I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver

What Should an Alzheimer's Caregiver Do About the H1N1 Virus ?

2009-10-19T19:56:00.001-04:00

The facts in this case are that the H1N1 flu virus is spreading fast, and we really haven't seen anything like it. If you watch the 60 Minutes video you will understand what I am saying. As an Alzheimer's caregiver, I have to decide whether or not my mother will take the shot. To read about my decision and how I made it go here. Popular articles on the Alzheimer's Reading Room Worried About Alzheimer's? The Holy Grail of...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

This is Your Brain on Google

2009-10-16T18:14:00.001-04:00

A brain study conducted by Dr. Gary Small, a UCLA expert on aging, found that people who search the Internet use more of their brain while engaging in Internet searching. This suggests that just searching on the Internet may train the brain -- that it may keep it active and healthy," said Small, whose research appears in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. To continue reading go here. By Bob DeMarco Alzheimer's Reading...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Angil Tarach -- The Angel Among US

2009-10-01T19:14:00.004-04:00

Angil Tarach --The Angel Among US Angil Tarach (RN GCM) is a nationally known expert in senior care and advocacy. With over 30 years of experience, Angil brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to the Alzheimer's Reading Room. Angil is also the owner of Visiting Angels in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Angil writes about Caregiving, Health Care, and issues that affect seniors for the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver (Part One)

2009-09-26T21:17:00.000-04:00

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. We live our lives one day at a time. I am an Alzheimers caregiver, I am the One, and if you are here you are not Alone. To start, I am a curious person. So, when I want to know more about something I really dig in. Take it apart and put it back together. I'm fortunate in two ways. I picked great parents, and God...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

What if Mrs. J Wanders Away and Ends Up Dead?

2009-09-22T13:16:00.000-04:00

Rose Lamatt lived the life of an Alzheimer's caregiver for 14 years. She has witnessed Alzheimer's behaviors from every angle (see Bio below). With her eyes wide open, she is now a concerned on-looker that feels compelled to take action. She is seeking direct help or advice. Please take the time to read her article and respond. I’m worried that Mrs. J. is going to get lost in the woods, or something worse might happen to her. To continue...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Is Alzheimer's Everywhere?

2009-08-22T16:38:00.000-04:00

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's. Is Alzheimer's everywhere? I don't get out much these days. But, I make an effort to take my mother out every Friday night. We always go to a place where we can easily interact with people. This is part of the effort to keep my mother socialized and in the "world". Last night, we went to Vic and Angelo's in downtown Delray...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients

2009-08-20T11:58:00.000-04:00

My name is Bob DeMarco, I am an Alzheimer's caregiver. My mother Dorothy, now 93 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. A year ago, my mother's Alzheimer's disease started to worsen. As a result, I was both concerned and worried. At the same time, I read a new research study about the combination of Aricept and Namenda as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. "The results of this study should change the way we treat patients with...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

What is a Mediterranean Style Diet?

2009-08-14T11:37:00.003-04:00

More American's--especially the baby boom generation--are learning the importance of eating healthy. Research studies indicate that eating Mediterranean-style seems to reduces the risk of mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer's. There are numerous studies that indicate this style of eating helps reduce cardiovascular risk factors like high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. All of the above are linked to Alzheimer's. I have...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Alzheimer's Reading Room Flashback

2009-08-12T21:54:00.001-04:00

Americans Fear Alzheimer’s More Than Heart Disease, Diabetes or Stroke A study by the MetLife Foundation found that Americans fear getting Alzheimer's disease more than heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Alzheimer's ranks second in the minds of American's only to cancer. To continue reading go here. The Seven Stages of Alzheimer's Experts have documented common patterns of symptom progression that occur in many individuals with Alzheimer’s...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Meet Angil Tarach RN

2009-08-06T10:40:00.001-04:00

Follow the link link in the clip to AnnArbor.com to continue reading. clipped from www.annarbor.comCurrently there are between 45 and 60 million people providing care for a loved one in the US. As 77 million Baby Boomers age that number is expected to more than double. I see families on a daily basis who have found themselves facing an unexpected illness or injury with a spouse, parent, or loved one, and are struggling to figure out the...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Caring for Our Parents (Book Review)

2009-07-19T15:49:00.001-04:00

This is a serious book by an accomplished journalist, writer--Howard Gleckman. 'If you are a Boomer, you should buy this book and put it on the coffee table. You will need it in the future to take care of yourself. The notes section of this book, alone, is worth the purchase price. The 22 pages of notes come in the form of a bibliography that you will be referring to over and over in the years ahead. Caring for Our Parents is chock full of...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Alzheimer's Reading July 11

2009-07-12T13:57:00.000-04:00

A year ago on the Alzheimer's Reading Room. Short Mental Exercises May Slow Decline of Aging Minds Older adults who did the basic exercises followed by later sessions were three times as fast as those who got only the initial sessions when it came to activities of daily living, such as reacting to a road sign, looking up a number in a telephone book or checking the ingredients on a medicine bottle -- abilities that can spell the difference...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

The Alzheimer's Action Plan

2009-07-07T13:36:00.000-04:00

“Most of us will either get Alzheimer’s or care for a loved one who has" The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems"This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide for the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease. Whether you are a health care professional or have Alzheimer's in your family or are simply interested to living to an old age, this book is a must...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Is your Elderly Parent Taking Their Medication as Prescribed? Doubt It

2009-07-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

I learned the hard way that my mother was not taking her hypertension medicine as prescribed. I discovered this many months after she was diagnosed with dementia and probable Alzheimer's. If I had paid attention sooner, would it have made a difference in her diagnosis? I'll never know for certain. This I believe. If I had paid attention, I would have realized sooner that something was wrong. Very Wrong. This would have allowed me to get my...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Questions About Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimers and Dementia

2009-06-14T12:57:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, I published an article about a new memory test for Alzheimer's that can be administered in five minutes. The links to the test and scoring sheet are contained in the original article -- Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes. I am receiving emails from readers and I thought I would address two questions. One reader asked, "I am curious to hear their opinion, about the level of education for the test...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Does Loneliness cause an Alzheimer's like Dementia ?

2009-06-09T16:10:00.000-04:00

Loneliness may put people at risk of an Alzheimer's-like dementia. "People who described themselves as lonely were twice as likely to develop dementia," says researcher Robert Wilson of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.Research suggests lonely people are at greater risk of developing dementia. Seniors who scored high on the loneliness quiz agreed with three or more of the following scenarios: I experience a general sense of...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

I'm Hungry, I'm Starving

2009-06-07T18:01:00.000-04:00

My mother utters those words at least 20 times each day. This morning right after she finished eating her oatmeal, and with the bowl still in front of her, my mother said, "I'm hungry, I'm starving". Back during that difficult, very trying, first year, my mother would eat constantly. It was driving me crazy. It honestly made me feel crazy and disconcerted. Then one lucky day in the gym, I mentioned to two complete strangers how this was...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Side Effects of Alzheimer's and Dementia Drugs

2009-05-29T12:48:00.000-04:00

There is a new study published in the journal, Archives of Internal Medicine that caught my attention. The study showed that users of cholinesterase inhibitors like Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl are more likely to experience slower heart rates and a higher rate of feinting episodes. In the case of my mother, her heart rate has slowed, and this disturbed me until I discused the issue with her personal care physician. He told me what to watch for...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Is it Alzheimer's or the Thyroid?

2009-05-15T23:52:00.002-04:00

Read the complete article at the Alzheimer's Reading Room.I wish I could shout this from the mountain top: "when Alzheimer's or dementia present themselves get the thyroid checked".

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Watch the Memory Loss Tapes on the Internet

2009-05-09T19:10:00.002-04:00

You can watch the Memory Loss Tapes on the Internet Right now. For a description of each segment and the links go to Alzheimer's Reading Room: Watch the Memory Loss Tapes on the Internet (HBO Streaming Video)

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

2009-05-06T14:02:00.000-04:00

HBO Alzheimer's Project / Harris Interactive Census Read more on this topic. Alzheimer's Reading Room: 100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

HBO The Alzheimer's Project Open to all Cable Subscribers

2009-05-02T14:23:00.001-04:00

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.comHBO is opening The Alzheimer's Project to all cable subscribers. Got cable? Find the HBO channel and you are good to go starting May 10.Want a free copy of The Alzheimer's Project DVD? Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room and then go here to find out how to do it.

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

Complimentary Copy of the Memory Loss Tapes DVD

2009-04-27T17:38:00.001-04:00

Subscribers to the Alzheimer's Reading Room can now obtain a free, complimentary, copy of the Memory Loss Tapes from HBO by following the instructions below. If you are not subscribed to the Alzheimer's Reading Room -- we request that you do that also. There are three steps in the process to obtain the DVD:Click this link -- The Alzheimer's Project ScreeningsWhen you get to the HBO website look for the link labeled Request a Screening...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

The Alzheimer's Project How to Get it on DVD -- HBO

2009-04-20T14:13:00.000-04:00

I am getting bombarded with emails asking me how to get HBO's The Alzheimer's Project if you don't have HBO. Reader Dawn is right here in the U.S. so maybe someone could share with her. Reader Jocelyn is in New Zealand so that might be more difficult. There is good news. HBO is offering the Alzheimer's Project on DVD and in book form. You can order it now, but it won't ship until June 2. The DVD version of The Alzheimer's Project -- it costs...

This is a content summary. Full text and more on I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.