༻❥༻ ●ACT● ALZHEIMER’S●Awareness༻❤༺

Please let me get what I want- Muse

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 08:59:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: The HOPE for Alzheimer's Act - Alzheimer's Associa...

Jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine Elisa Beltran) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:49:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: The HOPE for Alzheimer's Act - Alzheimer's Associa...: "HOPE for Alzheimer's Act
or HOPE for Alzheimer's Act (S.3675/H.R. 5926) will increase detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and ..."

The HOPE for Alzheimer's Act - Alzheimer's Association

Jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine Elisa Beltran) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:47:00 +0000

or HOPE for Alzheimer's Act (S.3675/H.R. 5926) will increase detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and provide access, information and support for newly diagnosed patients and their families.
In order to provide better medical care and outcomes for individuals with Alzheimer's and other dementias, possible dementia must first be detected, the disease must then be diagnosed, care must be planned, and the diagnosis must be noted in the patient's medical record. If enacted, the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act will:

The "Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education for Alzheimer's Act" or HOPE for Alzheimer's Act (S.3675/H.R. 5926) will increase detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and provide access, information and support for newly diagnosed patients and their families.
In order to provide better medical care and outcomes for individuals with Alzheimer's and other dementias, possible dementia must first be detected, the disease must then be diagnosed, care must be planned, and the diagnosis must be noted in the patient's medical record.

If enacted, the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act will:

Increase detection and diagnosis of dementia in primary care necessary for the provision of critical information and referrals to support services.

Ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have access to a bundled package of services that will include:
- Diagnostic evaluation
- Care planning
- Medical record documentation
Help individuals with newly diagnosed dementia their family caregivers understand the diagnosis, plan for predictable problems, avoid crises, and maintain the best possible quality of life.

http://www.kintera.org/site/pp.asp?c=mmKXLbP8E&b=6301189

Depression impact the risk of dementia???....

Jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine Elisa Beltran) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 09:08:00 +0000

At the end of the study, 136 of the participants had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease; another 28 had other forms of dementia. Nearly 22 percent of people who were depressed at the start of the study had developed Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, compared to only about 17 percent of those who were not depressed. Researchers controlled for factors like age, sex, level of education or carrying the APOE-E4 gene, which can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, and determined that Alzheimer’s risk was nearly twice that for depressed people than those who were not depressed.

“While it’s unclear if depression causes dementia, there are a number of ways depression might impact the risk of dementia,” said study author Jane Saczynski, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. “Inflammation of brain tissue that occurs when a person is depressed might contribute to dementia. Certain proteins found in the brain that increase with depression may also increase the risk of developing dementia. In addition, several lifestyle factors related to long-term depression, such as diet and the amount of exercise and social time a person engages in, could also affect whether they develop dementia.”

The fear and anxiety that accompanies a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can understandably cause patients to become depressed. But the results of this study, published in the journal Neurology, add to a growing body of evidence that suggests that a pattern of depression, even decades earlier, ups the risk for developing Alzheimer’s.

Researchers speculate that in some people, Alzheimer’s could be a long process that begins many years before the actual onset of memory loss, showing up as symptoms of depression. Alternatively, it is possible that depression may in some way prove “toxic” to the brain.

A study from 2008, for example, found that a history of depression, particularly before age 60, increases the risk for Alzheimer’s. Unlike in the current study, however, those with depressive symptoms at the study start were not more likely to develop Alzheimer’s later, though the study only lasted six years.

Understanding the mechanisms linking depression with Alzheimer’s could suggest novel approaches to delay dementia onset. It’s also important to recognize symptoms of depression since, unlike Alzheimer’s, it can be successfully treated. Up to half of patients with Alzheimer’s disease also have depression, which can take a serious toll on both patients and caregivers.

Symptoms of depression are many and varied and may include:

* Feeling sad, apathetic, or hopeless for weeks to months on end.
* Loss of interest in daily activities, especially ones that used to bring pleasure.
* Poor appetite and weight loss; or increased appetite and excessive weight gain.
* Troubled sleep, waking up repeatedly during the night, or an increased need for sleep.
* Feeling anxious or agitated.
* Trouble thinking or an inability to concentrate.
* Focusing on non-serious physical complaints.

If you experience one or more of these symptoms, or other unusual changes in mood or behavior, consult your physician. Medications and therapeutic counseling are available that can provide relief.

By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer’s Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.

Source: J.S. Saczynski, A. Beiser, S. Seshadri, S. Auerbach, P.A. Wolf, and R. Au: “Depressive symptoms and risk of dementia: The Framingham Heart Study.” Neurology, Vol. 75, page 35, July 6, 2010.

ACT! Alzheimer's Awareness 2010

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:16:00 +0000

Behaviors related to dementia
Behaviors related to dementia are challenging to treat. The Alzheimer’s drugs can slow theprogression of the disease in some patients but have limited benefit in controlling behaviors (e.g. pacing, agitation, aggression). Health care providers are divided on treatment methods.
I approach treatment conservatively, first looking at what may be causing the behavior. Is itenvironmental? Is there too much noise, activity, light, caffeine, or sugar intake? Does the patient have aurinary tract infection, constipation, or delirium caused by illness or medications? Is this person depressed or grieving possibly acting out?
Aromatherapy and music can calm dementia patients. Knowing how to approach them is essential: Validation Therapy can be extremely helpful. An example:http://www.ec-online.net/community/Activists/difficultbehaviors.htm.
After environmental, physical, and medical causes have been addressed without effect, then I recommend medication. If patient has history of depression or currently is depressed or anxious, an SSRI
(sertraline, citalopram) is first line. Citalopram (Celexa®) has shown benefit in treating behaviors plus depression and anxiety. These meds can take 6-8 weeks to reach full effect.
Benzodiazepines like Valium®, Ativan®, and Xanax® are not recommended in the elderly due to increased fall risk, confusion and in a small number of patients, worsening of agitation. Seizure meds like
Tegretol® and Depakote® can be beneficial when patient is aggressive or impulsive. However, these meds do require monitoring of blood levels to prevent toxicity. Trazodone, an older antidepressant, hasbeen successfully used for behaviors.
Antipsychotics should be a last choice. Unfortunately it’s a common practice to prescribe them.These drugs do not treat the patient; they sedate them. The exception may be patients showing signs of psychosis or paranoia. Older antipsychotics (e.g. Haldol®, Thorazine®, Mellaril®) can cause abnormal heart rhythm, irreversible movements (tardive dyskinesia), and sudden death. New antipsychotics (e.g. Zyprexa®, Seroquel®, Risperdal®, Abilify®) can also have the same heart rhythm issues, weight gain, diabetes, & increased stroke risk. All have high fall risk.
There’s no question that more research is needed. We’ve only begun to learn about the brainand how our natural body chemicals modulate mood and behavior. Until then, it’s a balancing act: minimize side effects, reduce behaviors, and maintain quality of life.

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 10/17/10 - 10/24/10

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:16:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 10/17/10 - 10/24/10

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:16:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 10/17/10 - 10/24/10

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Living With Alzheimer's: Role of Caregiver

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:15:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Living With Alzheimer's: Role of Caregiver

Living With Alzheimer's: Role of Caregiver

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 09:53:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: New Definition May Help Identify Alzheimer's Patie...

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:36:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: New Definition May Help Identify Alzheimer's Patie...: "Mon, 11 Oct 2010 New Definition May Help Identify Alzheimer's Patients Earlier On With a new definition, Alzheimer's disease could be de..."

New Definition May Help Identify Alzheimer's Patients Earlier On

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Mon, 11 Oct 2010

New Definition May Help Identify Alzheimer's Patients Earlier On

With a new definition, Alzheimer's disease could be detected sooner, which would have many advantages, one of which would be the possibility of selecting patients for clinical trials of disease-modifying medications aimed at early stages of the disease...

New Definition May Help

Identify Alzheimer's Patients Earlier On

With a new definition, Alzheimer's disease could be detected sooner, which would have many advantages, one of which would be the possibility of selecting patients for clinical trials of disease-modifying medications aimed at early stages of the disease. The new definition includes recent breakthroughs in Alzheimer's research, for example, the detection of biomarkers which are fundamental to diagnosis. The new lexicon has been put forward by experts from around the world, according to a Position Paper published in the November issue ofThe Lancet Neurology.

Basing its criteria on biological features and patterns of cognitive changes, the International Working Group for New Research and Criteria for the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) put forward a new diagnostic framework aimed at better, earlier and more accurate diagnosis of AD in 2007

The same international working group, led by Bruno Dubois, Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France, has redefined AD as a clinical-biological syndrome allowing for prompter diagnosis, rather than having to wait for a post-mortem examination to certify the presence of the disease. A diagnosis can be confirmed on living patients on the basis of easily identifiable biomarkers which can be spotted early on during the disease.

The authors explain that when diagnosing Alzheimer's disease the clinician no longer has to wait for the presence of full-blown dementia. Nowadays, with the presence of at least one positive biomarker that shows up on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), PET neuroimaging or CSF (cerebrospinal fluid), plus episodic memory impairment, the criteria for AD diagnosis may be met. This new approach to AD diagnosis means patients can be identified earlier and accurately, before clinical symptoms appear.

The authors write:
..that there is no longer a reason to wait until patients have developed full-blown dementia or to exclude from diagnosis and treatment a large number of patients who lack functional disability yet express the disease.

The value of these definitions is their potential application in clinical trials of disease-modifying drugs. Individuals identified as 'asymptomatic at risk for AD' or 'pre-symptomatic AD' might be enrolled in trials aimed at delaying onset of clinical signs. Patients with prodromal AD [predementia stage of AD] could be included in trials of drugs targeting progression to more severe stages of AD. Uniformity of definitions will assist in constructing trial populations and comparing results across trials.

Lon Schneider from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and the University of Southern California Alzheimer's Disease Research Center in Los Angeles, writes in an Accompanying Comment:
The simplicity of these criteria will be appealing to clinical trialists because they provide a broad range of diagnoses for Alzheimer's disease that can potentially be included in product labelling...A combination of biomarker level and clinical expression might be used to select patients who are transitioning through a specific phase that is hypothesised to be favourable to a drug being tested.

Although this lexicon is well integrated and conceptually attractive, field trials are needed to establish whether the diagnostic criteria will work effectively in clinical or research situations.

"Revising the definition of Alzheimer's disease: a new lexicon"
Prof Bruno Dubois MD, Prof Howard H Feldman MD, Claudia Jacova PhD, Jeffrey L Cummings MD, Prof Steven T DeKosky MD, Pascale Barberger-Gateau MD, André Delacourte PhD, Prof Giovanni Frisoni MD, Prof Nick C Fox MD, Prof Douglas Galasko MD, Prof Serge Gauthier MD, Prof Harald Hampel MD, Gregory A Jicha MD, Kenichi Meguro MD, John O'Brien DM, Prof Florence Pasquier MD, Prof Philippe Robert MD, Prof Martin Rossor MD, Prof Steven Salloway MD, Marie Sarazin MD, Leonardo C de Souza MD, Prof Yaakov Stern PhD, Pieter J Visser MD, Prof Philip Scheltens MDThe Lancet Neurology, Early Online Publication, 11 October 2010
doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(10)70223-4Cite or Link Using DOI
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Too Old to Exercise? Not True Information on Healt...

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:05:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Too Old to Exercise? Not True Information on Healt...: "Image via CrunchBase Image via Wikipedia Too Old to Exercise? Not True Information on Healthline Can a person be too old or too weak ..."

Too Old to Exercise? Not True Information on Healthline

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:43:00 +0000

Image via CrunchBase

Image via Wikipedia

Too Old to Exercise? ~~Not~~ ~~True~~ Information on Healthline

Can a person be too old or too weak to exercise? Not according to Chhanda Dutta, Ph.D., chief of clinical gerontology at the National Institute on Aging. There is no such thing, she says.

"It used to be part of the stereotype that when people get older, they get frail and exercise gets dangerous," Dr. Dutta says. "That's just not true. What we now know is that it is more dangerous not to exercise.

"There's a lot to gain out of just moving," she adds.

Gayle Doll, Ph.D., agrees. Dr. Doll is director of the Center on Aging at Kansas State University. "When people give up exercise," she says, "they give up a lot of living. There's no one who won't benefit from exercise."

She points to studies involving people in nursing homes who started doing weight-training exercises in their 90s. "The men in those studies all got stronger. One no longer needed help to get up and use the bathroom at night. Another actually got rid of his walker."

Reasons to start

"A lot of people think about exercise," says Dr. Doll. "Contemplation is a necessary step. The problem, though, is you can get stuck there, sometimes for years." One way to get unstuck is to focus on the benefits of exercise.

"When you exercise, you gain more strength and flexibility. That means you can function better," Dr. Doll says. "You can do things like reach to get something off the top shelf. Your balance gets better to help prevent falls. Your mood will improve, and you'll be able to think better."

She says that although Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia can't be prevented, exercise can delay the associated mental deterioration if they do develop.

David Haber, Ph.D., is associate director of the Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology at Ball State University. He points out that exercise can relieve or help prevent such illnesses as heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and depression. "It even makes people look better. It helps gain back the muscle that is lost when people become inactive."

Keep it simple, make it fun

If you haven't exercised in a while, you may feel it's too much work. But it doesn't have to be. "You don't need to go to a gym or buy expensive equipment," Dr. Dutta says. "All you need is to get up and move."

Before starting, it's important to have your doctor give you an honest assessment of your physical condition. "Any undiagnosed problem—pain, a chronic cough, difficulty breathing, mental issues—should be reviewed with your doctor," says Dr. Dutta.

Dr. Haber advises people to start with simple, fun exercises. "Trying to do too much too soon," he says, "can lead to injury and cause a person to become discouraged. And if it's not fun, you won't keep doing it."

Taking short walks is one way to start. Dancing is another. "There are a lot of different kinds of dancing," he says. "Square dancing, ballroom dancing, line dances. Some people decide to garden. Even playing Ping-Pong can be good if it gets you to move. The key to making it work for you is to start slow and gradually build up over time to the level you want to be at."

Stay safe

Whatever exercise you do should feel good, Dr. Doll says. The old saying "no pain no gain" isn't true, she adds. "Pain is a sign you are doing something wrong. If you have pain, or find you get out of breath when you exercise, you should check with your doctor."

The key to being safe and to getting the most out of your exercise is to monitor the intensity.

"There are two good ways to do that," says Dr. Haber. "One is body temperature." If you're exercising at the right level, it should make your body slightly warmer. The other way to monitor your level is to keep track of your breathing. "Your breathing should get faster," Dr. Haber says. "But you shouldn't be breathless. If you can't talk while you exercise you are overdoing it."

Stretching is a good exercise to improve flexibility.

"To avoid injury, your muscles should be warm when you stretch,"

Dr. Haber says.

"That means you need to stretch after you exercise, not before."

Healthline.com - Connect to Better Health

Date Published: 2007-10-09

Date Last Reviewed: 2007-10-09

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: SANTA MONICA SUN | Westside Today

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:20:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: SANTA MONICA SUN | Westside Today: "SANTA MONICA SUN | Westside Todayemail | printAlzheimer's Memory Walk Seeks Friends and Families The November 7th Annual event will raise ..."

SANTA MONICA SUN | Westside Today

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:14:00 +0000

SANTA MONICA SUN | Westside Today

email | print

Alzheimer's Memory Walk Seeks Friends and Families

The November 7th Annual event will raise funds for care and cure of Alzheimers.
By Jean Dickinson | June 22, 2010
The Alzheimer’s Association 18th annual Memory Walk® will take place on Sunday, November 7 at Century Park (2000 Avenue of the Stars, LA 90067)

in Century City, Los Angeles. More than 3,000 people from throughout Los Angeles County

are expected to participate in this year’s walk to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer’s disease.

Steve Edwards of FOX 11’s “Good Day LA” will celebrate his 15th year as host of the event, which includes a 5K walk, live entertainment,

refreshments and a health-and-wellness expo. Alzheimer’s Champions from sports and entertainment will attend.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s Memory Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care,

support and research programs. Held annually in hundreds of communities across the country, this inspiring event calls on volunteers

of all ages to become Champions in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Champions include those living with the disease,

families, caregivers, businesses, and community leaders who actively support Memory Walk.

Since 1989, Memory Walk participants across the United States have raised more than $300 million for the cause.

To start a team or make a donation, contact the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alzla.org or 323-930-6228.

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s research, care and support.

Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research;

to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia

through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. For more information visit www.alz.org.

Comments to date: 1. Page 1 of 1. Average Rating:

Jasmine Elisa Beltran" Los Angeles.CA	6:23pm on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
LOS ANGELES Team!!!! 2010 Moving Living Memories... is open for team member's !!! we welcome anyone ! any age any gender !! as long as your willing to make a difference !!!! LOOK UP TEAM ON MAIN HOMEPAGE FOR L.A. NOV 7TH WALK THANK YOU

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Death of a Parent | Why A Parents Death is a Speci...

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:13:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Death of a Parent | Why A Parents Death is a Speci...: "Image via Wikipedia Death of a Parent Why A Parents Death is a Special Loss By Paula Spencer, Caring.com senior editor ..."

Death of a Parent | Why A Parents Death is a Special Loss | Caring.com

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:11:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Death of a Parent

Why A Parents Death is a Special Loss

The death of a mother or father can strike an adult child unexpectedly hard. Parent death brings a unique kind of grieving, whether you've been a hands-on caregiver and helper at the end of life or your parent has been living independently and well. The break in the parent-child bond can reverberate for the rest of your life.

Here are six factors that grief experts say can shape grieving over a parent's death:

1. Our parents are our "wisdom keepers." "We spend a lifetime looking to our parents for answers," says psychotherapist Sherry E. Showalter, author of Healing Heartaches: Stories of Loss and Life. They're the repositories of knowledge about our history, our upbringing, family traditions, the names of all those faces in old photos. With their passing so, too, goes the information and insight that hasn't already been transmitted or recorded.

2. Unresolved issues often follow the parent-child relationship into adulthood. The balance of the parent-child relationship shifts several times, first as we gain maturity and create our own families, and then as parents grow older and often need our support. These realities bring plenty of opportunities for misunderstanding or discord. And not all these bumps are smoothed out by the end. Differences that go unreconciled can leave a forlorn sense of unfinished business, Showalter says.

3. Parent death always feels sudden -- even when it's not. People often expect that the death of someone older or someone who's been ill for a long time will feel easier to endure because it's predictable. Yet the disappearance from your life of a figure you've known since birth is, when it finally happens, always a sudden change.

4. Decisions about rituals are up to you. "Suddenly you're the adult preparing the funeral, the viewing, the obituary, the eulogy -- there's nobody older to tell you how to manage, no one to correct you or say, 'No, that's not how you do it!'" says one woman in her 40s who lost both parents within two years. "I felt pushed to a different level of adulthood."

5. Your children lose grandparents. Many people who lose their parents talk about "grieving for what won't ever be" -- being unable to ask their parents for parenting advice, for example, or having their parents attend their children's birthday parties, graduations, and weddings. Parents may also need to help their children mourn, or they may feel a need to preserve the grandparents' legacy for their children.

6. Losing the "buffer generation" forces us to reexamine our own mortality. When a grandparent dies, there's still a whole generation between you and death. With a parent's death, your own eventual demise may feel uncomfortably nearer.

Image via CrunchBase

Cruel journey of Alzheimer's disease | visaliatimesdelta.com | Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register

Jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine Elisa Beltran) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 08:12:00 +0000

Cruel journey of Alzheimer's disease | visaliatimesdelta.com | Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register

Knox Nicholson, 81, left, takes a moment as he and his wife Jody Nicholson, 71, look outside Thursday morning while taking a walk around Quail Park Retirement Village. Knox was diagnosed with dementia in 2006. He is living in hospice care at Quail Park.(Steve R. Fujimoto)

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: A Poem by a diagnosed Alzheimer's patient- Best wi...

Jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine Elisa Beltran) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:54:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: A Poem by a diagnosed Alzheimer's patient- Best wi...: "Norm Mac October 4 at 7:54am Reply • Report Hiya, ive just come back and looked at the post only to find that i poem i wrote a wh..."

Image via Wikipedia

A Poem by a diagnosed Alzheimer's patient- Best wishes, Norrms and family

Jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine Elisa Beltran) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Norm Mac October 4 at 7:54am Reply • Report

Hiya, ive just come back and looked at the post only to find that i poem i wrote a while ago in a competition has been selected to go through to the regional South and South west of England finals !!! I am so pleased because its a poem about having Alzheimers and how i intend to beat it, hopefully it will only further the cause of raising awareness, and hopefully it will be a bit of a poke in the eye for Alzheimers if someone like me who has Alzheimers actually won it !! Wish me luck !!this is the poem

THIS IS
MY FIGHT
This is my fight, my fight every day,
I will fight this disease every step of the way,
How dare you attack my life and my mind?
Thinking that you are just one of a kind,
I know your game, and what you’re up to,
Pulling me down closer to you,
But I’m telling you this, you`ve met your match,
This is one Grandad you`ll never catch,
I`m stronger than you, in every way,
And getting much stronger every day,
With all of my family stood by my side,
All stood proud with no need to hide,
So come on Alzheimer`s, you do your best,
You just try putting me to the test,
This is one fight, you will certainly lose,
I know this, because its life that I choose!!

Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 9/26/10 - 10/3/10

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:47:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 9/26/10 - 10/3/10

Friends, family detect early Alzheimer's signs better than traditional tests, researchers find

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:44:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Doctors often evaluate a person who is having memory problems by testing them with a variety of cognitive tasks, such as recalling a list of words or comparing shapes of objects. Washington University researchers developed a different approach. The two-minute Ascertain Dementia 8 (AD8) questionnaire relies on a friend or family member who knows the person well, known as an informant, to evaluate whether cognitive changes have caused the individual to have difficulties in performing everyday activities.

In the new study, published online in the journal Brain, scientists validated the AD8 by checking to see if it could highlight individuals who had biological indicators, or biomarkers, for Alzheimer's disease, such as abnormal levels of certain factors in the spinal fluid or positive brain scans for Alzheimer's plaques. The AD8's results corresponded with biomarker results more consistently than traditional cognitive tests.

"It's not economically feasible to screen everyone for Alzheimer's disease biomarkers," says John C. Morris, MD, director of the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine. "The AD8 gives us a brief and very low-cost alternative that takes a few minutes of the informant's time to screen for dementia and thus identify those individuals who need follow-up evaluations to determine if there truly are signs of Alzheimer's."

According to Morris, the Harvey A. and Dorismae Hacker Friedman Distinguished Professor of Neurology, the difficulty with traditional early-stage dementia screening tools is that they only give a snapshot of a person's cognitive abilities at one point in time -- when they're being tested. Asking the individual if his or her mental abilities have changed doesn't necessarily produce accurate results either, Morris says, because persons with early-stage dementia often lack insight into their problem.

Researchers at the Knight Alzheimer' s Disease Research Center, including first author James Galvin, MD, now at New York University, developed the AD8 from the Center's existing research tools. Informants are asked to rate whether there has been a change in the following areas:

Problems with judgment, such as bad financial decisions;
Reduced interest in hobbies and other activities;
Repeating of questions, stories or statements;
Trouble learning how to use a tool or appliance, such as a television remote control or a microwave;
Forgetting the month or year;
Difficulty handling complicated financial affairs, such as balancing a checkbook;
Difficulty remembering appointments; and
Consistent problems with thinking and memory.

Informants can respond yes or no to each item; each "yes" response is worth a point, and a score of two or more indicates a need for additional evaluation.

According to Morris, informants who have regular exposure to the individual provide the most accurate assessments.

"These informants can give us the retrospective perspective we need to know that a person's mental abilities have begun to meaningfully decline, indicating that additional testing is needed," Morris says.

For the new study, researchers gathered AD8 evaluations on 251 individuals and also tested them using the Mini Mental State exam, a traditional dementia screening test. They then evaluated biomarkers in the individuals, including spinal fluid assays and brain plaque scans.

"Based on our results, the AD8 appears to be superior to conventional testing in its ability to detect signs of early dementia," Morris says. "It can't tell us whether the dementia is caused by Alzheimer's or other disorders, but it lets us know when there's a need for more extensive evaluations to answer that question."

Since its development, the AD8 has been translated into several different languages and validated in those languages. It is currently in use in clinics around the world., family detect early Alzheimer's signs better than traditional tests, researchers find

Friends, family detect early Alzheimer's signs better than traditional tests, researchers find

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:44:00 +0000

Problems with judgment, such as bad financial decisions;
Reduced interest in hobbies and other activities;
Repeating of questions, stories or statements;
Trouble learning how to use a tool or appliance, such as a television remote control or a microwave;
Forgetting the month or year;
Difficulty handling complicated financial affairs, such as balancing a checkbook;
Difficulty remembering appointments; and
Consistent problems with thinking and memory.

Informants can respond yes or no to each item; each "yes" response is worth a point, and a score of two or more indicates a need for additional evaluation.

According to Morris, informants who have regular exposure to the individual provide the most accurate assessments.

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Alzforum: Bad Dream—Sleep Disorder Plus Neuroimagi...

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:49:00 +0000

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Alzforum: Bad Dream—Sleep Disorder Plus Neuroimagi...: "24 September 2010. Having nightmares is bad enough, but some people actually act out their dreams while asleep, a syndrome known as rapid ..."

Alzforum: Bad Dream—Sleep Disorder Plus Neuroimaging Markers Spell Trouble

jasmineelisa87@gmail.com (Jasmine E. Beltran) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:45:00 +0000

24 September 2010. Having nightmares is bad enough, but some people actually act out their dreams while asleep, a syndrome known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Diving out of bed to make a winning “catch” in a dream football game may seem innocuous to some, but recent work has solidified connections between RBD and diagnosis of Parkinson disease and other synucleinopathies decades later (Claassen et al., 2010). A more recent report published online September 15 in The Lancet Neurology suggests that neuroimaging could help pinpoint which RBD patients may develop dementia soonest. Using brain scans on people with the syndrome, scientists in Europe found PD-like changes lurking within the substantia nigra of those who were cognitively normal but went on to develop PD or a related disorder within 2.5 years. The findings suggest it may be possible to identify people with high short-term risk of PD or related disorders. “This would be of great importance when neuroprotective strategies become available,” lead researcher Alex Iranzo of the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain, told ARF via e-mail. In both retrospective (Iranzo et al., 2006) and prospective (Postuma et al., 2009) analyses, researchers have found that about half of RBD patients develop PD or another synucleinopathy within a decade or so. However, not nearly everyone with RBD has an evolving neurodegenerative disorder, said Bradley Boeve of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, in an interview with ARF. Furthermore, the interval between an initial report of sleep problems and first signs of cognitive decline can vary considerably—from 15 to 50 years in Boeve’s recent retrospective of long-duration RBD (Claassen et al., 2010 and ARF related news story). So what is a clinician to tell someone with RBD? Aiming to narrow down who may truly be on the verge of developing PD or other synucleinopathies, Iranzo and colleagues put two brain imaging tools to the test in a longitudinal study of 43 people with diagnosed RBD. In one method, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging uses a 123I-radiolabeled ligand to measure levels of dopamine transporter (DAT), which are typically reduced in the substantia nigra of PD patients due to steep cell loss in this brain area. In addition, the researchers looked for brain abnormalities in the RBD patients using an ultrasound method that detects regions with increased iron deposition, which has been suggested to be involved in PD (Walter et al., 2010). The trouble spots in the substantia nigra bounce echo unusually well and show up on the sonogram as “hyperechogenicities.” Iranzo and colleagues found that they were correct to suspect that these neuroimaging changes typical of early PD would also show up in people with the sleep disorder. When assessed 2.5 years after brain imaging, 27 of the 43 RBD patients had either reduced striatal dopamine activity, midbrain hyperechogenicity, or both. Among these 27 with PD-like brain changes, eight developed a synucleinopathy after 2.5 years follow-up. Five had PD, two had dementia with Lewy bodies, and one had multiple system atrophy. Of the 15 participants who looked normal by both brain imaging tools, none developed a neurological syndrome during follow-up. An obvious question is whether those who had something amiss in their neuroimaging, but remained neurologically sound during this study, will eventually show signs of PD or the other disorders. Continued clinical follow-up of these patients should help address this issue, Iranzo said. The current work adds to a growing body of literature supporting the use of DAT imaging for clinical as well as research purposes, Boeve told ARF. The technique is approved in Europe, and used mainly on patients who have atypical PD symptoms and/or lack cardinal clinical features, though also sometimes for routine diagnosis. In the U.S., though, DAT imaging has not even entered the research arena. The Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has voted to recommend DAT imaging to the FDA, and the FDA decision is pending. Many clinicians and researchers in the U.S. are planning to use DAT imaging once approved.” To date, the ultrasound method has been used in Europe as well, Boeve noted, with comparatively few U.S. studies featuring the technique. The current work “underscores the usefulness of studying adequate numbers of patients longitudinally with a spectrum of clinical tests and potential biomarkers to assess the natural history of RBD and prepare for future clinical trials,” Boeve wrote in an accompanying editorial.—Esther Landhuis. Reference: Iranzo A, Lomeña F, Stockner H, Valldeoriola F, Vilaseca I, Salamero M, Molinuevo JL, Serradell M, Duch J, Pavia J, Gallego J, Seppi K, Högl B, Tolosa E, Poewe W, Santamaria J, for the Sleep Innsbruck Barcelona (SINBAR) group. Decreased striatal dopamine transporters uptake and substantia nigra hyperechogenicity as risk markers of synucleinopathy in patients with idiopathic rapid-eye-movement sleep behaviour disorder: a prospective study. Lancet Neurol. 2010 Sep 15. Abstract

: News

༻❥༻ ●ACT● ALZHEIMER’S●Awareness༻❤༺

Please let me get what I want- Muse

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: The HOPE for Alzheimer's Act - Alzheimer's Associa...

The HOPE for Alzheimer's Act - Alzheimer's Association

Related articles

Depression impact the risk of dementia???....

ACT! Alzheimer's Awareness 2010

Behaviors related to dementia

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 10/17/10 - 10/24/10

Related articles

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 10/17/10 - 10/24/10

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Living With Alzheimer's: Role of Caregiver

Living With Alzheimer's: Role of Caregiver

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: New Definition May Help Identify Alzheimer's Patie...

New Definition May Help Identify Alzheimer's Patients Earlier On

New Definition May Help

Identify Alzheimer's Patients Earlier On

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Too Old to Exercise? Not True Information on Healt...

Too Old to Exercise? Not True Information on Healthline

Reasons to start

Keep it simple, make it fun

Stay safe

Related articles

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: SANTA MONICA SUN | Westside Today

SANTA MONICA SUN | Westside Today

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Death of a Parent | Why A Parents Death is a Speci...

Death of a Parent | Why A Parents Death is a Special Loss | Caring.com

Related articles

Cruel journey of Alzheimer's disease | visaliatimesdelta.com | Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: A Poem by a diagnosed Alzheimer's patient- Best wi...

A Poem by a diagnosed Alzheimer's patient- Best wishes, Norrms and family

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: 9/26/10 - 10/3/10

Friends, family detect early Alzheimer's signs better than traditional tests, researchers find

Related articles by Zemanta

Friends, family detect early Alzheimer's signs better than traditional tests, researchers find

❤ ACT ALZHEIMER'S Awareness ❢ ❤: Alzforum: Bad Dream—Sleep Disorder Plus Neuroimagi...

Alzforum: Bad Dream—Sleep Disorder Plus Neuroimaging Markers Spell Trouble