dementia views you can use: January 2018

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Ways to boost brain health

Caregivers, and healthcare professionals,here is some great information

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals,

Your residents will love the Amazon Kindle Fire

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here is a way for nurses administrators, social workers and other health care professionals to get an easyceu or two

Follow alzheimersideas on twitter
The Dementia Caregiver's Little Book of Hope [Kindle Edition]

Emeritus Senior Living

Research cited in the NIH-supported journal "Health and Social Work" shows that learning and other measures can foster new neurons and new neural connections even into one's senior years. "Knowing that brain fitness practices have the potential to delay dementia's onset, I encourage everyone to make brain fitness part of their lives," Dr. Paul Nussbaum said.

Starting an exercise program is a key first step.

"Walking daily, dancing and other forms of aerobic activity help blood flow to the brain," Nussbaum said.

Adopting a healthy diet is also important. Nussbaum recommends cutting down on processed foods in favor of those that nourish the brain.

"Fruits and vegetables are beneficial for cognitive health," he said. "So are foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, such as certain fish and nuts, and antioxidants, which are foods containing vitamins A, C or E."

In addition to physical fitness, Nussbaum says three other practices can have a positive impact on your brain:

Socialization: Make an effort to connect and spend time with other people, in person rather than virtually. Research shows that isolation and loneliness increase the risk of developing dementia.
Mental stimulation: The phrase "Use it or lose it" applies to the brain, which craves stimulation and challenges. Engage in mental activities that aren't initially easy for you, whether it's learning a new language, taking up Scrabble or another pastime you haven't tried before. Doing so will stimulate the cortex and build brain reserve.
Spirituality: Research suggests that stress, which has been shown to adversely affect animal brains, is also detrimental for those of humans. It's important to slow down and take the time to engage in spirituality in the way that is most comfortable for you, whether its through daily prayer and regular formal worship or by meditating and reflecting.

"The statistics about Alzheimer's disease are alarming and they demonstrate how crucial it is to adopt a brain fitness program," Nussbaum said. "As 2013 begins, please resolve to incorporate brain health into your daily life. Besides knowing you are engaging in an important practice with lifelong benefits, I think you will find you truly enjoy it."

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Why marijuana makes you more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.

IOS Press

As the U.S. races to legalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational use, a new, large scale brain imaging study gives reason for caution. Published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a sophisticated imaging study that evaluates blood flow and activity patterns, demonstrated abnormally low blood flow in virtually every area of the brain, in nearly 1,000 marijuana users compared to healthy controls. The marijuana users' low blood flow patterns included areas known to be affected by Alzheimer’s pathology such as the hippocampus.

Continued below image...

IMAGE LEGEND: Example of a volume rendered brain SPECT image (top down view) of a healthy control compared to an 18-year old daily user of marijuana. While the control subject has symmetric activity, the marijuana user shows overall decreased perfusion.

All data were obtained for analysis from a large multi-site database, involving 26,268 patients who came for evaluation of complex, treatment resistant issues to one of nine outpatient neuropsychiatric clinics across the United States (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Fairfield, and Brisbane, CA, Tacoma and Bellevue, WA, Reston, VA, Atlanta, GA and New York, NY) between 1995-2015. Of these, 982 current or former marijuana users had brain SPECT at rest and during a mental concentration task compared to almost 100 healthy controls. Predictive analytics with discriminant analysis was done to determine if brain SPECT regions can distinguish marijuana user brains from controls brain. Low blood flow in the hippocampus in marijuana users reliably distinguished marijuana users from controls. The right hippocampus during a concentration task was the single most predictive region in distinguishing marijuana users from their normal counterparts. Marijuana use is thought to interfere with memory formation by inhibiting activity in this part of the brain.

According to one of the co-authors on the study Elisabeth Jorandby, M.D., “As a physician who routinely sees marijuana users, what struck me was not only the global reduction in blood flow in the marijuana users brains, but that the hippocampus was the most affected region due to its role in memory and Alzheimer’s disease. Our research has proven that marijuana users have lower cerebral blood flow than non-users. Second, the most predictive region separating these two groups is low blood flow in the hippocampus on concentration brain SPECT imaging. This work suggests that marijuana use has damaging influences in the brain – particularly regions important in memory and learning and known to be affected by Alzheimer’s.”

Dr. George Perry, Editor in Chief of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease said, “Open use of marijuana, through legalization, will reveal the wide range of marijuana’s benefits and threats to human health. This study indicates troubling effects on the hippocampus that may be the harbingers of brain damage.”

Friday, January 26, 2018

Best ways to communicate with those who have dementia

The following tips can help make communications with those experiencing memory loss meaningful:

Center yourself. As soon as you start to get upset or frustrated, stop and concentrate on taking deep, slow breaths while focusing on something that makes you feel calm and collected.
Use empathy. Using empathy to connect includes focusing on the experience of your loved one with memory loss. It is important to connect with their feelings, rather than the context of their words.
Enter their world. Unless your loved one is in the very early stage of memory loss and wants to be reminded of a date, time or other reality based topic, join their journey rather than force reality on them.
Ask open questions. Use open-ended questions to redirect the conversation and to show that you’re interested in exploring what is important to them. For example, if your loved one is insisting on visiting their deceased mother, rather than reminding them that she passed away, ask her to tell you about her mother and listen with empathy as she expresses her feelings.
Try asking the extreme. Asking the extreme means that you ask the person to tell you the best or worst thing about what they are expressing.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Late night snacks help wandering in those with dementia

On the Move

Like many nursing homes, the Parker Jewish Institute in New Hyde Park, N.Y., was having problems with some of its dementia patients wandering at night. The staff worried about falls, but they didn't want to hand out more psychotropic medicines to make the patients sleepy. The medications often had harsh side-effects and actually increased the risk of falling.

At the same time, of the 42 residents, 8 to 10 were constantly moving.

But one night, a certified nursing assistant accidentally stumbled on a solution.

"Off We Go..."

Her boss, Aura Gordon, an RN manager, told the story this week at the Aging in America conference in Chicago. A patient, "a lovely man," got out of bed around 2 a.m., as was his custom, picked up his newspaper and headed down the hall. He was preparing to "go to the market," which had been his pattern when he was working. The nurse saw him and figured if he thought he was going to work, he should eat a little something. She gave him a slice of cake and a cup of coffee. He ate the cake, drank the coffee, and then went back to bed.

Thus began the midnight snack program at 8 South, a unit at Parker. Within weeks, Gordon has persuaded the home to provide snacks for the nighttime wanderers: cake, sandwiches, cookies, pudding, Jell-O, juices, coffee. They added bananas when they discovered that one very agitated woman -- who didn't want to eat the nursing home food because she thought it was poisoned -- immediately calmed down when she had a banana. They don't know why, but now they always have bananas on hand. And they make sure some of the snacks are sugar-free, for their diabetic patients.

Munchies Mean Fewer Sores, Falls and Injuries

Gordon says patients with dementia often don't know what time it is, which causes some to get up at all hours, ready to go. They get confused, and sometimes even violent, when they are urged back into their rooms and to bed. She reported that, since the snack program began, they saw falls and related injuries decrease by 50 percent. And, they also saw a decrease in pressure sores (also known as bed sores, or nosocomial ulcers). Now, she says, there are no sores in all of 8 South.

It's not rigorous scientific research, but 8 South is much calmer now, 24 hours a day.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Birthdays in long term care

I think many of your residents like celebrating their birthday as well because it is a day that they are special and can be treated like a king or queen. Usually you have a monthly birthday party where residents young and old born in a particular month are recognized and honored. Everyone eats cake and ice cream because of them. Who doesn’t like cake and ice cream?

Here are some other ideas for a monthly birthday party for your residents. Every month has special days associated with it. I talk about these special days discussing facts about them and asking the residents questions about them. Of course, we cheer for those giving the correct answer. I also find songs related to the special days and alternate songs with discussions.

During the month I pass out homemade, resident made or computer generated cards about a particular subject occurring that month with several questions about the topic. I invite residents to answer the questions with space provided on the card. Then I and other staff members collect the cards. During the party I have several residents pick a winning card from those that have been turned in. The more residents that turn in the cards, the more prizes I give out. I also give out certificates to those who turned in a card but did not win a prize

I have a hanging pocket organizer hanging on a wall in a central location with these special cards and various other independent activities the residents can do when no activity staff is around.

Anyway back to the party. We always serve the cake and ice cream last because it seems like once the residents have something to eat, they want to leave.

I find that I can fill up an hour of time pretty easily with this strategy. I then can have entertainment on another day thus stretching my activity budget.

Monday, January 22, 2018

Stay mentally sharp with brain games

A series of scientific studies demonstrate three good ways to exercise your brain in a way that appears to fight off Alzheimer's. The three ways are:

Brain games
Complex work
Education

This video is a short highlight. Scroll to the end of this article to see the 48-minute scientific presentation video. Article continues below...

The studies add to the current body of evidence that modifiable risk factors can help build resilience to age-related cognitive decline.

A scientifically tailored cognitive training program, typically referred to as "Brain Games," led to a reduction in risk of developing cognitive decline or dementia over the 10-year course of a research study.\

According to these reports, formal education and complex work may also increase resilience to cognitive decline and dementia, even in people at high risk for the disease because of unhealthful diet or blood vessel problems in the brain. Additionally, resilience factors may vary between men and women at high genetic risk of Alzheimer’s. In one study, researchers from the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute presented new data that suggests that people whose work requires complex thinking and/or activities are better able to withstand the onset of Alzheimer’s. Results (reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Toronto) suggest that working with people, rather than data or physical things, contributed the most to the protective effect.

“These new data add to a growing body of research that suggests more stimulating lifestyles, including more complex work environments with other people, are associated with better cognitive outcomes in later life,” said Maria C. Carrillo, PhD, Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer.

“As each new study emerges, we further understand just how powerful cognitive reserve can be in protecting the brain from disease. As we’ve heard at AAIC this year, formal education and complex occupation could potentially do more than just slow cognitive decline –they may actually help compensate for the cognitive damage done by bad diet and small vessel disease in the brain. In metaphorical terms, we can see how cognitive reserve is taking on super power status,” Carrillo said. “It is becoming increasingly clear that in addition to searching for pharmacological treatments, we need to address lifestyle factors to better treat and ultimately prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”

Note: “Cognitive reserve” describes the ability of the brain to withstand damage and maintain function. Resilience is generally evaluated behaviorally, while damage is evaluated through microscopic examination of cells and tissue. Childhood cognition, educational attainment, and adult occupation all contribute to cognitive reserve.

Brain Games May Help Compensate for Poor Diets

The role of nutrition as a determinant of successful aging is a growing area of scientific exploration. Although the quality of one’s diet and indicators of cognitive reserve have been associated with cognitive function in previous studies, there is little understanding of how the combination of these factors may influence cognitive function. In light of that, this study sought to understand whether indicators of cognitive reserve protected cognitive function against the impact of poor diet.

Matthew Parrott, PhD, of Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, and colleagues measured adherence to a traditional “Western” dietary pattern (characterized by consumption of red and processed meats, white bread, potatoes, pre-packaged foods and sweets) in 351 independently living older adults. Alongside each participant’s educational attainment, occupational complexity and social engagement, responses to a questionnaire on food consumption were analyzed and considered.

Over a three-year period, the researchers found that a “Western” diet is associated with more cognitive decline in older adults. However, individuals in the study eating a “Western” diet who also had a mentally stimulatinglifestyle were protected from cognitive decline.

“Our results show the role higher educational attainment, mentally stimulating work and social engagement can play in protecting your brain from cognitive decline, counteracting some negative effects of an unhealthy diet,” said Parrott. “This adds to the growing body of evidence showing how various lifestyle factors may combine to increase or protect against vulnerability to Alzheimer’s disease.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Aphasia in Alzheimer's

Aphasia affects a person's ability to communicate. It affects language functions, such as speaking, understanding what others say, and naming common objects. Learn its causes, types and a few tips.

What is Aphasia

Aphasia (ah-FA-ze-ah) is a language disorder that affects the ability to communicate. "Aphasia" is a general term used to refer to deficits in language functions, such as speaking, understanding what others are saying, and naming common objects. It is caused by damage to the portions of the brain that are responsible for language. Aphasia is not a disease, but a symptom of brain damage. The type and severity of language dysfunction in Alzheimer's is somewhat random, as it depends on the precise location and extent of the damaged brain tissue.

Alzheimer's & Aphasia

Alzheimer's symptoms fall into two categories:

Cognitive (Intellectual) Symptoms
Psychiatric Symptoms

The cognitive symptoms include "The 4 Cognitive 'A's of Alzheimer's". These are:

Aphasia
Apraxia
Agnosia
Amnesia

4 Types of Aphasia

Generally, aphasia can be divided into four broad categories:

Expressive aphasia involves difficulty in conveying thoughts through speech or writing. The patient knows what he wants to say, but cannot find the words he needs.Expressive aphasia may be non-fluent, in which case a person has trouble:
- Finding the right words
- Saying more than one word or phrase at a time
- Speaking overall
Another kind of expressive aphasia is fluent aphasia. People who have fluent aphasia may be able to put many words together. But what they say may not make sense. They are often unaware that they are not making sense.
Receptive aphasia involves difficulty understanding spoken or written language. The patient hears the voice or sees the print but cannot make sense of the words.
Anomic or amnesia aphasia is the least severe form of aphasia. In this type of aphasia, people have difficulty in using the correct names for particular objects, people, places, or events.
Global aphasia results from severe and extensive damage to the language areas of the brain. Patients lose almost all language function, both comprehension and expression. They cannot speak or understand speech, nor can they read or write.

Therapy

Language therapy can help and should be tailored to the individual needs of the patient. Rehabilitation with a speech pathologist involves extensive exercises in which patients read, write, follow directions, and repeat what they hear. Computer-aided therapy may supplement standard language therapy.

Care Tips

There are simple ways to keep distractions and noise down, such as:

Turn off background music, news or TV.
Move to a quieter room.

Always assume that the person with aphasia is listening and understanding. Talk in adult language, never make them feel like children. Do not pretend to understand them if you do not.

If they cannot understand you, do not shout. Unless the person also has a hearing problem, shouting will not help. Make eye contact when talking to the person.

When asking questions:

Ask yes/no questions.
Give clear choices for possible answers. Do not offer too many choices.
Visual cues help.

When giving instructions:

Break them down into small, simple steps.
Allow time for the person to understand. Sometimes this can be a lot longer than you expect.
If frustrated, consider switching activities.

Encourage a person with aphasia to communicate in other ways, such as:

Pictures
Pointing
Hand gestures

It may help everyone to have a book of pictures or words about common topics or people. This can make communication a lot easier.

Generally, it is a good idea to keep them involved in conversations. Check to make sure they understand, without pushing too hard or causing more frustration.

Do not correct when they remember a thing incorrectly.

When leaving anyone with speech problems by themselves, make sure they have ID with:

Contact info of family members or caregivers
An exlanation of their speech problem and basics on communicating.

Questions for your Doctor or Nurse

Take a few minutes to write your own questions for the next time you see your healthcare provider:

How long will I need therapy?
Will my aphasia go away?
How can I find a stroke or aphasia support group?

Care Tips

How can family, friends and caregivers help?

A person with aphasia and family members will need the help and support of a doctor, counselor and speech pathologist. It's a good idea for family and friends to:

Be open about the problem so people can understand.
Set up a daily routine for the person with aphasia that includes rest and time to practice skills.
Use sentences that are short and to the point.
Stand where the person with aphasia can see you.
Treat the patient as an adult, keeping him or her involved in all possible routines. No one likes to be ignored. Include the patient in your conversation.
Help the person with aphasia cope with feelings of frustration and depression.
Be patient with the person with aphasia. Give them the time they need to try to speak and get their point across to you. This respects their dignity.
Talk to your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professionals.

MORE INFORMATION:

10 Types of Dementia

Thursday, January 18, 2018

A brain healthy salad

BRAIN-HEALTHY RECIPE:

This mindful dish is no boring salad. It appeals to all the senses: beautiful to look at, delicious to taste, a refreshing aroma from dementia-shielding citrus and a satisfying crunch from brain-healthy, antioxidant rich Pecans.

In this recipe, avocados sub for the cheese, while toasted Georgia Pecans sub for the crunch of croutons and flavor hit of bacon (You could even use smoked pecans).

INGREDIENTS:

For the salad:

1-2 heads bibb lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch arugula, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 Haas avocados, ripe but firm, peeled and cubed
2 ruby red or pink grapefruits, peeled and segmented, reserve excess juice
½ cup toasted Georgia pecan halves (toasted in a sauté pan)
¼ cup minced fresh parsley.
For the dressing:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Juice from segmented grapefruit (approx 3 tablespoons)
Fresh ground salt and black pepper to taste.

PREPARATION:

On large platter arrange the lettuce and arugula.
On the bed of greens arrange the avocado and grapefruit segments.
Combine the ingredients for the dressing and drizzle over the entire salad.
Garnish with toasted Georgia Pecans.
Add final garnish of minced parsley.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Pecans for all even if you have dementia

1. THE ANTIOXINUT

The University of Massachusetts Lowell studied pecan's effects on the brain, as described in the article, "Pecans Provide Neurological Protection." Antioxidant-rich pecans were shown to be an exceptionally rich source of of Alzheimer's-fighting antioxidants.

Eating pecans along with a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and wholegrains every day will help ensure a diet high in antioxidants.

Pecans:
A Brain-Healthy Treat

Pecans provide neurological protection and are enjoyable on any occasion. An exceptionally rich source of Alzheimer's-fighting antioxidants, natural pecans are available in a variety of ways, from Amazon.com or your local store.

Browse Pecans >>

Crunchy and delicious, pecans also pack a nutritional punch. Pecans have the highest level of antioxidants among all tree nuts, and are one of the top 20 power foods for antioxidant capacity, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The antioxidant compounds found naturally in pecans include:

Vitamin E
Ellagic acid
Flavonoids

These antioxidants are believed to help prevent disease-causing oxidation in cells which has been linked to developing Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of dementia.

2. FIGHTS FAT

Pecans are also a smart option when it comes to fighting unhealthy, brain-threatening fat. Clinical research from Harvard University School of Public Health suggests that as nut consumption increases, body fat and overall weight actually decreases. In the Harvard study, people following a weight-loss diet that contained 35 percent of calories from fat, including pecans, were able to keep weight off longer than people following a traditionally recommended lower fat diet.

Nuts are a part of most universally accepted balanced diets, such as the "Mediterranean Diet," which includes fish, poultry, vegetables, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, grains, olives and olive oil.

Mediterranean Chicken-Pecan Salad

RECIPE:

The Mediterranean Diet has the reputation of being the best way of eating to lower the risk of Alzheimer's. Try this Mediterranean Chicken-Pecan Salad dish rich in cognitive-enhancing saffron and brain-boosting pecans.

CLICK FOR RECIPE »

MORE BRAIN-HEALTHY RECIPES:

3. FIGHTS CHOLESTEROL

Pecans may also reduce cholesterol. Research from California’s Loma Linda University and New Mexico State University shows levels of so-called “bad” cholesterol (LDL) drop when pecans are part of a daily diet. Pecans get this cholesterol-lowering ability, in part, from the presence of beta-sitosterol, a natural cholesterol-lowering compound. Eating one-and-a-half ounces of pecans a day (27 to 30 pecan halves), as part of a heart-healthy diet, may even reduce the risk of heart disease.

Pecans make a great addition to every meal. Add them to your morning oatmeal or yogurt, substitute pecans for croutons in lunchtime salads for a flavorful crunch (see our Pecan Salad with Avocado Grapefruit Vinaigrette recipe), or use ground pecans with the seasoning of your choice as delicious breading for meat or fish supper dishes. Any way you chop them, pecans are a tasty addition to just about every recipe!

THE PECAN MARKET AND ALZHEIMER'S

A Wall Street Journal video and article discusses how "Chinese Demand Reshapes U.S. Pecan Business." Pecan prices have risen dramatically due to demand from China, where it has attained a reputation for many benefits, including protecting against Alzheimer's.

Antioxidants are well-established promoters of brain health and Alzheimer's prevention. To highlight the antioxidant power of pecans, The Georgia Pecan Commission came up with a creative name when they dubbed pecans the “AntioxiNUT”. This was to bring out that pecans are the most antioxidant-rich tree nut. They rank in the top 15 highest antioxidant capacity foods.

Many brands of pecans have received the American Heart Association’s Heart Check-mark signifying heart healthy status.These include Fisher Pecans and San Saba Pecans.

Pecans are a great gourmet present on any occasion. Natural and neuroprotective, they come in attractive baskets or easy-to-enjoy trays. Amazon.com offers a variety of pecan packages, providing dozens of ways to enjoy brain-healthy pecans with family & friends.

Says registered dietitian Carolyn O’Neil, “They're not only high in protein, but also in oleic acid, the same type of healthy fat found in olive oil. Enjoying a few as a nutritious snack can help keep hunger at bay so you don't over eat at meals. So enjoy a handful - not a ‘can-ful’.”

Disclaimer: The Georgia Pecan Commission has no affiliation with Alzheimer's Weekly. The information above is for educational purposes only.