Minding Our Elders®

Study shows cancer drug could reverse symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease

A skin cancer drug that has been available for nearly 13 years could be the new Alzheimer’s hero. A study using genetically engineered mice showed that bexarotene (Targretin) reversed Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice by eliminating brain-damaging proteins.

Read more about existing drug that may reverse Alzheimer's symptoms:

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Reminiscing a powerful “drug” for people with dementia

I love stories. When I was a teenager, I’d encourage grandparents to relate stories of their young years struggling to survive on the wind-swept prairie. When I grew older, I was fascinated by the stories my parents and in-laws told of their early years of growing up during the Great Depression. Little did I know at the time that peoples’ stories would become the springboard for my life’s work. Now there is mounting evidence that encouraging our elders to reminisce about their past is therapeutic as well as enjoyable.

Read more about how reminscing can perk up the mood and brain for our aging loved ones:

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New ways to slow Alzheimer’s progression?

There are, as yet, no medications that can prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease. Some people do quite well with current drugs that may help slow cognitive decline, but others do not respond well, or they have negative side effects. However, there’s some good news. A recent article on Science Daily reports on a study that shows that mental and “spiritual” exercises can significantly slow cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease, without any negative side effects.

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National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month 2011 ending: significant work ahead

As we close out National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, we need to be aware that we are still a long way from the goal of eliminating this brain-destroying disease.  Many organizations have worked hard to increase public awareness about the serious threat that Alzheimer’s poses to our elders, their families and our national economy.

Read more about Pat Summitt's new foundation and funding for Alzheimer's:

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Moving on with your life after caregiving ends

Whatever happens, we remain caregivers. Many of us continue to see our care receiver daily. Most of us continue to be involved as advocates and support throughout the time of need. When our loving attention and care is no longer needed, we can, indeed, feel lost.

Read about rebuilding our lives after caregiving ends:

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Healthy forgetting: everyone's brain needs some free space

Middle aged people sometimes watch their aging parents with some trepidation. Current news is so packed with stories about Alzheimer's disease that every memory slip a parent makes can strike fear into the hearts of their adult children. People need to step back and think about the difference between a diseased brain and normal, healthy forgetting. Even young people's brains need to select what to remember. So don't panic. Your elders may be just fine.

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Paranoia, financial issues cause extra stress for spouse

Dear Carol: My husband, 66, has Parkinson's and moderate Alzheimer's. For the past few years he has accused me of stealing things that he later finds. Now, he’s accused me of damaging some of his personal items. He also has other symptoms of AD, including memory loss, not remembering what items are for, and not being able to remember how to get to his destination. He has isolated me from people, as he’s always suspicious.

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Why does an early diagnosis matter if you have Alzheimer's?

It's human to want to avoid bad news. When the bad news may be that you or a loved one has an incurable disease, especially Alzheimer's, people often say they'd rather not know. But these days, there are medications that can be prescribed in the early stages of the disease that help many people put off the worst symptoms for months or even years. Denial and avoidance are not advised when dementia is suspected.

Read more about the benefits of an early diagnosis with AD:

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More tests developed to diagnose Alzheimer’s early: would you want to know?

News from the Alzheimer's Association's International Conference which recently took place in Paris has been exciting in many ways. One of the most interesting - and to many people, controversial - topics has been the advancement of tests that can diagnose Alzheimer's disease up to 20 years prior to symptoms.Why the controversy?

Read more about the controversy over very early detection of Alzheimer's:

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When caring for people with Alzheimer’s Give Choices When Possible

Maybe it’s because I grew up close to my maternal grandparents. Maybe it’s because my paternal grandmother lived with us in our home for many years. Maybe it’s just my nature. Whatever the reason, I’ve always loved older people. I’ve loved their stories and their histories.  These are people who have lived full lives. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect no matter what age and disease has taken from them. Part of that respect is to allow them to make choices whenever they can. This approach is the aim of person-centered care, which is now the epitome of good nursing homes.

Read more about how giving choices helps caregivers cope with Alzheimer's:

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Once again, a study shows coffee may reduce risk for Alzheimer’s disease

Coffee is really, really good for our brains! So says an article on eurkalert.org.  Long-time readers on ouralzheimers.com may think that I spend many wakeful nights cruising the Internet for articles that justify my love for my morning cup(s) of java. That’s not really true. Well, at least not totally, really true. Well, I mean I like it when I find studies that tell me coffee, which is full of antioxidants, is good for me, but I don’t really, um, look that hard to find them. Not really.

Read more about the protective effects of coffee against Alzheimer's:

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Medications in nursing homes: hard to get it right

Anti-psychotics were frequently prescribed when people had dementia. For some, a light dose may have been just the right thing, but one medication doesn't suit all elder issues. Gradually, nursing homes came under more intense scrutiny about safety and most states put strict guidelines in place about hygiene, restraints and, of course, medications for the convenience of the staff.

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Betty White advises us not to vegetate or isolate if we are to stay sharp

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of participating in a conference call featuring the irrepressible Betty White. White, who is kicking 90, really hit her stride after she turned 50, recently hosted Saturday Night Live. She stars in TV Land’s Hot In Cleveland, and is now the face of a new AARP campaign telling people to just “get over it,” when it comes to aging. During a different interview, she said, “I’m swimming as fast as I can,” referring to her work life. I’d say that White seems to be able to swim pretty fast.

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How do you get your elder to bathe or put on clean clothes?

One question I'm often asked is how to get an elder to bathe or wear clean clothes. There are many reasons for this behavior, some easier to cope with than others.

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How often do we tell person with dementia a parent is long dead?

Dear Carol: My mom has dementia. She insists that her dead aunt and grandma are still alive and when I tell her they are dead, she gets angry and then cries as if they died yesterday. She's shocked that no one told her that they are gone, but of course she knew years ago. Also, she starts packing her clothes to get ready to go back “home,” which is in another country. She's been in this country for 35 years, yet she insists she is only here to visit. My dad has to hide suitcases to keep her from packing. How can I convince that she is home and her family is here? Juana 

Dear Juana: With dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, people mentally go back in time. Your mom is thinking of her aunt and grandma as they were many years ago, likely when your mom was young. 

Read more about when your elder with dementia forgets someone has died:

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When your loved one repeats and repeats and repeats...

Elders with memory problems, particularly Alzheimer's disease, can ask the same question repeated, nearly driving the caregiver to distraction. This is different, by the way, than a person who is aging and retelling stories to try to make sense of their lives and how events have come together. One is normal, one is not.

Read more about elders and repeating on agingcare.com:

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How significant is “gapping out” a face or an event?

Nearly anyone over the age of 50 has experienced some frustrating moments of memory lapse that younger society calls “gapping out,” and older society calls “senior moments.” These memory lapses, or slowed recall, can send some people into a panic, particularly if they have a relative with Alzheimer’s disease. 

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How much can people with severe dementia understand?

Most of us have wondered, when visiting someone with severe dementia, how much can they actually be absorbing? What do they understand and what don't they? Is my visit worth while?

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Alzheimer’s Journal Reports on Quick Test to Spot Early Alzheimer’s

With new awareness of Alzheimer’s can have us feeling as though the disease is lurking around every corner, ready to devour any one of us at any time. It’s easy to get paranoid. We wonder with every memory glitch, is this Alzheimer’s? We wonder even more, if we have Alzheimer’s in the family. We wonder more yet if we have early on-set Alzheimer’s in the family.

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Watch over-the-counter drugs for memory loss side effects

Most of us have grown used to taking over-the-counter (OTC) drugs with some routine, even if it’s a daily aspirin now prescribed to most people as they age, to potentially prevent heart problems, or allergy medications for hay fever or animal allergies. In general, these drugs have been proven to be safe, or they wouldn’t be allowed to be sold without prescriptions. The danger lies in taking any drugs without any thought at all that these are, indeed, drugs, and that they need to be on your list of medications so your doctor knows what you are taking. The same advice hold true for nutritional supplements.

Read more about OTC drugs and memory issues such as MCI:

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