The words fell awkwardly from her mouth, but she told me, "I know you tried. You did the best you could do."....By Sheryl Lynn
“We have identified the protein that takes this enzyme to the cell’s garbage disposal for removal. Increasing levels of the protein allows more of the enzyme to be eliminated, possibly preventing the high levels seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease,” said senior author Giuseppina Tesco, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the department of neuroscience at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM).
Eating an average of 2.3 ounces of nuts daily (67 g, about 1/3 cup) produced the following healthful reductions: blood total cholesterol was lower by 5.1 percent, LDL (bad) cholesterol by 7.4 percent, the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio by 8.3 percent, and the total cholesterol/HDL ratio by 5.6 percent. In people with higher than normal blood triglycerides—greater than 150 milligrams per deciliter—nut consumption reduced triglyceride levels by 10.2 percent.
Surprisingly, they discovered that the blood vessel cells next to the blockage grew a membrane that completely enveloped the debris. Then the original wall of the blood vessel opened up and spit the debris into the brain tissue, rendering it harmless. The envelope covering the clot became the new vessel wall. This resulted in complete restoration of blood flow and salvaging of the tiny vessel and surrounding brain cells.
“These are intriguing findings,” said NIA director Richard J. Hodes, MD. “They open new avenues of basic research that may increase our understanding of microvascular maintenance in the brain and throughout the body.”
Luigi Amalfitano offered 65-year-old dementia sufferer Anna Turner a place to stay and a tender hand when she was close to losing her home.
Instead, Madison County prosecutors said, Amalfitano forced her to live in a locked supply closet, 8 feet by 8 feet, that one police officer said was "barely fit to contain an animal, let alone a human being."
Malnourished and beaten, Turner was discovered Thursday in a 105-degree supply closet in Amalfitano's Anderson home, where she had been held captive for several months, police said.
Comedy, Tragedy, Think, Feel, you get to decide.....By Bob DeMarco
I started thinking about the subtle difference between memory and behavior in Alzheimer's patients about two months ago. This happened because Dotty was starting to act in a way that I could never have expected or envisioned.By Cindy Ward
For the longest time, I really wasn't thinking about Dotty's memory. It was worsening and I had accepted this as the normal and usual course of events.
When Dotty started talking to me about the newspaper and giving me that little Dotty smile back every time I smiled at her, I really thought to myself, I would take this over memory improvement every time. I mean Dotty seemed genuinely happy day after day for the first time in ten years. -- Bob DeMarco
I don't really understand how or why, but those stars bring me strength. They fill me with an energy and a resolve that is hard to describe.....By Bob DeMarco
When Pfizer Medivation released the disappointing results of its Dimebon Connection study it was a real set back for the Alzheimer's community....By Bob DeMarco
"The results from the CONNECTION study are unexpected, and we are disappointed for the Alzheimer's community," said Dr. David Hung, president and chief executive officer of Medivation. "We are working with our colleagues at Pfizer to better understand the CONNECTION data and we plan to present these data at an upcoming medical meeting."
Manna, gum drops, pennies from Heaven, keep shooting them in.....By Bob DeMarco
Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will vain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no.
And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
Once again, Alzheimer's is trying to drag me into the darkness. Alzheimer's wants to claim me as a -- Victim......
On the basis of prior work, "we expected memory and the hippocampus to be most vulnerable in carriers of the APOE ε4 allele," Dr. David Wolk....By Bob DeMarco
"Our results confirm the inverse association of increasing BMI with lower brain volumes in older adults and with younger, middle-aged adults and extends the findings to a much larger study sample," noted Dr. Sudha Seshadri.
“Given the magnitude and the impact of this disease, the government’s response to this burgeoning crisis has been stunningly neglectful,” said Harry Johns. “Alzheimer’s is an unfolding natural disaster. The federal government has sent a token response and has no plan. Immediate and substantial research investments are required to avoid an even more disastrous future for American families and already overwhelmed state and federal budgets,” continued Johns. “For the human effects and the country’s fiscal future, we must change the trajectory of the Alzheimer crisis.”....
“The impact of Alzheimer’s disease - both in terms of lives affected and costs of care – is staggering. As government leaders contend with the best approaches to rein in Medicare and Medicaid costs, we know Alzheimer’s will place a massive strain on an already overburdened health care system,” said Robert J. Egge, Vice President of Public Policy for the Alzheimer’s Association.
“This report highlights that while we strive for the ideal – a treatment that completely prevents or cures Alzheimer’s disease – even more modest, disease-modifying treatments would provide substantial benefits to families and contribute to the solvency of Medicare and Medicaid.”
I can’t imagine how devastated many patients and caregivers will feel if they discontinue the medicine and a rapid decline in functioning becomes apparent, knowing that there is something available that will help.....
When we get to Australia, Bobby can go look for women. I would like to try one of those Emu eggs. Are they big?....By Dorothy DeMarco
I would do it all again in a minute to follow in the direction of HOPE.....
The more I think about it, the angrier I get.....Sunshine wrote:
In spite of the fact that the cost of black-market Dimebon is equal to more than one half of my income...I will probably end up purchasing it....
Flavor is literally the spice of life and for many people life without the pleasures of the table would be unthinkable.
I've found that giving my mom some water can work wonders. The act of drinking water stimulates her dehydrated brain to wake up. She forgets why she was yelling. She feels calmer. She's happier.....By Sheryl Lynn
Yes, Alzheimer’s patients can still learn and remember! We just need to help them learn and remember by using the less affected portions of their brain.....
“patients with Alzheimer’s disease are better able to remember new verbal information when it is provided in the context of music even when compared to healthy, older adults.”
This all sounds so sensible so why do I feel like I am convincing myself? Why am I so uneasy?.....By Kerry Runyeon
So who's the dog. Bobby or me?....By Dorothy DeMarco
Pfizer Medivation Dimebon working well for this patient......By Bob DeMarco
"In light of the FDA contacting Pathway Genomics about its genetic test kit and anticipated ongoing discussions between the two parties, we've elected not to move forward with offering the Pathway product to our customers until we have further clarity on this matter," Jim Cohn, a Walgreens spokesman, said.
Bob DeMarco is the editor of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,400 articles with more than 9,000 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.
 The Alzheimer's Action Plan |  300 Tips for Making Life Easier |
Is there any other way to get your hands on Dimebon and if you could would you based on what you have observed.
it's possible that people can reduce their risk by exercising, staying mentally active, and watching their diets.
Medivation pulls the plug on moderate to late stage Alzheimer's patients.....By Bob DeMarco
The research is jointly funded by Baxter International (BAX) and the National Institute on Aging. ....By Bob DeMarco
I bring this up because I receive many emails asking me how to get a genetic test for Alzheimer's disease.....By Bob DeMarco
Judy’s mother was labeled as an “aggressive-behavior” patient because she would trip caregivers and patients when they walked by. In 7 years her mom was thrown out of 12 separate facilities because of her behavior.....By Tom Ratcliff
I am his lifeline to sorting out what confuses him or just to share thoughts.....By Bob DeMarco
I just joined the Alzheimer's Reading Room and I'm new to blogging in general so bear with me.
I am 55 and the primary caregiver of my father, age 81, who is in the moderate stage of dementia.
Unlike many of the messages I've read elsewhere and on the public page of this blog, my father lives in a wonderful dementia care unit which is basically assisted living with security.
He has a big single room that is set up primarily as a living room with a bed towards the back and his own bathroom. He was in regular assisted living for about 1 1/2 years before making this move for security reasons.
I'm interested in learning from others about how to best respond to dad's time confusion (believes he is living in different periods in his life).
I do not have any where near the stresses of others who are caring for loved ones at home but I'm feeling many of the same feelings of sadness along with wanting to make life as good as possible for dad.
I didn't know if there are others on this blog who have their parents in a dementia care facility and could share how they work successfully with the staff, plan visits to compliment other activities, and deal with the sadness of their parents condition.
I may not see/feel dad all day like the care at home folks but he calls a lot...I am his lifeline to sorting out what confuses him or just to share thoughts.
Are there any tips/suggestions for a caregiver in my situation?
The Alzheimer's Action Plan | 300 Tips for Making Life Easier |
Families should consider this simple proposition. If the Alzheimer's caregiver becomes sick physically or emotionally, who is going to step into the vacuum when the caregiver no longer has the ability to care for the Alzheimer's patient?....By Bob DeMarco
It is very difficult to recognize Alzheimer's and dementia. The typical personal care physician can't do it.
Changes in memory and behavior are usual subtle in an early stage of dementia. A person suffering from dementia can still function while evidencing behaviors that are suspicious. Typically, family and friends conclude that these behaviors are simply a sign of "getting old".
If your stomach tells you there is something wrong; or, if you are concerned or worried about the behavior changes in a family member or friend the solution is simple -- get their memory tested by a specialist doctor.
The failure to do this usually leads to increasing heart ache, stress, and anxiety. The failure to take action often results in feelings of guilt.....
We know that the declines in memory we saw were real and persistent, not just a point in time where they weren’t performing well on tests.....By Bob DeMarco
Research has shown that Alzheimer’s patients in clinical trials -- whether they receive the drug or the placebo -- do better. Often, Alzheimer's disease progresses more slowly in those in a clinical trial than it does in those who are not in a clinical trial. If you volunteer you will help yourself and science.....By Carol Blackwell
I still think I deserve to get paid for all my work on this so called blog.....By Dorothy DeMarco
Point? This endeavor makes the life of the caregiver easier, happier, and more productive....By Bob DeMarco
Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am? was part of the HBO documentary series The Alzheimer's Project....By Bob DeMarco
Are your sure you have the best personal care physician in your immediate area?....By Bob DeMarco
It is estimated that as many as 250,000 people in the U.S. who are experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and, may actually have related conditions such as NPH ....By Bob DeMarco
I left the room, pausing in the hallway to watch what the residents would do. They stared at the front of the room for a good ten minutes.....By Sheryl Lynn
The following study and information is being published in the online edition of -- Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
A few years ago I asked a friend of my mother what she had for breakfast (she was losing weight). She said ice cream.....By Bob DeMarco
Meanness, pee pee, poop, the way we lived our life, over time I came up with new and better ways to accomplish my mission as an Alzheimer's caregiver.....
I continue to believe that many of the patients suffering from Alzheimer's are capable of more then most people can, or ever could, imagine.This reminded me of something I learned and one of my first big observations.
The list contains five self assessment tests for Alzheimer's, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment.....By Bob DeMarco
