We received two similar questions this week and will address them both. Q1. My aunt opened a savings account at her local bank for her son (my cousin) in the late 1980’s when my cousin was in college. When she opened the account for him, the bank representative, trying to be helpful, suggested that the […]
A Screening Tool Exists that Accurately Predicts End-of-Life
Q. I read somewhere that there is a screening tool that was developed to more accurately predict someone’s risk of dying based on different factors. Do you know more about this or other screening tools that are out there and how they work? Is this too much information, or can people use this information to […]
Prescribing Art: Can Art Be Used to Treat Conditions Affecting Seniors?
Two years ago, I wrote a three-part series that shared the wisdom of Katya De Luisa, a dementia educator and author of “Journey through the Infinite Mind–the Science and Spirituality of Dementia.” Besides being a dementia educator, caregiver coach, and author, Katya De Luisa is an art therapist. She describes art as “a window into […]
Are You a Super-Ager?
Are you someone in your 80s or older whose memory recall seems to be as good or even better than people decades younger than you? If you are, you’re in a relatively rare category of people known as “super-agers” — people who can easily recall things from many years ago with exceptional clarity along with […]
Comparing a Certified Medicaid Planner with a Certified Elder Law Attorney
Q. My sister-in-law and my husband have recently been discussing Medicaid Planning for my husband’s mother, who is in an early stage of dementia. You and your law firm represented my parents several years ago when we needed to protect their assets and get my mom on Medicaid. Thank you again for that! My siblings […]
Can Alzheimer’s Symptoms Be Reversed? Sanjay Gupta Explains in Newest Documentary
Dear Angel, I recently read about “The Last Alzheimer’s Patient,” starring Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The documentary describes Alzheimer’s patient Cici Zerbe, who claims that her early Alzheimer’s symptoms have been reversed. This was after she participated in Dr. Dean Ornish’s clinical trial on how intensive lifestyle changes can halt the progression of early Alzheimer’s. Do […]
Is Alzheimer’s Disease Genetic?
Years of research has found that the most common gene linked to Alzheimer’s disease is a risk gene called apolipoprotein E (APOE). Recent research built upon what was already known about APOE, finding that people with two copies of the gene variant APOE4 are almost certain to get Alzheimer’s. This new information could result in […]
Is Early Detection and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Possible Before Symptoms Arise?
Dear Angel, There’s been so much talk about the new Alzheimer’s drug that was just approved by the FDA. I’m wondering– what progress has been made when it comes to early detection of Alzheimer’s, before symptoms arise? Thanks! Earl E. Detexion — Dear Earl, June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, a time when we […]
A Major Shift in Autism Research
Q. My son, Tyler, has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He is verbal but he prefers to be alone and he avoids social situations whenever he can. My neighbor’s son, Christopher, who is also on the spectrum, is completely non-verbal and has severe sensory issues. I heard that the president signed the Autism CARES Act this […]