Alzheimer's News .... keeping you informed ...

When caregivers find new companions, is it adultery?

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:42:00 +0000

Of love and Alzheimer's
The Wall Street Journal: 3 November 2009
Sid, 70 has been married for more than 40 years to his wife who has dementia. What are the issues around Sid having another companion for 4 days of the week? > read story

Medication erros in hospital

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:40:00 +0000

Take your medicines with you to hospital
DPS Guide News: 3 November 2009

Patients who are taken to hospital emergency departments by ambulance are less likely to suffer from medication errors if their own medicines are transported with them in the ambulance, according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia. … > full story

Cultural Care Tool Kit reprinted

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:38:00 +0000

The Care Tool Kit by Elder Rights Advocacy has been reprinted and is available to purchase.

The communities covered:

Aboriginal, Anglo-Australian, Arabic, Bosnian, Cambodian, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Estonian, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indian, Italian, Jewish, Latvian, Maltese, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Spanish-speaking, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese,

Each community section contains information about:

History of migration
Role of family in caring for the elderly
Traditions and special days
Food and diet
Attitudes to residential care, sickness, hospitals and pain
Language including phrases relevant to care
Religion
Death and burial rites
Internet links

Warning signs of dementia

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:36:00 +0000

10 warning signs of Alzheimer's
Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Blog: 31 October 2009
Know the difference between the warning signs of Alzheimer's and typical age-related behavior. > read more

Also see Alzheimer’s Australia’s:

Worried About Your Memory. This brochure is available in various languages.
Warning Signs

How much exercise do older people need?

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:35:00 +0000

Use it or lose your retirement dreams
ABC Health & Wellbeing: 29 October 2009

Staying active into your 70s, 80s and even 90s, is not only possible but vital to optimising quality of life, a growing body of evidence shows. … > full story

Questions on benefit of memantine (Ebixa)

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:33:00 +0000

Benefit of memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease not proven
Quality and Efficiency in Health Care: 28 October 2009
There is no scientific proof that patients with moderate or severe Alzheimer's disease benefit from drugs containing the agent memantine. This is the conclusion in the final report that the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published in September 2009. The report is part of a broader commission awarded by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) to assess both drug and non-drug therapy options for Alzheimer's disease. In addition to cholinesterase inhibitors, Ginkgo biloba and non-drug therapy alternatives. A second press release in which all the results are synthesized can be viewed here.. .. > full press release

Pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in elderly people with dementia

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:31:00 +0000

Older patients with dementia at increased risk for flu mortality
Tufts University: 27 October 2009
An epidemiological study, on pneumonia and influenza (P&I) in adults age 65 and over reports that patients with dementia are diagnosed with flu less frequently, have shorter hospital stays, and have a fifty percent higher rate of death than those without dementia. The three-pronged study, which analyzed geographic and demographic patterns of P&I and the relationship between P&I and health care accessibility, was published online in advance of print in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

"The increased mortality of older patients with dementia hospitalized for flu may be indicative of inadequacies in health care quality and accessibility. It could be beneficial to refine guidelines for the immunization, testing, and treatment of flu in older patients with dementia when planning for the possibility of a flu pandemic," said first and senior author Elena Naumova, PhD, professor of public health and community medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. … > full press release

Diabetes is associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:30:00 +0000

Does diabetes speed up memory loss in Alzheimer's disease?
American Academy of Neurology: 27 October 2009
Research has shown that diabetes increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease and the risk of memory loss in people who don't have Alzheimer's disease. But it hasn't been clear whether people with Alzheimer's disease and diabetes have more rapid memory loss than those who have Alzheimer's disease but no diabetes.

New research published in the October 27, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that those with both diseases actually have a slower rate of memory loss than people who had only Alzheimer's disease. … > full press release

Epilepsy drug holds promise

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:29:00 +0000

Epilepsy drug could treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
EurekAlert!: 27 October 2009
Researchers in the USA have discovered a potential new function for anti-epileptic drugs in treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The study, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Neurodegeneration, found that neurons in the brain were protected after treatment with T-type calcium-channel blockers, which are commonly used to treat epilepsy. … > full press release : comment from Alzheimer’s Society

Interview with author of Alzheimer’s Love

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:28:00 +0000

Alzheimer’s a love story
ABC Radio National: 28 November 2009
Alzheimer’s Love by Vivienne Ulman is a family portrait, an account of the great love affair between her parents, and an honest insight into the strains and strengths of family relations under the cloud of Alzheimer's. > listen to interview

Vision symptoms illuminate early Alzheimer’s variant

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:26:00 +0000

Is it a visual problem or Alzheimer’s? New data helps doctors make the diagnosis
American Academy of Opthalmology: 25 October 2009
Sometimes when a patient tells his ophthalmologist that he "can’t see," what he really means is "I can see, but I can no longer read or write." In a minority of Alzheimer’s patients the disease shows up first as problems with vision rather than memory or other cognitive functions. But diagnosis can be difficult because standard eye exams are often inconclusive for these patients. Neuro-ophthalmologists Pierre-Francois Kaeser, MD, and Francois-Xavier Borruat, MD, Jules Gonin Eye Hospital, Switzerland, examined and followed 10 patients with unexplained vision loss who were ultimately diagnosed with the visual variant of Alzheimer’s disease (VVAD). Their study describes clinical clues that may improve ophthalmologists’ ability to detect VVAD and refer patients for further tests. When patients receive neurological assessment, treatment and family counseling early in the disease, outcomes may be better for all concerned. … > full press release : review by MedPage Today

Call for research into possible links between sports related head injuries and dementia

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:24:00 +0000

You can't swap your head, says Dempsey
Sydney Morning Herald: 23 October 2009
Player associations in Australia are agitating for more research into the possible links between head injuries and early onset dementia.

A concerned Rugby Union Players' Association chief executive, Tony Dempsey, says recurrent players have been surveyed about their experiences with head injuries. … > full story

Related information:

Read past Alzheimer’s News stories on this topic
Read and listen to ABC World Today interview on this topic (29 October 2009)
Read and listen to ABC AM interview on this topic (29 October 2009)

Gene predicts risk for Alzheimer’s disease symptoms after traumatic brain injury

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:23:00 +0000

Genetic screening tool may determine individual risk of developing amyloid plaques after brain trauma
Penn Medicine: 22 October 2009
The presence of a gene can predict when a traumatic brain injury (TBI) will lead to early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study from neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Amyloid plaque deposits, known primarily for their role in Alzheimer’s disease, are found in nearly one third of people who die from acute TBI, within just hours of a brain injury and in people of all ages. This build up of Alzheimer’s-like deposits can be predicted by a variation in the gene that codes for the amyloid-busting enzyme, neprilsyin. … > full press release

Report on mature aged workers who care for an older person

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:21:00 +0000

Taking Care: Mature age workers with elder care responsibilities
Women and Work Research Group at the University of Sydney: 21 October 2009
Workers’ elder care responsibilities are likely to increase significantly over the next few years, bringing new challenges for governments, employers and workplace policy. Elder care is overwhelmingly conducted by women in the peak working years of 35 to 54 years, who suffer significant adverse effects on labour market participation including changing jobs, reducing working hours or refusing promotion in order to provide care.

Yet there is currently very little research on these workers’ preferences and the constraints they face to participation in the labour market and on how and where their flexibility needs are being met by employers.

This new research Taking Care: Mature age workers with elder care responsibilities explores the available research on working mature-aged carers and identifies common challenges faced by these workers. > read report

AIHW Bulletin 73 - Pathways through Aged Care Services

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:18:00 +0000

Pathways through Aged Care Services: A First Look
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: 21 October 2009
Analysis of care pathways provides information that is useful to both policy planners and service providers alike. This report presents the first findings from analysis of the new pathways cohort, investigating common care pathways, time to entry to permanent residential aged care and time to death after the first assessment for use of aged care services. > read bulletin

Sleep deprivation and memory

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:17:00 +0000

Insomnia effects counted in lab
BBC News: 21 October 2009
The forgetfulness brought on by insomnia may be countered with drugs, research published in Nature suggests.

Experiments on mice found sleep deprivation disturbed the molecular pathway in the part of the brain involved in memory and learning…. > full story : review by NHS Knowledge Service

Providing therapy online

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:16:00 +0000

Therapy online: In cyberspace no-one can see you cry
Australian Institute of Family Studies: 20 October 2009
Online therapy sessions could deliver help to thousands of Australians including women seeking help with domestic violence and country people whose self-reliance, heavy work schedule and geographic isolation rule out seeing a therapist face-to-face.

A review of technology use in therapy, counselling and dispute resolution by the Australian Institute of Family Studies has shown counselling in cyberspace holds “a great deal of promise. … > read full press release

Related information: ABC Life Matters Online Therapies interview with Elly Robinson from AIFS (20 October 2009)

Coping

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:12:00 +0000

Advice to cope with Alzheimer's disease
Daily Gleaner: 20 October 2009
This article discussed a presentation that was given recently in Toronto by Dr. Kourni from the University of McGill's Maimonides Geriatric Centre. The presentation gave an overview of Alzheimer's disease, updates on the latest research and advice on how to help cope with the unpredictable changes experienced during the early stages of the disease. > read article

Blood test for progression of MCI to Alzheimer’s

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:11:00 +0000

Blood test shows promise for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
ISO Press via EurekAlert!: 20 October 2009
Elderly people exhibiting memory disturbances that do not affect their normal, daily life suffer from a condition called "mild cognitive impairment" (MCI). Some MCI patients go on to develop Alzheimer's disease within a few years, whereas other cases remain stable, exhibiting only benign senile forgetfulness. It is crucial to develop simple, blood-based tests enabling early identification of these patients that will progress in order to begin therapy as soon as possible, potentially delaying the onset of dementia…. > full press release : journal article abstract

Q&A: Rapid progression of Alzheimer’s disease

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:10:00 +0000

Rapid-onset Alzheimer's: Could it be something else?
Mayo Clinic: 15 October 2009

My mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. But she seems to be deteriorating at a rapid rate. Everything I've read about Alzheimer's says that it has a slow progression. What can you tell me about this? > read answer by Ronald Petersen, M.D

Also see Alzheimer’s Australia information page on progression of dementia

AIHW report on aged care package

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:09:00 +0000

Aged Care Packages in the Community 2007-08: A Statistical Overview
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: 15 October 2009

This report provides information on the availability of packages in Australia, the characteristics of outlets providing these packages, the care recipients at 30 June 2008 and the people who started or ceased receiving help during the year. At 30 June 2008 over 42,000 people were receiving help from an aged care package, and nearly 62,000 people had received help at some time during 2007-08. > read report

Infections, eating problems signal the end in advanced dementia

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:06:00 +0000

Understanding clinical course of disease leads to better end-of-life care
Hebrew SeniorLife: 14 October 2009
The clinical course of advanced dementia, including uncomfortable symptoms such as pain and high mortality, is similar to that experienced by patients of other terminal conditions, according to scientists at the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

The study, published in the Oct. 15 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, is the first to rigorously describe the clinical course of advanced dementia, a leading cause of death in the United States. Previous studies suggest that patients with advanced dementia are under-recognized as being at high risk of death and receive suboptimal palliative care, which aims to improve the comfort of terminally ill patients. … > full press release : review by MedPage Today

New York Times story : WebMD Health News : Indiana University Press Release

Brain tissue donation

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:03:00 +0000

Blunkett backs call for increase in brain tissue donation to beat dementia
Alzheimer’s Society (UK): 13 October 2009
Former Home Secretary, David Blunkett MP has today offered his support to a major campaign to encourage people to donate brain tissue upon their death to a new brain bank network. The brain bank network is called Brains for Dementia Research.

In doing so, Mr Blunkett also pledged to become a donor. His commitment comes as scientists suggest a lack of awareness of the importance of donation is contributing to a nationwide shortage of brains essential for dementia research. … > full story

Alzheimer’s Australia has release a new update sheet on Brain Donation. Further information is available from the Australian Brain Bank Network

Creating Age Friendly Environments Fact Sheet

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:58:00 +0000

Creating Age Friendly Environments
COTA NSW: 1 October 2009
Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW in partnership with the sector is pleased to release “Creating Age Friendly Environments” a web based resource for designers, developers, planners, architects and engineers to raise awareness of the merits of age friendly design. … > full press release

Longitudinal study of the transition from healthy aging to Alzheimer disease

nhayward@alznsw.asn.au (Nicky Hayward-Wright) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:53:00 +0000

Declines in other thinking and learning skills may precede memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease
Archives of Neurology: 12 October 2009
Cognitive abilities other than memory, including visuospatial skills needed to perceive relationships between objects, may decline years prior to a clinical diagnosis in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

"Recent studies have focused on identifying the beginning of the transition from healthy aging to dementia," the authors write as background information in the article. "As new interventions become available, it will become important to identify the disease as early as possible." Loss of episodic memory—remembering events in one's life that can be explicitly stated—is commonly linked to Alzheimer's disease, but it is not the only aspect of cognition (thinking, learning and memory) that is affected. … > full press release