More Men Take the Lead Role in Caring for Elderly Parents

I just finished reading an article in the New York Times, More Men Take the Lead Role in Caring for Elderly Parents. While I was reading the article a series of emotions ran through my body. I cried, I felt sadness, and in some strange way it filled me with happiness and hope. I am an Alzheimer's Caregiver.

The article tells the story of Peter Nicholson. Peter is a single male caregiver (like me). He is living Alzheimer's from the Front Row. He is experiencing the most horrible moment of them all--when they no longer know you.

The single toughest moment was when she said to me, ‘And now who are you?’  he said. My whole world just dropped. That was the pinnacle of despair.

Since becoming a caregiver Peter has lost 45 pounds, suffers from anemia, and is living the enevitable financial stress that comes with this non-paying job. Peter is not unique, 60 percent of Alzheimer's caregivers suffer from illness or depression. The body and mind can only take so much and then it starts to break down. Unless you live Alzheimer's from the front row you cannot imagine this life and the stress it brings with it.

Being an Alzheimer's caregiver forced me to learn how to live life a minute at a time. In the Alzheimer's environment you never know what is going to happen next. You can be happy and then suddenly sad.  You can be caring then angry, focused then frustrated. The emotions come in waves and often they conflict. It is these conflicting emotions that lead to the sadness, confusion, and the frustration that becomes depression. You have to work very hard and take very good care of yourself to insure you won't become physically or mentally sick. Managing caregiver stress is not an easy thing to do.

When I finished the article I did feel some positive emotions.  I was reminding that I am not alone. Millions of us care. This is uplifting to me. Somehow knowing that there are millions of us that have been there-- gives me hope. Hope that I can carry on until that fateful day I know is out there--the end of the long journey my mother and I are taking right now.

I don’t know if this is just the musings of someone who’s on the verge of tossing everything and putting her in a home, he said. But this is a very revealing journey about who I am to me and my family, and what’s important to me.

Good luck Peter. You are good son.

Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures 2008

The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of information for the entire Alzheimer's community. The blog focuses on those suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's caregivers, and the art of Alzheimer's caregiving. 100 Million people have been touched by Alzheimer's disease, and 35 million are worried about Alzheimer's.

Each day, 1,232 people are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

• 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's in their lifetime.

• Every 71 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s.

• Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of death.

• The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.

The report is a comprehensive statistical abstract of U.S. data on Alzheimer’s disease that includes:

• prevalence
• mortality
• the costs of Alzheimer care
• family caregiving
• a special report on lifetime risk

Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures 2008 (43 pages)

The report is free and can be obtained online by following the link.

What if the person who has Alzheimer's disease doesn't remember who I am?

I recently posting an article about Living Alzheimer's from the Front Row. This refers to the millions of Alzheimer's caregivers that deal with Alzheimer's 24/7. My point is simple, unless you live it you really cannot imagine what it is like.

Knowing that the day is coming when they --won't know you-- is the most horrific feeling of them all.

I just finished reading an article at CNN.com that discusses two issues: how Alzheimer's can present during the holiday season; and, what to do when they don't know you anymore. This is an interesting, helpful, thought provoking article.

Holiday reunions can be a time to check the well-being of older relatives
It's normal to feel sad, abandoned when a person forgets memories, loved ones
Remind person with memory issues who you are, rather than quizzing him or her
Engage the person in conversation and speak slowly

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An aspirin a day to keep Alzheimer's away?

This is an interesting short discussion of aspirin and how it might be helpful in staving off health problems. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is very good at delivering short, to the point, health messages.

GUPTA: I recommend [aspirin] to a lot of my patients for all sorts of things. Thinning the blood, preventing stroke, heart attacks, possibly reducing the risk of colon cancer and now, as you say, Bill, possibly also preventing Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: An aspirin a day to keep Alzheimer's away?

Aspirin has been called a wonder drug because of its many uses, and new evidence suggests it is among a class of medications that may help, possibly even prevent, Alzheimer's disease.

CNN's medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, discussed the possible benefits and risks Tuesday with CNN anchor Bill Hemmer.

Fitness and the Brain: Can a Walk a Day Keep Alzheimer's Away?

I write about exercise and Alzheimer's often on this blog.

By Bob DeMarco

My mother, now 92 years old, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. For my mother exercise makes a remarkable and easy to observe change in her behavior. Most times walking into the gym she can barely make it. She walks out on her own with a smile on her face almost every time.

I have taken older people who know my mother to the gym so they can see this dramatic effect. In doing this, I am trying to convince them to exercise.

Today I want to bring to your attention an article I just finished reading on the Scientific America website, Fitness and the Brain: Can a Walk a Day Keep Alzheimer's Away?

While the scientific findings about Alzheimer's and exercise are all over the place; there is one thing that is certain, some people suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's do benefit from exercise. I know this: it can't hurt and there are real health benefits.

Read more on this issue and Alzheimer's

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Exercise may improve function in dementia patients

I Missed the Early Signs of Dementia in my Mother

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More about the Alzheimer's Reading Room

• Advice and Insight -- Alzheimer's Reading Room
• Dealing with Difficult Behavior Caused by Dementia and Alzheimer's
• Communicating in Alzheimer's World
• Dr Oz Alzheimer's Memory Quiz (Test)
• What is Alzheimer's Disease?
• Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
• Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
• Alzheimer's World -- Two Circles Trying to Intersect
• Baby Boomer Alzheimer's Perspective
• Alzheimer's Disease -- The Front Row
• Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
• 60 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Now
• Alzheimer's Clock Draw Test -- Detect the Signs of Alzheimer's Early

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, and Memory Loss

Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,200 articles with more than 9,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Alzheimer's diagnosis brings some couples closer

As the population ages the incidence of Alzheimer's is going to increase. Many married couples will find themselves in a situation similar to Bill and Julie Penick. This article reminded me of the situation I found myself in with my mother. My mother, a wonderful person her entire life, started to get mean and very negative. This was accompanied by other suspicious behaviors that were bothering me for a long time. Finally I took action and we found out that she was suffering from dementia.

Early stage Alzheimer's and dementia are very difficult to spot. Most people think the early sign is forgetfullness. I learned that behavior changes are what you need to be looking for in your loved one. My mother was still driving, shopping, cooking, and functioning normally when she was diagnosed. The early diagnosis helped us get her on the proper medication, on the proper diet, in a secure situation, and into the gym.

For me, it is uplifting to read about Bill and Julie. I believe they are fortunate in that they looked for a reason behind the behavior change and discovered Julie was suffering from Alzheimer's.

The article also mentions that men rise to the occasion as caregivers. It is not well known but around 41 percent of Alzheimer's caregivers are men. The article also mentions Bill doing chores. I learned so many things caring for my mother that I can't list them all here.

Schneider says sometimes men whose wives get Alzheimer's actually flourish in a care-giving role, despite the physical and emotional toll it takes. "For many it may be the first chance they've had in a long marriage to reverse roles and take care of their wife," he says.

Alzheimer's diagnosis brings some couples closer

By Mary Brophy Marcus, USA TODAY

Happily married for 43 years, Bill and Julie Penick initially blamed the stress of losing their New Orleans home in Hurricane Katrina for the discord that cropped up and then stuck in their marriage in the fall of 2005.
But as laundry piled up, meals were overlooked and social engagements forgotten by Julie, their marriage became strained in ways the couple had not experienced during their decades together as working parents raising three children, or later as retirees who enjoyed traveling and spending time with grandchildren.

"I was very confused, mixed up," says Julie, 65, a retired teacher. "We were having arguments."

Says Bill, 68, a retired lawyer: "We had gone through the wringer after Katrina, and we were both kind of depressed. We lost our house — a lot of important things to us were destroyed.

"Things were going a little haywire."

It wasn't until they sought marriage counseling in summer 2006 that the counselor suggested more than stress and depression were gnawing away their relationship. She recommended that Julie be evaluated by a neurologist. By that December, the diagnosis was Alzheimer's.

Rising to the challenges

When they realized a medical condition was involved, it was both shocking and a weight off their shoulders, they both say. "I think we were both kind of stunned by it at first," Bill says. But after the initial grief ebbed, Bill says, the diagnosis actually brought the couple together.

The Penicks' experience is not unusual, experts say. Undiagnosed Alzheimer's can shake the foundations of even the best relationships, says Lon Schneider, professor of psychiatry, neurology and gerontology at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

But once a couple receive a diagnosis and are able to address the symptoms, many rise to the challenge. "When there's an illness like this, things happen. Marriages change," Schneider says. "Sometimes they fall apart, but more often, couples grow closer in ways we wouldn't expect."

Paul Solomon, clinical director of the Memory Clinic in Bennington, Vt., where Julie Penick gets care and participates in a clinical trial, says most couples initially feel a huge sense of relief when diagnosed despite the accompanying sadness.

"When a husband realizes it's not that his wife doesn't love him anymore or is being difficult, but that she's got a medical problem, it can take a great weight off," Solomon says.

Bill Penick is among nearly 10 million people in the USA, many of whom are spouses, who care for someone with some form of dementia, such as Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

Schneider says sometimes men whose wives get Alzheimer's actually flourish in a care-giving role, despite the physical and emotional toll it takes. "For many it may be the first chance they've had in a long marriage to reverse roles and take care of their wife," he says.

In the Penick house, Bill handles most of the household chores, such as the shopping and cooking, now that Julie can no longer manage on her own. Julie says the fact that he does it with such grace touches her.

Solomon says observing some married couples and how they cope throughout Alzheimer's can be striking. "There are some relationships that are so strong and the caregiver really does heroic things. They'll take on 24-hour care," Solomon says. "No one can do that for very long. Sometimes we have to give spouses who are forgetting about their own health and needs permission to take time off," he says.

Get informed, plan ahead

In the long run, Solomon says that if or how a marriage weathers an Alzheimer's diagnosis ultimately depends on the nature of the relationship to begin with.

But if couples educate themselves, plan ahead financially, take advantage of counseling and support groups along the way and accept help from others, the challenges of Alzheimer's on a marriage can be less stressful and isolating, Schneider says.

Still, Julie already has trouble sometimes with utensils — a harbinger of a time when she may rely more heavily on Bill for the most basic of needs. But for now, Bill says: "She can still enjoy a good joke, a funny movie, friends. We just take one day at a time."

READERS: Do you know someone with Alzheimer's? How has it affected their personal relationships?

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Benefits Check Up

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I want to introduce you to a website for all seniors (older people) called Benefits Check Up. This service from the National Council on Aging has helped more than 2 million people find over $6.7 billion dollars worth of service.

The website streamlines the process of finding programs that can help you pay for prescription drugs, health care, meals, utility bills, and more. If you have never used the site, I suggest you go there and fill out the comprehensive service form. Once you fill out the form you will be taken to a list of services that are available to you or your loved one. This is an important service that could save you money and its free. 

Benefits Check Up is the best site I have seen on the Internet for caregivers searching for help, ways to reduce prescription costs, and special services that are available nationally and locally. If you are a caregiver it is perfectly appropriate for you to fill out the form for another person.

You can also fill out forms for specific services. Please choose the appropriate link.

Comprehensive Check Up.  Find programs that can help you pay for prescription drugs, health care, meals, utility bills, and other servcies.

Prescription Drug Assistance. Find programs that can help you reduce your prescription drug and health care costs.

Medicare Rx Extra Help. See if you’re eligible and apply for Extra Help paying for your Medicare prescription drug costs. If you are in the "doughnut hole" this service should be of particular interest. If you use the comprehensive form this help is included.

Senior Housing Locator. Find senior housing options, including assisted living, residential care, nursing & rehabilitation homes, CCRCs and independent living retirement communities.


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Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for news, advice, and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob has written more than 800 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away

An article on CNN.com, Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away, mentions five ways to keep your memory sharp: antioxidants, fish oil supplements, phosphatidylserine supplements, curry, and Cross-training your brain.

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

About

This article is part of a discussion about Alzheimer's and yesterday's news about how herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba doesn't stop Alzheimer's.

I believe that supplements are a good part of any regimen to improve health. Scientific evidence supports the value of taking supplements and indicates that supplements can stave off a long list of diseases including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's.

However, I am starting to get the feeling that people believe there is magic in those pills; and that, they can start taking these supplements in lieu of healthy life practices and get a positive result by pills alone.

Tom Daschle’s Big Idea: A Fed for Health Care

Health care is a big issue for all of us, especially those of us dealing with the expense of treatment and medication for Alzheimer's disease. There is little doubt health care reform will effect us in a big way--we can only hope for good news.

I ran across this interesting article on the Wall Street Journal Health Blog. The article is about Tom Daschle and his ideas on health care. Tom has written a  book on health care, Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis. It should make for interesting reading.

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Tom Daschle’s Big Idea: A Fed for Health Care

Note: the article on the WSJ has several links to more detailed information. You can get to that version by clicking the link above

The FDA, the CDC, Medicare and Medicaid all fall under one federal department: Health and Human Services. Tom Daschle, the former leader of the Senate Majority Leader, will soon be in charge of all that: The news just broke that he’ll be Obama’s HHS secretary.

The Health Blog, among others, had put Daschle on the short list for the job. And he’s gone to the trouble of writing a book about health care (Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis, published in Feb.) to give us a pretty clear sense of where he’d like to take things.

His basic idea: Create a board modeled on the Federal Reserve to “offer a public framework within which a private health-care system can operate more effectively and efficiently — insulated from political pressure yet accountable to elected officials and the American people.”

Daschle was also one of the Senators most committed to the failed Clinton health reform plan of the early ’90s — and the book spends a chapter unpacking the lessons of that failure.

Way back in June, Daschle told CongressDaily he hoped he could “be helpful, perhaps in a prospective Obama administration, on healthcare reform,” adding that he would be “interested in finding ways to do that.”

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A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease

• Ten Million Baby Boomers are likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s during their lifetime.
  
• While it is not well known, every 71 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease.
  
• Alzheimer's and dementia are very difficult to diagnose in the earliest stage.
  
• It is not unusual for persons suffering from dementia to drive, shop for groceries, and interact effectively with their friends.
  
• They suffer from a mild cognitive impairment that has not yet been recognized as the onset of Alzheimer's.
  
• They go undiagnosed and the disease worsens until some event alerts a friend, family member, or doctor of a cognitive problem.
  
• It is well documented that early detection of Alzheimer's is critical to treating the disease.

Editor Note: If you are looking for additional self assessment tests for Alzheimer's visit the following page -- Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's Dementia (5 Best Self Assessment Tests)

Kids bring joy to Alzheimer's Sufferers

The following article shows that our children can play an important community service role in our society. The kinds of interactions with Alzheimer’s patients that are described not only benefit the patients they give the children important lessons in life. I found this article uplifting.

On a personal note, my mother reacts very positively to children. A child always brings a smile to my mother's face. If you look closely at the picture you can see she is experiencing real feelings of joy and happiness. On those days when my mother has interactions with children or young adults she usually has a better, brighter day.

Source Sioux City Journal
The generations appear to mesh seamlessly when kids from Building Futures Child Care, a public program of the Boys & Girls Home, make their weekly visit to the Alzheimer's Association's Adult Day Services room.

Without being told, the youngsters eagerly fill in the couple of empty chairs at each table. The clients who came Thursday have been chatting, listening to music or just sitting. Soon, the children's teacher, Julie Bell, and aide Cindy Levering, are passing out clear plastic suncatchers and squeezing splats of bright-colored paints into trays for each person.

The children, ages 4 to 10, have come for an hour or two every Thursday this summer. They play board games, read a library book or do a craft and then share a snack with the clients. Both generations benefit from their time together, even if not everyone remembers it well.

'I love it'

"My middle name is Mess-up," client Marian Persinger laughed as she fixed a drip on her suncatcher. She said she enjoys the children's visits. "The camaraderie. Whatever (craft) they bring, we do. We frosted cookies with them last week," she remembered.

"I know. We made caterpillars," Dylan Thompson, 5, offered. It's not clear whether he meant last week or another time. It doesn't matter.

"Oh, I love it," client Kay Erskine said. "Seeing these kids and watching them, it's really neat."

The children provide a flashback to a happy time for Linda Young, as well. She has attended the center nearly every day for the past three years, since suffering a brain injury in a fall at work.

"It's my first time. I'll watch," said one man who actually comes to the center five days a week. Matt Elgert, 6, unperturbed by the disconnect, painted his suncatcher and talked about playing Candy Land on an earlier visit.

Client Mike Biderman, a retired Navy man who comes to the center often, said he thinks the interaction is good for the children, too. "They should have some exposure to adult life as early as possible," he said.

'Bring somebody joy'

Mary Jo Sikkema, director of the Alzheimer's Association, said the children's visits are important. They keep clients busy, stimulate their brains and give them an opportunity to socialize with other people. She said it's rare that a client doesn't want to participate, or gets agitated.

Stephanie Altamimi, director of Day Services, said she think the clients especially like doing crafts with the children because they feel they are helping the kids. And, she said, the adults feel a connection to all children who visit the center, whether it's the day care children or a family member's child.

Levering said she was surprised at first at how well the children handle their visits. "They're so patient with the clients," she said.

Bell added, "I explained to them they're volunteering their time to bring somebody joy. They really got the concept."

Altamimi said other young people also visit the Day Center. She said sometimes a church or high school group will come and stay most of the day. Some have played band instruments, or drummed up a game of chair volleyball with clients. "We don't ever turn anybody away," she said.

Bell said her group plans to keep its visits going, even after summer ends. They'll come to the center on all the "early out" Mondays of the school year. Days when classes end at 1 p.m., the kids in her program will assemble at the Alzheimer's Day Services Center for crafts, snacks -- and bringing joy.

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Missing man with Alzheimer's travels to Mexico

I often get asked if my mother wanders. This is not a problem so far. However, wandering is a big problem for many Alzheimer's caregivers.

One of the earliest signs of Alzheimer's and dementia is wandering or getting lost. Spouses and children should pay careful attention when their loved one gets lost while driving. Many times they will conclude the person is getting old. What they should do is alert their family physician to the problem and ask for a check up by a memory specialist.

It is not unusual for family members to ignore suspicious behavior in older persons. Let's face it, the majority of us have little experience with dementia and when it strikes we get caught off guard. However, the sooner you get the memory problem diagnosed and get a treatment in place the better the likely outcome.

The man in this story was going to Kansas and ended up in Mexico. This comment caught my attention.

Sheriff T. Michael O'Connor said family members didn't think his dementia was as serious.

I want to make it clear that I am not being critical of this family. The stories of similar situations with Alzheimer's caregivers are common.

Herbal supplement Ginkgo doesn't stop Alzheimer's

One alternative I have never tried with my mother is the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo biloba is a Chinese herb often used as a dietary supplement to treat memory loss. The use of Ginkgo biloba to improve memory can be traced to many studies. In 2006, researchers found significant improvement in verbal recall among a group of people with age-associated memory impairment, who took the herbal supplement for six months, when compared with a group that received a placebo. The study, Ginkgo Biloba and The Brain, was widely publicized at the time.

The biggest difference in the 2006 study and the one presented here is that the 2006 research was limited to 10 patients; while this new study covered 3,069 people age 75 or older. Gingko is not toxic so its not likely that it is harmful; but, is it worth the price?

Dr. Murali Doraiswamy of Duke University Medical Center, a memory expert, said the findings will lead him to actively discourage people from taking ginkgo with the aim of preventing Alzheimer's.

Dr. Murali Doraiswamy is the author of The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems

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Herbal supplement Ginkgo doesn't stop Alzheimer's

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The widely used herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba does not appear to prevent Alzheimer's disease in healthy elderly people or those with mild cognitive impairment, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

The study involved 3,069 people age 75 or older at five U.S. locations who were tracked for six years on average, half taking twice-daily doses of 120 milligrams of extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree and the rest taking a placebo.

Those who took the ginkgo were no more or less likely to develop Alzheimer's or any type of dementia, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Steven DeKosky, dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine who led the study, said he was disappointed in the results, citing early indications that ginkgo has antioxidant and other properties that might preserve memory.

"At this point in time, I wouldn't tell anybody to take the medication in hopes that it would work (to prevent Alzheimer's)," DeKosky, who was at the University of Pittsburgh when the study was conducted, said in a telephone interview.

"If they want to continue taking it -- because it's not toxic and not expensive -- they probably aren't going to hurt themselves other than spending the money," DeKosky added.

Ginkgo is one of the top-selling herbal supplements, used by people with the aim of improving memory and cognition and other purposes. This was the largest and most rigorous study to date on whether it would stave off Alzheimer's, experts said.

The people entered the study with either no cognitive problems or only mild impairment. Eighteen percent in the ginkgo group and 16 percent in the placebo group were diagnosed with Alzheimer's or other dementia during the study.

BRAIN CHANGES

DeKosky said he could not rule out that ginkgo might have shown some benefit in preventing Alzheimer's if the study had gone on longer because progression from initial brain changes to clinical dementia takes many years.

There is no medication currently approved to avert the development of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia in the elderly.

Dr. Murali Doraiswamy of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, noted that other Alzheimer's prevention failures include statins, estrogen, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamin E and drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors.

Doraiswamy, a memory expert who was not part of the study, said the findings will lead him to actively discourage people from taking ginkgo with the aim of preventing Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's is incurable. It slowly progresses from mild memory loss to severe brain damage and death. It is expected to become even more common as populations age in many countries.

"Alzheimer's, by its very nature, tends to breed desperation, and that will direct some people to try almost anything. Here, at least, we have some evidence that it's probably worth your while to find something else than ginkgo," Bill Thies of the Alzheimer's Association advocacy group said.

Industry groups took issue with the study.

Michael McGuffin of the American Herbal Products Association said the findings do not undermine earlier evidence that ginkgo is useful in relieving symptoms in people who already have Alzheimer's.

Daniel Fabricant of the Natural Products Association said a study starting when people are in middle age rather than almost 80 would be the best way to analyze Alzheimer's prevention.

The ginkgo product used in the research was made by German-based Schwabe Pharmaceuticals.

(Editing by Vicki Allen)

More from the Alzheimer's Reading Room:

Living Alzheimer's From the Front Row

High cholesterol levels in your 40s raises Alzheimer's risk

When Alzheimer's Hits at a Young Age

Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease

OT: Great Online Shopping Site--Woot

I realize this is off track but I wanted to alert you to a great shopping site on the Internet. Don't let the name throw you, Woot.com.

Here is how Woot works. Each night right after midnight they put up a new item. The item remains available for purchase until it sells out that day. You won't believe the bargains you might find. Sometimes when I see something interesting I buy it with the idea that I will use it later as a gift. With Christmas right around the corner this is a must see site.

Good luck shopping.


While I was at it I thought I would plug this in:

Time to start checking for those Black Friday sales: BlackFriday.info, Bargainist.com, DealTaker.com, BFads.net, and TheBlackfriday.com.

You might want to check the above out before you hit the stores.

Reflecting on a Life Lost to Alzheimer's

He came home with a note from the doctor in July 1999 that said "symptoms of Alzheimer's like dementia."

"I get a quick flash of what my life will look like, and I turn away from it because I'm scared," he said.

When he began to wander, they put bells on the doors so they'd know when he was heading out.

"From then on, he was never the same," Cross said. "He stopped getting up. He barely was eating. He slowed right down, stayed in bed."

"When he died, it felt like the air whooshed out of me -- and it didn't," she said. "I don't think I was really even breathing. Then it just was like I felt at peace. At that point, Alzheimer's wasn't defining him -- or me."

This is a well written, thought provoking, moving article. The way it should be if you ask me.

Suffering from Alzheimer's at an Early Age

This is an interesting and uplifting video of Brian Kammerer and his family. They are living Alzheimer's from the front row. It is worth viewing.

Suffering from Alzheimer's at an Early Age



More on Alzheimer's from the Alzheimer's Reading Room

A Wonderful Moment in Time--Mom dances for the first time in years

Living Alzheimer's From the Front Row

High cholesterol levels in your 40s raises Alzheimer's risk

When Alzheimer's Hits at a Young Age

Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease

When Alzheimer's Hits at a Young Age

When I read this article in the Wall Street Journal I wanted to cry. It really hit me hard. I really don't know why but I just felt horrible.

Brian Kammerer

I don't know Brian Kammerer or his family. But, I have an idea of what they are now facing. I also know in life it is harder to accept when an older person becomes ill then when a younger person contracts the same disease.

I'll pray for Brian and his family and hope that a combination of drugs like Aricept and Namenda help slow the disease until something better comes along. There is always hope.

Living Alzheimer's From the Front Row

I often use the term "living Alzheimer's from the front row".

This term describes caregivers and others that watch Alzheimer's develop 24/7. Once the disease strikes they get to witness the craziness of it all. On one hand, you have the person suffering from Alzheimer's; on the other hand, you have the person responsible for caring for that person. Unless you are an Alzheimer's caregiver it is almost impossible to either understand or comprehend what it is like living in the front row.

Exercise can prevent or slow the onset of Alzheimer's

In this short video Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on how exercise could prevent or slow down the onset of Alzheimer's. This is a very simple, easy to understand video and is worth watching. The video delves into the effects of Alzheimer's in the brain and the effect on memory.

Also see:
Exercise may improve function in dementia patients

UCSF Memory and Aging Center

Conscientious People are Less Prone to Alzheimer's

People who lead a good clean life -- those who are conscientious, self-disciplined and scrupulous -- appear to be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.

There is an article circulating around the Internet today about the positive effect that education can have in staving off Alzheimer's disease, Education blunts effects of Alzheimer's. This reminded me of an article I read last year, Conscientious people are less prone to Alzheimer's.

The study found that people who were highly conscientious had an 89 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those who were less conscientious.

Those are pretty high odds and worth considering.

‘No Cost’ Ways to Get Informed and Get Help about Alzheimer’s Disease

“Families with loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease are being pulled on all sides, and the last thing they need is any additional financial pressure. Now more than ever, they need to be proactive and embrace support that is theirs free for the asking. This assistance can make a world of difference in terms of lightening the financial as well as the emotional toll of caregiving.”

Press Release

‘No Cost’ Ways to Get Informed and Get Help about Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Urges Action during National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

NEW YORK , NY – As economic woes and healthcare cost concerns continue to grip the nation, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is encouraging families of those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to take advantage of free services and monetary awards that can help reduce the financial toll of this chronic disease.

AFA’s message comes during the observance in November of both National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Caregivers Month.

Eric J. Hall, AFA’s president and CEO, said that AFA these days is fielding more inquiries than ever about financial aspects of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

“The burden of chronic disease, especially for those living on fixed incomes, becomes even more apparent when economic times are tough,” he said.

“Families with loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease are being pulled on all sides, and the last thing they need is any additional financial pressure. Now more than ever, they need to be proactive and embrace support that is theirs free for the asking. This assistance can make a world of difference in terms of lightening the financial as well as the emotional toll of caregiving.”

It is estimated that five million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, with the majority aged 65 and older. The brain disorder progressively causes loss of memory and other intellectual functions, and a person lives an average eight years from diagnosis. The cost of an individual’s care can be as high as $36,000 per year.

Here are five of AFA’s “no cost” support services:

On AFA’s 6 th annual National Memory Screening Day on November 18 th, more than 2,100 sites from coast to coast will offer free, confidential memory screenings and information about memory concerns, successful aging and resources. AFA encourages adults with memory concerns, a family history of Alzheimer’s disease or a desire to establish a baseline score for future comparison to participate. The results do not represent a diagnosis, and screeners encourage those with abnormal scores and those who still have concerns to pursue a full medical exam.

AFA’s toll-free hot line, 866-AFA-8484, links callers with its licensed social workers who answer questions—big and small—about myriad topics and provide referrals to local resources nationwide.

Available by free subscription, AFA’s quarterly magazine, care ADvantage for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, contains practical care-related strategies, activities and input from families living with the disease.

Families in financial need can apply for respite care grants to help offset the cost of such services as adult day programs and in-home aides. The grants are offered twice a year and applications must be made through AFA member organizations.
For teenagers, including those personally dealing with Alzheimer’s disease in their families, AFA awards a $5,000 scholarship annually to a college-bound student. Applications are due February 15.

For information about these and other programs and services, contact AFA at 866-AFA-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is a New York-based nonprofit organization made up of 950 member organizations nationwide that provide hands-on programs to meet the educational, emotional, practical and social needs of families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses. AFA’s services include a toll-free hot line, educational materials, a free caregiver magazine, and professional training. Call (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org .


Contact: Carol Steinberg
Phone: 866-AFA-8484

The Alzheimer's Reading Room

Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease

This May Be the Most Useful Alzheimer's Advice

I read this interesting article at Caring.com. It really puts things into perspective and contains some very useful information.

I'm not referring to the rhetorical question, "Oh why is this happening to me?" although it's sure understandable if that one crosses your mind. But when you're faced with upset, a refusal to cooperate, or even a catastrophic reaction, don't write it off to the craziness of the disease. You can usually solve the matter by stepping back to consider, "Why is this behavior happening? What might be triggering it?

Read the original article and full text at Caring.com

Then this week came this insightful account of Cameron J. Camp, an experimental psychologist in Ohio who's spent 20 years adapting the learning principles of Montessori preschools to people with Alzheimer's. Because the mind's first-developed abilities are the last to go, cognitive similarities exist between adults with dementia and preschoolers. (Both respond well to sensory input, for example.) This insight illuminates the path to many solutions.

As Camp says, "We don't say they're crazy, we say this is where they are in the developmental sequence...you only come up with the fix if you say, 'Why is this happening?'"

Some examples of this idea in action:

* A man stops using the toilet and has an increase in accidents.

Why is this happening? Depth perception fades for someone with Alzheimer's. A white commode fades into a beige wall and is easily overlooked -- therefore not used.

Solution: Instead of concluding incontinence, paint the wall behind the commode a bright red to make it stand out. (from Coste)

* A person becomes upset, claiming that she's being watched, especially in the bathroom.

Why is this happening? The person has lost the ability to understand that the mirror is showing a reflection of herself, not of another person.

Solution: Instead of trying to soothe the distraught individual over and over, cover the mirror or install a shade over it. (from Cameron)

* A woman continually asks why her daughter never visits -- beginning five minutes after her daughter just left.

Why is this happening? She's lost her working (short term) memory and truly doesn't remember.

Solution: Instead of trying to explain the truth, the daughter can keep a logbook of her visits, writing loving notes about each and when she'll visit next. When the mother feels abandoned, her caregiver can direct her to the sit in a comfortable chair with the logbook. This not only calms her in the short term, but eventually builds a positive association with that comfortable chair -- a kind of learning Cameron says people with dementia are still capable of because it builds on remaining cognitive strengths.

Alzheimer's may be maddening, but it can be made less mysterious.

Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease

It is Difficult to Catch the Early Signs of Alzheimer's

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Looking back, there is little doubt in my mind I should have realized my mother was suffering from dementia sooner. Sadly, I didn't have the proper education, information, or frame of reference.

Most people tend to ignore the early symptoms of the disease believing they are simply signs of "old age". Anyone who ends up in my shoes knows and understands that a person in the early stages of Alzheimer’s can function normally--even drive a car. Only when they deteriorate or some "event" takes place do we wake up to reality.

Behavior changes slowly in the elderly and as they begin to suffer cognitive impairment these changes are hard to detect. Sometimes these changes can be quite subtle but if detected raise a “red flag”.

If my mother had been enrolled in any of the studies listed below, I feel certain she would have been diagnosed sooner. This would have allowed me to get her in an exercise program, get her proper nutrition, and insure that she was taking her medication as prescribed. I learned in the last four years how important these factors are in the quality of her life.

The woman in the picture is my 93 year old mother. She suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. I am her CareGiver.

Exercise may improve function in dementia patients

If you are a frequent visitor to this Blog then you know I believe one of the most important parts of Alzheimer's care is exercise. My mother, now 92, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. The first time she visited a gym she was 88 years old. There is no doubt in my mind that my mother would now be bedridden if not for exercise. The effect is so dramatic that my mother sometimes holds on to the walls or anything she can grab while walking into the gym. On the way out she stands up straight and walks out on her own. Most people that know her are shocked to see this. We get an added benefit when people stop to talk or smile at her. Socialization in the gym is an added benefit.

Exercise may improve function in dementia patients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Organized exercise designed to increase strength, flexibility, mobility and coordination may improve overall physical function among nursing home patients with Alzheimer's disease, researchers report.

Alzheimer's disease patients who have physically deteriorated are less able to perform activities of daily life, which, in turn, affects their quality of life. Despite the well-known physical benefits obtained from exercise, Professor Alejandro Lucia and colleagues in Spain found comparatively little research has focused on exercise training among patients with Alzheimer's disease.

To address this, Lucia, of the Universidad Europea De Madrid, and collaborators compared the outcomes of 16 Alzheimer's disease patients who were randomly assigned to receive normal care involving no programed exercise or to a12-week exercise program as part of their nursing home care.

Each group consisted of five women and three men of similar functional capacity at the start of the study. Participants' average age was 73 years in the normal care group and 76 years in the exercise group, the investigators report in the International Journal of Sports Medicine.

Exercise sessions, held 3 days each week, included 75 minutes of warm-up and cool-down stretching, inside walking, joint mobility activities, elastic exercise-band resistance training, and coordination exercises using foam balls.

Lucia's team reports the exercise group had significant improvements in measures of upper and lower body strength and flexibility; agility and balance; walking abilities; and endurance. Exercise participants also showed greater ability to independently perform activities of daily living such as rising from a chair, transferring from bed to chair, bathing, or dressing.

By contrast, the normal care group showed no changes over the 12-week period.

These findings show that shorter duration exercise programs "are sufficient to induce significant improvements in patients' functional performance and independence," the investigators state. Adherence to the training program was nearly 100 percent, they add.

While more evidence of efficacy is needed from larger study populations, Lucia and colleagues suggest similar programs could be included in the overall nursing home care of Alzheimer's disease patients.

SOURCE: International Journal of Sports Medicine, October 2008.

Original content: Exercise may improve function in dementia patients

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Blog to Cope With Alzheimer's

I ran across this wonderful article on Wired.

Seniors in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, with mild to moderate memory loss, are writing Weblogs to help them make sense of their daily lives. And the activity, they say, is slowing the onset of their symptoms.

"Many people, once they're diagnosed with AD, simply give up on life," said Alice Young, a 75-year-old former psychotherapist who divides her time each year between Florida and Minnesota. "And those are the people who go down more quickly."

I started a blog several years ago for my mother. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for us because I couldn't get her to post. I often encourage my mother to write emails and sometimes she still does this. I should note that when I first taught her to use email at the age of 78 (1994) she emailed me daily. I also try and get my mother to play Slingo on the computer. Until recently I could get her to play almost every day. There is no doubt that writing emails and playing Slingo was beneficial to her brain health.

AD bloggers Alice Young and Mary Lockhart, meanwhile, are keeping busy by storing their memories online and using the Web to reach out to others with memory loss.

"I want people to know we're not just a bunch of lost souls out here," Young said. "We're learning to use the Web to keep on top of things."

We know Alice, we know.

Blog to Cope With Alzheimer's Fog

You're never too old to start blogging -- and to stave off dementia.

Seniors in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, with mild to moderate memory loss, are writing Web logs to help them make sense of their daily lives. And the activity, they say, is slowing the onset of their symptoms.

"Many people, once they're diagnosed with AD, simply give up on life," said Alice Young, a 75-year-old former psychotherapist who divides her time each year between Florida and Minnesota. "And those are the people who go down more quickly."
But Young and others with AD are blogging to keep their spirits high and their minds sharp.

In her journal, Young mixes frank descriptions of her illness with encouraging words and prayers.

"Concentration is coming harder now," reads one entry from November 2000. "I am constantly misplacing/losing things. I go to the Dr. and I am going to ask for another test to see how much I have lost."

More than one and a half years later, on June 17, 2002, Young has become more philosophical about her AD: "Time is getting shorter for me, and I realize it, so I'm 'going for the gusto' as much as I can," she wrote.

Young said she and others with AD keep journals to "exercise the cognitive powers we have as much as possible."

"But I also think it's important to be realistic about AD," Young said.
AD has no known cure, and there is no proof that blogging, or any other form of cognitive exercise, can stem its progress. But AD bloggers say their journals have greatly improved their quality of life, by helping them to recall tasks completed and milestones passed.

"My journal tells me when I've paid the bills, bathed the dogs and fed my flowers -- or when my flowers have bloomed," said Mary Lockhart, 62, an AD patient from Oklahoma City.

Both Young and Lockhart also include pictures of their family and friends on their websites.

Lockhart addresses many of her journal entries to the friends she's made online, hosting live chats for the Dementia Advocacy and Support Network (DASN).
Young and Lockhart both call DASN their "lifeline" for emotional support and information about new medicines, which they hear about from memory-loss sufferers in chat rooms and via e-mail.

Psychologists say the emotional support alone helps AD patients improve their cognitive functioning.

"People who have AD, but have lower levels of depression and anxiety, have better day-to-day functioning with things like using the telephone, shopping and housekeeping," said Rebecca Logsdon, PhD, a clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of Washington's Department of Psychosocial and Community Health.
Logsdon said Web logs and e-mail can be an excellent way for people with AD to maintain family and social contacts, and to counter the depression that often accompanies their illness.

"We just don't know if the Internet directly impacts brain functioning," Logsdon said. "But even if it doesn't, it may slow down the debilitating consequences of the disease."

Young people may also benefit from blogging: Researchers, like those behind the University of Kentucky's nun study, have already found a connection between intellectually active lifestyles and a reduced risk of developing AD.

AD can seem inevitable with old age, however. Fifty percent of people over 85 will contract the disease.

But a lifelong regimen of cognitive exercise, including journaling, may help delay AD's onset by up to 10 years -- long enough for many individuals to outlive it.
Even retirees can't afford to slack off if they hope to beat AD, UW's Logsdon said.
"Keeping journals or engaging in other intellectual activity is good at any age," Logsdon said. "But it is particularly important to stay intellectually active as we get older, retire from demanding jobs and have fewer family obligations."

AD bloggers Alice Young and Mary Lockhart, meanwhile, are keeping busy by storing their memories online and using the Web to reach out to others with memory loss.
"I want people to know we're not just a bunch of lost souls out here," Young said. "We're learning to use the Web to keep on top of things."

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Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one website on the Internet for news, advice, and insight into Alzheimer's disease. Bob has written more than 800 articles with more than 18,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.

Original content Bob DeMarco, Alzheimer's Reading Room

Caregiver Stress and Weight Gain

One of the biggest problems I have is weight gain. Even though I work out at the gym I tend to gain weight when the typical problems of caring for a person suffering from Alzheimer's set in. My weight has fluctuated by as much as 25 pounds up and down over the last five years. I am also looking for ways to get my weight under control.

Safety Study of Nicotinamide to Treat Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of the clinical trial is to determine the effectiveness and safety of Nicotinamide as a treatment for individuals  with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

In my previous post I wrote about how Nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) might improve memory. See: Can Vitamin B3 Reduce Memory Problems (Nicotinamide).


You can learn all the details of the clinical trial by following this link, Safety Study of Nicotinamide to Treat Alzheimer's Disease.

Can Vitamin B3 Reduce Memory Problems (Nicotinamide)

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room


Researchers are reporting that huge doses of Nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) appear to eliminate memory problems in mice with the rodent equivalent of Alzheimer's disease. This information is being reported in The Journal of Neuroscience.

This science gets my attention because Nicotinamide is a water-soluble vitamin sold over the counter in health food stores.

While it is impossible for me to know how and why, a combination of exercise, Aricept, vitamin B, multiple vitamins, vitamin supplements, a healthy diet, cocoa flavanols, bright light, and a heavy emphasis on socialization has slowed the progression of Alzheimer's in my mother. We will be adding Nicotinamide to this regimen shortly.

The nicotinamide, in fact, slightly enhanced cognitive abilities in normal mice. "This suggests that not only is it good for Alzheimer's disease, but if normal people take it, some aspects of their memory might improve," Frank LaFerla, UC Irvine neurobiology and behavior professor.

The Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia is conducting a clinical trial to show that, nicotinamide (NA), a B3 vitamin, is safe and effective for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. They are receiving funding from the Alzheimer's Association. See Safety Study of Nicotinamide to Treat Alzheimer's Disease

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