Thirty years ago, Dr. Anne Basting, a gerontologist and a professor, had an experience that would change her life forever. Dr. Basting, who currently teaches theater at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was researching aging and memory for her PhD, and she felt she genuinely connected with a room of seniors who suffered from dementia. At […]
Does a Loved One Have Undiagnosed Dementia?
For the past five years, Barry has been going for his regular yearly checkups at his primary care doctor’s office. Two years ago, he began complaining about memory lapses. He would forget names and sometimes faces, and he’d often forget things that happened that day, such as what he had for breakfast and even a […]
Medicare Care Planning Benefit for People with Alzheimer’s
Dear Magic, My mother, Ingrid, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We know that there is no cure and that it only gets worse as time progresses. We’d like to plan in advance to make sure she gets the support services and medications she needs, and any non-medical treatments to improve her quality of life. We’d also […]
Loving Someone with Dementia
Q. Valentine’s Day has always been special for my husband, Charlie, and I. It’s our wedding anniversary and we used to go all out every year celebrating it. Charlie wasn’t much of a romantic until he met me. He’s learned over the years that I love chocolate, flowers, and sappy Hallmark cards. One year, on […]
Should a Loved One with a Dementia Diagnosis Have a Pet?
Dear Hayek, My grandmother Ruth has a small black mixed-breed pup named Angus. She is very fond of Angus and takes him everywhere. Ruth was diagnosed with dementia a couple of years ago. She still takes good care of Angus, but what happens when it becomes more severe and she forgets to walk him or […]
Can You Still Live Alone if You Have Early-Stage Alzheimer’s?
When Kimberly was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she took it as a devastating blow. She experienced the gamut of emotions anyone would feel after such a shocking discovery about oneself, including shock, denial, and depression. It took Kimberly more than a year to accept what the doctor had said— that she does in fact […]
Breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s Research from the Past Year
Q. It seems like there’s a new Alzheimer’s “breakthrough” almost every day. My husband and I often follow the headlines and in our attempt to pull together the true, reputable research, we have seen everything from the relationship of drinking coffee to stave off Alzheimer’s to people in the Midwest and South being more susceptible […]
Current Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease
Dear Magic, After spending 30 minutes hunting for her car the other day in a parking lot and leaving the oven on in another instance, my mom thinks it’s time to ask her doctor for an Alzheimer’s test. I remember when my dad got tested a few years ago and he answered questions for his […]
Have a Parent with Dementia? Your Symptoms May Show Up 6 Years Earlier
Kelly’s mother (85) has had dementia for eight years and her grandmothers on both parent’s sides also had it. Naturally, Kelly is concerned for herself and her children, and the likelihood that they will develop the disease. She has read that family history is a factor, but not the only one. Kelly is proactive in […]
How Alzheimer’s is Different for Women and Men
Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years ago, 75-year-old Elaine still enjoys jigsaw puzzles, knitting, and dancing. She manages day-to-day life with the help of a GPS tracker – prompted after a trip on the wrong bus – and with reminder notes stuck around the house by her husband Fred, who is also in the beginning stages […]
The Risks of Dementia Denial
Pete’s father, Frank, has always been a positive, happy person. He lives for the moment, doesn’t take many things too seriously, and when it comes to something potentially stressful, he subscribes to the notion that “ignorance is bliss.” Everyone who knows Frank loves his positive attitude and his optimistic outlook on life. Sounds like a […]
Is DICE the Key to Managing Dementia Without Medication?
Karl Sieloff, 56, had been an engineer at General Motors for more than three decades. Each day he arrived at work on-time and always had a good attitude. He went home to his loving wife, Kate, and was proud of their son, Kurt, who became a neurologist at the University of Michigan’s Medical Center. That […]
Can You Suppress the Onset of Dementia by Treating Apathy?
After many moves and achieving the rank of colonel in the Air Force, Ken had big plans for retirement. His already full bucket list was getting even longer, as he thought of new things he wanted to do with his wife. As an avid runner, Ken planned on training for his first half marathon, visiting […]
The Reality of a Vaccine to Protect Against Alzheimer’s
Margery recently went for a physical, and while she was there, she got vaccinated for pneumonia, shingles, and a tetanus shot. Similar to most people, she doesn’t like getting shots, but there is one she wouldn’t mind at all: a shot to protect her against Alzheimer’s! Margery lost her mother, her grandmother, and two aunts […]
Doctors Discover a New Type of Dementia
Dementia is an umbrella term used to refer to many types of neurodegenerative diseases—one of which is Alzheimer’s. And while the majority of dementias are diagnosed as Alzheimer’s, a recent study showed that thousands of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s actually didn’t have the disease. LATE Can Often be Confused for Alzheimer’s Disease Some people who […]
How Could Something Used to Treat Autism Also Be Used to Treat Dementia?
Kevin’s mother, Lydia, takes him for Interactive Metronome therapy twice a week to improve his focus. She decided to give this therapy a try, with hopes that he could better sit still in class and attend to learning. Kevin has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and inattentiveness is among his most pervasive of symptoms. In […]
When Mom and Dad Both Have Dementia
Q. My mother, Mary, is in a world of her own. I call it “Mary-land.” She often walks around in circles fussing about the “people who are breaking into the house.” We live in a quiet safe neighborhood, which hasn’t had a break-in in at least fifty years! She’s exhausted, disheveled, and constantly afraid. She […]
How Dementia Affects the Body AND the Brain
Please note: There was an incorrect link in today’s newsletter. To reach the “Is Home Care Covered by Medicare?” article, please click here. We apologize for the inconvenience. — Rob is in his early 70’s and was recently diagnosed with dementia. His short-term memory has been affected, and his personality isn’t quite the same as […]
Is Alzheimer’s Linked to Gum Disease?
Barbara recently went for her semi-annual dental cleaning and check-up and was told she has gingivitis (gum disease). She wasn’t surprised, as she has had a history of tooth decay and gum disease since she was a child. She always took care of her teeth, but she was told she is “more susceptible” to such […]
Can the Dangerous Consequences of Hearing Loss be Lessened by OTC Hearing Aids?
Dear Magic, My daughters and I suspect that my wife is experiencing hearing loss, but hearing aids are so expensive. I heard something about legislation that passed making them available over the counter. Is this true, and if so, do you know when this will start? Also, is it true that untreated hearing loss can […]
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