Do you have a loved one who is experiencing memory problems that are affecting his or her daily activities? If so, please read below about a study being funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is a two-year, $24 million study called the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Grand Opportunity (ADNI GO), and researchers are looking for participants at sites across the country.

From the Study Coordinators:
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you were unable to recall things which were once so simple to remember? An estimated 5.3 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s and every 70 seconds another person develops this disease! I am contacting you today on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS)  to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and to encourage otherwise healthy adults with early complaints of memory problems to participate in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Grand Opportunity (ADNI GO). ADNI GO will build on the unprecedented momentum and success of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a landmark study to find more sensitive and accurate methods to detect AD at earlier stages and track its progress through biomarkers.

By being able to recognize changes in the brain, scientists hope to treat memory loss and other symptoms of AD before they appear, but the only way to recognize what these changes are and learn more about who is at risk is through the participation of volunteers. “We cannot end this terrible disease unless we know more about it,” says Dr. Paul Aisen, M.D., director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS). “That is where the amazing volunteers, their friends and their families can make the difference in our success.”

 Dr. Maya Angelou – the eminent poet, author, educator, historian and professor at Wake Forest University – is working with researchers to ask you and your loved ones to be part of the ADNI GO study. Click here to hear from Dr. Maya Angelou.

If you, a friend, or a family member is experiencing early signs of memory loss, you may be eligible to participate in this groundbreaking ADNI GO study that may help bring us one step closer to finding a cure. Please visit http://adcs.org/Studies/ImagineADNI.aspx or call the Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center at 1-800-438-4380 for more information on study sites in your area.

I just learned of a wonderful program that trains adults ages 55+ to volunteer in classrooms, tutoring children from in reading and math. It’s called Experience Corps, and it currently operates in 22 cities, with 2,000 volunteers serving nearly 20,000 students. Unfortunately, none of those 22 cities is in Florida, but according to the group’s website, they hope to double in scope in the next five years, and with our large population of older adults in Florida, it seems likely they would establish a program in our state.

That sounds like a win-win for everyone involved – young and old. A study of the program by Johns Hopkins University found that older Americans can delay or actually reverse brain aging at a neurological level by tutoring young children in reading and math. The study involved Experience Corps volunteers working in Baltimore City schools.

“We found that participating in Experience Corps resulted in improvements in cognitive functioning and this was associated with significant changes in brain activation patterns,” said study leader Michelle Carlson. “Essentially the intervention improved brain and cognitive function in these older adults.” Carlson is now expanding her research to see if the program can directly impact the volunteer’s risk of developing dementia.

Additional studies indicate the kids are also benefiting from this program. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louise found that over a single school year, students with Experience Corps tutors made over 60 percent more progress in learning two critical reading skills – sounding out new words and reading comprehension – than similar students not served by the program.

My elderly father recently underwent cataract surgery, and it has lead to a dramatic improvement in his vision. But the true benefits go far beyond better eyesight. Now that he can see more clearly, he is participating in activities at his Florida continuing care retirement community more. He is spending time in his building’s library, reconnecting with his lifelong love of reading that in recent years had become more of a strain than a joy. And he is spending more time outside going for walks with friends.

By improving his vision, the surgery has ultimately improved the quality of his daily life. And a new study indicates it may also have reduced his chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

The  study, from the University of Michigan Health System, reports that elderly people with untreated vision disorders are significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. The study used Medicare data and shows that those with poor vision who visited an ophthalmologist at least once for an examination were 64 percent less likely to develop dementia.

The findings may create a new way of looking at poor vision in the elderly: as predictor of dementia rather than as a symptom after the diagnosis.

For the study, Mary A.M. Rogers, Ph.D., and her colleague Kenneth M. Langa, M.D., Ph.D.,analyzed data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study and records from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“Our results indicate that it is important for elderly individuals with visual problems to seek medical attention so that the causes of the problems can be identified and treated,” Rogers says. The types of vision treatment that were helpful in lowering the risk of dementia were surgery to correct cataracts and treatments for glaucoma, retinal disorders and other eye-related problems.

Proper vision is a requirement for many of the activities that previously have been found to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. These include reading, playing board games, other mentally stimulating activities, social networking, as well as physical activity such as walking and routine exercising. A visual disorder may interfere with normal mobility and may also hinder a person’s ability to participate in such activities, as it was in my father’s case.

“Many elderly Americans do not have adequate health coverage for vision, and Medicare does not cover preventative vision screenings for most beneficiaries,” Rogers says. “So it’s not unusual that the elderly receive vision treatment only after a problem is severe enough to warrant a visit to the doctor when the problem is more advanced.”

According to a survey conducted by the National Eye Health Education Program, less than 11 percent of respondents understood that there are no early warning signs for eye problems such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. However, vision problems and blindness are among the top 10 disabilities among adults and can result in a greater tendency to experience other health conditions or even to die prematurely.

“While heart disease and cancer death rates are continuing to decline, mortality rates for Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise,” says Rogers. “So if we can delay the onset of dementia, we can save individuals and their families from the stress, cost and burden that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.”

The study was based on the surveys and medical information from 625 people compiled from 1992-2005. Only 10 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who developed dementia had excellent vision at the beginning of the study, while 30 percent of those who maintained normal cognition had excellent vision at the onset of the study. One in five Americans who are over age 50 report experiencing a visual impairment, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and the number has doubled since 1980. It is expected to be as high as 13 million by 2050.

As I’ve watched my father’s relationship with his dear friend Ginny grow closer and closer over the last 20 months, it has demonstrated to me that love really can blossom later in life.  He and Ginny are just one of the many happy couples I see when I visit their Florida continuing care retirement community. So with Valentine’s Day coming up in a week, I wanted to share this contest sponsored by a national senior living provider. Following is the information from their website:

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Emeritus Senior Living, a national provider of assisted living and Alzheimer’s and related dementia care services to seniors, is holding a Facebook contest that encourages fans to share personal and family love stories.

Emeritus’ “Lifetime of Love” contest gives fans the opportunity to share their own love stories, or family love stories that have been passed down from parents and grandparents. Fans are encouraged to post their love stories as comments to the “Valentines Day Contest” tab on the Emeritus Senior Living Facebook page. One grand prize winner will receive a $500 American Express gift card. Twenty additional winners will receive a $100 American Express gift card. All winners will be announced via Facebook on February 15th, 2010.

The inspiration behind the Emeritus “Lifetime of Love” contest comes from sharing the personal stories and journeys of many of the residents who live at its 316 communities across the country. Among the residents who have shared their heartwarming love stories with Emeritus are four Garden Grove, CA couples who are scheduled to renew their wedding vows at Emeritus at Garden Manor community in a group ceremony on February 12th, 2010.

It’s common knowledge that high blood pressure can lead to heart attack and heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health consequences. Now new research has found high blood pressure may also make you more prone to dementia as you age.

The research, from the National Institutes of Health, suggests that hypertension – blood pressure readings of 140 over 90 or higher – may cause a kind of scarring that interferes with communication between brain cells. That scarring, known as white matter lesions, has been linked to development of Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the elderly. Researchers have found an increase in white matter lesions with each 20-point jump in systolic pressure above the recommended limit. Systolic pressure is the bigger of the two numbers. Those scars can start building up in middle age, although the resulting memory problems may not appear until decades later.

“If you look … for things that we can prevent that lead to cognitive decline in the elderly, hypertension is at the top of the list,” Dr. Walter Koroshetz, deputy director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, told The Associated Press. Age is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia that affect about one in eight people 65 or older.

This evidence of a link is strong enough that the National Institutes of Health will soon begin enrolling thousands of people with high blood pressure into a major study. The aim will be to see if pushing blood pressure lower than currently recommended might better protect not just hearts, but brains.

Despite our best efforts to make the holidays a time of pure joy and thankfulness, the fact is for most people I know there is also a fair amount of stress. I can only imagine how that is exacerbated when there is a family member with Alzheimer’s.

The Alzheimer’s Association – Florida Gulf Coast Chapter- has developed 10 Holiday Survival Tips that will help make family gatherings a happy, memorable occasion for all.
 
Tip 1 -  Planning can avoid holiday stress. Individuals who experience the most difficulty with the holiday season are those who have given little thought to the challenges they will encounter. Consider ahead of time what may be expected of you, both socially and emotionally.

• Discuss holiday celebrations with relatives and close friends in advance. 
• Plan to maintain a regular routine while trying to provide a pleasant, meaningful and calm holiday event.
• Celebrate early in the day or have a noon meal rather than a late dinner.

Tip 2 – Take care of yourself (caregiver) Remember, the holidays are opportunities to share time with people you love. Try to make these celebrations easy on yourself and with the person with Alzheimer’s disease so that you may concentrate on enjoying your time together.

• Set limits by telling family and friends that you intend to control stress this holiday season.
• Maintain a positive mental attitude.
• Ask for assistance for you and your loved one.
• Attend an Alzheimer’s Association support group that will allow you discuss ways to overcome holiday stress.
  Prepare to deal with post-holiday letdown. Arrange for in-home care (respite care) so you can enjoy a movie or lunch with a friend and reduce post-holiday stress.

Tip 3 – Prepare the person with Alzheimer’s for the family gathering. Preparing your loved one for the upcoming holiday events can allow both of you to enjoy the warmth of the season.

• Talk about and show photos of family members and friends who will be visiting.
• Have a “quiet” room in case things get too hectic.
• Play familiar music and serve favorite traditional holiday foods.
• Schedule naps, especially if the person usually takes naps.

Tip 4 – Prepare family members and friends. Preparing families and friends with an honest appraisal of the person’s condition can help avoid uncomfortable or harmful situations.

• Familiarize family members and friends with behaviors and condition changes.
• Recommend practical and useful gifts. (See Tip 7)
• Remind family and friends the best way to communicate with a person with dementia. (See Tip 6)

Tip 5 – Involve everyone when selecting activities. Involve everyone in holiday activities including the person with dementia.

• Consider taking walks, icing cookies, telling stories, doing chores, making a memory book or family tree, or keeping a journal.
• To encourage conversation, place magazines, scrapbooks, or photo albums in reach; play music to prompt dancing or other kinds of exercise. 
• Encourage young family members to participate in simple and familiar activities with the person.

Tip 6 – Communicate with success. Alzheimer’s can diminish a person’s ability to communicate. These tips may help you understand each other.

• Be calm and supportive if the person has trouble communicating.
• Speak slowly with a relaxed tone.
• Avoid criticism. For example, when someone forgets a recent conversation, avoid saying, “Don’t you remember?”
• Address the person by name.
• Be patient, flexible, and do not argue with the person with Alzheimer’s

Tip 7 — Smart gift giving.

• Encourage family and friends to give useful, practical gifts for the person such as identification bracelet (available through Medic Alert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return®). Other gifts may include comfortable easy-to-remove clothing, audiotapes of favorite music, videos, and photo albums.
• Advise others not to give gifts such as dangerous tools or instruments, utensils, challenging board games, complicated electronic equipment, or pets.
• If possible, involve the person in giving gifts. For example, someone who once enjoyed cooking may enjoy baking cookies, or buy the gift and allow the person to wrap it.

Tip 8 – Safe environment in the home. Persons with dementia may experience changes in judgment. This behavior may lead to confusion, frustration, or wandering. Consider these tips to reduce the risk of injury and situations that could be confusing to someone with dementia.

• Assign a “buddy” to watch out for the person to ensure their comfort.
• Arrange ample space for walking side-by-side, for wheelchairs, and walkers. Keep walking areas clear.
• Consider seating options so the person with Alzheimer’s can best focus on conversation and be least distracted.
• Don’t serve alcohol, which may lead to inappropriate behavior or interactions with medications.
• Accommodate changes in vision. Place contrasting-color rugs in front of doors or steps.  Avoid dark-colored rugs that may appear to be “holes.”
• Limit access to places where injuries occur, such as a kitchen or stairwell. Check temperature of water and food.  Prevent falls by installing metal grab bars; and secure textured stickers to slippery surfaces.
• Create even level of lighting; avoid blinking lights.
• Keep decorations simple; avoid using candies, artificial fruits/vegetables, or other edibles as decorations.
• Supervise in taking medicine.
• Keep emergency phone numbers and a list of medications handy.

Tip 9 — Travel wisely. The following suggestions may ensure a positive traveling experience:

• Never leave the person alone.
• Use familiar modes of transportation and avoid peak travel times.
• Keep plans simple and maintain daily routines as much as possible.
• Allow extra time to avoid the stress of rushing.
• Advise service and hospitality staff that you are traveling with someone with dementia and about the person’s behaviors and special needs.
• Arrange for services, such as wheelchairs, ahead of time.
• Provide identification items such as a Medic Alert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return®) bracelet and clothing labels.

Tip 10 – Reliable sources of support
Families can call the Alzheimer’s Association (Gulf Coast Chapter) at 727-578-2558 or the 24-hour Helpline at  1-800-772-8672 to answer questions about warning signs and to assist persons with dementia  and caregivers.  The national Helpline is 1-800-272-3900. The Helpline will be open all Christmas day and New Year’s Day, as well as year round.

Sunday, October 18, life threw me a curve. My elderly father fell in his Florida senior living apartment and dislocated his hip. That triggered a series of events – a trip to the ER to have it put back in place, his release that same night to come stay with me, a second hip dislocation followed by a  second re-location. Then six nights in the hospital to run tests,etc.  He is now back in his Florida continuing care retirement community apartment and gradually re-gaining his strength. So I thought I would share the top ten things I learned in this last week of helping my father recover from this fall:

1 – At any age, life can change in an instant.
2 – Healthcare workers are just like the general population – some are nice, some are not so nice; some are highly skilled, some are mediocre; some genuinely care, some are just doing a job. We shouldn’t make them “God-like,” nor should we start with the mindset they are all incompetent (like my dad is prone to do).
3 – Communication is critical when in the hospital – both from the patient to staff and from the staff to patient. I find nothing puts me, and my father, more at ease then feeling like the medical staff is keeping us up-to-date on his situation; and nothing was more frustrating then having to walk around begging someone to tell us what is going on.
4 – Nothing happens fast in the hospital. Patience is key.
5 – You must be an advocate for yourself, or for your loved one if you are their caregiver. Ask questions, ask for clarification, ask to see test results, ask “What would you do if this was your father?” Don’t be afraid to push a little. I had to call my father’s nurse to say “He would really like to shave, can you help him do that?” and “He has been lying in bed all day, can someone please get him up to walk the halls?” The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
6 – The whole experience of being hospitalized can be confusing and frightening, particularly for the elderly. In my elderly father’s case, anything outside of his normal daily routine causes some confusion. So suddenly being in a hospital, with no familiar faces, a different schedule for meals, none of his personal effects, etc., left him confused and a bit angry. I had to remind myself that his anger was just an expression of his confusion and frustration at the situation and at having to rely on everyone else.
7 – When caring for an elderly family member, remember to care for yourself too. It has taken me a long time to embrace this concept. When my father had a similar fall last year, and was hospitalized for a couple of weeks, I was constantly wracked with guilt if I was not by his bedside 24/7. I have finally learned that is not necessary for him , and not healthy for me. And actually I have found that by taking breaks, I have helped him re-gain confidence that he can do things for himself.
8 – Health insurance & Medicare rules are confusing and can sometimes be an overriding factor in determining care.
9 – When dealing with a variety of care providers (physical therapists, home health, rehab facilities, etc), don’t lose sight of the fact that they are all in business and that factors in to their recommendations.
10 – Getting old is not for sissies (credit goes to my husband for that one).

I remember the first time I saw a “Silver Alert” – it was posted on a highway message board in Orlando last December. The message said “Silver Alert” and also gave a description of a vehicle. I wondered out loud, “What is a silver alert?” And my 9-year-old daughter replied, “Mom, maybe it’s like an Amber Alert only for old people.” Bingo. We then proceeded to discuss what a great idea it was to create this type of alert program.

Florida’s Silver Alert system has now entered its second year, and state leaders are praising its success. The Silver Alert Plan is a standardized system to aid local law enforcement in finding people age 60 and older with documented dementia who have wandered or driven off. The plan calls for the broadcast of important information via the media and highway message signs to enlist citizens in the search for an endangered senior.  In addition, in August 2009, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs introduced a new capability that enables the general public to sign up to receive free Silver Alert e-mail messages. To sign up, visit www.elderaffairs.state.fl.us/index.php.

“Over the last year, law enforcement has drawn upon this program many times,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey. “Silver Alerts activate an army of citizens to assist law enforcement. The more people involved with the search, the better the chances of finding the missing senior in a timely manner.”

To date, 115 Silver Alerts have been issued – 110 individuals were located safely, with 18 of those recoveries attributed directly to the Silver Alert.

“I’m pleased and proud of the way this program has worked as a safety net for some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said Florida Governor Charlie Crist. “I thank our citizens for paying attention to the Silver Alerts, and for doing their part to call in the information law enforcement needs to safely locate these seniors.”

“Not only is Silver Alert a safety net for missing elders, it is also a security blanket for their loved ones who can take comfort in knowing that they aren’t alone in their search,” said Elder Affairs Secretary E. Douglas Beach.

“Silver Alerts make more people aware that an elder is missing, and that’s a tremendous help to everyone.”

The Silver Alert program was modeled after the Amber Alert system, which spreads the word about missing children.

To learn more about the Florida Silver Alert Plan, visit http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/. To report a missing elderly person, call 911.

Today, on World Alzheimer’s Day, new data released estimates 35 million people worldwide – a 10% increase over 2005 – are living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, highlighting the urgent need for action and response. With 77 million American baby boomers reaching the age of greatest risk, it is clear that the crisis of dementia and Alzheimer’s cannot be ignored. Left unchecked, dementia and Alzheimer’s will impose enormous burdens on individuals, families, health care infrastructures and the worldwide economy. The impact is already being felt here in Florida, where 25% of our population is 65 or older. Individual families and senior living facilities are struggling to provide care to the growing number of people dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

According to the 2009 World Alzheimer Report, newly released today from Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), a London-based nonprofit, international federation, the number of people with Alzheimer’s or another dementia is expected to nearly double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050.  It is estimated that there is a new case diagnosed every 70 seconds.

Much of the growth will be fueled by longer life spans and population growth, especially in developing nations.

“The number of people affected by Alzheimer’s is growing at a rapid rate, and the increasing personal costs will have significant impact on the world’s economies and health care systems. We must make the fight against Alzheimer’s a priority here in the United States and worldwide,” said Harry Johns, President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association.

According to Johns, some other countries, like the U.K., have a national Alzheimer’s plan in place. But in the United States, federal spending on research for Alzheimer’s is far lower than some other diseases, like cancer and AIDS. And, there’s no national plan in place that deals with long-term care for people with dementia, as well as “care coordination” of the many different health-care professionals who are often needed to care for patients with Alzheimer’s.

Although there is no cure, experts say that patients who receive active, early medical care may be able to delay progression and experience a higher quality of life. Also, caregivers who receive supportive services early on are better able to manage their loved ones’ illness at home and reduce institutionalization.

The Alzheimer’s Association website provides this very interesting interactive tour that shows how Alzheimer’s affects the brain. Inside the Brain: An Interactive Tour.

If you are trying to find care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia, many of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the Florida Senior Living Advisor database offer memory care services. Visit the individual websites or call for more information. Another option is in-home care, which I wrote about on this blog last week.

The Care Club of Collier County is an adult day care center located in Naples, Florida. Open since 1993, The Care Club is a not-for-profit organization that provides day care for people afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease and other memory disorders. Executive Director Luanne Wahlstrom tells me that most of her clients are senior citizens, although there are some younger people who have had strokes or head injuries. The  Care Club is licensed to serve 41 people. Wahlstrom says that during the winter months, the “high season” in Naples, they operate at full capacity; at other times they average around 30 clients.

The Care Club is open from 8:30am-4:30pm. Wahlstrom says they keep clients busy with a variety of activities, including singing, exercise, board games and bringing in outside entertainment. While there is a nurse on staff, she says the program is more  social than medical. They also provide clients with breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.

According to the website, The Care Club of Collier County administrates a sliding-fee scale of rates, and does not turn anyone away for financial reasons.

To learn more about The Care Club of Collier County, visit http://www.colliercareclub.org/index.htm. For a complete list of adult day care facilities in Florida, as well as other senior living facilities, visit Florida Senior Living

Advisor.