World Alzheimer's Day is tomorrow (Sept 21), and a lot of what I've been reading about Alzheimer's disease lately has to do with remembering. Many of the wonderful people I've interviewed, especially those with Alzheimer's disease, explain their reason for blogging or keeping a journal. Mostly, it's used as a way to remembering things for later, but a lot of Alzheimer's bloggers are using their blogs as a way of letting family and friends in on the progress of the disease.…
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Added by Jody Simpson on September 20, 2008 at 12:20pm —
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Mark your calendar for World Alzheimer's Day, September 21, 2008. It's all about raising awareness for Alzheimer's disease!
You can visit the
Alzheimer's Association website to learn how to make a difference, or keep right on reading!
Here's what you can do to help make a difference in the work place:
Go purple!
Ask your workforce to wear purple on Friday, Sept. 19 or Monday, Sept. 22 to raise awareness.
Why not combine a Go Purple D…
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Added by Jody Simpson on September 15, 2008 at 9:30pm —
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I’ve often wondered how quickly early onset Alzheimer’s disease gets noticed in people in their 40’s and 50’s. Before I began my research into Alzheimer’s disease, I would never have thought about it occurring in anyone under 65 years of age. However, early onset Alzheimer’s disease makes up 10% of the Alzheimer’s disease population.
CBS evening news ran a story about a fifty-three year old man with early onse…
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Added by Jody Simpson on September 8, 2008 at 10:54am —
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Last night was parent night at my son's new school. Tuesday will be his first day of pre-school and I'm a mess, but not for the reasons you might think. My son has a serious
peanut and tree nut allergy. For the last two years I've watched his food intake like a hawk, from checking and rechecking food labels to harassing restaurant staff for information on how certain foods are made. I feel like I've done it all.
As vigilant as I've been in keeping him…
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Added by Jody Simpson on August 29, 2008 at 8:38am —
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Taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can be both rewarding and challenging. One challenge can come in the form of independent living. Most people with Alzheimer's disease want to live independently. However, this can be difficult as the disease progresses.
Here are some tips from the Mayo clinic on how to reduce frustration for both caregiver and Alzheimer patient:
Reduce frustrations
A person with Alzheimer's may react with frustration, agitation and even aggression when…
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Added by Jody Simpson on July 17, 2008 at 10:19pm —
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In my last blog entry, I tried to answer the difficult question of how I'd like to be cared for if I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. I couldn't really answer the question. I guess I don't do hypothetical situations very well. I need to feel the pressure or importance of the situation, a dire need for an answer or decision.
I often joke with my husband that if I'm in a coma, not to unplug the machines. It's not a decision based on quality of life, etc. It's based on the fact that I can't…
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Added by Jody Simpson on July 10, 2008 at 5:21pm —
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I ran across an interesting question asked by an Alzheimer's caregiver and blogger of
Life From the Porch. The author asks,
"If you were the one with AD, how would you like to be cared for?"
This is a very interesting question, especially from an Alzheimer's caregiver. Personally, I'm not sure I know how I'd like to be cared for. I know I'd like to be comfortable. I'd like to be given as much independence a…
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Added by Jody Simpson on July 9, 2008 at 11:16pm —
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A recent MIT study involving gerbils indicates an Omega 3 cocktail might help with memory and learning functions in Alzheimer's patients.
The
article states that
the researchers found that normal gerbils treated with the mixture--a combination of DHA (a type of omega-3 fatty acid), uridine and choline--performed significantly better on learning and memory tests than untreated gerbils.
This is particularly interestin…
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Added by Jody Simpson on July 9, 2008 at 10:00pm —
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I'm in a book club and enjoy every minute of it, from book selection to discussion, it's something I look forward to each month. Being in a book club got me thinking about possible books selections that deal with Alzheimer's disease. Although I've never read this book, it comes highly recommended by a couple people in the Alzheimer's community,
Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with t…
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Added by Jody Simpson on July 5, 2008 at 9:46pm —
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I've written about a handful of health related topics here at WEGO Health, but nothing as infuriating as the story of Esmin Green. Many of you have probably heard about Ms. Green by now. She's the 49-year old woman who was left to die in the emergency room at King County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, on June 19. Apparently, Ms. Green's pastor called 911 and had her admitted (involuntarily) to the psychiatric emergency room at King County Hospital, where she waited almost 24 hours for treatment…
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Added by Jody Simpson on July 3, 2008 at 11:59pm —
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Added by Jody Simpson on July 3, 2008 at 12:00am —
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I ran across this
video interview of man who quit his job to become the primary caregiver to his father who has Alzheimer's disease. It's an amazing story of two interesting people, Ric and Jesus Gomez.
Ric, the caregiver, touches on some important issues facing caregivers, such as the frustrations of caregiving and where to go for help. Something as simple as calling the
Alzheimer's…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 30, 2008 at 10:16pm —
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This weekend I attended my parents' high school graduation (ages 65 and 64!). They stopped going to school in the 50's and decided now was the time to finish high school. After the ceremony, my 88 year old grandfather told me a story of when he was 7 years old. He said his second grade teacher told the class if they buried a piece of coal in the ground it would eventually turn to gold. He went on to tell me how he and his classmate ran home to do just that. He even remembered where he buried it,…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 29, 2008 at 11:16pm —
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Early-onset Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed when symptoms of dementia occur before the age of 65. According to the
Mayo Clinic, it can occur anywhere from age 30 and up. However, the disease is most often diagnosed in people in their 50's. Early treatment interventions might help individuals to maintain their normal routine and independence for longer periods. Additionally, early treatment might allow for the individual to partic…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 26, 2008 at 11:03pm —
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My nearly three year old son was diagnosed with Apraxia at age two. For those of you unfamiliar with Apraxia, here is a definition from
Apraxia-Kids:
Oral apraxia indicates that the child has difficulty with volitional control of nonspeech movement. For instance, perhaps the child will have difficulty sticking out and wagging their tongue when requ…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 26, 2008 at 10:00pm —
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You can read facts and information about Alzheimer's disease and never fully understand the depths of the disease. It's one of those "walk a day in my shoes" type of diseases. Well, get ready to walk. I ran across this
video that doc…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 23, 2008 at 10:44pm —
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The spouse or child often becomes the caregiver to a family member with Alzheimer's disease. An intimate relationship, such as that of a spouse or child, can add another layer of stress and emotion to the care giving process. Educating yourself on
what to expect, following a
care giving guide and knowing…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 18, 2008 at 9:53pm —
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Being a caregiver holds many challenges. However, being a caregiver to someone with Alzheimer's disease can be especially challenging (and rewarding) in ways unimaginable. The
Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability has put together a list of suggestions for better care giving management of Alzheimer's patients.
Here are some things to consider when attempting to manage difficult behavior:
Are their physical needs being met?
Could it be:
-a…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 18, 2008 at 2:28pm —
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As summertime quickly approaches, so does summer vacation planning. This year I'll be traveling with a 3 year old, which means extra vacation preparation and lots of patience. The same holds true for traveling with someone with Alzheimer's. A little extra time in your planning can ensure a safe and comfortable trip for everyone involved.
Here's a list of
10 Tips for Traveling with Your Loved One provided by…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 14, 2008 at 10:28pm —
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Did you know that every 71 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer's? Yes, every 71 seconds. Amazing. I ran across
Celebrity Champions Speak Out page while doing some other Alzheimer's research. It's all about giving Alzheimer's the attention it deserves. Be sure to check it out.
And, if you want to get involved and make your voice heard, use the W
rite to Congress tool
here…
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Added by Jody Simpson on June 13, 2008 at 10:30pm —
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