CBS reports that a new radioactive dye may change how Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed and could potentially catch the degenerative disease earlier than ever, see attached video. Typically a doctor will diagnose Alzheimer's in patients when certain symptoms such as memory or cognitive decline are present and other conditions are ruled out, since physical signs of Alzheimer's are often not present on MRI or other scans until later stages of the disease. With the help of this new dye, called florbetapir (Amyvid), researchers at Duke University were able to detect early evidence of the disease in patients with mild or…
The ravages of Alzheimer's disease — memory loss, mood swings, depression and poor judgment, to name just a few — not only affect the 5.4 million Americans with Alzheimer's but also the 15 million-plus unpaid men and women who care for them. Symptoms of the disease can manifest themselves differently in each patient, but ultimately most people living with Alzheimer's will end up unable to function independently. They will have to rely on spouses, siblings, children, friends, neighbors or paid professionals for help. If you're a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's, here are some recommendations: The power of engagement Mental…
Millions of people are affected by dementia, and unfortunately many of them do not have all their estate planning affairs in order before the symptoms start. If you or a loved one has dementia, it may not be too late to sign a will or other documents, but certain criteria must be met to ensure that the signer is mentally competent. In order for a will to be valid, the person signing must have "testamentary capacity," which means he or she must understand the implications of what is being signed. Simply because you have a form of mental illness or…
Founded by Public Safety Officers, Project Lifesaver International (PLI), is an organization whose sole mission is to provide a timely response to save the lives of adults and children with Autism, Alzheimer’s, Down syndrome, Dementia, and other conditions, who wander. Started in 1999, PLI has offered public outreach programs to educate others about wandering. They have also provided equipment, training, certification and support to law enforcement and public safety officials through the country. These trainings include in-depth information on the use of specialized electronic search and rescue equipment technology and most importantly, how to communicate with people with cognitive or…
More than five million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's disease. It takes an average of 30 months from the time family members notice the first symptoms of dementia until the person is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. There are several reasons for this, but one of the principal ones is that family members hesitate to take their loved one to a doctor, fearing that the diagnosis will in fact turn out to be Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is, above all, an insidious illness. It begins with very mild symptoms — things we all do from time to time, such as forgetting to turn…
There is no easy way for a family to deal with a senior grappling with a cognitive mental disease like dementia or Alzheimer's. Like any health problems faced by loved ones, a family's initial reaction is to try to get the senior the help they need. However, at our Elder Law firm we understand that cognitive conditions are tricky, because the injury is not physical and often the senior may not be fully aware that they are even suffering from the problem at all. One elder law advocate recently discussed this challenge in response to a reader question explaining her…
The Brandon Sun reports that the U.S. government has put in place the USA's first ever National Alzheimer's Plan. The primary objective is to develop a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The secondary objective is centered on finding ways to provide more effective day-to-day care for dementia symptoms. Alzheimer's is a disease that attacks the brain. It is the most common form of dementia. However, there is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death. The Washington Times notes that at this stage the plan has not been presented in detail of how it…
Is it aging or something else? Sometimes it can be hard to tell — that’s why experts say we should all be aware of the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Symptoms can include*: – Memory loss that affects day-to-day function. – Difficulty performing familiar tasks. – Problems with language. – Disorientation of time and place. – Poor or decreased judgment. (This symptom can be tricky because a person with Alzheimer’s might not realize they have a health problem that needs attention.) – Problems with abstract thinking. – Misplacing things. – Changes in mood and behaviour. – Changes in…
There isn’t a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, so why does waiting make a difference? The top reason for regret was not being able to access treatment options sooner — options that could help deal the symptoms and potentially slow the progression of the disease. Such treatments could help preserve cognitive functioning and allow people to remain independent longer states an article in Fiftyplus.com. Another reason respondents wished they had known sooner was so they could prepare. Unfortunately, when many patients do get a diagnosis it’s too late for them to make decisions concerning their future — or to be legally,…
Dementia is a generalized term used to refer to brain-related loss of memory, communication and daily skills that hamper a person’s ability to live independently. As dementia progresses, the person’s self care habits decline and there are definite mood and personality changes. Loss of these skills becomes more pronounced as the dementia progresses. Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that accounts for 60 percent to 80 percent of dementia cases states an article in the Bismarck Tribune. What causes dementia? Dementia is caused by the destruction of brain cells. Much is still unknown about how or why people develop…
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