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Dementia and the Flu

Seems like an odd combination, no? Dementia and the flu. Researchers from the Tufts University School of Medicine found that there may indeed be a connection between dementia and the flu… and it’s not a good one. Seniors with dementia seem to be diagnosed with the flu less often. They have shorter hospital stays if they are diagnosed with the flu, and are more likely to die from the flu or complications of the flu than seniors without dementia. The research team looked at five years of data from the U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. That data included … Continue reading →

Warning Signs for Depression in Seniors

The signs of depression in senior citizens can be subtle — especially if the person does not want to acknowledge that they have a problem. For today’s older adults, an admission of a mental problem like depression often meant a trip to an institution for care. That would make me reluctant to speak up, for sure. Knowing the warning signs of depression in seniors can help. Depression that comes late in life may not look like the depression seen in younger people. Watch for mood changes — especially in the wake of a major life change like moving, losing a … Continue reading →

Caretaker Stories: What’s a Solon?

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Research has shown that one great thing you can do to keep your mind sharp is play games. Crossword puzzles, sudoku, logic problems, and more — they’re all good for your brain. My grandmother — who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease — resists many of the brain workouts we encourage her to do. One thing she’s always loved is playing Scrabble. Lucky for us, Scrabble is a good way to engage the brain… so we can get her to play on a daily basis. The last time I was home for a visit, I sat down for a Scrabble game with … Continue reading →

High Blood Pressure Linked to Dementia

Did you really need ANOTHER reason to take care of your high blood pressure? Here’s one for you — high blood pressure has been linked to dementia by research from Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Researchers tracked more than nine hundred elderly people in New York starting in 1992. The average age of the study participants was seventy-six. None of the participants had any form of cognitive impairment (dementia) when the study began. Participants were examined every eighteen months for more than four years. Approximately one third of study participants developed mild cognitive impairment during the course of … Continue reading →

Lower Dementia Risk With the Right Diet

French researchers have been studying diet choices in people aged sixty-five and over. The result? Certain foods can help cut your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers from the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research tracked the diets of more than eight thousand people over the age of sixty-five for four years. Out of that group, 183 developed Alzheimer’s disease and another 98 developed a different form of dementia. Here are some of the study results: People who ate a diet full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids were sixty percent less likely to develop dementia than people … Continue reading →

Why You Need More Sleep

I’m not sure if it’s the heat or what, but lately I’ve been dragging. The last few days, all I want to do is stay in bed! When the alarms go off, I hit snooze and head back to dreamland. Yes, I have two alarm clocks — one next to the bed, as a pre-waker-upper and one across the room so I actually do have to get out of bed. It usually works to get me up and moving. As if we need proof that more sleep is better for us than less sleep, here are a few great things … Continue reading →

Ten Ways Pet Therapy Is Helpful

Pet therapy helps people in so many different ways. Exercise long-term recall skills. Asking a person about the pets they have owned can trigger all kinds of happy memories. Talking about pets you’ve known helps develop your cognitive skills. Exercise short-term memory. Asking a person to describe a pet who just visited is a good workout for the short-term memory. A well-trained dog could take a series of commands from a patient — the pup will be happy with the attention and the patient will get a chance to bond with the dog. Develop speech and communication skills. Many people … Continue reading →

Age and Driving

How old is too old to drive? Getting older doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give up your license and independence; your health and mental state are more important to your ability to drive than the number of candles on your cake. General effects of aging include muscle weakness, joint stiffness, and reduced flexibility. Your reflexes start to slow down, too. All these things together may give you trouble turning the steering wheel or using the brakes. Severe arthritis may make it hard for you to grip the wheel or look over your shoulder to check for oncoming traffic. Night … Continue reading →

Skin Test For Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers are working on a new test to help detect Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages. The skin test is being worked on by folks at the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center. The concept behind the new test is this: Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t only affect the brain. The disease has an impact on the entire body. The new skin test for Alzheimer’s looks at two different enzymes that affect proteins in the brain. These proteins are typically found in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease; the enzymes are out of balance in the body … Continue reading →

Things All Children Should Know About Adoption

Makala after her first day of school. When most children start school, the idea of having any “other parents” in their lives is something the average child has never thought about. For children who grow up in biological families with the same parents since birth the topic of adoption may never be mentioned. Some of these children may have adopted a pet and understand adoption as something slightly different then that of a child being adopted. When these children meet adopted children, and especially an adopted child who remembers being adopted, it can create a tense and confusing situation for … Continue reading →