Alzheimer's Club

Imaging Exposes Alzheimer's-Like Plaque in the Human Brain
MedPage Today - Little Falls, NJ, USA
Explain to patients who ask that the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is made on the basis of clinical features of the disease, and can be confirmed only on...

Alzheimer's disease onset from inhaled anesthetics
SpiritIndia - New Delhi, New Delhi, India
A specific effect of these drugs on dementias like Alzheimer's disease, though suspected for many years, has only been recently supported by data...

Genetic Risk Factors For Alzheimer's Disease Examined
Medical News Today (press release) - UK
Cardiff University researchers have found evidence for new genes involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The study, to be published in the next...

Groups aid Alzheimer's caregivers
Poughkeepsie Journal - Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
People caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder face tremendous challenges, but it does not have to be a lonely experience...

SeniorBridge Excellence in Social Work Practice Award Announced
American Digital Networks (press release) - Annapolis, MD, USA
SeniorBridge services are especially beneficial to those with Alzheimer's disease and chronic or multiple illnesses. Headquartered in New York City...

Social workers honour Citizen series on Alzheimer's disease
Ottawa Citizen (subscription) - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
A Citizen special project on Alzheimer's disease has received a second honour for excellence in journalism. The eastern branch of the Ontario Association of...

79-year-old has Alzheimer's Disease
KRGV - Westlaco, TX, USA
Liandro Garcia has Alzheimer's Disease. The 79-year-old's been missing since Sunday. He was last seen near his home on Manuel Perez Road in Rio Grande City...

Strawn Center offers Alzheimer's session
The Advocate - Newark, OH, USA
...You're invited to attend "Home Safety for People with Alzheimer's Disease," a free training and information session on Alzheimer's and other forms of...

Flower auction supports Alzheimer's
Capital News 9 - Albany, NY, USA
...held their second annual flower auction to raise money to support the services they provide to patients and families dealing with Alzheimer's disease...

Elderly people are more at risk
More than 1.7 million people in the UK will have dementia by 2051, costing billions of pounds each year, experts have forecast.
The grim projections are based on the most up-to-date evaluation of dementia.

Currently 700,000 - or one person in every 88 in the UK - has dementia, incurring a yearly cost of £17bn.

The government welcomed the London School of Economics and Institute of Psychiatry research, and said dementia care was already a priority.

This research highlights the desperate need for dementia to be made a national priority

'You are just left alone' Alzheimer's disease

The total number of people with dementia in the UK will increase to 940,110 by 2021, they predict.

By 2051 the figure will be 1,735,087 - an increase of 154% from now -, which will mean dementia will affect the lives of around one in three people either as a sufferer, or as a carer or relative.

This is mainly because of the UK's ageing population. However, conditions such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, and lack of exercise are also thought to increase the risk.

One in 20 people over 65 and one in five people over 80 has a form of dementia. Around two thirds of those affected have Alzheimer's disease.

There is no cure for dementia, and those with the condition need increasing care as the disease progresses.

My 89 year old mother is obviously suffering from Dementia and is getting worse by the week -Anthony Darby, London

The researchers' investigations reveal caring for one person with late-onset dementia costs an average of £25,472 per year.

Currently, the bulk of this cost is met by people with dementia and their families.

Two thirds of these people live at home - either alone or with friends or relatives.

They said there were "marked variations" in the levels of provision and spending across the UK, and that care and support is "delivered piecemeal and in an inefficient fashion."

With every second ticking by, dementia costs the UK £539 -Neil Hunt, Alzheimer's Society

Professor Martin Knapp, of the London School of Economics, one of the report's authors, said: "This research highlights the desperate need for dementia to be made a national priority.

"Current levels of services and support for people with dementia and carers are clearly inadequate.

"Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke, yet funding for dementia research is significantly lower than these other conditions.

"Even delaying the onset of dementia by five years would halve the number of related deaths, saving nearly 30,000 lives annually."

'Intolerable strain'

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, added: "With every second ticking by, dementia costs the UK £539. We can't afford to ignore the true cost of dementia to society as a whole.

"We must tackle this huge challenge head on."

"We need to invest in dementia services, research, support and training and use what money is being spent more effectively. Planning now will save lives and money in the future."

He added: "This new research shows that the government is failing to support people with dementia and their carers.

"Dementia will place an intolerable strain on our health and social care system unless the right services and support are in place."

Older people's tsar Professor Ian Philp, who is currently preparing new guidance for local health and social care bodies on early intervention and support for people with dementia, said: "This is a significant report that highlights the key issues around dementia and its economic impact."

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said: "We've already doubled the research that we're doing on Alzheimer's and just last week, we announced a new investment, for instance, in emergency respite care for carers of people with dementia, which is one of the things that carers particularly told us it was their top priority."

Two drugs companies - Pfizer and Eisai - are currently seeking a judical review with the aim of over-turning a National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) decision not to recommend the use of three drugs for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

NICE ruled that donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine should only be used to treat Alzheimer's once it has progressed to its moderate stages

Source: 1.7m 'will have dementia by 2051'. Professor Martin Knapp, London School of Economics - report author BBC.co.uk (27 Feb 2007)[FullText]

Labels: Alzheimer's vanguard

The Police Department is adding GPS technology to its Never Alone: Safely Back Home program to help families of those with Alzheimer's disease or other special needs who may frequently wander away from home.

The Never Alone program has several components. According to Redlands Police Chief Jim Bueermann, the first component is the group of volunteers who look after people who may need help.

Bueermann referred to an instance when a volunteer called to check on an elderly woman and could not get in touch with her. The volunteer called the police who went to the woman's home where they found that she had fallen and broken her hip the night before.

The program also helps seniors with transportation. Volunteers make sure that their clients are able to get to medical appointments and go grocery shopping.

The Safely Back Home part of the program involves registering people with Alzheimer's or dementia and autistic children and others with special needs. Bueermann said the focus is on those who tend to wander.

By registering the person's information, police can access the information online from their patrol vehicles while out searching for the lost person.

According to police spokesman Carl Baker, in 2006 Redlands police responded to more than 130 reports of missing adults, roughly once every three days.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, six out of 10 people with Alzheimer's disease will wander sometime during the progression of the disease.

"If they are not found within 24 hours, half of those could suffer serious injury or death," Baker said.

When every minute is precious, it is often difficult to ascertain vital information from frantic family members or other caregivers, Baker said. Thus registering the person's information makes the process easier.

When caregivers register with the program, they will also be provided with information and resources to help them better protect their clients and families.

The GPS technology that has been added to the program, similar technology to that is in cell phones and cars, will help to quickly locate people who are prone to "wandering syndrome."

But Baker said there are many issues that need to be worked out regarding the GPS element of the program.

"We will not be monitoring the GPS but are looking at a way, for instance, to set up a Rvirtual fence' that would alert someone if the subject wanders out of a predetermined area," Baker said. "It would also be useful if we get a report that a subject is missing. If they have GPS we can locate that person electronically, cutting down on the manpower and, more importantly, search time since often time is of the essence in searching for people with medical needs."

Though there are some glitches with GPS, Bueermann said that it can help "tremendously" in finding people.

Source: Darcie Flansburg. Technology will help get people safely back home (24 Feb 2007) [FullText]

Labels: Alzheimer's Care

Can Old Idea Produce Potent New Alzheimer's Drug?

Nearly five-million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. Drugs on the market can treat the symptoms -- but not one goes after what causes it. Now, researchers are on the brink of a huge breakthrough with a drug that targets the cause and could stop the disease in its tracks.
Frances Goldstein: "I like to paint -- a lot."

Jacobo, her husband of 45 years, loves watching her mind at work. Frances has Alzheimer's disease -- diagnosed eight years ago at age 56.

Jacobo Goldstein, Wife has Alzheimer's: "For the first nine months, I couldn't tell her the word Alzheimer's because I was afraid, you know, that she might go into tremendous shock."

Instead, Frances fought back. For three years, she's been in a study testing a drug that could change her prognosis. Current Alzheimer's drugs target the symptoms of the disease...like memory loss and emotional problems. Well this new drug is taking a more direct approach.

Paul Aisen, M.D., Alzheimer's Specialist: "This drug is attacking the cause of Alzheimer's disease. If it works, it will change the course of the disease and that will represent a real breakthrough."

The drug - called Alzhemed - attacks Amyloid Peptide - the molecule that causes Alzheimer's. In mice, watch as the drug clears the molecule from the brain.

Paul Aisen, M.D.: "I think it is tremendously significant."

An early study showed Alzhemed stabilized the disease in nearly half of patients. Now, more than 1,000 are being followed.

Paul Aisen, M.D.: "If the phase three study confirms that the drug is effective, we will have a way of slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease for the first time."

Frances takes Alzhemed twice a day.

Jacobo Goldstein: "I don't know where we would be if it wasn't for this. We have no idea. I know what she does now. If we can stay the way we are, we would be forever grateful."

With hope in hand, Frances continues to make every day and every painting count.

To date, more than 600 patients have completed one year of treatment on the medication. The study is scheduled to be complete soon. More than 70 centers across the United States and Canada are taking part. Side effects of the drug have been minimal and primarily include mild gastrointestinal symptoms.

Source: New Drug Stops Alzheimer's In Tracks (20 Feb 2007) [FullText]

Labels: Alzheimer therapy

By Chuck Schultz

Objections by some Orcutt homeowners to plans for a 14-bedroom house on Soloman Road, where seniors with Alzheimer's disease would be cared for, will be heard Tuesday by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

Opponents contend the care facility proposed by Chuck and Margie Halsell shouldn't be allowed in an area characterized by ranchette homes, each on one acre or more and many with horse stables.

County staff planners who approved the project - and whose decision was unanimously upheld in December by the Planning Commission - note that special care homes for seniors are routinely permitted in residential areas, under both state law and county land-use regulations.

Jack Brady, who is appealing the commission's decision to the supervisors, said he and some of his neighbors worry the senior facility could fail financially and then be converted to some other use, such as a drug-rehabilitation center or a halfway house for paroled prisoners.

The site is along the south side of Solomon, adjacent to Song Lane.

“It's horse county,” observed Brady, who owns a home in the same block on Solomon. “I'd call this a commercial facility, but the state and county define it as a residential facility.”

Residents of the 61-home Westrails subdivision directly east of the Halsells' property are concerned, too, about what the big house might be used for in the future, said Terry Morgan, a homeowners association board member.

“We don't want it to end up being a drug rehabilitation facility,” he said.

Even the proposed senior facility “would be too commercialized in the middle of a residential development,” he contended.

Marcie Halsell said numerous design changes have been made in response to neighbors' concerns since the permit application was submitted to the county Planning and Development Department last year. Second floors were deleted from the plans for adding two wings onto the existing, two-story structure, and there won't be any second-floor windows facing toward the Westrails tract, as originally envisioned, she said.

The home is 4,463 square feet now, and has four bedrooms, but would be expanded to 7,940 square feet.

“This area is very suitable for” the proposed Alzheimer's facility, she added. “The state needs to encourage the opening of these homes.”

Improvements already made to the property include paving what was a dirt road to a width of 24 feet, installing a fire hydrant and adding an 80-foot-wide cul de sac where emergency vehicles can turn around.

“We've already improved the look and safety of the neighborhood,” Halsell said.

The supervisors will meet beginning at 9 a.m. at the Betteravia Government Center, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria.

Also on their agenda Tuesday is an item relating to a controversial plan to extend Stubblefield Road in Orcutt so it connects to Black Oak Drive.

Against the wishes of some nearby residents, the supervisors in July approved a 160-foot extension of Stubblefield eastward from where it now dead ends.

Connecting it to Black Oak Road will make Stubblefield a thoroughfare for housing tracts such as Vintage Ranch and Mesa Verde, but opponents contend it will mean too much traffic through their neighborhoods and diminish their quality of life.

The extended road would pass through land slated to become a neighborhood park when the 725-home Rice Ranch project is built. So, the supervisors are being asked Tuesday to revise that project's “specific plan” to reflect the Stubblefield extension.

Source: Chuck Schultz. Alzheimer's care facility on agenda. lompocrecord.com (26 Feb 2007) [FullText] Chuck Schultz can be reached at cschultz[at]lompocrecord.com

Labels: Alzheimer's Care

by Anne Polta, West Central Tribune

WILLMAR, Minn. - The pages of Bethesda Pleasant View's scrapbooks capture a wealth of memories: birthdays, Halloween parties, daily happenings, residents past and present.

When Rachel Hacker hands one of the books to residents of the memory care unit, "they can sit and look at it for hours," she said.

It's one of the ways in which the staff of the memory care unit tries to preserve the happy times and foster a sense of belonging for residents whose minds have been robbed by Alzheimer's disease and other memory disorders.

"It really shows that even though Alzheimer's is a horrible disease, given the right stimulus it really can be beautiful," said Lynae Whitmore, the supervising nurse for the unit. "These people still have a quality of life, and it shows in these pictures."

Hacker, a certified nursing assistant, spent months - on her own time and mostly with her own money - compiling the scrapbooks.

She's close to completing the second book and is ready to start on a third.

Hacker developed an interest in scrapbooking through a cousin who owns Creative Memories. Inspired by the array of scrapbooking products that were available, she decided to complete a scrapbook that had been started for the memory care unit when it opened in late 2005.

Within a week she had the book filled and started on another.

"Every page is different," said Hacker as she leafed through the book.

On one page, decorative orange pumpkins share space with photos of the memory care residents having a Halloween party. On another, residents and staff hug and smile for the camera.

A recent donation in honor of Hacker's grandfather, Archie Bowman, who was a resident of Bethesda Pleasant View and died in October, allowed the memory care unit to buy a digital camera. It also created a fund to help pay for the scrapbooks and products that Hacker previously bought on her own.

Hacker updates the scrapbook once a month, often incorporating new ideas she picks up from scrapbooking retail products or workshops.

"I like doing it. I can sit at the same table for hours and get 20 pages done," she said.

As she became more involved in the project, Hacker began creating a page for each resident and customizing it to reflect their lives and interests - for instance, apples and blackboards for a resident who used to be a teacher, cut-outs of dogs for someone who's fond of dogs.

"We've been doing that every time a new resident comes in," Whitmore said. "Every one of them is unique and special."

Several families have asked for copies of the photos, she said. "Families love it."

Bethesda has worked to make its memory care unit less institutional and more home-like, and having photo albums "is just natural," Whitmore said.

People with Alzheimer's or related dementia disorders often disappear from family photographs because no one is taking their picture, she noted.

Yet these residents still enjoy being photographed, she said. "They like the attention. It's nice to capture the good days they have because they don't always have good days."

The staff also has found that paging through the scrapbook can be very calming for residents, especially during times of agitation.

"This book is very therapeutic for them," Whitmore said. "They recognize the people they're surrounded by. They recognize themselves. They like to look at the bright colors. It provides a sense of comfort to them."

The memories are beneficial for the staff as well.

Fourteen of the residents whose pictures appear in the scrapbooks have since died, Hacker said.

The photo albums are "a good memory for us of who has been here and who has passed away," she said.

The staff and residents of the memory care unit are close-knit and often form strong bonds, Whitmore said.

"It's just a family," she said. "These people are special. Just because they can't think right doesn't mean their life is over. They don't need to be pitied. There's a lot of love there. They have quality of life."

Information from: West Central Tribune, wctrib.com (26 Feb 2007) [FullText]

Labels: Living with Alzheimer's

By Carol Sipfle, executive director, Alzheimer's Association, Greater Iowa Chapter,
West Des Moines.

The recent disappearance of Robert Krivolavy focuses a spotlight on one of the common and potentially tragic outcomes of Alzheimer's-disease wandering. Six out of 10 people with Alzheimer's, or a related dementia, will wander away from homes, neighborhood stores, places of worship or while visiting friends.

The Alzheimer's Association urges anyone dealing with a diagnosis of this devastating disease to enroll in Safe Return, the only nationwide program dedicated to reuniting loved ones with the person who has wandered.

We provide around-the-clock assistance, no matter when or where the person is reported missing.

The Alzheimer's Association also offers tips for preventing wandering, improving safety at home and dealing with the many other symptoms and behaviors common with Alzheimer's. We provide crucial support and assistance to caregivers, as well as offering education programs on subjects from disease basics to legal and financial planning.

FullText at DesMoinesRegister.com, IA (24 Feb 2007)

Labels: Alzheimer's caregivers

Looking into the past becomes gradually impossible for those suffering from Alzheimer's disease - family faces become those of strangers and names are forever forgotten.

You know the face, but not the name. You've misplaced your glasses. Because it's happening more frequently as you age, you may be wondering, "Is this how Alzheimer's starts?"

Forgetting names or losing car keys occasionally should be no cause for concern, said Dr. Ron Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and a member of the Alzheimer's Association Medical and Scientific Advisory Council. In addition, according to Harvard University research, the key genes affecting learning and mental function start declining after age 40.

As we age, "We have to pay more attention and concentrate more when we're learning new information and events," said Dr. Petersen. "If we spend more time and are more mindful when we learn someone's name to try to get it more firmly in our memory, we can do it."

The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer's is increasing age. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer's approximately doubles every five years after age 65. After age 85, the risk reaches nearly 50 percent.

And as we age, most of us eventually notice some slowed thinking and problems remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way our minds work are not a normal part of aging.

Possible causes of memory problems include: depression; medication side effects; excess use of alcohol; thyroid problems; poor diet; vitamin deficiencies; certain infections; and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Anyone experiencing significant memory problems should see a doctor as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and intervention methods are improving dramatically, and treatment options and sources of support can improve quality of life.

In 1980, when the Alzheimer's Association was established, there were not any available treatments. Now, 26 years later, the Association has funded extensive research into finding more treatments that can alleviate Alzheimer's symptoms and investigation into finding the cause and a cure.

If a means of prevention is not found, the number of people affected in the United States may grow from 4.5 million to 16 million by 2050. Because 70 percent of those with Alzheimer's live at home, the impact of the illness extends to millions of family members, friends and caregivers.

Lighting the path for people affected by Alzheimer's is the Greater Maryland Chapter. The Chapter serves more than 85,000 families touched by this devastating disease and its regional office in Salisbury serves more than 8,500 families living on the Eastern Shore. Services include a 24/7 telephone helpline, support groups, Safe Return Program, Family Care Program and Respite Care. Educational programs include: Professional training programs; workshops and conferences; community awareness; family education; speaker's bureau; book and audiovisual loan; and newsletter.

Annual fundraising events help support Eastern Shore families who are facing the emotional, physical, and financial challenges of Alzheimer's, as well as, critical research efforts.

On Saturday, March 17, spirits will run high when the 8th annual St. Paddy's Day 5K event kicks off at 3 pm at the Salisbury Elks Lodge near the zoo. More than 300 participants are expected.

Source: Dee Myers. Serious memory loss and confusion are signs of possible Alzheimer's. (26 Feb 2007) [FullText]

Dee Myers is public Awareness/Development Coordinator for the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Maryland Chapter

Labels: What is Alzheimer's Disease