Living Well Blog » Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Signs of Alzheimer’s may become evident during the holidays

Doris Bersing — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:33:14 +0000

Holidays such as Thanksgiving are a time when family and friends come together to spend time together and to share memories. However, the holiday season is also a time that can raise questions about whether aging family members are experiencing signs of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s important to know what is normal aging and what isn’t. The Alzheimer’s association emphasizes the difference between normal aging and early signs of Alzheimer’s. Read more.

A Shoe for Wanderers: technology for people with Dementia

Doris Bersing — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:10:37 +0000

The New York Times published an article Friday October 14th 2011 about “an ideal technology for people with dementia who wander.” The article was written by Paula Span, author of “When the Time Comes: Families With Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions.” This technology was developed by GTX Corp, Los Angeles, CA.

Please click on the following link to read the New York Times article: A Shoe for Wanderers

Alzheimer’s Behavior Management: Tips for Managing Common Symptoms and Problems

Doris Bersing — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:03:45 +0000

Problem behavior is often a way the Alzheimer’s patient tries to communicate with others. As a caregiver for a loved one with dementia, it can be extremely worrying and upsetting to experience the behavior problems associated with mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Patients may exhibit a wide variety of behavioral problems that can threaten their own or other people’s safety, including wandering, aggressiveness, hallucinations, or sleeping and eating. Learn some tips.

Essential Checklist for Good Dementia Care

Doris Bersing — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:37:15 +0000

Marguerite Manteau-Rao, LCSW, ATR, Mindful living advocate, Memory care consultant, published on the Huffington Post The Essential Checklist for Good Dementia Care. She shares the work of Jane Verity’s about the 5 universal needs to be an essential framework for good care of people with Dementia. These unmet emotional needs are:

To be needed and useful
To have opportunity to care
To love and be loved
To have self-esteem boosted
To have the power to choose

Read the article

13 Essential Tips For Dementia Caregivers

Doris Bersing — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:17:31 +0000

Marguerite Manteau-Rao a LCSW and mindful living advocate, writes “…the journey of dementia is never easy, and it can be made many times worse if family members do not have the internal tools to take care of themselves and their loved ones. Here, based on years of experience in successfully navigating the dementia care landscape, are 13 tips that may save you a lot of grief as a care partner (caregiver) of someone with dementia…”

Alzheimer’s: Early detection, risk factors are crucial

Doris Bersing — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:43:43 +0000

In an article for CNN, on July 25, 2011, Elizabeth Landau states “…With more than 5 million people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in the United States, a number that’s expected to rise to 16 million by 2050, the pressure is on to find better methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention… The research that came out of the Alzheimer’s Association 2011 International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease, which took place in Paris last week, reflects a growing emphasis on early detection. Research suggests the best targets for exploring treatments are patients who do not have full-blown Alzheimer’s disease, but experience mild symptoms. Scientists have identified biological indicators called biomarkers that seem to be associated with Alzheimer’s, although they are not perfect predictors…”

GUIDE: Managing Psychosis and Behavioral Aspects of Dementia

Doris Bersing — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:46:36 +0000

A lot has been written about dementia symptoms mimicking the symptoms of mental illness. It is important to understand the specific behavioral and mental aspects of most dementias. The American Geriatrics Association (www.americangeriatrics.org) has prepared a guide stressing the most common behavioral and mental problems and some clinical interventions.

This guide has been developed to assist healthcare providers in managing psychotic symptoms and disorders in older adults. It is based on two publications of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) the 2010 edition of The Geriatrics Review Syllabus and 2011 edition of Geriatrics At Your Fingertips.™

This guide was reviewed by a panel of AGS members representing geriatric medicine, geropsychiatry, and geriatric pharmacy. The guide was then reviewed and approved by the AGS Executive Committee in April 2011.

We encourage readers to consult the publications listed in the References Section at the end of this guide for a more in-depth discussion of the information contained here, including evidence concerning the increased incidence of mortality in the use of antipsychotic medications in the treatment of behavioral and psychotic symptoms associated with dementia.

Read the guide.

Larry King Special Looks into Alzheimer’s Disease

Doris Bersing — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:54:33 +0000

Alzheimer's Association E News April 27, 2011

Alzheimer’s Association E News, April 27, 2011

Hosted by Larry King, “Unthinkable: the Alzheimer’s Epidemic,” airing Sunday, May 1, at 8 p.m. EDT, will discuss Alzheimer’s disease, who gets it and why, and the race to find effective treatments and a possible cure. King, in his first CNN special since ending his long-running interview show, will be joined by California’s former First Lady and Alzheimer’s activist Maria Shriver, Alzheimer’s Association Champions actor Seth Rogen and football star Terrell Owens and others touched by the disease. CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will also explain how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain.

What research tells us about sleep and dementia

Doris Bersing — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:09:47 +0000

As many as 40-70% of people with dementia will also have sleep disorders.
Sleep disorders interfere with memory, cognition, problem solving and overall daily function.
Sleep problems increase the risk of falls and fractures.
Sleep problems can contribute to depression, irritability and aggression.
Family caregivers also become sleep deprived and their health suffers.
Untreated sleep problems are one of the most frequent contributing factors for institutionalization.

Read more about sleep and dementia

Study shows Namenda may not be effective for mild Alzheimer’s

Doris Bersing — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 19:06:45 +0000

Memantine (Namenda), a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s, appears to be ineffective in the mild stages of the disease, a new study shows. Despite its FDA indication, memantine is often used, in combination with cholinesterase inhibitors, to treat people with mild Alzheimer’s. The authors of the new study say this strategy may need re-examination. While some studies suggest the drug is effective in treating moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease, “in mild Alzheimer’s disease there is a lack of evidence that it works,” said lead researcher Dr. Lon S. Schneider, a professor of psychiatry, neurology and gerontology at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
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