Senior Helpers Partners With the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America to Reduce Toll of Devastating Disease

Strategic Partnership to Improve Quality of Life for Diagnosed Individuals and Families
 
Towson, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/08/2011 -- With the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease escalating and the needs of families dramatically increasing along with it, Senior Helpers, one of the largest in-home care companies for seniors in the nation, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), one of the nation’s leading non-profit foundations dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals with the disease and their families.

“This partnership was an easy decision for us at Senior Helpers because of our commitment to educating families and their elderly loved ones about the different stages of dementia and how to cope with every aspect of the disease,” says Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers. “Alzheimer’s is not only devastating for the senior living with the condition but it also creates a tremendous strain on the family. Our caregivers know first-hand what it takes to combat this devastating disease, and we feel this partnership can further help families cope, emotionally and physically, one step at a time.”

Currently, as many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. While Alzheimer’s disease is not considered a normal part of aging, the risk for seniors developing this devastating disease rises as they get older; in fact, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease doubles every five years, beginning at age 65.
As part of the strategic partnership, Senior Helpers and AFA will co-sponsor educational conferences and webinars related to care issues, and collaborate on other projects that promote improved quality of care for the dementia population.

In addition, Senior Helpers is proud to be a silver sponsor of AFA’s National Memory Screening Day on November 15, 2011 and encourages individuals with memory concerns and those who want to check their memory now and for future comparison to take a free screening. On this day, many Senior Helpers locations will be promoting the event and providing free, confidential screenings and educational materials in communities throughout the nation. Each screening is a five to ten minute, non-diagnostic test; while the results do not represent a diagnosis, they are seen as a significant first step in early detection of a memory problem.

Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease (according to AFA):

1. Memory loss - especially of recent events, names, placement of objects, and other new information
2. Confusion about time and place
3. Struggling to complete familiar actions - such as brushing teeth or getting dressed
4. Trouble finding the appropriate words, completing sentences, and following directions and conversations
5. Poor judgment when making decisions
6. Changes in mood and personality - such as increased suspicion, rapid and persistent mood swings, withdrawal, and disinterest in usual activities
7. Difficulty with complex mental assignments- such as balancing a checkbook or other tasks involving numbers

“While we all await a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America strongly believes that education and optimal care are the most effective tools to tackle this public health crisis,” says Eric J. Hall, AFA’s Founding President and CEO. “We look forward to collaborating with Senior Helpers to spread this message across the country and help this deserving population.”

Sources: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, National Institute on Aging, the Harvard School of Public Health


Did You Know?:

• Alzheimer's disease is among the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S.
• It’s estimated that one to four family members act as caregivers for each individual with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Alzheimer's disease costs U.S. businesses more than $60 billion a year, stemming from lost productivity and absenteeism by primary caregivers, and insurance costs.
• The annual cost of caring for one individual with Alzheimer's disease ranges from nearly $18,500 to more than $36,000, depending on the stage of the disease.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/sbwire-102934.htm

Remaking Alzheimer’s: A Few Questions

From the NY Times: 

The newly revised criteria for Alzheimer’s disease, the first change since 1984 in how this dementia is diagnosed, are likely to be most valuable at first to scientists and researchers. The guidelines spring in part from novel research into biomarkers and imaging techniques that may not reach family medical practices for some time.
Still, the new criteria, unveiled on Tuesday by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association, will have consequences for family caregivers. Informed by research showing that changes in the brain may be under way a decade before any symptoms appear, the guidelines are likely to lead to increasingly early diagnoses.
I spoke with Dr. Gary Kennedy, director of geriatric psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, about how that will change the way we look at Alzheimer’s disease.

Q.

What are some of the most important effects of the new criteria? What do families need to understand?

A.

First, that memory impairment doesn’t have to be the first sign of the illness. So older adults who have no problem with recall of recent or remote events, who seem quite up to speed in recalling what they did earlier in the day but have more problems than you’d expect with navigating unfamiliar territory or keeping up with plans or getting tasks started and then finished — all part of what’s called executive function — those actually could be the first signals of dementia.
People with executive dysfunction may also start to misread or ignore other people’s reactions, which can cause interpersonal problems. They’re losing some of their social skills, because they’re failing to perceive cues from the environment that would direct them to behave appropriately.

Q.

The new guidelines establish three distinct stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Could you explain?

A.

They’ve been around for a while, but here they’re simplified so they’re not as confusing.
“Preclinical” dementia is essentially a scientific description. There’s some biological or structural brain evidence that the Alzheimer’s process is under way, but the person’s not disabled and the family doesn’t notice any problem.
The second stage is mild cognitive impairment — someone has problems that don’t cause disability, but they’re evident enough that the patient and a family member or another observer agree, “Yes, it’s noticeable.” You need two sources of information. Mild cognitive impairment progresses to dementia for a little over half the people who meet that criteria.
The overall thrust of the new criteria is to alert people that we need to diagnose this disease much earlier.

Q.

I often hear people say they wouldn’t want to know if they were developing dementia. Given that there’s no cure, why does earlier diagnosis matter?

A.

The reality is, we have a lot of different treatments for Alzheimer’s and the other dementias. No, those treatments are not curative. But we have medications that help maybe 40 percent of people with dementia. We have specific approaches caregivers can use to keep the person with dementia as active and engaged as possible and to keep themselves from getting depressed. We have some evidence that if you optimize the treatments for other diseases that make Alzheimer’s worse, like diabetes and heart disease, that increases the likelihood that Alzheimer’s will not accelerate.

Q.

The guidelines mention biomarkers, found in blood and in spinal fluid, that may help reveal whether symptoms and behavioral changes are caused by Alzheimer’s or something else. They’re being used in research, but it sounds like they won’t yet be available for most patients. Why not?

A.

It’s not like diabetes, where a fasting elevated blood sugar in the morning or hemoglobin A1c above 6 are clear signposts. What we desperately need for Alzheimer’s disease are more accurate biomarkers like that. But the ones we have are not yet standardized outside of laboratories, though if I read the language correctly, there may be individual cases where you might want to use them.
The public could misread these biomarkers of amyloid levels in the spinal fluid or in the blood as real diagnostic criteria, like those we have for diabetes. But we really don’t have a firm connection that’s predictive. We know that high cholesterol, for example, is part of the cause of coronary artery disease, not the result of the disease. We don’t know if amyloid is the cause of Alzheimer’s disease or a byproduct. So these biomarkers are not quite ready for general use in a doctor’s office or hospital.

Q.

It seems, then, that most people accompanying a parent to a doctor’s appointment may not yet see any dramatic developments because of the new criteria. The changes sound more incremental.

A.

That’s true. But because Alzheimer’s has its onset so late in life, if we can push the disability back towards the end of the life span, then the social and personal burdens are very much lessened. We don’t have to cure this disease in order to beat it, in the sense of preventing it from being socially and emotionally crippling.

---

Paula Span is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families With Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions.”

Senior Helpers Joins the Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance

Senior Helpers, the nation’s fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors, recently announced their participation in the Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA). Senior Helpers has become a “Champion” with the AEDA and will work to spread the word about the warning signs of Alzheimer’s both locally in and around DuPage county and across the nation.


The AEDA is an Alzheimer’s Association national outreach campaign focusing on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease. The goal is to raise awareness of the disease’s warning signs and for organizations to turn to the Alzheimer’s Association as the center for help and hope. The AEDA has developed an online toolkit containing educational information for participating organizations’ use in their promotional efforts that includes posters, brochures, television and radio advertisements, logos, widgets and more.


By becoming an AEDA “Champion,” Senior Helpers has agreed to disseminate educational information to their franchise owners and clients through various on-line activation opportunities provided by the Alzheimer’s Association. This includes placing the AEDA logo on their website, distributing the information on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s and more.


“Joining the AEDA was an easy decision for us at Senior Helpers because of our commitment to educating and helping the senior community,” said Michael Feldman of Senior Helpers in Wheaton. “We are glad to be in a position to aid the AEDA in its efforts to spread the word on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s. This is important to the senior community and their loved ones in order to combat this devastating disease. We look forward to working with our clients and their families to help them get the key information they need.”


Alzheimer’s Association 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease:
1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood and personality
To learn more about the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease, contact the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/10signs or 877-IS-IT-ALZ.


To learn more about Senior Helpers, or their involvement with the Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance, please visit www.seniorhelpers.com.


About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who need extra assistance in the place they call home. The company has 283 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/.

About the Alzheimer’s Association:


The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. For more information, visit www.alz.org .

A Better Bank Account

A better alternative may be the little known multiple-party account without right of survivorship, which banks sometimes call a “convenience account.”

Exercise Protects Memory Formation Capability

A new study shows that one year of moderate physical exercise can increase the size of the brain's hippocampus in older adults, leading to an improvement in spatial memory.

Alzheimer’s Test Clears a Hurdle

The Food and Drug Administration recommended unanimous approval for the first test able to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of a living person.

Faster please!

Resisting Alzheimer's

In Tuesday’s Science Times, the writer Nancy Stearns Bercaw describes her father’s decades-long preoccupation with preventing Alzheimer’s disease, which had killed her grandfather. Alzheimer’s was the reason her father became a neurologist in the first place, she writes: he “knew it was coming.”


As an ever-present reminder of that threat, he kept an atrophied brain in a jar on his desk. That brain, I recently discovered, belonged to his father.


As my father approached middle age he began to experiment on himself, with diet supplements. By age 60 he was taking 78 tablets a day. He tracked down anything that offered the possibility of saving brain cells and killing free radicals: Omega 3s, 6s, 9s; vitamins E and C; ginkgo biloba, rosemary and sage; folic acid; flaxseed.


After retiring from his neurology practice in Naples, Fla., he spent hours a day doing math. Even when I was visiting, he’d sit silently on his leather recliner with a calculator to verify the accuracy of calculations he did by memory.


Read the full essay, “When All Isn’t Enough to Foil Alzheimer’s,” and share your thoughts in the comments section.

New Book: Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders

Product Description

Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders is a unique collaboration between a doctor and a food consultant that both addresses the subject of smell and taste loss and provides food preparation tips and a special recipe section that will appeal to other senses and make food attractive again. This is a must-have reference book for all those living with smell and taste disorders.






The book covers the whole disorder including

• How smell and taste work
• Causes of smell and taste problems
• Treatments
• What you can expect when you visit a specialist
• Recipes that will appeal to other senses and make food attractive again
• First-person accounts of coping with this

Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders is the inaugural book in the series Neurology Now Books™ from the American Academy of Neurology. Inspired by Neurology Now®, the AAN’s leading neurologic patient information magazine, Neurology Now Books are written from a multidisciplinary approach, combining the expertise of a neurologist with other related experts and patients and caregivers. Each volume will provide the reader, with the most up-to-date information, answers to questions and concerns, and first-person accounts of others who are living with a neurologic disorder.

Reviews

“Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders is an enlightening guide for those who suffer from chemosensory disorders The first of its kind, this patient-oriented approach should be hailed as a groundbreaking book. It is highly recommended... “—Alan R. Hirsch, MD, Neurological Director
Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, Chicago, IL

“Dr. DeVere and Ms. Calvert offer interesting insights, reasonable and concise information, and solid advice. Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders delivers."—Debbie Hanna, President, Alzheimer's Association, Capital of Texas Chapter

“ A “must read”…I recommend this book to anyone who may have lost smell and taste functions and to all medical students and practitioners.”—Graham Bell, PhD, Editor Chemosense and Conjoint Associate Professor of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

"These recipes are easy to prepare and allow us to satisfy the taste pallets of all generations of our families. We are glad there is a resource like this that we can access."—Harry and Cindy Zimmerman, Austin, Texas

Social Security Administration Approves Early Onset Alzheimer’s for Disability Benefits

Early onset of Alzheimer’s disease is now considered one of a growing list of Compassionate Allowance
Conditions. If a patient is deemed to have one of the allowance conditions, as determined by a disability
case manager, then they may be eligible to access Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

Social Security disability benefits are paid to individuals who have worked for enough years and have a condition that is so severe that they are not able to work any longer. Administered by the SSA, SSDI makes monthly payments to eligible disabled individuals and is a significant benefit for individuals with early-onset (younger-onset) Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to a monthly payment, it serves as entry to Medicare benefits for those under the age of 65. Family members (i.e. spouses and minor children) may also be eligible
for benefits based on the applicant’s work record. They can then use those benefits to pay for things they need, such as home care.

Once eligible patients receive their monthly payment, they can spend it on whatever they chose, but it will likely go towards their living expenses. However, after they receive disability benefits for 24 months, they will be eligible for Medicare.

Source: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10153.html

Additional Resources:

Full List of Compassionate Allowance Conditions:
https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0423022080.

The Alzheimer’s’ Association’s Checklist for Applying for Social Security Disability and Supplemental
Security Income Benefits due to Early-Onset (Younger-Onset) Alzheimer’s Disease:
http://www.alz.org/documents/national/SSDI_checklist.pdf

Study: Cell Phones May Prevent Brain-Wasting Effects of Alzheimer's

A study in mice suggests using cellphones may help prevent some of the brain-wasting effects of Alzheimer's disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

After long-term exposure to electromagnetic waves such as those used in cell phones, mice genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's performed as well on memory and thinking skill tests as healthy mice, the researchers wrote in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The results were a major surprise and open the possibility of developing a noninvasive, drug-free treatment for Alzheimer's, said lead author Gary Arendash of the University of South Florida. He said he had expected cell phone exposure to increase the effects of dementia.

Senior Helpers Joins the Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance

In-home senior care provider to raise awareness of the importance of early detection of Alzheimer’s
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR Log (Press Release) – Jan 15, 2010 – Towson, MD– January 2010 – Senior Helpers, the nation’s fastest growing provider of in-home care for seniors, announced today their participation in the Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA). Senior Helpers has become a “Champion” with the AEDA and will work to spread the word about the warning signs of Alzheimer’s.

The AEDA is an Alzheimer’s Association national outreach campaign focusing on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease. The goal is to raise awareness of the disease’s warning signs and for organizations to turn to the Alzheimer’s Association as the center for help and hope. The AEDA has developed an online toolkit containing educational information for participating organizations’ use in their promotional efforts that includes posters, brochures, television and radio advertisements, logos, widgets and more.

By becoming an AEDA “Champion,” Senior Helpers has agreed to disseminate educational information to their franchise owners and clients through various on-line activation opportunities provided by the Alzheimer’s Association. This includes placing the AEDA logo on their website, distributing the information on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s and more.

“Joining the AEDA was an easy decision for us at Senior Helpers because of our commitment to educating and helping the senior community,” said Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers. “We are glad to be in a position to aid the AEDA in its efforts to spread the word on the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s.  This is important to the senior community and their loved ones in order to combat this devastating disease. We look forward to working with our franchisees and clients to help the approximately 5.3 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s.”

Alzheimer’s Association 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease:
1.   Memory changes that disrupt daily life
2.   Challenges in planning or solving problems
3.   Difficulty completing familiar tasks
4.   Confusion with time or place
5.   Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6.   New problems with words in speaking or writing
7.   Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8.   Decreased or poor judgment
9.   Withdrawal from work or social activities
10.   Changes in mood and personality

To learn more about the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease, contact the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/10signs or 877-IS-IT-ALZ.

To learn more about Senior Helpers, or their involvement with the Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance, please visit www.seniorhelpers.com.

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who need extra assistance in the place they call home. The company has 280 franchises in 38 states throughout the country and offers a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care. For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. For more information, visit www.alz.org.

Music and the mind: Using an iPod to treat Alzheimer's

...The clinical reasons that this type of therapeutic music works have to do with the emotional connection to music made throughout our life. It also has to do with areas of the brain that are involved in emotion, association and long-term memory processes that are stimulated by personally important music...

Read the entire article at McKnight's.com.

Technology is not just for kids! Don't forget to bring out the Wii as well!

Caregiving a Grumpy Loved One: 4 Tips to Bring a Smile

Remember that lovable but grumpy donkey, Eeyore, in Winnie the Pooh? He always saw the rain clouds, always had something negative to say. While it’s kind of cute in cartoon form, living with a grump can be exhausting–and caregiving is hard enough–it would really help if our loved ones at least tried to be pleasant.

What do you do if your dad or mom–or spouse is a grump?

Read the whole article at AlzheimersCaregiving.com 

Whether at a Doctor Visit or a Family Gathering, Include Elders in Conversation

I know it can be hard. Your siblings are in town. You visit the nursing home with them so you can all be together with your mom who is living in a care center. The adult children are all jabbering, trying to catch up on each other's lives. Sure, you are physically in the room with your parent. But there's a good chance that your mom is completely left out of the conversation.

Her hearing isn't bad, but the noise of several voices at once is too much. Her worsening dementia makes a lot of commotion confusing. She doesn't complain, and she really does enjoy seeing everyone. Yet, after you all leave feeling satisfied that you visited with mom, she doesn't feel "visited."

Read the rest of the article for insightful inclusion tips.

Music can do 'incredible things' for people with dementia

New research shows that singing may slow the progress of dementia.

Singing For The Brain is a group of singers in Bristol made up of people with Alzheimer's and their spouses. Most of the patients have lost their memory for names, events and people, but many respond to music long after other memories have disappeared.

Alzheimer's Care: 8 Tips for a Great Holiday Season

Read the whole thing: Alzheimer's Reading Room article

Worried about Alzheimer's? Five Ways to Protect Yourself

Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room
Editor



Physical Activity -- Exercise

Consider exercises that pump oxygen and blood to the brain. These include running, walking, bicycling. There are at least 18 research studies showing that exercise can improve memory in people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Better yet, start exercising now to improve cognitive function.
To read Worried About Alzheimer's? Tip #1 Exercise go here.

Control your Weight

The heavier a person is, the more likely they are to develop Alzheimer's. Scientist found that the brains of older individuals who were obese (with a body mass index over 30) had approximately 8 percent less brain volume than subjects of normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 25). When brain-volume loss reaches about 10 percent symptoms like memory trouble or confusion appear. If you are obese, big belly in middle age, the chances that you could suffer from dementia are tripled.
To read this interesting article on Reuters -- Big belly in 40s raises Alzheimer's risk in 70s -- go here.

Could Coffee be the Micacle Cure for Alzheimer's?

Read pages 661-680 of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease:

Abstract: We have recently shown that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) transgenic mice given a moderate level of caffeine intake (the human equivalent of 5 cups of coffee per day) are protected from development of otherwise certain cognitive impairment and have decreased hippocampal amyloid-β (Aβ) levels due to suppression of both β-secretase (BACE1) and presenilin 1 (PS1)/g-secretase expression. To determine if caffeine intake can have beneficial effects in “aged” APPsw mice already demonstrating cognitive impairment, we administered caffeine in the drinking water of 18-19 month old APPsw mice that were impaired in working memory. At 4-5 weeks into caffeine treatment, those impaired transgenic mice given caffeine (Tg/Caff) exhibited vastly superior working memory compared to the continuing impairment of control transgenic mice.

Eldercare 911 Safety for Alzheimer's

Video

Olive Oil May Help Alzheimer's

 Extra Virgin, of course!

Olive oil transforms Alzheimer's studies