Trying To Solve The Alzheimer’s Puzzle

Despite a 99 percent failure rate and another major setback last month, Alzheimer’s researchers are plowing ahead with hundreds of experiments — and a boost in federal money — to try to a crack a deadly disease that has flummoxed them for decades.

A law passed by Congress in December and signed by President Obama sets aside $3 billion over 10 years to fund research of brain diseases and precision medicine, a shot in the arm for Alzheimer’s research. The law, called the 21st Century Cures Act, also includes prize money to encourage Alzheimer’s experiments.

Speaking from experience, I offer this advice on caregiving

I haven’t written recently about the rigors of providing care to a sick loved one, a subject that needs much attention.

But in the past week or two, I’ve been reminded of my omission by a pair of excellent articles on the subject.

The first, by Dr. Dhruv Khullar of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, appeared in the New York Times online version. The second, by Robin Hamon of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky, appeared in the Herald-Leader.

Alzheimer’s Roots May Go All The Way Back To The Womb

Alzheimer's disease afflicts mostly those in advanced age. Many believe that Alzheimer's disease starts late in life. A study though shows that Alzheimer's roots may go all the way back to the womb.

The study has found that Alzheimer's disease might start very early on for babies who do not have enough Vitamin A while still inside the womb. The findings have been based after experiments were done on lab mice. The study has been made by Dr. Weihong Song. Song is a professor of Psychiatry and Canada Research Chair in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimers: How Music Helped Me Connect with my Grandmother

It's been 10 years since my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In that time, music has become more important than ever.

Music is tied to so many memories of my 87-year-old maternal grandmother, Rosemarie Earle.
As a little girl, my mom Suzanne would put on mini concerts for the kids in her neighbourhood and perform old show tunes my grandmother had taught her. For my dad Fred, it was compulsory that he dance with my grandma at weddings and parties whenever Tony Orlando's "Knock Three Times" would play over the speakers. "Come on, Freddy," she'd say, pulling him up out of his seat.

New study shows sedentary seniors are older than their chronological age

Getting older will undoubtedly make you slow down a little, but that’s no excuse to stop moving altogether. In fact, being sedentary could advance your biological age by as much as eight years.

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers studied cell function and sedentary time in 1,481 women with an average age of 79. Specifically, they looked at the length of their telomeres, which are sequences of DNA at the end of chromosomes that help protect them from deterioration. (Think of them like the plastic casing on the end of a shoelace.)

10 Reasons to Be Hopeful About the Future of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease and good news? Somehow these two terms don’t fit.

After all, more than five million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease, the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., which kills more of us than breast and prostate cancer combined. Some experts estimate that as many as 16 million could be afflicted by 2050.

In 2016 alone, Alzheimer’s and other related dementias have cost America an estimated $236 billion. While that figure is staggering, the real cost to families and caregivers is immeasurable.

Alzheimer's Disease: Your Role as Caregiver

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is a balancing act. You keep your loved one safe and comfortable, keep track of his medications and doctor’s appointments, and give him your love and support. But your life matters, too. It’s just as important to keep up with your work, family, and social life.

In your role as a caregiver, do what you can to bewell informed and prepared, and ask for help and support when you need it.

Who Will Care for the Caregivers?

I should have put his socks back on.

The thought kept nagging me as I finished my clinic notes, replaying the afternoon in my head. My final patient of the day — a man with dementia — was a late addition to the schedule, after his daughter, herself a patient of mine, called to report he hadn’t been himself lately. We scheduled him for the last appointment, so she could join after finishing work across town.

Hospitals employ caregiver support centers to support successful patient transitions to home

Clutching a railing for balance, 89-year-old Alan Epstein searched the hospital waiting rooms for families in distress. He paused when he came across a young woman standing alone in the hallway, making a phone call about her grandfather's faltering health.

"Are you aware of the caregiver support center?" Epstein asked when she got off the phone. Just around the corner from the sterile waiting room, he told her, there's a refuge with hot coffee, soft chairs and pleasant company.

8 Tips to Help Caregivers Improve Their New Year

In the New Year, because your loved one’s situation hasn’t changed, you might think that nothing can improve your own situation. But if you are open to change, you may find that the symbolism of the New Year does offer opportunities to make your life better. Resolve to improve your life through better self-care.

Alzheimer’s: Frequent Relocations May Speed Decline

Specialized care is needed at different stages of dementia. Frequently, the only way to provide that kind of care is to move the person to either a memory unit or a family home, while supplementing care provided by family members with paid in-home caregivers. In many cases, it’s simply unrealistic to expect to never have to relocate someone who has dementia. At the same time, frequently moving someone with dementia around can be problematic. While it can be a challenge for anyone, it becomes even more difficult for a person with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

You may get little help from your hospital when looking for a nursing home

At age 88, Elizabeth Fee looked pregnant, her belly swollen after days of intestinal ailments and nausea. A nurse heard a scream from Fee’s room in a nursing home, and found her retching “like a faucet” before she passed out.

The facility where she died in 2012 was affiliated with a respected San Francisco hospital, California Pacific Medical Center, and shared its name. Fee had just undergone hip surgery at the hospital, and her family, pleased with her care, said they chose the nursing home with the hospital’s encouragement.