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How to Enjoy the Holidays with loved ones who have Alzheimer's

12/13/2017

This year over 15 million people in the U.S. provide unpaid care for someone with AD (Alzheimer's disease) according to alz.org. If you or someone you know are involved, these easy suggestions - adapted from an article I wrote for One Generation - will help the holidays be a time everyone enjoys together.

Interacting with the grandchildren can be a joy when you have activities they can do together, like coloring or puzzles, so be prepared. They may also like to look at picture books together or a family scrapbook.
Give her a sense she is still contributing to the family by letting her perform simple repetitive tasks like cleaning the kitchen counters. Simple directions and short sentences are easiest for her to understand.
Remember grandpa's brain is functioning at a much slower rate, so it's helpful to speak slowly and always give warning when an activity is changing, such as moving to the dining table for dinner.
Observe your loved one to see if they need help cutting their food. If serving dishes are passed, don't expect elderly hands to hold up heavy food platters - choose someone to sit next to her who can dish up what she'd like to eat.
If he becomes agitated, play soothing classical music. Watching something repetitive, like fish swimming in an aquarium. Watching waves breaking, or pond ripples can also be calming.
While someone with AD may not always understand what you are saying, she may more often understand the tone of voice and body language. Don't argue with her. Instead, put a smile in your voice and all will flow easier.
Whenever possible, keep a slight smile on your face. Scientific studies have found a "happiness loop" - just as when one feels happy they smile, when you smile your brain thinks you are happy. Try it. You'll be amazed at how quickly you start feeling happier.
Offer affection and reassure him you are happy he is there. Take time to give him a hug or hold his hand. Tell him and show him he is still important to you and the rest of the family.

When you remember to accept your loved one at whatever level they are functioning at, and focus on what they CAN do, a good time can be had by all. Enjoy the holidays.

On a personal note, I have been ill this past year and so will be taking a rest from the blog.
Bless you in all you do to care for others.

Register Now for the "Walk to End Alzheimer's" Near You

9/22/2017

We’ve started early this year: Sunday 9/17 was the Walk to end Alzheimer’s at CBS Studios where Pilots and Troopers from Star Wars Stormed the lot! The day was cool with a light breeze, an unexpectedly perfect day for a walk outdoors. How great to know it is in support of a great cause, ending Alzheimer’s! To find a walk near you, go to alz.org to see a map of the U.S. Click on your area: the screen will pop up to show the different walks near you. Click on the one you want & fill in a short registration form. The end of this post lists several Southern CA Walks.

We love the donation awards. We handed out a free Purple Walk T-shirt to everyone who donated $100. Team Captains received an "alz.org" imprinted collapsible sunshade to keep their car's dashboard cool in the summer heat of the Valley. Champions who raised $1,000 were given a special Champion T-shirt along with bells, whistles, and high-fives from the volunteers. (Sherry pictured at right in her "Adapting to Alzheimer's" T-shirt.)

DRUM CIRCLE and pulsating entertainment
provided by positive souls Alan and Michael
from RUMBLING RHYTHMS. Liven up your
next event with them, creating community,
fostering creativity, & building character
through rhythm. Kids through Seniors love it.
See website at www.AlanBruni.com

The walk to the Stage area was lined with refreshment booths serving water, fresh Red Delicious apples, yogurt, fig bars, and more. Next were helpful people in information booths that offer services to Alzheimer's caregivers. Among others, these included resources for senior living such as Meridian, support help for home care such as 123 Home Health Care, and One Generation for a senior center with excellent day programs.

Date         City                    Walk Location
Sat 9/3     Escondido             Kit Carson Park, North County
Sun 9/24 Westside               Tongva Park, Santa Monica
Sat 9/30   Oxnard                  The Collection at River Park
Sat 9/30   Beach Cities      Hermosa Beach Pier Plaza
Sat 9/30 Irvine       Orange County Great Park
Sat 10/7 Santa Clarita       Bridgeport Park
Sat 10/7   Huntington Beach Bolsa Chica State Beach
Sat 10/14 Long Beach           Rainbow Lagoon Park
Sat 10/14 N. Orange County Cal State U Fullerton
Sat 10/21 Thousand Oaks     Cal Lutheran U
Sat 10/28 Santa Barbara       FessParker Doubletree Resort
Sun 11/5 Los Angeles           LA Live

Retina Scans Can Now Confirm Alzheimer's

8/27/2017

Cedars Sinai has released their findings that Alzheimer's disease plaques show up on the retina of the eye -
which correspond to plaque in parts of the brain - making the development of early AD detection feasible.

The following is from USA Today:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/08/22/can-eye-scan-detect-alzheimers-years-advance/589166001/?WT.mc_id=enews2017_08_27&utm_source=enews-aff-21&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews-2017-08-27
"Researchers say early indicators of Alzheimer's disease exist within our eyes, meaning a non-invasive eye scan could tip us off to Alzheimer's years before symptoms occur.

It turns out the disease affects the retina — the back of the eye — similarly to how it affects the brain, notes neuroscience investigators at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California. Through a high-definition eye scan, the researchers found they could see buildup of toxic proteins, which are indicative of Alzheimer's.

"The findings suggest that the retina may serve as a reliable source for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis," said Cedars-Sinai associate professor Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, lead author of the study, which published Thursday in the journal JCI Insight. "One of the major advantages of analyzing the retina is the repeatability, which allows us to monitor patients and potentially the progression of their disease."

In another find, the study uncovered plaques in unchecked regions of the retina, said research associate Yosef Koronyo. The amount of plaque in the retina matched the plaque in certain parts of the brain.

"Now we know exactly where to look to find the signs of Alzheimer's disease as early as possible," he said.

Book Interview, Writer's Almanac West

6/20/2017

Sherry was interviewed by Lynnelle Paulick on the Writer's Almanac West radio show, KSCB on June 20, 2017 b

a2a_kcsb_6.2017
File Size:	121 kb
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Online Games Help Alzheimer's Research

4/12/2017

A new research project funded by Alzheimer's Disease Research is being featured this month on a PBS science special, The Crowd and The Cloud.

The project, EyesOnALZ, harnesses the power of crowdsourcing – volunteer "citizen scientists" – to accelerate a major study of stalled blood vessels in brains that have Alzheimer's.

In just the first few months since it launched, thousands of citizen scientists have taken to their computers, tablets, and phones to play an online game that analyzes lab images of the blood vessels. The crowd has already sped up the process of Alzheimer's research, providing what would normally be a year's worth of lab work in just two weeks!
Watch this excerpt from the PBS show to learn more about EyesOnALZ and how you can help.
www.pbs.org/video/2365985099

Information from Alzheimer's Disease Research, A BrightFocus Foundation, www.brightfocus.org

2017 Update to AAIC 2016: Alz. Assn. International Conference

3/24/2017

Eye and Smell Tests for AD Diagnosis
     Loss of odor identiﬁcation and changes in the eye may be easy to measure markers which could act as low-cost tools for the detection of brain changes in the early stages of AD.
     Two well-accepted hallmarks of cognitive decline and dementia are: 1) elevated brain beta-amyloid as shown in positron emission tomography (PET) and 2) reduced thickness of the brain’s cortex.
     Odor identiﬁcation tests were equal or better than measures of cortical thickness, but not as good as amyloid PET scans, in detecting cognitive decline and dementia. However, PET scans are more challenging and expensive to run than smell tests, so smell tests have that advantage as an AD screening tool. (*Sherry’s Note: A pioneer physician in PET scans is Dr. Daniel Amen, with clinics in several states, www.amenclinics.com )
     Thinning of retinal nerve layers in the eye may be associated with AD, so retinal imaging has potential as a screening test. In addition, amyloid deposits have been found in the retinas of AD suﬀerers, so retinal amyloid could be used as another marker of AD.
       These are examples of new diagnostic tools that could be used in the future.

More challenging jobs working with people can be protective
     Researchers from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention (WRAP) found that people with more complex jobs, especially those who work with people, were more resistant to AD than those with less challenging jobs. “Interestingly, this finding seemed to be driven by complexity of work with people – but not data or things – suggesting that social interaction in the workplace could play an important role in boosting cognitive reserve.” Elizabeth Boots http://www.med.wisc.edu/news-events/complex-work-with-people-protects-against-alzheimers-disease/48933

Non-Pharmacologic Therapies: an alternative to anti-psychotics
    The "Halting Anti-psychotic use in Long Term care" (HALT) Project led to a 75 percent reduction in the use of anti-psychotic medications in people with dementia. The project’s purpose was to manage patient care with person-centered therapy, rather than using medication. At the end of the study, 121 of 132 subjects did not use anti-psychotics, and the rest were medication-free for 6 months.

Early treatment can reduce costs and mortality
     A presentation at AAIC revealed that there is an economic beneﬁt to ensuring that AD suﬀerers receive the current standard of care for AD medications. Doing so led to lower heath costs and lower patient mortality rates.

Gender diﬀerences in AD
     Of the roughly 5 million Americans with AD at age 65 or older, nearly two-thirds are
women. The reason for this disparity is unknown, but new research has theorized that men may not be accurately diagnosed or that women live longer and, therefore, have a larger diagnostic window. Hormone shifts, like menopause in women or androgen deprivation in men, were shown to be involved in the development of AD. In particular, women who experienced menopause before age 45 where at higher risk of developing AD. Interestingly, widowed or single men were shown to be at higher risk for AD than married men. Future research will focus on deﬁning and understanding these gender differences.
     information above provided by the AAIC

Benefits of Assisted Living

2/3/2017

Benefits to Assisted Living include the ability for you or your family member to eliminate many of the challenges of daily living, such as yard work, cooking, and cleaning, while replacing them with ways to enjoy life more. Below are listed five benefits adapted from elderalliance.org
Interact with Others
There are many activities scheduled and opportunities to engage with others, so you need never be bored or lonely. Pleasant diversions like musical performances, discussion groups, arts & crafts, movies, and more are regularly offered.
Services and Amenities
Most provide an array of amenities such as fitness centers and common areas. Services include transportation to doctor's appointments, shopping, outings and planned activities. Housekeeping is included and if needed, help cab be provided with personal care such as bathing and dressing.
Dining
Sometimes it's hard to get motivated to prepare healthy, nutritious meals when you are only feeding yourself - and it's even harder if there are physical or other health challenges. A variety of delicious, nutritious meals and snacks are offered to residents every day - all with no dishes to wash afterwards!
Safety and Security
Peace of mind comes with the safety and security features of assisted living, such as non-slip flooring, grab bars, and emergency call systems to summon help, which is always available, 24 hours a day.
Improved Independence
Assisted living improves your independence by allowing someone else to do the tasks of cleaning and maintenance, freeing you to pursue more enjoyable hobbies, activities, and opportunities for socialization. A strong social network has been linked to longer, more enjoyable lives in seniors, and is even thought to have a positive effect on retaining cognitive abilities.
Sherry Asks: Is It Time Now?
A recent attendee to one of my seminars said she was concerned because her parents were declining in their abilities to care for themselves. Her mother had finally come right out and said that she could no longer keep up with the house and the cooking and felt they needed to move to assisted living. Her daughter was not ready to face this, as she was afraid. I reassured her that if her parent was to the point of asking for help, it was her responsibility to help them locate an assisted living place which could help them function better, relax more, worry less, and allow them to enjoy their time together. My advice continues to be that if your parent has come to the conclusion themselves that this would be a positive step for them, support them with your help in finding their new home and keeping yourself focused on the positive aspects of the change - especially how much easier life will be for them. It's harder if they don't suggest it themselves, but when you visit look into the refrigerator to be sure the food is fresh; if possible, look at the checkbook or household accounts to be sure bills are being paid; notice if the yard is looking unkempt - these are the types of signs that indicate a simpler life would be easier. Then work to make it happen. You too will enjoy the security of knowing your loved ones are cared for 24/7.

3 Items in Phase III Trials to remove/prevent Brain Plaques

11/12/2016

The premise being evaluated by these three pharmaceuticals is that the amyloid-beta plaques, found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, are the cause of the disease; therefore if the plaques can be removed or prevented from forming, this could make a significant improvement in patient functioning and slow declining abilities. The three products are solanezumab, aducanumab, and verubecestat and act as antibodies to eliminate and/or prevent plaques. SOLANEZUMAB
         In 2015 Lilly reported that solanezumab slowed symptoms of disease progression by two years. As reported in March 2016, “In two previous trials of solanezumab, pharmaceutical company Lilly used both a cognitive test and a functional measurement to track the response of people with both mild and moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Both trials failed to show significant benefits over placebo in either measure.” “However, Lilly noticed that participants with mild Alzheimer’s seemed to do better than controls in the cognitive portion of the testing, says Eric Siemers, a neurologist employed by Lilly.” Final data from a clinical trial targeting 2,100 patients with early Alzheimer’s is expected in 2017. It is anticipated that this product will be targeted to those with mild Alzheimer’s.

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/03/why-big-change-lilly-s-alzheimer-s-trial-not-evidence-its-drug-has-failed-again
ADUCANUMAB
        “Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.” A hypothesis that is being tested is that if the plaques can be prevented from forming – or can be removed after forming - this would slow clinical decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Reported in Nature, September 2016, these results have been experienced in a one year trial using infusions of aducanumab (only 165 participants) and they are moving into phase III trials now. “Should the slowing of clinical decline be confirmed in ongoing phase 3 clinical trials, it would provide compelling support for the amyloid hypothesis.” Made by Biogen.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v537/n7618/full/nature19323.html

VERUBECESTAT
         In Nov. 2016 Merck released information on the success of their brain plaque inhibitor verubecestat, shown to remove amyloid plaques that are prominent in Alzheimer’s disease in the brains of rats, monkeys, and humans. There may even be a possibility that it could prevent amyloid plaques from forming. The limited testing has so far produced no negative side effects.
        There are now “two trials testing long-term outcomes in patients (taking verubecestat). The first involves roughly 2,000 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's for 18 months. The second has around 1,500 participants with early signs of Alzheimer's (as indicated by amyloid plaques revealed in positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans), for two years.
        Solanezumab, aducanumab and verubecestat are all now in “phase III clinical trials (on humans) to assess their efficacy, effectiveness and safety, but the results are promising, experts say.”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-alzheimer-s-drug-clears-milestone-in-human-clinical-trial1/

Thousand Oaks Walk to End Alzheimer's

10/29/2016

Sherry was on the Thousand Oaks Walk to End Alzheimer's committee this year and acted as an event photographer. Here she is with the other two Alzheimer's Association Central Coast Advocates, Teresa Valko and Laura Oldt in the flower garden at Cal Lutheran at the end of the walk.

Empowering the Caregiver Resource Fair

10/28/2016

We know with 14,000 Ventura County residents living with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia, many more need information and support. We have our Fourth Annual Empowering the Caregiver Resource Fair coming up on Saturday, November 5th. Caregivers will hear presentations from Dr. Sutton and neurologist team from Cedars Sinai regarding the latest information available and what to do after a diagnosis. Service providers from: in-home care, residential facilities, VCAAA, elder law and hospice agencies will be on hand to discuss care options. Free lunch and respite care for those with memory loss.