Posts Tagged ‘Alzheimer’s’
A different way to be with Alzheimer’s and dementia: A daughter’s story
Living With Alzheimer’s…Looking for a Home
Marguerite Manteau Rao, CEO and Co-Founder of Presence Care Project, a new, innovative approach to training dementia caregivers states for the Huffington Post that “…They are the 5.4 million with Alzheimer’s* whose disabled mind has robbed them of the familiarity that once felt safe. In their own homes, and even more so in the institutions where they are often placed, those men and women dwell in a permanent state of alienation. Changes in the ability to remember and to make sense of their surroundings, combined with powerlessness over their destiny, makes them at the mercy of those in charge of their care. The same way we would not think of imprisoning our children in closeted spaces, it is our responsibility to provide those (mostly) elders with living conditions where they can find happiness, regardless of the condition of their brain…”
A real challenge when looking for housing options and home care for loved ones with dementia. Read the article.
A person’s gait could be early sign of Alzheimer’s
How someone walks might be an early sign of Alzheimer’s.
Changes in the way a person walks may be an early warning sign of cognitive decline and a signal for advanced testing, researchers reported at AAIC. Walking changes occur, researchers said, because Alzheimer’s interferes with circuitry between areas of the brain.
Read the article
New Research Reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference Advances Validation of New Diagnostic Guidelines
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
VANCOUVER, July 18, 2012 – In April 2011, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer’s Association® published new criteria and guidelines for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. These guidelines separate the progression of Alzheimer’s into three phases: (1) pre-clinical (or pre-symptomatic) Alzheimer’s disease, (2) mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease, and (3) Alzheimer’s disease dementia. Phases (1) and (2) were clearly described as research criteria in need of validation, especially for their first-time incorporation of biomarkers* into the diagnostic process. Read More
Breakthrough: A general treatment drug for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s?
A new procedure safeguards the production of crucial brain proteins, which could possibly help those who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases.
British scientists may have discovered a new way to counteract the life-crippling effects of degenerative brain diseases, according to a new study published in Nature. The scientists inhibited a gene that automatically stops the production of all brain proteins when it detects the buildup of unwanted proteins. These unwanted proteins, which accumulate in the brains of patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, kill brain cells — but the brain also can’t survive without the necessary proteins. The discovery ensures that important proteins continue to be produced, and it could one day lead to a catch-all treatment for a number of brain diseases.
Read the article
Historic Moment: National Alzheimer’s Plan Released
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today unveiled the first-ever “National Plan To Address Alzheimer’s Disease,” as mandated by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA). The comprehensive plan calls for the prevention and effective treatment of Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 and lays out strategies related to awareness and education, clinical care standards, long-term care and supportive services for family caregivers, and up-to-date training of healthcare professionals.
In a statement issued immediately after the release of the national plan, Eric J. Hall, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), commended the plan for providing “solid stepping stones toward substantial change. It offers the prospect of transforming the way our nation and the world view Alzheimer’s disease, altering the trajectory of this tragic disease, and changing lives forever. It substantiates the plight of millions of Americans and validates the concerns of generations to come. For the first time, we are making progress toward defeating this public health crisis.”
Alzheimer’s Association honors legendary coach Pat Summit at the National Alzheimer’s Dinner
At a star-studded National Alzheimer’s Dinner attended by celebrities, prominent politicians and Alzheimer’s advocates in Washington, D.C., the Alzheimer’s Association presented University of Tennessee Head Coach Emeritus Pat Summit and her son, Tyler Summit, with the Alzheimer’s Association Sargent and Eunice Shriver Profiles in Dignity Award.
A leader in the Alzheimer’s movement and the former First Lady of California, Maria Shriver, whose father Sargent Shriver passed away from Alzheimer’s, presented the award, which recognizes an individual, organization or company whose actions have promoted greater understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and its effects on diagnosed individuals, families and caregivers.
