’s disease may misplace items. It is common to forget where we put something, but a person with Alzheimer’s will be unable to retrace their steps to find them. They may even accuse others of stealing.
People with Alzheimer’s may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to unscrupulous salespeople. They also may disregard their own cleanliness or grooming.
A person with Alzheimer’s may disassociate themselves from favorite activities as a result of forgetting their previous connection to a sports team or hobby. This can also lead to anti-social behavior.
Alzheimer’s sufferers can experience mood and personality changes. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious if they can no longer recognize once familiar people or places.
Obviously there is a lot to look for, and a lot to understand. If you think you are dealing with an Alzheimer’s sufferer, or may be in the foreseeable future, my advice is to begin reading up on it now, learn all you can, and especially learn as much as possible about caring for and relating to an Alzheimer’s victim. It is never too early, but it can easily be too late.
What is dementia, and how is it different from Alzheimer’s if at all?
First, the dictionary definition of: de•men•tia – noun, Psychiatry, severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration, due to the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain.
Next: Alzheimer’s or Alz•hei•mer’s disease – noun, Pathology; a common form of dementia of unknown cause, usually beginning in late middle age, characterized by memory lapses, confusion, emotional instability, and progressive loss of mental ability.
Is that helpful? In my experience it seems that dementia can have levels of impairment that are not necessarily severe, while Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia with attitude. In other words, all dementia is not necessarily Alzheimer’s but all Alzheimer’s is dementia.
Rather than getting all hung up on the definitions perhaps it is better to give some examples of behavior to look for if you suspect a friend or relative may be in early stages of Alzheimer’s.
A common forewarning of Alzheimer’s is permanent memory loss including important dates or events. Some memory loss is normal, however, and we all have moments when we forget something. The key is that we remember it later. Alzheimer’s sufferers won’t remember.
Reduced ability to do simple math or follow a plan such as a long-established recipe or the rule of a game we have played many times. Again, we all make occasional mistakes. With Alzheimer’s this is a permanent loss.
Another sign of Alzheimer’s is losing track of the passage of time. An Alzheimer’s sufferer may not remember the day, month or even the season. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there. It is common to occasionally forget what day it is or where we are going, but we will remember later on.
For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. Normal vision changes can occur due to glaucoma, retina damage, cataracts or eye diseases and may have nothing to do with Alzheimer’s. Charles Bonnet syndrome can cause visions that are misdiagnosed as mental disorders.
People with Alzheimer’s may have difficulty following a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or have difficulties finding the right word. This also can occasionally happen to people who aren’t suffering from Alzheimer’s.
A person with Alzheimer’s disease may misplace items. It is common to forget where we put something, but a person with Alzheimer’s will be unable to retrace their steps to find them. They may even accuse others of stealing.
People with Alzheimer’s may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to unscrupulous salespeople. They also may disregard their own cleanliness or grooming.
A person with Alzheimer’s may disassociate themselves from favorite activities as a result of forgetting their previous connection to a sports team or hobby. This can also lead to anti-social behavior.
Alzheimer’s sufferers can experience mood and personality changes. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious if they can no longer recognize once familiar people or places.
Obviously there is a lot to look for, and a lot to understand. If you think you are dealing with an Alzheimer’s sufferer, or may be in the foreseeable future, my advice is to begin reading up on it now, learn all you can, and especially learn as much as possible about caring for and relating to an Alzheimer’s victim. It is never too early, but it can easily be too late.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Is it Alzheimer's? Maybe Not.
Roughly half of the people who are told they have Alzheimer's disease may in fact have other forms of dementia that produce similar symptoms, according to a new study.
Doctors have known for some time that the confusion and memory loss caused by the brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's can also be caused by other types of brain changes, such as tissue damage stemming from strokes. The study suggests that it may be even harder than previously thought to identify the source of dementia while a patient is still alive, says lead researcher Lon White, M.D.
"There are at least five different kinds of important lesions which can produce a picture that looks like Alzheimer's," says White, a professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. "Each of those five kinds of lesions is apparently driven by its own pathologic process, and having one doesn't protect you from having others. All are independent and all are increasing with age."
White and his colleagues performed brain autopsies—the only surefire way of diagnosing Alzheimer's—on more than 400 elderly Japanese-American men. Only about half of those who had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's before death had the brain plaques that signal the disease. The dementia in the other half appeared to have been caused by abnormal protein deposits (known as Lewy bodies), stroke-related tissue death (microinfarcts), cell damage, or some combination thereof.
The researchers have since completed another 400 or so autopsies with similar results, and will present their findings in April at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Unlike studies published in medical journals, these findings are still preliminary and have yet to be thoroughly vetted by other experts in the field.
Read the rest of this interesting article here: http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/23/half-of-alzheimers-cases-misdiagnosed/
Monday, February 7, 2011
Alzheimer's hurts more than its victims
Witnessing a loved one suffer and endure the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s disease is a constant heartbreak. The disease robs its victims of everything — memories, judgment and independence.
The progressive and fatal brain disorder causes problems with thinking and behavior for its victims. It robs its victims of their individuality, their autonomy and their dignity.
“We feel Alzheimer’s disease has not been given the attention that other chronic diseases have been given and that some people think it is a normal part of aging. However, many younger people under the age of 65 are developing Alzheimer’s. I think we have to destigmatize the disease,” said Cathy Hanson, social worker and program coordinator of the Greater Maryland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Every 70 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimers, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
While the disease affects caregivers in every way possible — including emotionally, physically and financially — possibly the worst effect is watching a loved one be consumed by the disease.
A 16-page report titled Generation Alzheimer’s — the defining disease of the baby boomers was recently published by the Alzheimer’s Association and may be accessed at www.alz.org. The report outlines the human and financial cost Alzheimer's will have on the baby boom generation.
“Unless we find a treatment or a cure, Alzheimer’s will become the defining disease of the Baby Boom Generation,” the report states. “They will be Generation Alzheimer’s. Today, 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. But it’s only going to get worse — and fast. The first of the baby boomers are now turning 65. By 2030, the U.S. population aged 65 and over is expected to double, meaning there will be more and more Americans with Alzheimer’s — as many as 16 million by mid-century, when there will be nearly 1 million new cases every year.”
As the number of victims of Alzheimer’s continues to increase, so does the demand for caregiving. Most caregivers rate the emotional strain as “high or very high,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
You can read the rest of this interesting article here: http://times-news.com/local/x1293242359/Alzheimer-s-Disease-hurts-more-than-its-victims
The progressive and fatal brain disorder causes problems with thinking and behavior for its victims. It robs its victims of their individuality, their autonomy and their dignity.
“We feel Alzheimer’s disease has not been given the attention that other chronic diseases have been given and that some people think it is a normal part of aging. However, many younger people under the age of 65 are developing Alzheimer’s. I think we have to destigmatize the disease,” said Cathy Hanson, social worker and program coordinator of the Greater Maryland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Every 70 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimers, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
While the disease affects caregivers in every way possible — including emotionally, physically and financially — possibly the worst effect is watching a loved one be consumed by the disease.
A 16-page report titled Generation Alzheimer’s — the defining disease of the baby boomers was recently published by the Alzheimer’s Association and may be accessed at www.alz.org. The report outlines the human and financial cost Alzheimer's will have on the baby boom generation.
“Unless we find a treatment or a cure, Alzheimer’s will become the defining disease of the Baby Boom Generation,” the report states. “They will be Generation Alzheimer’s. Today, 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. But it’s only going to get worse — and fast. The first of the baby boomers are now turning 65. By 2030, the U.S. population aged 65 and over is expected to double, meaning there will be more and more Americans with Alzheimer’s — as many as 16 million by mid-century, when there will be nearly 1 million new cases every year.”
As the number of victims of Alzheimer’s continues to increase, so does the demand for caregiving. Most caregivers rate the emotional strain as “high or very high,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
You can read the rest of this interesting article here: http://times-news.com/local/x1293242359/Alzheimer-s-Disease-hurts-more-than-its-victims
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Early onset Alzheimer's.
For retired executive Jim Mann, that moment came in January 2007 while he was driving his car to pick up a DVD at the library near his home in the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, B.C. As he was heading to his destination, he suddenly realized he could not remember where he was going and what he had set out to do.
“I was panic stricken,” he admits. “I didn’t want to admit to anyone what was going on.” At just 58, he had already suspected that he might be experiencing early onset Alzheimer’s. In fact, he had raised the prospect with his family doctor a couple of years earlier, but neither had acted on his hunch. After all, he was too young.
Instead, he developed increasingly sophisticated ways to mask his failing memory. When he forgot where he was going with his wife, he’d simply ask her how she’d prefer to get to where they were going. Her answer was often enough to get him out of his bind.
Symptoms become undeniable
But the signs became increasingly overt as time passed. When Mann retired from the now-defunct Canadian Airlines Limited in 1994, he established a communications firm that flourished because of the connections he had developed over two-and-a-half decades in the industry.
But, in recent years, his clients had drifted away as his concentration slipped – and he eventually was doing almost no work at all.
The day after his diagnosis in 2007, he found himself in an MP’s office in Ottawa – but couldn’t remember the politician’s name or even his party affiliation. Not long after, despite a career in the airline industry, one day he found himself lost in a mid-sized Canadian airport.
Even with such tell-tale symptoms, diagnosis took time. At one point, one specialist questioned the tentative diagnosis of dementia, saying, “You don’t look like you have Alzheimer’s disease.”
“I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to look,” Mann says.
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease is complicated by the range and variety of dementias – including vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy Body dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Alzheimer’s disease and normal pressure hydrocephalus. Doctors must use a broad array of diagnostic methods over time to ensure an accurate conclusion.
“Many Canadian doctors think that since you can’t cure or slow the progression of dementia, a clinical diagnosis is less important,” says Dr. Jack Diamond, director for the Alzheimer Society of Canada. “But delay in diagnosis means that people don’t get the right care.”
The Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates that 70,000 Canadians younger than the age of 65 – even in their 40s and 50s – are affected by dementia. Yet less than 25 per cent of Alzheimer cases in Canada are diagnosed and treated.
Mann suspects that people avoid seeking help because they are embarrassed or afraid. “But the medication today helps keep you functioning at a reasonable level. That’s a lot better than going undiagnosed for a long period of time and missing out on life.”
Mann has done everything in his power to delay the relentless march of the disease, including an enriched diet, daily exercise, and a rigorous course of medication. He’s also realistic: he’s given up driving, and has put his legal and financial affairs in order.
Taking control
“By detecting this early, you’re able to take control of your future in a legalistic sense,” he says. “That’s a big benefit to your care partner.”
For the caregiver and supporting family members, early diagnosis allows them to access information, resources and support.
“Without a diagnosis, caregivers can become frustrated, irritated and angry because the person they love is changing in a way they do not understand,” says Mary Schulz, director of support services, information and education for the Alzheimer Society of Canada. “When there is a diagnosis, they can seek appropriate support and learn about strategies that can help maintain as high a quality of life as possible for everyone involved.”
Mann is an example of an early onset dementia patient who contributes in meaningful ways.
“You just keep on going,” he says. “That’s all you can do.”
“I was panic stricken,” he admits. “I didn’t want to admit to anyone what was going on.” At just 58, he had already suspected that he might be experiencing early onset Alzheimer’s. In fact, he had raised the prospect with his family doctor a couple of years earlier, but neither had acted on his hunch. After all, he was too young.
Instead, he developed increasingly sophisticated ways to mask his failing memory. When he forgot where he was going with his wife, he’d simply ask her how she’d prefer to get to where they were going. Her answer was often enough to get him out of his bind.
Symptoms become undeniable
But the signs became increasingly overt as time passed. When Mann retired from the now-defunct Canadian Airlines Limited in 1994, he established a communications firm that flourished because of the connections he had developed over two-and-a-half decades in the industry.
But, in recent years, his clients had drifted away as his concentration slipped – and he eventually was doing almost no work at all.
The day after his diagnosis in 2007, he found himself in an MP’s office in Ottawa – but couldn’t remember the politician’s name or even his party affiliation. Not long after, despite a career in the airline industry, one day he found himself lost in a mid-sized Canadian airport.
Even with such tell-tale symptoms, diagnosis took time. At one point, one specialist questioned the tentative diagnosis of dementia, saying, “You don’t look like you have Alzheimer’s disease.”
“I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to look,” Mann says.
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease is complicated by the range and variety of dementias – including vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy Body dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Alzheimer’s disease and normal pressure hydrocephalus. Doctors must use a broad array of diagnostic methods over time to ensure an accurate conclusion.
“Many Canadian doctors think that since you can’t cure or slow the progression of dementia, a clinical diagnosis is less important,” says Dr. Jack Diamond, director for the Alzheimer Society of Canada. “But delay in diagnosis means that people don’t get the right care.”
The Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates that 70,000 Canadians younger than the age of 65 – even in their 40s and 50s – are affected by dementia. Yet less than 25 per cent of Alzheimer cases in Canada are diagnosed and treated.
Mann suspects that people avoid seeking help because they are embarrassed or afraid. “But the medication today helps keep you functioning at a reasonable level. That’s a lot better than going undiagnosed for a long period of time and missing out on life.”
Mann has done everything in his power to delay the relentless march of the disease, including an enriched diet, daily exercise, and a rigorous course of medication. He’s also realistic: he’s given up driving, and has put his legal and financial affairs in order.
Taking control
“By detecting this early, you’re able to take control of your future in a legalistic sense,” he says. “That’s a big benefit to your care partner.”
For the caregiver and supporting family members, early diagnosis allows them to access information, resources and support.
“Without a diagnosis, caregivers can become frustrated, irritated and angry because the person they love is changing in a way they do not understand,” says Mary Schulz, director of support services, information and education for the Alzheimer Society of Canada. “When there is a diagnosis, they can seek appropriate support and learn about strategies that can help maintain as high a quality of life as possible for everyone involved.”
Mann is an example of an early onset dementia patient who contributes in meaningful ways.
“You just keep on going,” he says. “That’s all you can do.”
Friday, November 12, 2010
Is it Alzheimer's?
Questions to ask: Is it Alzheimer’s?
Applying the word "Alzheimer's" to someone close to you can be uncomfortable, even if the signs, or symptoms, have been adding up for some time. It's much easier to gloss over strange behavior: "Oh, Mom's just getting older. "Or to rationalize: "Well, we all forget things sometimes."
Only a qualified physician can conclude with high certainty that a living person has Alzheimer's disease. But the following eight symptoms are strongly associated with the disease. If you detect these signs in someone, it would be wise to seek a medical evaluation.
Alzheimer's Symptom: Memory lapses
Does the person ask repetitive questions or retell stories within minutes of the first mention?
Does she forget the names of recent acquaintances or younger family members, such as grandchildren?
Are memory lapses growing progressively worse (such as affecting information that was previously very well known)?
Are they happening more frequently (several times a day or within short periods of time)?
Is this forgetfulness unusual for the person (such as sudden memory lapses in someone who prided herself on never needing grocery lists or an address book)?
Everyone forgets some things sometimes. But the person may have Alzheimer's disease if you notice these kinds of lapses.
Having problems with memory is the first and foremost symptom noticed. It's a typical Alzheimer's symptom to forget things learned recently (such as the answer to a question, an intention to do something, or a new acquaintance) but to still be able to remember things from the remote past (such as events or people from childhood, sometimes with explicit detail). In time, even long-term memories will be affected. But by then other Alzheimer's symptoms will have appeared.
Applying the word "Alzheimer's" to someone close to you can be uncomfortable, even if the signs, or symptoms, have been adding up for some time. It's much easier to gloss over strange behavior: "Oh, Mom's just getting older. "Or to rationalize: "Well, we all forget things sometimes."
Only a qualified physician can conclude with high certainty that a living person has Alzheimer's disease. But the following eight symptoms are strongly associated with the disease. If you detect these signs in someone, it would be wise to seek a medical evaluation.
Alzheimer's Symptom: Memory lapses
Does the person ask repetitive questions or retell stories within minutes of the first mention?
Does she forget the names of recent acquaintances or younger family members, such as grandchildren?
Are memory lapses growing progressively worse (such as affecting information that was previously very well known)?
Are they happening more frequently (several times a day or within short periods of time)?
Is this forgetfulness unusual for the person (such as sudden memory lapses in someone who prided herself on never needing grocery lists or an address book)?
Everyone forgets some things sometimes. But the person may have Alzheimer's disease if you notice these kinds of lapses.
Having problems with memory is the first and foremost symptom noticed. It's a typical Alzheimer's symptom to forget things learned recently (such as the answer to a question, an intention to do something, or a new acquaintance) but to still be able to remember things from the remote past (such as events or people from childhood, sometimes with explicit detail). In time, even long-term memories will be affected. But by then other Alzheimer's symptoms will have appeared.
Friday, November 5, 2010
I have lived through Carol wandering away from home or from the store we had just gone into. I ran after her hoping she hadn’t gotten far, scared something awful would happen to her, like lost and unable to tell anyone. I’ve watched neighbors wander outside their homes, winding up in the middle of a main road caught between traffic not knowing which way to go, also unable to tell someone they were lost. When I saw this on Alzheimer’s news I had to share it. Wouldn’t it be great if wearing a Wrist Watch helped dispel the fear of our loved ones getting lost.
When 87-year-old Ray Olson starts his daily morning walk, his wife starts the clock.
For about two years, Olson, who lives with his wife Joy Olson, 83, in San Jose, Calif., has been taking medication for dementia. At first, he would just forget little things, she said, but as his lapses became more serious, she began timing his morning walks.
If he didn't return home within an hour, she'd hop in the car and start driving around to find him. But after a couple of walks that lasted too long, she decided to seek some extra help.
Through the local sheriff's office, she learned about EmFinders, a technology company that uses the 911 network to locate missing people, and ordered one of its wristwatch-like tracking devices.
In the beginning, Joy Olson said, her husband wasn't too fond of the bracelet, refusing to wear it around his wrist but reluctantly agreeing to attach it his belt.
When the band helped her to locate him after he wandered off one morning, she said, his attitude toward the device changed.
When 87-year-old Ray Olson starts his daily morning walk, his wife starts the clock.
For about two years, Olson, who lives with his wife Joy Olson, 83, in San Jose, Calif., has been taking medication for dementia. At first, he would just forget little things, she said, but as his lapses became more serious, she began timing his morning walks.
If he didn't return home within an hour, she'd hop in the car and start driving around to find him. But after a couple of walks that lasted too long, she decided to seek some extra help.
Through the local sheriff's office, she learned about EmFinders, a technology company that uses the 911 network to locate missing people, and ordered one of its wristwatch-like tracking devices.
In the beginning, Joy Olson said, her husband wasn't too fond of the bracelet, refusing to wear it around his wrist but reluctantly agreeing to attach it his belt.
When the band helped her to locate him after he wandered off one morning, she said, his attitude toward the device changed.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Autoimmune Dementia from Mayo Clinic
Autoimmune Dementia
TREATMENT ARTICLE
My mom came down with auto immune hepatitis over a decade ago. The treatments apparently cascaded into diabetes and finally dementia.
Brand new research from the Mayo Clinic connects a few dots that should afford Mom better treatment.
Auto immune experts over at Mayo demonstrated that the inflammation in the body that is caused by illnesses like diabetes and auto immune hepatitis also makes its way into the brain. This brain inflammation is a main culprit behind dementia.
The importance of this discovery is in the fact that we know a lot about treating inflammation. As a matter of fact, in the process of doing the research, the good doctors at Mayo Clinic were able to improve the condition of 64% of the patients they studied. That is nothing less than impressive.
In the case of my mom, she has been receiving strong immunotherapy treatment all along to fight back the inflammation in her liver. Now we know that this treatment has been helping her brain, too. This new Mayo research will also help us to think twice before lowering her current dose of anti-inflammatory medications, which is an option her doctor has been discussing with us.
The Mayo Clinic's Dr. Sean Pittock calls autoimmune neurology a "21st Century Subspecialty." It is reflective of the past decade's explosion in dementia research and knowledge.
A personal lesson has been the importance of caregiver education. Our doctor is both caring and competent. He was very appreciative of the printout I gave him on this research, saying it could be helpful for him in treating other patients, as well. That made sense. The amount of information on the Internet now doubles every two years. There is no way for even the best family doctor to stay on top of all information relevant to all patients. It is up to us, the caregivers, to pursue all there is to learn about the specific conditions of our loved ones. It is not just because we care. It is because no one else can.
TREATMENT ARTICLE
My mom came down with auto immune hepatitis over a decade ago. The treatments apparently cascaded into diabetes and finally dementia.
Brand new research from the Mayo Clinic connects a few dots that should afford Mom better treatment.
Auto immune experts over at Mayo demonstrated that the inflammation in the body that is caused by illnesses like diabetes and auto immune hepatitis also makes its way into the brain. This brain inflammation is a main culprit behind dementia.
The importance of this discovery is in the fact that we know a lot about treating inflammation. As a matter of fact, in the process of doing the research, the good doctors at Mayo Clinic were able to improve the condition of 64% of the patients they studied. That is nothing less than impressive.
In the case of my mom, she has been receiving strong immunotherapy treatment all along to fight back the inflammation in her liver. Now we know that this treatment has been helping her brain, too. This new Mayo research will also help us to think twice before lowering her current dose of anti-inflammatory medications, which is an option her doctor has been discussing with us.
The Mayo Clinic's Dr. Sean Pittock calls autoimmune neurology a "21st Century Subspecialty." It is reflective of the past decade's explosion in dementia research and knowledge.
A personal lesson has been the importance of caregiver education. Our doctor is both caring and competent. He was very appreciative of the printout I gave him on this research, saying it could be helpful for him in treating other patients, as well. That made sense. The amount of information on the Internet now doubles every two years. There is no way for even the best family doctor to stay on top of all information relevant to all patients. It is up to us, the caregivers, to pursue all there is to learn about the specific conditions of our loved ones. It is not just because we care. It is because no one else can.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A Touching Story I had to share.
BOSTON -- It's been an amazing transformation, and Sol Rogers, of Auburndale, deserves all the credit.
For the past two and a half years, Rogers, 91, has visited his wife, Rita, everyday at Briarwood Health and Rehabilitation Center. She suffers from Alzheimer's disease. At first, even after more than 60 years of marriage, she didn't recognize him.
"Inward torture. She was moaning and very unhappy," said Lynette Veo, director of nursing at Briarwood.
"I was talking to like a vegetable. So I started to get nervous and shaky myself, and I thought I was coming down with a nervous breakdown," said Rogers.
But then Rogers got what he calls an idea from above. One day, he got into bed with her, hugged and kissed her and told her how much he loved her.
"After an hour's time, she became a new woman," said Rogers. "She started talking. She knew who I was. The doctor said I discovered a medical miracle."
"When people talk to you and touch you, you feel like a person again," said Veo. "So she'll feel comfortable and relaxed."
While there's not much research on the power of touch, the staff said Rita is all the proof they need.
"Sol is so devoted, and we've all seen it and can't argue with the fact that it's done wonders for Rita," said Veo.
"I feel like a million dollars," said Rogers. "That loving touch is magic."
Copyright 2010 by TheBostonChannel.com
For the past two and a half years, Rogers, 91, has visited his wife, Rita, everyday at Briarwood Health and Rehabilitation Center. She suffers from Alzheimer's disease. At first, even after more than 60 years of marriage, she didn't recognize him.
"Inward torture. She was moaning and very unhappy," said Lynette Veo, director of nursing at Briarwood.
"I was talking to like a vegetable. So I started to get nervous and shaky myself, and I thought I was coming down with a nervous breakdown," said Rogers.
But then Rogers got what he calls an idea from above. One day, he got into bed with her, hugged and kissed her and told her how much he loved her.
"After an hour's time, she became a new woman," said Rogers. "She started talking. She knew who I was. The doctor said I discovered a medical miracle."
"When people talk to you and touch you, you feel like a person again," said Veo. "So she'll feel comfortable and relaxed."
While there's not much research on the power of touch, the staff said Rita is all the proof they need.
"Sol is so devoted, and we've all seen it and can't argue with the fact that it's done wonders for Rita," said Veo.
"I feel like a million dollars," said Rogers. "That loving touch is magic."
Copyright 2010 by TheBostonChannel.com
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Vitamin B and Alzheimer's. Can it really slow the Disease down?
Vitamin B Could Slow Advance of Alzheimer's, Oxford University Study Shows
The Oxford study included 168 people aged at least 70 with mild memory problems. Half of them took high-dose vitamin B tablets for two years, and the rest were given a placebo. The researchers gauged the disease using magnetic resonance imaging technology to measure the rate at which the brain shrank over the course of the study.
Those who took folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 had their brains shrink by 0.76 percent a year on average, while those on placebo had an atrophy rate of 1.08 percent, the study found.
About 1 in 6 people over age 70 has trouble with memory, language or other mental functions, according to the researchers. Half of those with some impairment develop dementia, mainly Alzheimer’s, the scientists said.
See more on this link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-09/vitamin-b-could-slow-advance-of-alzheimer-s-oxford-university-study-shows.html
Sunday, August 29, 2010
NO magic bullet for ALZHEIMER'S.
When I read this article I was saddened. For it's been twenty years since I first was introduced to Alzheimer's. I see now reading this article there is almost nothing new from the Medical Industry. Yes, there are all kinds of guesses, and theories, but nothing written in stone. Read and learn what 'they' have come up with. Or do they know more and are not telling us? Maybe you can find something I didn‘t.
Years Later, No Magic Bullet Against Alzheimer’s Disease
By GINA KOLATA
Published: August 28, 2010
BETHESDA, Md. — The scene was a kind of science court. On trial was the question “Can anything — running on a treadmill, eating more spinach, learning Arabic — prevent Alzheimer’s disease or delay its progression?”
Elise Schoux has been more careful to exercise regularly and eat right as preventive measures since her husband, Bill, learned last year that he has Alzheimer’s. She figures it can’t hurt. “I don’t know what the answers are,” Mrs. Schoux said.
The Vanishing Mind
Analyzing the Research
Articles in this series are examining the worldwide struggle to find answers about Alzheimer’s. To try to answer that question, the National Institutes of Health sponsored the court, appointing a jury of 15 medical scientists with no vested interests in Alzheimer’s research. They would hear the evidence and reach a judgment on what the data showed.
For a day and a half last spring, researchers presented their cases, describing studies and explaining what they had hoped to show. The jury also heard from scientists from Duke University who had been commissioned to look at the body of evidence — hundreds of research papers — and weigh it. And the jury members had read the papers themselves, preparing for this day.
The studies included research on nearly everything proposed to prevent the disease: exercise, mental stimulation, healthy diet, social engagement, nutritional supplements, anti-inflammatory drugs or those that lower cholesterol or blood pressure, even the idea that people who marry or stay trim might be saved from dementia. And they included research on traits that might hasten Alzheimer’s onset, like not having much of an education or being a loner.
It is an issue that has taken on intense importance because scientists recently reported compelling evidence that two types of tests, PET scans of Alzheimer’s plaque in the brain and tests of spinal fluid, can find signs of the disease years before people have symptoms. That gives rise to the question: What, if anything, can people do to prevent it?
But the jury’s verdict was depressing and distressing.
For more go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/health/research/29prevent.html
Years Later, No Magic Bullet Against Alzheimer’s Disease
By GINA KOLATA
Published: August 28, 2010
BETHESDA, Md. — The scene was a kind of science court. On trial was the question “Can anything — running on a treadmill, eating more spinach, learning Arabic — prevent Alzheimer’s disease or delay its progression?”
Elise Schoux has been more careful to exercise regularly and eat right as preventive measures since her husband, Bill, learned last year that he has Alzheimer’s. She figures it can’t hurt. “I don’t know what the answers are,” Mrs. Schoux said.
The Vanishing Mind
Analyzing the Research
Articles in this series are examining the worldwide struggle to find answers about Alzheimer’s. To try to answer that question, the National Institutes of Health sponsored the court, appointing a jury of 15 medical scientists with no vested interests in Alzheimer’s research. They would hear the evidence and reach a judgment on what the data showed.
For a day and a half last spring, researchers presented their cases, describing studies and explaining what they had hoped to show. The jury also heard from scientists from Duke University who had been commissioned to look at the body of evidence — hundreds of research papers — and weigh it. And the jury members had read the papers themselves, preparing for this day.
The studies included research on nearly everything proposed to prevent the disease: exercise, mental stimulation, healthy diet, social engagement, nutritional supplements, anti-inflammatory drugs or those that lower cholesterol or blood pressure, even the idea that people who marry or stay trim might be saved from dementia. And they included research on traits that might hasten Alzheimer’s onset, like not having much of an education or being a loner.
It is an issue that has taken on intense importance because scientists recently reported compelling evidence that two types of tests, PET scans of Alzheimer’s plaque in the brain and tests of spinal fluid, can find signs of the disease years before people have symptoms. That gives rise to the question: What, if anything, can people do to prevent it?
But the jury’s verdict was depressing and distressing.
For more go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/health/research/29prevent.html
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Spinal Fluid test may predict Alzheimer's.
Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study has revealed that a test of spinal fluids can predict with perfect accuracy the early development of Alzheimer’s disease.
This new study was led by Geert De Meyer of Ghent University in Belgium and was carried out by a team of researchers from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
The study looked at data from 3 different groups of older adults. The first group consisted of those who did not have any cognitive problems. The second group had mild cognitive impairment, while the third had full-blown Alzheimer’s disease.
What researchers were looking for via this spinal fluid test was the ability to find similarities in all 3 of these groups of adults.
What they managed to find is that there was a biomarker discovered in this spinal fluid test that could allow them to predict Alzheimer’s with 100% accuracy.
In the group with mild coginitive impairment, the test was 100% accurate in predicting whether or not they would develop Alzheimer’s in a period of 5-years.
This spinal fluid test could be the key to predicting the onset of Alzheimer’s 10-years before some of the first symptoms are even seen.
This could lead to better preventive measures, and new treatments to help patients.
Alzheimer’s impacts tens of millions of people around the world, and currently there is no cure.
This new study was led by Geert De Meyer of Ghent University in Belgium and was carried out by a team of researchers from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
The study looked at data from 3 different groups of older adults. The first group consisted of those who did not have any cognitive problems. The second group had mild cognitive impairment, while the third had full-blown Alzheimer’s disease.
What researchers were looking for via this spinal fluid test was the ability to find similarities in all 3 of these groups of adults.
What they managed to find is that there was a biomarker discovered in this spinal fluid test that could allow them to predict Alzheimer’s with 100% accuracy.
In the group with mild coginitive impairment, the test was 100% accurate in predicting whether or not they would develop Alzheimer’s in a period of 5-years.
This spinal fluid test could be the key to predicting the onset of Alzheimer’s 10-years before some of the first symptoms are even seen.
This could lead to better preventive measures, and new treatments to help patients.
Alzheimer’s impacts tens of millions of people around the world, and currently there is no cure.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Dementia and Homeless, More common than we think.
Dementia and Homeless, More common than we think.
A stack of tasteful grey pamphlets titled "Ageing Gracefully and with Dignity" sits on a table in the reception of the National Office for Seniors and the Physically Challenged on Victoria Street.
Directly opposite the smart green and white NOSPC building, lying on the edge of a grass verge and clutching a filthy shopping bag, is a 76-year-old man doing anything but that.
Marshall — not his real name — lives rough on the streets of Hamilton and is believed to have done so for well over a decade. He isn't the only senior in Bermuda without a roof over his head.
No official statistics exist on the number of homeless elderly people but charity workers estimate there are as many as ten in the capital alone and plenty more scattered around the Island.
These individuals fall under the radar when it comes to getting even the most basic help from the authorities — after all, who ought be assisting someone who doesn't 'officially' exist?
"You are not going to find figures," Claudette Fleming, executive director of Age Concern, tells The Royal Gazette. "They are like the invisible people."
On a scorching hot day in July, Marshall does indeed seem to be invisible to most people who walk past him.
The odd city worker on their way to grab lunch glances down at him, but the majority appear oblivious to the white-bearded figure lying back on the grass.
If you do stop — perhaps to offer Marshall some loose change or a kind word — the first thing that will probably strike you is the stale stench of urine surrounding him.
The second is his sandal-clad feet — his thick, overgrown toenails are black, yellow and green and the skin around them looks parched and flaky.
His scant possessions are next to him: the shopping bag and a black trash sack containing an umbrella, a half-drunk bottle of vitamin water and a couple of styrofoam cups.
It's possible to find out a little about him in conversation: he was once married and then divorced, he has a daughter and a son who "don't come around me", he was a long-standing Belco employee and Bermuda Industrial Union member who got fired from his job.
He'll tell you that he'll be 77 in October, that he's been on the streets for 17 years and that he wants to be there.
"There's only one [other] place left: the hospital. I don't want to be there," he says. Asked what he wants most, he replies: "A safe place, with no gangsters, to rest."
Piecing together how he came to be sleeping rough in his twilight years proves impossible. He can't or won't explain why he no longer lives in his home "down in the country, down in Devonshire". But it is known that he has abused alcohol.
While he doesn't appear to grasp every question, Marshall nods vigorously when asked if he'd like a coffee and a pastry from across the street. On being handed them, his face lights up as he says: "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Last month, Marshall was diagnosed with dementia after a charity volunteer got him to visit a GP in town.
http://www.royalgazette.com/rg/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7da84b730030001§ionId=60
A stack of tasteful grey pamphlets titled "Ageing Gracefully and with Dignity" sits on a table in the reception of the National Office for Seniors and the Physically Challenged on Victoria Street.
Directly opposite the smart green and white NOSPC building, lying on the edge of a grass verge and clutching a filthy shopping bag, is a 76-year-old man doing anything but that.
Marshall — not his real name — lives rough on the streets of Hamilton and is believed to have done so for well over a decade. He isn't the only senior in Bermuda without a roof over his head.
No official statistics exist on the number of homeless elderly people but charity workers estimate there are as many as ten in the capital alone and plenty more scattered around the Island.
These individuals fall under the radar when it comes to getting even the most basic help from the authorities — after all, who ought be assisting someone who doesn't 'officially' exist?
"You are not going to find figures," Claudette Fleming, executive director of Age Concern, tells The Royal Gazette. "They are like the invisible people."
On a scorching hot day in July, Marshall does indeed seem to be invisible to most people who walk past him.
The odd city worker on their way to grab lunch glances down at him, but the majority appear oblivious to the white-bearded figure lying back on the grass.
If you do stop — perhaps to offer Marshall some loose change or a kind word — the first thing that will probably strike you is the stale stench of urine surrounding him.
The second is his sandal-clad feet — his thick, overgrown toenails are black, yellow and green and the skin around them looks parched and flaky.
His scant possessions are next to him: the shopping bag and a black trash sack containing an umbrella, a half-drunk bottle of vitamin water and a couple of styrofoam cups.
It's possible to find out a little about him in conversation: he was once married and then divorced, he has a daughter and a son who "don't come around me", he was a long-standing Belco employee and Bermuda Industrial Union member who got fired from his job.
He'll tell you that he'll be 77 in October, that he's been on the streets for 17 years and that he wants to be there.
"There's only one [other] place left: the hospital. I don't want to be there," he says. Asked what he wants most, he replies: "A safe place, with no gangsters, to rest."
Piecing together how he came to be sleeping rough in his twilight years proves impossible. He can't or won't explain why he no longer lives in his home "down in the country, down in Devonshire". But it is known that he has abused alcohol.
While he doesn't appear to grasp every question, Marshall nods vigorously when asked if he'd like a coffee and a pastry from across the street. On being handed them, his face lights up as he says: "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Last month, Marshall was diagnosed with dementia after a charity volunteer got him to visit a GP in town.
http://www.royalgazette.com/rg/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7da84b730030001§ionId=60
Monday, August 2, 2010
What's the difference between Alzheimer's and Dementia?
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are two of the greatest fears many people have as they face old age - and the two terms are often used interchangeably, or confusingly. Technically, the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia is that dementia is a term for the deterioration or progressive impairment of mental capacity, and Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common causes of dementia. Dementia is also a symptom of a number of other conditions, many of them associated with aging.
Dementia refers to the abnormal deterioration in mental function, beyond what is normally expected from aging. The most well-known and recognizable consequence of dementia is serious and progressive memory loss, but the term refers to a more general loss of cognitive function, as well. Dementia is most common among the elderly. In addition to being a symptom of Alzheimer's disease, it can also result in aging patients as a result of vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease, and a number of other less common conditions.
Non-elderly adults, and particularly those below 40 or 50, are especially unlikely to develop dementia, especially as a result of the conditions described above, which are normally associated with aging. However, it can develop at a younger age as a result of a brain injury, or as a result of some much more rare conditions. These include Huntington's disease, a hereditary disorder. In addition, very severe and sudden dementia is also the stereotypical symptom of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, the human variant of mad cow disease.
However, the most common cause of dementia, particularly in elderly populations, is Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a progressive dementia which usually first becomes noticeable through memory impairment, beginning with the deterioration of new and short-term memory and then extending to long-term memory and control over basic bodily functions. Despite many years of research, medical researchers still know frustratingly little about the causes or potential treatments of Alzheimer's. What they do know is that it is associated with the development of plaque formations and tangled neurons within the brain. Several medications are now used to restrict the disease's symptoms and potentially slow its progression, although there is not yet a way to stop the disease entirely or to truly reverse damage once it has been done.
There is a considerable amount of publicly available information regarding Alzheimer's disease and dementia. However, if you are particularly concerned that you or a loved one is showing early warning signs of dementia, or more specifically of Alzheimer's disease, you should discuss your concerns with your family doctor.
Dementia refers to the abnormal deterioration in mental function, beyond what is normally expected from aging. The most well-known and recognizable consequence of dementia is serious and progressive memory loss, but the term refers to a more general loss of cognitive function, as well. Dementia is most common among the elderly. In addition to being a symptom of Alzheimer's disease, it can also result in aging patients as a result of vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease, and a number of other less common conditions.
Non-elderly adults, and particularly those below 40 or 50, are especially unlikely to develop dementia, especially as a result of the conditions described above, which are normally associated with aging. However, it can develop at a younger age as a result of a brain injury, or as a result of some much more rare conditions. These include Huntington's disease, a hereditary disorder. In addition, very severe and sudden dementia is also the stereotypical symptom of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, the human variant of mad cow disease.
However, the most common cause of dementia, particularly in elderly populations, is Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a progressive dementia which usually first becomes noticeable through memory impairment, beginning with the deterioration of new and short-term memory and then extending to long-term memory and control over basic bodily functions. Despite many years of research, medical researchers still know frustratingly little about the causes or potential treatments of Alzheimer's. What they do know is that it is associated with the development of plaque formations and tangled neurons within the brain. Several medications are now used to restrict the disease's symptoms and potentially slow its progression, although there is not yet a way to stop the disease entirely or to truly reverse damage once it has been done.
There is a considerable amount of publicly available information regarding Alzheimer's disease and dementia. However, if you are particularly concerned that you or a loved one is showing early warning signs of dementia, or more specifically of Alzheimer's disease, you should discuss your concerns with your family doctor.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Alzheimer's and B-12
Diagnosed Alzheimer’s could be Undiagnosed B12 problem.
When it comes to senior ailments, depression and vitamin deficiencies are more common then you’d think, and often go unnoticed by relatives and friends providing care.When providing elderly care for your senior loved one, the following information may be helpful and prove useful for identifying common senior ailments. To detect and treat depression and vitamin deficiencies, elderly care providers encourage you to review the following symptoms and ensure the health and safety of your loved one.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms: This deficiency is a highly treatable health condition but can be difficult to recognize, as its symptoms are often identical to symptoms of dementia, senile dementia, and Alzheimers.20% of individuals over the age of 65 have low levels of Vitamin B12. Ensure your loved one is receiving enough vitamin B12 in his or her diet so that he or she can have an active and healthy life.
Providing Elderly Care: Signs and Symptoms of a Vitamin B12 Deficient Diet:
Has your loved one lost his/her appetite?
Do they frequently suffer from fatigue, weakness, or shortness of breath?
Have they complained about a sore mouth/tongue?
Do they often experience numbness or tingling in the hands or feet?
Do they appear pale?
Vitamin B12 can cause a change of mental state in very advanced cases, and is often confused with dementia. However, deficiencies of B12 and folic acid may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s or other similar dementias.
B12 rich foods include eggs, cheese, meats such as lamb and beef, shellfish and seafood (crab and lobster), fish, and liver. B12 is found in most animal products and vitamin supplements are largely available.
When it comes to senior ailments, depression and vitamin deficiencies are more common then you’d think, and often go unnoticed by relatives and friends providing care.When providing elderly care for your senior loved one, the following information may be helpful and prove useful for identifying common senior ailments. To detect and treat depression and vitamin deficiencies, elderly care providers encourage you to review the following symptoms and ensure the health and safety of your loved one.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Symptoms: This deficiency is a highly treatable health condition but can be difficult to recognize, as its symptoms are often identical to symptoms of dementia, senile dementia, and Alzheimers.20% of individuals over the age of 65 have low levels of Vitamin B12. Ensure your loved one is receiving enough vitamin B12 in his or her diet so that he or she can have an active and healthy life.
Providing Elderly Care: Signs and Symptoms of a Vitamin B12 Deficient Diet:
Has your loved one lost his/her appetite?
Do they frequently suffer from fatigue, weakness, or shortness of breath?
Have they complained about a sore mouth/tongue?
Do they often experience numbness or tingling in the hands or feet?
Do they appear pale?
Vitamin B12 can cause a change of mental state in very advanced cases, and is often confused with dementia. However, deficiencies of B12 and folic acid may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s or other similar dementias.
B12 rich foods include eggs, cheese, meats such as lamb and beef, shellfish and seafood (crab and lobster), fish, and liver. B12 is found in most animal products and vitamin supplements are largely available.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Alzheimer's: New update diagnostics since 1984
There is a new route doctors will soon take to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. The new testing will involve brain imaging and the screening of protein found in the cerebro spinal
fluid. While many people think they understand Alzheimer's disease and what it is, many don't know that this will be the first update in diagnostics since 1984. The current diagnosis of Alzheimer's is found by ruling out Dementia or Parkinson's disease. Candidates would then have to go through extensive neuropsychological testing. The new way of testing for Alzheimer's will allow doctors to make an early diagnosis, therefore giving the patient a quicker chance at fighting the disease.
My Grandfather has Alzheimer's, and I only wish this new testing was available when he was diagnosed. Recently, he was found walking around in a neighbor's backyard ,not knowing where he was. Many people who have loved ones who have Alzheimer's have experienced this in some sort of way.
read the rest:http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5585608/alzheimers_experts_urge_updated_diagnosis.html?cat=5
fluid. While many people think they understand Alzheimer's disease and what it is, many don't know that this will be the first update in diagnostics since 1984. The current diagnosis of Alzheimer's is found by ruling out Dementia or Parkinson's disease. Candidates would then have to go through extensive neuropsychological testing. The new way of testing for Alzheimer's will allow doctors to make an early diagnosis, therefore giving the patient a quicker chance at fighting the disease.
My Grandfather has Alzheimer's, and I only wish this new testing was available when he was diagnosed. Recently, he was found walking around in a neighbor's backyard ,not knowing where he was. Many people who have loved ones who have Alzheimer's have experienced this in some sort of way.
read the rest:http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5585608/alzheimers_experts_urge_updated_diagnosis.html?cat=5
Monday, July 12, 2010
40 percent diagnosed Alzheimer's, not after brain biopsy
Coming across this article this morning in the Alzheimer's google news, I was amazed, then not. I have always thought there was/is somethng else going on in the dementia world. Vascular dementia, or other dementia's. People need to know there are other dementia's besides Alzheimer's. Ones that can be cured if looked into carefully. Please seek other opinions from the medical profession. Don't take one doctor's word for it.
Alzheimer’s Association 2010 International Conference
More than 40 percent of patients diagnosed with early dementia, were found not to have Alzheimer’s disease on autopsy. Other forms of dementia and conditions that can cause memory problems go undiagnosed and untreated. Syntermed's NeuroQ software program increases accuracy of FDG-PET brain imaging for improved diagnosis of dementia and AD. Syntermed, Inc. is also collaborating with Avid Radiopharmaceuticals to quantify Amyloid uptake for Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Secure remote access of PET Scans for Clinical Trials is now possible with Syntermed Live™.
There is a high rate of misdiagnosis of Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia. More than 40% of patients diagnosed with early dementia who are found on autopsy not to have Alzheimer’s disease, were misdiagnosed with AD during life. Other forms of dementia and conditions that can cause memory problems go undiagnosed and untreated.
FDG-PET is used in the diagnosis of dementia. Including all dementias, more than 30% of patients are misdiagnosed. Using FDG-PET in the diagnosis of dementia increases the accuracy of the diagnosis to approximately 90%. Expertise is required to interpret the complex and quantitative data in the scans. Most physicians do not frequently read these images.
Read the whole article here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010Syntermed/07diagnosisAlzheimers/prweb4238854.htm
Alzheimer’s Association 2010 International Conference
More than 40 percent of patients diagnosed with early dementia, were found not to have Alzheimer’s disease on autopsy. Other forms of dementia and conditions that can cause memory problems go undiagnosed and untreated. Syntermed's NeuroQ software program increases accuracy of FDG-PET brain imaging for improved diagnosis of dementia and AD. Syntermed, Inc. is also collaborating with Avid Radiopharmaceuticals to quantify Amyloid uptake for Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Secure remote access of PET Scans for Clinical Trials is now possible with Syntermed Live™.
There is a high rate of misdiagnosis of Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia. More than 40% of patients diagnosed with early dementia who are found on autopsy not to have Alzheimer’s disease, were misdiagnosed with AD during life. Other forms of dementia and conditions that can cause memory problems go undiagnosed and untreated.
FDG-PET is used in the diagnosis of dementia. Including all dementias, more than 30% of patients are misdiagnosed. Using FDG-PET in the diagnosis of dementia increases the accuracy of the diagnosis to approximately 90%. Expertise is required to interpret the complex and quantitative data in the scans. Most physicians do not frequently read these images.
Read the whole article here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010Syntermed/07diagnosisAlzheimers/prweb4238854.htm
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Depression and Dementia
I had to pass this excellent article by Carole Larkin along. I believe it can help many people, caregivers who are wondering how to help their loved one. Or anyone who wonders about their own self. I have great respect for the writer and her knowledge of both, Depression and Dementia. Please read and learn.
Real differences abound in diagnoses -- the "half baked" diagnosis and the "full baked" diagnosis. A half baked diagnosis is a doctor who asks a few memory questions and then says,”Yes, you have dementia. Here, take this.” He gives you a prescription for Aricept or one of the other four FDA approved drugs.
A full baked diagnosis consists of three parts:An MRI or similar scan. Two things can be seen on the scan. The first is white spots indicating that a “mini-stroke” (or TIA) has taken place in that area of the brain. The importance of finding mini-strokes is that none of the four FDA approved medicines do any good when someone has had a mini stroke. If you are prescribed one or more of the drugs approved to treat Alzheimer's and your loved one has Vascular Dementia (dementia coming from mini or regular strokes in the brain) you are just throwing money on a "half baked diagnosis".
A better use of your money might be to give your loved one something that they really love and that brings them momentary happiness? (Dark chocolate for me!)An MRI will also show atrophy of the brain (the brain shrinking). If the brain has shrunk you can see an actual space on the MRI between the brain and the skull bones. I call that the “Air Gap”. After all, dead brain cells are skinnier than live brain cells, so they take up less space in the head. If the front of the brain (behind your forehead) has a bigger air gap than the middle or back part of the brain; then the diagnosis may be in part, Frontotemporal Dementia, which is different from straight Alzheimer’s. A neurologist that deals with Frontotemporal Dementia should be the doctor consulted for medicines appropriate to that disease.
Specific blood work looking for other things that can cause dementia, like thyroid deficiency, B12 deficiency, potassium deficiency, and other types of chemical imbalances showing up in the blood. These things can be correctible, thus ending the dementia.Finally, a series of verbal and physical tests that not only test memory, but also test executive skills, such as: time/space orientation, attention span, concentration abilities, and expressive language ability among others. These tests take between two and four hours to complete.Only if all of the above are done, do you get a true diagnosis, at this point in time. I’m sure that more tests will be done in the future to be able to further refine the diagnosis but right now that’s all we have available to most people. The special PET and other imaging scans are usually done for research purposes and are cost prohibitive for most people. Eventually I hope we have them available on a regular basis.
The Link between Depression and Dementia
http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2010/06/diagnosis-and-depression-how-to-get.html
Real differences abound in diagnoses -- the "half baked" diagnosis and the "full baked" diagnosis. A half baked diagnosis is a doctor who asks a few memory questions and then says,”Yes, you have dementia. Here, take this.” He gives you a prescription for Aricept or one of the other four FDA approved drugs.
A full baked diagnosis consists of three parts:An MRI or similar scan. Two things can be seen on the scan. The first is white spots indicating that a “mini-stroke” (or TIA) has taken place in that area of the brain. The importance of finding mini-strokes is that none of the four FDA approved medicines do any good when someone has had a mini stroke. If you are prescribed one or more of the drugs approved to treat Alzheimer's and your loved one has Vascular Dementia (dementia coming from mini or regular strokes in the brain) you are just throwing money on a "half baked diagnosis".
A better use of your money might be to give your loved one something that they really love and that brings them momentary happiness? (Dark chocolate for me!)An MRI will also show atrophy of the brain (the brain shrinking). If the brain has shrunk you can see an actual space on the MRI between the brain and the skull bones. I call that the “Air Gap”. After all, dead brain cells are skinnier than live brain cells, so they take up less space in the head. If the front of the brain (behind your forehead) has a bigger air gap than the middle or back part of the brain; then the diagnosis may be in part, Frontotemporal Dementia, which is different from straight Alzheimer’s. A neurologist that deals with Frontotemporal Dementia should be the doctor consulted for medicines appropriate to that disease.
Specific blood work looking for other things that can cause dementia, like thyroid deficiency, B12 deficiency, potassium deficiency, and other types of chemical imbalances showing up in the blood. These things can be correctible, thus ending the dementia.Finally, a series of verbal and physical tests that not only test memory, but also test executive skills, such as: time/space orientation, attention span, concentration abilities, and expressive language ability among others. These tests take between two and four hours to complete.Only if all of the above are done, do you get a true diagnosis, at this point in time. I’m sure that more tests will be done in the future to be able to further refine the diagnosis but right now that’s all we have available to most people. The special PET and other imaging scans are usually done for research purposes and are cost prohibitive for most people. Eventually I hope we have them available on a regular basis.
The Link between Depression and Dementia
http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2010/06/diagnosis-and-depression-how-to-get.html
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