Spring Arbor Living Blog

On-Line Support for Alzheimer's Caregivers

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:15:00 GMT

Caring for someone with a debilitating disease like Alzheimer’s can make you feel isolated and, sometimes, tethered to your home. But there’s a new way to connect with the outside world.

ALZConnected is a website started by the Alzheimer’s Association to provide emotional support to caregivers and to help with problem-solving.

It’s a social-networking community, designed specifically for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. There is no cost, and users can connect and communicate with people who understand their challenges.

But they also can control how much personal information is revealed about themselves and their situation, she said.

The site, which is available nationally at www.alzconnected.org, was introduced late last year and officially launched in March for members of the Alzheimer’s community.

It works like your are sitting in a support group and somebody is sitting there saying, ‘Hey, have you tried this approach?'

Features include message boards, public and private groups, and ways to get answers to questions or offer solutions to others. It also has a secure system for getting private messages via inbox.

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, with much of the care being provided by loved ones. In 2011, 15.2 million family members and friends provided 17.4 billion hours of unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

A lot of times people say, ‘I can’t go to a support group because I can’t leave my loved one,’ or ‘My loved one doesn’t want me to leave,’ but people can hop on ALZConnected whenever they find a free moment.

Topics include how to tell when it’s time for someone with Alzheimer’s to stop driving or to be placed in a residential care facility.

ALZConnected is “kind of like a support group online, where you actually feel that others know what you’re talking about and they’re going through the same thing that you’re going through.”

Courier Journal

Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer's Disease

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:37:00 GMT

Do you know where most of the millions of people who have Alzheimer’s disease live? At home, where family and friends provide almost 75% of their care.

That’s why caregiving has been called the fastest growing unpaid profession in the United States.

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, during the past year more than 67 million Americans provided care to a family member, friend, or loved one, many of whom are suffering from different stages of Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementia.

If you’re a caregiver, you know first-hand what it’s like: Getting swept up in a flurry of tasks – bathing, shopping, cooking, feeding, making arrangements for medical care, managing behavioral problems, making decisions for the ill person that you have never had to consider before -- while simultaneously trying to cope with your own anxieties and fears.

Or perhaps you’re facing a situation where you’re likely to become a caregiver -- and you’re wondering how you can make the many difficult decisions that anyone who steps into this demanding role has to confront.

It’s an extremely hard job and often it feels like you’re in it alone. But you’re not.

With you in mind, Johns Hokins asked two world-renowned Alzheimer’s specialists -- Dr. Peter Rabins and Dr. Ann Morrison -- to write a practical, no-nonsense guide, Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Guide for the Home Caregiver. This comprehensive special report provides detailed, authoritative advice on how to successfully manage your day-to-day responsibilities, to your patient and to yourself.

Many people think of Alzheimer’s as strictly a memory-stealing ailment. But as a caregiver, you know that it may also unleash difficult-to manage behaviors.

Feeling overwhelmed? Caregivers have been described as “hidden patients” because many of their own emotional and physical needs go unattended while they provide care to others.

For information on the guide, contact Johns Hopkins. For information on deciding to move a loved one into residential care, contact Spring Arbor. This is surely one of the hardest decisions a caregiver will face, we understand.

Johns Hopkins Health Alert

Your Loved One May Be Overmedicated

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:35:00 GMT

Behavioral and neuro-psychiatric symptoms of dementia can be extremely challenging and distressing for patients and their caregivers. Antipsychotic medications may be the only option if the patient's behavior is potentially harmful to him- or herself or to others.

Antipsychotic medications are often prescribed for dementia patients in nursing homes to alleviate the agitation, aggression or psychotic behavior that is either distressing to the patient or makes the patient a danger, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any drugs for the treatment of behavioral symptoms of dementia. What's more, antipsychotics carry an FDA black box warning that older patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death.

Drugs versus alternatives

There are ways to deal with difficult dementia patients that don't involve the use of drugs. Once a medical cause has been ruled out, the nursing and medical staff should look for environmental triggers that can be avoided or minimized.

Changes in the environment might include increasing contact with caregivers, switching roommates, adjusting the temperature in the room or providing stimulating activities.
Simply paying attention to a patient can often ease disruptive symptoms.
In some cases, difficult behavior can be safely managed by reducing boredom -- providing intellectual and physical stimulation, exercise, calming music or pet therapy.

However, if someone is in psychological agony and nondrug approaches have failed, medication might help. The risks and benefits of prescribing antipsychotics to people with dementia need to be carefully considered. While dementia patients are difficult to care for, even when drugs are administered, the practice of overmedication to make patients "manageable" is certainly not acceptable. Advocating for your loved one with dementia

When someone with dementia is cared for in an Alzheimer's care facility, the support of family and friends is still critical, since the person can't adequately advocate on his or her own part. Family members must learn about the medications that are being dispensed, the reasons for their use, proper dosages and possible side effects.

If you notice that your loved one seems to be showing greater confusion after starting a drug, say something. Bring this to the attention of the doctor who prescribed the medication and discuss what steps can be taken to improve his or her quality of life. By maintaining this dialogue, you will be doing everything you can to ensure the best care for your loved one.

Johns Hopkins Health Alert

Too Many With Alzheimer's Live Alone

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:31:00 GMT

Elaine Vlieger is making some concessions to Alzheimer's. She's cut back on her driving, frozen dinners replace elaborate cooking, and a son monitors her finances. But she lives alone and isn't ready to give up her house or her independence.

Some 800,000 people with Alzheimer's, roughly 1 in 7 Americans with the disease, live alone, according to data from the Alzheimer's Association. It's a different picture from the constant Alzheimer’s care giving that they'll eventually need.

Many cope on their own during early stages of dementia with support from family and friends who keep in close contact.

But with support or not, living alone with a disease that gradually strips people of the ability to know when they need help brings concerns, and loved ones agonize over when to step in.

There's no easy answer, and it's a challenge that will only grow. About 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's or similar dementias. That number is expected to reach up to 16 million by 2050 with the population aging so rapidly.

Most older people want to stay in their homes as long as possible, and developing cognitive impairment doesn't automatically mean they can't initially, says Beth Kallmyer of the Alzheimer's Association. The association's new analysis illustrates the balancing act between a patient's autonomy and safety. People with dementia who live alone can do so initially while they are less impaired, as the disease progresses dementia and Alzheimer’s patients need caregivers. Studies also show that those who live alone have a greater risk of injuries or accidental death than those who don't live alone.

The first National Alzheimer's Plan, due this month, may help. It aims to increase screening to catch dementia earlier and urges doctors to help plan for Alzheimer's care.

Do you have a loved one who needs constant Alzheimer's Care? Contact Spring Arbor.

Newsday

Lower the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease by Eating Omega-3s

Fri, 04 May 2012 18:45:00 GMT

Most people have heard that a diet rich in Omega-3s is good for you. But according to new research, eating foods such as chicken, fish and nuts may help lower blood levels of a protein strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease and memory problems.

In the Columbia University study, people who consumed diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids had significantly lower levels of a protein called beta-amyloid in their blood than those who did not consume as much of the nutrient.

According to the research, eating one more gram of omega-3s than average per week was associated with 20 to 30% lower levels of beta-amyloid. One gram is approximately equal to half a fillet of salmon.

However, study author Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center recommended not focusing on eating particular quantities of omega-3s, but rather, incorporating as much of the nutrient into one’s diet as possible.

If two people consumed the same amount of omega-3s, one through food and the other through supplements, the person who consumed more omega-3 rich foods typically had lower blood levels of beta-amyloid.

It is believed that the build-up of beta-amyloid in the brain, not the blood, is a precursor for Alzheimer's. However, past studies have indicated there may be a relationship between blood levels and brain levels of the protein.

“There is complex, conflicting literature; we do not understand very well biologically how levels of beta-amyloid in the blood, brain and spinal fluid are related exactly,” Scarmeas said. "In some studies, higher levels of beta-amyloid in the blood relate to higher levels of beta-amyloid in the brain. Other studies have suggested the opposite."

Scarmeas added that his own lab had observed that people with higher blood levels of beta-amyloid were more likely to develop dementia, while people with lower levels tended not to.

The beneficial impact of omega-3 on brain health would fall in line with past studies of the nutrient. Omega-3s have long been associated with positive benefits for memory and cognition.

Scarmeas speculated that omega-3s may be able to reduce oxidative stress on the brain and the resulting vascular damage, or even have some kind of impact on beta-amyloid in the brain. Though, there is not enough support yet to suggest the nutrient and protein are directly related.

"Previous studies have suggested that omega-3s and other aspects of diet may be related to brain function," he said. "Here we demonstrate one possible mechanism could be through amyloid, the main biological mechanism that relates to Alzheimer's disease. There have been animal studies suggesting omega-3s could relate to amyloid brain biology. We've demonstrated this association may also be present in humans."

The study was published Wednesday in the journal Neurology.

Fox News

Promising Inroads in Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:01:00 GMT

A new study in laboratory animals suggests a promising new avenue for treating Alzheimer's Disease. They were given a medicine that's been around for decades.
Immune globulin, or gamma globulin, is made from purified blood plasma and is normally used to boost the immune system.

Recently, scientists have been exploring its potential as a treatment for Alzheimer's Disease.

The results of these immune globulin experiments have been inconsistent. Researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York thought these inconsistent results were due to variations in how the immune globulin was administered. So they gave their lab mice very small doses intravenously over four weeks.

Researchers say they saw a dramatic slowdown in the animals' cognitive deterioration.

The treatment increases certain immune system components, which may help restore plasticity, the ability of the brain to rewire itself as needed. It may also have a role in reducing the beta amyloid protein deposits in the brain that are characteristic of Alzheimer's Disease.

The results of the study were presented at a scientific meeting called Experimental Biology 2012 in San Diego, California.

VOA News

Safeguard Your Brain Against Memory Loss

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:53:00 GMT

Johns Hopkins is now presenting a quarterly in-depth report on the latest scientific breakthroughs, research findings and medical discoveries to help you safeguard your brain against aging and memory loss.

There are many exciting developments in the fields of Alzheimer's and memory research, and there's no better way to access this information than a subscription to the Johns Hopkins Memory Disorders Bulletin. Each quarterly issue brings critical information for patients and caregivers on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia and other memory conditions. Edited by Dr. Peter V. Rabins, director of the division of Geriatric and Neuropsychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and author of the widely read book The 36-Hour Day, the Johns Hopkins Memory Disorders Bulletin contains the latest scientific breakthroughs, research findings from the world's foremost medical journals and conferences, news of medications and caregiver support, plus medical discoveries for safeguarding your brain against aging and memory loss. When you subscribe today, you'll get four FREE Special Reports to download instantly.

Order here.

Johns Hopkins Health Alert

The Aging Brain is not Beyond Repair

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:58:00 GMT

Research is changing what we know about our Grey Matter. Our brains continue to produce brain cells into our 70’s. Because of changes in technology, science is making progress in cognitive science. Cognitive loss and forgetfulness is largely preventable.

According to a study, baby boomers now fear Alzheimer’s more than any other illness. The biggest question in age related memory decline is: how much it affects your daily life. The other is: is memory decline getting gradually worse?

Those over 50 naturally experience age related memory decline.

How can you tell the difference between natural forgetfulness and Alzheimer's, and how can you prevent it? The brain is resilient and recent science shows how the brain can change and grow even while aging. Watch the following video.

Dementia Cases Will Triple by 2050 Says the WHO

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:24:00 GMT

Cases of dementia — and the heavy social and financial burdens associated with them — are set to soar in the coming decades as life expectancy and medical care improve in poorer countries, the World Health Organization says.

Some 35.6 million people were living with dementia in 2010, but that figure is set to double to 65.7 million by 2030, the U.N. health agency said Wednesday. In 2050, it expects the number of dementia cases to triple to 115.4 million.

Most dementia patients are cared for by relatives, who shoulder the bulk of the current estimated annual cost of $604 billion, WHO said.

"The catastrophic cost drives millions of households below the poverty line," warned the agency's director-general, Margaret Chan.

Dementia, a brain illness that affects memory, behavior and the ability to perform common tasks, affects mostly older people. About 70% of cases are believed to be caused by Alzheimer's.

In the last few decades dementia has become a major public health issue in rich countries. But with populations in poor and middle-income countries projected to grow and age rapidly over the coming decades, the agency appealed for greater public awareness and better support programs everywhere.

The share of cases in poor and middle-income countries is expected to rise from just under 60% today, to over 70% by 2050.

So far, only eight countries — including Britain, France and Japan — have national programs to address dementia, WHO said. Several others, such as the United States, have plans at the state level.

WHO said a lack of proper diagnosis is one of the obstacles to better dementia treatment. Even in rich countries more than half of dementia cases are overlooked until the disease has reached a late stage.

USA Today

Earlier Diagnosis of Alzheimer's is Possible With New Brain Protein Test

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:12:00 GMT

A much-anticipated test developed by Eli Lilly that detects the presence of proteins in the brain that are related to Alzheimer's disease was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

This test could enable clinicians to detect Alzheimer's earlier and more accurately in patients at the earliest sign of memory problems -- a potential boon to treatment and developing drugs against the disease.

The test uses a chemical known by the brand name Amyvid, a radioactive agent that tags clumps of a sticky substance called an amyloid. Amyloid proteins are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. The chemical is then detected using a brain imaging technique called positron emission tomography, known as PET scans.

For patients who already have some symptoms of cognitive decline, a positive scan suggests that moderate to frequent amyloid plaques are present in the brain, which is consistent with Alzheimer's disease.

If the scan is negative, indicating no clumps or few clumps of amyloid, "that gives the clinician a clue that Alzheimer's is less likely to be the cause of those symptoms," according to Daniel Skovronsky, who developed the agent at Lilly. For those patients, doctors can look for other potential causes of the memory decline, which may have another prognosis or be treated differentially than Alzheimer's.

The imaging agent cannot be used to diagnose someone with Alzheimer's disease if the individual does not experience memory impairment because the presence of amyloid in the brain does not alone suggest that someone has Alzheimer's.

Before the development of imaging agents, amyloid plaques could be determined only after death, by examining the brain during an autopsy.

Some 20% of cognitively healthy older adults have been found during autopsies to have large quantities of amyloid in the brain.

"It is likely to play an important role in learning both how to diagnose and treat the disease, but it's still an open question at this point for asymptomatic people," according to Park, a behavioral and brain-sciences professor who uses Amyvid in her research on aging of healthy older adults.

Amyvid will be available in limited quantities starting in June after being approved Friday, Lilly said.

Wall Street Journal

Advanced Dementia: Why Some Skills Remain

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:23:00 GMT

A subscriber to the Johns Hopkins Memory Disorders Bulletin asked: “I recently read a newspaper interview with a famous neurologist who described the case of a musician who had completely lost his memory to dementia, yet was capable of playing piano concertos -- from memory at a professional level. Having cared for my mother, who died from Alzheimer's, I do not see how this is humanly possible. Can you please explain?”

Dr. Peter Rabins answers: “I have also observed individuals who have advanced Alzheimer's disease but can still play bridge or music. There are several plausible explanations. Most likely, the retained ability is "highly developed," that is, something the person was especially good at. Usually, there is some deterioration from the very high level at which the person could once perform, but the remaining skills are still far above average. Often, what is retained is something learned a long time ago.

In Alzheimer's disease and most dementia, new information is lost first and information that was learned long ago is retained for a much longer period. As a result, the person with dementia can play a piece of music learned many years ago, but not learn a new piece of music. In vascular dementia, the deficits are described as "patchy" because some abilities are intact and others are impaired -- the difference depends on whether a particular area of the brain has been injured or not.”

Johns Hopkins Health Alert

Protect Against Dementia with Mental Games

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:21:00 GMT

As you age, make time for games, puzzles, and handicrafts.

A new study published in BMC Medicine shows that these activities reduce the risk, and help slow down the progress of dementia in healthy elderly people.

The study revealed that healthy older adults were able to improve specific skills, such as reasoning, memory, language and hand-eye coordination with cognitive training.

Estimates show that by 2050 the number of people over 65 years old will have increased to 1.1 billion worldwide, and that 37 million of these will have dementia.

Previous research has shown that mental activity can lower a person’s risk of dementia, but the effect of cognitive training on healthy people is less well understood. To investigate this further, researchers from China studied the use of cognitive training as protection against mental decline for healthy elderly people who live independently.

Study participants were between the ages of 65 and 75 years old. For 12 weeks, the training sessions were an hour long, twice a week, and the subjects were given homework.

Training included a multiple approach system that tested memory, reasoning, problem solving, map reading, handicrafts, health education and exercise, or focused on reasoning only. “Booster training” was also provided six months later.

“Compared to the control group, who received no training, both levels of cognitive training improved mental ability, although the multifaceted training had more of a long term effect. The more detailed training also improved memory, even when measured a year later and booster training had an additional improvement on mental ability scores,” said research leaders Chunbo Li and Wenyuan Wu.

The findings show that cognitive training may prevent mental decline in healthy older people and help them live independently as they continue to age.

Psych Central

Signs That an Older Adult Needs to Stop Driving

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:42:00 GMT

Deciding when an older adult is no longer fit to drive is a challenging issue with no clear answer. When it comes to dementia, the decision can be especially tricky. Here’s advice that may help you.

Caregivers are frequently the first line of defense when it comes to reporting unsafe driving in a person with dementia, and doctors should listen to what they have to say. “Caregivers are often proven correct when they report dangerous driving,” says Peter Rabins, M.D., M.P.H., director of the division of geriatric psychiatry at Johns Hopkins. “They are more likely than the patient to give a realistic assessment of the patient’s driving abilities.”

But the most reliable measure of a dementia sufferer’s driving ability is a driving test. If a doctor has doubts about a patient’s fitness to drive, he or she may refer the patient for an on-road driving test. Some states actually mandate behind-the-wheel road tests by the Department of Motor Vehicles for older drivers to renew their licenses, while other states allow occupational therapists trained to assess driving ability to evaluate patients. States also differ in physician requirements for reporting a driver who is too impaired by dementia to drive.

Often, enforcing a decision that a person with dementia is unfit to drive comes down to the patient’s family or caregiver. Dementia patients may forget they were told not to drive or not agree with the assessment that they are unfit to drive. It’s a very difficult topic to approach, but beginning discussions about driving with the person early on, reducing the need to drive and arranging alternative transportation can help make for a smoother transition to life after driving.

How can you tell if a driver with dementia may no longer have the skills needed behind the wheel? If someone shows one or more of the signs below, it’s time to have a serious conversation with the driver and his or her doctor:

Stops in traffic for no reason or ignores traffic signs
Fails to signal or signals inappropriately
Drifts into other lanes of traffic or drives on the wrong side of the street
Becomes lost on a familiar route
Parks inappropriately
Has difficulty seeing pedestrians or other vehicles
Has difficulty making turns or changing lanes
Gets drowsy or falls asleep while driving
Lacks good judgment
Has minor accidents or near misses

Johns Hopkins Health Alert

The Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:25:00 GMT

When family members become caretakers of loved ones who suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia, they often study up on the condition.

"The more you can learn the better you're going to be and you better understand the disease."

Often used interchangeably, both dementia and Alzheimer's are forms of mental degradation. In many ways they seem the same but are actually two different medical terms.

"I tell people that it’s sort of like dementia is the team and Alzheimer's is one of the players," says Dr. Michael Raab, a geriatrician with Lee Memorial Health System.

Dementia covers a number of disorders; Alzheimer's is most common.

Alzheimer's has physical characteristics in the brain, which most other forms of dementia don't have.

"When you look at the brain, there are tangles and plaques. The Lewy Body dementias, the vascular dementias, the front dementias, none of them really have any plaques or tangles," says Dr. Raab.

What's more, Alzheimer's progression is gradual and can begin in middle age. General dementia is usually found in advanced years.

Finally, various conditions can affect different parts of the brain. Only a specialist can give you proper diagnosis.

"It takes very sophisticated testing which is what we do with our neuropsychologists, to try and differentiate the areas of thinking that have been lost," says Dr. Raab.

NBC2.com

Do Everything you can to Keep your Memory Healthy

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:20:00 GMT

While no one can promise a sure-fire treatment for memory care, there are strategies that can significantly improve your chances of keeping Alzheimer's at bay...Introducing: “How to Protect Your Memory and Brain Health”.

8 Key Strategies Focused on Saving Your Memory With Evidence-Based Research to Support Each Step

Dr. Peter V. Rabins is an acclaimed author and geriatric psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins - and one of the nation's leading experts on the care and management of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

If someone told you there were eight straightforward steps you could take to dramatically enhance your quality of life and reduce or delay your chances for memory deterioration, what would you do?

Many experts believe that once you understand your various risk factors for cognitive decline, take control of them, and follow through with the evidence-based strategies detailed in How To Protect Your Memory and Brain Health, you'll be in a better position to keep your memory strong well into later life.

For example, do you know?

What's the best way to guard your memory and prevent dementia?

If you answered, stay heart healthy, you'd be right. And Dr. Rabins explains why with evidence from recent studies in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Controlling high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are absolutely critical to cognitive function. Dr. Rabins explains how to take charge.

What are the effects of too little sleep on keeping your memory sharp?

Many of us have trouble sleeping at night. No big deal -- right? Now new studies show that getting adequate sleep plays an essential role in learning new information, relating to names, dates, faces, facts, specific events - in short forming memory.

What's so special about the Mediterranean diet?

For years the marketing and promotion of dietary supplements that claim to enhance memory have left many people confused and wary. Now recent evidence-based research reported in the Annals of Neurology suggests that people who closely follow the Mediterranean diet have a 40 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. The take-away: The food you eat, not the pills, can prevent or slow the rate of cognitive decline.

How does regular physical activity protect memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's?

Studies investigating the exercise/memory/dementia link have shown positive outcomes in recent years. Dr. Rabins provides an in-depth look at a number of key studies to show you the benefits of regular exercise... and how to incorporate exercise into your schedule.

How does stress affect memory?

We all know that living a stress-filled life is unhealthy. Turns out stress is worse for us than we thought. Johns Hopkins researchers have linked high levels of the stress hormone cortisol with poor cognitive performance in older adults. And another study, reported in the journal Neurology, found that depressed and anxious people are 40 percent more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. In this fascinating section, Dr. Rabins provides key "stress erasers" - proactive steps you can take to reduce the stress in your life.

Every day, scientists are proving that diminished memory and mental capacity are NOT inevitable - and can be slowed, halted or even reversed through good nutrition, lifestyle habits and more. Even Alzheimer's disease is not something that suddenly occurs in old age. Rather, it's a continuum of illnesses that gets its start decades earlier without any symptoms.

So it makes sense that if we could find a way to keep our brains healthier and better able to counter the damage that occurs with age, we could better the odds of preserving memory and preventing or forestalling Alzheimer's and other dementias.

A recent report from the National Institutes of Health supports this view. It provides evidence that vascular disease risk factors - including mid-life hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes - can all predispose someone to developing memory problems-even Alzheimer's.

While this may not sound like good news - it is.

Because it points the way to the importance of effective prevention strategies - strategies you can begin today to keep your brain healthier, longer.

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts

Increase Brain Health Through Fasting

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:03:00 GMT

Scientists are reporting that fasting one or two days a week can boost your brain health and increase longevity.

The study comes from the National Institute on Aging, where researchers looked at whether intermittent fasting—eating no more than 500 calories per day, one or two days per week—could help protect the brain against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other degenerative diseases. The results in both animals and humans so far have been promising.

That’s not surprising. Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic researchers reported that overeating can double the risk of memory loss in older adults. There’s increasing evidence of links between obesity, diabetes and dementia, and that things like trans fats can cause brain shrinkage.

Conversely, the effects of a low-calorie diet on longevity and brain health are well known. Rats and mice on calorie-restricted diets have increased their lifespan by up to 40%.

But consistently keeping caloric intake low is something not a lot of people have the desire or willpower to do—which is why NIA researchers want to see whether regular, short-term bursts of Calorie Reduction could have the same effect. Or maybe it could work even better. Mark Mattson, head of the NIA’s neuroscience laboratory, thinks overall calorie restriction “is not likely to be the best method of triggering” brain protection.

However, the Alzheimer’s association and many studies have proved that: ”The best way to cut down your chances of developing dementia is to combine a balanced diet with regular exercise, not smoking, and getting your blood pressure and cholesterol regularly checked.”

The research on the interplay of diet, brain health and longevity is fascinating and important. Eating for health requires an overall commitment. The upside is that cutting back on processed foods and eating a diet high in Omega-3′s, fruits, vegetables and whole grains can also boost or extend your brain’s health.

Blisstree

Walk and Keep Your Memory Strong

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:36:00 GMT

Even moderate exercise can increase the size of your brain. The best thing you can do to keep your brain healthy is to get off the couch go for a brisk walk. Just one year of walking three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that's key to memory.

Scientists know that the hippocampus begins to shrink as we age, leading to impaired memory and an increased risk of dementia. Researchers have shown that aerobic exercise can reverse the shrinkage and improve memory, a finding that builds on past evidence pointing to a relationship between fitness and brain function.

"This important study goes well beyond saying that exercise is good for older people, a statement that often leads people to roll their eyes and say, 'Of course,' " says Columbia University neurologist Scott Small, M.D. "It links exercise specifically to a way in which aging affects the brain and clearly establishes a means to slow the onset of age-related memory loss."

For the study, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Illinois, Rice University and Ohio State University recruited 120 sedentary older people without dementia.

The men and women, 55 to 80 years old who in the previous six months had participated in less than one weekly session of physical activity lasting at least 30 minutes.

The participants were randomly assigned to one of two supervised groups, either an aerobic exercise program of walking around a track for 40 minutes a day, three days a week, or a program of yoga and toning with resistance bands. They provided blood samples, had MRI brain scans and took memory tests at the beginning of the one-year study, after six months and at the end.

After the study ended, brain scans showed that the hippocampus had increased in size by about 2% among the walking group, which effectively reversed age-related loss by one to two years, while it shrank by about 1.4% in the stretching group. The exercise group also showed improved performance on a memory test and increased levels of BDNF, a protein involved in learning and memory.

This is an inexpensive and painless way to improve memory and brain health. All you need is a good pair of shoes.

AARP

Brain Games Hold of Alzheimer's Disease

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:48:00 GMT

There are brain activities that can help you prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Reading this article can help. So might writing a letter, playing a card game or going to the library.

Researchers have long believed that cognitive activity could help strengthen the brain’s defenses against Alzheimer’s disease. But a new study shows for the first time how that might work.

Test subjects who engaged in cognitive exercise over a lifetime had less of a protein that is believed to contribute to brain-cell decline in Alzheimer’s patients.

Researchers at the University of California-Berkeley used brain scans to measure the amount of beta amyloid, a protein that accumulates between nerve cells and reduces brain function.

They tested healthy young people, healthy older people and a group of Alzheimer’s patients and found that the healthy older people who exercised their brains throughout their lives had less beta amyloid built up in their brains. That means they should be less likely to develop Alzheimer’s .

“What this suggests is that lifelong cognitive engagement might have real, substantial benefits to the brain,” said Bill Jagust, a UC-Berkeley professor and a co-author of the study.

The research did not look at whether some activities were more beneficial than others. What matters is that the brain is engaged and that the benefits are greatest if the activity is started at a young age.

A bigger “cognitive reserve” could delay the onset of symptoms. The same goes for those with more education.

“You have more to destroy before you reach the threshold where ‘I’ve forgot my keys’ or ‘I can’t remember how to pay the bills.’ ”

Scharre and other OSU researchers are studying people with mild cognitive problems now, asking them to complete exercises in music, art and problem-solving, in the hopes it will improve their memory loss. Similarly, a new program at the Columbus Museum of Art is designed to help spark memories in people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The monthly program aims to give patients and their caregivers a chance to discuss works of art.

In trial runs, the art appeared to help people make connections, said Kenneth Strong, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association, Central Ohio Chapter. “It’s just amazing. They come up with things in their past that catch you off guard.”

Despite some of the data it is unclear whether exercising your brain, even from a young age, can stop Alzheimer’s. It might delay it, but it’s a “bigger leap” to think the disease could be prevented in someone who’s genetically prone.

Scharre, the Ohio State neurologist, said cognitive exercise is worth a shot. “Why not do more with your brain?” he said. “You might help society; you might help yourself. You’ll probably enjoy life more. There’s no downside.”

The Columbus Dispatch

Questions to Consider in Alzheimer's and Dementia Care

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:03:00 GMT

Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging for the person diagnosed and for their family members and loved ones. Each day can bring new demands as the Alzheimer’s patient and family tries to cope with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can often seem overwhelming, but the more information you have, the better you can handle the future. Start by learning about ways to care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as where to find support, and how to determine the long-term care options that are best suited to you and your loved one.

There are some Alzheimer’s care preparations that should be done in the early stages of the disease. It may be hard to consider these questions, however, making preparations early helps for a smoother transition for everyone. Depending on the stage of Alzheimer’s at diagnosis, it is important to include the patient in the decision-making process as much as possible.

Questions to consider in preparing for Alzheimer’s and dementia care:

Who will make healthcare/financial decisions when the person no longer can? While a difficult topic to bring up, if your loved one is still lucid enough, getting their wishes down on paper means they’ll be preserved and respected by all members of the family.

How will the memory care needs be met? Sometimes other family members assume that a spouse or nearest family member will be the caregiver, but that is not always the case. Caregiving is a large commitment that gets bigger over time. The patient will eventually need round-the-clock care. Communication is essential to make sure that the needs of the Alzheimer’s patient are met, and that the caregiver has the support to meet those needs.

Where will the person live? Is his or her home appropriate, or is it difficult to access or make safe for later? If the person is currently living alone, for example, or far from any family or other support, it may be necessary to relocate or consider an assisted living community with support and custom care plans based on the level of memory care needed.

For information on memory care in North Carolina and Virginia contact Spring Arbor.

Help Guide

More Men as Alzheimer's Caregivers

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:45:00 GMT

In the last 15 years, the number of men caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's or dementia has more than doubled, from 19 to 40%, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The trend mirrors the higher number of women over the age of 65 in the U.S. with the disease - 3.4 million compared to 1.8 million men. Those demographics have changed the tone of local support group meetings by adding a chorus of male perspectives.

It has also prompted an outpouring of new books, organizations and online resources for men learning how to be nurturers.

Experts attribute the increase in male caregivers to several societal changes, including evolving gender expectations as well as new life expectancy rates.

“Men say, 'this is hard. It's challenging, I didn't realize we would ever be at this point, but I'm not giving up,'" said Edrena Harrison, a social worker and specialist for the National Caregiving Center.

The sentiment is shared by some husbands, who find themselves making dinner, doing laundry and coordinating doctor's appointments for the first time as senior citizens.

In 2010, doctors diagnosed Patti with frontotemporal dementia. She is now unable to drive, perform simple household tasks or follow and participate in conversations.

Since then, her husband has sharpened his cooking skills. He took over the household duties and has grown used to guiding Patti through conversations with friends and family. He also joined a support group for caregivers of those with dementia to learn how to cope with and handle the new lifestyle.

He fears the day when she needs more help than he can provide, and he wants to find an assisted living facility for memory care that he can trust.

But for now, he said, he does what he can for his wife.

Philly.com

Guidelines Redefine Alzheimer's Disease

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:24:00 GMT

For the first time in almost 30 years there is a new definition for what it means to have Alzheiimer’s Disease. New guidelines were issued to diagnose the disease. It is the only leading disease that has no cure and no treatment. These new Guidelines will hopefully allow doctors to intervene faster and earlier.

for the first time, using the new guidelines, Doctors can diagnose MCI which is forgetfulness beyond natural aging. Without intervention, 80% of these patients will develop Alzheimer's disease within seven years. These people are candidates for clinical trials. Being diagnosed earlier, means intervention earlier as well as preparedness for memory care. Early detection and intervention also helps those family members that would eventually end up as care givers.

What is forgetfulness beyond normal aging? If you are concerned, or those around you are concerned, consult your physician. Watch the below video for more information on the new guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease.

video platform video management video solutions video player

Do Everything You Can to Keep your Memory Sharp as you Age

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:26:00 GMT

While no one can promise a sure-fire treatment to prevent memory loss, there are strategies that can significantly improve your chances of keeping Alzheimer's at bay.

How to Protect Your Memory and Brain Health

8 Key Strategies Focused on Saving Your Memory

Dr. Peter V. Rabins, acclaimed author and geriatric psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins - and one of the nation's leading experts on the care and management of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia and memory care.

If someone told you there were eight straightforward steps you could take to dramatically enhance your quality of life and reduce or delay your chances for memory deterioration, what would you do?

Many experts believe that once you understand your various risk factors for cognitive decline, take control of them, and follow through with the evidence-based strategies detailed in How To Protect Your Memory and Brain Health, you'll be in a better position to keep your memory strong well into later life.

For example, do you know:

What's the best way to guard your memory and prevent dementia?

If you answered, stay heart healthy, you'd be right. And Dr. Rabins explains why with evidence from recent studies in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Controlling high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are absolutely critical to cognitive function. Dr. Rabins explains how to take charge.

What are the effects of too little sleep on keeping your memory sharp?

Many of us have trouble sleeping at night. No big deal -- right? Now new studies show that getting adequate sleep plays an essential role in learning new information, relating to names, dates, faces, facts, specific events - in short forming memory.

What's so special about the Mediterranean diet?

For years the marketing and promotion of dietary supplements that claim to enhance memory have left many people confused and wary. Now recent evidence-based research reported in the Annals of Neurology suggests that people who closely follow the Mediterranean diet have a 40 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. The take-away: The food you eat, not the pills, can prevent or slow the rate of cognitive decline.

How does regular physical activity protect memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's?

Studies investigating the exercise/memory/dementia link have shown positive outcomes in recent years. Dr. Rabins provides an in-depth look at a number of key studies to show you the benefits of regular exercise... and how to incorporate exercise into your schedule.

How does stress affect memory?

We all know that living a stress-filled life is unhealthy. It turns out that stress is worse for us than we thought. Johns Hopkins researchers have linked high levels of the stress hormone cortisol with poor cognitive performance in older adults. And another study, reported in the journal Neurology, found that depressed and anxious people are 40% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. In this fascinating section, Dr. Rabins provides key "stress erasers" - proactive steps you can take to reduce the stress in your life.

Every day, scientists are proving that diminished memory and mental capacity are NOT inevitable - and can be slowed, halted or even reversed through good nutrition, lifestyle habits and more. Even Alzheimer's disease is not something that suddenly occurs in old age. Rather, it's a continuum of illnesses that gets its start decades earlier without any symptoms.

So it makes sense that if we could find a way to keep our brains healthier and better able to counter the damage that occurs with age, we could better the odds of preserving memory and preventing or forestalling Alzheimer's and other dementias.

A recent report from the National Institutes of Health supports this view. It provides evidence that vascular disease risk factors - including mid-life hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes - can all predispose someone to developing memory problems-even Alzheimer's.

While this may not sound like good news - it is.

Because it points the way to the importance of effective prevention strategies - strategies you can begin TODAY to keep your brain healthier, longer.

Original article – Johns Hopkins Health Alerts

Make Your Brain Age Resistant

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:21:00 GMT

Alzheimer's Disease isn't inevitable. Many experts now believe you can prevent or delay dementia — even if you have a genetic predisposition. Reducing Alzheimer's risk factors like obesity, diabetes, smoking and low physical activity by just 25% percent could prevent up to half a million cases of the disease in the United States.

Regular exercise can keep your brain young, reducing your need for memory care.

Here are 10 new ways you can boost your brain health now.

1) Get moving
"If you do only one thing to keep your brain young, exercise," says Art Kramer, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois. Higher exercise levels can reduce dementia risk by 30 to 40% compared with low activity levels, and physically active people tend to maintain better cognition and memory than inactive people. "They also have substantially lower rates of different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease," Kramer says.

2) Pump some iron
Older women who participated in a yearlong weight-training program at the University of British Columbia at Vancouver did 13% better on tests of cognitive function than a group of women who did balance and toning exercises.

3) Learn new skills
Learning spurs the growth of new brain cells. "When you challenge the brain, you increase the number of brain cells and the number of connections between those cells. But it's not enough to do the things you routinely do "says Keith L. Black, M.D., chair of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

4) Reduce Stress
Chronic stress floods your brain with cortisol, which leads to impaired memory. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), which involves focusing one's attention on sensations, feelings and state of mind, has been shown to reduce harmful stress hormones.

5) Eat like a Greek
A heart-friendly Mediterranean diet, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts and beans, reduced Alzheimer's risk by 34 to 48% in studies conducted by Columbia University.

These fats may be equally important for maintaining a healthy brain and memory care.

6) Spice it up
Your brain enjoys spices as much as your taste buds do. Herbs and spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, oregano, basil, parsley, ginger and vanilla are high in antioxidants, which may help build brainpower. Scientists are particularly intrigued by curcumin. Indians have lower incidence of Alzheimer's, and one theory is it's the curcumin.

7) Find your purpose
Discovering your mission in life can help you stay sharp. Participants who approached life with clear intentions and goals at the start of the study were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease over the following seven years.

8) Get a social life
Having multiple social networks helps lower dementia risk and your need for memory care. A rich social life may protect against dementia by providing emotional and mental stimulation. Other studies yield similar conclusions: Subjects in a University of Michigan study did better on tests of short-term memory after just 10 minutes of conversation with another person.

9) Reduce your risks
Chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity and hypertension are often associated with dementia. Diabetes, for example, roughly doubles the risk for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Controlling these risk factors can slow the tide.

10) Check vitamin deficiencies
Older adults don't always get all the nutrients they need from foods, because of declines in digestive acids or because their medications interfere with absorption. That vitamin deficit — particularly vitamin B12 — can also affect brain vitality.

AARP

Intellectual Activities can Prevent the Need for Memory Care as we Age

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:01:00 GMT

Reading, playing a variety of games, and doing other intellectual pursuits on a daily basis over the course of a lifetime could help prevent the formation of amyloid plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease. But for the most benefit we may need to get our brains engaged early in life - years or decades before we need memory care.

In the first study of its kind, researchers examined the amount of beta amyloid deposits in the brains of healthy seniors with no signs of dementia and found that those who reported doing daily brainy activities from the age of 6 onward had very low levels of amyloid plaque - on par with of an average person in their early 20s. Those who do not engage in intellectual activities had higher plaque levels, according to the study.

This could mean that by the time people need memory care, it may be too late to prevent further progression of Alzheimer’s.

“It was fascinating to see that those who do not have high levels of cognitive activity had high levels of these plaques,’’ said study leader Susan Landau, a research scientist at the University of California-Berkeley’s Neuroscience Institute. “We assume many of the healthy people with amyloid plaques will go on to develop Alzheimer’s later on, though the imaging technology hasn’t been around long enough to confirm this.’’

Previous research indicates that the plaque forms in areas of the brain associated with default behaviors that we do automatically, such as brushing our teeth or driving a car while we’re daydreaming.

“I think it’s a little too early to say that there is a cause and effect relationship, but the finding is intriguing,’’ Sperling said, and “I definitely think there’s enough data now to encourage’’ people to make lifestyle changes - the earlier, the better.

Researchers discovered some time ago that the kinds of learning activities most beneficial for reducing the need of memory care as we age combines physical activity, social networking, and learning a new skill.

It is also clear that there’s a genetic component involved in the need for memory care as we age. Sperling said, “But [genes] could play a much stronger role in those who develop Alzheimer’s before age 65’’ compared with those who develop it a decade or two later.

Original article – BostonGlobe.com

How to Have the Conversation about Moving to Assisted Living

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:02:00 GMT

Many wonder how to begin talking about moving towards assisted living with their family and loved one. This is a very important and very difficult conversation. It is critical to have this conversation in the right way at the right time in order to make this decision the right way.

You need to prepare yourself for this conversation by knowing what the options are. Have some ideas on how to have the discussion with your loved ones and how to address the need for care.

Be prepared:
Acknowledge to your parent or loved one, and to yourself, that this is not an easy conversation. This will be a big change. You and your parents or senior loved one need to address this change while they can still talk about it and participate in the decision making process.

Know your options:
Prior to starting the conversation, understand what options are within the realm of possibility for you and your parents. Perhaps meet with a geriatric care manager, visit some assisted living communities and become educated on home care options. This way you can be prepared with information for your loved one and together you can make lists of the pro’s and con’s of each solution.

Discussion:
To begin the conversation with your senior loved one, acknowledge that the conversation is not easy, but let them know why you (and your siblings) believe the conversation is important. It is very important to be straight forward with your concerns but respectful of your parents fears and concerns. Be sure to plan on having an active discussion with your parents. Let them participate in the conversation. Keep in mind that you most likely won't reach a resolution in the first conversation. The first conversation is a way to opening the door to future conversations. Most likely the topic will have to be revisited.

For information on Spring Arbor Living in North Carolina and Virginia, contact us.

Alzheimer's Prevention Tips from a Specialist

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:23:00 GMT

They're often called middle-aged pauses or senior moments. One of the country's leading memory experts says that by age 45 people start having memory lapses, but you can do something about it. "People have more control than they think when it comes to their brain health," Dr. Gary Small says.

He is the director of the UCLA Longevity Center and has written "The Alzheimer's Prevention Program," which includes a simple memory-improving technique called "Look Snap Connect."

In the following video Dr. Small gives some ideas on how to prevent or hold off Alzheimer's Disease.

Original article KSEE news

A Healthy Brain and Body Can Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:45:00 GMT

Right now there is no way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. The health of the body and brain depends on both lifestyle factors that are within your control. It also depends on genetic factors. However, new research reveals that lifestyle factors play an even more significant role in protecting the brain as we age.

In fact, a brain-healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a heart-healthy diet are critical elements for Alzheimer’s prevention.

Regular physical exercise reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 50%. Regular exercise can also slow deterioration in those who have already started to develop cognitive problems. Try for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five or more times per week.

Additionally, moderate levels of weight training increase muscle mass and help maintain brain health. Combining aerobics and strength training is much better than either activity alone.

Falls and the resulting head injuries are more likely as people age, which increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, balance and coordination exercises like yoga and Tai Chi can help with agility and fall prevention.

Maintaining a healthy diet is important in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. A heart- and brain-healthy diet that is rich in fish, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, and lots fresh produce.

Evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, trout and sardines may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Fish oil supplements are also a good source for omega-3s. In addition, it’s best to reduce consumption of full-fat dairy products, red meat, fast food, fried foods, and both packaged and processed foods.

Original article - Empowerher

Ways to Hold Off Dementia

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:27:00 GMT

Recently, researchers looking into cognitive decline and dementia have made encouraging findings. Although it was believed that the adult brain could not develop new neurons (or brain cells), scientists have learned in the past decade or so that the human brain is pliable and adaptive. The brain can actually add new neurons even late in life and continually form new connections among existing neurons -- a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity.

This means that while an aging brain may have signs of damage, initially it can often compensate for them. And engaging in mentally stimulating activities like reading, taking a class or playing board games is one way to bolster this process.

This compensation process depends on your "cognitive reserve," the extra, perhaps unused, amount of cognitive ability that can make up for the loss of brain functioning when your brain shows signs of dementia due to the death of cells and their replacement by beta-amyloid plaques. Genetics, early childhood stimulation and education level can influence cognitive reserve but are essentially immutable once you're an adult.

Fortunately, studies have found that you can also increase your cognitive reserve and delay the onset of dementia through a variety of intellectually stimulating leisure activities in middle and later life.

A study in the journal Neurology found that among 101 people who eventually developed dementia, those who frequently participated in one or more activities, such as reading, writing, doing crossword puzzles, playing card or board games, having group discussions or playing music experienced memory decline more than one year later than those who participated in these activities less often. These pursuits built cognitive reserve and delayed dementia as much as a higher education level did.

It's worth noting that researchers have discovered that watching television is a passive activity that doesn't really stimulate the mind at all; on the contrary, watching television is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline. One study found that TV watchers were 10% more likely than non-watchers to experience cognitive impairments over a five-year period. A possible explanation: Time spent in front of the TV means less time for the mental, social and physical activities that can help delay dementia.

Original article – Johns Hopkins Health Alert

Your Diet and Alzheimer's Disease

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:16:00 GMT

Alzheimer’s Disease, more and more people are trying to figure out how to prevent it, or at least, hold it off. Does eating a lot of fish and few processed foods really help protect against Alzheimer’s disease? A new study suggests that nutrition could play almost as strong a role as age, number of years of education, and high blood pressure, but not quite as much of a role as inherited genes.

In the study published in the journal Neurology, researchers measured the level of nutrients in the blood of nearly 300 seniors and found that those who had high levels of vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids - both found in salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish - high levels of vitamins C, E, and B - antioxidants found in fruits, nuts, and green leafy vegetables - appeared to have somewhat more protection against early symptoms of Alzheimer’s. They were less likely to have cognitive difficulties, memory problems, and brain shrinkage - an indicator of Alzheimer’s - than those who had low levels of these nutrients.

The researchers also found that those who had blood markers that indicated high levels of trans fats - margarine and other partially-hydrogenated oils used in doughnuts, cookies, and other processed foods - were more likely to have memory loss and brain shrinkage.

This study may have more strength than previous studies in that it verified dietary patterns through blood measurements rather than relying on dietary recall questionnaires, which can be unreliable.

“These results need to be confirmed, but obviously it is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet,’’ said study author Gene Bowman, a professor of public health at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

Taking Care of Parents with Alzheimer's

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:00:00 GMT

Today, a growing number of adult children are taking care of their aging parents with Alzheimer's. While most families cope well with the added responsibility, the primary caregivers, usually the women, suffer from stress and often neglect their own health.

Many adult children feel as though they can take care of parents, and they don’t realize the difficulties and the stresses that are involved. They also don’t understand how challenging it will become over time.

Experts say the numbers of adult children taking care of their parents will increase as people live longer. According to a 2011 study by MetLife Mature Market Institute, there are nearly 10 million children over the age of 50 who care for their parents. That figure has more than tripled over the past 15 years.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the demand for informal caregivers - family, friends and neighbors - is expected to grow by more than 20% in the next 15 years as baby boomers age.

As life expectancy increases, it will increase the responsibility of caregivers.

Trying to meet the needs of kids and the patient with Alzheimer's is pretty challenging for caregivers with families. The difficulty for families is in finding a compromise that allows Alzheimer’s patients to remain on their own like they want, yet making sure that they are receiving proper care.

Adult children should prepare a care plan for their elderly parents' when it becomes apparent that the parents are beginning to have difficulty taking care of them.

If adult children don't have a plan for how to deal with those challenges, they are going to end up in a crisis situation. If they're able, older adult parents should have some say in the plan before Alzheimer’s or dementia gets too far along.

For information on Alzheimer’s care in your area, contact Spring Arbor Living.

Do Everything you Can to Keep your Memory Sharp as you Get Older

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:18:00 GMT

While no one can promise a sure-fire treatment to prevent memory loss, there are strategies that can significantly improve your chances of keeping Alzheimer's at bay.

Dr. Peter V. Rabins, acclaimed author and geriatric psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins, wrote “How to Protect Your Memory and Brain Health, 8 Key Strategies Focused on Saving Your Memory With Evidence-Based Research to Support Each Step.”

He is one of the nation's leading experts on the care and management of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Dr. Peter V. Rabins writes about eight steps to dramatically enhance your quality of life and reduce or delay your chances for memory deterioration.

Many experts believe that once you understand your various risk factors for cognitive decline, take control of them, and follow through with the evidence-based strategies detailed in How To Protect Your Memory and Brain Health, you'll be in a better position to keep your memory strong well into later life.
For example, do you know:

What's the best way to guard your memory and prevent dementia?

Stay heart healthy. Controlling high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease are absolutely critical to cognitive function.

What are the effects of too little sleep on keeping your memory sharp?

Many of us have trouble sleeping at night. Now new studies show that getting adequate sleep plays an essential role in learning new information, relating to names, dates, faces, facts, specific events - in short forming memory.

What's so special about the Mediterranean diet?

For years the marketing and promotion of dietary supplements that claim to enhance memory have left many people confused and wary. Now recent evidence-based research reported in the Annals of Neurology suggests that people who closely follow the Mediterranean diet have a 40 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. The take-away: The food you eat, not the pills, can prevent or slow the rate of cognitive decline.

How does regular physical activity protect memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's?

Studies investigating the exercise/memory/dementia link have shown positive outcomes in recent years. There are benefits of regular exercise, incorporate exercise into your schedule.

How does stress affect memory?

We all know that living a stress-filled life is unhealthy. It turns out that stress is worse for us than we thought. Johns Hopkins researchers have linked high levels of the stress hormone cortisol with poor cognitive performance in older adults. And another study, reported in the journal Neurology, found that depressed and anxious people are 40% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment.

Every day, scientists are proving that diminished memory and mental capacity are NOT inevitable - and can be slowed, halted or even reversed through good nutrition, lifestyle habits and more. Even Alzheimer's disease is not something that suddenly occurs in old age. Rather, it's a continuum of illnesses that gets its start decades earlier without any symptoms.

So it makes sense that if we could find a way to keep our brains healthier and better able to counter the damage that occurs with age, we could better the odds of preserving memory and preventing or forestalling Alzheimer's and other dementias.

A recent report from the National Institutes of Health supports this view. It provides evidence that vascular disease risk factors - including mid-life hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes - can all predispose someone to developing memory problems-even Alzheimer's.

While this may not sound like good news - it is.

Because it points the way to the importance of effective prevention strategies - strategies you can begin TODAY to keep your brain healthier, longer.

Original Article – Johns Hopkins

Checklist For Evaluating Alzheimers Assisted Living Communities

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:13:00 GMT

What Should I Look for in an Assisted Living Community?
The following checklist will help you and your family evaluate assisted living facilities.

Assisted Living Consumer Checklist

General Concerns

Does the assisted living community meet local and/or state licensing requirements?
What is the policy on insurance and personal property?
What is the procedure for responding to a medical emergency?
Are visitors welcome at any time?

Needs Assessment

Is there a written plan for the care of each resident?
What is the procedure for assessing a potential resident's need for service? Are those needs reassessed periodically?
Can a resident be discharged for refusing to comply with a care plan?

Contracts, Costs, and Finances

Is a contract agreement available to include accommodations, personal care, health care, and support services?
When may a contract be terminated and what is the refund policy?
Are additional services available if the resident's needs change?
How do you pay for additional services that are needed on a temporary basis (such as nursing care)?
Are there different costs for various levels or categories of services?
Are there any government, private, or corporate programs available to help cover the cost of services to the resident?
What are the billing, payment, and credit policies?
May a resident handle his or her own finances with staff assistance (if able), or should a family member or outside party be designated to do so?

Professional Staff

Is staff appropriately trained?
Did you receive a warm greeting from staff? Are staff members personable and outgoing?
Is staff appropriately dressed?
Do staff members greet residents by their first names and interact warmly with them?
Is staff available to meet scheduled and unscheduled needs?
Is staff available to assist residents who experience memory, orientation, or judgment losses?

Residents and Atmosphere

Do residents socialize with each other and appear happy and comfortable?
Do residents, other visitors, and volunteers speak favorably about the facility?
Do the residents seem to be appropriate housemates for you or your loved one?

Assisted Living Facility Design

Do you like the appearance of the building and its surroundings?
Is the decor attractive and home-like?
Is the floor plan easy to follow?
Do doorways, hallways, and rooms accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
Are elevators available?
Are handrails available to aid in walking?
Are cupboards and shelves easy to reach?
Are carpets secured and floors made of a non-skid material?
Is there good natural and artificial lighting?
Is the residence clean, odor free, and appropriately heated and cooled?

Medication and Health Care

What is the residence policy regarding storage of medicines, assistance with medicines, and medicine record-keeping?
Is self-administration of medicine allowed?
Who coordinates visits from a nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or other specialist if needed?
Does a doctor or nurse visit the residents regularly to provide medical checkups?

Services

Is staff available to provide 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living, if needed? Do daily activities include:
Dressing
Eating
Mobility
Hygiene and grooming
Bathing, toileting, and incontinence assistance
Using the telephone
Shopping
Laundry
Housekeeping in unit
Transportation to doctor, hairdresser, or other activities

Features of Individual Units

Are different sizes and types of units available?
Are units for single and double occupancy available?
Do residents have their own lockable doors?
Is a 24-hour emergency response system accessible from the unit?
Are bathrooms private? Do they accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
Can residents bring their own furnishings? What may they bring?
Do all units have a telephone, internet access, and cable television? How is billing handled for these services?
Is a kitchen area/unit provided with a refrigerator, sink, and cooking element?
May residents keep food in their units?
May residents smoke in their units? May they smoke in public areas?

Social and Recreational Activities

Is there an activities program?
Do residents participate in the neighboring community's activities?
Do volunteers, including family members, come into the residence to conduct or help with programs?
Does the facility require residents to undertake any chores or perform specific activities that benefit all residents?
Are residents' pets allowed in the unit? Who is responsible for pet care?
Does the residence have its own pets?

Food Service

Does the residence provide three nutritionally balanced meals a day, seven days a week?
Are snacks available?
May a resident request special foods?
Are common dining areas available?
May residents eat meals in their units?
May meals be provided at times the resident prefers or are there set meal times?

Checklist by WebMD

How to Consider Alzheimer's Assisted Living Communities

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:35:00 GMT

Assisted living communities provide a type of housing for people who need various levels of medical and personal care. The goal of Spring Arbor Living is to provide a home-like setting and is designed to promote the patients’ independence. Services are offered to assist residents with daily living.

What Services Do Assisted Living Communities Provide?
Generally the services provided by assisted living communities vary from facility to facility. Services in various facilities often include:

One to three meals a day
Monitoring of medication
Personal care, including dressing and bathing
Housekeeping and laundry
24-hour emergency care
Varying medical services
Social and recreational activities

How Can I Know What Services my Loved One Needs?
Talk with your family, caregivers and patient about what services are needed from an Alzheimer’s Care Facility. Take time to consider what services are important before you visit the assisted living communities. This will help ease the transition. Think about these questions:

How soon do you want/need to change the patients’ residence?
What daily activities do they need help with (bathing, dressing, toileting, eating)?
How often do they need help?

For more information or to set up an appointment contact Spring Arbor Living in your area.

Music Helps Those with Dementia

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:15:00 GMT

Music therapy can enhance the quality of life for people with conditions ranging from dementia and cancer to chronic pain. Such therapy may involve listening or performing sessions designed by music therapists and based on the individual needs and interests of patients. But caregivers and family members also can connect with loved ones through music — whether by playing or singing favorite songs together or by dancing.

Especially for families living with Alzheimer's, the lyrics of the traditional German song apply: "All things shall perish from under the sky. Music alone shall live…never to die."

Music can help lower stress for people with Alzheimer's, says Alicia Clair, director of music education and music therapy at the University of Kansas. Active in the field for 40 years, Clair specializes in older patients with dementia and veterans who have experienced traumatic brain injury.

Use music to stay connected to a loved one with dementia..

Original article AARP

Could Your Parent have Alzheimer's?

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:54:00 GMT

It's normal for people to become more forgetful as they age. So how can we tell the difference between a senior moment and Alzheimer's disease? One in eight people 65 and older have this form of dementia. In its first stages, Alzheimer's may not be obvious to friends and family. But there are some early warning signs to watch for.

Warning Sign: Memory and Speech
In early Alzheimer's, long-term memories usually remain intact and short-term memories become sketchy. Your loved one may forget conversations you had or questions that were already answered. Alzheimer’s disrupts speech, so patients may struggle to remember common words.

Warning Sign: Behavior
In addition to memory loss, Alzheimer's can cause confusion and behavior changes. They may get lost in familiar places. Poor hygiene, mood swings and poor judgment are also common. Those who once cared for their appearance may begin to dress in stained clothes and have unwashed hair.

Don't Ignore the Signs
While it's difficult to face the possibility that a loved one could have Alzheimer's, visiting a doctor sooner rather than later is better. The diagnosis might not be Alzheimer's after all relieving you of unnecessary stress. And if it is Alzheimer's, treatments work best when they are used early in the course of the disease.

Alzheimer's Progression: What to Expect
Alzheimer's shows differently in every patient. In some the symptoms worsen quickly, leading to severe memory loss and confusion within a few years. In others, the changes may be more gradual with the disease taking 20 years to run its course. The average length of survival after a diagnosis of Alzheimer's is three to nine years.

How Alzheimer's Affects Daily Life
Because Alzheimer's affects concentration, patients may lose the ability to manage ordinary tasks. A study suggests difficulty balancing a checkbook is often one of the first effects of Alzheimer's. As the symptoms worsen, your loved one may not recognize familiar people or places. They may get lost easily, or use utensils improperly. Incontinence, balance problems, and loss of language are common in the advanced stages.

Alzheimer's and Exercise
Exercise can help Alzheimer's patients maintain some muscle strength and coordination. It also improves mood and may reduce anxiety. Check with your loved one's doctor to learn which types of exercise are appropriate. Repetitive activities, such as walking, weeding, or even folding laundry may be the most effective at promoting a sense of calm.

Assisted Living Facilities
There may come a day when your loved one can no longer be cared for at home. An assisted-living facility may be an appropriate choice, or a facility with levels of Alzheimer's care, so the services the facility provides can progress with the patient. Assisted Living Communities provide housing, meals, and activities. Look for a facility with an Alzheimer's special care unit, which delivers 24-hour supervision and personal care to meet the needs of people with dementia.

Original article WebMD

Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease Patients

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:35:00 GMT

If you have Parkinson's disease, your body fails to produce enough dopamine, a substance necessary for smooth and coordinated movements. This loss of dopamine leads to the signature symptoms of Parkinson's disease: rhythmical shaking (tremor), stiffness, shuffling, slowness of movement, balance problems, small or cramped handwriting, loss of facial expression and soft, mumbled speech.

Although Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder affecting movement, it is also associated with an often overlooked psychological condition known as cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment can affect your memory and attention span as well as your ability to plan and organize. Many patients already have some degree of cognitive impairment when first diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

As Parkinson's disease advances, the ability to recognize people and objects and communicate with others becomes increasingly difficult, especially in the later stages. Some experts believe that nearly all patients with Parkinson's disease will ultimately develop some degree of cognitive impairment.

The challenge of diagnosing cognitive impairment: Diagnosing cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease patients is difficult because it’s often hard to tell whether certain symptoms are due to Parkinson's disease or another form of dementia. For instance, significant cognitive impairment could arise from Lewy body dementia rather than Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.

Lewy body dementia is associated with the abnormal accumulation in the brain of alpha-synuclein -- a protein whose function in healthy brains is still unknown. Alpha-synuclein is of great interest to researchers because it is a major constituent of Lewy bodies, the protein clumps that are a hallmark of Parkinson's. Scientists now believe that Lewy body dementia -- not Alzheimer's disease -- is responsible for most cases of dementia in Parkinson's disease patients.

Caring for patients with Parkinson's disease when there are no signs of cognitive impairment is already a complex task. But caring for Parkinson's patients when evidence of cognitive impairment is present is even more complicated. Some medications commonly used to treat classic Parkinson's disease, such as levodopa, can worsen cognitive impairment and trigger bizarre behavior. Other drugs, such as anti-psychotics (neuroleptics), can paradoxically increase hallucinations, delusions and agitation in Parkinson's disease patients who also have dementia.

Original article – Johns Hopkins Health Alert

Research Update: Dementia Linked to Atrial Fibrillation

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:05:00 GMT

As our population ages, people with chronic cardiovascular disease, including atrial fibrillation (or irregular heartbeat), are living longer. In a study reported in the journal Heart Rhythm (Volume 7, page 433) researchers reported that atrial fibrillation may be associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Over 37,000 people, average age 60, from the ongoing Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study database were evaluated for signs of atrial fibrillation and for Alzheimer's disease or vascular, senile or nonspecific dementia. During an average of five years' follow-up, 4 percent developed dementia and 27 percent developed atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation was associated with each of the four types of dementia, independent of other cardiovascular diseases. The youngest group with atrial fibrillation (under age 70) had the highest risk of dementia; dementia is linked to older age, so this finding suggests the relationship between atrial fibrillation and dementia is particularly strong. Atrial fibrillation was also linked with the highest risk of death.

Take away: Because subjects with atrial fibrillation were identified as having higher risks of dementia and death, people with cardiovascular diseases -- who are urged to consider measures like diet, exercise, medication and avoiding tobacco for their heart disease -- might want to take these steps also to prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer's.

All the facts you need to make informed decisions if you have to confront Alzheimer's disease -- the most common cause of dementia

Written by Dr. Peter V. Rabins, director of the Division of Geriatric and Neuropsychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Medical Editor of the Johns Hopkins Memory Bulletin, Diagnosing and Treating Alzheimer's Disease is an indispensable resource for anyone concerned about Alzheimer's disease. This new report provides all the facts you need to make informed decisions if you have to confront Alzheimer's disease. You'll learn how Alzheimer's is currently diagnosed ... the existing drugs that are used to treat it ... and various new therapies that may someday provide better treatment.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer's

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:24:00 GMT

With the passage of time, most of us will notice changes in our memory or thinking. Forgetfulness is a normal part of getting older, but dementia and Alzheimer's disease is not.

Yet, with good reason, we all worry.

Today, one in ten people 65 and older has Alzheimer's disease - about 5 million people. Yet only half of these people have actually been diagnosed with the disease. The rest don't even know they have it! And it's estimated that by 2050 as many as 16 million people will have Alzheimer's.

We read these statistics and wonder if and when it will it happen to me or someone in my family?"

If you're concerned because you've experienced recurring "senior moments". . . if you have any history of Alzheimer's or related memory disorders in your family. . . if a loved one has been showing signs of memory loss that concern you. . . if you are caring for someone recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's and are wondering about a new drug or therapy. . . it is critically important to learn everything you can about the disease so you can make informed decisions about getting the correct Alzheimer’s care, diagnosis and treatment. Partner with your doctor effectively, ask the right questions, and understand the answers.

For most people, Alzheimer's progresses very slowly. Deterioration of thinking, memory, and judgment are gradual. So you have time to learn about Alzheimer's, to make the best treatment choices, and to plan for the future.

Where Does Normal Forgetfulness End and Mild Cognitive Impairment Begin?

Some experts think that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the earliest manifestation of Alzheimer's. There is no definitive test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s - but clinical information from the patient's history and mental status exams are accurate about 90% of the time.

After screening for Alzheimer's, then what? Currently, there are 4 "symptomatic therapies" for Alzheimer's disease - drugs that can improve symptoms better than a placebo, but cannot cure patients or reverse the disease. Researchers estimate that only about 15% of Alzheimer’s patients actually take these medications.

Information from Johns Hopkins

Evidence of the Relationship Between Alzheimer's and Type II Diabetes is Growing

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:41:00 GMT

There is growing evidence between type II diabetes and the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The evidence is even more pronounced now after a Japanese study. People with Diabetes are more than 35% more likely to develop Alzheimer's and those with the most severe diabetes have triple that risk.

There are some proteins that are controlled by insulin that also control the buildup of the material in the brain that causes Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that insulin delivered directly to the brain with a special device through inhalation may treat Alzheimer’s, but it will take years for large studies to prove if this is an effective treatment. Type II diabetes affects millions of Americans.

Diet and Exercise are still the best answer at this point to preventing Type II diabetes, which directly relates to Alzheimer’s disease. The hope is that the link between diabetes and Alzheimer's will persuade Americans who were considering lifestyle changes to make those changes. Subscribe to the Spring Arbor Living Blog for regular information on Alzheimer's Disease, Treatment and Alzheimer's Care.

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Very Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:49:00 GMT

Memory problems are typically one of the first warning signs of cognitive loss, possibly due to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Some people with memory problems have a condition called amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). People with this condition have more memory problems than normal for people their age, but their symptoms are not as severe as those seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Other recent studies have found links between some movement difficulties and MCI.

Researchers also have seen links between MCI and some problems with the sense of smell. The ability of people with MCI to perform normal daily activities is not significantly impaired. However, more older people with MCI, compared with those without MCI, go on to develop Alzheimer’s.

A decline in other areas of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists are looking to see whether brain imaging and biomarker studies of people with MCI and those with a family history of Alzheimer’s, can detect early changes in the brain like those seen in Alzheimer’s.

Initial studies indicate that early detection using biomarkers and imaging may be possible, but findings will need to be confirmed by other studies before these techniques can be used to help with diagnosis in everyday medical practice.

These and other studies offer hope that someday we may have tools that could help detect Alzheimer’s early, track the course of the disease, and monitor response to treatments.

Excerpt – National Institute on Aging

Tips for Caregiver Stress

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:57:00 GMT

Taking care of a relative suffering from Alzheimer’s can be trying, stressful and emotional as the disease progresses.

Yet many families want to keep their relative close, and provide the best care they can from home. It’s important to remember, however, that you can’t care for someone else if you get too run down yourself.

Here are some tips for caregivers that can help you stay healthy and be better able to provide the patience and understanding necessary to the care of their loved one.

1. Share the responsibility. Being the sole person responsible for your loved one’s care can be too much. When you’re run down, stressed out or frustrated you won’t be a good caregiver, and you won’t be doing yourself any favors. Going on too long without a break can lead to emotional and physical health deterioration in your health. Get other family members to help so you have time to yourself as well.

2. Take time for yourself. Make time for the activities that you love at least once a week. Lowering your stress levels will reduce your risk of illnesses and make you feel mentally better. You also want to make sure that you’re nurturing your relationship with your children and family. Caring for a loved one takes a lot of time, but spend time with others as well.

3. Don’t blame yourself. When caring for someone with a disease like Alzheimer’s, accidents will inevitably happen now and again no matter how careful you are. Don’t put all the blame on yourself and further stress yourself out. If you’re doing the best you can, understand that you cannot plan for or prevent every possibility. Learning to relax a little and step back will give you some perspective and lower your stress levels.

4. Join a support group. Don’t go through the stress of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s alone. Caretakers can find support groups. There are numerous websites and blogs dedicated to providing advice, support and laughs to lighten the mood. Finding emotional support is key to keeping yourself mentally healthy and able to care for your loved one.

While being a caregiver can sometimes feel like an all-consuming task, it’s important to pull out a few moments each day to think about yourself and your health. If you are happy, healthy you will be able to provide care and take care of your life as well.

Understand that there are Alzheimer’s care facilities that can meet your needs where your loved one can be happy. Contact Spring Arbor Living in your area for information when the time comes where you feel you or your loved one may be better off with professional care.

Original article – Alzheimer’s Reading Room

When it is Time to Choose an Alzheimers Care Facility

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:25:00 GMT

Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementing disease afflicting the elderly. There are approximately 4 million people suffering from this disease. The millions of people who suffer from this disease must be cared for either at home or in a care facility.

Caring for an Alzheimer's patient at home

About two thirds of those suffering from this disease are cared for at home by family, usually a spouse. As the disease progresses it carries with it a huge burden both physically and psychologically on the care givers. It is vital that the care giver access support systems that can provide reassurance, support groups, literature and strategies for coping with someone who has the disease.

Too often the strain becomes too much for a spouse trying to cope all alone with an Alzheimer's sufferer and they themselves have a physical or mental breakdown.

Choosing the right type of care facility

As the burden of care increases many families seek care for their family member outside the home. Finding the right Alzheimer’s care facility can be a difficult process encompassing many concerns.

Understanding the level and type of care facility where your family member is most appropriately cared for is critical. Choosing Assisted Living communities with levels of care is important. Too often families will place an Alzheimer sufferer at the wrong level, either in a facility that offers more assistance than the family member needs or worse making the family member cope with living in a facility that doesn't have the necessary support services required to meet their needs.

Contact Spring Arbor in your area. We understand the needs of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease we can match their needs with our custom care plans.

Easing the Transition for Alzheimer's Patients to Assisted Living

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:13:00 GMT

Transitioning from home to a residential care community can be challenging for both caregivers and for Alzheimer’s patients.

Here's how to make the move easier:

Due diligence. Caregivers need to have much comfort in their choice of assisted living communities. Unfortunately, the quality of these settings varies greatly. Your decision should be based on three important factors: Is there a dementia care unit staffed by professionals with specific dementia training? Does the facility have locations close enough to your home and/or work to allow for visitation at a level that is best for your family? Does the facility meet the specific medical, social, therapeutic and emotional needs of your loved one?

Understand the emotions. An individual with dementia may not be able to fully appreciate what is happening or the long-term implications of relocating to a care facility. They may react to your emotional state during the move. Also, the new surroundings can be overwhelming and confusing, but this will subside in a few days or a week. Give them time to acclimate and to get used to the staff.

Provide input. Share your knowledge of the patient with the staff, including the unit nurse, social worker and nutritionist prior to admission. Employees need time to learn about the medical condition, temperament, behavior patterns, likes and dislikes, of your loved one.

Talk about it. The level of disclosure to your loved one about the upcoming move is a decision you need to make based on your knowledge of their ability to understand. Be patient and understanding and allow them a chance to voice their concerns. Offer reassurance of your plans for regular visitation.

Prepare the room. Plan to have the room set up before they move in. Bring familiar objects, but nothing of value that could be misplaced or damaged. Label clothing and personal items.

Be by their side. Accompany your loved one to the Alzheimer's care facility for the actual move, and repeatedly explain that they will be okay and that you are there to help. You may want to stay for the day and have dinner together. When it is time to go, explain that you have to leave for a while, but will return as soon as you can. Assure them that they will be fine.

Check in regularly. Monitor the care of your loved one on a regular basis, and advocate on his behalf with the staff and administration.

Think about yourself. Tap your network of family and friends for emotional comfort. And seek support from others who have been through this situation. Spring Arbor Living hosts many events where you can find support.

Original article – Alzheimer’s Foundation

When to Move an Alzheimer's Patient

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:12:00 GMT

Alzhiemer’s caregivers will almost always be faced with the realization that they can no longer care for their loved one in their home. The challenge is knowing when and how to make that transition to an assisted living community, and how to prepare for it.

Circumstances change almost daily for the Alzheimer's patient, their families and their caregivers. Planning ahead is very difficult.

There is no way to predict the progression of this disease. Each individual is different, different symptoms, different behaviors, and different time lapses between each.

Not all Alzheimer’s patients become violent, but some do. And taking care of a violent patient is not a matter of endurance and stamina. It’s safety. A loved one needs to be moved to an assisted living facility if they are violent. For the security of all, patient and caregiver alike, an Alzheimer’s patient who becomes violent must be moved to a more secure assisted living community, a setting that is safe and comfortable.

The patient has no idea what they’re doing. They would be devastated if they understood the danger they had become to family and caregivers. An Alzheimer's care facility should be considered under these circumstances.

Later in the stages of Alzheimer’s they may need more medical treatment than the caregiver is able to provide.

Many Alzheimer’s patients need protection. An assisted living community can keep patients safe in a well protected area and beautiful environment that provides activities for Alzheimer's patients that keep them healthy and happy longer.

Moving Alzheimer's Patients From Their Homes

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:03:00 GMT

Moving a parent or loved one who has Alzheimer's Disease into an assisted living community is not an easy task.

Moving is difficult for anyone. But, for those with Alzheimer's disease, a changed routine and an unfamiliar environment can be extremely stressful. If you're moving someone with Alzheimer's into an assisted living community, make the transition as comfortable as possible.

Plan First

If possible, talk to them about their future living arrangements while they can still make choices. Explore all of the Alzheimer's patient's housing options together. It may be harder for you to guess later about what your loved one would want.

If your parent will be moving to a care facility, visit frequently before the move. Speak with the staff about your parent’s background and special needs as well as medical and mental health history, including a detailed medication list.

Make their Space Familiar

Before the move, make your parent’s new home look and feel as familiar as possible. Decorate the area with a treasured quilt, a shelf with special items, a favorite chair or other meaningful possessions. Familiar belongings can trigger feelings of ownership and boost your loved one's sense of security.

Also stock the space with pictures of family and friends, memory books or photo albums. Reminiscing about the past can help a person who has Alzheimer's bring important memories into the present. Label the pictures to help staff members or others identify the people in your loved one's life and encourage conversations about the past.

However, be careful with heirlooms and priceless or irreplaceable items.

Moving day

On moving day, follow your loved one's normal routine as much as possible. If possible, make the move during your loved one's best time of day. whether it's morning or afternoon. While you're moving, do your best to stay positive. Your attitude can help your loved one feel safe and secure in the new environment.

Once your loved one is settled, spend extra time with him or her. Encourage friends and loved ones to visit frequently as well. Extra care and attention can help ease your loved one's transition to the new home or facility.

For questions about Alzheimer’s assisted living communities, and what to look for in a care facility, contact Spring Arbor Living in your area.

Things to Remember when Visiting Someone with Alzheimer's Disease

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:34:00 GMT

If you have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, visits are hard. You may try to convince yourself that you don’t need to go; they don’t know you are there. But visitors are important to people with Alzheimer's. They may not always remember that you came, or who you are, but the human connection has value. If you or someone you know is planning on visiting someone with the disease in an assisted living community, here are some ideas.

Visit at the time of day when the person with Alzheimer's is at his or her best.
Bring along an activity, something familiar to read or photo albums to look at, but be prepared to skip it if necessary.
Be calm and quiet. Don’t talk loudly or talk to the patient as if they are a child.
Respect the patient’s space, don’t get too close.
Try to establish eye contact and call the person by name to get his or her attention.
Remind the person who you are if he or she doesn’t seem to recognize you.
Don't argue if the person is confused. Be responsive to their feelings. Distract the patient to a different topic if needed.
Please don’t take it personally if your loved one doesn’t recognize you, is unkind, or responds angrily. They are reacting out of confusion.

For information on Alzheimer’s Care, contact Spring Arbor Living in your area.

Abdominal Fat and Dementia

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:50:00 GMT

Gaining weight, especially in the midsection, has been associated with a number of health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. New research suggests that you can add shrinking brain size, an indication of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, to that list.

Using data collected from 733 healthy participants with an average age 60, investigators looked at the associations among body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, amount of subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat and four different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based measurements of brain volume.

Researchers discovered that although all of the assessments of weight were linked with a reduction in brain volume to some degree, the link was strongest between abdominal fat and decreased brain volume. This association was independent of BMI and measurements of insulin resistance. The study was reported in the Annals of Neurology.

This finding sheds some light on the mechanisms that underlie the association between weight gain and dementia, which is still not well understood. People who are concerned about dementia should take steps to lower their amount of abdominal fat.

Original article - Johns Hopkins

The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:50:00 GMT

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the signs of Alzheimer’s Disease, please see a doctor. Early diagnosis gives you a chance to seek treatment and come up with a plan for the future.

Memory loss that disrupts daily life
One of the most common signs of Alzheimer's is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides or family members for things they used to handle on their own.

Challenges in solving problems
Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.

Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home
People with Alzheimer's often find it hard to complete daily tasks such as driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.

Confusion with time or place
People with Alzheimer's can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.

Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.

New problems with words in speaking or writing
People with Alzheimer's may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary; have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name.

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.

Decreased or poor judgment
People with Alzheimer's may experience changes in judgment or decision-making especially with money. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.

Withdrawal from work or social activities
A person with Alzheimer's may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby.

Changes in mood and personality
The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer's can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.

If you or someone you love is suffering from any or all of these signs, contact a doctor and visit an assisted living care community with specific Alzheimer’s care options.

Adjusting to a Loved One With Alzheimer's

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:40:00 GMT

Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating mental health disease for the patient and the family. There are ways to extend the quality of life for both the care taker and the victim, but that involves commitment and honesty on both sides of the disease.

Caregivers can extend the time that their loved ones are in their own homes by establishing routines and being committed. However, this takes a toll on the caregiver, often resulting in depression and decreased mental and physical health.

At the onset of Alzheimer’s, the most successful patients are those who have a supportive family that is involved in the process, understands the implications of what is happening, and who is cared for properly.

See this video by

Contact Spring Arbor Living in your area if you have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Can Affect the Whole Family

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:48:00 GMT

Dear Annie: Our mother has Alzheimer's disease, and we don't think our Dad is giving her the right care. Mom seems undernourished. Dad thinks a slice of toast or a cup of coffee constitutes adequate caloric intake for her. If she says "no" to food, he simply accepts that response without trying to encourage her to eat. Her clothes are now several sizes too big.

Mom has emotional outbursts and periods of uncontrollable crying, and she frequently screams out, thus making a good night's sleep impossible for either of them. It is difficult for her to walk more than 15 feet. Dad doesn't assist her consistently, and she has fallen numerous times.

Personal hygiene seems a thing of the past. Their home is now dirty and disorganized. We have offered to clean and do household chores, but they refuse. We gave Dad the name of a local specialist, but he refuses to call. We contacted their family doctor, who said he was unable to convince Dad that Mom needs to go into an assisted living community.

Dad seems to relish being the martyr and constantly complains about having to do everything. We understand that after 50-plus years of marriage, this must be extremely difficult for him. My siblings, our spouses and the grandchildren do not know what to do next. Sincerely, Caring Kids

Dear Caring: It can be traumatizing for one spouse to place another in an assisted living community, and a certain paralysis can set in, preventing major decisions and changes. You and your siblings need to step up to the plate right now.

If this is situation sounds familiar please contact us at Spring Arbor Living in North Carolina or Virginia.

Original article stardem

Seniors can Improve Thinking and Balance with Strength Training

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:52:00 GMT

Lifting weights and other forms of resistance training is great brain exercise for older adults as well as their physical health.

Canadian researchers found that strength and balance training improved cognitive ability among a group of 28 older men and women with a history of falling who took part in a fall prevention program.

After six months, the participants, age 70 and older, showed a 13% improvement in high-level thinking skills. The skills of a control group of 24 people who also had a history of falling but received standard care deteriorated 10%.
According to researcher Teresa Liu-Ambrose of the University of British Columbia, those whose brain function improved received regular visits from a physiotherapist who encouraged them to go through specific strength training exercises and balance exercises for seniors three times weekly and to walk at least twice weekly. Individuals in the control group were expected to initiate the exercise program on their own; none of them did.

The exercise program also helped reduce falls: After one year, 43% of the exercise group had repeat falls, compared with 67% of the standard care group.

Most research to date has focused on the benefits of aerobic exercise on the brain, but mounting evidence shows that resistance training may also help with brain health.

The link between cognitive function and exercise is just beginning to emerge. There are many other positive benefits to resistance training, but we now see that exercise can also help maintain cognitive skills as we age.

Original article AARP

Minor Physical Ailments Increase Chances for Dementia

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:53:00 GMT

A study published in Neurology has found that as problems not traditionally associated with brain health pile up, a person's chance of developing dementia increases.

As we age, those minor physical ailments – including sore feet, poorly fitting dentures and skin irritations – may turn out to be not so minor after all.

The 10-year study included more than 7,200 cognitively healthy 65-year-old Canadians who were asked questions about their health. The questions included known risk factors for Alzheimer's, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, they included 19 problems that seemingly have no connection with brain health – including vision and hearing, loose dentures, sinus congestion, arthritis, morning cough, and problems with the skin, stomach, kidneys or bowel.

Any healthy 65-year-old has an 18% chance of developing dementia in 10 years from aging, the study found that each health problem not traditionally associated with Alzheimer's increased that risk by 3.2%. The risk accelerated as more and more conditions were added, jumping to 40% among those in the study who reported as many as 12 conditions. Since age is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's, the study is in a sense identifying people who "age badly" - their biological age exceeds their chronological age.

Taking care of minor ailments improves a person's quality of life, no one has yet proved that fixing each problem would necessarily reduce the risk for Alzheimer's.

Walking as little as 30 minutes a day, three days a week decreases risk factors for dementia and improves overall health.

Original article AARP

Insulin May Help Alzheimer's

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:46:00 GMT

A unique treatment that uses insulin in the form of a nasal spray shows promise for boosting memory in men and women with Alzheimer's disease, according to a study released Sept. 12 in Neurology.

In a four-month study, participants with either mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment who received a low dose of insulin fared better on memory tests than those who received a placebo. Experts say that these encouraging results should lead to a larger clinical trial to confirm effectiveness of the treatment.

Insulin and Alzheimer's
Researchers selected 104 men and women for the study. All had mild to moderate Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment, a condition that increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's, especially when memory is affected.

The study found that men and women who used the insulin nasal spray tended to score better on memory tests than those who used the placebo. The group receiving insulin preserved their level of daily functioning, according to reports from their caregivers.

The brain needs insulin
Over the past 10 years scientists have come to learn that insulin plays an important role in the brain. It helps the brain form memories, allows brain cells to communicate with one another and manages levels of brain chemicals.

All cells, including brain cells, use glucose for energy. The hormone insulin makes it possible for glucose, aka blood sugar, to enter cells, enabling them to work properly. With age, however, many people develop a problem called insulin resistance, a condition in which the body and the brain do not use insulin effectively.

If glucose cannot enter brain cells, the cells won't carry out their tasks related to memory and thinking. "This sets the stage for problems in brain function that may develop into conditions like Alzheimer's disease," says Craft, lead author of the study. She and her colleagues set out to determine whether providing insulin directly to the brain could improve the cell's ability to use insulin.

Original article AARP

Exercise Your Memory and Mental Health Too

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:56:00 GMT

Mental health and memory are closely tied to physical health. Physical and emotional vitality are important to maintaining mental health. As you or your loved one gets older, and become less able to do some activities, replacing lost activities can help keep a positive attitude and sense of well-being over time. If you can no longer run, try walking for example. But just as physical health needs upkeep, so does memory and mental health.

Protect or improve your memory and mental sharpness by:

Challenging your brain daily. Read, learn a new musical instrument or language, do crossword puzzles, or play games of strategy with others. Just like an active body, an active brain continues to develop and thrive, while an inactive brain loses its power over time.
Help your memory. Write down dates, names, and other important information that you easily forget. Use routine and repetition. For example, keep daily items such as keys and eyeglasses in a specific place. No matter what your age, having too much on your mind can keep you from remembering new information. And as you age, it is normal to take longer to retrieve new information from your memory bank.
Preventing depression, which is a common yet treatable cause of cognitive decline in older people. In addition to getting regular physical activity and social contact, avoid the depressant effect of alcohol and sedative use, eat healthy meals and snacks, and include meaningful activity in your daily life.
Not smoking. Cigarette smoking may speed mental decline. This connection was identified in a large study comparing smokers and nonsmokers age 65 and over.

Original article on MSN

Household Chores can Hold Off Dementia

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:38:00 GMT

Those daily activities and chores like folding the laundry may help keep dementia at bay.

New research finds that seniors who expended the most energy doing chores, running errands and simply going about their business were less likely to experience mental decline as they aged.

"All those things that you would never think of as exercise get our heart rate up and make our blood vessels pump blood," said study co-author Todd Manini, an assistant professor of aging and geriatric research at the University of Florida, Gainesville. " What this study is telling us is those other activities might also count for health benefits."

One of the challenges of the study was how challenging it is to keep track of chores and daily activities. So researchers measured how many calories people burned over the course of two weeks by having them drink a non-radioactive isotope -- basically, water that had been chemically altered slightly.

Participants, 200 older adults whose average age was 75, were divided into thirds based on how much energy they used daily, minus the amount the body needs while at rest.

Those in the most active group burned about 1,000 calories a day during activity. They were also 91% less likely to experience declines in memory, concentration and language abilities after five years than those in the least active group.

The middle-range group was also less likely to experience mental declines, but those results were not statistically significant.

So, what were those seniors who were burning 1,000 calories a day doing?

Well, they were no more likely to say they did vigorous exercise, such as walking or swimming, than those in the group that burned the fewest calories. Instead, those who burned the most calories were more active overall -- they reported doing more walking, they climbed more stairs, did more volunteering. They were people who were just moving more.

This study didn't look at younger people, but they may want to look at their daily habits, researchers added.

When people ask, 'What is the one thing I can do to keep dementia at bay?' researchers would say “exercise”. "That has the most clear-cut evidence that it will do something beneficial for your brain.”

Original article Health MSN

Lewy Body Dementia has Different Symptoms than other Dementias

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:35:00 GMT

Lewy body dementia is a form of dementia that may account for as many as 20% of all dementia cases. Lewy bodies are tiny spherical deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein that are found in the brains of patients with this disorder. The presence of Lewy bodies throughout the brain disrupts the brain's normal functioning. Lewy body dementia is now believed to be the second most common specific cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.

There is considerable overlap between Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. In Lewy body dementia, patients experience a loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells similar to that seen in Parkinson's disease. They also lose acetylcholine-producing nerve cells, similar to what occurs in Alzheimer's disease.

Patients with Lewy body dementia often experience cognitive problems associated with Alzheimer's disease, such as memory loss, spatial impairment and language difficulties. They may also develop parkinsonian symptoms, such as muscle rigidity, a blank facial expression, soft voice, tremor, poor balance and gait disturbances. Some patients initially diagnosed with Parkinson's disease later go on to develop a dementia that closely resembles Lewy body dementia.

Certain symptoms of Lewy body dementia help distinguish it however. For example, early in the illness Lewy body dementia patients often experience detailed and extremely vivid hallucinations, unlike people with Alzheimer's disease. People with Lewy body dementia also tend to show marked fluctuations in their cognitive functioning, often several times a day. In addition, they tend to fall asleep easily during the day and have restless, disturbed sleep with behavioral acting out.

Recognition of these symptoms leads to an accurate diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. A correct diagnosis is particularly important because the medical management of patients with Lewy body dementia presents special challenges. The drugs that are normally used can aggravate other problems and cause potentially serious adverse reactions. In particular, antipsychotic drugs can provoke dangerous side effects, including a return to psychosis, and must be used cautiously, if at all. In addition, levodopa, a drug normally used to treat parkinsonian symptoms, may worsen hallucinations, so its dosage needs to be carefully adjusted in patients with Lewy body dementia.

This disease is named for Frederick Lewy, the physician who first identified them in 1912 while working in the laboratory of Dr. Alois Alzheimer.

Original article from Johns Hopkins

Many Prescriptions and Over-the-Counter Drugs Cause Memory Issues in Older Adults

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:53:00 GMT

Commonly used prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause memory problems and other cognitive impairments in older adults. These are drugs that many older adults take on a regular basis for conditions ranging from urinary incontinence to depression, sleep problems, allergies, respiratory conditions, and acid reflux.

According to a study, a long list of drugs have been linked with causing cognitive difficulties, including problems with memory, concentration, and delirium. The authors arrived at this conclusion by reviewing 27 studies that had addressed this problem.

The drugs in question belong to a class called anticholinergics. These drugs are given to block the actions of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the nervous systems. Acetylcholine helps with learning, memory, and concentration, as well as the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, airways, and the organs involved in digestion and the urinary tract.

50% of older people take an anticholinergic drug daily. Many take a combination of both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Anticholinergic effects include confusion, attention deficit, impaired concentration, memory problems, light-headedness, blurry vision, constipation, dry mouth, and loss of bladder control.

Older people are more likely to experience these effects because the body produces less acetylcholine with age. This means the acetylcholine produced has less impact, and the effect of anticholinergic drugs is greater.
Patients should consult their doctor if they are experiencing memory or cognitive problems and are taking any medications.

Antihistamines and sleep aids such as Allerest, PediaCare, Periactin; Benadryl, Sominex, Unisom, Phenergan, Tagamet, Pepcid, Zantac are just some of the drugs that cause memory problems.

It’s important for older adults especially to have current information on any medications they are taking.

Original article Exmaxhealth.com

Tennessee Womens Basketball Coach Diagnosed With Early Dementia

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:11:00 GMT

University of Tennessee women’s coach Pat Summitt, the winningest coach in college basketball history, announced this week that she is suffering from early onset dementia.

The first neurologist told her she had symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, a second one advised her to retire immediately. Summitt will continue to coach the Lady Vols, who she has led to eight National Collegiate Athletic Association titles in 36 years at Tennessee. She has been chosen NCAA coach of the year seven times.

Three months ago, Summitt, 59, the University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach visited the Mayo Clinic seeking an explanation for a troubling series of memory lapses over the past year. A woman who was always highly organized had to ask repeatedly what time a team meeting was scheduled for. “She lost her keys three times a day instead of once,” her son Tyler says. She was late to practice.

“Are you having trouble with your memory?” friends began asking, puzzled.

“Sometimes I draw blanks,” she finally admitted.

Her first clue that something was badly wrong came last season, when she drew a blank on what offensive set to call in the heat of a game.

Summitt believed her symptoms were the side effects of a powerful medication she was taking for rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, when she received her test results at the end of May, they confirmed a shocking worst-case scenario: She showed “mild” but distinct signs of “early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type,” the irreversible brain disease that destroys recall and cognitive abilities over time, and that afflicts an estimated 5 million Americans.

Denial was followed by anger. Finally, Summitt realized she would have to accept the diagnosis. “I can’t change it,” she says. After a pause, she adds, “But I can try to do something about it.”

Summitt has a 1,071-199 record at Tennessee, more victories in men’s or women’s college basketball than any other coach.

Original articles - Washington Post, Bloomberg

Questions to Ask and Things to Consider When Looking for Assisted Living Communities

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:06:00 GMT

The decision to move your loved one into an assisted living facility is not an easy one. As your loved one ages, they may need more help with daily activities like bathing or remembering medication. Moving to a facility that provides some assistance, without sacrificing independence, may be an option. This type of assisted living environment such as Spring Arbor, is a great option for long-term care.

What should you consider when looking for an assisted living community? First, think about what activities you or your loved one need help with. Here are some considerations to help guide you in your search.

What is most valuable in your loved one's life? What gives them purpose and meaning? Think about where their doctors, church, and family are. The assisted living facility should be near the things and people they hold dear. Seniors need to remain connected.

Think about current and future needs. If a progressive illness is involved look for a facility that can accommodate as mobility changes. Ask questions like: What are the levels of care offered? Are there ramps located throughout? Is the room or apartment fully accessible if a wheelchair is required in the future?

Also, if dementia is involved, there is a risk of wandering; is there an Alzheimer’s area that is safe and secure? When a loved one has Alzheimer's or a related dementia it can seem as though few options are available. As needs progress, the constant care and attention required can seem overwhelming. To meet this need, Spring Arbor offers "Special Care Cottages" programs that are custom designed for residents with these unique challenges.

Get referrals. You will be surprised at how many people you know or how many people you can be connected with who have done this research. Also, contact your local agency on aging to find out if they can provide a list of facilities they'd recommend in your area.

Visit a few times beforehand. Stop by the community at least twice and take at least one guided tour. Show up unannounced for some other visits in order to see what happenings on a regular day. A nighttime visit is important because most of the staff has likely gone home.

Talk to current residents. If is it possible, talk to residents you meet during your on-site visits.

Experts Offer Ways to Keep Your Memory Healthy

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:23:00 GMT

Dr. Potter, chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center says:

Stay mentally active. What actually happens is that as we get older, synapses in the brain are stimulated by mental activity, so this helps to preserve mental ability. Just being well-educated is a good idea. Education and mental stimulation helps to create and preserve and develop new connections. So taking a course later in life is a good idea.

Following a good heart-healthy diet is good for memory because what's good for your heart is good for your brain. And you can actually stimulate develop of new brain cells with physical activity.

Dr. Mastrianni, Associate Professor of Neurology; Co-Director, Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders at the University of Chicago Medical Center says:

There things one can do to avoid developing Alzheimer's disease or memory decline associated with aging. Lifestyle changes that have shown benefit include routine physical exercise, staying socially active and eating a heart-healthy diet. At least 30 minutes a day of physical activity gets your heart pumping and improves oxygenation of brain cells.

Social activity may include staying actively working, or volunteering in local organizations or clubs. Research suggests that having a large network of social interactions helps to maintain good brain function and even delay Alzheimer's disease.

Finally, eliminating unhealthy practices such as cigarettes, too little sleep, and too much stress can't hurt and are likely to help your brain function better.

Dr. Shulman, assistant professor of neurology and associate director of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology at the Pearl Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment at the Silberstein Alzheimer's Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center says:

There are four main pillars of keeping healthy memory or maintaining brain fitness: healthy diet, exercise, keeping mentally stimulated and avoiding depression. There is no single entity that we can modify that will decrease the likelihood of someone developing Alzheimer's. It's a combination of applying all of these.

The issue with avoiding depression is a controversial one: Is depression itself a risk factor for dementia, or is the early sign of depression the earliest sign of dementia itself? It looks increasingly like it's a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, and there's a whole host of complicated reasons, but it does seem that if you keep stress-free and depression-free, that in and of itself is insurance for healthy aging.

Original article My Health News Daily

The Eyes May Show Early Alzheimer's

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:16:00 GMT

The eyes are a window into the brain for many disorders, and Alzheimer's disease may be no exception.

In a pilot study, retinal scans to measure blood vessel thickness at the back of the eye showed strong correlations with the level of beta-amyloid deposits in the brain.

At a press briefing in advance of his formal presentation at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD), Frost said the retinal scans could be a relatively easy and cheap way to screen people for preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

He reported early findings from a study which is tracking some 500 individuals as they age.

Some earlier studies have linked retinal abnormalities to cognitive dysfunction. For example, in a large 2009 study, patients with mild cognitive impairment were reported to be at almost 40% higher risk for age-related macular degeneration after controlling for other risk factors.

In the current study, participants were classified as having normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or Alzheimer's disease according to clinical assessments. A total of 146 were included in the current study: 110 healthy, 13 with MCI, and 13 with Alzheimer's disease.

The retinal scans measured central retinal arterial and venous diameters, with the arterio-venular ratio (AVR) as the primary indicator of possible Alzheimer's pathology.

Study participants also underwent PET scans.

Frost reported correlations between the retinal and PET scan data for 46 of the healthy controls, nine MCI patients, and three with Alzheimer's disease.

Preliminary findings from the study indicated that AVR values correlated significantly with amount of plaque build-up.

Perhaps the most important finding was that, in the cognitively normal individuals, the AVR values differed according to plaque build-up.

These values were significantly higher in the 15 individuals with large burdens relative to the 31 with low plaque levels.

Frost said the correlations were driven primarily by differences in retinal venous thickness.

William Klunk, of the University of Pittsburgh, who moderated the press briefing, said a test like this would probably be most useful as a preliminary screen.

Right now, the most accurate tests for detecting early or preclinical Alzheimer's disease require cerebrospinal fluid samples and PET scans. But these may be too expensive and invasive for broad screening of individuals with nonspecific symptoms or who only have risk factors for the disease.

"This test [the retinal scan] is on the end of easier to accomplish, completely noninvasive, and relatively inexpensive," he said.

However, "it's not going to have a perfect correlation to pathology in the brain," he added, although it could be very useful for identifying individuals who would possibly need more elaborate testing.

Original article on Medpagetoday.com

Carrying Extra Weight in Middle Age Can Result in Alzheimers Study Shows

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:45:00 GMT

Carrying around extra pounds during middle age was associated with a higher risk of dementia later in life in a new study that followed twins in Sweden for 30 years.

The research was not set up to prove that dementia was caused by the added weight, but Dr. Weili Xu, the study's lead author, said that the evidence is pointing in that direction.

The findings suggest that "control of body fat as early as middle life is important to prevent dementia later in life," she told Reuters Health.

Xu and her colleagues analyzed data from close to 9,000 Swedish twins.

When the participants were an average age of 43, they gave researchers information about their height and weight.

Thirty years later, the researchers examined the same individuals for signs of declining thinking and memory skills, and then diagnosed some of them with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.

Close to one in three of the participants were overweight or obese in middle age. And those that were had about an 80 percent higher chance of getting any kind of dementia than people of normal weight.

The more participants weighed in mid-life, the higher their chance of getting dementia or "questionable dementia" - meaning they had signs of thinking and reasoning problems, but not enough to be diagnosed with dementia.

In total, about 4 percent of everyone in the study was diagnosed with dementia, and another 1 to 2 percent with questionable dementia.

Despite the link between excess pounds in midlife and later dementia, when the researchers looked specifically at 137 twin pairs who were "discordant" - one twin had dementia and the other didn't - the tie to midlife overweight shrank considerably.

While Xu said that finding suggests that "there are some common genes that predispose (people) to both diseases (overweight and dementia)," it could also be that it was just more difficult to establish a solid link in such a small sample.

Whether genes predispose a person to being overweight in adulthood, or it's just bad eating habits, the likely explanation for the link to dementia is that fat tissue in the body releases hormones and other signaling cells that may affect the brain's functioning.

In addition, extra weight has been shown to increase a person's risk for diabetes and heart and blood vessel diseases - and those conditions are related to a higher dementia risk. However, the link between weight and dementia remained even after the researchers took other diseases into account.

The findings are the latest evidence that preventing Alzheimer's disease and dementia starts long before their signs and symptoms show up.

"People need to understand that what they do today could have an effect on them 30 or 40 years from now.”
When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, what's good for the heart is good for the brain.

Original article - MSN

7 Things We Can Do to Fight Alzheimer's

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:57:00 GMT

Up to half of Alzheimer's disease cases worldwide are potentially attributable to seven preventable risk factors, a new study suggests.

The findings show that Alzheimer's cases could be reduced if people quit smoking, increased their physical activity, enhanced their mental activity, controlled their blood pressure and diabetes, and managed their obesity and depression.

The top 3 factors

In this study by University of California, San Fransisco, the authors reviewed previous research that examined factors that predispose people to developing Alzheimer's. They identified seven factors that were potentially within a person's control to change.

Enhancing mental activity could make the biggest difference in developing Alzheimer's. That's because the study showed "low educational attainment" was the factor that impacts the largest portion of Alzheimer's cases worldwide. They defined low educational attainment as not completing higher education, having a low IQ or not participating in mentally stimulating leisure time activities, and found it contributes to 19% of Alzheimer's cases, or 6.5 million cases worldwide.

Smoking contributes to the second-highest number of cases, 14% of cases, or 4.7 million cases worldwide.
Physical inactivity contributed to 13% of worldwide cases and was the third-largest factor. However, it was the highest contributor to cases in the U.S. — contributing to 21%, or 1.1 million cases.

What really mattered was how common the risk factors were in the population. In the U.S., about a third of the population is sedentary, so a large number of Alzheimer's cases are potentially attributable to physical inactivity.

However, worldwide, low education was more important, because so many people throughout the world are illiterate or are not educated beyond elementary school. And, smoking also contributed to a large percentage of cases worldwide because it is still very common.

This suggests that smoking cessation and initiatives to increase physical activity could dramatically decrease the number of Alzheimer's cases.

A note of caution

It has been noted that while these seven factors may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's, none of the factors have been shown to cause the disease.

However, the findings suggest "that preventive and therapeutic interventions have great potential," and that interventions should be carried out in high-risk populations.

Globally, an estimated 33.9 million people have Alzheimer's, but that number could be reduced by 3 million if there was a 25% reduction in all seven of these risk factors. A 10% reduction in these seven factors could prevent 1.1 million cases. The number of worldwide cases is expected to triple over the next 40 years.

The results of the study were presented July 20 at The Alzheimer's Association 2011 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD), held in Paris. The study was simultaneously published online in the journal The Lancet Neurology.

Original article on MSNBC.com

Should You Take Dietary Supplements to Prevent Dementia?

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:40:00 GMT

Americans spend over $25 billion each year on dietary supplements that promise everything from slender waistlines to better sex lives. A large and growing portion of this market is devoted to products that claim to improve memory or prevent the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

But as researchers investigate dietary supplements to see if there is merit to the claims, they are coming up empty-handed. Ginkgo biloba, perhaps the most well known of the “memory enhancers,” has been declared ineffective by medical experts based on recent, high-profile studies.

Other dietary supplements are marketed for their alleged ability to boost memory or cognitive functioning, including phosphatidylserine (PS), choline, bacopa, vinpocetine, piracetam, lemon balm and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).

However, the reality is that these dietary supplements either have not been studied extensively or have shown little potential. Part of the problem is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t require dietary supplements to be tested to the same degree as prescription drugs.

Remember that there is no “silver bullet” that will undo bad habits, so continue to follow the fundamentals of good health: Exercise, eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet and do not smoke.

And if you do decide to take any kind of dietary supplement, always remember to use caution and inform your doctor. Dietary supplements can worsen certain health problems and interact with prescription drugs to cause severe side effects or render your medication less effective.

Too Many Care Givers are Providing Dementia Care For Their Loved Ones at Home

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:35:00 GMT

Do you know where most of the millions of people who have dementia live? They live at home where family and friends provide the vast majority of their care.

That's why caregiving has been called the fastest growing unpaid profession in the United States.

During the past year more than 67 million Americans provided care to a family member, friend, or loved one, many of whom are suffering from different stages of Alzheimer's disease or some other type of dementia.

If you're a caregiver, you know first-hand what it's like: Getting swept up in tasks -- bathing, shopping, cooking, feeding, making arrangements for medical care, managing behavioral problems, making decisions for the ill person that you have never had to consider before. All the while trying to cope with your own anxieties and fears.

Possibly your are facing a situation where you're likely to become a caregiver. You are most likely wondering how you can make the many difficult decisions that anyone who steps into this demanding role has to confront.

It's an extremely hard job and it usually feels like you're in it alone. But you're not. When a loved one has Alzheimer's or a related dementia it can seem as though few options are available. Spring Arbor offers "Special Care Cottages" programs that are custom designed for residents with these unique challenges.

Keep Dementia Away by Walking

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:21:00 GMT

As we age and our memory starts to fade, we all worry about our mental health and the potential for cognitive decline. But maintaining our mental health may not be any harder than going for a walk. A new, nine year study found that walking can keep dementia at bay. So put on your sneakers and go for a walk. Walking six miles a week protects the brain from shrinkage, which may slow the progress of cognitive decline.

Brain size shrinks late in adulthood which often is the start of dementia. Other studies suggest that physical activity protects against the deterioration of brain tissue, but no long-term studies have tested that theory. A study from the University of Pittsburgh wanted to do just that.

They asked 299 healthy, dementia-free men and women, average age 78, to keep track of the number of blocks they walked in a week.

After nine years, the researchers measured the brain size of the participants using high-resolution brain scans. The men and women who walked more had more gray matter. Those who walked approximately six to nine miles a week fared best, even after taking into account variables such as age, sex, body mass index and education. Walking more than 6-9 miles in a week didn't provide extra benefits.

Improve Your Memory with the 9 Common-Sense Techniques

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:48:00 GMT

The minor memory lapses that occur with age-associated memory impairment can’t be eliminated completely; however, a number of common-sense strategies can improve overall memory at any age. The keys are to stay focused, active and alert.

Memory Tip 1: Place commonly lost items in a designated spot. If you’re prone to losing keys or eyeglasses, pick a spot and always put the items there when you are not using them.

Memory Tip 2: Write things down. If you have trouble remembering phone numbers or appointments, write them down and place the list in a conspicuous spot. Making a daily “to do” list will remind you of important tasks and obligations.

Memory Tip 3: Say words out loud. Saying “I’ve turned off the stove” after doing so will give you an extra verbal reminder when you later try to recall whether the stove is still on. Incorporating people’s names into the conversation immediately after you have met them helps, too.

Memory Tip 4: Use memory aids. Use a pocket notepad, cell phone, wristwatch alarm, voice recorder or other aids to help remember what you need to do or to keep track of information.

Memory Tip 5: Use visual images. When you are earning new information, such as a person’s name, create a visual image in your mind to make the information more vivid and, therefore, more memorable.

Memory Tip 6: Group items using mnemonics. A mnemonic is any technique used to help you remember. For example, when memorizing lists, names, addresses and so on, try grouping them as an acronym. Another mnemonic technique is an acrostic. Acrostics use the first letter of each item to create new words that form a sentence or phrase. Using rhymes or creating stories that connect each element to be remembered is also helpful.

Memory Tip 7: Concentrate and relax. Many environmental stimuli compete for your attention at any given time. To remember something, concentrate on the items to be remembered. Pay close attention to new information and try to avoid or block out distractions.

Memory Tip 8: Get plenty of sleep. During sleep the brain consolidates and firms up newly acquired information. Studies indicate that people are better at remembering recently learned information the next day if they have had a good night’s sleep.

Memory Tip 9: Rule out other causes of memory loss. If you suspect that you are having memory difficulties, consult your doctor. Some medical conditions can cause memory problems that can be corrected, including depression, hearing or vision loss, thyroid dysfunction, use of certain medications, vitamin deficiencies and stress.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ways to Keep Your Mind Healthy and Sharp

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:58:00 GMT

We expect our joints and lungs to slowly decline as we age, but the thought of our minds doing the same is scary. Here are some ideas to help prevent brain decline.

Scientists are starting to think that regular aerobic exercise may be the single most important thing you can do for the long-term health of your brain. While the heart and lungs respond loudly to the treadmill, the brain is quietly getting fitter with each step, too. For mental fitness, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every other day.

Too much or too little energy throws a kink in the brain’s delicate machinery. A low glycemic diet — high fiber, with moderate amounts of fat and protein — is broken down more slowly in the body. A steady pace of digestion in the gut gives a more reliable flow of energy to the brain, optimizing the organ’s long-term health and performance.

Largely preventable diseases — such as Type II diabetes, obesity and hypertension — affect your brain. System-wide health concerns have been linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and memory impairments. Keeping your circulatory system in working order by avoiding cigarettes and saturated fat, lessens the onslaught of age-related brain wear and tear.

When we don't sleep, proteins build up on synapses, possibly making it hard to think and learn new things. Furthermore, chronically sleeping poorly (in contrast to not enough) is linked to cognitive decline in old age, although the relationship may not be causal.

Growing evidence suggests a caffeine habit may protect the brain. According to large longitudinal studies, two to four perk-me-ups a day may stave off normal cognitive decline and decrease the incidence of Alzheimer's by 30 to 60 percent. It is unclear whether the benefits come from caffeine or the antioxidants found in coffee and tea, but that latte may improve cognition this afternoon and several decades from now.

Some theories credit the introduction of fish into the human diet with the evolution of our tremendous cognitive ability. Fatty acids, such as Omega 3s, are critical to brain function and are proving beneficial for treating such brain-sapping ailments as depression. Studies on the efficacy of Omega 3 supplements, however, have had mixed results, so get doses from food sources, such as flax seeds, fatty fish and grass-fed animals.

Stress takes a toll on the brain by washing harmful chemicals over the hippocampus and other brain areas involved in memory. Some scientists suspect that living a balanced lifestyle and pursuing relaxing activities such as yoga, socializing and crafting may delay memory impairment by reducing stress.

Whether crossword puzzles, sudoku and other brain teasers actually keep your brain in shape, has not been well-established. However, lack of education is a strong predictor of cognitive decline. The more you've tried to learn, the better you'll be at mental sit-ups in old age.

Information from Live Science

Help Your Brain, Eat Less Fat

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:36:00 GMT

One day your doctor might give you this prescription to prevent Alzheimer’s: Eat less red meat and sugar; eat more fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil.

At least that seems to be the finding of a new study that found that eating a diet low in saturated fat and sugary treats can improve your memory and may reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Researchers with the University of Washington and Veterans Affairs Puget Sound medical center decided to see if a change in diet could affect the risk for Alzheimer’s or benefit those already suffering some mild but early symptoms of the disease.

What they found was that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, fish and olive oil can improve some memory skills in both healthy older adults, as well as those already experiencing cognitive difficulty.

More importantly, eating this kind of diet can help healthy adults reduce their risk of developing dementia, says study researcher Suzanne Craft with the Memory Wellness Program at the VA.

Researchers found that after four weeks on the low-fat diet, subjects had fewer toxic proteins and evidence of inflammation in their spinal fluid, both considered to be bio-markers for Alzheimer’s, Craft said.

“I like to think of this kind of diet as promoting healthy brain aging, as well as reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s,” she said.

The Washington state researchers wrote that they decided to take a “whole-diet” approach, rather than focus on a single dietary component, such as omega-3 fish oil. They also chose to test the subjects’ spinal fluid for bio-markers because of the importance of the central nervous system to brain health.

The 49 subjects, all older than 60, included 20 healthy adults with no signs of memory decline, and 29 who were at high-risk for Alzheimer’s, having already been diagnosed with some cognitive impairment.

They were randomly selected to either follow a four-week low-saturated fat, high-fiber plan similar to a Mediterranean diet, or a four-week high-saturated fat diet that included foods like red meat, butter, french fries and soda.

Both groups ate the same amount of protein and the diets were balanced so subjects did not lose or gain or weight.

However, for those who want to protect their brain health, it seems pretty clear from these preliminary results that eating a healthy diet is a powerful first step.

Original article on AARP

Alzheimer's Disease: The Importance of Early Detection

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:02:00 GMT

Though a cure for Alzheimer's disease remains elusive, experts believe earlier and more accurate diagnosis will aid efforts to discover effective therapies. Marilyn Albert, Ph.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, answers the question: "Why is early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease important if no treatments currently exist to delay progression of the disease?"

Early and more accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is important in helping us develop a better understanding of the biology of the disease. This, in turn, will help researchers design and test new drugs that will intervene earlier in the disease process.

We use the term Alzheimer's disease to talk about people who are demented, but there are many people with it who aren't yet demented. In fact, one third of all older adults show Alzheimer’s disease pathology in their brains, though they may not yet show symptoms.

We know that the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease progress gradually over many years. People with Alzheimer’s disease don’t go from normal to demented overnight. Instead, the disease is a continuum, and earlier diagnostic procedures will help us treat it as such.

For instance, we understand that high blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke. So, when we go to the doctor and find out that we have high blood pressure, we start to treat it right away, years before a stroke might occur. The same should apply to Alzheimer’s disease.

We want to identify those who are at risk years before dementia occurs, because we are working hard toward the day when we can diagnose and treat those risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease in the earliest stages -- just as we might treat high blood pressure or cholesterol.

From Johns Hopkins Health Alert

Being Overweight Affects The Brain

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:53:00 GMT

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh scanned the brains of 94 people over the age of 70. They were looking to see the differences in the brains of people who were of normal weight (BMI under 25), overweight (BMI 25-30), and obese (BMI over 30).

All participants were over 70 to shows the effects of being overweight over time.

Obese people have 8% less brain tissue than people of normal weight. Overweight people have 4% less brain tissue than people of normal weight.

According to Dr. Paul Thompson, a UCLA professor of neurology, “This represents ‘severe’ brain degeneration, that’s a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at a much greater risk of Alzheimer’s and other diseases that attack the brain… But you can greatly reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s, if you can eat healthy and keep your weight under control.”

“Looking good” is the number one motivation for losing weight, but if that works, great.

However, to many, this new research is more important. There is nothing more important than having a brain that works. It affects everything in your life, including and especially the people around you and your caregivers.

There are also many studies that show being overweight decreases short term memory, and decreases your engery level. So, essentially, being overweight makes you forgetful and inactive.

Of course, being overweight also increases your risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and has been shown to inhibit sexual performance.

The parts of the brain that degenerated for overweight people are very important.
Here are the areas effected:

•   Frontal and temporal lobes: Critical for planning and memory
•   Anterior cingulate gyrus: Responsible for attention and executive functions
•   Hippocampus: Important for long-term memory
•   Basal ganglia: Essential for proper movement and coordination

Furthermore, the brains of overweight people looked 8 years older than those of people of normal weight, and the brains of obese people looked 16 years older!

Original article on Exploring the Mind

The Role of Curcumin, Found in Tumeric, on Alzheimer's Disease

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:43:00 GMT

The link to healthy diets and brain health is well established. The link to diet and Alzheimer's disease is less clearly established, but new information on curcumin (found in turmeric) may prove to be helpful.

The brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage due to its high rate of metabolism and long-lived neurons. Free radicals can cause oxidative damage to important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if there is too much oxidative damage.

Antioxidants defend the cells from free radical damage. Many long term studies have demonstrated that those with higher antioxidants in their diets from fruits, vegetables and certain spices have slower rates of cognitive decline than those who ate less of these foods.

Curcumin has been studied recently because of the low rates of Alzheimer's disease in India. The Indian population consumes large amounts of curcumin through Tumeric and have a relatively low (4 times less) incidence of Alzheimer's disease compared to the U.S. population.

Curcumin is a member of the ginger family and is the main ingredient of turmeric, a spice used in curry and many Middle Eastern dishes. Curcumin is an antioxidant with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory properties which prevents the damage caused by free radicals. The more antioxidants in the diet, the more the cells are protected.

The National Institutes of Health and other research organizations have been completing Alzheimer's clinical trials. Recently, curcumin has been in the forefront of much of this research. Curcumin's powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties suppress the buildup of beta-amyloid in brain tissue.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) studied mice and found that curcumin crosses the blood-brain barrier to bind with beta-amyloid peptides. These peptides are dangerous when they build up into plaques.

As Alzheimer's disease develops, neurons go through a process from a healthy state to some loss of molecular efficiency, to a loss of synaptic function, to loss of synapses, and, ultimately, to cell death. When curcumin was fed to aged mice, there was a reduction in amyloid levels and the overall amount of dangerous plaque.

More studies are needed to investigate the safety and tolerability of curcumin in the elderly population. Research is also needed in the areas of using curcumin to prevent Alzheimer's Disease as well as to lessen symptoms.

As clinical trials produce more information about the efficacy of curcumin, guidelines will be established for those at risk and for those affected.

Original article on CDApress.com by Seanne Safail, , Ph.D, RD

6 Foods that Slow Aging and Prevent Disease

Tue, 24 May 2011 18:27:00 GMT

There is no magic bullet that can stop the aging process. But scientists have identified certain foods that can boost your physical and mental health, prevent disease and help slow down aging.

1. Nuts
They are high in calories, but you don't need to eat a lot of them to reap their benefits, which include protein, fiber and crucial minerals such as potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium. They are reported to be good for your digestive and immune systems, helpful in the fight against cancer, and the oils are good for your skin. Their high Omega-3 fatty acid content also helps keep your brain and body healthy.

2. Fish
Research suggests that the Omega-3 fatty acids from certain fish can lead to improved mood and mental capacities. These oils have antioxidant properties, meaning they attack the cells that cause the body to decay. Omega-3s are the same acids that combat chronic inflammation, which can lead to all sorts of health complications. Salmon and tuna are two of the most popular and readily available fish with high levels of Omega-3.

3. Whole Grains
Avoiding all carbs makes no sense, when whole grains such as whole wheat, oats, brown rice, farro, barley and wheat berries are so rich in fiber, which keeps your digestive system regular and helps you feel full. Their low glycemic levels mean that they don't play havoc with your blood sugar levels. Whole grains have been widely accepted as a smart way to combat all types of illnesses, such as heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke.

4. Cruciferous Vegetables
This family of vegetables includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips and Brussels sprouts. They are an effective aid to the body in fighting toxins and cancer. And they have a high concentration of antioxidants and sulfur, which provide energy and can keep your skin healthy. Raw or lightly cooked makes their protection properties even more effective.

5. Avocado
Avocado is a fruit which is chock full of monosaturated fat. This is believed to reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the body. Avocados have a lot of potassium, which combats fluid retention and high blood pressure and the risk of stroke. And they have a high level of vitamin E, which is thought to prevent skin aging and may also be helpful in reducing hot flashes associated with menopause. Finally, they are rich in folate, which is thought to decrease the risk of heart attacks, as well as antioxidants, which help your body protect itself from free radicals, which means keeping your organs and tissues healthy.

6. Berries
Blueberries have gotten their fair share of health news but in fact all black and blue berries, such as blackberries, black currants and black grapes, contain antioxidants that are known to protect the body against damage caused by free radicals and aging. These phytochemicals are called flavonoids, and are found in the pigment of the berries. In addition, dark berries are also believed to aid in maintaining good balance, coordination and short term memory.

Information from AARP.org - by the Editors of Cookstr.com

Caring for a Dementia Patient Raises Risk of Memory Issues

Sun, 15 May 2011 17:03:00 GMT

An older person who cares for a spouse with dementia is also at an increased risk of developing problems with attention and memory, according to a new review of studies.

This is because the spousal caregiver likely shared lifestyle risk factors with the person with dementia, and undergoes ongoing stress from caring for the person.

Researchers from the University Of Washington School Of Medicine reviewed more than 100 studies that examined the cognitive health of older adults who cared for a family member with dementia, with the majority of the subjects being spouses. They found that these caregivers have more trouble with attention and memory, also known as cognition, than people who don't have to care for a family member with dementia.

The review of the studies showed that those caregivers had a higher risk of cognitive decline or dementia than people who do not have to care for someone with dementia. This could be due to a number of factors, including depression, loneliness, sleep problems, social isolation, exercise, diet and even obesity.

People who are caring for a spouse with dementia may themselves be at risk for cognitive problems which, in turn, will not only negatively influence their quality of life, but may reduce their ability to provide the necessary care for their spouse.

Most care-recipients prefer to be cared for in their homes, and, by remaining in their homes, health care costs are reduced greatly, therefore, often spouses of end up providing care.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

People with dementia are not the only ones who have health problems – a spouse who cares for them are also at risk for attention and memory problems.

Original article on MSN.com

Diagnosing Dementia: Where We Are Now

Tue, 10 May 2011 16:10:00 GMT

In this excerpt from a recent issue of Health After 50, Marilyn Albert, Ph.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, talks about current methods of diagnosing Alzheimer's Dementia.

• Traditionally, how has Dementia been diagnosed? How accurately can it be diagnosed today?

Research now tells us that Dementia progresses over time and likely begins years or decades before symptoms first appear. But right now, we can only diagnose Dementia late in the game.

To diagnose Dementia we rule out other potential causes for cognitive decline, such as stroke, tumor or metabolic syndrome (a combination of medical disorders that raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke that may also increase the risk of dementia).

We then run a battery of cognitive tests and brain scans to rule out other neurological disorders and to determine whether the pattern of symptoms seems consistent with Dementia. If these things match up, we can give a probable diagnosis of Dementia. At major medical centers, a probable Alzheimer's Dementia diagnosis can be 80 to 90 percent accurate.

• What are biomarkers, and how will they help with earlier, more accurate diagnosis of Dementia?

"Biomarker" is a term that describes a measurable change in a person that will give us information about what is going on in his or her brain tissue. For example, the signature of Alzheimer’s disease includes amyloid plaques [abnormal accumulation of amyloid proteins] and neurofibrillary tangles (deposits of defective tau proteins, a type of protein abundant in the brain).

The proteins related to the plaques and tangles are present in the spinal fluid of patients with Dementia. They’re also present in those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) -- slight problems in thinking, learning and remembering that sometimes progress to full-blown dementia.

The proteins serve as biomarkers of the progressive changes taking place in the brain. In clinical research, tau and amyloid have been shown to predict the progression of patients with MCI to Dementia and ultimately Alzheimer's.

In other words, measuring these proteins allows us to say more accurately and at an earlier stage of disease that we are pretty sure this person is going to develop Alzheimer’s dementia. Imaging procedures, such as PET (positron-emission tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), also can provide information about the pathology present in the brain. For example, amyloid can now be measured with PET.

Starting A Conversation About the Future with Your Elderly Parents

Tue, 03 May 2011 16:07:00 GMT

As a middle aged child, it is common to wonder about how to start to talk to elderly parents about the future? Few things make adult children more nervous. There are many things to fear from this conversation: resistance, denial, conflict and reminding ourselves that our parents are getting older.

But we should fear an impending problem or crisis more.

Beginning the conversation with aging parents is similar to learning to ride a bike. You don’t take off going downhill; you muster up the nerve, hold your breath and try to keep your balance.

Start the conversation now, while they are healthy and you have no real concerns; and start small. This way there is time to build the conversation slowly without pressure. Unexpected situations or crises with aging parents without having planned can cause rifts between siblings, between parents and kids, and between spouses.

Time your conversation with your parents appropriately. Be sure that you and they have time to talk and listen. This conversation needs an investment of time and patience.

It is easier to begin the conversation by relating it to your own experience. For example, “I met with my attorney today and drew up my will…”

You need to be clear with yourself and your parents about why you are initiating this conversation. If you are annoyed or frustrated, this is not a good time. The conversation needs to be about their safety and their future, and about the quality of life for both them and you.

Remember too that you don’t need to get the answer today. You are merely trying to begin the dialogue and get everyone thinking and talking.

New Guidelines for Diagnosing Alzheimers Disease

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:52:00 GMT

Disease develops years before symptoms show.

New guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease set forth methods for identifying the disease before it progresses to full-blown dementia, and for the first time include lab and brain-imaging tests that can help identify Alzheimer's as the likely cause of a person's mental decline.

The guidelines, revised for the first time in 27 years, reflect a firm consensus among Alzheimer's researchers that the disease begins to attack the intricate structures of the brain 10 years or more before the disabling mental problems appear. Therefore, to be effective, drug or other therapies will have to begin work early in that process.

So far, though, there are no therapies that alter the course of Alzheimer's disease. And in a media briefing, authors of the new diagnosis guidelines emphasized that while testing for Alzheimer's pathology in the brain may one day be used to identify the disease at much earlier stages, today the tests are primarily a research tool. They are not ready for routine use in doctors' offices.

Delaying disability

Even so, doctors hope the new diagnostic criteria encourage people with worrisome memory problems to seek help. There's a lot patients and their families can do to minimize the impact of Alzheimer's, from structuring the patient's environment to optimizing medical care, activities, exercise and diet.

New tests outlined in the guidelines involve looking at the brain with imaging technologies and examining the fluid obtained by a spinal tap. The imaging studies can reveal so-called plaques made up of a protein called amyloid, a defining feature of Alzheimer's. They also can indicate characteristic patterns of shrinkage or reduced metabolic activity in the brain. The cerebrospinal fluid tests look for levels of amyloid as well as of another protein, tau, which makes up the twisted strands or "tangles" that, like plaques, are signature brain pathology in Alzheimer's.

Weaknesses of the tests

Research studies have demonstrated that all these tests can help identify Alzheimer's as the cause of a patient's dementia, and can help predict which patients with milder symptoms will go on to develop dementia. But the tests aren't conclusive in themselves. They aren't standardized so that a certain result means the same thing in every medical center. And there's no clear cutoff separating normal findings from those indicating a problem.

Original article by: Katharine Greider from AARP Bulletin

Assisted Living Communities are Different from Nursing Homes

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:01:00 GMT

The terms Assisted Living Community and Nursing Home are often used interchangeably, however this is a mistake. They are actually very different, and a candidate for one is not necessarily a candidate for the other. However, that being said, Spring Arbor and The Oaks are assisted living residences. However, we recognize that just as every resident is unique and different, so too are his or her care needs. The fact is some residents require more time and attention than others. We address those needs individually rather than increase service fees for everyone.

The following are some differences between the Assisted Living and Nursing Homes.

Assisted Living Communities:

Individuals in assisted living are more independent and can usually get through most of their day on their own. Generally, they only need help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and preparing food.
They still enjoy social activities and make autonomous decisions.
Assisted Living Communities require limited to no medical care or specialized medical care.
In Assisted Living Communities, residents are able to maintain their independence in a more secure atmosphere and they focus more on personal privacy and self-sufficiency than a nursing home.
They offer their clients a comfortable apartment that is luxurious and comfortable.

Nursing Homes:

Those in nursing homes need a great deal more care. They usually require 24-hour nursing supervision and are generally not in good health.
Nursing home patients require help with much more than three or more daily tasks:walking or being pushed in wheel chairs, eating, and regular medical tests.
A nursing home is a place for someone who is unable to be cared for at home, but is not a candidate for hospital care.
Nursing homes also provide rehabilitation to help people gain back their independence after a serious health problem.
Similar to hospitals, nursing home patients have little to no privacy and quite often share rooms.
Those in Nursing homes are viewed as patients, not clients. They are there to get well. If you or your parent is well, a nursing home is not ideal.

Athletes Dementia Understanding Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Many boxers have developed the disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. But CTE has received greater attention recently. More and more athletes -- professional athletes as well as recreational players and weekend warriors -- have been found to have it.

Though chronic traumatic encephalopathy is most common in boxers and football players, it has been found in other people who suffer repeated head trauma: mostly hockey, soccer and rugby players, wrestlers and equestrians, but also domestic abuse victims.

The outward symptoms of CTE will sound familiar to anyone who has experience with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: memory problems, disorientation and difficulty concentrating are the earliest signs. As chronic traumatic encephalopathy progresses, people begin to show poor judgment, erratic behavior, significant memory loss and some degree of Parkinson's disease (impaired speech, difficulty with motor skills, slow movement and a loss of balance). In more advanced stages of CTE, patients experience tremors, full-blown Parkinsonism, a staggering gait, deafness and dementia.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is also commonly associated with psychological problems like depression, agitation, aggression and violence, loss of inhibitions, sexual compulsiveness, euphoria, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide.

The substance-abuse death of 42-year old football coach Mike Borich highlights these aspects of the disease. Borich's life had become a swirl of alcohol and drug abuse, and violent mood swings were complicated by bouts of disorientation, depression and forgetfulness. Examination of his brain after his death showed that he had suffered from CTE.

The symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy usually show up a few years after an individual has stopped playing a sport, and some researchers believe that the severity of the disease may correlate with the length of time spent in the activity. Sadly, a 2009 analysis of 51 chronic traumatic encephalopathy sufferers revealed that the average lifespan of people with the disease is just 51 years.

Original Article was written for Johns Hopkins Health Alerts

Brain Scans May Predict Alzheimers in Some

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:51:00 GMT

Brain scans may help identify which individuals with a mild decline in their mental abilities will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.

The research focused on patients with mild cognitive impairment, a condition in which people experience noticeable declines in their cognitive function, including memory and language problems. These changes are not severe enough to interfere with everyday activities, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
It is known that about 15 to 20 percent of such patients will go on to develop Alzheimer's, but researchers don't know which ones.

In the new study, which involved magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers were able to identify a high-risk group – patients who had a 69 percent chance of developing Alzheimer's disease in the next year.

The study used the MRI scans to identify brain characteristics that put people at risk for Alzheimer's. The researchers determined some patients had just a 3 percent risk of developing Alzheimer's in the next year, which is about the same as for a healthy older person. Others had a 40 percent risk of developing the condition in the next year, or double the risk associated with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, and still others were identified as part of the high-risk group, said study researcher Linda K. McEvoy, an assistant professor in the department of radiology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

A similar technique could be used one day by doctors to determine the Alzheimer's risk for patients with mild cognitive impairment. However, the patients in the study were not representative of the general population — they had been selected to exclude people who experienced other types of memory problems, such as those due to a stroke. A larger study would be needed before the results could be translated to the doctor's office.

Alzheimer's disease risk
The study looked at MRI scans of the brains of 203 healthy adults, 164 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 317 patients with mild cognitive impairment. Each patient had their brain scanned at the start of the study and again a year later.

The researchers first compared the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients with those of healthy people, looking for differences in the degree of shrinkage, or atrophy, in particular areas of the brain. Once they developed a way to distinguish these two groups of people, "we could use the same equations on the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects to determine their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease," McEvoy said.

When the researchers included information about how the brains had changed in the time between the two scans, they were able to identify the high-risk group.

Future applications
Information in this study will be critical once we have ways to prevent Alzheimer's disease, McEvoy said. "Currently there's no cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease. But there's a lot of research going on right now into different potential therapies. If any of those therapies turn out to be useful, then this kind of information will be crucial — a doctor needs to know who's at higher risk in order to treat them".

Original article by Rachael Rettner- MyHealthNewsDaily

Are Senior Moments the Start of Alzheimers Disease

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:08:00 GMT

As we get older, many of us will notice changes in our memory. Forgetfulness is a normal part of getting older, however, dementia and Alzheimer's disease is not. How can we tell the difference? We all worry, about ourselves and our parents as we watch them age; and with good reason.

Presently, one in ten people 65 and older has Alzheimer's, about 5 million people. But only half have been diagnosed with the disease. It is estimated that by 2050 as many as 16 million people will have it.
As we become more and more educated about this terrible disease, we often find ourselves wondering when we or someone we love will get it, not if we or someone we love will get it. You may be concerned because you have noticed recurring "senior moments". As we age, we notice our senior moments more and more.

So where does normal forgetfulness end and mild cognitive impairment begin? Some experts think that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the early signs of Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, there is no definitive test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s, but your personal history and mental status exams are accurate about 90% of the time. Alzheimer's progresses very slowly for most people. The downward slide of thinking, memory, and judgment are gradual, over the span of many years.

If you have concerns about yourself or a loved one, find out all you can about your own, or their, personal history and speak with your doctor. Education about Alzheimer’s Disease is the best way to understand an prepare yourself, if necessary, for this terrible disease.

Dealing with an Aggressive Loved One who has Alzheimers

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:26:00 GMT

As Alzheimer's progresses, often there is a noticeable increase in aggressive behavior. Alzheimer's patients often tend to shout and become physical with loved ones. This is more common in men with Alzheimer's than women, but it often occurs suddenly, and for no apparent reason. Because we are often confused about what kind of thoughts our loved one is having, it's easy to become frustrated. Though, however difficult, patience and understanding is necessary to calm them.

Aggression can have many causes such as physical discomfort, poor ability to communicate or an uncomfortable environment. When your loved one becomes aggressive, try to see if you can understand the source of their anger, see if you can make them more comfortable and less upset. Maybe they are tired, hungry, or uncomfortable. Does it seem as though they are in pain? There could be environmental factors that are bothering them as well, such as noise or smells.

Keep in mind, that these feelings would make anyone frustrated, but Alzheimer's patients can be overwhelmed easily and often their only way to cope is to lash out. Also, they may become aggressive over their frustration in their inability to communicate their discomfort to you. Remember not to ask too many questions or talk about too many things at once. If you yourself are irritable, remember, they can pick up on that as well, just as you could if you were interacting with someone who was in a bad mood. It is possible that they may be picking up on your own mood.

The best way to respond to the aggression in an Alzheimer’s patient is to remain calm, reassuring, and understanding. Try to identify what is causing the behavior and focus on them, not the facts. It is very important for them and for your own health that you don't take their behavior personally. Perhaps suggest a more relaxing activity and limit their distractions so they can concentrate on remaining calm. Unless it is absolutely necessary, always avoid using force, this may cause them to become more upset. Normally, the anger does not last long.

Dementia Isn't Contagious -- or Is It?

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:16:00 GMT

Recent research by Johns Hopkins and Utah State University has found that a person is more likely to develop dementia if his or her spouse has dementia. Here's what the research suggests.

One thousand two hundred twenty-one married couples age 65 and older were selected from the Cache County Study on Memory and Aging, a trial that began in 1995. Couples were followed for up to 12.6 years, with a median follow-up time of 3.3 years. Dementia was diagnosed in 255 of the 2,442 participants.

Individuals whose spouses were diagnosed with dementia had a six-fold greater risk of dementia, even after adjusting for other factors, than individuals whose spouses showed no signs of dementia. Husbands had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia than wives.

Bottom line: The physical and mental burden of caregiving, the emotional stress associated with watching a loved one struggle with dementia, shared environmental risks like similar diets, or homogamy (similar individuals are more likely to marry) are among the possible reasons. More research is needed to pinpoint the cause and find the best way of keeping one spouse from sharing the fate of their husband or wife.

Reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (Volume 58, page 895)

Activities to Help Alzheimers Patients Cope

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:19:00 GMT

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. Unfortunately, it is presently incurable. With every stage issues crop up, and it is very challenging to care for someone with this disease as their condition deteriorates. However, there are some activities to keep Alzheimer patients engaged and to assist them in coping with this disorder. Those who suffer from Alzheimer’s need care, motivation, support, encouragement and patience. The following activities will help.

Puzzles and crosswords that are simple and easy will stimulate their brains and help slow down degeneration. These cognitive activities will help in reducing memory loss.
Crafts and activities with little complication like maintaining a photo album, sorting photographs, making collages, or writing small notes to relatives can be engaging for these patients. It is important that the task is well described, sequenced and easy to handle.
Reading a story aloud to them that has pictures will enable them to comprehend and answer relevant questions. This will also strengthen the bond between the caregiver and the patient. Alzheimer’s patients have a better chance of remembering information about the caregiver through activities they did together.
Household work should be encouraged. Alzheimer's sufferers should perform their daily chores. This will create lesser dependency and will assist them in remembering things better.
Gardening and keeping busy weeding, planting, and watering will enable them have a better approach to cope.

A Basic Idea of How Alzheimers Progresses Through the Brain

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:57:00 GMT

Alzheimer's disease symptoms result from physical changes in the brain. What causes these changes is still somewhat of a mystery, however researchers have a leading theory of how the Alzheimer's disease progresses.

In a healthy brain, certain chemical processes ensure the proper functioning of neurons. One is the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) that is attached to the outer membrane of nerve cells. Certain enzymes cut off a section of the protein; while another enzyme snips a second portion and releases APP from the cell’s membrane.

These APP fragments are then broken down and removed from the brain. Another process, which we won’t get into here, carries nutrients through the nerve cells to keep them functioning normally.

When the processes that keep a healthy brain functioning go awry, a different enzyme, cuts shorter APP fragments from the nerve cell membrane. These smaller pieces are more resistant to breakdown and tend to clump together in toxic clusters and eventually they collect into plaques that interfere with nerve cell functioning. Within neurons, the transport of nutrients is crippled and nerve cells are destroyed. Loose threads join together to form knotted strands inside neurons. These cause further neuron destruction.

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s, plaques and tangles form in brain areas responsible for learning, thinking, and planning -- in particular, the hippocampus. This is why forgetfulness, disorientation, and verbal repetition are often among the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s. As nerve cell destruction spreads more brain areas are affected, especially the cerebral cortex, responsible for language, reasoning, and judgment. Speaking skills become impaired and emotional outbursts grow more frequent.

When large areas of nerve cells die off in the advanced Alzheimer’s stage, brain sections atrophy and the whole brain shrinks to as much as three quarters of its original size. People with Alzheimer’s lose most of their ability to communicate, walk, and care for themselves.

Easing the Move for Your Elderly Parents

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:02:00 GMT

It is finally time to make the difficult decision that you have dreaded for so long. Your elderly parent or parents are not able to live in their own home anymore and they must move. Realize, while this will be challenging for you, it will be difficult for them to make the move. There are four very prevalent reasons or emotions that make it difficult for your aging parents to move out of their old house, and it is important for you understand where they are coming from and how they feel. When you understand their challenges and difficulties you will find it easier to relate to them and easier to talk to them about the move. When you are able to talk and communicate about it, the entire process will be easier for you and your family.

Grief is a very strong emotion which is difficult to handle and is very common in seniors whenever they feel as though they are losing something that they value. When an elderly parent has to go through losing what they have always thought of as their home, they will experience grief. They are not only moving away from their home, but also their neighborhood and many of their possessions that were a part of their lives for many years.

Of course they are also experiencing a loss of independence and control. As long as your mother and or father lived by themselves they were independent and had control over how they ran their lives. Inevitably they will feel anxiety over their perceived loss of that control when they move out of their homes, regardless of where they move too. This is very difficult for them to deal with, but once moved into an assisted living community, this emotion will pass more quickly.

All of this is very overwhelming. Moving, at any age, is one of the highest stressors. Inevitably it entails throwing things out, selling things, closing bank accounts and selling their home. Combined with all the other emotions, this gives them a sense of ‘where do I start?”

Understand and remember that this is not only hard on you and your family or siblings, but it is very hard on them as well. There are many reasons emotionally and physically why it is difficult and for elderly parents to move out of their house. Once you understand the reasons you will be able to lessen the difficulties that your parents are experiencing.

Warning Signs Of Alzheimer's Are Not to Be Confused with Simply Forgetting Something

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:15:00 GMT

Have you ever walked into a room and then forgotten what you wanted once you got there? Have you ever put an item in a “safe place” and then forgot where it was when you needed it? Do you think sometimes that you are going “crazy” because you forget people’s names? Or maybe you forgot to do something you said you were going to do?

Sometimes we are having a “senior moment” as they say; but that’s just what it is–a moment. Usually the name is just on the tip of your tongue and you remember it when you can take the time to think. Or the reason for walking into the other room becomes clear when you slow down and let your thought catch up with you. These are ”normal” occurrences usually due to stress, being too busy, not feeling well, or simply not paying attention.

However, when you misplace something and you have a problem retracing your steps to find it, this might be a warning sign. If you are making a familiar recipe and forget how much salt to use, this could be normal. But if you are confused about whether to use a measuring spoon or a measuring cup for the salt, this could be a warning sign. If you drive to the mall and forget where you parked the car, this is typical of someone not paying attention or making a mental note of where they parked. But, if you forget where you are and how you got there, this is a warning sign.

There are several warning signs to watch for in detecting early stage Alzheimer’s. No one sign is an indication of having a problem in and of itself. Keeping track of abnormal behavior will give your physician details to help diagnose the problem, and only a qualified professional can make a diagnosis after appropriate testing. For more information on the warning signs, contact us today and we'll be happy to assist you in any way we can.

Some People Think that Assisted Living Communities Are Too Expensive

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:38:00 GMT

This is actually not true. For today’s seniors, moving to an assisted living community is one way they can make the most of their retirement income now. There are many economic benefits of living in senior communities. These range from free local transportation – which eliminates or minimizes costs for fuel, maintenance/repairs and auto insurance – to eliminating expenses associated with maintaining a single-family residence.

Assisted Living communities eliminate such expenses as routine maintenance, lawn care, pest control, snow removal and more. Homeowner’s insurance, always an expensive companion to home ownership, can also be removed from the monthly budget. This represents a huge savings in Virgina, for example, where property insurance has increased dramatically.

Our assisted living communities provide residents with fixed monthly costs, which cover local transportation; rental or purchase of an apartment, villa home, or cottage; and two or three meals prepared daily by professional chefs. Contact us today to learn more about our residencies or if you have any questions regarding assisted living.

Assisted Living Communities Are Not Nursing Homes

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:28:00 GMT

Assisted living is for those who need some help in their daily lives, but don’t require the medical care provided by a nursing home or other institutional setting. It provides housing and services when it is no longer safe or practical for an older adult to live alone in his or her home. Spring Arbor's assisted living communities offer individualized care on a need basis and have a nurse on call 24 hours a day. Services vary, and usually include bathing, dressing or medication management; nutritious meals, a variety of planned activities, transportation and a comfortable apartment.

With the help of our assisted living communities, older adults are getting the traditional care they need, while maintaining much of their independence and dignity in a place they can call home. Assisted living communities alleviate the challenge of care from the families, and in turn are making a commitment to enhance the quality of life for today’s older adults .Life at Spring Arbor and The Oaks reflects the growth, excitement and beauty of the seasons. We have created a community that is really more an extension of your family, where caring professionals are here with a helping hand while you enjoy new friends, new experiences and new days. Contact us today to learn more information about assisted living.

Spring Arbor Opens Their New Facility In Leesburg, VA

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:57:00 GMT

The former site of Loudoun Country Day School again is bustling with activity as the Spring Arbor assisted living community welcomes residents to its new 70,000-square-foot facility on Fairview Street in Leesburg. Executive Director Zoie Nikov said the facility expects to have 13 residents fully moved in by the end of the week. The remaining 57 rooms are expected to fill up within the next month, she said, noting pre-sales have been strong.

The facility provides plenty of amenities for residents, including a kitchen serving three prepared meals a day in a dining room with outdoor patio space for uses during the warmer months; a library and reading area complete with computers for Internet access, where volunteers can help residents setup e-mail and social networking accounts to stay connected with family and friends; a wellness center with daily exercise activities and on-site physical rehabilitation specialists; a walking path around the grounds of the facility; and transportation around town via a van and bus service.

Spring Arbor also is the first assisted living center in the county to have a secure area for Alzheimer's patients, in 13 cottage-style apartments with one to two beds available. The facility provides entirely independent accommodations for patients with Alzheimer's and other memory-related illnesses, including a separate kitchen and dining area, activity room and outdoor patio.

As guests continue to move in over the coming days they are likely to see the final touches being placed on the facility as crews work to finish the construction of patio areas for both the standard and memory care areas, and the bus that will be used to transport residents to doctors appointments, shopping destinations and other venues around town arrives next week.

Nikov said community response to the new facility has been positive, with more than 200 people turning out for a neighborhood open house over the weekend. Spring Arbor, which is owned by HHHunt of North Carolina, worked closely with nearby homeowners in assuring the new facility would match the aesthetic design and feel of the community, Richard Williams, senior vice president of senior living for the real estate company, said. Contact us today to learn more about Spring Arbor and how we strive to help our residents.

Learning a New Task is a Great Way to Improve Brain Health and Reduce Alzheimer's

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:34:00 GMT

Exercising and reducing stress are both very important to keep your brain functioning at its peak. A healthy brain not only helps improve memory, mental clarity and countless other cognitive tasks essential for better health and well-being, it may also reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Since the nerve cells in our brains degrade as we age, there’s no better time than now to keep your brain active, so that it functions well for years to come. One of the most important things you can do to improve your brain health is learning something new.

Learn something new that you’re not familiar with is a very important task to keep up with throughout your life. Brain games, which are generally good for “exercising” your brain are important to learn and play as well, such as crosswords. But, there are many other things that can increase brain activity, such as learning how to play a new instrument or sport, picking up a new hobby, or learning a new language. The important thing is that it needs to be something unfamiliar. If you already play hearts try playing solitaire, or learn an entirely new game to master. Instrument learning is one of the best ways to train your brain, as it works your brain as lot more. By performing diverse tasks, you’re working out different parts of your brain. Contact us today to learn more about activities our assisted living communities have to offer or learn about Alzheimer's.

Nighttime Tips for People with Alzheimer's

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:23:00 GMT

Alzheimer’s symptoms grow worse as time progresses, the disease may have unpredictable changes; making it an extremely difficult task to care of a person with Alzheimer’s disease. For both the person with Alzheimer’s and the caregiver, arranging basic activities of daily living can be difficult. Eating, talking, sleeping, and finding things to do: all these things become difficult as the disease becomes more severe. There are many ways to help manage these difficulties.

Nighttime can seem like a blessing for some, but for those with Alzheimer’s it can be difficult. Most people with Alzheimer have become restless and irritable around this time. Putting the person to bed may require some advance planning.

Limit daytime napping and encourage exercise during the day, but still allow for a sufficient amount of rest during the day. Try to schedule more physical activities such as bathing earlier in the day. And in the evening set a peaceful, quiet tone to encourage sleep. Make certain that the lights are dim and the noise is down to a minimum. In some cases playing soothing music may help, but only if the person enjoys it. Try to keep the person’s bedtime routine. NO caffeine late in the day. If the person gets frightened or disoriented use night lights around the halls and bathroom. Spring Arbor knows that caring for a person with Alzheimer's takes time and patience which is why if you know someone with Alzheimer's and have any questions or wish you explore our communities, please contact us today.

Recent Studies Show that Drinking Apple Juice can Delay the Onset Of Alzheimer's

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:14:00 GMT

In 2006, experts at Johns Hopkins University estimated that over 26 million people globally were living with Alzheimer’s disease. They also projected that instances of Alzheimer’s disease would increase globally to more than 106 million cases by the year 2050. By that time, 43% of Alzheimer’s patients will require high-level health care from highly skilled assisted living facilities. These troubling statistics were presented at conference for the prevention of dementia in Washington, D.C. on June 10.

The good news is that there is also growing body of evidence that suggests there are thing we can do to ward of the signs and symptoms of decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. And it may be as simple as adding apple juice to our diets. Thomas B. Shea, PhD, and his team of researchers have conducted several laboratory studies which indicate that mice performed better than average in maze tests after drinking apple juice. It also seems to have prevented the normal decline in performance observed in the mice as they age.

In their most recent study, Shea and his colleagues found that mice who were giving the equivalent of 2 glasses of apple juice a day for an entire month produce less beta-amyloid, a protein fragment that is the cause of “senile plaques” that form in the brains of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s. The findings are significant because they suggest that something as simple as drinking apple juice routinely can improve brain function and possible delay key symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

The delayed onset of Alzheimer’s behaviors isn’t the only reason to drink apple juice. Here are some other benefits of drinking the beverage regularly:

It contains nutrients and vitamins that may protect the body from other illnesses, like common colds.
Apple juice also contains antioxidants, which are known to help prevent heart disease the development of some cancers.
It can help reduce cholesterol.
When consumed in moderation, it may also help promote weight loss.

Be sure to contact us should you have any questions about Alzheimer's or how we can provide custom care plans for individuals with this disease. We encourage you to seek out support as you take this journey and allow us to join you along the way.

A New Test May Provide A Window Of Opportunity for Alzheimer's Prevention

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:03:00 GMT

A new test developed by Belgian researchers, using spinal fluid, is 100% accurate in identifying those with MCI (mild cognitive impairment), a condition that precedes Alzheimer's disease. The test looks for 3 "biomarkers" in the cerebrospinal fluid which are also found in Alzheimer's patients.

This is both good news and bad news. The bad news is that, even with a test that can detect Alzheimer's disease in the early stages, there is currently no cure for the disease. The good news is that this diagnostic breakthrough could allow patients to take preventive measures before the disease has progressed to an advanced stage where there is no hope of recovery. In addition, it could encourage the development of new drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease in the early stages, when drugs may be more effective.

The authors of the study, published in the August 2010 issue of The Archives of Neurology, conclude: "The unexpected presence of the Alzheimer's disease signature in more than one-third of cognitively normal subjects suggests that the Alzheimer's pathology is active and detectable earlier." With this new test, early detection could provide a "window of opportunity" for Alzheimer's prevention before the disease is irreversible. Just as we now take preventive steps if a blood test shows high levels of cholesterol, we may soon be able to do the same for Alzheimer's disease, turning it into a "manageable" condition just like heart disease.

Unfortunately, because supplements, a healthier diet and regular exercise will not likely be the focus of an extensive, long-term study due to cost considerations, there may never be conclusive proof of their effectiveness. But there is a growing body of research that strongly indicates preventive measures could reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's by as much as 70 percent. With those odds, prevention makes a lot of sense. As Ben Franklin said over 200 years ago, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Be sure to contact us today if you have any questions about Alzheimer's or the custom care plans we offer individuals with the disease.

How Music and Assisted Living Can Help Seniors

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:37:00 GMT

In the field of elder care, music has been explored as a way to encourage social interaction, encourage self-expression, and enhance the overall well-being of assisted living residents who fight illnesses such as Alzheimer's, dementia, memory loss, and other cognitive impairments. So through music, Spring Arbor has found that residents with these health conditions are able to live more fully. They are not defined by their conditions or their need for medicines and skilled medical care. They become engaged members of a supportive community that encourages emotional growth, sharing, and self-worth. This can be vitally important to seniors who experience a number of difficult life events such as retirement, the death of a loved one or spouse, and the need for help with common tasks.

So far, experts know of no other single activity that stimulates the entire brain. In addition to this, music increases dopamine levels, and dopamine can cause a corresponding positive sense of well-being. So what does it mean to say that music promotes well-being? Well-being is characterized by a sense of affiliation. Seniors feel connected and have an increased sense of belonging. Music also brings about a feeling of self-competence and independence in seniors. They enjoy life day-to-day and gain a greater sense of fulfillment.

Many research studies indicate that musical activities have several positive benefits. Patients are reported to have better moods, be more sociable, eat better, and react more calmly to stress. Experts say it’s the “cognitive workout” for the brain that brings on these positive traits. Feel free to contact us to learn more about assisted living and how life at Spring Arbor can be relaxing fulfillment.

Spring Arbor Living Features New Upcoming Openings In Virginia and North Carolina

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:00:00 GMT

Spring Arbor has some exciting new locations opening up in the Virginia and North Carolina area. Be sure to contact us for more information regarding our new facilities. Below we will share which places are opening up and when they will be available!

Spring Arbor in Leesburg,VA will offer "Special Care Cottages," programs that are custom designed for residents with the unique challenges of Alzheimer's related disabilities. Our future facility opens the next chapter of Spring Arbor Living in February 2011! The location for this facility is 237 Fairview St., NW,
Leesburg, VA 20176

Spring Arbor of Hendersonville, NC independent and assisted living facility is located at the southern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains and was incorporated on January 7, 1847. Spring Arbor of Hendersonville has the ideal front porch for enjoying the spring and fall weather. Sit in our comfortable rocking chairs and visit with family and friends or just watch the view. OPENING SOON: The Cottage of Spring Arbor of Hendersonville Alzheimer's and dementia care center. Call now for the latest update! We are located on 1820 Pisgah Drive Hendersonville, NC 28791

Spring Arbor of Kinston is located in a city rich in history and in the geographic center of eastern North Carolina that makes it an ideal business, industry, and agriculture. This facility has the ideal front porch for enjoying the spring and fall weather. Sit in our comfortable rocking chairs and visit with family and friends or just watch the view. OPENING IN FEBRUARY 2011! The Cottage of Spring Arbor of Kinston Alzheimer's and dementia care center. You can find us at3207 Carey Road Kinston, NC 28504

Coming Soon--The Oaks of Thomasville Alzheimer's and Dementia Care "Cottage"! Call for the latest update. 915 West Cooksey Drive Thomasville, NC 27360

Finally we have our future Spring Arbor Facility Scheduled To Open in September 2011 in Greensboro, NC. We do not have a set location just yet, but please contact us for more information and we'll be glad to help.

Blueberries and Brussels Sprouts Can Help Promote Brain Health

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 20:52:00 GMT

We all know that there are a couple different foods that affect our brain health as well as certain vitamins and activities. And being an assisted living facility we like to stay on top of what affects the brain and the health of our patients. But there are two food items that we recently found out were excellent for brain health and we thought we'd share them with you all.

First blueberries. Blueberries contain powerful anti-oxidants to help fuel the brain, remove toxins, and reduce inflammation. Chemical compounds in blueberries can also boost neuronal signals and facilitate greater communication within the various regions of the brain. Blueberries have been found to increase memory in aging adults and may help counter symptoms associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease.

Secondly are Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C. Brussels sprouts are also a good source for tryptophan and essential omega fatty acids critical to healthy brain functioning. Brussels sprouts may boost DNA repair in cells and block the growth of cancer cells.

While researchers are constantly working on cures for Alzheimer's its good to know that even natural foods and vitamins in the world can help as well. It gives hope that even know this is a terrible affliction that is incurable at the present time, with so many things that help our body there has to be a way to prevent it. Keep hope alive and contact us today should you have any questions regarding Alzheimer's or know someone who is affected and needs help.

Signs That You May Need Assisted Living Services

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:12:00 GMT

When is it time to admit the need for assisted living services? There are a couple of questions and signs that you can tell if mom or dad is needing more help. Dealing with Alzheimer's or dementia is a serious task and takes a lot of time for just one person. Which is why Spring Arbor is here to help out these individuals and be there for these people. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself and some signs to tell whether or not it's time for a caregiver's help.

Frequent calls during the day to the same person can indicate a sense of memory loss. Does Mom or Dad discuss a hesitation to get out of bed? Are there mobility issues that impede maintaining an active lifestyle?
Frequent falls. Has Mom or Dad expresses their fear of leaving the house often due to a fear of falling?
Indication of depression. Is your parent or loved one lying about eating? Or are they unwilling to seek medical help or assistance? Remembering to take medication as prescribed by a doctor are always a help, if they forget or refuse then there might be an issue.

There are many questions that can be asked and it’s definitely hard to determine the right time. But it is always better to know that Mom and Dad are safe and sound when you are not around. Spring Arbor can assist you in these matters and we can be there for the elderly when they need the help they deserve. Just by simply taking a little time to talk to them about assisted living homes or elderly care can make all the difference. Be sure to check out our locations for a home near you and contact us today should you have any questions regarding senior care.

Safety Tips For People With Alzheimer's and Their Caregivers

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:42:00 GMT

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can be overwhelming. In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s and as many as 10 million family caregivers. For the family member afflicted with Alzheimer’s, even routine daily events, such as hearing or seeing evening newscasts, can be truly terrifying. As a result, Spring Arbor is dedicated to creating an environment for the loved one which is as safe and nurturing as possible.

With children, the term is “childproofing.” For those with Alzheimer’s disease, there is no similar term, but the concept is the same. Many things around the home that pose no danger to people in full possession of their mental faculties can be major hazards for people with Alzheimer’s. There are many steps you can take to reduce the risk of your loved one getting into things he/she shouldn’t, or reduce the risk of injury. We have a few tips that we find work very well and we'd like to share with you all:

Limit distractions and control noise.
Play radios softly, and turn the telephone ringer on low.
If your loved one watches TV, choose humorous or happy sitcoms, game shows and musical shows. These types of shows can make the individual laugh and/or stimulate positive memories.
Maintain consistency and organization
Don’t rearrange rooms. Instead, maintain consistency by keeping furniture in the same place. Keep the individual’s bedroom and living areas well-organized and keep pathways clear. In addition, clutter may confuse or upset people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Encourage activities that are success-oriented and that make the individual feel productive. Many individuals with Alzheimer’s enjoy outdoor activities.
Lock up hazardous materials
Keep all medicines, cleaning products and sharp utensils up or out of reach.
Don’t forget, everyone needs a little TLC

With all the responsibilities and problems involved in caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease, it’s easy to forget how important a loving touch can be. A pat on the back, back rubs, foot massages, hugging or holding hands are calming, and they communicate love and safety in a way everyone can understand. Several studies show that massage exerts a calming influence and minimizes behavior problems in Alzheimer’s care. Contact us today should you have any questions about living with Alzheimer's and steps to take.

Omega 3s and How Their Relation To Alzheimer's

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:26:00 GMT

The brain is composed of nearly 60% fat and it is thought that the lipid in the brain helps to insulate neural tracts and to propel information electrically in an efficient manner. The brain can slow down and function less optimally if the lipid is reduced or damaged. To this end, the study of omega 3 fatty acids, an essential fatty acid in the body, has been studied for Alzheimer's patients and continues to be a major area of interest in relationship to the brain.

Omega 3s including DHA and EPA are critical to optimal brain function. They can be found in fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, and sardines. They are also found in unsalted nuts. Fish are good sources of DHA because they consume algae in their own diet. Smaller fish that do not swim at deeper levels of the ocean also reduce the risk of mercury levels that might be a risk for humans.

A recent study published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia revealed algal DHA (algal-900) improved memory in healthy older adults. The memory benefit was nearly equal to skills of those one three years younger. Similar cognitive benefits of DHA have been published elsewhere in healthy populations, but some question remains regarding the benefit of such nutrition in those already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. DHA may have a preventative effect more than a treatment effect.

While most research being done is only preventive for Alzheimer's we at Spring Arbor are glad that something is being done for Alzheimer's patients. We know that it is a terrible disease and hopefully a cure or more preventive medicine can be formed. So if you know a loved one who is suffered contact us today and we'll be happy to help you through the process and do what we can to help.