One Good Reason To Consider an Alzheimer's Clinical Trial
I would encourage each of you to consider an Alzheimer's disease clinical trial. You might be surprised by the benefits.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomA recent study indicates that patients suffering from dementia and participating in a clinical trial for an experimental drug stay out of nursing homes longer than patients receiving standard care.This phenomena occured even when the experimental drugs don't work.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaA possible explanation could be that study participantsbenefit substantially from the frequent, high-quality medical attention they receive as part of...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 25, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: Alzheimers Dementia brian care of dementia patients clinical trial health memory care searches related to clinical trial support for dementia patients Source Type: blogs
15 Strategies to get dementia patients to brush their teeth
"Poor oral health can lead to pneumonia and cardiovascular disease as well as periodontal disease," saidRita A. Jablonski, even though these illnesses are not usually associated with the mouth. Persons with dementia resist care when they feel threatened. In general, these patients cannot care for themselves and need help.byAlzheimer's Reading Room"To my knowledge, we are the only nurses in the country who are looking at ways to improve the mouth care of persons with dementia, especially those who fight and bite during mouth care," said Jablonski. "Our approach is unique because we frame resistive behavior as a reaction to ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 23, 2018 Category: Neurology Authors: rtdemarco at gmail.com Tags: alzheimer's brush teeth Alzheimer's Dementia alzheimers care alzheimers dementia symptoms alzheinmer's symptoms brushing teeth dementia brushing Dental Hygiene and Dementia Source Type: blogs
How Your Brain Remembers
Can you remember what you had for dinner last night? How do you do it?byAlzheimer's Reading RoomThe temporal lobe,which contains the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex are important to episodic memory. This enables us to learn new information andremember recent events.The hippocampus is one of the first brain structures damaged in Alzheimer's disease.How Alzheimer's Affects the 4 Memory Systems of the BrainSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading - This is a Free Service - Join NowHow Your Brain Remembers What You Had for Dinner Last NightUC San Diego researchers find small sets of hippocampal neurons activate for each epi...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 22, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: brain memory memory systems of the brain remember research Source Type: blogs
How I Stopped My Mother from Being Mean to Me
Alzheimer's caregivers often feel enormous stress when their loved one is mean to them; or, engages in difficult behaviors that are hard to understand and accept.by Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomDoes this person look mean to you?The list ofdifficult behaviors that Alzheimer's patients express in the mid stage of the disease are long, and sometimes never ending.It took me3 years to figure out how to stop my mother from being mean to me. If you read this article and follow the links that explain how I did it,you can do the same thing in a couple of hours.Topic -How to Get a Dementia Patient to Do What You Want Them to D...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 16, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimers care alzheimers meanness alzheimers stress coping with dementia dementia care dementia care at home Source Type: blogs
Diabetes Drug Significantly Reverses Alzheimer's Like Memory Loss
A drug developed for diabetes could be used to treat Alzheimer ’s after scientists found it significantly reversed memory loss.ByAlzheimer's Reading RoomThe findings are significant because the drug works by protecting the brain cells attacked by Alzheimer's disease in three separate ways; rather than, by relying on a single approach.This is the first time that a triple receptor drug has been used which acts in multiple ways to protect the brain from degeneration.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaA Diabetes Drug Has 'Significantly Reversed Memory Loss' in Mice With Alzheimer'sA drug developed for ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 8, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's and diabetes alzheimer's diabetes alzheimers. diabetes diet health Source Type: blogs
Eat a Mediterranean Style Diet to Ward Off Alzheimer's
More American's--especially the baby boom generation--are learning the importance of eating healthy.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomA new research study indicates that eating Mediterranean-style seems to reduces the risk of mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer's.There are numerous studies that indicate this style of eating helps reduce cardiovascular risk factors like high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.All of these are linked to Alzheimer's and I have written about them previously on this blog (use the search box for more information).Dementia Care TipsThe Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 7, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care alzheimer's risk alzheimers dementia care diet eating health help with dementia care lifestyle Mediterranean Diet Source Type: blogs
The Neuroscience of Music and Alzheimer's
There is a growing body of evidence that music can arouse distant memories in persons living with Alzheimer's disease. Music is also soothing.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomAlzheimer's patients do react positively to music.The Importance of Socialization in Dementia CareWhile watchingTREME on HBO, out of the clear blue sky Dotty starting singing the words to a song that was written in 1932 --Not a Ghost of A Chance -- An Alzheimer's Disease Out of the Box Moment.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaI read an article about the neuroscience of music. Some of you might find this of interest.When li...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 4, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care alzheimer's patient music alzheimers music dementia care memory care searches related to alzheimer's Source Type: blogs
How Do You Get an Alzheimer's Patient to Cooperate
One of the biggest problems we face as caregivers is How to get an Alzheimer's Patient to cooperate.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomIn order to get an Alzheimer's Patient to cooperate you need to make some changes in the way you communicate. If you continue to try and explain why you want cooperation you are usually using too many words.Trying to convince a person living with dementia rarely works.Instead of convincing you need to learn how to use fewer words; and,how to guide your loved one.Here are 7 good articles that should help you accomplish this mission.7 Ways to Get an Alzheimer's Patient to CooperateSub...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - January 2, 2018 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care home alzheimer's cooperation care of dementia patient dementia care how to get cooperation Source Type: blogs
Care of Dementia Patients, It's Not Your Fault
One thing I have learned over the years is that Alzheimer's caregivers tend to blame themselves too much.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomCaregivers often agonize over things that go wrong.They often wish they had done more.Caregiving for a person living with Alzheimer's is not easy. In fact,most would agree that is the most difficult thing they have done during their entire lives.One of the biggest reasons we do not do more is because we often have no clue what to do.In the beginning it would be safe to say most of us have no idea what we can or should do.So let me make this clear to my fellow caregivers -It is not y...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 28, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Alzheimer's Reading Room Alzheimer's support care of dementia patients dementia care dementia care at home understanding alzheimers Source Type: blogs
Lack of sleep can lead to Alzheimer ’s and dementia
This study is the clearest demonstration in humans that sleep disruption leads to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease through an amyloid beta mechanism,” said senior author Randall Bateman, MD, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology. “The study showed that it was due to overproduction of amyloid beta during sleep deprivation.”More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer ’s, a disease characterized by gradual memory loss and cognitive decline.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaThis study indicatesthat sleeping poorly increases levels of bra...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 28, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: health lack of sleep alzheimer's lack of sleep dementia poor sleep linked to alzheimer Source Type: blogs
Visiting a Person Living with Alzheimer's
Many people have told me how difficult they find it to visit friends and family who have Alzheimer ’s and dementia.By Marilyn RaichleAlzheimer's Reading Room“We have nothing to talk about. I don’t know what to say.”“It’s so sad – she is everything she never wanted to be.”“She would hate this so much. This was her worst nightmare.”So the pattern begins...Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading - This is a Free Service - Join NowVisiting makes you sad or uncomfortable,so you don ’t visit.Not visiting makes you feel guilty, so you put off visiting again.“She won’t remember it anyway,” you rationalize....
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 19, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer s alzheimers care alzheimers caregiving Alzheimers Dementia Alzheimers Disease alzheimers information dementia care health memory memory loss Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's Care and the Dreaded Constipation Problem
This article is about implementing a solution to a problem - bowel movements, constipation, and Alzheimer's disease.Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading - This is a Free Service - Join NowI knew the solution to the dreaded bowel movement problem for years. I just couldn't get my mother tocooperate. When she wouldn't cooperate, I would give up. At least three or four times over a two year period.I was finally able to implement my solution for one simple reason --I was learning new and better techniques as an Alzheimer's caregiver over time.Learning How to Communicate with Someone Living with Alzheimer'sIn this case, I marri...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 18, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's bowel movement alzheimer's care bowel movement problems in elderly care of dementia patients at home dementia care dementia constipation help alzheimer's Source Type: blogs
How An Undetected Urinary Tract Infection Can Kill an Alzheimer's Patient
Urinary tract infections can be the "bane" of our existence as caregivers of people living with dementia.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomUTIs are a cause of great distress. This happens to caregivers becauseurinary tract infection often go undetected even by doctors and physician assistants.Urinary tract infections in dementia patients don't always come with signs and symptoms.In dementia patients the signs and symptoms of a UTI are oftensilent.Persons living with dementia rarely tell us they have a UTI. Why? Because they don't know it.UTIs often cause dementia patients to become mean.Article -Death by Complications ...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 18, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: care of dementia patients care of dementia patients at home dementia care elderly dementia care health help alzheimer's help with dementia care how to care urinary tract infection UTI Source Type: blogs
They Call Me Doctor Poop
One of the biggest dementia care problems we face is problems with bowel movements and constipation.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomYesterday was a crappy day. More succinctly, a poop agita day.It started with Dotty repeatedly telling me she had to poop.A few minutes after I got Dotty out of bed she kept saying, I want to get back in bed. Why? She had to poop and couldn't do it. Six times in a little over an hour up down - no poop.Coping with DementiaKeep in mind this entails:getting Dotty out of bed and into the wheelchair, out of the wheelchair and on to the toilet, off the toilet and into the wheelchair, out of th...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 18, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Alzheimer's Communication alzheimer's constipation alzheimers bowel movement alzheimers care dementia care help alzheimer's help with dementia care how to communicate with dementia patients Source Type: blogs
A Spiritual Cultural Evolution Dementia in the 21st Century
Imagine a world in which caring for the deeply forgetful is deemed a privilege and a trust.By Stephen PostAlzheimer's Reading RoomI do believe that we will see a spiritual-cultural shift away from the ideology of “hyper-cognitive values” that has regrettably blinded us to the enduring selves underlying the deeply forgetful.How can we encounter the deeply forgetful outside of hyper-cognitive ideologies?Dementia Patients are People TooHow can we bear witness to the reality that persons with this cognitive disability possess inherent qualities, and create a culture where all are welcomed and celebrated regardless of cogni...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - December 12, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alz alzheimers bond cruelty deeply forgetful dehumanizing others demenitia glass half full love privilege self identity Spiritual Cultural Evolution Stephen Post trust Source Type: blogs
