Minding Our Elders®

Dr. Travis Stork from “The Doctors” talks about heart health, with tips for caregivers

February is Heart Health Month. With this in mind, Dr. Travis Stork, co-host of the award winning talk show The Doctors, generously donated some time for a small conference call that allowed four writers to ask specific questions about heart health. Dr. Stork is a practicing ER doctor and faculty physician in the emergency department at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

Read more about Dr. Travis Stork's advice on heart health for caregivers and their elders: 

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Pat Summitt interview on ABC News' 20/20 airs tonight

Basketball legend Pat Summitt reported her Alzheimer’s diagnosis last August to the public nearly as soon as she knew she had the disease. Summitt, who has 1,000+ career wins, 15 SEC championships, 8 national championships and an unrelenting, competitive spirit, has treated her diagnosis as another challenge.

Read more about Pat Summitt's upcoming interview on 20/20:

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Support a caregiver or jump start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders e-mail Carol:

On Oct. 25, PBS will air Bill Moyers’ exploration of end-of –life issues “On Our Own Terms”

Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Bill Moyers interviewed dozens of terminally ill patients to create a four-part exploration of end-of-life issues that span thoughts about everything from health care to cultural attitudes.

A press release that I received from PBS notes quotes of high praise:

Read more about "On Our Own Terms":

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Alzheimer’s or not, Glen Campbell has what it takes

According to an article reporting on Glen Campbell's first performance since the announcement of his Alzheimer's disease, Campbell is still - well, Glen Campbell. The article states that, "Campbell's first performance since announcing he has Alzheimer's, the degenerative brain disease that's slowly robbing him of his memories and abilities, was largely a triumph. His family and road crew were worried he might be rusty after a long layoff since his last performance."

Read more about Glen Campbell's first performance since going public with his Alzheimer's:

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Support a caregiver or jump start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders e-mail Carol:

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.

Read more about Betty White's take on aging:

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Support a caregiver or jump start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders e-mail Carol:

“Unthinkable: The Alzheimer’s Epidemic” on CNN tonight

“Unthinkable: The Alzheimer’s Epidemic” on CNN tonight

Alzheimer’s disease is everywhere. We may or may not personally know someone with the disease, but we are likely to know a person who has a family member struggling with AD. We are also likely to see at least one news program during the week with some mention of the disease. This awareness has, in part, been brought about by courageous family members of well-known people who are suffering, or have suffered, from the disease.

The clout of these nationally known personalities is huge, as their high profiles help remove some of the stigma once associated with Alzheimer’s.

Huge numbers of the people working toward Alzheimer’s awareness, however, are ordinary folks who alone don’t have a lot of clout. What they do have is a voice through the Alzheimer’s Association and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. These organizations have made a dramatic difference.

Speaking of voices

Sunday at 8:00 p.m. CT, Larry King returns to CNN with a look at how people cope with Alzheimer's disease. Don't miss "Unthinkable: The Alzheimer's Epidemic" this show. If you can’t watch it, record it.

Also, consider buying the book “Alzheimer’s in America: The Shriver Report on Women and Alzheimer’s,” a study about Alzheimer’s by Maria Shriver and the Alzheimer’s Association.

With awareness comes pressure on Congress and private organizations for research dollars so scientists can find a way to prevent or cure this devastating disease. AD carries an enormous human cost, as well as financial burden. Both continue to drain the resources of families and our nation. Increase your awareness by taking in emotional and factual information on “Unthinkable: The Alzheimer’s Epidemic” tonight on the Larry King special. Each Alzheimer’s story you read, see or hear about will touch your soul. This could be you or someone you love.

Find care agencies to help your loved ones:

Support a caregiver or jump start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders e-mail Carol:

‘Take Me Home from the Oscars’ offers a strong message about living with chronic illness

No matter our age or state of health, most of us want to look and act as though we are well. Indeed, for many people, looking and acting “normal” is necessary in order to hold onto their jobs.

One reason that people so dread the diagnosis of dementia, other than the obvious one of having an incurable, life-altering disease, is that once the fact is known that they have the disease, it’s quite possible that their employer may find “other reasons” to decide they no longer need their services. Even friends can drift away since they often don’t know how to respond.

Read more about "Take Me Home from the Oscars" and chronic illness:

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Support a caregiver or jump start discussion in support groups with real stories - for bulk orders e-mail Carol:

 

It’s National Caregiver’s Month: Don’t Forget Male Caregivers

Dear Readers:  This is a busy month for celebrating caregivers. It’s National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, National Hospice/Palliative Care Month and National Caregiver’s Month. Many readers could be a part of all three of these awareness campaigns, if you had time. It’s likely that many of you saw the ABC News special titled the “Shriver Report 2010,” which recently aired over an entire week. If you missed this report, go to the ABC News  Web site and type in “Shriver Report.” The full report is meant to highlight the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, ongoing research, the need for funding, and the toll Alzheimer’s care takes on caregivers.

Read more about male caregivers and National Caregiver's Month:

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Thanks to JRS Medical for supporting the unique content of our website

The Shriver Report: Evidence Shows Intra-Nasal Insulin Could Improve Memory in Alzheimer’s Patients

Last July, I posted a blog titled Nasal Insulin Could Help People with Early Alzheimer’s or Mild Cognitive Decline. The post was centered on a study by researchers at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System/University of Washington-Seattle, with the results being presented at the 2010 Alzheimer's Association Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Honolulu.

Read more about The Shriver Report and Intra-nasal insulin:

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Protecting Caregiver Health: When the Caregiver's Health Fails the Care System Can Collapse

Think of it like this: Caregivers are the base of a pyramid. When the base collapses, the whole pyramid crashes. Many of us are “natural caregivers.” We put other people’s needs ahead of our own. It feels good to give. However, everyone has a breaking point. Whether it’s physical, mental, emotional, spiritual - or more likely a combination of all of these – if the caregiver breaks down, the whole care system can collapse. Caregiver self-care is vital to all involved.

Read more about caregiver health and the Shriver Report 2010:

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ABC TV Alzheimer’s Series Riveting

Since the publicity has been enormous, anyone interested in caregiving would have a hard time not hearing about the ABC TV series on caregiving hosted by Maria Shriver. However, I do want to urge you to watch this important report by going to the ABC News site. You can type in "Shriver Report" and find the links.

Read the full article on ABC Alzheimer's special:

Find care agencies to help you care for your loved one:

Give a caregiver the gift of a portable support group:

PBS Hosts Boomer Series: Life (Part 2)

I received a press release from PBS on their new "Life (Part 2)" series. After checking out clips and their site, felt that this is well worth passing on.

From the release:

"The PBS series Life (Part 2) premiers nationwide on September 13. (check local listings.)  Our series connects with the 78 million strong baby boomers who are unlike generations before them. They are fitter, will live longer, will look better, will earn more, and will be more active than any generation before them. But are they ready for Life (Part 2)? How they are dealing with aging, and how they can overcome the societal, physical and financial obstacles that come with it to live a vibrant and fulfilling second part is the focus of this timely and groundbreaking series. I’m hoping your readers would be interested in checking us out, there seems to be a lot of overlap with your content and ours. 

Hosted by Emmy winning New York Times journalist Robert Lipsyte, the series provokes, entertains, and educates boomers on a wide range of topics from plastic surgery, boomer dating and successful boomer marriages, to getting rid of the boomer belly, keeping a fit mind and body, and fighting ageism while looking for an encore career. With wit, insight, and the experience of having made the passage himself, Lipsyte engages in candid dialogue with a wide range of guests including Joy Behar, Martha Stewart, Phil Donahue, Gail Sheehy, David Hyde Pierce, Billie Jean King, and Governor Mike Huckabee among many others.

Check out our website at(www.pbs.org/lifepart2) which features video, a blog written by our Host, and tons of great resources."

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HBO Alzheimer's Series on Amazon

For those of you without HBO or who may have missed the Alzheimer's Project series, you can stream it on your computer. Apart from that, the series will be available on Amazon.com in DVD format June 2. The price is $18.99. This project is worth watching more than once. HBO has done a fine job producing the series. The information is encouraging and vital to our collective knowledge of aging.

Forget Me Not - Walking For Alzheimer's

Shelly, at Forget Me Not, is walking for funds for Alzheimer's research. Her financial goals are modest, her heart huge. She has watch Alzheimer's in her family and has a touching post that begins:

I am walking because I have seen two grandparents and a great aunt suffer from Alzheimer's Disease. I've seen ...

Please go to www.forgetmenot.blogspot.com and read the rest of Shelly's post. Her heart is in this. Let's help her make her goal.

Should Aging Parents With Dementia Lose the Right to Vote?

My parents, products of the Depression and World War II, had very strong opinions about the right to vote. It was considered nearly sacred, a right that was not to be ignored. They weren’t political people, just people who deeply appreciated the right to vote and realized the importance of doing so.
Some of my memories of my vibrant mother in action ...

Read more about aging parents and voting on agingcare.com:

Tips To Help Your Elders Get Ready for Digital TV Switch

This isn't just about elders, of course. However, it's more likely that older people are still using an antenna for their TV reception, than younger people into dish and cable. I'm writing this to give readers information, but I'm most concerned about elders getting scammed. Older people are still more vulnerable to giving out private information over the phone or even in a store, thinking that this nice young woman who is asking must need it in order to help them.

Read more about elders and digital TV switch:

People With Dementia Can Often Enjoy the Past in the Present

My sister works for Prairie Public, our PBS station here on - well, here on the prairie. Prairie Public religiously runs the old Lawrence Welk shows, which are nearly fought over by underwriters, as they are so loyally watched. Lawrence Welk was born in tiny Strasburg, ND and died in 1992 in Santa Monica, CA.

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