I Finally Realized Alzheimer's Was the Enemy - Not My Mom
I wondered if instead of complaining, could I replace the "bad" patterns of behavior that come along with dementia - patterns of behavior that were driving me crazy - with "new" more positive patterns of behavior?Always Be Kinder Than You FeelListen Now orContinue ReadingBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomOne of things I noticed very early on in my care giving effort for my mother,Dotty, was that she was engaging in very distinct patterns of behavior.Not only was she engaging in a long list of behaviors that were driving me crazy, day in day out, she was often doing them at the same time of day.We even had a very distin...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Alzheimer's Dementia care at home care of dementia patients caregiver tips mom searches related to alzheimer's Source Type: blogs
How I Learned to Accept Alzheimer's Disease
Once you accept and understand Alzheimer's - the environment changes. Everything slows down. You slow down. Instead of feeling chaos and stress, you start to feel comfortable. Normal actually.I finally learned to accept Alzheimer's disease by conceptualizing a new and different world --Alzheimer's World.Once I started understanding this parallel world, I started feelingcalmer.Amazingly, as I became calmer so did my mother Dotty.In Alzheimer's World, all the new, different, anddisconcerting behaviors that come with Alzheimer's are the norm.The normal. Behaviors that you come toexpect and accept.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Rea...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: acceptance Alzheimer's Communication alzheimers care dementia care help alzheimer's help with dementia care how how to communicate with dementia patients Source Type: blogs
6 Good Articles, Alzheimer's Quotes, and Thoughts for the Weekend
Not a day goes by that I don't read or hear about an Alzheimer's caregiver complaining about their loved one being mean.By Bob De MarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomMy first thought?Are persons living with Alzheimer's or a related dementia inherently mean?Not a day goes by that I don't read or hear about an Alzheimer's caregiver complaining about their loved one being mean.Related Article - The Frightened, Angry, Anxious, Mean Dementia PatientI always ask, were they mean before the onset of dementia? If they answer no, I then ask, do you think there is any chance that their meanness is being caused by dementia.Caregive...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care alzheimer's quotes Alzheimers Dementia care of dementia patients dementia care home kindness learning alzheimer's listening touch Source Type: blogs
Who is the enemy Alzheimer's or Our Loved One?
As caregivers we start out venting, after a while it sounds like we are constantly complaining. Eventually friends and family get tired of listening to us.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomWhat happens next?One by one they start to disappear.They really don't understand what is happening to us. Much of the time they can't see it.They can talk on the phone and our loved one acts perfectly normal.Related Article -Dementia Patients Can Deceive Others to the Distress of Their CaregiverWhy do we complain so much? When we complain we turn our loved one into the enemy.Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:Think about...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 6, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: advocate alzheimer's care alzheimer's caregiving alzheimer's dementia care alzheimers awareness elder care help home care how to memory care objectification people senior vilification Source Type: blogs
3 Brilliant Ways to Communicate with an Alzheimer's Patient
Even when Alzheimer's is at an advanced stage you can get through to the patient using these simple communication techniques.By Carole B. LarkinAlzheimer's Reading RoomI had an ah ha moment reading this Parade Magazine article (which I edited for length).Three brilliant ideas - memory flashcards to remind loved ones of relationships; and, notes to loved ones to ease anxiety, and positive suggestions to slow down repetitive questions.More Tips -Alzheimer's Caregiver TipsSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:Eighty-year-old Mary studied her only daughter's face intently."You're not my Susan," she said.Susan cried as...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 4, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care Alzheimer's Communication Alzheimer's Dementia dementia care help alzheimer's help with dementia help with dementia care Searches related to Alzheimer's Caregiver Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's Care, Me and My Alzheimer's Shadow
Shadowing causes the Alzheimer's caregiver to feel like their personal space is being violated. They feel smothered. Caregivers attempt to separate themselves from the person with dementia and this can lead to the perception on the part of the patient that they are being rejected.By Carole B. LarkinAlzheimer's Reading RoomSome people start exhibiting a behavior I call“shadowing” in the mid-stages of Alzheimer ’s and other dementia. Those who are able to walk or roll in their wheelchairswill literally follow their loved one or caregiver around the house trying to be as close as they physically can to the other pe...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 2, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer shadowing alzheimer's care Alzheimer's Dementia dementia care dementia help for caregivers dementia shadowing following help alzheimer's help with dementia care memory care Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's Found in Chimpanzees
A new study provides extensive evidence of Alzheimer ’s disease pathology in the brains of aged chimpanzees, our closest living relatives.By Alzheimer's Reading RoomThis research adds to a growing number of studies using an evolutionary perspective to identify differences between humans and chimpanzees that could lead to potential targets for therapeutic interventions in humans.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:“Very few studies have investigated Alzheimer’s disease pathology in chimpanzees, the species closest in phylogeny and most genetically re...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - August 2, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Alzheimer's Dementia alzheimer's tips alzheimers dementia care loss of memory research science stages types of dementia Source Type: blogs
The Importance of Self Concept and Self Esteem in Alzheimer's Care
When it comes to Alzheimer's caregiving it is very difficult to be positive because at the outset few of us have any concept of what to do.Listen Now or Continue ReadingBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomSelf concept, the concept of self.Self concept defines how you think or feel about yourself. Basically, self concept is a determining factor in what youbelieve you can do; and, what you believe you can't do.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaListen Nowor Continue Reading BelowThe concept of self is determined by ourexperiences.In the case of Alzheimer's caregivingit is very difficult to be po...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 31, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: advocate Alzheimer's dementia care alzheimer's care alzheimer's caregiving alzheimers awareness elder care help home care how to memory care people Self Concept Self Confidence senior Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's, Self Concept, and Self Esteem
When it comes to Alzheimer's caregiving it is very difficult to be positive because at the outset few of us have any concept of what to do.Listen Now or Continue ReadingBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomSelf concept, the concept of self.Self concept defines how you think or feel about yourself. Basically, self concept is a determining factor in what youbelieve you can do; and, what you believe you can't do.What is the Difference Between Alzheimer ’s and DementiaListen Nowor Continue Reading BelowThe concept of self is determined by ourexperiences.In the case of Alzheimer's caregivingit is very difficult to be po...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 31, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: advocate Alzheimer's dementia care alzheimer's care alzheimer's caregiving alzheimers awareness elder care help home care how to memory care people Self Concept Self Confidence senior Source Type: blogs
Could Data Mining Help Scientists Discover a Cure for Alzheimer's Disease?
The search for new drugs and treatments for Alzheimer's disease has been like the search for the holy grail.While Alzheimer's science is advancing -every single clinical trial over the last 14 years has failed to produce a single successful new drug.One of the biggest problems is thatAlzheimer's patients tend to decline at different rates. For some the cognitive decline is more pronounced, and for some the disease progresses more slowly.This indicates there aremany subgroups within the overall patient population.5 Best Memory Tests for Alzheimer's and DementiaSubscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:Scientists Use Ne...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 30, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: Alzheimers Dementia alzheimers population alzheimers research alzheimers treatment alzread care of dementia patients cure alzheimers health life news science Source Type: blogs
The Memories of the Deeply Forgetful
I could not control her memory loss or her inability to make new memories, so I decided the best thing I could do was to help her to keep from forgetting.In the beginning, many Alzheimer's care partnersfocuson and sometimesobsessaboutmemory.By Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomBy this I mean,they use post it notes and whiteboards to help Alzheimer's patients remember. They often say things like, “don’t you remember”, or “you just asked me that”.It is sometimes hard to comprehend that thedeterioration of the right now memory is a given in Alzheimer's disease. Right now memory goes first.How the Loss of Memor...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 29, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: deeply forgetful dementia dementia care health life memory memory loss my mother has alzheimer's will i get it understanding alzheimer's and dementia Source Type: blogs
The Connection Between UTIs and Worsening Dementia
Dementia can be suddenly worsened by an undetected UTI (urinary tract infection).Are you aware of this?Urinary tract infections are the bane of existence for caregivers -a cause of great psychological and emotional pain.Alzheimer's and Urinary Tract infectionsBy Bob DeMarcoAlzheimer's Reading RoomFew caregivers are aware of the connection between UTI and dementia. This is especially true if you are new to dementia caregiving.Nobody said it better than Carole Larkin -Think UTI First.Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading RoomEmail:I would encourage you to read this hair raising article that Carole wrote for the Alzheimer's Re...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 29, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer awareness alzheimers care alzheimers caregiving alzheimers urinary tract infection dementia help for caregivers family caregiving help alzheimer's help with dementia help with dementia care Source Type: blogs
Complexities of Choosing an End of Life Strategy for Dementia VSED
Pamela Kelley addresses the complex issue of what preparations we might be making for our own end of life, and for those living with Alzheimer's. She also takes on the issue of VSED - voluntary stopping eating and drinking for those with advanced dementia.By Pamela R. KelleyAlzheimer's Reading RoomPamela Kelley is an attorney and a former caregiver for her mother Audrey who lived with Alzheimer's.Her insight are always worth considering.Do Persons Living with Dementia Feel Abandoned?In this article Pamela takes on an issue that is facing most of us; and, is certain to become an major issue as our population ages, and as mo...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 26, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: advance directives alzheimer's alzheimer's care Alzheimer's Dementia care of dementia patients dementia awareness dementia care dementia help for caregivers end of life dementia health vsed Source Type: blogs
Did Dotty Survive Alzheimer's?
When I saw the image of the objectionable Alzheimer ’s ad, newly adorned with Dotty’s familiar picture, I felt hopeful and inspired and energized.How To Do It Alzheimer's CareBy Pamela R. KelleyAlzheimer's Reading RoomDid Dotty survive Alzheimer's? Oh yes, indeed. Dotty certainly did.She lived a life so completely contrary to the common expectations conjured by the word "Alzheimer's". She survived the diagnosis, the dreadful word, and continued to live, to imagine, to love, to sing and enjoy her good fortune.She managed all that, and lived a good, long life despite being saddled with the complications imposed by diseas...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 26, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer care care of dementia patients dementia awareness dementia help for caregivers dotty elderly dementia care health help alzheimer's help with dementia care life story memory care Source Type: blogs
Alzheimer's Research - New brain cell loss mechanism uncovered
In this study, we show for the first time that necroptosis is activated in Alzheimer ’s disease, providing a plausible mechanism underlying neuronal loss in this disorder, ” said Liang, who contributed to the study’s gene expression analyses.To explore necroptosis, the research team utilized multiple cohorts of human samples obtained fromthe Brain and Body Donation Program at the Banner Sun Health Research Institute and Mount Sinai VA Medical Center Brain Bank.First, they measured RIPK1, RIPK3 and MLKL in a specific region of the brain that is typically ravaged by cell loss during the advance of Alzheimer ’s diseas...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - July 26, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's alzheimer's research alzheinmer's dementia brain cell loss causes of alzheimer's health memory loss science tau Source Type: blogs
