Elder Care |

September 20, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

Alzheimers Symptoms: Does Celebrating Who You Are Now Mean Forgetting Who You Are Not?

When thinking of Alzheimers symptoms, do you think of what is lost?

It’s normal. Alzheimer’s symptoms are associated with memory loss. And often a loss of personality, wisdom and judgement.

Today’s guest post is about finding something wonderful in forgetting — a hidden talent. Please welcome Blaze (Barbara) Lazarony as she shares her amazing story about her mother-in-law, Jean and her Alzheimer’s symptoms —

“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.”

— Unknown

Wife, Mother, and Nurse are words my mother-in-law Jean Lazarony would use to describe herself.

The label Artistic never entered the mix. Rather, these words described her father, a talented and prolific self-taught painter and her five children — creative artists with numbers, words, and images.

Clearly, the artistic gene had skipped her; at least that’s what she told everyone.

Jean was a first generation American. Her parents were immigrants from Scotland, descendants from the Royal Stewart line. As their first-born she learned to straddle two cultures with grace.

She was proud of her family’s history and passed down stories from her parents to her own children, allowing them to experience the sights and sounds of Scotland on American soil.

She knew who she was.

She was frugal beyond measure and could stretch a single dollar into one hundred opportunities, while ensuring her family’s needs were met. Jean was a no-nonsense practical nurse and gave doctors a run for their money.

And most importantly, she loved with her whole heart. She wasn’t demonstrative with affection, but you always knew where you stood, especially when her first-born son brought home an Irish-German girl to meet the family — me.

She fell in love with the fair-skinned, freckly girl in spite of my Irish heritage! A tease through and through, she’d send me cards every St. Paddy’s Day just to make me laugh.

In 2001, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the “Long Goodbye” Disease. I watched her transform from a talkative, vibrant, fun-loving woman to a shell of the person she once was. A heartbreaking and bittersweet experience.

The circumstances were so painful for me that I questioned why God and the universe didn’t take her home; instead, she slipped away a little more each day.

When I’d visit her, she’d look at me with her beautiful blue eyes and ask, “Who are you? Do I know you?” And I’d remind her, “Yes, I’m Barbara, your daughter-in-law; I’ve been married to your son David for more than a dozen years.” She forgot me, her children and even her husband.

She also forgot that she wasn’t an artist.

One day when the art therapist visited the adult day-center, Jean picked up a paintbrush and swirled it in warm blue pigment — her favorite color — although she had already forgotten that, too.

Laying down layers of paint on a small canvas, she created a lush garden scene with a blue and green plant covered with rosy-pink flowers. Perhaps it was a rose bush or a hibiscus. In reality it didn’t matter; she was painting.

She was an artist.

Upon finishing the painting she was so proud of herself even telling her daughter, Lucy, with great enthusiasm and an open heart that she was going to take the painting home to show her Daddy. Her father had already been dead for over thirty years. She had forgotten that, too. Her brain, a miraculous computer riddled with Alzheimer’s, couldn’t distinguish 2006 from 1945. She lived from her soul.

She forgot with her mind, loved with her heart, and lived from her soul.

I believe her soul knew she was an artist. At the middle of her soul was her essence, her way of being in the world — what I like to call her “inner-spark.” And her brilliant inner-spark is: loving, creative, collaborative, generous and playful.

I was teaching a class at California State University in 2009 about discovering your inner-spark to become a visionary leader when I had a light bulb moment. I finally understood one of the many reasons why God allowed her to remain here on earth: God was offering me an opportunity to see her and her unique inner-spark throughout the progression of her disease.

I had to set aside all of the labels she once was, and see her in the moment for who she was being now. I had to stop clinging to the memories of her and embrace the woman in front of me. I had to learn to love the woman who once treated me like a daughter, yet no longer remembers me.

I had to forget who she wasn’t, to see who she was in the moment.

***

Today my mother-in-law is considered to be at the late-stage of Alzheimer’s.

She lives her final days on earth with my father-in-law, who has vascular dementia. She doesn’t speak and her body is slumped in her wheelchair from a recent seizure. Although she barely opens her eyes, her grip is strong.

Most days, you can find the two of them sitting together holding hands, him whispering into her ear that he loves her and that she is beautiful as she sits silent.

The question is:

Do you need to forget who you’re not in this moment to celebrate who you are?

–Blaze (Barbara) Lazarony

August 15, 2012

Blaze, aka Barbara Lazarony is a Certified Transformational Life Coach, Workshop Leader, Speaker, and Author. She helps visionary leaders, purpose-driven entrepreneurs, and heart-centered professionals light up the world by following their own brilliant path. She radiates empowering energy, playful intuition, and unblinking honesty. Step into your light at www.BlazeABrilliantPath.com

Wow!

On so many levels this is amazing, including —

A first painting complex with layers from someone with Alzheimers symptoms…
Anything positive in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s…
The obvious love throughout the story and its telling.

Thank you Blaze for sharing this.

For more inspirational thoughts be sure to get your FREE Daily Inspirational Thoughts.

Click here to find out more.

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder of www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Creator of A HEART PLAN
Ambassador of Elder Care at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.. Thanks for visiting!

Here is the original post:
Alzheimers Symptoms: Does Celebrating Who You Are Now Mean Forgetting Who You Are Not?

Life Purpose |

September 3, 2012

| by Terri Lynn TallTree

Ambassador Dr. Ina Gilmore’s “Caregiving With Purpose” Named in 25 Best Alzheimers Blogs of 2012

Of course we’re proud! Dr. Ina truly exemplifies “living on purpose”…

When “The Knitting Doctor” (Dr. Ina Gilmore – Ambassador of Elder Care on How to Live on Purpose) first announced that her “Caregiving with Purpose” site had been named in the Top 25 Best Alzheimers Blogs, you could have heard us shout our excitement from a hundred miles away!

Why? Ina holds a special place in our hearts. She is the kind of person who is so genuinely interested in others, and in finding ways to serve them — every moment of every day of her life! Dr. Ina absolutely expresses her life purpose…

She’s taken her professional expertise, her personal life experience and her compassion and commitment to serve others and is using her unique gifts and talents to help others to make the world a better place.

When Ina created “A Heart Plan” we were BLOWN AWAY! Talk about a simple, practical and extremely effective system to help get you — and keep you — on track in taking better care of yourself…and enjoying (truly!) your life…right now!

I (Terri) could hardly contain myself as she described, step-by-step, this simple system that she put together. It’s based on her years of both professional and personal experience as a caregiver.

And, if you’re like me, you probably don’t even think of yourself as a caregiver. You’re just doing what you know needs to be done, because it’s the right thing to do.

But, and be honest with yourself now, you know it’s taking its toll on you! You need — and you DESERVE — to take better care of yourself.

I remember speaking with my brother, Christian some months ago. I thanked him for all the love and care he and his wife, PeiLi so generously give to our Dad. They are always doing something, from making and delivering meals, yard work, running errands, taking him to doctors appointments and spending time visiting.

Yet, when I acknowledged that, all Christian could say was, “Well, we just do it because we love him!”

In his wildest dreams, he never saw himself as Dad’s caregiver…just a loving child who wanted to ‘do the right thing’ and make Dad’s life more comfortable. That’s the selfless heart of a caregiver.

And that’s why it’s so easy to keep giving, and not notice that it’s starting to effect you…

Look at it this way: if you DON’T take care of yourself, you won’t have the energy, stamina and compassion necessary to care for anyone else. So do yourself a BIG favor, and check out Dr. Ina Gilmore’s “A Heart Plan” today. You’ll thank us for it!

Congratulations, and hats off to Dr. Ina (“The Knitting Doctor”) – Ambassador of Elder Care on How to Live on Purpose and Founder of CaregivingWithPurpose.com. We are proud and honored to have you in our circle!

Gakina-awiiya (We Are All Related),
Robert and Terri Lynn TallTree

Founders of www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Creators of the “Life Purpose Quest”

“Teach us love, compassion and honor…that we may heal the Earth and heal each other.” – Ojibwe

Elder Care |

May 18, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

What Should Caregivers Know About the New Clinical Trial of Resveratrol For Alzheimers Symptoms and Disease?

When you’re in the midst of caregiving for someone with Alzheimers symptoms, sometimes the wheels of progress seem to move awfully slowly.

And drug studies are no exception.

Over the past decade there has been renewed interest in “The Mediterranean Diet” and its components. Beyond reducing the risk of heart disease, certain parts of it have been also found to have an anti-aging component.

Especially resveratrol, a compound found in red wine and grapes.

There’s a new study with resveratrol starting in the US. The lead investigator is R. Scott Turner, M.D., M.P.H. of Georgetown University Medical Center. This article explains more about the study and how long he’s already been working on it…

In Vino Vitalis? In Wine There Is Life?

The expression in vino veritas — “in wine there is truth” — amuses R. Scott Turner, M.D., Ph.D., but he is more prone to quote in vino vitalis — “in wine there is life.”

That’s because Turner, Director of Georgetown University Medical Center’s Memory Disorders Program, knows that resveratrol, (a compound found in red wine and red grapes), when used as a treatment of laboratory animals, lowers risk of diseases of aging — thus, prolonging their health and life spans.

Human trials of resveratrol are now underway for a variety of aging maladies, including a new national study that Turner is leading.

Turner has designed a clinical trial to test whether high doses of resveratrol are well tolerated and whether they can slow the progression of dementia in individuals with early Alzheimer’s disease.

In this federally funded $4 million study, to be conducted with 120 individuals at 26 academic medical centers across the U.S., investigators will test daily doses of resveratrol equivalent to that found in about 1,000 bottles of red wine — preferably a pinot noir from Oregon which Turner says contain the highest levels of resveratrol.

He can’t wait to get started. That’s because he has worked to develop the study for more than seven years since he submitted his proposal to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) group.

Turner reports that resveratrol treatment delays and prevents the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models with the disorder. Other studies report that resveratrol treatment lowers cholesterol, lowers fat stores, and improves muscle endurance in mice. These are parameters that often drive the development of type II diabetes, which some researchers consider a form of accelerated aging.

The major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is aging. “We used to think that aging is a non-modifiable risk factor – but is it?” Turner asks. He cites a number of studies that show caloric restriction can prolong both health and life spans and that, on the flip side, diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s.

“Investigators have found that Alzheimer’s is somehow linked to metabolism, which is energy balance, and that preventing diabetes by caloric restraint and by exercising regularly in mid-life, may prevent or delay Alzheimer’s in later life,” he says.

Human population studies have often found health benefits from modest consumption of red wine, including a lower risk of dementia. And a recent pilot study of resveratrol treatment in obese men showed improvement in their lipid and glucose profiles.

Delving deeper into the biological thread, investigators discovered that one gene and its protein, SIRT1, is implicated in regulation of aging, and that a compound that appears to promote SIRT1 activity is resveratrol.

Much of this research happened while Turner was developing his resveratrol study, a task that included finding a biotech company that would synthesize resveratrol for the clinical trial. “Resveratrol cannot be patented, so major pharmaceutical companies are not very interested,” Turner says. “Research studies cost millions of dollars to conduct and without patent protection, a pharmaceutical company would be unable to recover their costs.”

Participants in the study will receive either a placebo (a pill that looks like resveratrol but has no active ingredient) or escalating doses of resveratrol. Cognitive tests will be given before and after treatment, and brain volumes will be measured using MRI scans. Investigators will also look at changes in spinal fluid proteins and in overall metabolism (blood glucose and insulin).

Neither the patients nor the clinicians will know if the study participant is receiving placebo or resveratrol until the end of the study.

“ This is the gold standard for conducting a clinical study because it allows us to objectively determine if resveratrol may offer any clinical benefits,” says Brigid Reynolds, NP, lead investigator for the study at Georgetown.

While Turner’s national resveratrol trial is underway, others investigators are looking at the compound to prevent or treat cancer, diabetes, and heart disease in humans.

“We think resveratrol may target basic mechanisms of aging, which also tie into metabolism,” he says. “There are a lot of biological black boxes that we don’t understand yet, but are seeking to explain. … and we can’t wait for the answers! The silver tsunami is already here.”

To learn more about the resveratrol study or other Alzheimer’s studies underway at Georgetown, contact Kelly Behan in the GUMC Memory Disorders Program by calling (202) 687-0413 or via email .

Information is also available at memory.georgetown.edu. Georgetown study participants must be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, speak English, have a study partner who knows them well, and be willing to undergo examinations, blood tests, MRI scans and spinal fluid collection.

By Renee Twombly, GUMC Communications

Original Source:

In Vino Vitalis? In Wine There Is Life?

Some caregivers’ questions about this trial include…

What is a Phase II Trial?The FDA has a series of trials to allow a new drug on the market. There are four phases to the trials.
Phase I screens for safety. Usually a small group of people are enrolled, often 20 to 80. The goals are to evaluate the safety of the drug, determine what a safe dosage range is and identify side effects.

Phase II establishes the Testing Protocol. A larger group of people, usually 100 to 300, are enrolled. The goals are to see if the drug is effective and further evaluate its safety.

Phase III is the Final Testing before release. In this phase 1000 to 3000 people are usually enrolled to confirm the drug’s effectiveness, monitor its side effects, compare it to the current commonly used treatments and to collect additional information about its safe use.

Phase IV are Post-Approval Studies. These studies continue to address risks, benefits and optimal use of the drug.
Why aren’t more foods tested?Basically, it’s a cost issue. The pharmaceutical companies are in business to make money.
Bringing a drug to market can take many years of research, and the company that brings it first to market bears the brunt of the costs. So the company and their shareholders want to be sure that the drug can be patented so they can recover their costs and make money on the drug. And this needs to be done before the patent expires. The patent clock starts ticking before the drug is released, so that puts even more pressure on the company.

In research and development, many more drugs are developed than ever reach the market. They may have safety issues, manufacturing issues or something else that prevents their full development and release.
What is the purpose of this study?According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), “The purpose of this study is to determine whether daily resveratrol therapy is beneficial in delaying or altering the deterioration of memory and daily functioning in people with probable Alzheimer’s disease.”

Thinking you know someone who qualifies for the study?

You can learn how to participate by contacting the NIA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at by clicking here.

Are you caring for someone with Alzheimers symptoms?

It’s important that you also care for yourself, you know.

One way is to have Daily Inspirational Thoughts designed for caregivers.

Get yours daily delivered into your inbox by clicking here now.

And even if it’s just for today…

Choose Life, Love and Laughter!

To your healthy and happy knitting & caregiving,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Elder Care at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

See the original post:
What Should Caregivers Know About the New Clinical Trial of Resveratrol For Alzheimers Symptoms and Disease?

Elder Care |

March 12, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

How May Vitamin D Trigger the Immune System To Remove Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimers Symptoms and Disease?

Could sunshine help or prevent Alzheimers symptoms?

Researchers are exploring how Vitamin D3 may trigger the immune system to help clear the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s disease.

Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin after exposure to sunshine, and is found in milk and other foods fortified with Vitamin D.

~~An exciting article~~ Okay, the findings are exciting – not necessarily the article. Unless you’re a researcher, then you might find the article exciting!

The article describes how researchers at UCLA discovered how Vitamin D may clear the amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Here’s an explanation of the findings…

Vitamin D Explored as Alzheimer’s Treatment

By Traci Pedersen Associate News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on March 9, 2012

Vitamin D3 may activate key genes and networks to help trigger the immune system to get rid of the amyloid beta protein, the core component of destructive plaques in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study.

Previous lab work has shown that particular immune cells in people with Alzheimer’s respond well to vitamin D3 and curcumin (found in turmeric spice) by stimulating the immune system to clear the brain of amyloid beta; however, researchers were unsure of exactly how this worked.

Vitamin D3 is the form that is produced by the skin with the help of sunlight and is also found in milk.

“This new study helped clarify the key mechanisms involved, which will help us better understand the usefulness of vitamin D3 and curcumin as possible therapies for Alzheimer’s disease,” said study author Milan Fiala, M.D., a researcher at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

For the study, blood samples were taken from both Alzheimer’s patients and healthy controls; researchers then isolated the macrophages (critical immune cells), which are responsible for clearing out amyloid beta and other waste materials throughout the brain and body.

The scientists incubated these immune cells overnight with amyloid beta. In addition, an active form of vitamin D3 (called 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 — which is naturally produced in the body through enzymatic conversion in the liver and kidneys) was added to some of the cells to see if it had an effect on amyloid beta absorption.

Prior research by this team revealed that there are at least two types of patients and macrophages: Type I macrophages are improved with the addition of 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and curcuminoids (a synthetic form of curcumin), while Type II macrophages are improved with the addition of only 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

In both Type I and Type II macrophages, 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was critical in opening a specific chloride channel called chloride channel 3 (CLC3), which is important in supporting the uptake of amyloid beta through the process known as phagocytosis. Curcuminoids activated this chloride channel only in Type I macrophages.

“Our findings demonstrate that active forms of vitamin D3 may be an important regulator of immune activities of macrophages in helping to clear amyloid plaques by directly regulating the expression of genes, as well as the structural physical workings of the cells,” said study author Mizwicki, who was an assistant research biochemist in the department of biochemistry at UC Riverside when the study was conducted.

According to the researchers, the next step would include a clinical trial with vitamin D3 to determine its impact on Alzheimer’s patients. Previous studies by other teams have shown that a low serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 may be tied to cognitive decline.

It is too early to suggest a specific vitamin D3 dosage to help with Alzheimer’s disease and brain health, the researchers said. They add that current studies continue to reveal that Vitamin D3 may be helpful in reducing the incidence of several human diseases.

The study is published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Source: University of California

Original Article Source:

Vitamin D Explored as Alzheimer’s Treatment

So if more study is needed, wondering why the interest?

Well, it’s exciting because it’s great to know the mechanism of how Vitamin D works in Alzheimer’s. Then, presumably treatments can be developed that may work with Vitamin D to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s.

And hey, sunshine is free! Vitamin D is often low cost or already in fortified foods.

An important quote from the article is

“This new study helped clarify the key mechanisms involved, which will help us better understand the usefulness of vitamin D3 and curcumin as possible therapies for Alzheimer’s disease,” said study author Dr. Milan Fiala, a researcher at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

Maybe there’s a reason sunshine often makes you feel better. Curcumin is found in the spice tumeric.

The complex pathways of the brain are just beginning to be understood. And the connection of vitamins, supplements, minerals, foods and yes sunshine is also complex. Even understanding it a little may help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s!

Regular outings can be helpful psychologically and physically. And now there’s another reason to get your daily dose of Vitamin D – maybe preventing Alzheiemer’s and other dementias.

Are you caring for someone with a dementia? Or at risk for a dementia?

Then you probably know activities can sometimes have unexpected results.

A sharp word from a tired waiter, receptionist or clerk can abruptly escalate into a scene. And you may find the only solution is to remove your loved one from the situation. Later finding yourself dreading going there again…

Looking for help to prevent uncomfortable scenes?

A companion card discretely explains your situation. And can get you the extra support and patience you and your companion may need.

You can customize your own Alzheimer’s Companion Card. Click here right now to order your own cards.

To your healthy and happy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Bestselling Author of “What Do I Say In a Sympathy Card?”

Creator of A HEART PLAN

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Neuron and plaque image courtesy of the National Institute on Aging/National Institutes of Health

Welcome. Be sure to to get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.

See original here:
How May Vitamin D Trigger the Immune System To Remove Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimers Symptoms and Disease?

Elder Care |

February 29, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

How Can Alzheimers Test My Caregiving Skills When Eating Out?

This week I read a blog post from Bob DeMarco of Alzheimer’s Reading Room.

I enjoyed it and thought you would too. His description of taking his mother Dotty out to eat is wonderful. And he’s a master of enjoying each caregiving moment…

At home or when out.

I Wonder If There is a Smorgasbord in Heaven?

Later that night I wonder to myself, I wonder if their is a smorgasbord in Heaven?

By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer’s Reading Room

Last week, I took Jim, Ruth, and Dotty out to dinner at Cracker Barrel Restaurant. This proved to be a very enlightening experience.

When we were leaving home both Ruth and Jim encouraged me to take the wheelchair. I said, don’t worry, I’ll get Dotty into the restaurant.

As it turned out, it was a real struggle to get Dotty into the restaurant and seated. This was a real eye opener for me. It is getting more and more difficult to move Dotty around while on her feet.

Note to self. Listen to other people.

Perhaps I should have just asked Ruth and Jim, why, don’t you think Dotty can make it? Get some insight and opinion from others when you can.

I want to tell you, Dotty is amazing. She does not complain about the difficulty walking. She might say, my knees hurt. Or, we might have to stop so I can remind her to start breathing. Occasionally, Dotty might say, I don’t know what is wrong with my legs. Dotty does say often now, I can’t move.

As we arrived at the hostess area I said 4 for dinner.

Ruth then moved in front and quietly leaned in and said to the hostess, we need a nearby table. As it turns out there was a table right near the front, in the first section.

Observation. Isn’t it amazing how some people are just “so plugged in”? Ruth is the one plugged in. I was so focused on Dotty that I would not have thought to ask for the nearest table.

It only gets better. Jim and Ruth immediately took the two inside chairs against the wall. This left the two outside chairs, the easiest to reach, for Dotty and me. As a result, it was very easy to get Dotty seated. Thank goodness.

At this point, I am seated right across from Dotty and it is easy for me to see her, and to communicate with her.

We began discussing the menu. Jim narrowed it down to three potential meals. While Jim was deciding I had my usual conversation with Dotty. I usually ask her what would you like, how about this, how about that.

In the end, Dotty always says the same thing, I’ll eat whatever you order. Dotty can no longer pick and choose, or decide. For me, it is still interesting to hold this discussion with her. Dotty doesn’t get frustrated, and neither do I.

When the food arrived, Dotty had two fried catfish fillets, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Jim decided to go for broke and ordered the meat loaf. Ruth went for the chicken pot pie. Me? Country fried steak.

Dotty as usual took one look at her plate and more or less said, “look at all this food, I’ll never be able to eat it”. Uh huh.

Soon enough the waiter, John, put down a plate full of cornbread and biscuits. Dotty grabbed a cornbread before you could say, well, anything. I asked her, would you like me to put the butter on the cornbread? She answered yes. Then we got to the tricky part.

They have those little miniature tubs of butter, you know those tiny things where you have to peel off the exact right corner of the little tub to get at the butter. I butter up the cornbread for Dotty, and she was already on the attack.

Watching Dotty eat is fun. She really enjoys her food. She looks like a woman on a mission, a happy mission.

Soon enough, Dotty goes for another cornbread. This time I just watch. Dotty tries to get the little miniature tub of butter open. She could not do it. Not to be deterred, she grabs her knife and tries to stab the butter tub right in the heart to get it open. It looks to me like she is trying to murder the butter.

At this point, I reach over, stick my hand out, and say, let me do it for you. Dotty hands me the butter. All of this happens seamlessly, neither Jim or Ruth noticed that Dotty tried to stab her butter.

Truth be known. I am really enjoying myself. No fuss. No bringing attention to Dotty. No reprimand. I’m laughing inside all the way to the caregiver happiness bank. I’ll probably tell the story about Dotty trying to stab her butter to someone ten years in the future. I won’t forget it.

Here is something of great interest to me. I usually cut Dotty’s food if necessary when we go out. Not this time. Dotty is working away diligently on the catfish, potatoes, and green beans. So, I let her fly. She cleans her plate. This was a man sized meal and Dotty put it away.

She wasn’t done yet though. She looks around, notices there is no more cornbread, and then grabs a biscuit. I ask, you sure you want that biscuit?

Dotty gives me the look that indicates she is thinking, mind your own business. I ask again, and she tells me to, mind my own business. Ruth opens the butter for Dotty.

Dotty eats her biscuit and she looks to me like she thinks she is in Heaven.

Later that night I wonder to myself, I wonder if their is a smorgasbord in Heaven?

If so, something tells me this will be the first place to look for Dotty.

Original Source:

I Wonder If There is a Smorgasbord in Heaven?

To say eating out can be a challenge for someone with dementia can be an understatement.

A big one.

How can Alzheimers test your patience and caregiving skills when eating out?

Well, sometimes it’s easy for things to go wrong. For frustrations to lead to frayed nerves, angry words and just plain unpleasantness.

You know, how one thing leads to another?

What’s the solution?

Well, there are more than one actually…

It certainly helps if you are not eating alone. Friends like Ruth and Jim are treasures. Sometimes it’s the little things, like suggesting a close table or taking the chairs that are more challenging to navigate can make the entire visit easier.

And keeping your sense of humor and fun sure helps too!

Sometimes you need all the help you can get.

Have you ever struggled with service folks that don’t understand your special circumstances?

A waiter or waitress who is attuned to the challenges of someone with Alzheimer’s can make the difference between an enjoyable outing and a disaster.

And usually they want you to have a good time. After all their job and pay may be affected!

Wondering how to discretely let a waitress or receptionist know your companion has special needs?

Discretely, without broadcasting it to the entire room or embarrassing her?

Well, now you can. You can carry a discrete Alzheimers Companion Card that lets the service person know your companion has Alzheimer’s and may have some special needs.

A companion card silently explains your situation. And can get you the extra support and patience you and your companion may need.

You can customize your own Alzheimer’s Companion Card. Click here right now to order your own cards.

And see how they help ease your stress and strain.

To your healthy and happy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Bestselling Author of “What Do I Say In a Sympathy Card?”

Creator of A HEART PLAN

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Welcome. Be sure to to get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.

See original here:
How Can Alzheimers Test My Caregiving Skills When Eating Out?

Elder Care |

February 27, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

Why Is the Question Why Hard for Someone With Alzheimers Symptoms?

Are you taking care of someone with Alzheimers symptoms or another dementia?

One of the questions that is hard to answer is the simple question, “Why?”

If you’ve ever taken care of a young child, you know at a certain age usually around 3, it’s her favorite question. And it can be one of the most frustrating for an adult.

Usually about the time the child asks a question like, “Why is the sky blue?”

Before launching into a scientific explanation, remember this is a young child. “Because God made it blue” or just “because” may be enough of an answer.

And the flip side of the question is that answering it takes quite a bit of reasoning.

Questions like –

“Why are you angry?”
“Why are you yelling?”
“Why ___”

All these questions require insight and reasoning skills someone with dementia may have lost.

Do you see how the question “Why?” really is too hard for someone with Alzheimer’s?

So what are some alternatives? Instead of asking “Why?” try –

Who?
What?
When?
Where? and
How?

And all these questions need to be asked calmly and slowly, with respect. Be as specific as possible, to decrease her confusion and help her focus on the problem.

Depending upon how advanced the dementia, you may need to focus even further. “Do you want to wear pink or green today?” may be easier to answer than “What do you want to wear?”

With patience and practice, you can indeed find alternatives to “Why?” and asking them in a non-threatening, comforting tone and using loving words can get you better answers. And reduce your stress.

Finding the right words is one of the hidden minefields in caregiving.

And when you’re up to your neck in stress, it’s hard to find your way out of the minefield alone.

Does that describe how you sometimes feel?

A caregiver needs a road map to help navigate the caregiving wilderness.

Now there’s a road map you can instantly download to help you get through caregiving. To more than get through it – to thrive in caregiving.

Click here right now to download your road map!

And start finding caregiving healthier, happier and more enjoyable. Right now.

To your healthy and happy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Bestselling Author of “What Do I Say In a Sympathy Card?”

Creator of A HEART PLAN

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Welcome. Be sure to to get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.

Here is the original post:
Why Is the Question Why Hard for Someone With Alzheimers Symptoms?

Elder Care |

February 23, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

How Do I Talk To Someone with Alzheimers Symptoms?

Are you struggling to talk to someone with dementia?

Ellen takes care of her mother Betty. Betty has mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Ellen often finds herself frustrated, trying to get Betty to do something, or in even talking to her.

Betty struggles to be independent, or as Ellen says she’s “independently dependent.” And has been even before there were any Alzheimers symptoms.

This recent article suggests some ways to communicate with a loved one with Alzheimer’s…

Ten Tips for Communicating with an Alzheimer’s Patient

February 22, 2012 3:12 PM

Do not argue with them. It gets you nowhere…

By Carole Larkin
Alzheimer’s Reading Room
March, 2010

Ever feel like your loved one is ignoring you or that you just weren’t getting through to your loved one? Try some of these tips to see if they help.

Tips for communicating with a mid-stage (or later) Alzheimer’s patients.

Make eye contact. Always approach them face-to-face and make eye contact. Use their name if you need to. It is vital that they actually see you and that their attention is focused on you. Read their eyes. Always approach from the front as approaching and speaking from the side or from behind can startle them.

Be at their level. Move your head to be at the same level as their head. Bend your knees or sit down to reach their level. Do not stand or hover over them – it is intimidating and scary. They can’t focus on you and what you are saying if they are focused on their fear.

Tell them what you are going to do before you do it. Particularly if you are going to touch them. They need to know what is coming first so that they don’t think that you are grabbing them.

Speak calmly. Always speak in a calm manner with an upbeat tone of voice, even if you don’t feel that way. If you sound angry or agitated, they will often mirror that feeling back to you and then some.

Speak slowly. Speak at one half of your normal speed when talking to them. Take a breath between each sentence. They can not process words as fast as non-diseased people can. Give them a chance to catch up to your words.

Speak in short sentences. Speak in short direct sentences with only one idea to a sentence. Usually they can only focus on only one idea at a time.

Only ask one question at a time. Let them answer it before you ask another question. You can ask who, what, where and when, but NOT why. Why is too complicated. They will try to answer, fail and get frustrated.

Don’t say “remember”. Many times they will not be able to do so, and you are just pointing out to them their shortcomings. That is insulting, and can cause anger and/or embarrassment.

Turn negatives into positives. For example say “Let’s go here” instead of “Don’t go there”. Be inclusive and don’t talking down to them as if they were a child. Respect the fact that they are an adult, and treat them as such.

Do not argue with them. It gets you nowhere. Instead, validate their feelings, by saying” I see that you are angry (sad, upset, etc…). It lets them know that they are not alone and then redirect them into another thought. For example “It sounds like you miss your mother (husband, father, etc…). You love them very much, don’t you? Tell me about the time…” Then ask for one of their favorite stories about that person).

Original Source:

Ten Tips for Communicating with an Alzheimer’s Patient

These suggestions are excellent.

Make eye contact can be vital. Looking into her eyes can help her focus on you. And faces are important! They eyes have been described as “the window to the soul.” And for good reason.

Be at her level – or lower. Most of the time being on the same level works. Sometimes though getting lower than her so she looks down on you is less threatening. If she’s upset and getting on the same level doesn’t work, you might try getting lower. My mother didn’t have Alzheimer’s disease, but I did routinely soak and wash her feet. And to do it, I would get on the floor at her feet. It was one of the gentlest things I did, since her feet were fragile. It is also the one thing that always brought a smile to her face and she enjoyed.

Telling your loved one what you are going to do before you do it can allow her to process the information. Speaking calmly, slowly and phrasing things positively all add to the calm positive atmosphere you want to create. It makes living with someone with dementia SO much easier!

Sometimes in caring for someone with dementia you need to remember to “think outside the box,” which can be a matter of stopping and looking at the situation differently.

Because your loved one may not be able to express herself, you may find yourself with a frustrated or even angry person. And it could be due to a medical condition like an undiagnosed urine infection, pain, or just frustration in not remembering or being able to communicate well.

Or it can be something else.

Sometimes you need to be a detective to figure it out. It can be the same as taking care of a young child who does not yet have the vocabulary to tell you what’s wrong.

Do you see how this happens?

It’s okay to find a solution that seems out of the ordinary. Someone with dementia doesn’t think the same way she did before the dementia.

Cues from the environment – sights, sounds, smells, and more – are not processed the same as a “normal” brain. So the conclusions can be quite different than what you would conclude.

And that can lead to…?

Yes, frustration…anger…and more.

Many negative emotions.

So, now do you see why staying calm and positive can be so important?

It can help to defuse a frustrating situation. As can humor.

Often a laugh can help break the tension. Even if your loved one doesn’t laugh with you, she can see that you are not upset. And that can help, too.

Are you feeling tried and frustrated yourself?

Looking for a guide to navigating the uncharted terrain called caregiving?

Now you there’s a road map to help you come through caregiving whole, happy and healthy. To more than survive – to thrive in caregiving!

Click here now to instantly download your own road map!

To your healthy and happy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Bestselling Author of “What Do I Say In a Sympathy Card?”

Creator of A HEART PLAN

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Welcome. Be sure to to get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.

Originally posted here:
How Do I Talk To Someone with Alzheimers Symptoms?

Elder Care |

February 2, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

How Can Caring For Someone WIth Alzheimers Test My Patience?

Are you struggling with giving care to someone with a chronic illness like dementia?

Sometimes is seems as though diseases like Alzheimers test your good humor and sense of humor. You are probably dealing with many sad things.

Yet if you look for it, you may just find unexpected laughter in as this recent post from Linda on her blog “God, Mom, Alzheimer’s, and Me” shows…

Sound Logic

The following interchange reveals why one should never argue with one’s mother, whether she has Alzheimer’s (as mine does) or not:

Mom: Would you get me a diet coke?

Linda: The dentist says that the acid in the diet coke has hurt your teeth and that you shouldn’t have any for 4 hours before you brush your teeth at bedtime.

Mom: (aggravated) How old am I?

Linda: 87

Mom: (disgusted) Exactly how much longer do you people think my teeth need to last?

Original Post:
Sound Logic

Did you smile or laugh?

I sure did! Not only does it show how people with Alzheimer’s can still think logically, it is a funny story. It also reminds me of some encounters I had with my mother’s medical and dental team…

And my sister’s response to the professionals’ ~~dictates~~ suggestions.

Ready for it?

“Instead of picking on a 92 year-old woman why don’t they ask what she did to keep her own teeth and be as healthy as she is at her age?”

Good question! Maybe we all should look to the very elderly and see what they are doing right, instead of finding fault with what they “should” correct. Still, dealing with these experts may be something you have to do…without annoying them as much as they annoy you.

Counting to 10 helps, as does holding your tongue. I know it’s hard, especially when you’re physically, emotionally and financially stressed with caregiving. And then there’s humor…

You’re a caregiver, so you’re dealing with stress just in giving care. To have the professionals pick at you and the one you love just adds to your caregiver stress. Often unnecessarily.

Do you know that humor is the antidote to stress?

Finding the humor in the situation can also greatly decrease your stress. When you laugh deep and loud and long from your belly your muscles relax, your mood lightens and stress flees!

Humor is more than helpful…it’s an essential part of successful caregiving. Especially if you want to emerge from caregiving whole, healthy and happy!

It’s so essential it’s part of the road map you need to successfully navigate caregiving.

Does caregiving and caregiver stress remind you of being lost in unfamiliar territory without a map? Or maybe a minefield?

Now you can get help with a map for more than surviving – thriving – in caregiving! Just click here right now to download your own road map.

And remember to smile. As a wise man often reminded me, “Smile if for no other reason than it makes people wonder what you’re up to.”

To your healthy and happy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Bestselling Author of “What Do I Say In a Sympathy Card?”

Creator of A HEART PLAN

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Welcome. Be sure to to get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.

View original post here:
How Can Caring For Someone WIth Alzheimers Test My Patience?

Elder Care |

February 1, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

How Can Iron and Tau Protein in Alzheimers Disease and Parkinsons Disease Lead Investigators to Unraveling the Mysteries of Both Diseases?

Both Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease are progressive neurological diseases.

They both affect the brain. And about 20% of persons with Parkinson’s Disease will develop Parkinson’s dementia.

Can someone with Parkinsons Disease also develop Alzheimers symptoms and disease?

Yes, they can. Many persons with Parkinson’s are 85 years old or older — in the age group also at greatest risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Both diseases are primarily diagnosed by clinical diagnosis — by examination rather than testing. Recent studies show promise for PET scans for Alzheimer’s diagnosis. And now there’s new research that shows tau protein important in iron transport and in the death of neurons in Parkinson’s Disease.

Neurons are nerve cells. And this research may also explain tau protein’s role in Alzheimer’s disease. Here’s information about the new study…

Pumping iron: Tau’s role in neuron death revealed

Posted: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:55:44 +0000

The protein tau has long been at the center of a debate about the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, but how the protein works is still mostly a mystery. A paper published online yesterday in Nature Medicine examines tau’s less-controversial role in Parkinson’s disease and demonstrates that the protein’s function in the brain is intimately related to the transport of iron, a big step toward understanding the molecular underpinnings of both neurodegenerative diseases.

To tease apart the function of tau, the team, led by neurobiologist Ashley Bush of the University of Melbourne, first examined autopsy tissue from people with Parkinson’s. They found iron had built up in the substantia nigra, the part of the brain that stops working in Parkinson’s disease. The team next examined tau’s relationship with iron in a mouse that lacks the protein. Tau knock-out mice older than six months showed accumulations of iron in their brains and developed the cognitive and physical impairments of Parkinson’s disease.

By giving the mice a drug that removes iron, the researchers found that they could prevent these changes. The findings suggest that tau deficiency may cause toxic iron accumulation that leads to the neurodegeneration seen in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. The results also suggest possible therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disease, such as such as tau replacement or iron removal, although the authors say it is still unknown whether brain damage from iron accumulation could be reversed by such therapies.

Hyoung-gon Lee, a neurobiologist who studies Alzheimer’s disease at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, says the findings about tau’s role in iron export “definitely provide a new direction for how we should look at tau abnormality in neurodegenerative disease.”

In addition to teasing apart a function of tau, Bush says his team’s work also gives important insight into how mouse models are used to study Parkinson’s disease. “After seven months, the mouse model of Parkinson’s was much more complete and complex,” he says, suggesting that for age-dependent conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, keeping mice into old age may make the mouse model more accurate and useful.

Original Source:

Pumping iron: Tau’s role in neuron death revealed

How can this study of iron and tau protein lead to more study in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases?

Well, there is no animal model for Alzheimer’s Disease. So as Dr. Lee says above, this may lead to new ways to study Alzheimer’s.

And perhaps other neurological diseases, if the tau protein role can be determined.

Could tau protein and iron be a common cause of neuron damage and death in these diseases?

Yes, it’s possible this could be THE common factor. Or perhaps it could lead somewhere else. When you’re caring for someone with one of these diseases, research although interesting probably doesn’t help you much today.

Right?

It may be helpful for someone diagnosed in the future, which could be useful if you or someone you love is at risk for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease. Or maybe exhibiting symptoms without a definitive diagnosis.

Are you caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease?

Giving care to someone with a chronic condition can be the hardest thing you’ll ever do. It can also be the best.

In caring for someone with a chronic condition you can give love and care. In focusing on them, though it’s easy to lose yourself.

Do you see how caring for someone else can lead you to forget yourself?

You can spend much of your day and night giving care or worrying about them. So much that you forget to take care of yourself.

It might be little things, like missing a meal. Or maybe it becomes routine to miss meals. Or losing sleep. Little things can lead to bigger…often insidiously.

Are you losing yourself in caregiving? Looking for a way to reclaim yourself, and don’t know where to start?

Now there’s a road map to help you in your caregiving journey. One that will show you the way to emerge from caregiving whole, healthy and happy.

Click here right now to download your road map!

To your healthy and happy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Bestselling Author of “What Do I Say In a Sympathy Card?”

Creator of A HEART PLAN

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Welcome. Be sure to to get your free Daily Inspirational Thoughts by going to www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com/Inspiration.

See original here:
How Can Iron and Tau Protein in Alzheimers Disease and Parkinsons Disease Lead Investigators to Unraveling the Mysteries of Both Diseases?

Elder Care |

January 27, 2012

| by Ina Gilmore, M.D. ("The Knitting Dr.")

Scientists Induce Alzheimers Neurons: Can This Lead To Laboratory Model For Alzheimers Test Of Therapies?

This week there is new research from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine about Alzheimer’s Disease regarding a new method to study Alzheimer’s brain cells.

One of the BIG Challenges in Alzheimer’s research is the lack of a model to to test cells for further study. A model to study both the disease process and the reactions of Alzheimer’s cells to therapies is necessary to study it outside humans.

Until recently there has been no Alzheimers test other than a doctor or other health care professional examining the patient. Recently there has been success with PET Scan imaging studies. And Alzheimer’s testing in the lab has also had similar problems because Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease of humans.

Researchers used new technology to turn skin cells from Alzheimer’s patients and into brain cells. Embryonic stem cells are not used, rather induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) were used. Inducing something in medicine means to cause it to happen artificially, not in nature.

Wondering what induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are?

Well, iPSC are cells usually from adult somatic (body) cells that are artificially converted into stem cells.

Lawrence S.B. Goldstein, Ph.D. explains more about this technology in this video…

If you can’t see the video, click here to see it.

The press release from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine follows, then my comments…

Researchers Induce Alzheimer’s Neurons From Pluripotent Stem Cells

First-ever feat provides new method to understand cause of disease, develop drugs

January 25, 2012 | By Scott LaFee

Led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, scientists have, for the first time, created stem cell-derived, in vitro models of sporadic and hereditary Alzheimer’s disease (AD), using induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with the much-dreaded neurodegenerative disorder.

“Creating highly purified and functional human Alzheimer’s neurons in a dish – this has never been done before,” said senior study author Lawrence Goldstein, PhD, professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and director of the UC San Diego Stem Cell Program. “It’s a first step. These aren’t perfect models. They’re proof of concept. But now we know how to make them. It requires extraordinary care and diligence, really rigorous quality controls to induce consistent behavior, but we can do it.”

The feat, published in the January 25 online edition of the journal Nature, represents a new and much-needed method for studying the causes of AD, a progressive dementia that afflicts approximately 5.4 million Americans. More importantly, the living cells provide an unprecedented tool for developing and testing drugs to treat the disorder.

“We’re dealing with the human brain. You can’t just do a biopsy on living patients,” said Goldstein. “Instead, researchers have had to work around, mimicking some aspects of the disease in non-neuronal human cells or using limited animal models. Neither approach is really satisfactory.”

Goldstein and colleagues extracted primary fibroblasts from skin tissues taken from two patients with familial AD (a rare, early-onset form of the disease associated with a genetic predisposition), two patients with sporadic AD (the common form whose cause is not known) and two persons with no known neurological problems. They reprogrammed the fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that then differentiated into working neurons.

The iPSC-derived neurons from the Alzheimer’s patients exhibited normal electrophysiological activity, formed functional synaptic contacts and, critically, displayed tell-tale indicators of AD. Specifically, they possessed higher-than-normal levels of proteins associated with the disorder.

With the in vitro Alzheimer’s neurons, scientists can more deeply investigate how AD begins and chart the biochemical processes that eventually destroy brain cells associated with elemental cognitive functions like memory. Currently, AD research depends heavily upon studies of post-mortem tissues, long after the damage has been done.

“The differences between a healthy neuron and an Alzheimer’s neuron are subtle,” said Goldstein. “It basically comes down to low-level mischief accumulating over a very long time, with catastrophic results.”

The researchers have already produced some surprising findings. “In this work, we show that one of the early changes in Alzheimer’s neurons thought to be an initiating event in the course of the disease turns out not to be that significant,” Goldstein said, adding that they discovered a different early event plays a bigger role.

The scientists also found that neurons derived from one of the two patients with sporadic AD exhibited biochemical changes possibly linked to the disease. The discovery suggests that there may be sub-categories of the disorder and that, in the future, potential therapies might be targeted to specific groups of AD patients.

Though just a beginning, Goldstein emphasized the iPSC-derived Alzheimer’s neurons present a huge opportunity in a desperate fight. “At the end of the day, we need to use cells like these to better understand Alzheimer’s and find drugs to treat it. We need to do everything we can because the cost of this disease is just too heavy and horrible to contemplate. Without solutions, it will bankrupt us – emotionally and financially.”

Funding for this research came, in part, from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Weatherstone Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Hartwell Foundation, the Lookout Fund and the McDonnell Foundation.

A patent application has been filed on this technology by the University of California, San Diego. For more information, go to: http://techtransfer.universityofcalifornia.edu/NCD/22199.html

Co-authors are Mason A. Israel and Sol M. Reyna, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and UCSD Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and UCSD Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program; Shauna H. Yuan, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and UCSD Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and UCSD Department of Neurosciences; Cedric Bardy and Yangling Mu, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies; Cheryl Herrera, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and UCSD Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine; Michael P. Hefferan, UCSD Department of Anesthesiology; Sebastiaan Van Gorp, Department of Anesthesiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Netherlands; Kristopher L. Nazor, Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute; Francesca S. Boscolo and Louise C. Laurent, UCSD Department of Reproductive Medicine; Christian T. Carson, BD Biosciences; Martin Marsala, UCSD Department of Anesthesiology and Institute of Neurobiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia; Fred H. Gage, The Salk Institute of Biological Studies; Anne M. Remes, Department of Clinical Medicine, Neurology and Clinical Research Center, University of Oulu, Finland; and Edward H. Koo, UCSD Department of Neurosciences.

About Alzheimer’s disease

An estimated 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Two-thirds are women. By 2050, as many as 16 million Americans are projected to have the disease. In 2011, the economic cost of caring for Alzheimer’s patients exceeded $183 billion, projected to rise to $1.1 trillion by 2050. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 75,000 Americans annually. Currently, there are no drugs to prevent, alter or cure the disease.

Original source:

Researchers Induce Alzheimer’s Neurons From Pluripotent Stem Cells

Do you see how exciting this new research is?

While preliminary, it is exciting to think it can lead to new study of Alzheiemer’s disease. And new treatments, including new approaches to treatment may be in the near future. Surely they are closer than they were a decade ago!

Are you caring for or worried about someone with Alzheimer’s?

You’re not alone. With over 5 million persons in the U.S. with Alzheimer’s, those numbers are huge. And even more concerning is the projected numbers in 2050 – triple what they are today!

In the midst of all those people affected, it’s easy to feel isolated and alone when you are caring for someone with any dementia.

Wondering why caregiving can be lonely?

Problems arise on the weekends or at night, or just anytime you’re the only one available.

It takes a certain kind of compassion to give of yourself to another, and to care for her when she can no longer care for herself. Not everyone has it.

I call it the heart of a caregiver.

It’s probably an important part of who you are. And definitely it’s why you do what you do.

Caregiving may be the hardest thing you ever do…and the best. You’re giving yourself to someone you love.

Even if she can no longer love you…

Is caregiving a journey you don’t see an end to? Or a happy ending?

Caregiving can make getting lost on the highway seem like a piece of cake!

Are you feeling alone and lost in caregiving?