Q. My father loves three things most in life: his antique cars, his dogs, and his guns. The shooting range has been like a second home to him since mom died. It’s the place he gathers with buddies to socialize and let off steam. Dad is now 73, and is receiving treatment for Parkinson’s disease. […]
Dozens of Dementia Treatments Have Failed. Will This One Work?
Peter Wooding (77) is among the 5 million Americans who are facing Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most devastating diagnoses today. Happily married for more than 50 years, Peter and his wife Joanne are not going to sit back and accept the diagnosis. Currently part of a test group for a promising experimental drug treatment, […]
But I Promised I Wouldn’t Put her in a Nursing Home
Click Here to Read Magic’s to “My Dad Doesn’t Recognize Me – Is It Still Worth Visiting?” Q. I remember the moment like it was yesterday. My mom, who had Parkinson’s for ten years at the time, was sitting at my kitchen table. I saw how challenging it was for her to get her wheelchair from the living room into the kitchen, to chew and […]
Dementia and the Right to Die
Q. During her last two years of agony, my mother would look at me and her doctors and nurses often and say, “Can’t you just give me a little black pill?” It was obvious to all of us what she meant and, of course, all we could say was that we couldn’t do that, but […]
Inspiring Memories and Emotions in Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s
Nora has had Alzheimer’s for more than 10 years. Each year, her niece, Jeannette, visits her a few days before Christmas, to play her favorite holiday music, give her candy canes, and show her pictures of Washington, DC, where she spent most of her Christmases with family throughout her life. Jeannette would do anything to […]
Alzheimer’s Turns 100 – Bill Gates is on a Mission to End It Now!
100 years ago, German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer first wrote about “a peculiar disease.” He described the case of a woman named “Auguste D,” who was experiencing significant memory loss, severe paranoia, and other psychological changes. But, it wasn’t until Alzheimer performed an autopsy on her brain that he found that her brain had shrunk […]
Is Alzheimer’s a Spectrum Disease, Similar to Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Mary, a retired college professor, was unhappy when her ophthalmologist insisted that she stop driving. It happened when Mary informed her about her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Mary’s vision hadn’t changed in 10 years, and she felt perfectly capable of driving at that point in time. At an appointment with her neurologist, Mary expressed her dismay about […]
VSED — Please Stop Feeding Me!
Last weekend, I presented at the Positive Aging Fair, and my PR Director, Renee, staffed our expo booth. Renee told me and Jeannie about another booth at the expo that was particularly memorable, because the representative brought an oven and was baking cookies on-site. Upon speaking with him, Renee said that he does the same thing […]
Local College Students Invent New Gadget to Diagnose Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. It is the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Currently, doctors can’t definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s, so they typically inform patients of “possible Alzheimer’s dementia,” “probable Alzheimer’s dementia,” or […]
Surprising New Evidence About the Incredible Benefits of Coffee!
Every morning, when Michael rolls out of bed, he has one thing on his mind. It’s the one thing that he believes helps him stay awake and alert, and enables him to function at his best all day. It’s not a prescription or over-the-counter drug, or a vitamin or holistic treatment, but it may as […]
Family Caregiving is NOT Cheaper Than Professional Care. Here’s Why!
Five years ago, Karen got her PhD to teach at the college level. Upon graduating, she began her dream job, but she only was able to teach for about a year, when her mother’s Alzheimer’s began getting worse. Karen quit her job and put her dream on hold, and has been caring for her mother […]
Seniors Get SMARTER as They Get Older – How to Retain Your Smarts and Your Memory
Forty year-old Rachel is quite forgetful. She always forgets at least one item when she goes to the supermarket, forgets names (but typically remembers faces), and can’t always tell you what she had for breakfast that day. Eighty year-old Roberta, on the other hand, never forgets a grocery item, a name, a face, or a […]
My Wife is in a Nursing Home- Now What Do I Do with All This Free Time?
Q. My wife has dementia, and your firm recently helped us qualify for Medicaid. At first, I never thought it would be possible, but it was, and I am forever grateful for your assistance. She is now in a nursing home, and seems content and I am happy with the services she is being […]
But I’m NOT Sick!
Q. Sometimes when I walk my dogs, I see my neighbor Adam swinging on the swing his parents installed on their front porch. I am a pretty friendly person and usually greet all of my neighbors when I see them outside, and make small talk. Adam is a little different, however. He is in his […]
Spreading the Love: Dementia Patients Find Comfort in Pets and Family Visits
Renee Eder, our public relations director, has a history of dementia in her family, including her paternal grandmother, uncles, and aunts, and she knows about the love and compassion those with the disease need. During the holidays this past year, Renee and her daughter, Emma, led Emma’s second grade class in making gingerbread houses, and […]
The Brain’s GPS: Why Alzheimer’s Patients Wander
Janet, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, lives at the Juniper House Memory Care unit in Oregon. She is among her unit’s 16 residents who have exhibited the symptoms of Sundown Syndrome, where individuals with Alzheimer’s get agitated, disoriented, and restless late in the day. Residents, including Janet, have attempted to get through the door of the […]
Could You Get Alzheimer’s at 40?
Q. My older brother, Chris, just turned 40. He is a successful businessman, and the father of three. My family sees him and his wife often, as we are very close and they live nearby. Five years ago, I began seeing memory slips from Chris. For instance, he couldn’t remember our families going skiing, when […]
How Does a Doctor Test for Alzheimer’s Disease?
Dear Angel, My husband is becoming quite forgetful lately, and wants to get tested for Alzheimer’s Disease since he has a history of it in his family. He is becoming anxious about the testing, because he isn’t sure what’s involved. What types of tests do doctors conduct to determine if someone has Alzheimer’s? Thanks! Tess […]
Top 16 Articles of 2016
From the presidential candidates’ views on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, to a new president being elected, we covered a lot of ground in 2016. It was a year that included the passing of the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act to help special needs individuals, overtime pay for caregivers being instated and subsequently shut down […]
Our Top 10 Scariest Articles of 2016 (If You Dare)
With Halloween upon us, now is the time when we present you with this year’s scariest stories. From one typo costing you your computer to loved ones with Alzheimer’s owning guns, we uncovered some scary ground. To celebrate Halloween, we’ve ranked our scariest articles from least to most scary (but you be the judge) for […]