Howard Fischer, a 63-year-old investor in New York, made his wishes to his family known that he is committed to having his body composted when he dies. According to Fischer, “(w)hatever his family chooses to do with the compost after it’s done is up to them.” Michelle Skaff agrees. When she dies, she’s wants to […]
Might Your Next “Hospital Stay” Be at Home?
Q. My friend’s father recently suffered from pneumonia. Rather than being admitted to the hospital, he was offered another choice: hospital-level treatment in his home. I had never heard of such a thing. Is this type of care common? And is it covered by Medicare? Thanks so much for your help! A. Since the COVID-19 […]
Two Mind-Blowing Stroke Findings Will Be Presented This Week
This week, the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2023 will be held in person in Dallas beginning today and virtually Feb. 8-10, 2023. The conference is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health. Strokes are one of the leading causes of death and disability […]
Staying Optimistic After an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
Greg O’Brien is an award-winning investigative reporter who’s written for many national and regional publications, including The Washington Post. He was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 59 after a traumatic brain injury. Unfortunately, O’Brien has had lots of experience with the disease. Both his late parents and other close family members […]
FDA Approves New Alzheimer’s Drug That Slows Progression of the Disease
On January 6, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved the new Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab, which has been shown in clinical trials to slow cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease. The approval offers patients renewed hope after repeated failures to find effective treatments. The announcement came following a highly […]
“Hospice Nurse Julie” Dispels Myths about Death and Dying to Over a Million Followers on TikTok
Julie McFadden is a TikTok-famous hospice nurse with 1.1 million followers. She loves her job because she helps people find peace in death, and she uses her social media presence to share her knowledge on the subject. Julie has also appeared in articles by Newsweek, People magazine, and many other magazines, newspapers, and podcasts. According […]
Blood Tests and a New Promising Drug for Alzheimer’s Are Here. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Q. I know Alzheimer’s research, diagnostic tools, and treatments have come a long way in the past few years, with several new options having been introduced. But, I’m curious — do any of these options really work or even show real promise? A. Alzheimer’s disease research is at an important moment, with the emergence of […]
Is Physician-Assisted Death Possible for People with Dementia?
Q. My wife and I recently sat down to discuss the topic of end-of-life planning. She surprised me when she told me that if she ever gets diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia, she’d want to die on her own terms, before she becomes a burden to loved ones. I know from some […]
New Drugs for ALS and Alzheimer’s Show Great Promise
Q. I have a family history of Alzheimer’s on my mother’s side, and my younger brother was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) three years ago at just 40 years old. I have been participating in fundraisers and awareness events to raise money for research for both of these diseases. I heard a new Alzheimer’s […]
Can a New Device Detect Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms Develop?
Many people don’t realize that Alzheimer’s actually begins 15-20 years before symptoms become evident, but this has been proven to be the case. Now, a research team has developed a device and strategy that may be able to detect Alzheimer’s disease in the blood up to 17 years before any outward symptoms start to show. […]
What if I Don’t Want a Funeral?
Q. When a family friend died last year, his family made it clear there wouldn’t be a traditional funeral service for him. At first I thought this was because of the pandemic, but now I’m not so sure. Instead, they held a celebration of his life on his next birthday, almost a year after his […]
What is it Really Like to Live with Autism? A Nonverbal Woman Speaks Out
Q. We recently found out that our four-year-old granddaughter has autism, and will likely never speak. This is heartbreaking for us and her parents. With all the technology and therapies out there, there must be ways to teach her to communicate as she gets older. Do you have any insights about this or success stories […]
The Doorway Effect: Why Moving Can Be Especially Challenging for Those with Dementia
Note: This article is the third part of a three part series sharing the wisdom of Katya De Luisa, a dementia educator and author of “Journey through the Infinite Mind–the Science and Spirituality of Dementia.” Read part 1 and part 2 here. Q. The other day, I was watching TV when a commercial came on […]
The Alzheimer’s Mystery: Why Do Some People with “Alzheimer’s Brain” Never Show Symptoms?
It is a little known and greatly mysterious fact that many people whose brains show the classic neuropathological symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease — amyloid plaques and tau tangles — never develop dementia or show any outward signs of having the disease. These people live long and productive lives with no signs of memory loss or […]
Are Swearing, Bad Parking, and Being Overly Generous Signs of Alzheimer’s?
Dear Angel, I heard recently that swearing, bad parking, and being overly generous, among other things, are all possible signs of Alzheimer’s. This is particularly scary, because my husband and I do all these things sometimes. Is this true and if so, are there reputable studies to back it up? Thanks for your help, Jenna […]
Part 2: How to Respond When a Person with Dementia Asks if Someone Has Died
Note: This article is the second part of a three part series sharing the wisdom of Katya De Luisa, a dementia educator and author of “Journey through the Infinite Mind–the Science and Spirituality of Dementia.” Read part 1 and part 3 here. What should you do when your loved one with dementia believes someone who […]
Part 1: The Infinite Mind — Communicating Creatively with Dementia Patients through Art Therapy
Note: This article is the first part of a three part series sharing the wisdom of Katya De Luisa, a dementia educator and author of “Journey through the Infinite Mind–the Science and Spirituality of Dementia.” Read part 2 and part 3 here. “We never lose those we love, whether through dementia or death. They are […]
What It’s Really Like to Have Dementia: Fully Experiencing the Symptoms for Five Minutes of Your Life
Anyone who cares for someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia knows that it can be a challenging experience. As the disease progresses, the symptoms can include aggression, wandering, and agitation. Changes in the personality of the person with the disease can be a major source of distress both to the person with the […]
Creative and Nontraditional Ways to Process Grief and Find Peace
Grief is a natural human emotion. When we mourn the death of a loved one, we experience intense emotion, and that emotion is typically grief. We experience grief in our behavior, as many people dealing with grief lose interest in things, find themselves unable to smile or laugh, have trouble sleeping, and lose their appetite. […]
Hospice is Not a Death Sentence: What Happens When Someone Graduates from Hospice?
U.S. Army veteran, Iwao Nagata, was under hospice care for a year. At 94, he couldn’t remember conversations, his legs started getting weak, and he started falling frequently. Things went downhill fast for Iwao. He was frustrated, confused, and wasn’t eating. He became frail, constantly dizzy, couldn’t sit up, and lost his will. Fit all […]
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