Carol Brauer

What Appleton Seniors May Not Know About Alzheimer’s and Dementia

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Common Misconceptions and Surprising Facts About Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Dementia affects about 50 million people in the world and there are approximately 50 million people in the world living with dementia. Dementia is an “umbrella term given to the symptoms caused by various diseases — most commonly Alzheimer’s”.   These numbers are expected rise to 152 million in 2050, according to Alzheimer’s researchers. Business Insider, Lindsay Dodgson, writes “Despite the massive impact dementia has on the economy and people’s livelihoods, there are still many misconceptions around it. There are also some facts that still surprise people.”.

Dodgson put together a list of Common Misconceptions:

  1. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are not the same thing
  2. People react differently to the words ‘dementia’ and ‘alzheimers’
  3. Dementia isn’t an inevitable part of getting older
  4. More people at 90 don’t have dementia than have it
  5. Almost half of adults don’t realize it causes death
  6. A brain that is affected by Alzheimer’s can weigh 140 grams less than an unaffected brain
  7. There are more symptoms than memory loss
  8. A third of risk factors are within our control
  9. Heart health and brain health are intrinsically linked
  10. Mid-life is the most important window for risk reduction
  11. It doesn’t just affect old people
  12. Sometimes, it only affects sight and perception
  13. Aggression and confusion may come from these small perception errors
  14. Disrupted sleep can be a factor
  15. There is no cure or treatment for the progression of diseases that cause dementia

To better understand Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease read the entire article. Click Here https://www.businessinsider.com/alzheimers-and-dementia-misconceptions-and-surprising-facts-2018-10

Please join me in sharing this article and helping raise awareness for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease in Appleton.

September Is World Alzheimer’s Month

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September Is World Alzheimer’s Month

World Alzheimer’s Month is the international campaign hosted every September to raise awareness for the challenge and stigma that surrounds dementia. September 2018 will mark the 7th World Alzheimer’s Month. The campaign was launched in 2012: World Alzheimer’s Day is on 21 September each year.

World Alzheimer’s Month is the international campaign by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) every September to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that surrounds dementia. World Alzheimer’s Month was launched in 2012. World Alzheimer’s Day is on 21 September each year.

2 out of every 3 people globally believe there is little or no understanding of dementia in their countries. The impact of World Alzheimer’s Month is growing, but the stigmatization and misinformation that surrounds dementia remains a global problem that requires global action.

Click here to learn more

 

 

2018 Walk to End Alzheimer’s event in Appleton

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Get Ready to Walk for a Cure!

Thousands of people across Wisconsin are getting ready for walks – all in an effort to end Alzheimer’s Disease.

The walks take place in Wisconsin cities starting in late summer and going through fall. There are walks scheduled in Appleton, Green Bay, Manitowoc, Oshkosh, Sturgeon Bay and many more places.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Wisconsin Chapter, five million Americans live with Alzheimer’s and is the sixth leading cause of the death in the country.

Join a Team or Make a Donation Today!  Let’s find a cure!

Event Details:

Time:

Registration at 8am
Ceremony at 9am
Walk at 9:30am

Route Length: 2 miles

Location:

Appleton North High School
5000 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI 54913

Contact:

Melissa Huempfner | 920-260-4878 | [email protected]

CLICK HERE for more event info.:  http://act.alz.org/site/TR?sid=23932&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=11613

To learn more about Alzheimer’s Disease, click here.

Learn more about our dementia workshops – CLICK HERE

 

(Source):

http://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2018/WI-GreaterWisconsin?fr_id=11613&pg=entry

 

New Drug Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia for Appleton Seniors

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Research into Synthetic Cannabis to Treat Dementia Agitation

NBC reports that a synthetic cannabis drug may help calm agitation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.  The drug is currently used to treat nausea in cancer patients.

Agitation is a symptom of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and can be difficult for a family member or caregiver to manage. Dementia patients are often prescribed antipsychotic drugs, and in extreme circumstances, they are physically restrained to treat agitation. For those seeking treatment for agitation with a sedative, anxiety drug or other medication, they are now looking at synthetic cannabis as an option.

“Agitation, aggression, sleep disturbances — all have a significant impact on both their quality of life and their caregiver’s quality of life,” said Heather Snyder, senior director of medical operations for the Alzheimer’s Association.

According to NBC, “Doctors have long been looking for a drug that could safely treat agitation in Alzheimer’s patients.”

“Currently prescribed treatments for agitation in Alzheimer’s do not work in everybody, and when they do work the effect is small and they increase risk of harmful side effects, including increased risk of death,” Krista Lanctôt of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and the University of Toronto, who led the research, said in a statement.

Read the full article here:  https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cannabis-drug-eases-agitation-alzheimer-s-patients-n894111

For more helpful information on Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care, please visit my website.

Alzheimer’s Disease Early Warning Signs for Appleton Seniors

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Appleton Seniors May Show Early Warning Signs for Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia

Your memory often changes as you grow older. But memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging, and it may be a symptom of dementia. Dementia is a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which results in the loss of brain cells and function.

Some early warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease:

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life
  • Difficulty planning or solving problems
  • Forgetting how to do familiar tasks
  • Confusion with dates, time or place
  • Trouble with spatial relationships, including trouble reading words on a page, judging distances, or distinguishing colors
  • New problems with words while speaking or writing
  • Misplacing objects and the inability to retrace steps
  • Altered decision making, poor judgment, or relying on someone else to make decisions
  • Withdrawal from work or social situations, difficulty initiating activities, or lacking motivation
  • Mood swings and changes in personality, including depression, anxiousness, or paranoia

How to Determine if an Appleton Senior with Alzheimer’s is Safe to Be Alone at Home

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At a certain point if the life of a loved one who has Alzheimer’s, you will have to carefully evaluate whether they are safe to be home alone. Determine the answers to the following questions:

Does the person with Alzheimer’s:

  • Become confused or unpredictable under stress?
  • Recognize a dangerous situation, for example, fire?
  • Know how to use the telephone in an emergency?
  • Know how to get help?
  • Stay content within the home?
  • Wander and become disoriented?
  • Show signs of agitation, depression, or withdrawal when left alone for any period of time?
  • Attempt to pursue former interests or hobbies that might now warrant supervision, such as cooking, appliance repair, or woodworking?

You may want to seek input and advice from a healthcare professional to assist you in these considerations. As the Alzheimer’s disease progresses, these questions will need ongoing evaluation.

For more home safety tips, visit the Home Safety Checklist for Alzheimer’s Disease.

BrightStar Care of Appleton can help families with caregiving for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. To learn about our services, read about our In-Home Senior Care in Appleton.

Is There A Link Between Sugar and Alzheimer’s?

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Here is how a high-carb diet with high blood sugar is associated with cognitive decline

Is There A Link Between Sugar and Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s disease has been called “type 3” diabete for a reason.  A high-carb diet with high blood sugar is associated with cognitive decline.  A study that followed 5,189 people over 10 years and found the people with high blood sugar had a faster rate of cognitive decline than those with normal blood sugar.  And it found that the higher the blood sugar, the faster the cognitive decline!  Since Dementia is not curable, understanding the risk factors with sugar is important.

According to an article in the Atlantic by Olga Khazan, a professor at New York University reviewed studies connecting diabetes to Alzheimer’s.  The professor, named Melissa Schilling, wondered why people who have type 2 diabetes are almost twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s, and why do people who have diabetes and are treated with insulin also more likely to get Alzheimer’s.   She suggested that elevated insulin plays a role in Alzheimer’s disease.

There are many studies that have tied elevated insulin, or “hyperinsulinemia,” to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.  It is also worrisome that people with type 1 diabetes, who don’t make insulin, are thought to have a higher risk of Alzheimer’s also.  According to Khazan, “Schilling believes this happens because the insulin-degrading enzyme, a product of insulin that breaks down both insulin and amyloid proteins in the brain—the same proteins that clump up and lead to Alzheimer’s disease. People who don’t have enough insulin, like those whose bodies’ ability to produce insulin has been tapped out by diabetes, aren’t going to make enough of this enzyme to break up those brain clumps. Meanwhile, in people who use insulin to treat their diabetes and end up with a surplus of insulin, most of this enzyme gets used up breaking that insulin down, leaving not enough enzyme to address those amyloid brain clumps.”

Roughly 86 million Americans have blood sugar that is higher than normal and diet is one of the best thing to help prevent Alzheimer’s.   Stay healthy – eat healthy!

Source:  https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/01/the-startling-link-between-sugar-and-alzheimers/551528/

 

 

 

Support Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

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Support Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Alzheimer’s Awareness Month: What You Can Do

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Whether or not you have a loved one living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, chances are you’re aware of the devastating effects of these diseases. Indeed, with more than 47 million people worldwide affected (projections estimate this number to rise to 76 million by 2030[1]), it’s hard to stay ignorant. Yet spreading awareness is more important than ever. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the only one in the top 10 that can’t be prevented, slowed, or cured[2]. BrightStar Care eagerly supports the Alzheimer’s Association in its organization of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this June. We’ll be blogging all month on ways to learn more and get involved, so keep checking back. This week, we share ways you can show support and honor Alzheimer’s sufferers.Participate in the Longest Day

Monday, June 20 marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. In time with this, The Longest Day is a unique fundraising activity to honor those living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, for whom every day is long and hard. Not simply a run or walk, the Longest Day invites participants to spend the day doing something they love, whether that’s kayaking, biking, or dancing.[3]Go Purple

People can also foster Alzheimer’s awareness on the Longest Day by “going purple,” the color of the Alzheimer’s Association. A few ideas to get involved: wear purple, change light bulbs, or write #ENDALZ on your windows in washable purple window chalk. However you participate, make sure to share your pictures on social media and use the hashtag #ENDALZ.Become an Advocate

Anyone can sign up at the Alzheimer’s Association website to join their network of Alzheimer’s advocates. Advocates receive regular emails with ways to help influence national policy and create widespread awareness—everything from joining support groups to writing letters to congress to serving on advisory boards.[4]Take Care of Yourself

Perhaps one of the simplest, but most profound ways to honor Alzheimer’s sufferers is to live a healthy lifestyle. Though there’s no known way to definitely prevent Alzheimer’s, research shows that following a healthy diet and exercise plan, keeping social engagements, and fueling your mind with ongoing education and stimulating activities may all slow cognitive decline. [5]

[1]http://alz.org/abam/?_ga=1.84317712.865058079.1393898811#getTheFacts

[2]http://alz.org/abam/?_ga=1.84317712.865058079.1393898811#getTheFacts

[3]http://act.alz.org/site/TR?fr_id=8480&pg=informational&sid=22697

[4]http://www.alz.org/forum/experience.asp#advocateStoriesAnchor

[5]http://alz.org/abam/?_ga=1.84317712.865058079.1393898811#loveYourBrain

 BrightStar Home Care of Appleton and Waupaca area proudly provides medical staffing, skilled nursing and non-medical in home care for seniors and children, including a passion for elder care companionship and supportive services in Outagamie, Waupaca, and portions of Winnebago, Calumet and Brown counties.  We are very proud of our Joint Commission  Accreditation to provide you the highest quality of care in the Appleton, Fox Cities and Waupaca areas.

10 Activities to Do With an Appleton Senior Loved One Who Has Alzheimer’s

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10 Activities to Do With an Appleton Senior Loved One Who Has Alzheimer’s

Activity Ideas for Appleton Seniors with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia are progressive illnesses. It’s understandable then that when a loved one receives an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, many families respond with an urgent wish to spend more time together. However, finding healthy activities that take into consideration an Appleton senior loved one’s changes in memory, thinking, mood, and behavior requires some thought. As part of our ongoing series for Alzheimer’s Awareness Month (organized by the Alzheimer’s Association), we’ve highlighted 10 simple activities the entire family can do together. Keep in mind that as Alzheimer’s symptoms progress, you’ll want to tailor activities to accommodate. For instance, for someone with late-stage Alzheimer’s, sensory activities such as describing a smell or petting a dog will be more appropriate than a complex game.
Reminisce Together Old family photos stir a treasure trove of memories. Sit side-by-side on the sofa or porch and invite loved ones to recount stories. These moments will in turn become the basis of precious memories for you and other family members in the years to come.
Go for a Walk The health benefits of walking are many, and it’s something the whole family can enjoy. As you walk, point out the sights and sounds of the season, whether the arrival of birds in the spring, or the changing colors of fall.

Tell Stories Children and grandchildren can practice new reading skills by reading aloud to an Appleton senior relative with Alzheimer’s. They might also try creating their own stories together. Start with a simple prompt, such as planning an imaginary day at the beach.
Listen to Music Music can calm as well as conjure old memories. It can also provide a basis for building new memories: choose songs with catchy melodies and simple lyrics and hold a singalong.
Try a Craft Crafting has a meditative effect. Ideas include stringing beads for a necklace, or Cheerios for the birds. Even just rolling yarn can absorb the attention of a relative with Alzheimer’s.
Put Together a Puzzle Large-piece puzzles provide an activity that’s both tactile and visual. Sorting through pieces for the right fit is engrossing and watching an image emerge can create a sense of accomplishment.
Play a Game Bingo requires only the ability to identify letters, numbers, and other basic symbols. By completing a row and calling “Bingo,” an individual can fell a sense of accomplishment.
Help with Household Tasks Invite a loved one to help with light tasks, such as washing produce or folding napkins. Praise their efforts and let go of imperfect results—involving them in daily chores can build confidence and a sense of normalcy.
Sort Items As symptoms progress, Alzheimer’s patients can engage their minds with sorting tasks. Give them a deck of cards to pile by suit. Or ask them to help sort socks from the dryer—again, asking them to assist with meaningful household tasks can inspire self-esteem.
Stimulate the Five Senses For family members with late-stage Alzheimer’s, activities will likely need to be pared back. Sit with them while they pet a dog or soft blanket, ask them to describe the scent of baking bread, or watch for birds together by the window.

 

BrightStar Home Care of Appleton and Waupaca area proudly provides medical staffing, skilled nursing and non-medical in home care for seniors and children, including a passion for elder care companionship and supportive services in Outagamie, Waupaca, and portions of Winnebago, Calumet and Brown counties.  We are very proud of our Joint Commission  Accreditation to provide you the highest quality of care in the Appleton, Fox Cities and Waupaca areas.