Frederick, MD 
301-663-9230David Wingate donates $500 to the Alzheimer Association
David Wingate donates $500 to the Alzheimer Association, after winning the raffle at Frederick's Right at Home.
David Wingate donates $500 to the Alzheimer Association, after winning the raffle at Frederick's Right at Home.
A new study shows that the financial burden for a dementia patient is at least as high as that of heart disease or cancer. It is projected that both the costs and the number of people with dementia will more than double within 30 years. The study reported that each case of dementia costs approximately $41,000 to $56,000 a year. The New York Times has the story.
Last week at the White House, President Obama unveiled the “BRAIN” Initiative—a bold new research effort to revolutionize our understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury. The BRAIN Initiative — short for Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies — promises to accelerate the invention of new technologies that will help researchers produce real-time pictures of complex neural circuits and visualize the rapid-fire interactions of cells that occur at the speed of thought. Such cutting-edge capabilities, applied to both simple and complex systems,…
You may have to deal with personality changes and difficult behaviors. You may be asked the same question over and over. You typically face issues with bathing, dressing and toileting. Your loved one may wander off if you aren't careful. What I want to achieve in this article is to offer some ideas about five things Alzheimer's caregivers should never do: Don't Be in Denial The problem with denial is it doesn't lead you to take your loved one to a primary care physician or neurologist for a complete workup. And the problem with that is that sometimes dementia is…
We all know that the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementing disease is one of the most dreaded things that an individual can experience. But what happens next is equally bad: where do you turn for information, what can and can’t you do, when is it safe to drive or be out? There are no easy answers, but everything does not have to be as negative and clinical as some medical practitioners make it out to be. Some people have started informal social groups to help deal with the new diagnosis and how to do things….
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are among the most significant issues facing the elderly and their loved ones. Because people with dementia often lose the ability to communicate over time, they are especially vulnerable and need special care. To help improve care and the public’s understanding of dementia care standards, the Long Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC) has developed a new brochure designed especially for families and individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. This resource, Get the Facts about Antipsychotic Drugs and Dementia Care, developed with support from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will…
Bernard Cott contracted with a home care agency to provide the services of an in-home caregiver to care for his wife, defendant Lorraine Cott, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Lorraine injured the caregiver, Carolyn Gregory, who thereupon sued Lorraine for battery and Lorraine and Bernard for negligence and premises liability. The court entered summary judgment for the Cotts on the ground of primary assumption of risk. On appeal, the decision was affirmed. The court stated that, as a general rule, persons have a duty to use due care to avoid injury to others, and may be held liable if their…
Proposed U.S. guidelines may make it easier for drug companies to test Alzheimer's treatments in people at an earlier stage, when scientists think they may have the best shot at working. The draft guidance document, issued by the FDA, reflects changes in scientists' understanding of Alzheimer's. They now believe the disease begins at least a decade before symptoms appear. "The scientific community and the FDA believe that it is critical to identify and study patients with very early Alzheimer's disease before there is too much irreversible injury to the brain," said Dr. Russell Katz, Director of the Division of Neurology…
While the Alzheimer’s research is encouraging, there is a long way to go before Alzheimer's disease is considered preventable. The best treatment for Alzheimer's right now is to catch it early and then work to slow the symptoms. Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed via an extensive evaluation done by a qualified clinician, looking to rule out other potential causes of the symptoms of dementia. There is also a basic memory screening test which can evaluate language skills, memory, and cognitive abilities. While it cannot detect Alzheimer's definitively at this time, the basic memory screening test can indicate whether further screening is…
Doctors at Johns Hopkins University are experimenting with a breakthrough surgical procedure that will hopefully help combat Alzheimer’s disease. According to a report by Johns Hopkins Medicine , doctors implanted one of the devices Thursday. The medical team at Johns Hopkins was the first to perform this surgery in the United States The procedure involves placing a pacemaker of sorts on the brain. The device works similarly to a pacemaker for the heart but instead it stimulates the brain. The same procedure is used to battle Parkinson’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease robs its victims of their memory and ability to perform…
