According to the World Health Organization, 47.5 million people worldwide are living with dementia, a number that is expected to more than triple by 2050. A diagnosis of dementia is frightening and overwhelming for those who have it and for their families. Early detection is critical to ensure quality care and to enable patients and… Continue reading Undiagnosed Dementia Puts Elders at Risk
Tag: dementia
Dementia on the Downslide
In a hopeful sign for the health of the nation’s brains, the percentage of American seniors with dementia is dropping, according to a November 2016 study done at the University of Michigan and published in JAMA Internal Medicine. A release from the university reports that the downward trend has emerged despite something else the study… Continue reading Dementia on the Downslide
A Prostate-Cancer Treatment May Be Linked to Dementia
Prostate-cancer patients who are treated with testosterone-lowering drugs may be twice as likely to develop dementia within five years as those whose testosterone levels are not treated, according to a new study. The research, conducted at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, also demonstrates emerging techniques… Continue reading A Prostate-Cancer Treatment May Be Linked to Dementia
Six Signs That A Person with Dementia Might Wander
Anyone living with a form of dementia such as Alzheimer’s is at risk of wandering. “It’s predicted that six of 10 individuals with Alzheimer’s will wander during the disease process,” says Monica Moreno, director of Early-Stage Initiatives for the Alzheimer’s Association. That’s why it’s important to watch for the potential signs that someone could be… Continue reading Six Signs That A Person with Dementia Might Wander
Study: Caffeine Linked with Reduced Risk of Dementia
Good news for female caffeine consumers: Higher caffeine intake in women is associated with reduced odds of developing dementia or cognitive impairment, according to the results of a new study. The findings were published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. Among a group of older women, self-reported caffeine consumption… Continue reading Study: Caffeine Linked with Reduced Risk of Dementia
Understanding and Coping with Behavioral Changes in Seniors
Aging can bring a cascade of physical and emotional changes. The variety of resulting behavioral changes may baffle or worry an older adult’s loved ones. As America’s population increasingly grays – the proportion of those 65 and over will account for 20% of U.S. residents within 25 years, according to the American Psychological Association –… Continue reading Understanding and Coping with Behavioral Changes in Seniors
The Depression/Dementia Connection
Editor’s note: Depression can be devastating for the sufferer and his or her loved ones, but when paired with dementia, it can be especially heartbreaking. Here, from the experts at Generations Healthcare, a network of skilled nursing, memory care and rehabilitation facilities in California, is an explanation of the link between depression and dementia, and… Continue reading The Depression/Dementia Connection
Exercise Improves Brain as Well as Body
Researchers have discovered that regular physical activity for older adults could lead to higher brain volumes and a reduced risk for developing dementia. The investigators, from UCLA, found that physical activity particularly affected the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain controlling short-term memory. Also, the protective effect of regular physical… Continue reading Exercise Improves Brain as Well as Body
Can a Dementia Diagnosis Have a Silver Lining?
Results from a study of patients with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia indicates that their outlook isn’t as dark as expected. A group of scientists from the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging asked 48 men and women with early dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) a series of questions… Continue reading Can a Dementia Diagnosis Have a Silver Lining?
Vacation Advice for Caregivers
Summer vacation season is in full swing, and many people are making plans to get away. For some, the most difficult decisions are choosing where to go and when. For caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, there are a host of other things to consider. “Vacations provide a chance to recharge one’s… Continue reading Vacation Advice for Caregivers
Is It a Memory Lapse or Is It Dementia?
About 10% of all people over the age of 65 have some form of dementia, by the age of 85 that has increased to 30-50%. As the population aged 65 and older continues to increase, the number of people with dementia will increase as well. But millions more elders who forget a name or why… Continue reading Is It a Memory Lapse or Is It Dementia?
The Other Dementias
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely… Continue reading The Other Dementias
Unsafe Behaviors in Older Adults Who Likely Have Dementia
Older adults who likely have dementia but have not been given the diagnosis are more likely to engage in potentially unsafe activities, suggests research published in June 2016 inthe Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. A release from the publisher explains that among 7,609 Medicare beneficiaries, those with probable dementia were more likely to drive,… Continue reading Unsafe Behaviors in Older Adults Who Likely Have Dementia
Could Your OTC Antacid Put You at Risk for Heart Disease, Dementia, and Kidney Failure?
Chronic use of over-the-counter drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) speeds up the aging of blood vessels, according to a paper published early online in May 2016 in Circulation Research, an American Heart Association journal. This accelerated aging in humans could lead to increased cardiovascular disease, vascular dementia, and… Continue reading Could Your OTC Antacid Put You at Risk for Heart Disease, Dementia, and Kidney Failure?
More Exercise May Reduce Memory Loss
Older people who are physically active have larger gray matter volume in key brain areas responsible for memory and cognition, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UCLA. The findings, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, showed also that people who had Alzheimer’s disease or… Continue reading More Exercise May Reduce Memory Loss
Hypertension and Dementia: A Frightening Connection
According to the National Institutes of Health, a growing body of scientific evidence indicates that uncontrolled high blood pressure is not only the leading cause of stroke but may also be linked to cognitive decline and dementia. As a result, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), one of the institutes of NIH,… Continue reading Hypertension and Dementia: A Frightening Connection
Lack of Vitamin D Shows A Strong Link to Dementia
Researchers have found a strong link between Vitamin D insufficiency and memory loss that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The effect of the insufficiency is “substantial,” according to the experts from the University of California Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Rutgers University. They discovered that people with low vitamin D levels declined at… Continue reading Lack of Vitamin D Shows A Strong Link to Dementia
Alzheimer’s Patients & Caregivers Prefer Support over Research for Cure
More than $100 million in federal funding was spent last year toward searching for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, if given the choice, most people with dementia and those caring for them would like to see the money go elsewhere, according to a recent study led by University at Buffalo researcher Davina Porock and… Continue reading Alzheimer’s Patients & Caregivers Prefer Support over Research for Cure