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
Sunday, August 29, 2010
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
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Alzheimer's patient, sedate or not to sedate.
I must be on a roll tonight. Here is another I went through this with my dear friend Carol. 'They' did sedate her, and she wound up breaking her hip because she was so out of it at 69 years old. Read and learn. http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/06/22/bc-carehome-alzheimers.html
I hated reading this but felt it needs to be addressed
I hate putting something like this on my site, but feel things like this need to be known to the public. This is happening all through the country, because people are not watching the ill. Please keep abreast of the news and what can happen if an Alzheimer's person is not watched.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/22/1693285/man-with-alzheimers-dies-after.html
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/22/1693285/man-with-alzheimers-dies-after.html
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
I'm in a Homeless Shelter
Hello Folks,
I don't know how to say this, but I'm in a Homeless Shelter, as of 5 weeks today. I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to your comments and emails. Please forgive me.
For some reason my Journey has taken this adventure, and that it is. I don't know why, but I will live this part of my life the best I know how. I'm sorry that I can not keep up with my Internet friends. I miss you all very much. You kept me going for many many years, and I thank you all for that.
I can tell you I'm writing a new book. This one will be different from others I've written and hope only that it will be there to help others along their way in life.
If you want to contact me, the best way would be through the comments on my book, 'Just a Word', or rmlamatt@aol.com
At this time I'm at the Library, finally able to travel after neck operation. I will try and keep in touch, please be well, be happy, be loved.
Always,
Rose
I don't know how to say this, but I'm in a Homeless Shelter, as of 5 weeks today. I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to your comments and emails. Please forgive me.
For some reason my Journey has taken this adventure, and that it is. I don't know why, but I will live this part of my life the best I know how. I'm sorry that I can not keep up with my Internet friends. I miss you all very much. You kept me going for many many years, and I thank you all for that.
I can tell you I'm writing a new book. This one will be different from others I've written and hope only that it will be there to help others along their way in life.
If you want to contact me, the best way would be through the comments on my book, 'Just a Word', or rmlamatt@aol.com
At this time I'm at the Library, finally able to travel after neck operation. I will try and keep in touch, please be well, be happy, be loved.
Always,
Rose
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Self Test may help diagnose Alzheimer's.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Alzheimer’s is a disease that robs your mind of memories and cognitive skills.
Currently, Alzheimer’s is the 7th leading cause of death, but beyond the statistics, it can be a heartbreaking disease that is felt by an entire family who watch a loved one slip away.
While there is no cure, Alzheimer’s can be slowed—especially if it is caught early.
A new Alzheimer’s test developed by The Ohio State University may help diagnose this form of dementia.
The test, called Self-Administered Geocognitive Examination (SAGE), was developed by OSU neurologist Douglas Scharre.
Although you take the 15-minute test on your own, the Alzheimer’s Association recommends printing the test and filling it out at your doctor’s office or a health fair.
“Then, they can better interpret the test and also give you the follow up,“ said Mari Dannhauer, of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Dannhauer said early detection is key because symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear and diagnosis comes much later. The new screening tool will help get people to the doctor earlier.
The Alzheimer’s Association said that no memory loss is normal and people should be aware of the warning signs. But, just because you might have memory loss doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s and the written test is a good starting point in early detection.
The test asks questions, including:
How are a watch and ruler similar? Write down how they are both alike. How many nickels and in 60 cents?
Participants are also asked to draw things from memory.
Draw a large face of a clock and place in the numbers. Position the hands for five minutes after 11 o’clock.
To download the test and scoring instructions, visit: http://www.sagetest.osu.edu/
Currently, Alzheimer’s is the 7th leading cause of death, but beyond the statistics, it can be a heartbreaking disease that is felt by an entire family who watch a loved one slip away.
While there is no cure, Alzheimer’s can be slowed—especially if it is caught early.
A new Alzheimer’s test developed by The Ohio State University may help diagnose this form of dementia.
The test, called Self-Administered Geocognitive Examination (SAGE), was developed by OSU neurologist Douglas Scharre.
Although you take the 15-minute test on your own, the Alzheimer’s Association recommends printing the test and filling it out at your doctor’s office or a health fair.
“Then, they can better interpret the test and also give you the follow up,“ said Mari Dannhauer, of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Dannhauer said early detection is key because symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear and diagnosis comes much later. The new screening tool will help get people to the doctor earlier.
The Alzheimer’s Association said that no memory loss is normal and people should be aware of the warning signs. But, just because you might have memory loss doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s and the written test is a good starting point in early detection.
The test asks questions, including:
How are a watch and ruler similar? Write down how they are both alike. How many nickels and in 60 cents?
Participants are also asked to draw things from memory.
Draw a large face of a clock and place in the numbers. Position the hands for five minutes after 11 o’clock.
To download the test and scoring instructions, visit: http://www.sagetest.osu.edu/
Monday, April 5, 2010
Stage by Stage Alzheimer's
I happen to like this article in USA today. How Alzheimer's disease alters lives, stage by stage. By Mary Brophy Marcus
How an Alzheimer's caretaker's life and challenges may evolve as their loved one's disease progresses:
Early stage
•May notice patient is more anxious, forgets friends' names and telephone numbers, places everyday items in the wrong storage locations, leaves projects (laundry, meals) unfinished, has trouble making change and balancing a checkbook.
•May need to take over some household responsibilities — like bill-paying — if not already doing them.
•If patient's work life is suffering, caregiver also may need to take on more financial responsibility.
Middle stage
•Patient will need more physical help: bathing, shaving, dressing, driving.
•Sometimes the healthy spouse or family member will try to protect a loved one as he declines, portray him as functioning at a higher level than he actually is, especially if the patient has had a prestigious or intellectual career.
•There may be behavioral changes in the patient's sleep-wake cycle and more apathy, which may disrupt caretaker's life and cause depression.
•More safety measures should be taken, including use of a device that tracks patient in case he wanders. It's a time to begin thinking about and planning for end-stage care in or outside the home and making sure finances are in order.
•It may be a good time to seek out emotional counseling, as well as additional help from other family members or professionals.
Late stage
•Patient behavior may vary drastically at this stage, from subdued to delusional and paranoid.
•Depending on family resources, a nursing home, day care center or in-home health aide may be needed. A social worker or state aging agency can send someone to the home to assess what is needed at this time.
How an Alzheimer's caretaker's life and challenges may evolve as their loved one's disease progresses:
Early stage
•May notice patient is more anxious, forgets friends' names and telephone numbers, places everyday items in the wrong storage locations, leaves projects (laundry, meals) unfinished, has trouble making change and balancing a checkbook.
•May need to take over some household responsibilities — like bill-paying — if not already doing them.
•If patient's work life is suffering, caregiver also may need to take on more financial responsibility.
Middle stage
•Patient will need more physical help: bathing, shaving, dressing, driving.
•Sometimes the healthy spouse or family member will try to protect a loved one as he declines, portray him as functioning at a higher level than he actually is, especially if the patient has had a prestigious or intellectual career.
•There may be behavioral changes in the patient's sleep-wake cycle and more apathy, which may disrupt caretaker's life and cause depression.
•More safety measures should be taken, including use of a device that tracks patient in case he wanders. It's a time to begin thinking about and planning for end-stage care in or outside the home and making sure finances are in order.
•It may be a good time to seek out emotional counseling, as well as additional help from other family members or professionals.
Late stage
•Patient behavior may vary drastically at this stage, from subdued to delusional and paranoid.
•Depending on family resources, a nursing home, day care center or in-home health aide may be needed. A social worker or state aging agency can send someone to the home to assess what is needed at this time.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Antidepressants and Alzheimer's
I found this article important enough to share with you.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/many-newly-diagnosed-alzheimers-disease-patients-do-not-receive-alzheimers-drugs-as-first-line-therapy-89384617.html
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/many-newly-diagnosed-alzheimers-disease-patients-do-not-receive-alzheimers-drugs-as-first-line-therapy-89384617.html
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Challenging Alzheimer's Behavior
By Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading RoomEditor Note: This is not a full blown article by Judy Berry. Instead it is her comment to comments under the original article -- Joleen's Dad Out in the Cold -- What Should She Do?.This issue: challenging and violent behavior of Alzheimer's patients is important to all Alzheimer's caregivers. This thread was initiated by the this article --
Nobody Wants Our DadBy Judy Berry
I have been working with this very vulnerable population, those with dementia and challenging/aggressive behavior, for the last 12 years.After developing a model of specialized dementia care that has been successful in preventing the aggessive behavior in those that have had repeated discharges from other facilities and hospitalizations for behavior I have learned a few critical things I would like to share.
I'll start by saying I believe "NO One", the resident with the behavior, other residents, or staff should have to be subjected to violent behavior. We have learned that 90% of behavior can be contolled and/or eliminated by "pro-actively" Recognizing and Meeting the underlying need of the person displaying the behavior whether it be physical OR emotional.
There is a critical need for appropriate ratios of highly trained staff (and you are right when you say not everyone should work with people with dementia related behavior), but another huge piece often neglected in understaffed places is the ONGOING mentoring and support necessary to keep even the best trained staff on track and focusing on the emotional needs of the individual resident, and controlling their own non-verbal communication and reactions to that persons needs.We learned that both professional and informal caregiver "perception" of what is actually going on in the minds of a person with advancing dementia has a direct correlation to how they treat the individual.
For instance, if they believe some of the readily available information that the "person" is no longer in there, or the "person" they knew is slowly disappearing before their eyes because of the effects on the brain, they are giving themselves permission to treat that person differently.Talking about patients in front of them like they are not there, not paying attention to their personal dignity emotions and feelings, ignoring their behaviors; like calling out, crying, or just withdrawing etc, and not giving them choices are just a few of the things that frequently will happen if the caregiver has a misguided perception.All these behaviors on the part of the caregivers will produce challenging behavior, but often well meaning caregivers are not even aware they are doing them.
I can truly empathize with Joleen and others when they talk about their pain and frustration when told "No place wants to take their loved one!" and the intense fear of what will become of them. I lived with that pain and uncertainty for 7 years with my own mom, just to see her succumb to the system that uses overmedication to make our loved ones compliant in their environment.There are some medications that can be appropriate at times, in limited amounts to avert some of the anxiety our loved ones are experiencing with their disease.
The problem has always been and still is, in my opinion, that we need to be asking ourselves and the prescribing physicians WHY are we using them, to reduce anxiety in the resident; or, to make life bearable for an understaffed facility that offers little in the way of training and "ONGOING staff support".In the words of Jan Garard RN, Quality Improvement Coordinator and Trainer for MN Dept of Human Services,
The ONLY Way to Deal with Challenging Behavior in Persons with Dementia IS "To PREVENT IT in the First Place"http://www.dementiacarefoundation.org/
The ONLY Way to Deal with Challenging Behavior in Persons with Dementia IS "To PREVENT IT in the First Place"http://www.dementiacarefoundation.org/
Judy Berry is the founder and CEO of Lakeview Ranch. Lakeview Ranch provides a unique model of specialized dementia care for those with aggressive behavior. The model focuses on prevention, rather than treatment to manage behavior. Judy is also the Executive Director and founder of the Dementia Care Foundation.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
We Need a Cure.
You would think after reading today’s news on Alzheimer’s there is a cure right around corner. I hope for many and my self this is true, and the next corner will take days or months, not years. I’ve taken articles off today’s news on Alzheimer’s and have put them here for you to see. Take a look and learn.
This says Mice who have had Alzheimer’s are now learning. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/85875242.html
This claims of New discovery paving way for Alzheimer’s treatment. http://news.oneindia.in/2010/03/02/newdiscovery-paves-way-for-alzheimers-treatment.html
This claims Test drug slows progression http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2010/03/test_drug_slows_progression_of.html
This says Drug is working.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62001A20100301
Now after looking into these articles wouldn’t you say ‘they’ are close to a cure? A research doctor told me in the early 90’s, it takes ten years before a drug goes from trial to market. We can’t afford to wait any longer. So many have this disease, and many will get it. That alone will bankrupt Medicare, and the country. We need a cure now.
This says Mice who have had Alzheimer’s are now learning. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/85875242.html
This claims of New discovery paving way for Alzheimer’s treatment. http://news.oneindia.in/2010/03/02/newdiscovery-paves-way-for-alzheimers-treatment.html
This claims Test drug slows progression http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2010/03/test_drug_slows_progression_of.html
This says Drug is working.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62001A20100301
Now after looking into these articles wouldn’t you say ‘they’ are close to a cure? A research doctor told me in the early 90’s, it takes ten years before a drug goes from trial to market. We can’t afford to wait any longer. So many have this disease, and many will get it. That alone will bankrupt Medicare, and the country. We need a cure now.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
What is dementia?
Article by Kay Luna
Dementia is not a specific disease. Instead, it is a general term for symptoms that impact intellectual and social abilities — such as memory loss — that are serious enough to interfere with daily life.
Such symptoms are caused by changes in the brain, according to an online explanation offered by the Mayo Clinic.
Different types of dementia exist, depending upon the cause, with Alzheimer’s disease ranking as the most common.
Some causes of dementia are treatable and even reversible, but there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, which is “progressive and fatal,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Some slip-ups in terms of memory are normal, especially as people age, but watch for multiple warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease from this list that is available at www.alz.org.
- Challenges in planning or solving problems, particularly those involving numbers. This might include experiencing trouble following a familiar recipe or balancing a checkbook.
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks. Those dealing with Alzheimer’s might have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
- Confusion with time or place. People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. Sometimes they might forget where they are or how they got there.
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. For some people, visual problems surface and they might have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. They might pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room instead of realizing the reflection is them.
- New problems with words in regards to speaking or writing. They might stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle to find the right word or call things by the wrong name (such as referring to a watch as a “hand-clock”).
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace their steps. Sometimes they may accuse others of stealing.
- Decreased or poor judgment. They might decide to give large amounts of money to telemarketers or pay less attention to personal hygiene.
- Serious changes in mood and personality. This could include withdrawal from work and social activities. Those impacted might become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They might blow up or say something rude at times when they usually would have been gracious.
Dementia is not a specific disease. Instead, it is a general term for symptoms that impact intellectual and social abilities — such as memory loss — that are serious enough to interfere with daily life.
Such symptoms are caused by changes in the brain, according to an online explanation offered by the Mayo Clinic.
Different types of dementia exist, depending upon the cause, with Alzheimer’s disease ranking as the most common.
Some causes of dementia are treatable and even reversible, but there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, which is “progressive and fatal,” according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Some slip-ups in terms of memory are normal, especially as people age, but watch for multiple warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease from this list that is available at www.alz.org.
- Challenges in planning or solving problems, particularly those involving numbers. This might include experiencing trouble following a familiar recipe or balancing a checkbook.
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks. Those dealing with Alzheimer’s might have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
- Confusion with time or place. People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. Sometimes they might forget where they are or how they got there.
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. For some people, visual problems surface and they might have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. They might pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room instead of realizing the reflection is them.
- New problems with words in regards to speaking or writing. They might stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle to find the right word or call things by the wrong name (such as referring to a watch as a “hand-clock”).
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace their steps. Sometimes they may accuse others of stealing.
- Decreased or poor judgment. They might decide to give large amounts of money to telemarketers or pay less attention to personal hygiene.
- Serious changes in mood and personality. This could include withdrawal from work and social activities. Those impacted might become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They might blow up or say something rude at times when they usually would have been gracious.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentines Day, rejoice and be glad.
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.
In honor of my dear friend Carol’s birthday, Feb. 14th, I rejoice, and am glad that I met her, and that I was her caregiver. Because Carol had Alzheimer’s disease I am more aware of what is important. I’m very aware how people treat one another, the love they show for each other, as shown in the Haiti earthquake. People sent money to people they didn’t even know. They boarded planes to help search for survivors. The world came together for the good of mankind. I wonder at times, does it take a catastrophe to bring people together. To give yourself when the going gets tough, is a gift placed upon you. Many of us receive gifts all the time, and some will say, ‘How can Alzheimer’s be a gift?’ It was for me, because it taught me of myself.
Most of us live from day to day, thinking what the day will bring. With Carol, love came every day, without Alzheimer’s, and with Alzheimer’s. In the beginning of the disease I wanted that cup passed from me, but then I learned to be thankful for the task that was placed on me. A caregiver. A giver of care. To be able to care for another human being was a gift. Funny, when we have babies and care for them, we are happy doing it, maybe because we watch them grow. Yet when we have a parent or partner to care for, we feel it’s a burden, too much to ask. Only when we realize that another depends on us for their life, do we say, ‘What an honor, to care for another. What a blessing’. And in so doing, we learn of our true inner selves.
Thank you Carol for letting me care for you.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Facilities and Alzheimer's
Today it seems, every time I go to the Internet to read news on Alzheimer’s, hoping for a cure, instead I read about Alzheimer’s patients walking out of facilities. They are found dead, hit by a car, lost in the woods, wandering down a highway, or sometimes good news, the police have found them.
My question: How does this happen when the person is in a facility being looked after? How and why does it happen? Are Health Care workers not doing their job?
My friend Carol was a wanderer, an escape artist. She tried to wander all the time. She’d be gone in a flash, when I went to the bathroom, or was on the phone. I hung a small alarm on the doorknob, so if the door moved it rang. My ears were tuned to the sound of the alarm, which went off at all times. For night the alarm was set, plus a latched lock high near the top door molding.
When she did get out, and I didn’t hear, whether taking a shower or out back cleaning porch, the neighbors called me on the phone. ‘She’s out again,’ they’d say, and I’d run after her. Neighbors were a great help, telling her to go back home, or at times led her home. We lived in a condominium complex so people looked after people. Only once I lost her, and that was in the grocery store. She had left my side when I turned around to talk to someone. In an instant she was gone, and I panicked. I knew she wouldn’t come back on her own. She wouldn’t know how too. I had to find her. I ran down the aisles looking for her, frantic, hoping she hadn’t made it to the outside door, because then I wouldn’t know what to do. She couldn’t talk, to tell someone what she wanted, and she had broken 5 ID bracelets I’d put on her wrist. She was a person lost, yet looking for something. That day I found her four aisles over from where she’d left me. Stupidly I reprimanded her for leaving my side, "Don’t go away from me," I said. Little did I know then, she wasn’t listening, or didn’t understand.
I wonder if I kept an eye on her all the time, how is it patient’s are able to walk out of facilities unnoticed? How does this happen, when there are more workers watching residents? I just don’t understand.
It seems we can track satellites, but we can not track Alzheimer’s victims.
My question: How does this happen when the person is in a facility being looked after? How and why does it happen? Are Health Care workers not doing their job?
My friend Carol was a wanderer, an escape artist. She tried to wander all the time. She’d be gone in a flash, when I went to the bathroom, or was on the phone. I hung a small alarm on the doorknob, so if the door moved it rang. My ears were tuned to the sound of the alarm, which went off at all times. For night the alarm was set, plus a latched lock high near the top door molding.
When she did get out, and I didn’t hear, whether taking a shower or out back cleaning porch, the neighbors called me on the phone. ‘She’s out again,’ they’d say, and I’d run after her. Neighbors were a great help, telling her to go back home, or at times led her home. We lived in a condominium complex so people looked after people. Only once I lost her, and that was in the grocery store. She had left my side when I turned around to talk to someone. In an instant she was gone, and I panicked. I knew she wouldn’t come back on her own. She wouldn’t know how too. I had to find her. I ran down the aisles looking for her, frantic, hoping she hadn’t made it to the outside door, because then I wouldn’t know what to do. She couldn’t talk, to tell someone what she wanted, and she had broken 5 ID bracelets I’d put on her wrist. She was a person lost, yet looking for something. That day I found her four aisles over from where she’d left me. Stupidly I reprimanded her for leaving my side, "Don’t go away from me," I said. Little did I know then, she wasn’t listening, or didn’t understand.
I wonder if I kept an eye on her all the time, how is it patient’s are able to walk out of facilities unnoticed? How does this happen, when there are more workers watching residents? I just don’t understand.
It seems we can track satellites, but we can not track Alzheimer’s victims.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
13 year old poet and more
I'm feeling better and want to thank you for your kind words and thoughts. Any one who has had fusion in the neck knows this is going to take a long time to recover. With my lap top in bed with me I was sent this poem from Bob DeMarco at The Alzheimer's Reading Room. I felt I needed to share it with others. This young man is very insightful, and has written words I'm sure all of us have felt as caregivers.
Dementiaby Max Wallack
It gallops in silently on powerful hoofs
Snatching sweet, precious, forgotten memories
Turning true-blue loyal friends into treacherous strangers
Clogging synapses with emptiness
Crumbling trust into excruciating paranoia
With bleak darkness comes the anxious wakefulness of broad daylight
And bitter terror encompasses every living fiber
"If I sleep, where will I be when I wake up?"
The compulsion to run, the paralysis of fear
Mature, child-like dependence
Retracing youthful development, but in rapid reverse
Cureless medicines, meaningless conversations
Leading up to the inevitable
Dementiaby Max Wallack
It gallops in silently on powerful hoofs
Snatching sweet, precious, forgotten memories
Turning true-blue loyal friends into treacherous strangers
Clogging synapses with emptiness
Crumbling trust into excruciating paranoia
With bleak darkness comes the anxious wakefulness of broad daylight
And bitter terror encompasses every living fiber
"If I sleep, where will I be when I wake up?"
The compulsion to run, the paralysis of fear
Mature, child-like dependence
Retracing youthful development, but in rapid reverse
Cureless medicines, meaningless conversations
Leading up to the inevitable
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Time out
Taking some time off to recover from neck surgery. Be back soon to keep you up to date. Thank you for reading my posts. Feel free to roam around my site, especially take a look at the Youtube video below.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Runaway Train
For some reason I felt I should post this today. Don't ask why, I don't know. Just something inside me says, 'do it'.
An excerpt from 'Just a Word'.
I see terror on her face and it reminds me of my panic attacks. I stay close to her, letting her know she’s not alone. I’ll always be there for her. I’m no doctor, but I know what she feels, I’m living with her 24/7. She’s never out of sight.
Lately she doesn’t want to come to the table to eat. So I bribe her, saying, “No chocolate pudding or chocalotta ice cream if you don’t finish your dinner.” Like raising my children. She likes sweets all the time; yet when she was well, she rarely ate them, except ice cream. The brain has to be craving sugar for a reason. I buy a juicer, make fresh vegetable and fruit juices, because a man on TV says it will make the body strong and healthy.
So many chores to do: clean the house, paper work, trying to keep her clean. She changes clothes in the middle of the night, putting clothes on top of clothes. I sleep with her, rubbing her arm, to calm her. Around two in the morning, she stirs, fiddling with her clothes. I leave, and go to my room for rest. The burglar alarm is set. She can’t go out without me hearing. I need sleep if I’m going to care for her. Her hair is falling out for no obvious reason, black circles are under her eyes. She doesn’t yawn anymore when she’s tired. Strange, and I think and wonder if other victims do this? The doctors have no answers. I wish something else would show in tests. I wish she had cancer instead of this disease of losing her mind. She’s sliding fast, like a runaway train. There’s no stopping it. I hate this disease. All I want to do is comfort her.
An excerpt from 'Just a Word'.
I see terror on her face and it reminds me of my panic attacks. I stay close to her, letting her know she’s not alone. I’ll always be there for her. I’m no doctor, but I know what she feels, I’m living with her 24/7. She’s never out of sight.
Lately she doesn’t want to come to the table to eat. So I bribe her, saying, “No chocolate pudding or chocalotta ice cream if you don’t finish your dinner.” Like raising my children. She likes sweets all the time; yet when she was well, she rarely ate them, except ice cream. The brain has to be craving sugar for a reason. I buy a juicer, make fresh vegetable and fruit juices, because a man on TV says it will make the body strong and healthy.
So many chores to do: clean the house, paper work, trying to keep her clean. She changes clothes in the middle of the night, putting clothes on top of clothes. I sleep with her, rubbing her arm, to calm her. Around two in the morning, she stirs, fiddling with her clothes. I leave, and go to my room for rest. The burglar alarm is set. She can’t go out without me hearing. I need sleep if I’m going to care for her. Her hair is falling out for no obvious reason, black circles are under her eyes. She doesn’t yawn anymore when she’s tired. Strange, and I think and wonder if other victims do this? The doctors have no answers. I wish something else would show in tests. I wish she had cancer instead of this disease of losing her mind. She’s sliding fast, like a runaway train. There’s no stopping it. I hate this disease. All I want to do is comfort her.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Dementia, not just Alzheimer's
Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia.
An Excellent article on different types of Dementia.
Dementia is a an illness that usually occurs slowly over time, and usually includes a progressive state of deterioration. The earliest signs of dementia are usually memory problems, confusion, and changes in the way a person behaves and communicates.
Read the Alzheimer's Reading room and learn. http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2009/09/dementia-and-eight-types-of-dementia.html
An Excellent article on different types of Dementia.
Dementia is a an illness that usually occurs slowly over time, and usually includes a progressive state of deterioration. The earliest signs of dementia are usually memory problems, confusion, and changes in the way a person behaves and communicates.
Read the Alzheimer's Reading room and learn. http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2009/09/dementia-and-eight-types-of-dementia.html
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Struggling with Dementia?
Most people can look in a phone book knowing what they are looking for with complete clarity. People with dementia cannot perform some simple daily tasks such as looking up a phone number without confusion and lack of understanding what they are doing or why.
http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2159665
http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2159665
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Removal of Plaque in Alzheimer's Brain
This week a breakthrough discovery by scientists from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL, may lead to a new treatment for Alzheimer's Disease that actually removes amyloid plaques. Could this be the start of something new and possibly a cure for Alzheimer's? Check out the news here, http://www.alzheimersweekly.com/Research/backwards-bonus-il-6-removes-plaque-a615.html
Monday, October 12, 2009
Why not a cure Yet?
I'm putting this post up from my friend Mike, because he says it so well. I wondered last week when NASA drove a whatever into the moons surface to see if there was water. I thought, 'Why can't they put this money towards a cure for Alzheimer's?' And the Swine Flu, that's another story. Come up with a vaccine so fast it made my head spin. 'Why can't they do this for Alzheimer's?' If it all has to do with money, then we are in sad shape. I hate to believe that, but sometimes it looks this way. God help us. http://im-mike.blogspot.com/2009/10/right-now-care-is-inadequate-and.html
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Do You Care??
Does anyone really care? I just read this article and thought, do I care? Does my neighbor care? Do my friends care? Take a look at this article and let me know if you care. Thank you. http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2009/09/alzheimers-does-anyone-really-care.html
Friday, August 14, 2009
Health care a Service or Industry?
I recently met a man on the computer. At first I thought he was putting me on, but soon found him to be truthful, intelligent and caring. I was a caregiver to my friend with Alzheimer's, and this gentleman was in the beginning throws of Alzheimer's, so we had something in common. Mike Donohue has read my book and speaks of it and health care. Industrialization has diminished service he says. His story is interesting, going from AA (Alcoholic Anonymous) to AD (Alzheimer's Disease), take a look.
http://www.dxjunction.com/users/MikeD/diagnoses/207-alzheimer-s/general_steps/539-health-care-a-service-or-an-industry-
http://www.dxjunction.com/users/MikeD/diagnoses/207-alzheimer-s/general_steps/539-health-care-a-service-or-an-industry-
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Dementia/Depression
Have you ever heard the statement: There is a fine line between Depression and Dementia? I heard it years ago and didn't believe it, but being an Alzheimer's Caregiver for fourteen years, I’ve changed my mind. I became the one forgetful. I became the one confused and disoriented. Was I to have Alzheimer's also? “No, just depression,” the doctor said. “You need to take care of yourself.”
At the time I was caring for my dear friend with Alzheimer’s thinking, I was taking care of my self. Little did I know Alzheimer’s was attacking both of us in different ways. My dear friend was fading into an abyss, walking away from me as though I were watching her through a windowpane getting smaller and smaller each day. I had become depressed, confused and fearful.
Most caregivers don’t take care of themselves. You are the giver of yourself to another. You should not require anything. However, this is not true, and found it out the hard way. I gave myself until there was nothing left. I got sick, became unable to care for my friend, and had to put her in a nursing home.
My caregivng job changed. I then had to watch workers who cared for my friend, plus my friend. The nursing home nightmares, I call it. I write of this in, “Just a Word” friends encounter Alzheimer’s. I think people don’t realize that the caregiver’s job isn’t over because a loved one goes into a nursing home. It just becomes more intensified.
There is nothing greater anyone can do, than to give up his/her life for a friend, family member, or other, but please caregivers turn to your churches, synagogues, community centers, neighbors, family, friends, anyone who will listen, and tell them what you feel. Sometimes just talking to someone will lessen your burden.
Being a caregiver will teach you more of your self, than you ever thought was there. You will learn of the true SELF.
At the time I was caring for my dear friend with Alzheimer’s thinking, I was taking care of my self. Little did I know Alzheimer’s was attacking both of us in different ways. My dear friend was fading into an abyss, walking away from me as though I were watching her through a windowpane getting smaller and smaller each day. I had become depressed, confused and fearful.
Most caregivers don’t take care of themselves. You are the giver of yourself to another. You should not require anything. However, this is not true, and found it out the hard way. I gave myself until there was nothing left. I got sick, became unable to care for my friend, and had to put her in a nursing home.
My caregivng job changed. I then had to watch workers who cared for my friend, plus my friend. The nursing home nightmares, I call it. I write of this in, “Just a Word” friends encounter Alzheimer’s. I think people don’t realize that the caregiver’s job isn’t over because a loved one goes into a nursing home. It just becomes more intensified.
There is nothing greater anyone can do, than to give up his/her life for a friend, family member, or other, but please caregivers turn to your churches, synagogues, community centers, neighbors, family, friends, anyone who will listen, and tell them what you feel. Sometimes just talking to someone will lessen your burden.
Being a caregiver will teach you more of your self, than you ever thought was there. You will learn of the true SELF.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Connected
My newest book "Connected" is out.
As a caregiver full of despair and loneliness, Rose Lamatt enters a chat room on the Internet for the first time. She finds a different world than the one she's used to. Night after night, she signs into the same chat room, meeting people who listen to her, people who are passionate, loving, and at times just as depressed as she is. At times she lives her life through these online friends. They save her from the everyday trials of caregiving. They are there each night keeping her connected to someone, something, not feeling alone and empty. For more than ten years, Rose shares a friendship with these souls, living their hopes and dreams, sharing their heartaches and happiness. Support from these friends, inspired Rose to write this story. This could be called a memoir, all but for one thing.
As a caregiver full of despair and loneliness, Rose Lamatt enters a chat room on the Internet for the first time. She finds a different world than the one she's used to. Night after night, she signs into the same chat room, meeting people who listen to her, people who are passionate, loving, and at times just as depressed as she is. At times she lives her life through these online friends. They save her from the everyday trials of caregiving. They are there each night keeping her connected to someone, something, not feeling alone and empty. For more than ten years, Rose shares a friendship with these souls, living their hopes and dreams, sharing their heartaches and happiness. Support from these friends, inspired Rose to write this story. This could be called a memoir, all but for one thing.
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