The Senior Reading Room

Rewiring My Brain and Stepping into Alzheimer's World

2012-01-05T08:22:00.000-05:00

Once you start to understand how things work in Alzheimer's World you get calm and comfortable. Once you get calm and comfortable you give off a better "vibe" to someone that has Alzheimer's.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

I would find a new way to communicate with my mother who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

I wrote that on my da Vinci pad in 2004. This was at the same time I was coming to another conclusion, something had to change and that something was me.

I did not perceived the changes in communication as being difficult. After all, I had been studying communication and decision making all the way back to college days, and ever since. I figured some practice and I would get the hang of it.

What I did not immediately perceive was how difficult it would be to change all the things I had learned over the course of my life.

Continue Reading --

Rewiring My Brain and Stepping into Alzheimer's World

Read More on the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Communicating in Alzheimer's World
What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You
Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
What is Dementia?
Alzheimer's World -- Trying to Reconnect with Someone Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
Advice and Insight -- Alzheimer's Reading Room
Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia
Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
Urinary Incontinence -- How We Beat Alzheimer's Incontinence
100 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Now

Why is this happening? What can I do?

2012-01-04T08:17:00.000-05:00

If you are not actively searching for solutions, you are part of the problem.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Yesterday I read what I considered to be a rather nasty complaint from an Alzheimer's caregiver. The caregiver complained that her father ruined Christmas for everyone especially her because he was grouchy and yelling at the kids.

I conjured up an image of what it would be like for someone living with Alzheimer's to be exposed to a bunch of unruly kids running around and yelling and screaming.

I asked myself, what would my reaction be? Well if the kids were playing and having a good time, I might smile. On the other hand, if the kids were being loud and rude, I might be thinking something like, why don't their parents step in and ask them to behave?

But, if I saw someone living with dementia that was clearly distress about the behavior of the kids and acting out, I know exactly what I would do.

First, I would move the person to another room or another area of the house. No, I would not leave them alone, and no, I would not put them in front of a television.

In our home, I would move them to the kitchen area and I would have one or more adults sit and talk with them. I might suggest some discussion around pictures, or old times.

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This situation reminded me of the many times that Dotty and I have visited the Banana Boat in Boynton Beach.

As we walk up the ramp to the outside bar area I can feel Dotty starting to hold back. Two things are happening. First, it is starting to get noisy. Second, Dotty is starting to see what must look to her like a wild and crazy group of people.

As we move into the outdoor area I can actually feel Dotty starting to withdraw. She moves forward with great reluctance, her feet start dragging, and she starts to shrink. It is like she is getting ready to fall over on her face.

A quick look at her face would tell you that she is either confused, worried, or ready to turn around and go back in the other direction (go home).

In order to deal with this I have to talk to Dotty in a low calm voice and offer lots of positive encouragement. I reinforce her by reassuring her I am there, and nothing bad is going to happen.

We now have good luck because many of the people know Dotty, and the first thing that happens is that they start to meet her with great enthusiasm and a smile on their face.

There is never a seat available but I know that someone is either going to get up and give Dotty their seat, or someone is going to be told to get up and give Dotty their seat.

Two things I never do. First, I never sit Dotty way up in the front where the live music is loud, and the hustle and bustle is the at the highest level. Two, I seat Dotty so that she is not facing the hustle and bustle and is looking directly across at people who are seated.

When we first started going to the Banana Boat, Dotty would ask constantly, when are we going home? Now, one hundred percent of the time when I say to Dotty, time to go home, she asks me why we are leaving?

And now to the point the point of this article.

Did the person living with Alzheimer's ruin the day for his family? Or, did the woman who complained that he ruined the day, ruin the day for him?

Why don't more Alzheimer's caregivers ask themselves, why is this happening? Or, what can I do about this? Instead of complaining.

I learned it is a lot easier to examine the source of a problem, and then change the dynamic to resolve the problem. In this case, move a person living with dementia to a less stress filled area.

I think many of us know that Alzheimer's patients don't like excessive noise, and excessive stimuli (too many people in one confined area).

I also know that many caregivers conclude they cannot take a person suffering from Alzheimer's to large family gatherings, or into large groups.

If you fall into this category ask yourself why not? Learn to massage any and all environments to make them dementia friendly.

There are problems and their are solutions for persons living with dementia.

If you are not actively searching for solutions you are part of the problem.

I am convinced that the vast majority of Alzheimer's caregivers want to be part of the solution.

Like me you might think, something has to change. In my case I finally learned that something was me.

http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2011/12/why-is-this-happening-what-can-i-do.html

I Forgot My Mother Has Alzheimer's

2011-12-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

In Alzheimer's World, Dotty is the person I always knew. Sure, her brain is sick. But, once I started treating Dotty like the person I always knew, she rewarded me by becoming kinder, gentler, and more cooperative.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Learning How to Communicate
with Someone Suffering From Dementia

If you want to get some good insight into how I rewired my brain and became a more effective Alzheimer's caregiver I suggest you take the time to read these two article:Alzheimer's and the Wiring of My Brain, and Rewiring My Brain and Stepping into Alzheimer's World.

I'm not sure when I actually started to forget that Dotty lives with Alzheimer's.

Read the entire story here.

Alzheimer's, Dementia, Types of Dementia, The Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia

2011-11-13T12:23:00.001-05:00

Dementia is a symptom, and Alzheimer's disease is the cause of the symptom.

Alzheimer's Reading Room

What is Dementia?

What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

In a nutshell, dementia is a symptom, and Alzheimer's disease is the cause of the symptom. When someone is told they have dementia, it means that they have significant memory problems as well as other cognitive difficulties, and that these problems are severe enough to get in the way of daily living.

Go here to read more about the Difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

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What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a physical illness that causes radical changes in the brain. As healthy brain tissues degenerate persons suffering from Alzheimer's experience a steady decline in memory and the ability to use their brain to perform tasks.

Go here to read more about Alzheimer's disease.
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Dementia and the Eight 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.

Go here to read more about the Eight Types of Dementia.

Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room

More Insight and Advice for Caregivers

How Alzheimer's Destroys the Brain -- Video
Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's (5 Best Self Assessment Tests)
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
What is Dementia?
What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Communicating in Alzheimer's World
How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You
Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's World -- Trying to Reconnect with Someone Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
About the Alzheimer's Reading Room

What is Alzheimer's Disease the Visual MD

2011-11-04T08:39:00.000-04:00

Who are you as a person? You are the sum collection of your life experience, stored as memory. Based on how you are forming memories and learning, you behave in a certain way. That is your personality. Alzheimer's disease robs every bit ... -- Rudy TanziIn order to be effective as an Alzheimer's caregiver you need to have a foundation on which to build. Part of the foundation is an understanding how Alzheimer's effects the brain and the ability to remember.Read More, What is Alzheimer's Disease the Visual MDMore Insight and Advice for Caregivers

Alice in Alzheimer's Land

2011-09-05T13:17:00.000-04:00

You wake up one day and realize you have fallen into a deep, dark hole.

It only gets worse, no matter how hard you try, you can't get out.

You try and try and try, but before long you become convinced that you will never get out.

Will anyone help me?

Read Alice in Alzheimer's Land

More Insight and Advice for Caregivers

How Alzheimer's Destroys the Brain -- Video

Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's (5 Best Self Assessment Tests)

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

What is Dementia?

What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Communicating in Alzheimer's World

How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You

Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's World -- Trying to Reconnect with Someone Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease

Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

100 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Now

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's Articles (July)

2011-07-26T09:22:00.000-04:00

Last 25 Articles

LIFESTYLE CHANGES AND MUSIC AS ALZHEIMER’S THERAPY?

2011-06-15T08:58:00.000-04:00

Can either exercise, or healthy diet, or mental activities, or socialization, or music

be used as a therapy to treat people living with Alzheimer’s?

By Wantland J. Smith
Alzheimer's Reading Room

This Man Decided to Fight Alzheimer's
-- Jay Smith

I think each of these “lifestyle” strategies should be adopted as an urgent priority as a matter of public health and national survival. But, even if the potential benefits were to become widely accepted, I acknowledge that their effectiveness will ultimately depend upon the extent of people’s willingness to commit to doing the therapy persistently.

But wait a minute! No one is promoting using these lifestyle prevention strategies as a treatment regimen. Nonetheless, I am beginning to, at least for myself, after living with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s for a long time – six years since my diagnosis of “early Alzheimer’s disease,” and more than a dozen years since the first symptoms became worrisome enough that I sought a neurological workup to try to find out what was causing them.

Read the complete article.

By Topic
What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's Disease (5 Best Self Assessment Tests)
Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
Communicating in Alzheimer's World
Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
What is Dementia?
How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You
Alzheimer's World -- Trying to Reconnect with Someone Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
Urinary Tract Infections, Urinary Incontinence, Poop (8 Articles)
Generic Aricept (Donepezil) Clarification
Alzheimer's Disease, Types of Dementia, and What is the Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia
What Was the First Sign of Alzheimer's Disease in Your Case?
Alzheimer's Disease and the Five Stages of Grief
Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Advice and Insight (20 articles)
Alzheimer's Disease Statistics
Alzheimer's Disease and Driving
Alzheimer's Caregiving Dealing with Behavior
The Plan to End Alzheimer's Disease by 2020 (Podcast)

Original content Wantland J. Smith, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's

2011-03-07T09:00:00.003-05:00

As I thought about this I came to a simple conclusion. Instead of trying to change Alzheimer's World, instead of trying to fight Alzheimer's World, not only would I accept Alzheimer's World as a reality, I would go into Alzheimer's World and learn how to communicate effectively...

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Earlier today, Carole Larkin published an interesting article -- How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You.

The article described in layman's terms how problems with short term memory are directly related to the region of the brain known as the hippocampus; and, how when this brain region stops functioning properly a person losses their ability to store information.

A person suffering from Alzheimer's disease can hear you and even respond to you. What they can't do is remember what the hell you just said. Well, in layman's terms anyway.

I grappled with this problem several years ago as I was constructing my own understanding of how Dotty was thinking (or not thinking) and feeling. I named the parallel universe that Dotty lives in -- Alzheimer's World.

Here is one of my previous articles where I explain how I grappled with the issue of repetitive questions; and, how I taught myself what was happening each and every day was in fact normal. Normal in a world filled with Alzheimer's disease.

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One thing that drives Alzheimer's caregivers crazy is repetitive questions and repetitive behavior. I know this from the number of emails I receive on this issue, and the number of comments we get on the issue.

It is clear to me that a large fraction of patients with Alzheimer's disease ask the same things over and over. I understand how disconcerting this can be -- I was there once upon a time.

It took me a long time to understand this repetitive behavior and adjust to it. I am looking at my Leonardo da Vinci pad and some of my bunkhouse notes.

One question I asked myself, why am I allowing this behavior to drive me nuts?

I know its going to continue to happen everyday until I figure out how to do something about it. Why can't I accept that this is part of the reality of living with someone who has Alzheimer's disease? Why can't I accept this as a "normal" part of everyday living with Alzheimer's?

Seems simple and straightforward doesn't it?

These kinds of situations and experiences helped me to envision Alzheimer's World, and then to start formalization my construct of Alzheimer's World.

For me, there are two communication worlds: real world (my world) and Alzheimer's World (my mothers' world).

In real world, I communicate much in the same way that I always have. I decided that I was not going to try and change real world. I would keep it just as is.

In Alzheimer's World, the communication is very different than in real world. For one thing, there is only one other person in Alzheimer's World most of the time -- my mother. One thing that makes my mother different from the rest of us is that her short term memory is gone. It would be foolish of me to expect her to remember what I said a little while ago. She can't.

As Alzheimer's progresses, short term memory disappears. It no longer exists.

Once you accept and understand that short term memory is gone, you should not be surprised if a person with Alzheimer's asks the same questions repeatedly. They can't remember if they asked a question -- once or ten times. You can remember because you are still in real world. Your short term memory is still working. They are in Alzheimer's World -- no memory world.

As I thought about this I came to a simple conclusion. Instead of trying to change Alzheimer's World, instead of trying to fight Alzheimer's World, not only would I accept Alzheimer's World as a reality, I would go into Alzheimer's World and learn how to communicate effectively.

Here is the first thing I learned. The fewer the words the better in Alzheimer's World.

So when my mother asks me --what day is it? The answer is Thursday. Not I already told you its Thursday or you just asked me that five minutes ago. Thursday.

You know what I learned? I learned this is really easy to do. And, I learned you don't get bent out of shape in Alzheimer's World when you keep it simple. I learned something else. Once you finally accept that this is the way it is going to be, you might find yourself laughing or chuckling when the questions keep on coming. You fully expect what is going to happen -- in advance. You figured this out in real world -- by the way.

After a couple of years I thought to myself. It must be really disconcerting when you don't know what day, month, or year it is. I mean, how do you think you would feel if you never knew what day it was, or whether it was winter, spring, summer, or fall? You would probably feel nutty and disconcerted much of the time.

So I found myself thinking -- this must be really disconcerting to my mother. I continued to think about it more and more. I started thinking maybe this is one of the reasons my mother gets mean or starts acting crazy. If she doesn't know what day it is that must really be disconcerting and then think about all the other things she no longer knows or remembers -- it has to be unsettling to her. Yeah, I think so.

So I added another behavior to my arsenal of communication tools that I use in Alzheimer's World.

If my mother starts asking me a question over and over I think to myself, she must really want to know, or need to know. Maybe not knowing is disturbing to her.

Here is what I started doing. Instead of getting bent out of shape and giving her a completely exasperated response I started doing the opposite. I walked over, put my arm around her, put my head against her head and said -- Thursday. Then I give her a little squeeze.

Obviously over time, I started doing this more often and in different situations.

Guess what I learned? I learned that I was no longer exasperated, bent out of shape, or stressed out. Quite the opposite in fact. I felt good about myself. I felt good, not bad.

So you see, you do have a choice. You can accept that certain things are going to happen over and over. You can come to an understanding that these behaviors are not part of your real world, they are part of a new and very different world -- Alzheimer's World.

Soon you might conclude that you need to start developing some new and different communication strategies to communicate with someone that has Alzheimer's.

Soon you might learn that something that use to drive you up the wall can actually have the exact opposite effect -- it can make you feel good about yourself.

TIP.

You start feeling good about yourself and soon the person who has Alzheimer's will start feeling pretty good also. Instead of getting that nasty vibe from you, you will be sending a very different signal -- I care.

As you learn to communicate in Alzheimer's World you will be doing something that is very important. You will be creating an environment that is very safe and very secure. Once your Alzheimer's patient starts feeling safe and secure they will become kinder and more gentle.

If I treated you with respect and understanding wouldn't you be kinder and more gentle to me?

Before you know it you might learn the most important lesson of them all -- Alzheimer's World is very different than you think. Alzheimer's World is a good place.

I know that some of you might want to crap on my parade and tell me a reason(s) this might not work.

Well it worked for me.

By the way, you can crap on me all you want. Why? Because in Alzheimer's World I'll tell myself you are the blue bird of happiness.

Read More on the Alzheimer's Reading Room
Communicating in Alzheimer's World
What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You
Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
What is Dementia?
Alzheimer's World -- Trying to Reconnect with Someone Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
Advice and Insight -- Alzheimer's Reading Room
Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia
Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
Urinary Incontinence -- How We Beat Alzheimer's Incontinence
100 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Now

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Study points to liver, not brain, as origin of Study points to liver, not brain, as origin of Alzheimer's plaques

2011-03-06T08:17:00.003-05:00

This unexpected finding holds promise for the development of new therapies to fight Alzheimer's...

Alzheimer's Reading Room

Unexpected results from a Scripps Research Institute and ModGene, LLC study could completely alter scientists' ideas about Alzheimer's disease pointing to the liver instead of the brain as the source of the "amyloid" that deposits as brain plaques associated with this devastating condition. The findings could offer a relatively simple approach for Alzheimer's prevention and treatment.

Read all of the article -- Study points to liver, not brain, as origin of Alzheimer's plaques

How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You

2011-01-26T09:57:00.001-05:00

“First in, last out ... Last in, first out”

I learned a while back how the expression “first in, last out and last in, first out” describes how the loss of memory works in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

By Carole B. Larkin

The expression, First in, last out ... Last in, first out, is a short way of explaining that the things we learned long ago, like in childhood or when we were young adults, stay in Alzheimer’s patients’ memories longer than things they learned or experienced recently.

I never knew how this occurred, just that it did occur with persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

Recently, I went to a lecture given by one of Dallas’ most knowledgeable geriatric psychiatrists and I finally found out -- How and Why.

It turns out we form memories in a two step process.

The first step is done by the hippocampus portion of the brain.

When we experience something or learn something the hippocampus takes it in and registers it. Then the hippocampus sends it to other portions of the brain to be stored.

We retrieve the memory from the other portions of the brain when we remember something.

Research tells us that the hippocampus is one of the earliest portions of the brain damaged by Alzheimer’s disease. I could never figure out why the doctors made such a big deal of that, but now I know.

When the hippocampus is damaged or dying it never registers the event or the knowledge. It’s doesn’t recognize the event, and acts the same as if the event never happened. It never sends the message to the other parts of the brain to store the event.

You can’t retrieve what was never stored can you?

Before the hippocampus is damaged it can register events and send them to storage, so those events are there to be retrieved.

Ever wonder why mom has no idea that she had breakfast, but knows the color of the dress she wore at Easter 40 years ago? Because the old memory was stored, while the newest memory is no longer stored because the hippocampus is no longer doing its job.

It actually makes sense that mom repeats herself over and over, because her brain never registered the fact that she already asked the question or told the story before.

Biologically, the brain cannot do its job because the hippocampus is damaged.

You cannot teach mom to not repeat herself because the hippocampus cannot register the teaching or send it to the storage units of the brain -- this is caused by damage to the hippocampus.

Do yourself a favor -- think about this when an Alzheimer's patient keeps asking the same question over and over, or engages in behaviors like insisting you did not call this morning.

Recognizing why this is happening might help you overcome feelings of anger and frustration.

Your comments and reaction are welcome in the ADD New Comment section below.

Think about about this article and how the brain works; and then, let me know if this article was of help to you.

Also consider sharing this with family, friends and other members of the Alzheimer's community.

Carole Larkin MAG, CMC, CDP, EICS,
is a Geriatric Care Manager who specializes in helping families with Alzheimer’s and related dementias issues. She also trains caregivers in home care companies, assisted livings, memory care communities, and nursing homes in dementia specific techniques for best care of dementia sufferers. ThirdAge Services LLC, is located in Dallas, TX.

Bob DeMarco Discusses Alzheimer's Disease on Sidewalks

2010-12-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

In a special segment, Bob DeMarco, a veteran Wall Street executive whose mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and neurologist Dr. Mark Brody discuss Alzheimer's Disease with "Sidewalks Entertainment" host Cindy Rhodes....

Bob DeMarco is the Founder of the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of information, advice, and insight for the Alzheimer's community.

If you don't see the video -- go here.

The CareGiver Blog Robert T DeMarco Alzheimers Readin Room AllAmerican Senior Care Weblog Senior Care Elder Care CareGiver Alzheimer’s Reading Room Dementia CareGiver

White House Conference on the Challenge of Alzheimer's Disease in the United States

2010-10-05T01:29:00.001-04:00

The information contained in the video is valuable and important. This presentation leaves no doubt that Alzheimer's disease is a threat to our citizens, and a threat to the financial well being of our nation.

From the White House Blog:

The Obama Administration is committed to strengthening our nation’s response to Alzheimer's disease and this meeting was a serious effort to better understand the challenges and opportunities available to us.

For more information on Alzheimer's disease visit the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's Caregiver Just Let Them Do it

2010-08-20T15:44:00.000-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Several months after my great Alzheimer's caregiver idea...I received one of the biggest shocks of my Alzheimer's caregiver life...A shock that sent me into a tailspin like I had never experienced previously in my life -- it sent me to the edge of total despair....

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

The Alzheimer's Action Plan

300 Tips for Making Life Easier

Alzheimer's Disease May Lead to Increased Economic Burden on Patients, Caregivers, Family

2010-07-15T09:54:00.001-04:00

100 million touched by Alzheimer's, 35 million worried. This explains some of the reasons.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

"These studies demonstrate the potential toll Alzheimer's disease can take on patients and their families," said Michael Grundman, M.D., M.P.H., Vice President, Clinical Development, on behalf of the Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program. "The Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program is dedicated to advancing research and developing new treatments that may help fight this deadly disease and ease the burden on patients and their caregivers."

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Homeward Bound

2010-07-13T11:02:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Even though there are many, many difficulties, having Alzheimer’s does not mean you are less than you were; having dementia does not mean you are dumb.....

We don’t have to put pebbles in our shoes, or wear over large rubber gloves or put Vaseline on our glasses to understand what it could feel like to be elderly; all we need to do is listen to elders with an open heart and an understanding mind.

Original content Tom and Karen Brenner, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's Caregiver Lament -- This is Not the Person I Knew (Audio Cast)

2010-07-12T07:19:00.003-04:00

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

In order to communicate effectively with a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease you need to come to an understanding that they are now living in a new world -- I often refer to this as Alzheimer's world....

Click above to Listen. You can share or embed.

Go here for the text version -- Alzheimer's Caregiver Lament -- This is Not the Person I Knew

The Alzheimer's Action Plan

300 Tips for Making Life Easier

Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,610 articles with more than 8,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Dotty Remembers New Year's Eve 2009 -- Is a Miracle About to Happen?

2010-07-08T21:43:00.001-04:00

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Yesterday, July 4, we went to a barbecue. 167 people sang Happy Birthday to Dotty. She was very pleased, smiled and said -- Thank You. I was looking forward to how she would react. You never know with someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease. I was very happy to see her reaction.

I was reminded of the two year period when Dotty didn't smile or laugh once -- not a single time. This was before we discovered there was a problem with her thyroid. You can read about that here -- Thyroid and Alzheimer's.

While we were there, Dotty reaches over and opens a big bag of cheese twists (those narly looking big orange things) and starts munching away. I say, Dotty, those are not yours. She tells me yes they are, I brought them. I say, they belong to Rhoda and you have to ask her if its OK. Dotty says, who the hell is Rhoda? I point to Rhoda who is sitting right across from her. Dotty, big mouth working, announces that is not Rhoda. Josephine tells Dotty, yes it is. Everyone laughs.

To read more follow the link.

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Man with Alzheimer's Dies after Drinking Detergent

2010-06-22T14:47:00.002-04:00

It isn't easy being purple.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Man with Alzheimer's Dies after Drinking Detergent

State officials want a South Florida assisted living facility fined after one of its residents died from drinking dishwasher detergent.

There is a lesson to be learned here. Alzheimer's patients are prone to put things in their mouth -- any thing. Some of them will climb up on chairs to get at things like food. While it is impossible to cover everything, this example shows that you have to think ahead when it comes to Alzheimer's patients. Nevertheless, it is impossible to be "perfect". You just do the best you can under the circumstances.

See -- A Guide to Safe Guarding Your Home

Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia

2010-06-15T13:21:00.001-04:00

Dementia is the gradual deterioration of mental functioning, such as concentration, memory, and judgment, which affects a person’s ability to perform normal daily activities.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

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.

Cognitive symptoms of dementia can include poor problem solving, difficulty learning new skills, and impaired decision making. Behavior changes can include fear, insecurity, anger, and often, depression like symptoms.

Dementia is caused by various diseases and conditions that result in damaged brain cells. Brain cells can be destroyed by brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, or strokes (called vascular or multi-infarct dementia), which decrease blood flow to the brain.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.

Dementia can be caused by any of the following: AIDS, high fever, dehydration, hydrocephalus, systemic lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, long-term drug or alcohol abuse, vitamin deficiencies, poor nutrition, hypothyroidism or hypercalcemia, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumor(s).

Dementia can also result from a head injury that causes hemorrhaging in the brain or a reaction to a medication.

Dementia includes decline in memory, and at least one of the following cognitive inabilities:

Ability to generate coherent speech and understand spoken or written language;
Ability to recognize or identify objects, assuming intact sensory function;
Ability to execute motor activities, assuming intact motor abilities, sensory function and comprehension of the required task;
and Ability to think abstractly, make sound judgments and plan and carry out complex tasks.

The decline in cognitive abilities must be severe enough to interfere with daily life.

Different types of dementia are associated with distinct symptom patterns and distinguishing microscopic brain abnormalities.

Common Types of Dementia and Their Typical Characteristics

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia; accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases.

Difficulty remembering names and recent events is often an early clinical symptom; later symptoms include impaired judgment, disorientation, confusion, behavior changes and trouble speaking, swallowing and walking.

Hallmark abnormalities are deposits of the protein fragment beta-amyloid (plaques) and twisted strands of the protein tau (tangles).

Vascular Dementia

Vascular Dementia is considered to be the second-most-common type of dementia.

Impairment is caused by decreased blood flow to parts of the brain, often due to a series of small strokes that block arteries.

Symptoms often overlap with those of Alzheimer’s, although memory may not be as seriously affected.

Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Pattern of decline may be similar to Alzheimer’s, including problems with memory, judgment and behavior changes.

Alertness and severity of cognitive symptoms may fluctuate daily.

Visual hallucinations, muscle rigidity and tremors are common.

Hallmarks include Lewy bodies (abnormal deposits of the protein alphasynuclein) that form inside nerve cells in the brain.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is caused by the buildup of fluid in the brain. Symptoms include difficulty walking, memory loss and inability to control urine.

NPH can sometimes be corrected with surgical installation of a shunt in the brain to drain excess fluid.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition in which a person has problems with memory, language or another essential cognitive function that are severe enough to be noticeable to others and show up on tests, but not severe enough to interfere with daily life.

Some people with mild cognitive impairment go on to develop dementia. For others, the symptoms of mild cognitive impairment do not progress to dementia, and some people who have mild cognitive impairment at one point in time later revert to normal cognitive status.

Frontotemporal Dementia

Involves damage to brain cells, especially in the front and side regions of the brain.

Typical symptoms include changes in personality and behavior and difficulty
with language.

No distinguishing microscopic abnormality is linked to all cases.

Pick’s disease, characterized by “Pick’s bodies,” is one type of frontotemporal
dementia.

Mixed dementia

Mixed dementia is characterized by the presence of the hallmark abnormalities of Alzheimer’s and another type of dementia, most commonly vascular dementia, but also other types, such as dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia and normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Parkinson’s disease

Many people who have Parkinson’s disease develop dementia in the later stages of the disease.

The hallmark abnormality is Lewy bodies (abnormal deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein) that form inside nerve cells in the brain.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Rapidly fatal disorder that impairs memory and coordination and causes behavior changes.

“Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease” is believed to be caused by consumption of
products from cattle affected by “mad cow disease.”

Caused by the misfolding of prion protein throughout the brain.

Also see What is Dementia?

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Care Giving Insight and Advice

2010-06-12T14:03:00.001-04:00

"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest." -- Thomas Moore.....

By Bob DeMarco

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver
The more I learned the more I wanted to know. I learned a great deal about Alzheimer's disease and dementia--including the science. It helped me understand a very mystifying disease. It helped me to put a frame around something that is difficult if not impossible to describe.

Communication in Alzheimer's World
Let's face it, dealing with dementia is not easy. Understanding Alzheimer's disease is not easy...

Alzheimer's World -- Two Circles Trying to Intersect
When Alzheimer's strikes communication and behavior change abruptly -- overnight. It is up to the caregiver to adjust since the person suffering from dementia is incapable of the adjustment. Understanding this need is the first big step.

Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
Many Alzheimer's caregivers are forgotten by family and friends. This is a sad truth that is rarely discussed....

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver (Part Two)
It is difficult to describe the range of emotions a caregiver might feel or experience in a single day. Imagine being happy and then sad, caring then angry, focused then frustrated -- an almost endless stream of feelings and emotions that conflict.....

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver -- I Wish
Once I entered Alzheimer's world I did learn something fascinating -- my mother is full of feelings and emotion. I learned that I could connect with her....

The Alzheimer's Hamster Within YOU
I believe changing behavior, understanding what is happening, and a willingness to change the communication dynamic are the first steps to Alzheimer's caregiver happiness.

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How We Beat Alzheimer's Incontinence -- A Solution
We are on a three day roll. No pee pee. No pee pee pajamas. No pee pee underwear. No pee pee pants...

How do Alzheimer's Caregivers Think and Feel?
Which of he following apply to you as an Alzheimer's caregiver? Which of these constantly bother you?.....

Dealing with Difficult Behavior Caused by Dementia and Alzheimer's
I often get asked question about how I deal with my mother when she evidences erratic behavior.

Alzheimer's and the Dreaded Bowel Movement
I knew the solution to the dreaded bowel movement problem for years. I couldn't get my mother to cooperate. When she wouldn't cooperate, I would give up. At least three or four times over a two year period. I was finally able to implement my solution for one simple reason -- I was learning new and better techniques as an Alzheimer's caregiver over time.

Alzheimer's Caregiver Lament -- This is Not the Person I Knew
In order to communicate effectively with a person suffering from Alzheimer's disease you need to come to an understanding that they are now living in a new world -- I often refer to this as Alzheimer's world...

Alzheimer's Caregiver Lament -- I can't take her out because she eats with her hands
The positive effects of socialization, initiative, and motivation on the part of Alzheimer's sufferers and their caregiver should not be overlooked. I believe these are as important as the medication......

I promised not to put my parents in a nursing home
The decision to keep a parent home or place them in a facility is never an easy choice, and is usually contemplated for a long time. The horror stories we’ve all heard about nursing homes can make anyone cringe.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Sometimes while looking at all those stars I begin to look at the space between the stars -- I call this the Blue Nowhere...When I look at the Blue Nowhere, I begin to imagine all the persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The Blue Nowhere is very vast.

Alzheimer's Caregiver Love
"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest." -- Thomas Moore.....

Random Thought at the End of 2009
Alzheimer's will try to rob the Alzheimer's caregiver of their spirit. It will try and send them into the black hole of depression. Every day Alzheimer's whispers in the ear of the caregiver -- give up.

Alzheimer's and the Thyroid Revisited
People who are hypothyroid feel as though they have mild Alzheimer's and depression all mixed into one bad day. Get your thyroid tested. Nearly one in five people over the age of sixty has some degree of hypothyroidism, meaning a sluggish thyroid. The sympotms include forgetfulness, weight gain, depression, dry skin, intolerance to cold, muscle aches, and fatigue.

Alzheimer's, Sleep, and Patterns
With Alzheimer's disease it is all about establishing patterns of behavior. Whether it is the pee pee war, poop war, or sleeping you have to get into a pattern. You have to establish a pattern of behavior that is conducive to accomplishing a mission....

Which Drugs Increase the Risk of Falling for the Elderly
Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries for adults sixty-five and older...

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Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's Dementia in 15 Minutes (SAGE)

2010-04-07T23:04:00.003-04:00

The research shows four out of five people (80 percent) with mild thinking and memory (cognitive) issues will be detected by this test, and 95% of people who are normal thinking will have normal SAGE scores.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Read -- Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's Dementia in 15 Minutes (SAGE)

The Validation Breakthrough

The Art of Dementia Care

Alzheimer's and the Dreaded Bowel Movement

2010-03-15T17:00:00.001-04:00

I already wrote about how I beat urinary incontinence and bladder infections. That solution is not perfect. Poop. No enema, no pills, no laxatives. How I won the Poop-E war.....

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Read Alzheimer's and the Dreaded Bowel Movement

Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,200 articles with more than 9,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

About Alzheimer's Reading Room

2010-02-28T10:16:00.006-05:00

At the Alzheimer's Reading Room, we discuss solutions to common problems that Alzheimer's caregivers face each day.

On the Alzheimer's Reading Room, we discuss issues like: communication, wandering, incontinence, hygiene, patient symptoms, and what to expect as the disease progresses. We discuss all issues that are important to Alzheimer's caregivers. We provide specific insight, advice, and solutions based on real life experience.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

I started the Alzheimer’s Reading Room to keep track of the thousands of articles and many books I was reading about Alzheimer's disease.

I soon realized that Alzheimer's caregivers are often thrust into their role with little or no experience, training, or education about Alzheimer's disease. As a result, they are often overwhelmed and suffer from feelings of helplessness. Forty percent of Alzheimer's caregivers suffer from depression.

Soon after I started the blog, I began to receive emails from Alzheimer's caregivers all over the world. First an email here and there, and now thousands of emails.

It finally occurred to me that I could help the ten million Alzheimer’s caregivers worldwide by personalizing my own experience and sharing the information I was acquiring.

In other words, instead of throwing the vast amounts of information that is available about Alzheimer's on to the blog willy nilly -- to make the information useful so it could be used in the real world by caregivers.

Once I realized that most caregivers experiences similar problems, I was able to make the blog more useful to the audience.

At its core the Alzheimer's Reading Room is about advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease.

______________________________________
As I gained experience in caring for my mother, I decided to start writing more about the success we were having in fighting Alzheimer’s disease. I learned that the more I let her do the more she could do. I learned that there were solutions to the problems that face Alzheimer's caregivers each day.

I did have one major advantage -- I am a full time Alzheimer's caregiver.

I found when I started to write about the "real world" experience of Alzheimer's on this blog, more people started to find us. Readers started to tell family, friends, support group members, and other interested parties about the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is growing fast. As it grows, so does the collective brain of the blog.

We encourage every single reader to comment or to share their experiences with us. On this blog we learn from each other. We learn that we are not alone.

Our readers include some of the world's top scientists, clinicians, doctors, nurses,and professionals in the field. But mostly, the readers are caregivers searching for answers, insight and advice.

At the Alzheimer's Reading Room, we bring solutions to common problems that Alzheimer's caregivers face each day. These include issues like: communication, wandering, incontinence, hygiene, eating disorders, patient symptoms, treatments, and what to expect in the days and years ahead. We try to suggest solutions to issues and problems.

We use real life examples to make the information meaningful.

On this blog we try to bring hope and strength to the millions of families that live in the front row fighting Alzheimer's disease each day.
______________________________________
Facts

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one blog on the Internet for current information, news, advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is ranked #5 in the Living/Health category of Technorati.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room contains more than 1,200 articles and 9,200 links on the Internet.

Articles from the Alzheimer's Reading Room have been syndicated on Reuters, Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, Time Warner, Chicago Sun Times, Houston Chronicle, Livestrong, Cox News, and Palm Beach Post (to name a few).

More than 327 news sites and blogs link to the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room was started by Bob DeMarco.

After caring for his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's, Bob realized there was a need for useful, high quality information that could be used by Alzheimer’s caregivers to care for their loved one.

The Alzheimer's Reading Room has more than 2,000 subscribers and is growing fast.

Go to the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Conquering Urinary Incontinence -- The First Bladder Infection of the Year

2010-02-04T22:32:00.001-05:00

Last year my mother had five bladder infections. This is a common occurrence amongst people suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia....

By Bob DeMarco

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The Complete Eldercare Planner, Revised and Updated Edition: Where to Start, Which Questions to Ask, and How to Find Help

Vitamin D and the Elderly

2010-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the last year there has been a lot of research published on vitamin D and the effects of Vitamin D deficiency. Why isn't every senior in America on Vitamin D?

By Angil Tarach RN GCM

I am not saying every single senior in America has a Vitamin D deficiency, but I would venture to guess the numbers of senior who are is staggering.

Many seniors spend day after day indoors without any direct sunlight. It would be a rare older adult who consumes enough Vitamin D in their diet to have a sufficient intake. So why aren’t physicians testing every older adult in America for a Vitamin D deficiency?

Without a big technical explanation of what Vitamin D does in and for the human body I will simplify it as much as possible to help you understand the need of having a sufficient amount on a daily basis.

Vitamin D works in unison with Calcium to keep bones and muscles healthy and strong, preventing osteoporosis. Calcium is not absorbed and distributed appropriately without Vitamin D. On its own Vitamin D doesn’t do very much. There are specific functions within the body that only work correctly by Vitamin D.

Without strong and healthy muscles and bones the elderly are at risk for falls, fractures, and even death. Visiting Angels and Temple University developed a Fall Prevention Program which provides fall statistics.

Falls are the second leading cause of death in the US, with 75% of those falls occurring in the older population. There is evidence that supplemental Vitamin D in nursing home residents reduces the risk of falls and subsequent injuries.

The hormone Calcitonin, which is released from the thyroid gland, can cause cartilage to degrade if Vitamin D didn’t inhibit that process. So in essence this very important vitamin can help by assisting processes or preventing processes.

Parathyroid hormone can cause problems with how the nerves regulate the muscles, immune function, and inflammation which is a major cause of pain in the elderly. Vitamin D also inhibits this hormone, which decreases the problems that can be caused by the parathyroid.

Many people do not realize the heart is a muscle. Vitamin D plays an important role in heart health, and there is increasing research recognizing Vitamin D deficiency and its association to heart disease.

Chronic inflammation can cause many diseases which may include rheumatoid arthritis, kidney and prostate disorders, autoimmune diseases, as well as disorders affecting the skin, pelvis, bowels, respiratory, and vascular systems. Vitamin D deficiency also plays a part in Type I Diabetes.

I wonder how many diseases could be prevented by sufficient Vitamin D? How much pain in our elderly could be helped by adequate Vitamin D?

There is still much to learn and understand when it comes to the human body and disease. I always say, we don’t know what we don’t know. What will the future discoveries tell us? What is the depth of Vitamin D importance in the processes of the human body?

I believe the current information and knowledge about Vitamin D are enough to prove that a deficiency has an effect on wellness. I encourage you to ask your physician, and advocate for your loved one to get tested for Vitamin D deficiency. I don’t recommend beginning a Vitamin D supplement without knowing your lab results or speaking with your physician. It is possible to overdose on Vitamin D, but what if a simple daily supplement of Vitamin D can help you or your loved one’s quality of life? It’s worth pursuing.

Angil Tarach(RN GCM) has over 30 years of experience, and is a nationally known expert in senior care and advocacy. Angil is also the owner of Visiting Angels in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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The Cost of Dying -- 60 Minutes Video and Transcript

2009-11-23T11:53:00.001-05:00

"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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Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Senior Care Elder Care
Car Alzheimer’s Dementia CareGiver

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

2009-11-14T00:33:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-19T22:01:00.000-04:00

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.

To read about my decision and how I made it go here.

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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.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

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

2009-09-22T10:15:00.002-04:00

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.
To continue reading and to offer advice go here.

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What to do when Alzheimer's Strikes

2009-09-16T11:45:00.002-04:00

@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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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.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

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

2009-09-09T10:39:00.003-04:00

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 about Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

2009-08-25T13:36:00.002-04:00

Popular articles that first appeared on the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

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.

Alzheimer's Wandering Why it Happens and What to Do
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Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

2009-08-20T15:02:00.000-04:00

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease.

A year ago, my mother's Alzheimer's disease started to worsen. As a result, I was both concerned and worried.

At the same time, I read a new research study about the combination of Aricept and Namenda as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

"The results of this study should change the way we treat patients with Alzheimer's disease. Cholinesterase inhibitors are approved for use in mild to moderate dementia, while memantine has been approved for advanced dementia. But it looks like there is an advantage in prescribing both drugs as initial treatment."--John Growdon, MD

The results of the research study indicated that the combination of Aricept and Namenda helped slow the rate of decline in Alzheimer's patients.

To continue reading go here.

Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

The Complete Eldercare Planner, Revised and Updated Edition: Where to Start, Which Questions to Ask, and How to Find Help

(R)evolution in Alzheimer's Related Caregiving

2009-08-06T10:28:00.001-04:00

Follow the Alzheimer's Reading Room link to continue reading

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

One of my greatest fears is the day I might have to place my mother in an Alzheimer's care facility. I say might because I pray that I'll never have to do it.

I receive emails all the time from people that experience the guilt, angst, and remorse of having place their loved one in a Alzheimer's care facility that provides little care, and is a horrid environment for their loved one.

It doesn't have to be that way...........

Perhaps what’s going on here is actually miraculous: nearly every one of them has been liberated from the nightmare of antipsychotic drugs. And virtually all of them will never be readmitted to a hospital behavior unit, a nursing home--or shackled to a restraint and left alone to die.--Laurence Harmon, et al

Caring for Our Parents (Book Review)

2009-07-19T17:51:00.000-04:00

This is a serious book by an accomplished journalist, writer--Howard Gleckman.

'If you are a Boomer, you should buy this book and put it on the coffee table. You will need it in the future to take care of yourself. The notes section of this book, alone, is worth the purchase price. The 22 pages of notes come in the form of a bibliography that you will be referring to over and over in the years ahead.

Caring for Our Parents is chock full of information and example that you, and I, will need as we age'. --Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Caring for Our Parents: Inspiring Stories of Families Seeking New Solutions to America's Most Urgent Health Crisis

To continue reading go here.

The Alzheimer's Action Plan

2009-06-28T09:38:00.000-04:00

“Most of us will either get Alzheimer’s or care for a loved one who has"

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

"This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide for the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease. Whether you are a health care professional or have Alzheimer's in your family or are simply interested to living to an old age, this book is a must read."
--Deepak Chopra, M.D., New York Times bestselling author of Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide

Insight and Advice about Alzheimer's Disease
Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room

"Memory does matter. Adults across the life cycle are asking questions, many questions! The authors answer these questions for the educated public, family members who encounter memory loss in a loved one, and even adults who believe they are experiencing early memory loss. The answers are comprehensive and understandable, no small accomplishment given the plethora of new information available—information that at times is not only confusing but also conflicting."
--Dan G. Blazer, M.D., Ph.D., former Dean of Medical Education, Duke University School of Medicine; past President of the American Geriatrics Society

"Dr. Doraiswamy has done a masterful job of communicating what the layman should know on the treatment, the care giving and, most important, the prevention of Alzheimer's. It was gratifying to learn about the mountain of evidence that what is good for your heart is also good for your brain."
--Arthur Agatston, M.D., cardiologist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The South Beach Diet

"I love this book! A powerful and vital resource for people who need it the most. Dr. Doraiswamy is that unique blend of medical expertise mixed in with warmth and compassion topped off with humility that makes him rare and wonderful."
--Leeza Gibbons, Emmy award-winning TV host and founder of Leeza's Place and the Memory Foundation

"Lisa Gwyther is a national treasure. She has been a pioneer in providing innovative care and education for Alzheimer’s patients and their families for many years. Lisa’s long experience helping families cope with the challenges of memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease makes her uniquely qualified to co-author this book. Families experiencing the new world of memory loss and Alzheimer’s couldn’t ask for a better companion for the journey. Her warmth, compassion, and wisdom shine through, and will help light the way."
--Pat Lynch, Director of Communications, Alzheimer’s Center Program, National Institute on Aging

"Most of us will either get Alzheimer's or care for a loved one who has. This action plan can empower you to make a difference."
--Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, You: The Owner’s Manual

"Five million Americans have Alzheimer disease, and an even larger number with mild to moderate memory loss are at high risk of developing this illness. Murali Doraiswamy, a leading clinical researcher in Alzheimer disease, and Lisa Gwyther, a founder of the Alzheimer Association, have co-authored this timely, state-of-the-art book directed at patients with Alzheimer disease, their informants, and their primary care physicians....I fully predict that this exceptionally well-written, reader-friendly book will become the standard resource for patients with Alzheimer disease and their loved ones. Its up-to-date information, patient-centered approach, and focus on prevention and treatment directed at patients with incipient Alzheimer disease distinguish it from The 36 Hour Day by Nancy Mace and Peter Rabins, which is directed at caregivers of patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer disease."
--JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association)

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for advice and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 700 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

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The Thyroid and Alzheimer's
Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
Flavanol-rich Cocoa Consumption Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
Eli Lilly Launches Two Late Stage Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's (LY2062430)
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Original content the Alzheimer's Reading Room

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Questions About Test Your Memory for Alzheimers and Dementia (TYM)

2009-06-14T16:17:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, I published an article about a new memory test for Alzheimer's that can be administered in five minutes. The links to the test and scoring sheet are contained in the original article -- Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes.

I am receiving emails from readers and I thought I would address two questions.

One reader asked, "I am curious to hear their opinion, about the level of education for the test taker, and its effect on the validity of the test".

The authors did not specifically assess the effect of education during their testing. In the BMJ article they wrote,

This ceiling effect suggests that education and social class would have only mild effects on the TYM score, but we did not formally assess this. The reason for the low scoring controls was often apparent from the score sheet—lack of interest, reading problems, or a sense of humour.

I will try to talk to researchers and get a clearer answer to this question.

Several readers are asking about the scoring system for the test.

The control group scored 47 out of 50 (ages 18-70).
A score equal to, or less than, 42 detects Alzheimer's 93 percent of the time.
Patients with Alzheimer's scored 33 out of 50.
The range of scores for patients with Alzheimer's was 9-50.

The main finding of this research

The new "test your memory" (TYM) test is quick to use, examines 10 cognitive skills, and detects 93% of cases of Alzheimer’s disease.

If you would like to read the highly technical paper which was published in the BMJ follow this link -- Self administered cognitive screening test (TYM) for detection of Alzheimer’s disease: cross sectional study.

Have a question, put it in the comments box.

This is the first draft of this article and it will be updated.

For more Insight into Alzheimer's Disease
Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. TheAlzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

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Does Loneliness cause an Alzheimer's like Dementia ?

2009-06-09T17:12:00.001-04:00

Loneliness may put people at risk of an Alzheimer's-like dementia.

"People who described themselves as lonely were twice as likely to develop dementia," says researcher Robert Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Research suggests lonely people are at greater risk of developing dementia. Seniors who scored high on the loneliness quiz agreed with three or more of the following scenarios:

I experience a general sense of emptiness.
I miss having people around.
I feel like I don't have enough friends.
I often feel abandoned.I miss having really good friends.

Source: Robert Wilson at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago

For more Insight into Alzheimer's Disease
Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room

Source USA Today

By Kathleen Fackelmann, USA TODAY

Loneliness may put people at risk of an Alzheimer's-like dementia, a study reported.
"People who described themselves as lonely were twice as likely to develop dementia," says researcher Robert Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Other studies have found that people who are unmarried and socially isolated are at higher risk for dementia, including Alzheimer's. But this study is one of the first to show a link between loneliness — or the feelings of disconnection from other people — and a higher risk of developing dementia late in life, says Laurel Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Alzheimer's Association and a geriatrician in Portland, Maine.

Wilson and his colleagues studied 823 people who were about 80 years old and had no sign of dementia at the start of the study. The team gave the recruits a loneliness quiz and tested them annually for signs of memory loss and confusion, two key signs of dementia and Alzheimer's.

During the four-year study, 76 people developed an Alzheimer's-like dementia, Wilson says. The risk of developing dementia increased about 51% for each one-point increase on the loneliness scale. People with the highest scores had 2.1 times the risk of developing dementia, a group of conditions that destroy brain cells and lead to mental confusion. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia.

Autopsies were performed on 90 people who died during the study. The researchers found no link between loneliness and the development of the abnormal brain deposits that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's.

That finding suggests loneliness might be triggering dementia through a novel mechanism — one that doesn't lead to a brain riddled with deposits, Wilson says.

One theory is that people who are lonely over long periods of time might have higher levels of damaging stress hormones. The elevated stress hormones might lead to an accelerated aging of the brain — and perhaps to dementia, Wilson says.

Other research suggests lonely people are at risk of other health problems such as cancer and high blood pressure, says John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago. Still, he says, the new finding, which appears in February's Archives of General Psychiatry, must be verified by additional research.

The findings didn't change much when the team factored in markers of social isolation, such as infrequent participation in social events. That means that people who have a small number of good friends might be better off than those with a busy social schedule but chronic feelings of loneliness, Wilson says.

But lonely people often benefit from signing up for a new class or activity, Coleman says. Research shows that such activities might protect aging brain cells. And seniors who are out and about are more likely to make new friends, which might lessen feelings of loneliness, she says.

Bob DeMarco is an Alzheimer's caregiver and editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob taught at the University of Georgia, was an executive at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and is a mentor. He has written more than 600 articles with more than 11,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

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100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

2009-05-06T21:15:00.000-04:00

HBO Alzheimer's Project / Harris Interactive Census

Read more on this topic.

Alzheimer's Reading Room: 100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

The Alzheimer's Project DVD -- Free Copy

2009-04-21T14:01:00.001-04:00

Follow the link to the Alzheimer's Reading Room to obtain your free copy of the DVD.

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Subscribers to the Alzheimer's Reading Room can now obtain a free copy of The Alzheimer's Project.

I don't know about you, but I am really looking forward to viewing this documentary. I am an HBO subscriber and they really do a great job with all their entertainment. I am very confident we will be smiling, and crying, as we watch this documentary.

Researchers link cocoa flavanols to improved brain blood flow

2009-04-19T21:41:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

In a scientific study of healthy, older adults ages 59 to 83, Harvard medical scientists found that study participants who regularly drank a cocoa flavanol-rich beverage made using the Mars, Incorporated Cocoapro® process had an eight percent increase in brain blood flow after one week, and 10 percent increase after two weeks.

Statins do not protect against dementia

2009-04-15T18:00:00.002-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Bernadette McGuinness and her colleagues analyzed the findings of two large clinical trials probing the health effects of statins: one study investigated the effects over five years of simvastatin (Zocor) in 20,536 patients; a second study followed 5,804 patients taking pravastatin (Pravachol) for an average of 3.2 years. Participants in these trials ranged in age from 40 to 82. In both studies, the odds of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia were about the same among patients taking statins and not taking statins.

Only1Mom -- Activities for Alzheimers Patients are Important

2009-04-08T10:13:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Only1Mom writes:

Activities for Alzheimer's patients are important.

I made a pair of flip flops with my mom, I cut strips of material and tied the material to the rubber part of the thong. Blue and orange material, not only did she hand me the material but she saw the sequence I put them in and counted it and handed me the right color, this was MAJOR!!!

Women collect dolls to benefit Alzheimer's patients

2009-04-06T10:53:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com

Wonderful people.

...the daughter felt sad and "shook up" when leaving St. Elizabeth's after a visit. "After we gave her the baby doll, I never felt sad again when I left," she said. "So it was very liberating for me."

Two Catonsville mothers, Wendy Geist and Amy Nelson, have initiated a volunteer project of collecting used dolls to ease the suffering and bring joy to seniors experiencing Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The women say, " beneficial effects can be amazing."

2009-02-06T12:25:00.001-05:00

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Happy New Year

2009-01-01T13:01:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year

Wishing each and everyone of you a wonderful new year.

Seniors give Daschle health reform ideas

2008-12-31T07:35:00.001-05:00

Alethea Campbell said she wanted more emphasis on medical research, particularly for Alzheimer's Disease. "My family is loaded with Alzheimer's. I feel like I'm going to be a victim of it," she said. "What is going to happen to me four or five years down the road. Who is going to take care of me?"

Eugene Kinlow wants greater emphasis on helping people live more healthy lifestyles. "A major part of the cost problem is us. We keep driving up the cost of health care, all of us, in our daily behavior and habits," he said.

"It's conversations like this that put us on the right track," Daschle told the audience. "It's discussions like this that give us a better understanding of how it should be done."
Read it

Recent stories from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

2008-12-08T07:44:00.001-05:00

: Benefits Check Up

2008-11-27T12:43:00.000-05:00

I want to introduce you to a website for all seniors (older people) called Benefits Check Up. This service from the National Council on Aging has helped more than 2 million people find over $6.7 billion dollars worth of service.

Read More: Benefits Check Up

Using the Internet Promotes Memory and a Healthy Brain

2008-10-28T12:25:00.001-04:00

Learning how to execute sophisticated searches on search engines like Google is good for your brain. Over the long haul it keeps your brain sharp and promotes brain health.

clipped from alzheimersreadingroom.blogspot.com

I just finished reading an article about how using the Internet promotes memory and a healthy brain. This should be of great interest to the millions of baby boomers facing the possibility of Alzheimer's disease in their future. A Pew/Internet study showed that seventy five percent of Leading Boomers (age 51-59) use the Internet. The numbers are lower for Matures (age 60-69) at fifty four percent.

The brain study found that Internet savvy users that use search experienced greater brain activity. While there are no conclusive studies at this time, boomers should be thinking about ways to keep the brain healthy and memory sharp as they age. It appears the use of the Internet helps.

"This suggests that just searching on the Internet may train the brain -- that it may keep it active and healthy," said Small, whose research appears in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

TauRx Therapeutics-- New treatment halts progress of Alzheimer's disease

2008-08-09T12:27:00.000-04:00

clipped from alzheimersreadingroom.blogspot.com

The results of the Phase 2 study of TauRx's new treatment strongly suggest that it is possible to halt progression in mild and moderate Alzheimer's. TauRx is continuing to refine its treatment and hopes that restoration may be possible at least at the earlier stages with improved versions of its drug. Tangles are already destroying nerve cells in parts of the brain critical for memory in people in their fifties and upwards. The ultimate goal is to develop a product that is convenient for patients that could be widely used at the very earliest stages of the disease, long before patients experience the first symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Amazon.com Widgets

Around My Blogsphere

2008-05-20T22:49:00.001-04:00

“States with the Highest Foreclosure Rates” slideshow: How many Nevada households got notices as of April?

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I Missed the Early Signs of Dementia in my Mother

Is it Alzheimer's or something else?

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The geothermal industry is molten! But there are only 2 pure plays trading on U.S. exchanges. Name one.

Volker on Bailout and Bear Stearns (Video)

Vigorous Exercise Slows Aging

Child pornography lands former 5th grade teacher Michael Gogerty in slammer

Wii Fit

2008-05-17T13:55:00.000-04:00

This is an excellent article about the new fitness module for Wii. I am considering getting this for my mother who suffers from Alzheimer's. Along with this I hope to get friends to come over and bowl with her.

This would satisfy two important needs: exercise and social interaction. Follow the link to read the article.

I'll let you know.

clipped from www.nytimes.com

Exercising with Wii Fit is like having a Bob Harper or a Denise Austin who talks back — gently cajoling you through exercises, praising, nudging, even reminding you to eat a banana once in a while. It also lets you see how you stack up against friends or family members; each user creates a cartoony avatar called a “Mii.”

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Playbook for Alzheimer's Caregivers

2008-04-22T11:32:00.000-04:00

Follow the link to get your free copy.

clipped from www.alz.org

Tackle the challenges of caregiving with this free football style "playbook" by Frank Broyles, former Athletic Director of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The Playbook is an engaging, how-to guide written for those who care for someone with Alzheimer's. Coach Broyles cared for his late wife Barbara, who had Alzheimer's disease.

“My wife Betty is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. The minute I received the ‘Playbook,’ I sat down and read it word for word. What a huge blessing for me to find a straight forward, 'been there’ account of what lies ahead.
Thank you!"
John Cater
Richmond, Texas

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Vytorin Postgame: Worse Than Expected

2008-03-31T10:14:00.000-04:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

The discussion of that big Vytorin study at this weekend’s big cardiology meeting was harsher than expected. Industry observers had predicted that an open conversation by the experts could temper the negative image of the drug that emerged earlier this year after the study results were made public, but just the opposite occurred.

The study was presented at the conference yesterday and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“You’ve just seen a negative trial that should change practice, especially the way we in this country have prescribed,” Harlan Krumholz of Yale told thousands of cardiologists at the meeting, the WSJ reports.

The NEJM also published an editorial based on the study results, calling on doctors to prescribe Zetia (and, by extension, Vytorin), only in selected cases.

Catherine Arnold of Credit Suisse called the discussion “surprisingly negative,”

Assisted living costs for Alzheimer's patient is tax deductible

2008-03-05T14:42:00.000-05:00

clipped from www.usatoday.com

Q: My mother just went into an assisted living facility due to Alzheimer's. It costs over $4500 per month. Are any portion of these expenses tax deductible?

Answer from AICPA member Kenneth J. Strauss: Sorry about your mother but the good news is that the entire $4,500 is fully tax deductible as a medical expense.

The rules can get pretty complicated but it is clear that Alzheimer's disease is a severe cognitive impairment which is the threshold for determining if the taxpayer is entitled to a full medical deduction.

Like all medical deductions the total amount of medical deductions is an itemized deduction. The medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of her adjusted gross income are deductible.

Depending on how high her income is will determine the full tax benefit. This might be a year to take some extra money from her retirement account. If your mother does not have the resources and you or another family member is paying then you should see if your mom can qualify as a dependent.

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Memory And Thinking Problems Decline Among Older Americans

2008-02-27T13:46:00.002-05:00

A US study suggests that brain health is improving among older Americans as demonstrated by a decline in thinking and memory problems in this group.

The researchers said improved cardiovascular care, better education, and being financially better off could be the main reasons.

The researchers found that:

About 40 per cent of the decrease in cognitive impairment over the decade ending in 2002 was likely due to increases in education and personal wealth.
They found this by comparing two groups of seniors, one at the start of the decade and one at the end.
School attendance requirements, graduation rates in high school, enrollment rates in college or technical school, all went up in the period when the adults in the study were children and young adults.
72 per cent of people aged over 65 living in 2003 had a high school diploma compared with 53 per cent in 1990.
The proportion of college-educated elderly also went up during that time, from 11 to 17 per cent.

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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

She's a one-in-six-billion miracle

2008-01-29T12:57:00.002-05:00

clipped from news.aol.com

An Australian teenage girl has become
the world's first known transplant patient to change blood
groups and take on the immune system of her organ donor,
doctors said on Friday, calling her a "one-in-six-billion
miracle."

'The Holy Grail
Of Transplants'

Demi-Lee Brennan, 15, is the first known transplant recipient to adopt the blood type and the immune system of her organ donor, to the amazement of the medical community and Brennan alike. "It's like my second chance at life," she said. "It's kind of hard to believe."

"It's like my second chance at life," Brennan told local
media

Brennan's body changed blood group from O negative to O
positive when she became ill while on drugs

Her new liver's blood stem cells then invaded her body's
bone marrow to take over her entire immune system, meaning the
teen no longer needs anti-rejection drugs.

Doctors

said
they had no explanation for Brennan's recovery, detailed in the
latest edition of The New England Journal of Medicine.

I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver: 'Instant' Alzheimer's Drug Claim

2008-01-16T10:18:00.000-05:00

Ten minutes after the injection, the researchers reported that the patient was calmer, less frustrated and more attentive. He could correctly identify California as his home state, but incorrectly identified the current year. At two hours, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment had improved from seven out of a possible 30 to 15. The man's wife and son confirmed the improvements.

'Instant' Alzheimer's Drug Claim

A drug used for arthritis can reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's 'in minutes'", the Daily Mail reported. Several newspapers covered the story of how an 81-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease improved within 10 minutes of being injected with a new drug, etanercept. The BBC reported that his wife described the effect on her husband as being "put back to where he was". His son said, "This was the single most remarkable thing I've seen".

Reports of success in single patients often herald the start of a new line of investigation into diseases and drugs. Though anecdotal evidence holds promise for patients, families and researchers, most of the news reports suggest that it is too soon to say if this drug will fulfil its potential. Larger, placebo controlled studies will be required to determine if this drug is safe or effective for this disease. The drug has the advantage that it has already been approved as safe for use in humans for treating arthritis, and this could speed up the process of testing its effectiveness in treating Alzheimer's.

Where did the story come from?

Dr Edward Tobnick from the Institute of Neurological Research and Dr Hyman Gross from the USC School of Medicine in Los Angeles carried out this research. The institute is a private medical group and there was no funding from outside sources. Competing interests were declared.

The study was published online in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.

What kind of scientific study was this?

This was a case study (a study in one person) that tested the short-term effects of the drug etanercept on a patient with Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers first obtained the written consent of the patient and his wife and explained the potential risks of the drug, which included infection and death. They then conducted a routine examination of the 81-year-old retired doctor followed by a range of tests for memory, attention and mathematical ability. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (which assesses mild cognitive dysfunction) was used to give a numerical score for the degree of dementia. Prior to the injection the score was seven out of a possible 30 points, a number consistent with moderate to severe dementia.

The drug was then injected around the spinal cord at neck level, and the patient was placed with his head downwards, so that the drug would run to the head. The patient was re-examined after a 10 minute and two hour interval.

The drug etanercept belongs to a class of drugs called TNF-alpha blockers. These are increasingly used for the treatment of severe rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions caused by inflammation. This type of drug is usually administered by injection into muscle. It acts by deactivating a chemical involved in the early stages of generalised inflammation and in regulating immune cells - tumour necrosis factor (TNF). The researchers had already conducted a study that measured the drug's longer-term effects in 15 patients over a six month period and this study was aimed at assessing the rapid effects of the drug.

What were the results of the study?

Ten minutes after the injection, the researchers reported that the patient was calmer, less frustrated and more attentive. He could correctly identify California as his home state, but incorrectly identified the current year. At two hours, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment had improved from seven out of a possible 30 to 15. The man's wife and son confirmed the improvements.

What interpretations did the researchers draw from these results?

In their discussion of the results, the researchers describe the biological mechanisms providing the rationale for trying out this drug. They suggest it is a promising area for additional investigation and therapeutic intervention.

What does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study?

As a case report of a single patient, this study represents very early evidence in the long journey from drug development to clinical use in patients. Disadvantages to this type of study include:

- the lack of any control patients against which the effect can be compared, meaning that it may be that some of the improvements, for example the lessened anxiety, could have occurred by sitting in the doctors office for long enough without being given any medication
- the lack of long term follow up means that it is not possible to know how long any suggested improvement may last
- the lack of results from other patients mean the effect may not be seen in other people

The drug has an advantage in that it is already approved for use in other conditions and therefore something is already known of its safety. The long and short term effects of drugs can be markedly different and this study may stimulate further research into the short term effects of etanercept for dementia.

While providing hope for those who suffer from Alzheimer's and their families, this case study should be regarded as a preliminary finding of this drug's use as a treatment for the disease. Further controlled studies of the drug's effects in a larger group of people would be required to test the drug's effectiveness properly.

Links to the science

Tobinick EL, Gross H. Rapid cognitive improvement in Alzheimer's disease following perispinal etanercept administration.J Neuroinflammation 2008; 5:2

This news comes from the National Health Service (NHS) of the UK.
http://www.nhs.uk/News/Pages/NewsIndex.aspx

Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/94072.php

Main News Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia

Also Appears In: Neurology / Neuroscience,

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease and Memory Loss in Later Life

What If It's Not Alzheimer's: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia

Zetia Doesn’t Enhance Zocor

2008-01-14T12:14:00.001-05:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

The long-delayed and much-speculated-about data from Merck and Schering-Plough’s Enhance study comparing whether a combination of Zetia and Zocor works better than Zocor alone were finally released today.

Bottom line: Zetia, or ezetimibe generically, didn’t bring anything important to the cholesterol party.

The telling detail: there was no statistically significant difference in the primary endpoint of the study, a marker of atherosclerotic changes in the arteries called intima-media thickness, according to a Schering-Plough press release.

The results of this two-year-long trial of 720 people with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), a rare, inherited form of high cholesterol that affects about 0.2% of the population, have been eagerly anticipated. The study was finished in 2006, and the findings were expected to be disclosed finally in March at a meeting of heart doctors.

Reversing Symptoms of Alzheimer's?

2008-01-10T12:08:00.001-05:00

Might be a breakthrough. We can only hope.

clipped from www.foxnews.com

A patient with Alzheimer's disease had their condition improve hugely just minutes after receiving a special injection of a prescription drug approved to treat psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions, according to a new study.

The drug, co-marketed in the U.S. by Amgen and Wyeth under the name Enbrel, dramatically reversed symptoms of an Alzheimer’s disease sufferer minutes after it was injected into the patient's spine, researchers in the U.S. discovered. The drug, sold in Australia as Etanercept, has also been used off-label for treating Alzheimer's.

an “exciting” breakthrough, which provided a greater understanding of the disease. “It is unprecedented that we can see cognitive and behavioral improvement in a patient with established dementia within minutes of therapeutic intervention,” Griffin said.

this report details rapid cognitive improvement, beginning within minutes, using this same… treatment modality, in a patient with late-onset Alzheimer's disease.”

Medicare Stinginess Casts Pall Over Primary Care

2007-12-29T12:22:00.000-05:00

Smart Clips: Medicare Stinginess Casts Pall Over Primary Care

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease and Memory Loss in Later Life

What If It's Not Alzheimer's: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia

Medicare Stinginess Casts Pall Over Primary Care

2007-12-29T12:15:00.001-05:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

Benjamin Brewer, who writes the Doctor’s Office

checks in with an update to his most recent piece, about the proposed cuts in Medicare’s payments to doctors.

His column contemplated that a planned 10.1% cut, on average, might be averted, as previous proposed cuts had been.

Brewer says the economic pressure on primary care remains. The core problem is that the lack of meaningful increases in Medicare payments to primary care doctors amounts to a cut anyway in the face of steadily rising costs for providing care.

One doctor I talked to told me that he’s mulling a career change out of medicine. Though his practice seems to be growing in size, profitability isn’t.

a big part of what is wrong with our health care “system.” It causes thoughtful care by engaged, compassionate people to go by the wayside in favor of churning people

The docs that remain have the capacity to see a patient every six minutes all day long, but not much time or capacity to care.

Medicare May Help Snoring Seniors Rest Easier

2007-12-22T12:19:00.000-05:00

clipped from blogs.wsj.com

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has in mind to extend coverage of continuous positive airway pressure devices (that’s the mask plus a pump that pushes air into the lungs) to more people suffering from sleep apnea. The expansion would make coverage available to Medicare recipients who’ve tested positive for sleep apnea in home tests. The existing policy applies only to people whose disorder was diagnosed in sleep labs.

Sleep apnea is a common problem characterized by frequent, brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. Some people think it’s just harmless snoring, but sleep apnea can raise blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Some 12 million people in this country suffer from sleep apnea, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association.

Because home testing will now be an option, scores of patients who may have otherwise gone undiagnosed will be able to seek the best treatment,

Grace In The Time Of Alzheimer's

2007-12-16T21:10:00.000-05:00

The first morning of my new job I sat in a kid's size wooden chair in the "activity room" of the Alzheimer's unit of the assisted living facility. The 20 or so residents seated in gliders and rockers were clearly waiting for the person in the kid's size wooden chair - me - to do something. Written on the white board beside the piano were promises of all sorts of interesting fun "activities" for the day ahead - exercise, cooking, word games, singalongs and so on.

Grace In The Time Of Alzheimer's

The Tampa Tribune

I'm always leery when a potential employer seems too eager to hire me, kind of like how Groucho Marx felt about not wanting to belong to a club where they'd accept him as a member. But when the woman who interviewed me told me this job would be "just having fun" and didn't raise her eyebrows at my colorful resume, I accepted her offer.

The first morning of my new job I sat in a kid's size wooden chair in the "activity room" of the Alzheimer's unit of the assisted living facility. The 20 or so residents seated in gliders and rockers were clearly waiting for the person in the kid's size wooden chair - me - to do something. Written on the white board beside the piano were promises of all sorts of interesting fun "activities" for the day ahead - exercise, cooking, word games, singalongs and so on.

It was my job to make those things happen.

I stood up and walked around the room and introduced myself. Some held my cold clammy hand a long time, concerned about my obvious lack of healthy blood circulation. I asked where they'd been born. A petite woman with cornflower blue eyes whispered that she couldn't remember her home state. So we decided she could be from Ohio, where the pretty lady next to her was from.

I'd spent a large part of my Alabama childhood in the near-constant presence of elderly grandparents, aunts and uncles, and so while I was comfortable on one level, these folks had no connection to me, no reason to think I was up to any good. Would they trust me?

But little by little, we grew to know and like each other.

Most days I couldn't believe I was getting paid to do something I enjoyed so much. Other days, it was painfully clear that I worked for a corporation, didn't play office politics very well and couldn't turn my head when I saw corners being cut in resident care.

When those facts had me down, I never failed to get a reminder of the bigger picture that I was privileged to be a part of.

On one of those particularly difficult days, during the conversation I had every afternoon with a tall, handsome gentleman with deeply intelligent eyes and a slight Southern accent, when he'd ask where his car was and I'd lie to him that I'd sent it to be washed, he told me, "You know, I remember you the most."

There simply was no higher compliment.

These folks were locked behind doors with numbered keypads, often unable to decide for themselves what they'd wear for the day or what they'd like for lunch, or the names of their children. And things would only get worse. Yet still they smiled, still laughed, still thanked me for every tiny deed I did for them. They didn't mind if I forgot ingredients when we baked cookies, if my jokes were lame, that my singing was painfully off key or that my dancing followed a rhythm you won't likely see on "Dancing with the Stars."

They ate, laughed, sang and danced with me anyway.

Their graciousness belied any infirmity.

This job was so much more than "just having fun."

Every day, I was reminded of the value of enjoying the present, that the past is best remembered however we like, and that worrying about the future is a waste of time. And for that, I would remember these people.

The most.

Sandra Webber is a freelance writer living in Clearwater.
Find this article at:
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/16/bz-grace-in-the-time-of-alzheimers

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease and Memory Loss in Later Life

What If It's Not Alzheimer's: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia

What Does Blood Pressure Have to Do With Alzheimer’s?

2007-11-29T16:36:00.000-05:00

This is one study I would really like to get my mother into. She takes three medications now for high blood pressure and it is still out of control. In addition, I discovered after the fact that she was not taking her blood pressure medication as prescribed for years before she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia.

The brain needs lots of blood to work well. That’s made doctors wonder whether high blood pressure, which can reduce blood flow to the brain, is connected to cognitive problems — especially in the elderly, in whom both high blood pressure and mental decline are common. (See, for example, this recent study.)

A small study being presented today at the RSNA conference is the latest finding to suggest there may be a connection. Using a type of MRI that measures blood flow, researchers examined how high blood pressure affected blood flow in the brains of people with and without Alzheimer’s disease (abstract here).

They found that those with high blood pressure had lower levels of blood flow overall, and those with high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s had lower blood flow than those with high blood pressure but not Alzheimer’s.

In an interview with the Health Blog, the lead author, Cyrus Raji, noted that the findings, based on only 88 people, need to be validated by a larger trial. But he said the research presents an interesting possibility that could give doctors and patients yet another reason to try to control high blood pressure.

“We are not saying that hypertension causes Alzheimer’s,” said Raji, a grad student at the University of Pittsburgh. “It’s an extra hit to the brain, and an extra hit in areas that can eventually be affected by Alzheimer’s disease … If that turns out to be the case, which we won’t know until we do a lot more work, that would be a huge impetus for tighter control for hypertension, especially in the elderly.”

Trackback URL: http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2007/11/28/what-does-blood-pressure-have-to-do-with-alzheimers/trackbac

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease and Memory Loss in Later Life

alzheimer's, blood flow, brain, cognitive problems, high blood pressure, hypertension

Alzheimer's Reading Room: New study says a seventh of elderly Americans suffer from dementia

2007-10-31T15:47:00.000-04:00

A new study suggests that one out of seven Americans over the age of 70 has dementia. Researchers conducted individual assessments of 856 people drawn from an earlier study that included a representative sample of Americans over 50.As they report in the latest issue of Neuroepidemiology, the findings suggest that 3.4 million Americans aged 71 or older suffer from some sort of dementia, including Alzheimer's. This is about 30% higher than earlier estimates.

From the Alzheimer's Reading Room

Discovery suggests new ways to treat Alzheimer's cause, not just symptoms

2007-10-24T12:51:00.000-04:00

clipped from www.newsroom.ucla.edu

For some time, scientists have blamed Alzheimer's disease on a small molecule called amyloid beta protein (A beta) that leaves large gummy deposits in the brain. Recent studies suggest that these A beta proteins stick together to form floating toxic clumps that kill brain cells. Now, UCLA scientists have identified a tiny loop in A beta as the likely culprit behind the adhesion process.

The UCLA team discovered that gene mutations in A beta increase the loop's flexibility, enabling it to join easily with loops from other A beta proteins and form clumps. The loop also appears in the region of the protein that regulates how — and how much — A beta is made.

Principal investigator David Teplow, professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, is available for interviews.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published the findings in its Oct. 10 online early edition. For a PDF of the study, see www.eurekalert.org/pio/tipsheetdoc.php/237/zpq7481.pdf.

Brain Activity Might Point to Early Alzheimer's

2007-09-27T11:08:00.000-04:00

A team at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the brains of 13 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, 34 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 28 healthy people (averaging about 73 years of age) as they did a memory task.

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Brain Activity Might Point to Early Alzheimer's

The Validation Breakthrough: Simple Techniques for Communicating with People with Alzheimer's Type Dementia

2007-08-25T13:15:00.000-04:00

You might get the impression from the title that this book is only for professionals; this is not the case. The validation theory works and it is simple to apply. The case studies are invaluable and provide you with specific situations that you are sure to encounter. I am convinced everyone involved with elderly parents suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's will benefit greatly from this book.

I give The Validation Breakthrough five stars and put it on my must read list. You will certainly reduce stress by learning these techniques.

The Validation Breakthrough: Simple Techniques for Communicating with People with Alzheimer's Type Dementia

Please take a moment to read the reviews on the next page.

Buyer Reviews

By Martine Davis

If you live with or care for someone with Alzheimer's or other age related dementia, you must read this book ! What an eye-opener! For the first time I finally understood why Alzheimer's patient say what they say and do what they do. It all makes so much sense now. This small book reads quickly and is full of examples of real people who have been helped with the author's techniques. It shows you how to handle the blaming, accusing, name-calling and the repetitive motions ... It also explains why the way most of us react to Alzheimer's patients actions actually worsens the situation and can cause them to progress to a more advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease ! This book could extend the relationship between the patient and caregivers and should be MANDATORY reading for all staff working in nursing homes and long-term care facilities !

By J. Summers, CNA (Alaska)

An excellent book for both the professional caregiver and families trying to deal with this sometimes unfathomable disease. Gives practical ideas and techniques for helping people with dementia deal with issues from paranoia and blaming to sadness and helplessness. I have just begun to explore these techniques and am finding they work so well that they should be mandatory training for nurses, PCAs and CNAs. Instead of treating our seniors like they are children we at last have a way to talk to them on an adult level, tap into where they are at, deal with the problem at hand and we all come out better for the experience.

Reviewer: A reader

More and more relevant as we care for aging parents. With a title like this one might think: "Boring" Absolutely not so! Right from the start, the stories of the people are so real and so touching that one of my friends said she was moved to tears. She was so sad not to have known about this way of relating to her father. "It works," she told me. "Validation Breakthrough" shows a new way of relating to people with dementia of Alzheimer's type. This approach is effective in helping the person to clear up unresolved issues in their lives. You do not have to be a professionally trained therapist to use validation. Validation will make the relationship more rewarding for both people. It is not hard to learn and makes wonderful sense. Some readers may want to ask new questions of care facilities (like nursing homes) as the validation approach will keep loved ones from slipping into a vegetative state. It will also make the care much kinder, and more rewarding for the care givers

The Validation Breakthrough: Simple Techniques for Communicating with People with 'Alzheimer's-Type Dementia'

Newly Discovered Antibody May Be Body's Natural Defense Against Alzheimer's (Gammagard)

2007-08-10T11:44:00.000-04:00

In what could prove to be an important development in the search for a treatment of Alzheimer's disease, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center physician-scientists say the results of an initial (Phase I) clinical study provide encouraging evidence that antibodies derived from human plasma can capture the beta-amyloid protein in blood and exert positive effects on patients' thinking abilities.

Read more at the Alzheimer's Reading Room: Newly Discovered Antibody May Be Body's Natural Defense Against Alzheimer's (Gammagard)

The Senior Reading Room

Rewiring My Brain and Stepping into Alzheimer's World

Rewiring My Brain and Stepping into Alzheimer's World

Why is this happening? What can I do?

I Forgot My Mother Has Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's, Dementia, Types of Dementia, The Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia

What is Dementia?

What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia

What is Alzheimer's Disease the Visual MD

Alice in Alzheimer's Land

Alzheimer's Articles (July)

LIFESTYLE CHANGES AND MUSIC AS ALZHEIMER’S THERAPY?

Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's

Study points to liver, not brain, as origin of Study points to liver, not brain, as origin of Alzheimer's plaques

How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer’s Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You

“First in, last out ... Last in, first out”

Bob DeMarco Discusses Alzheimer's Disease on Sidewalks

White House Conference on the Challenge of Alzheimer's Disease in the United States

Alzheimer's Caregiver Just Let Them Do it

Alzheimer's Disease May Lead to Increased Economic Burden on Patients, Caregivers, Family

Homeward Bound

Alzheimer's Caregiver Lament -- This is Not the Person I Knew (Audio Cast)

Dotty Remembers New Year's Eve 2009 -- Is a Miracle About to Happen?

Man with Alzheimer's Dies after Drinking Detergent

Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia

Care Giving Insight and Advice

Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's Dementia in 15 Minutes (SAGE)

Alzheimer's and the Dreaded Bowel Movement

About Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Conquering Urinary Incontinence -- The First Bladder Infection of the Year

Vitamin D and the Elderly

The Cost of Dying -- 60 Minutes Video and Transcript

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

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

Popular Articles on the Alzheimer's Reading Room -- September (Top Landing Pages)

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

What to do when Alzheimer's Strikes

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

Articles about Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

(R)evolution in Alzheimer's Related Caregiving

Caring for Our Parents (Book Review)

The Alzheimer's Action Plan

Questions About Test Your Memory for Alzheimers and Dementia (TYM)

Does Loneliness cause an Alzheimer's like Dementia ?

100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

The Alzheimer's Project DVD -- Free Copy

Researchers link cocoa flavanols to improved brain blood flow

Statins do not protect against dementia

Only1Mom -- Activities for Alzheimers Patients are Important

Women collect dolls to benefit Alzheimer's patients

Around My Blogosphere

Happy New Year

Seniors give Daschle health reform ideas

Recent stories from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

: Benefits Check Up

Using the Internet Promotes Memory and a Healthy Brain

TauRx Therapeutics-- New treatment halts progress of Alzheimer's disease

Around My Blogsphere

Wii Fit

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Playbook for Alzheimer's Caregivers

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Vytorin Postgame: Worse Than Expected

Assisted living costs for Alzheimer's patient is tax deductible

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Memory And Thinking Problems Decline Among Older Americans

She's a one-in-six-billion miracle

'The Holy GrailOf Transplants'

I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver: 'Instant' Alzheimer's Drug Claim

Zetia Doesn’t Enhance Zocor

Reversing Symptoms of Alzheimer's?

Medicare Stinginess Casts Pall Over Primary Care

Medicare Stinginess Casts Pall Over Primary Care

Medicare May Help Snoring Seniors Rest Easier

Grace In The Time Of Alzheimer's

What Does Blood Pressure Have to Do With Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer's Reading Room: New study says a seventh of elderly Americans suffer from dementia

Discovery suggests new ways to treat Alzheimer's cause, not just symptoms

Brain Activity Might Point to Early Alzheimer's

The Validation Breakthrough: Simple Techniques for Communicating with People with Alzheimer's Type Dementia

'The Holy Grail
Of Transplants'