Narcissism and the Aging Adult - What Caregivers Can Do to Deal With This Difficult TaskSeniors and DrivingHow Do You Know You Need a Caregiver For Your Parent?Care For Elderly Parents - 3 Preliminary Preparations to Make Before They Move InCare For Elderly Parents - 3 Ways to Prepare the Family
Anti-psychotics, often necessary, but also often over-presribed and with prescriptions not being reviewed. This is a major bug-bear of mine. They are dangerous and debilitating drugs, that are prescribed at the drop of the hat, even when patients are only showing mild symptoms of agitation and aggression. If I had dementia and people were trying to restrict me from doing what I wanted to do, I would be agitated and angry too. That is a reasonable response, not a symptom of psychosis and such a response should first of all result in those treating the patient to at least attempt other non-drug therapies, diversion therapies, music and touch therapies first. Instead anti-psychotic drugs which have been shown to increase the risk of death in patients with dementia and are often not even approved as safe for these patients are all too often the first response.
A joint research program has been set up where nanotechnology will be used to assist scientists in better understanding brain circuitry. It is hoped that this will provide vital knowledge for the pharmaceutical and medical industry and it is thought also to be crucial for the study of pathology such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and potentially also for psychiatric disorders...
What a brilliant idea! I've often thought that the traditional bracelets and necklaces were not completely reliable, as often the person with dementia will remove them, but in my experience, most people with the condition still tend to wear their shoes everywhere, especially if they plan on going outdoors...
U.S. Amazon Link
U.S. Amazon Link
Although my father does not have Parkinson's disease, his dementia type is non-typical, not fitting within any clear diagnosis, a little bit of Alzheimer's, a little bit of Frontotemporal Dementia, and a few movement disorders as well. As he regularly handled pesticides on my parents farm, we have often wondered if these poisons might have contributed to his condition. This article discusses research that suggests such poisons could at least contribute to Parkinson's Disease....
I've given this story a flashing star icon as it is a comprehensive eight part article reviewing the various treatments for Alzheimer's diseases with comments on their effectiveness. You do however have to register with the Medscape website if you want to view all parts, but registration is free and this is well worth a read...
A great article that uses the well known hypothesis put forward by the American psychologist Maslow on human beings' hirearchy of needs to explain why massage and a caring touch can really help people with dementias...
Runners being rallied for September's World Alzheimers Day run through Essex County"Taking Steps Now" to prepare for Alzheimer Memory Walk - Carman
Derby pub could be demolished to make way for dementia care homeDementia Awareness Week comes to LockerbieCaring With Confidence - All Day Event - South Essex
Evening explores Alzheimer’s - Central & West Virginia ChaptersBudget Cuts Threaten Services for California Alzheimer's PatientsWesley Commons to host Alzheimer’s Presentation - SCPolice looking for missing Wheeling man - WVState cites facility in death of patient - Mooresville, NCAssisted living facility in Pana to focus on Alzheimer's disease - IllinoisHelp Needed in Finding Missing Madisonville Man - KYCaregivers get answers to legal aspects of health care - Union County, NCAlzheimer's meeting scheduled - Vigo County, INBring a teddy bear to an Alzheimer’s patient - Terre Haute, INAlzheimer’s Art and Fundraising - New Milford, CTWesley Commons to host speaker on Alzheimer’s - Greenwood, SCFlapjack Breakfast is Alzheimer's benefit - Fairhaven, MABonnie Holub: Caregivers need help in war on dementia - Tallahassee,FL,USA
A video news story from the BBC, discussing brain research and the hopes that neurological diseases may be better understood with the help of a UK-wide Brain Bank Network...
An interesting article on how scientists are investigating how the brain repairs itself in the hopes of identifying why this process doesn't work sufficiently enough to stop neurological diseases, and perhaps one day discovering how to use this ability to fight such diseases more effectively...
This article provides ten useful tips for caregivers, so that they can be better prepared for the emergencies caused by natural disasters and the effect these may have on their ability to care for their loved ones...
I personally find the articles from Alzforum website, cutting edge, but quite difficult to read and understand at times due to all of the scientific jargon used. But, as an ex-language teacher I believe in an immersion approach and so work on the idea that if I keep reading this stuff I will beging to understand more and more of what they are saying, so here's the Alzforum news stories posted in the last few days...
Neither Fish Nor Fowl—Dementia With Lewy Bodies Often MissedResearch Brief: Friends, Toys, Exercise Build Synapses in MiceForm or Function: How Does Pink1 Deficiency Mar Mitochondria?Like DLB, Like AD—Do Oligomers Stir Up the Trouble?Ordnung, Please—Can Biomarkers Tame a Bewildering Overlap?Research Brief—Do Chaperones Need Protection From α-Synuclein?Still Early Days for α-synuclein Fluid MarkerAll Shook Up: TDP-43 an Instigator of AggregationPerpetrator and Savior—Presenilins Cut Both WaysMeet Progranulin, The Biomarker—A Simpler Story?Here's a reason for me to lose weight so I stop snoring, and waking up suddenly gasping for air...
From YouTube site: "Lets Look is a Spring 2009 group effort between the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Metro Theater Company, the Alzheimers Association, and Cole Elementary. Adults with early stage dementia are paired with fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from Cole in a ten-session workshop on Old Masters. The lessons include art history, architecture, storytelling, and nonverbal communication. Using arts as a tool, the programs goal is to bridge the gap between generations, to promote community and an understanding of diversity.Research answers the question of why a faulty protein in Huntington's Disease sufferers only kills cells in the part of the brain that controls movement...
Before you jump to the conclusion that you have early stage Alzheimer's disease, read the article linked to above and check the medications you are on...
The article linked to above highlights a drug trial for the drug,bapineuzumab, one of the most well known and supposedly promising Alzheimer's drugs currently under development.
Dementia carers 'not accessing respite'Video on Demand: Watch Four Corners Episode, 'End of the Line' about Australia's Nursing Homes
Help For People Living With Dementia - New ZealandEditorial: NHS is still failing patients with dementiaRoadshow out and about for points of view - ScotlandTreatment lottery for people with dementia as over-prescribing of dangerous antipsychotics continuesTake part in our Memory Walk and fight dementia every step of the wayTory councillor jokes about Alzheimer's sufferers losing their memory by repeating himself on purpose at meetingBenefit slated for Alzheimer's programPlaybook for Alzheimer's Caregivers: A Practical Tips Guide - Washington State ChapterCampbell woman takes Alzheimer's fight to heartProposed California budget cuts threaten programs for Alzheimer's patients84-year-old man with dementia reported missing - San FranciscoAntiquing for Alzheimer's event is back - Greater Michigan ChapterIndian curry could prevent Alzheimer's disease, dementiaWeekly curry meals may help ward off dementiaBalti curries favour in dementia battleGreen Tea Compound May Block A Key Process In Alzheimer's Development
Story of a caregiver, written by a caregiver which other caregivers will be able to relate to...
This article looks at research being conducted with regards to deep brain stimulation, something I had heard of with regards to Parkinson's patients, but not previously in relation to Alzheimer's disease...
The Caring Right At Home Magazine for June is out. This month it contains articles on:This article is a few days old, but I think it is an important one to include here, as I have long believed that scientists are missing something vitally important when they continue to focus predominantly on plaques and tangles as the cause of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias...
I wish I could embed this video, but BBC news doesn't like to share, so you will have to click on the link above to view it. This news story is a few days old and technically it could be relegated to the 'Regional News' section as it specifically looks at Scotland, however I know from experience, that the findings of the Scotland investigation into care homes are common in other countries as well and this is really a news article everyone should read to increase their awareness of what problems can arise in care/nursing homes. I have given the article a thumbs up, for bringing it to media attention....
The article linked to above is U.S. centric but is worth a read by those who are in the early stages of diagnosis or who have a high familial/genetic risk of dementia as the reality is some pre-planning now could save bucketloads of money down the track. As the daughter of a man who was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's disease, but later went on to develop aphasia and showed no obvious signs of memory problems per se, this article got my attention. It suggests that people suffering mixed neurodegenerative diseases (such as my Dad's condition which suggests a mix of Alzheimer's and Frontotemporal dementia, and also conditions like Llewy Bodies dementia, which has elements of Parkinson's disease) are increasingly getting the attention of researchers (hallelujah!) as it is thought that these conditions may bring to light pre-cursors other than the already well know tau tangles and beta amyloid plaques.Spectrum of Neurodegeneration Comes to the Fore
This article discusses the results of a study published at bmj.com. To read the full details of the study click here.I'm not sure why this particular news story made it into the Medical News today website as it seems to be in many ways a promotional news story, selling puzzles that have been created specifically for people suffering from Alzheimer's. However commercial reasons aside, I have included the story here for sake of those who are looking for activities for their loved ones...
'End of the Line' on ABC's Four Corners tonight, about Difficulties in Finding Quality CareABC Radio National: Australia's ageing aged care systemAustralian Nursing Homes in Turmoil
Revised traffic law takes effect with new test for senior drivers - JapanExtra beds for dementia care - Wairarapa, New ZealandFunds for city Alzheimer's study - Aberdeen University, ScotlandCare for elderly bought using 'reverse auctions' - EnglandEx-jockey begins 1,000-mile walk for Alzheimer'sGreensboro Hosts Memory Walk - NC:Alzheimer's Disease Workshop Slated for June 12 at Underwood Senior Center - Huntington, WVSupport group to view HBO Alzheimer’s documentary - Sumter, SCGospel Singing Event for Alzheimer's - Terre Haute, IN:Thanks to those who helped with Alzheimer's Gala - DelmarvaCaregiver Speech at U.S. Alzheimer's Gala Posted to YouTube:Dementia Drugs May Put Some Patients At RiskIs Vitamin D Deficiency Linked To Alzheimer's Disease And Vascular Dementia?Automated Analysis Of MR Images May Identify Early Alzheimer’s Disease
..
..
Relevant Links:
..
..
..
..
Daily Dementia & Alzheimer's News ©Template Nice Blue. Modified by Indian Monsters. Original created by http://ourblogtemplates.com
