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My dad died last Monday at 92 from complications due to Alzheimer's. And as I grieve over the loss — trying to shake the image of his lifeless body lying in the hallway where he collapsed — it occurs to me that my struggle with Chinese shame is finally over.
Allow me to explain as my way to cope with my sadness mixed with relief, say goodbye to a man who will forever be my dad, and, most importantly, to help others like me who feel they got dealt the misfortune cookie of shame.
Drugs used to treat diabetes could also be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, and vice versa, according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.
This is also the first study of its kind to show that Alzheimer’s disease can lead to diabetes, as opposed to diabetes occurring first as was previously thought.
The study reports that Alzheimer’s Disease and type 2 diabetes are so closely related that drugs currently used to control glucose levels in diabetes may also alleviate the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
As Alzheimer’s and brain awareness month comes to close, I want to highlight two powerful stories connected by trends that deserve our attention: the growing impact of Alzheimer’s on communities of color and the growth of the millennial caregiver.
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s recently partnered with Genius of Caring, a web-based initiative that documents the growing impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia on families, to present the story of Kamaria Moore, 30, and her mother Mary, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 58. Kamaria is a new homeowner, recently engaged, and solely responsible for her mother’s intensive care.
A new grant to the Indiana University Center for Aging Research from the National Institute on Aging funds the first study to assess the potential benefits and harms to family members of early dementia screening of older adults.
The Effects on Families of older adults Experiencing Cognitive Testing (EFECT) study is linked to the Indiana University CHOICE trial, a ground-breaking randomized controlled study assessing the harms and benefits of screening for dementia, compared to no screening for dementia, among 4,000 older adults cared for in typical primary care practices.
What are family caregivers worth? As the credit card commercial says, they are priceless. But they also have a financial value. And calculating that value is important as we consider ways to help them. For example, before Congress creates new government supports for family members who help aging parents or other relatives with disabilities, it will want to know if that assistance could reduce other government spending.
There are lots of ways to figure what caregiving is worth. For example, you could calculate what it would cost if all those family caregivers were paid market rates for the personal care they provide. AARP figures the economic value of family care could be as much as $470 billion annually. Or you could try to calculate the lifetime financial sacrifice of a daughter who abandons her career to help a relative. By one estimate, the lifetime cost to a 50-something woman who quits her job to care for an aging parent can be as much $300,000 in lost wages and retirement benefits.
Family caregivers are doing more than ever to support their family members, neighbors and friends who have long-term or chronic health needs. They shop, cook, drive and manage finances. They bathe, dress, toilet and feed.
Most also do things they never even dreamed they would need to do — unless they went to nursing school. They give dozens of pills, eye drops, patches, suppositories, injections, even intravenous medications at home. They perform wound care and manage colostomies and tube feedings. They manipulate special equipment and figure out special diets. They deal with incontinence. And more.
June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, and we want you to learn more about a disease that affects 5.4 million people nationwide. Take a look at these little known facts and common misconceptions.
Fact: Alzheimer’s Disease is the 6th leading cause of death nationally
Alzheimer’s is fatal. It trails only heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, accidents, and stroke. One in three seniors dies from Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
Myth: Memory loss is the only symptom of Alzheimer’s
Memory loss is a symptom, but depression, anxiety, irritability, and changes in appetite can occur before serious memory problems are noticed.
About three weeks ago, my husband and I entered a line of work neither of us had any experience in -- that of a caregiver to an aging parent. In 2007, my husband's mother had an aneurysm burst, but with surgery and a lengthy recovery time, she returned to good health.
Last fall, little changes and mannerisms began to emerge, and she returned to the doctor. That trip to the doctor resulted in surgery, which unfortunately was not a success. Sadly, the aneurysm continues to swell at a slow pace, accompanied by a slow decline in her health. Currently, she is confined to a wheelchair with little left of her balancing capabilities. After much thought, it was decided she should move in with us.
Enrolling someone in a Silver Alert program puts their name and information into a database. If an emergency occurs, the profile is then sent to local police stations or broadcast to the public. In Phoenix, for example, Silver Alerts are broadcast onto official highway message signs. Not every state offers this type of program, but if offered, it is definitely an advantage.
Beyond Silver Alerts, there are new technologies constantly emerging to help wanderers return home more quickly. There are bracelets, tennis shoes, long-range medical alert necklaces, and more that all have GPS tracking devices in them. These technologies are not to replace actual human monitoring, but can provide a little bit of extra help in the worst-case scenario. If someone truly becomes lost, a GPS device can be a lifesaver.
Could it be that Alzheimer’s disease stems from the toxic remnants of the brain’s attempt to fight off infection?
Provocative new research by a team of investigators at Harvard leads to this startling hypothesis, which could explain the origins of plaque, the mysterious hard little balls that pockmark the brains of people with Alzheimer’s.
In early October, I wrote about the “Beyond Dollars” report that had just been released by insurance holding company Genworth Financial. The study, in part, detailed the negative job-related consequences faced by some family caregivers.
In the normal scheme of things, parents and grandparents take care of children when they’re sick or need help or sustenance. But in well over a million American families, this pattern is reversed, with children as young as 8, 9 or 10 partly or fully responsible for the welfare of adults or siblings they live with.
They may have to shop, prepare meals, clean house, do the laundry and tend to the hygienic needs of family members unable to care for themselves.
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