Daily Dementia & Alzheimer's News

New and Improved!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0000

I've been working hard the past few weeks and I am happy to say that I finally finished my new and improved dementia website, Dementia Resources.

You can still get your daily dementia news from the website, and as well as that I have filled the site out with a whole lot of dementia relevant information, advice and videos (incuding the latest vids posted on the web).

You can find my website at the following addresses:

* Home

* News
- Daily Dementia News
- Video News

and much, much more!

There is a lot more than that on the site, but you can find all that by navigating from the home page and reading the menu bar on the left hand side of the screen once you go to the website.

If time permits, I will also start blogging from the new site, so I will no longer be updating this page, nor the linked to pages above.

I hope you find the new website a lot more user friendly.

Best wishes,

N.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:27:00 +0000

MY NAME IS LISA
A short film about a 13 year old girl dealing with her mother's Alzheimer's Disease.

JSOnAir: Alcohol May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk
(July 13, 2009)
One of the longest and largest studies looking at alcohol consumption in older people found that....

Page Under Reconstruction

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 08:05:00 +0000

Bear with me folks, I am currently working on a new layout....

Caregiver Articles

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:17:00 +0000

...
Narcissism and the Aging Adult - What Caregivers Can Do to Deal With This Difficult Task

Seniors and Driving

How Do You Know You Need a Caregiver For Your Parent?

Care For Elderly Parents - 3 Preliminary Preparations to Make Before They Move In

Care For Elderly Parents - 3 Ways to Prepare the Family
...

Exclusive: One in five dementia scrips for anti-psychotics

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 02:07:00 +0000

Anti-psychotics, often necessary, but also often over-presribed and with prescriptions not being reviewed. This is a major bug-bear of mine. They are dangerous and debilitating drugs, that are prescribed at the drop of the hat, even when patients are only showing mild symptoms of agitation and aggression. If I had dementia and people were trying to restrict me from doing what I wanted to do, I would be agitated and angry too. That is a reasonable response, not a symptom of psychosis and such a response should first of all result in those treating the patient to at least attempt other non-drug therapies, diversion therapies, music and touch therapies first. Instead anti-psychotic drugs which have been shown to increase the risk of death in patients with dementia and are often not even approved as safe for these patients are all too often the first response.

IMEC, VIB And K.U.Leuven Launch Pioneering Brain Research

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:15:00 +0000

A joint research program has been set up where nanotechnology will be used to assist scientists in better understanding brain circuitry. It is hoped that this will provide vital knowledge for the pharmaceutical and medical industry and it is thought also to be crucial for the study of pathology such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and potentially also for psychiatric disorders...

The TTAP Method

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:04:00 +0000

A video posted on YouTube today which describes a therapeutic method that can be applied by caregivers of dementia patients...

GPS shoes for Alzheimer's patients

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:43:00 +0000

What a brilliant idea! I've often thought that the traditional bracelets and necklaces were not completely reliable, as often the person with dementia will remove them, but in my experience, most people with the condition still tend to wear their shoes everywhere, especially if they plan on going outdoors...

If you are looking for other anti-wandering devices here are a few ideas from Amazon.com as well:

* Anti-Wandering Devices

...

New Books Released

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:38:00 +0000

Forget Memory: Creating Better Lives for People with Dementia

U.S. Amazon Link

U.K. Amazon Link

Canadian Amazon Link

Fishpond Australia Link

Amazon.com Review:
"A unique work. This wide-ranging critique of the current approach to the care of persons with dementia and memory impairment provides a much-needed prescription for change." - Peter V. Rabins, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, coauthor of The 36-Hour Day "One of the most creative scholars in the area of dementia practice reminds in an unforgettable way that memory is more than we think and also less." - Peter J. Whitehouse, Case Western Reserve University, coauthor of The Myth of Alzheimer's "With her big ideas and sharp criticism, Anne Basting is a vital part of the Alzheimer's community. I don't always agree with her, but I'm sure glad she's a part of this important conversation." - David Shenk, author of The Forgetting"

Dementia Care: Nurse to Nurse

U.S. Amazon Link

U.K. Amazon Link

Canadian Amazon Link

Fishpond Australia Link

Fishpond Description:
"The Nurse to Nurse" series brings the advice of the foremost experts in the field to nurses in clinical practice. From the co-director of Johns Hopkins University's neuropsychiatry clinic and a senior faculty member at the Copper Ridge Institute, comes the first pocket-sized reference for generalist nurses on care for clients with dementia. This handy, portable reference assists generalist nurses and other healthcare providers deal with one of the most emotionally-trying and fear-inducing disorders that they face in clinical practice.

Table of Contents
Nursing Care for Clients with Dementia
1. Key features of dementia
2. Definition of other complicating psychiatric and medical conditions
3. Recognition and management of delirium in the person with dementia.
4. Daily care
5. The 5 D approach to behavior problems.
6. Common behavior problems, risk factors and response.
7 Creating activities for the person with dementia
8. The use of companions and sitters
9 Communication with the health care team
10. Transferring of the patient and essential information for their care to another provider.

Parkinson's Disease Associated With Pesticide Exposure In French Farm Workers

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:17:00 +0000

Although my father does not have Parkinson's disease, his dementia type is non-typical, not fitting within any clear diagnosis, a little bit of Alzheimer's, a little bit of Frontotemporal Dementia, and a few movement disorders as well. As he regularly handled pesticides on my parents farm, we have often wondered if these poisons might have contributed to his condition. This article discusses research that suggests such poisons could at least contribute to Parkinson's Disease....

Review: Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease: How Effective Are Current Treatments?

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:09:00 +0000

I've given this story a flashing star icon as it is a comprehensive eight part article reviewing the various treatments for Alzheimer's diseases with comments on their effectiveness. You do however have to register with the Medscape website if you want to view all parts, but registration is free and this is well worth a read...

Massage and Alzheimer's Disease: What would Maslow say?

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:33:00 +0000

A great article that uses the well known hypothesis put forward by the American psychologist Maslow on human beings' hirearchy of needs to explain why massage and a caring touch can really help people with dementias...

This news isn't new, click here to read the results of a study into the effectiveness of lavender hand massages on cognitive function, emotion, and aggressive behavior of elderly with dementia.

Here is a link to where you can get lavender massage products:
Lavender Massage Products

...

Regional News

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:22:00 +0000

...
Runners being rallied for September's World Alzheimers Day run through Essex County

"Taking Steps Now" to prepare for Alzheimer Memory Walk - Carman

Derby pub could be demolished to make way for dementia care home

Dementia Awareness Week comes to Lockerbie

Caring With Confidence - All Day Event - South Essex

Evening explores Alzheimer’s - Central & West Virginia Chapters

Budget Cuts Threaten Services for California Alzheimer's Patients

Wesley Commons to host Alzheimer’s Presentation - SC

Police looking for missing Wheeling man - WV

State cites facility in death of patient - Mooresville, NC

Assisted living facility in Pana to focus on Alzheimer's disease - Illinois

Help Needed in Finding Missing Madisonville Man - KY

Caregivers get answers to legal aspects of health care - Union County, NC

Alzheimer's meeting scheduled - Vigo County, IN

Bring a teddy bear to an Alzheimer’s patient - Terre Haute, IN

Alzheimer’s Art and Fundraising - New Milford, CT

Wesley Commons to host speaker on Alzheimer’s - Greenwood, SC

Flapjack Breakfast is Alzheimer's benefit - Fairhaven, MA

Bonnie Holub: Caregivers need help in war on dementia - Tallahassee,FL,USA
...

Old News Still in the Spotlight: Did you miss it?

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:22:00 +0000

...
Dementia More Likely in Diabetics With Severe Hypoglycemia

Lack of Vitamin D Linked to Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia

Ongoing Saga of Brooke Astor trial

Eating Curry Every Week 'could Prevent Dementia'

Important step in Alzheimer’s testing -Cerebrospinal fluids
...

Looking for clues inside the brain

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:02:00 +0000

A video news story from the BBC, discussing brain research and the hopes that neurological diseases may be better understood with the help of a UK-wide Brain Bank Network...

Harnessing The Brain's Own Ability For Repair

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:57:00 +0000

An interesting article on how scientists are investigating how the brain repairs itself in the hopes of identifying why this process doesn't work sufficiently enough to stop neurological diseases, and perhaps one day discovering how to use this ability to fight such diseases more effectively...

Spike In Severe Weather And Looming Alzheimer's Disease Epidemic - A Formula For Disaster

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:52:00 +0000

This article provides ten useful tips for caregivers, so that they can be better prepared for the emergencies caused by natural disasters and the effect these may have on their ability to care for their loved ones...

Alzforum News Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:33:00 +0000

I personally find the articles from Alzforum website, cutting edge, but quite difficult to read and understand at times due to all of the scientific jargon used. But, as an ex-language teacher I believe in an immersion approach and so work on the idea that if I keep reading this stuff I will beging to understand more and more of what they are saying, so here's the Alzforum news stories posted in the last few days...

Neither Fish Nor Fowl—Dementia With Lewy Bodies Often Missed

Research Brief: Friends, Toys, Exercise Build Synapses in Mice

Form or Function: How Does Pink1 Deficiency Mar Mitochondria?

Like DLB, Like AD—Do Oligomers Stir Up the Trouble?

Ordnung, Please—Can Biomarkers Tame a Bewildering Overlap?

Research Brief—Do Chaperones Need Protection From α-Synuclein?

Still Early Days for α-synuclein Fluid Marker

All Shook Up: TDP-43 an Instigator of Aggregation

Perpetrator and Savior—Presenilins Cut Both Ways

Meet Progranulin, The Biomarker—A Simpler Story?

Its good to see that Lewy Bodies dementia is getting some attention too...

Snoring Associated With Sleep Apnea May Impair Brain Function More Than Previously Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:27:00 +0000

Here's a reason for me to lose weight so I stop snoring, and waking up suddenly gasping for air...

Let's Look, Spring 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:16:00 +0000

From YouTube site: "Lets Look is a Spring 2009 group effort between the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Metro Theater Company, the Alzheimers Association, and Cole Elementary. Adults with early stage dementia are paired with fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from Cole in a ten-session workshop on Old Masters. The lessons include art history, architecture, storytelling, and nonverbal communication. Using arts as a tool, the programs goal is to bridge the gap between generations, to promote community and an understanding of diversity.

To read the progress of the project, visit its blog: letslook.pulitzerarts.org/"

Staging Old Masters rap for Let's Look:

JoAnn Sanditz (Alzheimer's Association Worker) Interview on the Let's Look Program:

Carol North (Metro Theatre) Interview on the Let's Look Progam:

...

Mystery Solved: Tiny Protein-activator Responsible For Brain Cell Damage In Huntington Disease

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:11:00 +0000

Research answers the question of why a faulty protein in Huntington's Disease sufferers only kills cells in the part of the brain that controls movement...

Interview w/ Dr. Lawrence Goldstein, stem cell research expert and advocate

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:09:00 +0000

An excerpt from an interview done for a Work-in-Progress documentary examining the societal and personal impact of Alzheimer's...

Commonly Used Medications May Produce Cognitive Impairment In Older Adults

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:05:00 +0000

Before you jump to the conclusion that you have early stage Alzheimer's disease, read the article linked to above and check the medications you are on...

Alzheimers Awareness

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:58:00 +0000

Video posted to YouTube today, creating awareness, asking for donations to research, or letters to politicians, in the hopes that this will increase chances of finding a cure...nice soundtrack too...

...

Alzheimer's drug study in Orlando area offers hope to patients

noreply@blogger.com (Touched by Dementia) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:10:00 +0000

The article linked to above highlights a drug trial for the drug,bapineuzumab, one of the most well known and supposedly promising Alzheimer's drugs currently under development.

A week or two ago I also posted this story:

* Groundbreaking Drug Helping Alzheimer's Patients

..which originally was also accompanied by a video (which has since been taken off the net). At the time I couldn't work out what drug the story was referring to as it didn't mention its name, so I promised I would investigate and get back to my readers when I found out. An email from, Dr. Andrea Bozoki, assistant professor of neurology at MSU, a researcher involved in the study, finally reached me yesterday morning, and she confirms that this story was also about a bapineuzumab trial. In the email Dr. Bozoki wrote:

"A similar story but with much better, more complete information can be found in the Lansing State Journal from May 11th, titled A study in hope: experimental drug at MSU may help Alzheimer’s patients. In addition, there is a website to look at: www.icarastudy.com. The drug, bapineuzumab, is a monoclonal antibody directed against amyloid protein, the “bad” protein that is thought to destroy brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease. By giving people the antibody, it is hoped that it will allow their bodies’ immune system to come in and “eat up” (remove) the amyloid from between cells before it can cause more damage.

Our study coordinator is Diane Flatley, who can be reached at 884-2273. You should suggest that individuals look at the website, and if they feel they qualify and want to participate (age 50-88, mild-early moderate AD, no other neurologic diseases, no autoimmune disease and no cancer, living at home with a caregiver who sees them at least 5 days/week), to call us at that number."

Here, also is a recruitment video:

So if you are interested and think you might qualify, I hope the above information helps....