Dementia & Aphasia

Advanceweb.com
by Jason Mosheim

While the underlying causes of aphasia and dementia are distinctly different, the two conditions have a number of similarities. Clinicians may use the same therapy techniques for both patient populations, but the treatment goals will vary.

The root deficit of aphasia is a problem with access to the language system. Patients also may present with some cognitive deficits.

"This is a population with brain damage," said Scott Rubin, PhD, CCC-SLP, an associate professor in the Department of Communication Disorders at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. "It affects language as well as some of the things that might go along with brain damage, like attention and memory problems."

Rather than having trouble with words, patients with dementia may primarily have difficulty understanding and defining concepts. Primarily an intellectual disorder, dementia is rooted in cognitive deficits.

"We need to think about what we're treating," Dr. Rubin told ADVANCE. Clinicians cannot concentrate only on language and neglect subtle conceptual issues.

Both patient populations may use circumlocution to search for words or concepts. However, this self-cueing technique reveals differences between the two conditions. Patients with aphasia eventually may reach their target, while those with dementia frequently end up much further away from it.

"The person with aphasia can maintain the.....read the whole article

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Franklin Study Could Make Difference To Alzheimer's Patients

newschannel5.com/Global/story

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - More than five million Americans now live with Alzheimer's disease - something researchers in Franklin hope to change.

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. There is currently no known cure.

A research study in Franklin has been looking for volunteers to help study a new drug that could make a difference.

Just a year ago, Sandy Boswell was an active, semi-retired carpenter until Alzheimer's robbed him of his memory and any chance of working again.

"Just looking at him today, and his memory from yesterday is very devastating," said Albert Bell.

Bell is Sandy's caregiver. He has enrolled the 73-year-old in the research study.

"We feel by volunteering, maybe with this new drug - at least slow the progression down or cure the disease if not help Mr. Boswell or some other patients," said researcher Dr. William Petrie.

Petrie said the new drug has shown promise with the disease, but more patients are needed to join a nationwide study to learn if the drug works and whether it is safe.

"We will only know years from now if it will work, but it looks......
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For a great resource for those with dementia, caregivers and healthcare professinals, click here

For information on being the best caregiver you can be, click here

For more interesting dementia articles and activities, click here

Important discovery regarding Alzheimer’s disease

Digital Journal | Science
Reports have appeared that a possible drug to deal with Alzheimer’s disease seems to be nearer to becoming a distinct reality.

Drugs company Galapagos announced this today in the scientific journal Science.

The company says that it will be able to start developing a possible medicine that could remedy Alzheimer’s disease.

In order to manufacture a successful medicine you need to have good access to the source of the disease.

The Galapagos company says to have found this medicine target for Alzheimer’s disease.

Galapagos........read the whole article

For more dementia information, click here

For Alzheimer's and dementia activities, click here

For information on being the best caregiver you can be, click here

For a great resource for those with dementia, caregivers and healthcare professinals, click here

Dementia: One Moment at a Time

Here is a beautiful piece which will help you understand dementia better. it is on
mySteinbach.ca
by Larry Hirst

Melony is a health care aid and works in one of the nursing homes in our district. One day, after helping one of the resident’s who is living with dementia get ready for the day the resident looked at her with grateful eyes and said, “I hope you are always my girl.” Melony took this to mean that the resident hoped that she would always be there to help her. Melony wisely responded with a big smile, “I probably won’t always be your girl, but I’m your girl today.” The resident smiled back, the conversation was over but in that simple transaction two people connected in a meaningful and uplifting way.

Many people, when they hear the word dementia or Alzheimer’s, think that the possibility of human connection and all that entails is over. This can become the sad reality in the late stages of the disease, but it is not true in the stages leading up to that last stage when the person becomes locked out of the world in which they live. If I may, let me share one of the things that I have learned over the past eight years as I have worked among people who struggles in the various stages of the diseases grouped under the heading of dementia.

Live in the moment, one moment at a time. As I have provided care to folks suffering with various kinds of dementia, I have learned to live with....read the whole post
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