Carol Brauer

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: CONTINUING THE FIGHT FOR APPLETON SENIORS

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Continuing on as an Appleton Senior with Alzheimer’s

Appleton Seniors: Persevering with Alzheimer’s

We care about the health of our community. That’s why we joined the Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA), a group of corporations, nonprofits and government entities determined to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease for Appleton seniors. We’ve launched an Alzheimer’s Association partnership page featuring an “Ask An Expert” function that allows families to submit their question or call a hotline.

Under the leadership of the Alzheimer’s Association, this alliance will work to educate people nationwide about the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease and the importance of early detection. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and no method to prevent its onset. Early detection in Appleton seniors is our only management tool, allowing those living with the disease – and their families – time to plan for the future. This may include building the correct medical team, enrolling in clinical studies or investing in safety measures.

Many people struggle to determine if a behavior is a typical age-related change or the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. To help, the Alzheimer’s Association has created this list of warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Every individual may experience one or more of these in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

  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 signs, visit our Alzheimer’s Association partnership page to submit your questions or 877-IS IT ALZ (877.474.8259). As a member of the AEDA, BrightStar will continue to deliver quality care to families facing Alzheimer’s in addition to working to provide reliable information about Alzheimer’s disease and early detection during the upcoming months in addition to continuing to publish helpful tools, ebooks, checklists and more (like this brain stimulating game).

If you or an Appleton senior  loved one is affected by Alzheimer’s disease, turn to the Alzheimer’s Association for support and services. Information is available online at www.alz.org or by calling the Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900.

 

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.

Appleton Care for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver

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Senior Caregivers must remember to take care of their needs to better support their Appleton Loved One with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s Caregivers: Remember to Care for Yourself to Take Care of Your Appleton Senior

Appleton seniors living with Alzheimer’s want to continue their lives as fully and well as possible, for as long as possible. To be able to have the choice of living healthy, active, and involved and independently is the overall desire by those living with Alzheimer’s, especially after they are first diagnosed. As the Alzheimer’s caregiver, your MOST IMPORTANT job is to help them attain these goals. Make note of the list below to help you along in helping your senior as they begin their new life of living with Alzheimer’s.

  • Motivate them to stay active. Studies show, physical activity and exercise is an easy way to help maintain the disease, especially if they are activities that the two of you both can enjoy.
  • Maintain a healthy and balanced diet by preparing meals that are low fat and have lots of vegetables.
  • Keep a consistent daily schedule which involves engaging with others, and helps your senior sleep well.
  • Always be on the alert for stressful situations that could set off your loved one living with Alzheimer’s.
  • TEAM WORK! Work together on ways to relax and enjoy life.

Alzheimer’s Caregivers should take time for themselves

Being an Alzheimer’s caregiver can cause stress in your life. To help reduce some of this stress, try to engage yourself in activities that strengthen your sense of well-being. Spending time with family and friends, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, and regularly seeing your doctor are just a few examples of how remember to take care of yourself.

When it comes to your emotional and mental health, think about ways to take some time of yourself to sit back and relax and gain your own support system. This could mean one afternoon a month where you schedule time away from your Appleton senior and take some time for yourself, and schedule someone else to be caregiver for the day.

  • Build yourself a support network: Surrounding yourself with support is key at the very beginning, before things become too stressful and overwhelming.
  • Other caregivers: Find encouragement and comfort in those who know exactly what you are going through. Having understanding and knowledgeable support can make a world  of  difference.
  • Get help: It is common for caregivers to always give and be there to help, but do not seek or accept help for themselves. Make sure you ASK AND ACCEPT!
  • Rest: Make time for yourself and what interests you.
  • Don’t be oversensitive: As an Alzheimer’s caregiver, remember that the disease affects the senior’s brain. Their memory may not always be sharp, so if they are forgetful about commitments or things you discuss, do not take it personally.
  • Your Health: Maintain your diet, exercise, and regular doctor visits.
  • Be engaged: Staying involved in activities that are important to you as an individual will help you to maintain a healthy and balanced life while caregiving for your senior.
  • Laugh: Remember that it is okay to, and make opportunities to, laugh as funny situations come along.

Resources and Other Information for Alzheimer’s Care

As an Alzheimer’s caregiver, your confidence will build the more you educate yourself about the disease, and the more prepared you will be as various situations arise. The more knowledge you gain, the easier it will be for you to problem solve, especially as the disease grows and changes. Prepare yourself with what the future may hold, what to expect and how to handle it. You will feel empowered, and in turn, you can help your Appleton senior living with Alzheimer’s gain confidence as well.

Acceptance: It is vitally important that you, the Alzheimer’s caregiver accept the diagnosis, before your Appleton senior. Your acceptance can affect and support them in accepting this new stage of life they find themselves in.

Understanding: Symptoms of Alzheimer’s are slow to develop, but they get worse over time, and eventually hinder an Appleton senior from performing every day tasks and activities. While it is different from person to person, comparing symptoms with others suffering from Alzheimer’s can be helpful.

Treatments and trials: While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, treatments and trials are available to help with the symptoms, and provide a better quality of life for your Appleton senior loved one for as long as possible.

The future:  An Appleton senior who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s will want to have a voice in their future, as well as in the decisions that will affect them, whether that be legal, financial, or long term care planning. These conversations will most likely be difficult, but keeping the Appleton senior suffering from Alzheimer’s involved will help empower everyone. Also, knowing the wishes of your loved one will help you as the Alzheimer’s caregiver will give you confidence in the future when decisions need to be made for them. As in many scenarios in life, being organized and prepared will make life easier and more enjoyable for all.

Living alone: Living alone is common for Appleton seniors living with early onset Alzheimer’s. As the caregiver, call and visit often, always making help readily available for your loved one. This includes having help available for meal prep, financial aid, transportation, and other daily chores. Be ready for sudden changes, and make sure extra help is on hand if ever needed.

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 Tips for Mindful Communication with Persons with Alzheimer’s or Dementia

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Communication with Alzheimer’s

Be Purposeful in Communicating with a Loved One with Alzheimer’s

Through specialized memory care program, you are able to truly provide  care and support to loved ones living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. In addition to taking great care friends and family living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, it’s important for you to know you don’t have to take this journey alone. One of the many ways to support families is by providing information, answering their questions and even in offering helpful tips.

Since November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, there is even more reason to share some thoughtful tips for communicating with someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia:

  1. Never argue, instead agree
  2. Never reason, instead divert
  3. Never shame, instead distract
  4. Never lecture, instead reassure
  5. Never say “remember,” instead reminisce
  6. Never say “I told you,” instead repeat/regroup
  7. Never say “You can’t,” instead do what they can
  8. Never command/demand, instead ask/model
  9. Never condescend, instead encourage
  10. Never force, instead reinforce

What Is Alzheimer’s? Five Frequently Asked Questions (Part 2)

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5 Common Questions for Seniors Regarding Alzheimer’s

Questions about Alzheimer’s for Your Senior Love One? Read on for Answers! 

Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 47 million people worldwide, and that number continues to grow. Experts estimate 76 million people will suffer from the degenerative cognitive disease by 2030[1]. Recognizing the ever-pressing need for research, the Alzheimer’s Association has organized Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month this November to bring attention to this fatal illness.

To bolster their efforts, we’ve answered five frequently asked questions about Alzheimer’s below. Read on to learn vital information to help a loved one dealing with Alzheimer’s. To learn even more, be sure to follow our blog and Facebook page in November as we’ll be sharing real life stories of families with Alzheimer’s and dementia as well as ideas to help care for a loved one with these diseases.

What causes Alzheimer’s?

More research is necessary to thoroughly understand the causes of Alzheimer’s. However, it’s generally accepted that the late-onset form of the disease (by far the most prevalent) develops slowly over decades based on a variety of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Having a close relative with the disease increases a person’s risk, but is by no means a guarantee.[2] As for environmental and lifestyle variables, increasing age is the most significant risk factor, but high blood pressure and diabetes can also play a role.[3]

What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is most commonly characterized by mental confusion and forgetfulness, but these symptoms also accompany normal aging. What’s the difference? The Alzheimer’s Association lists ten typical signs of Alzheimer’s, including memory loss that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, and difficulty completing familiar tasks.[4] They also differentiate these symptoms from the milder signs of normal cognitive decline. For instance, while a normal older adult might occasionally struggle to balance their checkbook or forget an important name or date and then remember it later, these difficulties are more persistent for an Alzheimer’s sufferer.[5]

What’s the typical Alzheimer’s prognosis?

For people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the exact timeline, symptoms, and severity of their disease can vary.[6] However, the trajectory of the disease tends to flow through seven distinct phases, originally outlined by Dr. Barry Reisberg of New York University.[7] The arc generally begins with symptoms similar to those of normal aging,[8] proceeds through gradually worsening stages that can include difficulty with simple arithmetic and forgetting personal details,[9] and ends with severe decline typified by the inability to swallow.

Is there a cure for Alzheimer’s?

There’s no known cure for Alzheimer’s, only treatments that can ease symptoms.[10] The FDA has approved two types of medications (cholinesterase inhibitors, such as Aricept, Exelon, and Razadyne, and memantine, found in Namenda) that diminish mental confusion, memory loss, and other cognitive symptoms, but these do not reverse the underlying causes.[11] Likewise, many tout alternative supplements—gingko biloba and coenzyme Q10 among them—but no clinical trials have been done to confirm these. Thus, the need for more rigorous research is ever-pressing.

How can I prevent Alzheimer’s?

As with many degenerative illnesses, a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, balanced diet, and sound sleep habits, may help prevent Alzheimer’s. Perhaps most notable is the correlation between high blood pressure and high cholesterol and the incidence of the disease. Doctors recommend getting these numbers under control, not only for Alzheimer’s prevention, but for general good health.[12]

Help spread awareness of Alzheimer’s disease in November! Share this blog post and visit the Alzheimer’s Association online for more ideas.

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

[2] https://www.alzinfo.org/articles/testing-alzheimers-disease-guidelines/ 7th graf

[3] http://nihseniorhealth.gov/alzheimersdisease/faq/faq8.html 2nd graf

[4] http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp#typical numbers 1, 2, 3 on list

[5] http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp#typical numbers 1 and 2 on list

[6] http://www.alzheimers.net/stages-of-alzheimers-disease/ graf 1

[7] http://www.alzheimers.net/stages-of-alzheimers-disease/ graf 2

[8] http://www.alzheimers.net/stages-of-alzheimers-disease/ stage 2

[9] http://www.alzheimers.net/stages-of-alzheimers-disease/ stages 4

[10] http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_treatments.asp

[11] http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_standard_prescriptions.asp grafs 1 and 2

[12] http://www.helpguide.org/articles/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-and-dementia-prevention.htm

Help for the Caregiver of an Azlheimer’s Patient

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Help for the Caregiver of an Azlheimer’s Patient

Helpful Resources for Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 5.3 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease in 2015, according to the 2015 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report from Alzheimer’s Association, Of the 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimer’s, an estimated 5.1 million people are aged 65 and older. Learn more on the latest facts in this video from Alzheimer’s Association.

Resources for Alzheimer’s Care

Here are some helpful resources to help families caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.

1) Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research.

2) Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR)
The ADEAR Center is a service of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), one of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health and part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The ADEAR Center strives to be a current, comprehensive, unbiased source of information about Alzheimer’s disease.

3) Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a leading national nonprofit organization providing optimal care to individuals with dementia, and caregivers.

4) Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation
The Fisher Center is one of the largest and most modern scientific facilities in the world dedicated to solving the puzzle of Alzheimer’s disease.

5) ALZConnected
ALZConnected™, powered by the Alzheimer’s Association, is a new online social networking community designed specifically for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers.

6) Alzheimer’s Disease Research – BrightFocus Foundation
Alzheimer’s Disease Research (ADR) is a program of the BrightFocus Foundation to fund research and educate the public about Alzheimer’s Disease.

7) Alzheimers.gov
An official U.S. government website for Alzheimer’s and related dementias managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

8) WebMD’s Alzheimer’s Disease Health Center
WebMD helps you sort through mental health counseling and support options if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care

Hearing the news that a loved one has Alzheimer’s or Dementia can be unsettling, even scary. Most families are unprepared for this news and it can be a shock that leaves you feeling powerless. But we’ve found that families can feel empowered when they’re armed with the knowledge and resources they need to support their loved one.

How BrightStar Care Can Help

BrightStar Care® is your solution for professional care for early, middle, and late-stage dementia care. Our mission is to provide your loved one living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia the individualized care and support they need to:

  • Live with Dignity and Purpose safely and securely in their own home
  • Enjoy Optimal Health and emotional well-being
  • Maintain Connections to the people, places, things, and memories that matter most to them

We call this specialized approach “BrightStar Connections.”

BrightStar Connections is the Only In-Home Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care Program of its Kind, and truly is A Higher Standard of Memory Care.

Learn more about the BrightStar Care person-centered approach to Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care.

Partnering for Alzheimer’s Disease awareness

BrightStar is a proud partner of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Early Detection Alliance (AEDA). We are dedicated to promoting Alzheimer’s awareness, encouraging early detection and fighting for a cure.

We have joined forces with the Alzheimer’s Association to provide a number of helpful resources in hopes of making more possible – more knowledge, more security, more hope – for families facing this disease.

Resources

Alzheimer’s: Understanding What You’re Dealing With

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Alzheimer’s: Understanding What You’re Dealing With

What Is Alzheimer’s? Five Frequently Asked Questions

Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 47 million people worldwide, and that number continues to grow. Experts estimate 76 million people will suffer from the degenerative cognitive disease by 2030[1]. Recognizing the ever-pressing need for research, the Alzheimer’s Association has organized Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this June to bring attention to this fatal disease. To bolster their efforts, we’ve answered five frequently asked questions about the disease below. We’ll continue blogging all month about Alzheimer’s, so check back next week for more.

What causes Alzheimer’s?

More research is necessary to thoroughly understand the causes of Alzheimer’s. However, it’s generally accepted that the late-onset form of the disease (by far the most prevalent) develops slowly over decades based on a variety of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Having a close relative with the disease increases a person’s chance of getting it, but by no means guarantees it.[2] As for environmental and lifestyle variables, increasing age is the most significant risk factor, but high blood pressure and diabetes can also play a role.[3]

What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is most commonly characterized by mental confusion and forgetfulness, but these symptoms also accompany normal aging. What’s the difference? The Alzheimer’s Association lists ten typical signs of Alzheimer’s, including memory loss that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, and difficulty completing familiar tasks[4] They also differentiate these symptoms from the milder signs of normal cognitive decline. For instance, while a normal older adult might occasionally struggle to balance their checkbook or forget an important name or date and then remember it later, these difficulties are more persistent for an Alzheimer’s sufferer.[5]

What’s the typical Alzheimer’s prognosis?

For people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the exact timeline, symptoms, and severity of their disease can vary.[6] However, the trajectory of the disease tends to flow through seven distinct phases, originally outlined by Dr. Barry Reisberg of New York University.[7] The arc generally begins with symptoms similar to those of normal aging,[8] proceeds through gradually worsening stages that can include difficulty with simple arithmetic and forgetting personal details,[9] and ends with severe decline typified by the inability to swallow.

Is there a cure for Alzheimer’s?

There’s no known cure for Alzheimer’s, only treatments that can ease symptoms.[10] The FDA has approved two types of medications (cholinesterase inhibitors, such as Aricept, Exelon, and Razadyne, and memantine, found in Namenda) that diminish mental confusion, memory loss, and other cognitive symptoms, but these do not reverse the underlying causes.[11] Likewise, many tout alternative supplements—gingko biloba and coenzyme Q10 among them—but no clinical trials have been done to confirm these. Thus, the need for more rigorous research is ever-pressing.

How can I prevent Alzheimer’s?

As with many degenerative illnesses, a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, balanced diet, and sound sleep habits, may help prevent Alzheimer’s. Perhaps most notable is the correlation between high blood pressure and high cholesterol and the incidence of the disease. Doctors recommend getting these numbers under control, not only for Alzheimer’s prevention but for general good health.

Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Reduces Brain Plaques and Slows Decline

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Cognitive benefit in experimental drug trail would be a ‘game-changer’

(CNN) An experimental drug shattered and removed toxic plaques in the brains of patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, researchers said Thursday.

Given to patients once a month for a year, infusions of the drug aducanumab cleared the brain of the deposits, which experts believe play a crucial role in disrupting cellular processes and blocking communication among nerve cells.alzheimers-fb

Although most aging brains contain some plaques, the brains of Alzheimer’s patients tend to have much more. The disease, the most common form of dementia, has no cure, although some treatments are available to alleviate symptoms. Treatments to slow the progression or reverse it have not panned out. Testing of new Alzheimer’s drug disappoints, but it’s not all bad news

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Biogen developed the drug aducanumab and funded the study, which primarily tested its safety in humans and was not designed to test for cerebral benefits for patients. Still, the condition of some patients who received the drug showed less decline than patients receiving a placebo.

The study, funded by the makers of aducanumab, split 165 participants into groups and treated them with monthly intravenous infusions of either aducanumab or a placebo over 54 weeks. Four groups of patients received the drug in four separate doses.

As measured by PET brain scans, treatment with aducanumab reduced brain plaques based on both duration and dose; all groups showed more reduction in plaques over time, and the highest-dose group showed the greatest reduction of all.

The study has too few patients to prove that the drug actually works, wrote Eric M. Reiman, executive director of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix, in a commentary on the research, published in the journal Nature. He added that many other Alzheimer’s drugs have looked promising early on but ended in failure.  However, “confirmation of a cognitive benefit would be a game-changer,” said Reiman, a psychiatrist who is unaffiliated with the current study.

According to the researchers, animal studies of the drug conducted before the human trial showed the drug to be capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, engaging its target, and clearing plaques from the brains of mice.

Of all the patients, 125 completed the treatment. Among the 40 who discontinued it, most withdrew due to negative side effects, which included fluid building up in the brain as a result of the removal of plaques. In some cases, this can cause brain bleeds.

Larger trials of the drug involving Alzheimer’s patients are in progress and planned to run until at least 2020.

In their conclusion, the researchers observed that it may have taken up to 20 years for the plaques to have accumulated to the levels seen in patients, so the removal of it within a 12-month period “appears encouraging.”