A new study just revealed a new drug halts progress of Alzheimer’s Disease. 

A major breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is revealed today (July 29) by scientists at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Chicago, Illinois.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative and terminal brain disorder which affects millions of people around the world and a major and growing burden on health services in all countries with an ageing population. During the course of its progress there is a build up in the brain of lesions called plaques and tangles.

A new drug that has completed Phase II trials in the UK and Singapore is being hailed as a major breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, as it appeared to slow the progress of the disease by as much as 81 percent over a year, compared to placebo. Methylthioninium chloride (MTC) blocks the accumulation of tau protein tangles inside brain cells, one of the principal characteristics of the disease.

Patients receiving the study treatment experienced an 81% reduction in cognitive decline over one year, and did not experience a significant decline in their mental function over 19 months. The TauRx brain imaging data also showed that the drug had its biggest effect in the memory critical parts of the brain where the tangle density is highest.

Please visit in a day to get more information on study revealed.

If your aging relative is living with Alzheimer’s, Home Instead Senior Care in Austin can help.  Please call us at 512-347-9207.

Alzheimer’s Disease a Growing Concern for Boomers

Question from a daugther of aging mother: My 85 year old mother is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and is still at home in Austin.  We’re hoping to keep her in her own house for as long as possible.  What’s the latest about Alzheimer’s disease and what it will mean for my generation?

Sadly, the information is not all good news. While many of the diseases that strike senior citizens are declining, the most feared – Alzheimer’s Disease – is increasing at an accelerating rate, according to the latest report from the Alzheimer’s Association.  About five million elderly have the disease now, the organization says, but it projects 10 million Baby Boomers will join these ranks in the U.S.

Your mother is among 5.2 million Americans who are living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the “2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures” report (online at http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2008.pdf).

This new study says the disease is poised to strike one out of eight Baby Boomers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, now is the time to address this looming epidemic that currently has no effective disease-modifying treatments that halt or delay the progression of the disease.

Experts predict by 2010, there will be almost a half million new cases of Alzheimer’s disease each year, and by 2050, there will be almost a million new cases each year. The Association’s report discusses the facts and figures about this disease, which is now the seventh-leading cause of death in the country and the fifth-leading cause of death for those over age 65.

For a private question to be answered by our Home Instead Senior Care Austin expert - email Catherine Kohl HISC.Kohl@yahoo.com.  Call 512-347-9207.

Home Instead Senior Care Austin helps Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients live at home. Please call for more information 512-347-9207.

Our female elders, over the age of 90, are more inclined to dementia and significantly more likely to have dementia than men of the same age. A U of CA - Irvine study shows, one of the largest studies of dementia and other health factors in this age group. It validates the need for elder care & senior care services -Home Instead Senior Care Austin. The need will only continue to increase as the population ages.

The study’s findings show that “more will need to be done to provide adequate resources to care for the increasing number of very old people with dementia”, Maria Corrada, a UC-Irvine epidemiologist and study co-author.

They found signs of dementia in 45 percent of women and 28 percent of men age 90 and older living in a  southern California retirement community. Researchers found no clear reason for the discrepancy, but noted that women with higher levels of education were less likely to show signs of senility.

The “oldest old,” is the fastest growing segment of the population, according to the U.S. Census. While there are currently nearly 2 million nonagenarians in the U.S. alone, that number is projected to increase to 10 to 12 million by the middle of the century.

The study appears in the July 2 online issue of Neurology. For more information about caring for your loved one living with memory loss, Home Instead Senior Care Austin can help. Call us today at 512-347-9207.

Home Instead Senior Care Austin - Helping Austin seniors living with Alzheimer’s & memory loss.

Call us 512-347-9207

Alzheimer’s disease causes fright in seniors and elders. The confusion it creates can be overwhelming for them. Most activities they love doing diminishes which can be sad to observe. Familiar faces and places are wrought with questions and confusion for someone living with memory loss. 

Those with Alzheimer’s disease are not the only ones whose lives are filled with fear and frustration. As a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, you also experience the consequences of the disease. You are not alone; more that 80 percent of the people with Alzheimer’s are cared for by a family caregiver.

They are individuals that have numerous responsibilities and are often caring for other family members at the same time. Leslie, a single mother caring for a young daughter and her 91year old grandmother with Alzheimer’s disease in her home tells her story.

 See if this story is similar to yours: “Because my grandmother is home alone during the day, I come home over my lunch hour to check on her. Grandmother has been living with us for three years, but still thinks she is visiting. At first, she was quite independent and resisted any kind of help, saying she could do everything on her own. One day I discovered that she had gone into the back yard, locked the door behind her and spent the afternoon sitting in the sun. The temperature reached 100 degrees that day. This made me realize that for her safety and wellbeing, she shouldn’t be alone anymore.” She called Home Instead Senior Care and asked for help. So, we have been assisting her for the last few months with care.

If you or someone you know needs assistance with a loved one or friend, call Home Instead Senior Care at 512-347-9207. We can help.

Catherine Kohl RRC

Home Instead Senior Care Austin, Lakeway, Hays & Travis County - Helping Seniors & Elders to Live at Home

512-347-9207

And if you have a confidential question concerning your aging relative and need advice or help now, please send an email to our expert on staff, Catherine Kohl, HISC.Kohl@yahoo.com. Your privacy is important to us.

Home Instead Senior Care Austin adds the additional symptoms and behaviors for Alzheimer’s disease Stage 2.  Keep in mind that all individuals differ and can be high-functioning in some areas and low in others.

Stage 2 - Middle

• General confusion
• Paranoia
• Day and night reversal
• Accusations of lying
• Accusations of stealing
• Wandering
• Rambling and repetitive speech
• Problems with language
• Problems with mathematics
• Anxiety
• Pacing
• Stealing
• Disorientation to time
• Perseveratons
• Inappropriate toileting
• Undressing
• Problems with eating
• Emotional
• Cursing
• Sundowning
• Frustation
• Resists care
• Catastrophic reactions
• Hallucinations
• Denial of memory problems
• Sexually and socially inappropriate

Stage 3 - Terminal

• Severe confusion
• Hallucinations
• Total incontinence
• Can’t recognize self or family
• Sleeping more often
• Forgets how to perform activities of daily living
• Total Care
• Appears uncomfortable
• Moaning
• Crying out
• Verbalizations decrease
• Unresponsive to environment
• Combativeness
• Hitting and kicking
• Weight loss
• Problems with eating
• Swallowing difficulties
• Choking risk
• Rigid movements

Home Instead Senior Care Austin can assist in evaluating your loved one who may possibly exhibit these behaviors and/or symptoms. Please consult a physician for any and all concerns on specific medical conditions. Call us for help at 512-347-9207.

If you are interested in becoming a CAREGiver for Home Instead Senior Care, please drop us a note here Become a CAREGiver.

Home Instead Senior Care Austin, Lakeway, Hays & Travis County - Helping Elders, Giving Companionship

512-347-9207

If you are interested in becoming a CAREGiver for Home Instead Senior Care, please drop us a note here Become a CAREGiver. And if you have a confidential question concerning your aging relative and need advice or help now, please send an email to our expert on staff, Caterine Kohl, HISC.Kohl@yahoo.com. Your privacy is important to us.

Today we give you the last stage of Alzheimer’s disease as found on Alz.org - please visit them often. Alz.org has indepth knowledge and information for families struggling with the dreaded disease.

Stage 7:
Very severe cognitive decline (Severe or late-stage Alzheimer’s disease)
 
This is the final stage of the disease when individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, the ability to speak and, ultimately, the ability to control movement. Frequently individuals lose their capacity for recognizable speech, although words or phrases may occasionally be uttered.

• Individuals need help with eating and toileting and there is general incontinence of urine
• Individuals lose the ability to walk without assistance,
• Ability to sit without support,
• To smile,
• And the ability to hold their head up,
• Reflexes become abnormal and muscles grow rigid,
• Swallowing is impaired. 

Home Instead Senior Care Austin adds common symptoms and behaviors of Alzheimer’s Disease: (This is not intended as a diagnostic tool, nor is it a comprehensive list. It simply provides a quick reference for identifying common behaviors associated with the disease).

Stage One (Onset)

• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Emotional
• Changes in personality
• Changes in appearance
• Cursing
• Frustration
• Sadness
• Mood Swings
• Repetitive questions
• Uncompleted tasks
• Difficulty in learning new tasks
• Loses recent memory
• Unable to make new memories
• Denial of memory problems
• Blames deficits on others
• Makes excuses
• Denies needing help
• Accusations of stealing
• Forgets to pay bills
• Touble handling money
• Shorter attention span
• Withdrawal
• Loses interest
• Loses or misplaces items
• Trouble organizing
• Trouble find words
• Resistant to change
• Hoards items
• Avoids others

Contact us for help with memory loss inquiries.  Home Instead Senior Care Austin - 512-347-9207.

Alzheimer’s Care in Austin brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care Austin.  Do you need help for your elder loved one in Austin, please call us 512-347-9207. 

Continuing our postings for Alzheimer’s Care Austin blog, Home Instead Senior Care Austin shares more symptoms on Alzheimer’s and dementia issues.  We do not intend this post to be used as a diagnostic tool and we highly recommend seeing a physician for better understanding and diagnosis of any memory loss and/or medical issues.

Visit Alz.org for additional Alzheimer’s Care.

Stage 5:
Moderately severe cognitive decline - Moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease - Major gaps in memory and deficits in cognitive function emerge. Some assistance with day to day activities becomes essential. At this stage:

• Be unable during a medical interview to recall such important details as their current address, their telephone number or the name of the college or high school from which they graduated
• Become confused about where they are or about the date, day of the week or season
• Have trouble with less challenging mental arithmetic; for example, counting backward from 40 by 4s or from 20 by 2s
• Need help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion
• Usually retain substantial knowledge about themselves and know their own name and the names of their spouse or children
• Usually require no assistance with eating or using the toilet

Stage 6:
Severe cognitive decline - Moderately severe or mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease
 
Memory difficulties continue to worsen, significant personality changes may emerge and affected individuals need extensive help with customary daily activities. At this stage, individuals may:

• Lose most awareness of recent experiences and events as well as of their surroundings
• Recollect their personal history imperfectly, although they generally recall their own name
• Occasionally forget the name of their spouse or primary caregiver but generally can distinguish familiar from unfamiliar faces
• Need help getting dressed properly; without supervision, may make such errors as putting pajamas over daytime clothes or shoes on wrong feet
• Experience disruption of their normal sleep/waking cycle
• Need help with handling details of toileting (flushing toilet, wiping and disposing of tissue properly)
• Have increasing episodes of urinary or fecal incontinence
• Experience significant personality changes and behavioral symptoms, including suspiciousness and delusions (for example, believing that their caregiver is an impostor); hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there); or compulsive, repetitive behaviors such as hand-wringing or tissue shredding
• Tend to wander and become lost

We thank Alz.org for the great work and effort helping family cope with and learn about Alzheimer’s Disease. If you have questions, concerns, or comments about our blog or your family member living with memory loss, please leave below in our comment section or call us at 512-347-9207.  Thank you. 

Alzheimer’s Care in Austin brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care Austin.  For more information getting help for your loved one living in Austin, please call us 512-347-9207. 

Alzheimer’s Care in Austin is brought to you by Home Instead Senior Care Austin.  For more information getting help for your loved one living in Austin, please call us 512-347-9207. 

According to The Alzheimer’s Organization, see more at Alz.org, experts have documented the common symptom progression or patterns that occur with Alzheimer’s disease and developed several methods of “staging” based on these patterns. 

These are useful frames of reference for understanding how Alzheimer’s disease may unfold and for making future plans. It is important to note that not everyone will experience the same symptoms or progress at the same rate. People with Alzheimer’s die an average of four to six years after diagnosis, but the duration of the disease can vary from three to 20 years. 

This is not intended as a diagnostic tool, nor is it a comprehensive list. It is simply a quick reference for identifying common behaviors associated with the disease. Please consult a physician for any/all medical conditions.

Home Instead Senior Care Austin will deliver the framework stages of Alzheimer’s disease over the next few days via our Alzheimer’s Care Austin blog.

Stage 1:
No impairment (normal function)Unimpaired individuals experience no memory problems and none are evident to a health care professional during a medical interview.

Stage 2:
Very mild cognitive decline - may be normal age related changes or earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Individuals may feel as if they have memory lapses, especially in forgetting familiar words or names or the location of keys, eyeglasses or other everyday objects. But these problems are not evident during a medical examination or apparent to friends, family or co-workers.

Thank you for visiting and please return often to Alzheimer’s Care in Austin by Home Instead Senior Care Austin.  Call us for help with your loved one living in Austin 512-347-9207.