Alzheimer’s & Dementia 

Update 15th November -

Diagnosis and treatment of dementia
The management of mild to moderate dementia presents complex and evolving challenges. Practicing physicians are often uncertain about the appropriate approaches to issues such as the disclosure of the diagnosis, driving and caregiver support. In this article, we provide practical guidance on management based on recommendations from the Third Canadian Consensus Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia.Read here

NURSING MANAGEMENT OF DEMENTIA
Dementia is the most common psychiatric disorder on the later age. It is an irreversible disorder a general description of dementia is to indicate the minimum requirement for diagnosis of dementia is followed by the criteria that govern the diagnosis of more specific years. The word dementia has been in use for at least 200 years, in 1874, Maudesley used the term “Dementia” in relation to memory impairment. Read in Detail

Dementia Rise Prompts 'Disaster' Warning
A Social disaster of mammoth proportions is looming in Moray because of a predicted increase in dementia cases, it has been claimed. A report has claimed that the number of people suffering from the degenerative disease could almost double over the next few years.Know more

Update 1st October -

Cultural Differences In Attitudes Towards Caring For People With Dementia
People of south Asian or Black Caribbean origin are far more likely to hold a 'traditional' view of caregiving than White British people, new research shows. The study, published in the September issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that south Asian and Black Caribbean carers of people with dementia are more likely to perceive their caring role as natural, expected and virtuous.Read here

DEMENTIA IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION: THE EPIDEMIC IS HERE
It is evident that dementia already has dramatic effects on the lives of millions of people across the region and on public health costs. There is no cure yet but much can be done to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and the families who care for them.Read more

Active Social Life May Reduce Men's Alzheimer's Risk
Cognitive and social activity in midlife may significantly reduce men's risk of dementia, says a U.S. study that followed 147 male twin pairs for 28 years. Among the twins, higher cognitive activity scores predicted a 26 percent reduction in risk for developing dementia first. Twins who developed dementia first had significantly lower total cognitive activity scores than twins who didn't develop dementia.Read more

Combining Alzheimer’s Drugs May Offer Sustained Benefits
Physicians often prescribe an Alzheimer’s drug for patients newly diagnosed with the disease. A new study shows that combining two kinds of Alzheimer’s drugs may provide the greatest benefits in helping to delay the progression of symptoms.Know more

 

Update 1st September

‘Pre-Alzheimer’s’ rising, especially in men
A milder type of mental decline that often precedes Alzheimer’s disease is alarmingly more common than has been believed, and in men more than women, doctors reported Monday. Nearly a million older Americans slide from normal memory into mild impairment each year, researchers estimate, based on a Mayo Clinic study of Minnesota residents.Read More

Bright light helps people with dementia
Dementia appears to be associated with a disturbance of circadian rhythms, which leads to problems with mood, sleep and daily activities. A new study shows how exposure to daily bright light can improve these symptoms. Melatonin at night helps with sleep but impairs mood, so needs to be given with the bright light therapy.Read More

Alzheimer's in the Living Room: How One Family Rallies to Cope
After his retirement as a New York City carpenter four years ago, and before he faded into the incoherent fog of Alzheimer's disease, Christopher Dillon and his two grown sons renovated a bathroom in the basement of the family's Queens home. It would be the last multigenerational home-improvement project for the Dillons. But the tiny room with its stall shower would soon become center stage in a family's determined effort to care for a failing loved one at home.Read More

Dementia and Driving
It is important to raise the issue early, while an individual still has sufficient reasoning ability to make decisions about their driving future, such as selling their vehicle. Sometimes people with dementia will recognise their own limits and accept that they are putting themselves and others at risk. Give the person a chance to make the decision to stop driving. Know More 

Update 1st August -

Diverse Approaches to Alzheimer's Therapies
Results from clinical trials of three potential Alzheimer's therapies raise hope for new and better treatments of the disease, according to data reported today at the 2008 Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2008) in Chicago. A related study showed that taking antidementia drugs appears to have a positive impact on extending lifespan in those with Alzheimer's. Read in Detail

Dementia Information Booklet, Read in Hindi

Update 1st July -

Staying Social May Keep Dementia at Bay
The key to a healthy mind in old age may lie in an active social life, a new study suggests. "If you are socially engaged, you are at lower risk of dementia," said Dr. Valerie C. Crooks, a researcher at the Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California.Read More

A cruel disease, a family in crisis
For any family, Alzheimer’s disease is a cruel diagnosis.  The disease attacks the brain, erasing memory, destroying the ability to reason and leading inexorably to the disintegration of the personality and a pitiless death. There is no cure.Know More

Activity for someone with Dementia
Many of these activities require no planning and others may need a little preparation. I'd love to add to the list so if you have any useful activities you'd like to share.Read more about this activities by Sailesh Mishra

Dementia: Info and Advice for Caregivers
Dementia is a brain disorder that makes it hard for people to remember, learn and communicate. These changes eventually make it hard for people who have dementia to care for themselves. Dementia may also cause changes in mood and personality. Early on, lapses in memory and clear thinking may bother the person with dementia. Later, disruptive behavior and other problems can create a burden for caregivers and other family members.Read in Detail

Outdoors has special meaning for those with Alzheimer's disease
Most of us enjoy being outside on a regular basis ... To feel the sun on our faces and the breeze on our skin, to enjoy the sounds of the birds, to catch a glimpse of nature, to plant something and nurture its growth. Whatever facets we enjoy, being outdoors regularly is felt to be necessity to many of us. This feeling is no less poignant to many experiencing the challenges of Alzheimer's disease as it is to those of us without such challenges. Indeed, it may be integral in maintaining a health quality of life.Read More

Test your knowledge of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease affects about 24 million people worldwide. Because of the nature of the disease, caregivers play a very important role, and it is essential for people to understand this role. This quiz will test your knowledge of Alzheimer's disease itself, as well as some of the challenges that caregivers face in dealing with this devastating disease.So take the Test

Update 1st June -

Designing and managing care homes for people with dementia
The proportion of residents in care homes who have dementia is rising. Caroline Cantley, Professor of Dementia Care, Northumbria University, and Bob Wilson, consultant in care home design, studied seven recently built specialist homes for people with dementia which have been nominated as examples of good practice. They identified principles for providers involved in setting up or developing high quality care homes for people with dementia.Read More

Update 15th May -

8 Ways to Preserve Family Memories While You Can if Your Parent Has Alzheimer's
An often-overlooked reality of Alzheimer's is that your parent's memories and knowledge of family history will eventually disappear along with her personality. Fortunately this doesn't happen instantly. Early in the disease process, even when short-term memory loss is obvious, long-term memories tend to persist.So now's the time to capture what she knows for future generations. Before you're left with regrets that you don't know more about your parent's past, take steps to preserve them.Read in Detail

End-Stage Dementia Patients Deserve Palliative Care
"We must act now to stop people with dementia from suffering from protracted, potentially uncomfortable and undignified deaths" says Jan Draper, Professor of Nursing for The Open University, UK.  "The management of dementia is becoming a major international public health concern because people are living longer which means that more people are likely to develop this disease."Read More

Alzheimer's Disease: Tips for Maintaining a Normal Life
Living with Alzheimer's disease is a challenge for anyone. It's difficult to remember things, make decisions, and find your way around the way you used to. It can be frustrating a good deal of the time, but there are good days and bad days. Here are some helpful tips and things you can do to make things easier for yourself -- to make things feel a bit more normal again.Know More

What is Alzheimer’s and what can be done
Alzheimer’s (AHLZ-high-merz) is a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is not a normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time. Although symptoms can vary widely, the first problem many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect their ability to function at home or at work, or to enjoy lifelong hobbies. Learn the Basics of Alzheimer Diseases

What's the Difference Between Alzheimer's and Normal Age-Related Memory Loss?
Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging or “just what happens when we get old.” If Alzheimer’s was part of the natural aging process, then every person over 65 years of age would have Alzheimer’s disease. While people do experience minor changes in their memory and thinking as they age, these changes don't affect daily functioning or the ability to live independently. Here are five differences between normal age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease: Read here

Alzheimer’s disease: Did you know this?
Who discovered it?
Dr Aloes Alzheimer, a German doctor, in 1906
Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. Know more

Are You at Risk of Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer’s disease begins to damage the brain years before symptoms appear. Why pathological changes occur in the brain leading to such profound damage is not clear. Risk factors are things that increase your chances of developing Alzheimer's disease. Some are preventable, such as exercise, some not, for example genetic factors and age. Read in detail

Telling Young Children About Alzheimer's
It is important that children, even young children, are given information about a relative with Alzheimer's disease. Although they may find it difficult to understand, it helps kids deal with changes in a loved one's behavior.
Your goal is to inform children -- without frightening them -- about how Alzheimer's disease is affecting a person, and to give them information in a way they can easily understand. Read more

Just for Children’s to understand Alzheimer’s, Read here

Reduce your risk of dementia
Dementia is an illness that affects the brain and kills off brain cells one by one. Find out how to reduce your risk of dementia by doing things that are good for you and your brain. Read more

Alzheimer's disease: Early detection is the key
ON THE OCCASION of World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September , I take this opportunity to write a few lines about Alzheimer’s disease. This article is in continuation of my earlier article about ‘World Alzheimer’s Day: Let us remember those who cannot remember,’ to spread awareness in the community with regards to Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most neglected areas in the care of the elderly in India. There is hardly any government initiative to take care of dementia patients and there are only two NGO’s in the whole country to address the problem of dementia nationally viz. Alzheimer’s & Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) and Dignity Foundation. Read More

Alzheimer ’s disease in India
Research on Alzheimer’s disease in India is still in the initial stages. Medication is expensive. Among the family members care for Alzheimer’s patients, with the best of intentions, is low priority. Professional support systems are non-existent. Against this background general physicians and neurologists try their best to makes things better for AD patients. Dr Deepak Arjundas, a noted neurologist, explains how. Read More 

Alzheimer’s Residential Care Detailed Booklet
If you are a person with dementia or are involved in caring for someone with dementia there may come a time when you need to consider, and make, the move to long-term residential care. Learn More

What lifestyle changes can prevent Alzheimer's disease
Scientists are not yet sure how or why good health habits work to overcome a predisposition to Alzheimer's; and since we don’t fully understand the causes of this disease, we can’t be sure that everyone can avoid getting it. What we do know is that people can reduce some of their risk factors. Read more 

Caregiver tips for saving time and energy
People who care for loved ones who are in ill health typically have a multitude of responsibilities. These include chauffeuring, shopping, running errands, paying bills, co-ordinating medical and other appointments, yard work, home maintenance, housekeeping, preparing meals, managing medication and assisting with personal care. It’s easy for them to become overwhelmed by all of the demands on their time. Read More

Help for caregiver of a person with dementia
Alzheimer's disease not only affects the person with dementia, it affects the entire family. The greatest burden is placed on the caregiver. The personal and emotional stress of caring for a person with dementia are enormous and you need to plan ways of coping with the disease for the future. Understanding your emotions will help you successfully cope with the person's problems as well as your own. You are an important person in the life of the person with dementia. Without you the person would be lost. This is why it is essential to take care of yourself. Read More

CAREGIVING CHALLENGES
Some of the specific things that are challenging for patients with AD usually stem from the memory problems that are so predominant in this disease. The lack of memory for events or people can make the individual extremely anxious about daily life. This can be exhibited with asking questions and repeating information, preparing for appointments/day care well ahead of time, and use of notes and reminders endlessly. Agitation can occur often as people become less able to interpret the environment and control or express their feelings. This can be seen in people with dementia who may strike out when people are caring for them. These behaviors are very difficult for caregivers who are trying to provide care and understand the changes in their loved one. Read More

Ways to help an Alzheimer's caregiver avoid burnout
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, involves gradual breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Affected persons lose the ability to interpret information and to send messages to their body to behave in certain ways.
Over time they experience mental, emotional, behavioural and physical changes, necessitating increasing amounts of supervision and, eventually, hands-on help with activities of daily living. Read more

A Checklist for Patients and Caregivers
Perhaps your loved one has been exhibiting changes; perhaps they have just been given a diagnosis of dementia. You may be wondering about what steps to take. Read more

Choosing the Right Aged Care Home for People with Dementia
The following checklist can help you to find the home most suited to you or the person with the dementia whom you support. This guide can also be useful when comparing different facilities and the services they offer. When choosing a home, there are many aspects to consider beyond the outer appearance of a newly built, state-of-the-art aged care facility. The word “home” says it all. Is the facility you have in mind home-like? Various levels of care are available from assisted home care to residential care when living at home is no longer possible. The right choice will vary according to each person’s stage of dependence, mobility or dementia. Read in Detail

“Good sense, good design: Interior design in dementia accommodation”
Dementia--specific design: about accessibility, safety & security ,Colour & Colour Contrast. Read in detail

Dementia Management:See the detail guide 

Making the Most of Visits to Nursing Home Residents Who Have Dementia
It can be difficult to keep visiting a person in a nursing home, especially if the person may not remember that you have been there. There are many reasons to visit a person in a nursing home who has memory loss: Read More

Management of Dementia in Elderly
Dementia is a progressive, degenerative brain syndrome that affects memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. Dementia knows no social, economic, ethnic or geographical boundaries and affects people throughout the world. As dementia progresses individuals affected need care with all aspects of daily life, worldwide families mostly provide this care. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and accounts for 50-60% of all cases and is caused by abnormal brain tissue changes. Read More 

Dementia Education through Cartoons: See this nice presentation 

Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer Disease and Dementia in Canada: Read Here  

Early Stage Engaging people with Dementia
People are being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) earlier in the disease (Bowen & McKechnie, 2001), and many are able to remain at a high level of functioning for long periods of time. Experience is showing us that these individuals are capable of contributing in a meaningful way to shaping our understanding of dementia, their needs, and required supports (Beattie, Daker-White, Gillard, & Means, 2004).The Alzheimer Society of Canada wants to identify strategies that promote the active participation of people with early-stage dementia in our organization and our work, particularly policy, research, and service delivery. Read in detail 

Therapies for Dementia: To know about therapies click here 

Alzheimer's Disease To Quadruple Worldwide By 2050
"By 2050, 1 in 85 persons worldwide will have Alzheimer's disease. However, if we can make even modest advances in preventing Alzheimer's disease or delay its progression, we could have a huge global public health impact."Read more

Illuminating a dark path
To be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 46, in the middle of a high-flying career as a senior public servant in the Prime Minister’s department, would be devastating for many people. For Christine Bryden it became a catalyst for a new career and a new life. Read more

10/66 Newsletter
10/66 Dementia Research Group is part of Alzheimer’s Disease International, know more 

Alternative Therapies in Alzheimer's Disease Recourse List
This list is a reviewed collection of items prepared by the Alzheimer's Association Green-Field Library staff. Contact your local chapter or local library for availability of the items. Get the Detail

Famous people with Alzheimer's disease:Click here

The Global Impact of Dementia
International studies make it clear that dementia occurs in every country of the world. Dementia affects 1 in 20 people over the age of 65 and 1 in 5 over the age of 80. Worldwide there are an estimated 24 million people with dementia. By 2040 the number will have risen to 81 million. Read more

Dementia in the Asia Pacific:See the Detail

Culture and Dementia: Know more

Remember those who cannot Remember
Iam not a Doctor, Psychologist, nor Social worker by profession but have Passion to work for the Elderly and for the cause Alzheimer's. I got interested with the cause because of my work in Dignity Foundation. Also I with my Colleague Ms. Hendi Lingiah was instrumental in starting India’s first 24 x 7 Dementia Care Center, near Mumbai. Working with the patients, care givers and through net browsing I gained knowledge about Dementia, which I would like to share with the society. Read this interesting story and know more about Dementia

Ten Movies About Alzheimer's Disease You Shouldn't Miss: See the detail

2008 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures
The 2008 Alzheimer’s disease Facts and Figures report is a comprehensive statistical abstract of U.S. data on Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. To provide background and context for interpreting the data, the next section, Overview of Alzheimer’s disease, defines dementia, summarizes current knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease, and briefly explains other specific types of dementia. The following sections address prevalence, family caregiving, use and costs of care, mortality, and lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Courtesy: Alzheimer’s Association.Read more

Alzheimer’s Society of Europe: March 2008 News Letter
March was yet another busy period for Alzheimer Europe and our campaign to make dementia a European priority continues to gather pace. Françoise Grossetête, the Chairperson of the European Alzheimer’s Alliance put the finishing touches to a Written Declaration on Alzheimer’s disease. This will be submitted to the European Parliament and will be open for signatures for two months. We hope, of course, that half of all Members of the European Parliament will sign the Declaration to ensure it is adopted as an official European action plan on Alzheimer’s disease.Read in Detail

Click here for useful links for Alzheimer’s

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