The Cost of Dying -- 60 Minutes Video and Transcript

"Families cannot imagine there could be anything worse than their loved one dying. But in fact, there are things worse....Most generally, it's having someone you love die badly, suffering, dying connected to machines." -- Dr. Ira Byock, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center....

Last year, Medicare paid $50 billion just for doctor and hospital bills during the last two months of patients' lives. That's more than the budget of the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Education. And it has been estimated that 20 to 30 percent of these medical expenditures may have had no meaningful impact.

The vast majority of people say they want to die at home, but 75 percent die in a hospital or nursing home. Many Americans spend their last days in an ICU, subjected to uncomfortable machines or surgeries to prolong their lives.

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To read the transcript go here.

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The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for news, advice, and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob has written more than 950 articles with more than 8,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Senior CareElder Care
Car Alzheimer’sDementia CareGiver

Simple Tests to Detect Alzheimer's and Dementia the Old Fashioned Way

In my little world here in Delray Beach, Florida I have learned a harsh lesson -- it is very difficult to diagnose mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and probable Alzheimer's. Here are some simple tests for Alzheimer's and dementia that could be helpful......

Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room
Editor


I knew something was wrong with my mother. I knew it. When I would mention some of my concerns to family and friends they would usually conclude -- she is getting old. When it first started to really bother me my mother was 86 years old.

Her friends that saw her everyday would tell me she is doing great. Her doctor of six years didn't see a problem.

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I did know her behavior was undergoing subtle changes. She talked about money incessantly, she complained about being bored incessantly. She started scrapping her feet on the ground. She said things that lead me to believe she was feeling insecure, maybe fear -- these were very different than what I heard her saying in the past.

After my mother was diagnosed with dementia her friends refused to believe both the diagnosis and me. When she would talk to family and friends that lived far away they would usually say --she sounds great.

She did sound great. She could still drive, go to the store, and play bingo. What they didn't see was how her behavior would often turn erratic. I invited all of them to come live in the front row for a few days -- they passed.

____________________________
The time came when I decided to come and spend some extended time with my mother and try to find out what was happening. At the time, you could put everything I knew about Alzheimer's and dementia in a thimble.

It took a few months before I finally started to understand the problem. It took four doctors to get to the bottom of the problem. None of the people that were seeing my mother on a daily basis saw a problem.

People in an early stage of dementia are very good at disguising the problem. They can laugh and change the conversation when you ask them questions about memory, or the ability to go here and go there. For me, it was the changes in behavior, the meanness, and the inability to walk more than a block that tipped me off.

____________________________
If a person suffering from dementia gets lost or starts having problems driving, you will never hear about it. The last thing an elderly person wants to do is lose their independence. One of the biggest symbols of independence is the drivers license. Trying to get that drivers license is like trying to get a steak out of the mouth of a bull dog.

____________________________
After I had been hear a couple of years, I learned some interesting things about my mothers behavior.

She drove her car over a concrete abutment, through a hedge and hit a tree. She then drove the car around some trees, over a sidewalk, over the lawn, and put the care in her condominium parking space. She didn't tell me, my brother, or my sister.

When I first learned about this her friends were laughing telling the story. They were impressed by the fact that she actually got the car back into her space. They did not see it as an indication that maybe she shouldn't be driving -- or worse.

Her friends, still friends, also forgot to mention that they stopped inviting my mother to their lunch time outings to restaurants because she constantly complained about money. When I asked them years later, when I first learned about this, if she had always done this -- they said no. In other words, her behavior had clearly changed but it had no impact on their view of her health.

____________________________
If you live far away from your parent and they are over 80, there is a good chance you could end up in the same situation I found myself in six years ago.

Here are few things you can try to spot mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's or dementia at an early stage.

To continue reading -- go here.

H1N1 Flu Shot, Alzheimer's and Dementia -- Our Decision on the Shot

The facts in this case are that the H1N1 flu virus is spreading fast, and we really haven't seen anything like it. If you watch the 60 Minutes video you will understand what I am saying.

As an Alzheimer's caregiver, I have to decide whether or not my mother will take the shot.

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Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

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Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email

Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for news, advice, and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob has written more than 800 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

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What if Mrs. J Wanders Away and Ends Up Dead?

Rose Lamatt lived the life of an Alzheimer's caregiver for 14 years. She has witnessed Alzheimer's behaviors from every angle (see Bio below). With her eyes wide open, she is now a concerned on-looker that feels compelled to take action. She is seeking direct help or advice. Please take the time to read her article and respond.

I’m worried that Mrs. J. is going to get lost in the woods, or something worse might happen to her.

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What to do when Alzheimer's Strikes

@ALZHEIMERSread is a Twitter Feed which is the companion of the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

I am now getting a few referrals each week asking me what to do when Alzheimer's strikes. I usually start with the following recommendations.

First, I would purchase these two books.

1. The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems
2. The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, and Memory Loss

To continue reading this article go here

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Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Quotes from the Elly Lorey Alzheimer's Murder Trial (Follow Up)

To read more about the facts in evidence follow the link.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com I started this thread with this article--Did a Boca Raton Couple Murder Elly Lorey Who Suffered from Alzheimer's Disease? Elly Lorey spent the last of her 89 years in a state of extreme mental decay, living in a locked, unventilated room where she smeared excrement on the walls and existed on a diet of honey buns and Ramen noodles, according to police reports. When she died, Lorey had withered to 80 pounds. Despite the signs of advanced Alzheimer's disease, she had received no medical care. "As we entered the bedroom, my senses were shocked... the smell of urine and feces...no carpet on the floor. It appeared to once have been wallpapered but most of it, nearly all had been removed. There were gouge marks in the drywall, brown smudges everywhere," said Sgt. John Nolan. Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

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Articles include information on: Testing Your Memory for Alzheimer's, Wandering, Aricept, Namenda, Dimebon, Dementia, Caregiving, Wii, Alzheimer's Facts and Figures, Walmart as a Caregiver Tool, and more.

Feel free to share these articles with friends, caregivers, support groups, associations, or on you blog/website.

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