Fresh air a great medicine for Alzheimer's and other dementias

The Coppenhagen Post

A project at St. Kjeldsgården care centre in the Jutland town of Viborg has improved both the physical and mental welfare of its older dementia and Alzheimer’s patients through picnics, outings and garden work.

Inspired by the project’s results, Eva Kjer Hansen, the social affairs minister, has set aside DKK 7 million over the next two years to support.....read the whole story

What Makes Baby Faces Special, Helps Those With Alzheimers

Aug 06, 2008 – The topic of Charles Osgood’s file recently was "Why do baby faces make us smile?"

Most people, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, feel "instinctively" that babies faces are cute.

Researchers at Oxford University have done a study to find out why we react in such a positive way to babies.

Because babies are quite a lot of trouble, Oxford researchers Morton Kringelbach and Alan Stein thought that this response must be instinctual. They used imaging scans to measure brain activity in volunteers being shown images of unfamiliar adult and infant faces.

Prof. Alan Stein of Oxford University says, "In response to baby faces, but not in response to adult faces, these volunteers showed very specific activation of the brain."

Prof. Alan Stein says, "In an area called the orbitofrontal cortex, which is very much an emotional part of the brain where the reward-based stimuli seem to be based."

Is this just a momentary thing? Or does it last a while?

Stein says "These baby faces are selectively tagged by the brain for further activation."
In other words, that cute baby face is setting you up for duty.

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Top Strategies for Late Summer Sparkle with Those Who Have Dementia

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 04, 2008 – Over 5.2 million people in the US now have Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. We all benefit from being out in the great outdoors. The sunshine, the smells, the sounds, usually bring back happy memories. People with dementia should have this opportunity too.

Following these tips will ensure you and your loved one or client, with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia will have a pleasurable summer.

Structure and routine.
Try to follow regular predictable routines that include pleasant familiar activities. Remind the person that everything is going according to plan. Designate a certain time to go for a walk or sit in the backyard together.

Pleasant outdoor and indoor activities.
Make time for simple pleasant activities the person knows and enjoys---listening to music, watching a movie or sporting event, sorting coins, playing simple card games, walking the dog, playing catch,or dancing can all make a big difference.

Keep things simple.
Break down complex tasks into many small simple steps that the person can handle (e.g. stirring; folding towels while doing the laundry). Allow time for frequent rests.

Redirect
Sometimes the simplest way to deal with agitated behavior is to get the person to do something else as a substitute. For example a person who is restless and fidgety can be asked to sweep rake or cut grass dust fold clothes or take a walk with the caregiver. Someone who is rummaging can be given a collection of items to sort and arrange. Have a box of items for outside too.

Refocus.
Sometimes it is enough to offer a snack or put on a favorite videotape or some familiar music to interrupt behaviors that are becoming difficult.

Have flexibility.
Your loved one might want to do some activity or behave in a way that at first troubles you or may refuse to do something you have planned like taking a bath. Before trying to interfere with a particular behavior, it is important to ask yourself if it is important to do so. Even if the behavior is bizarre, it may not be a problem especially in the privacy of your own home

Soothe.
When the person is agitated it may help to do simple repetitive activities such as a massage or hair-brushing.

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Dementia patients need to be engaged citizens

BY JESSE F. BALLENGER Jesse F. Ballenger is a historian of medicine who teaches in the Science, Technology and Society Program at Penn State University. He is the author of "Self, Senility and Alzheimer's Disease in Modern
July 20, 2008
Advocates of federal funding for Alzheimer's and related dementia research have argued since the late 1970s that unless effective treatment or prevention is found, the health care system will be overwhelmed by the coming explosion of victims from the Baby Boom generation. As a model, they frequently have invoked the eradication of polio."In 1935, a March of Dimes was started. In 1961, less than 30 years later, the last polio epidemic occurred," said Robert Butler, founding director of the National Institute on Aging and a leading advocate of Alzheimer's research, in 1983 congressional testimony. " ... Senility could fall the way polio did, if we invest now." In light of the monumental personal losses and social burdens of Alzheimer's, medical research came to seem a moral imperative. The country's hope was fixed on the inevitability of a medical triumph.But it has been 25 years and about $8 billion of federal money for research since Butler testified.
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Thank you to all caring for those with Alzheimers and related dementias this July 4th and beyond

Author and Alzheimers healthcare professional, Susan Berg wants to take this opportunity to thank you for all you do everyday to enrich the lives of an Alzheimers person.

Berg has shared some ideas that may make your Independence Day more enjoyable.

Click here to discover what they are.

Here are a couple of them that are easy, fun, and failure free

8. Have a picnic perhaps using the ideas from your plans. If the person with dementia does not want to go outside, no problem, have the picnic inside.

7. Go to the beach or the park. Go at off times to avoid the crowd. You can always go on different day. Again if you fear a negative reaction to going to the beach, bring the beach to your home. Get some sand, sea shells and other beach paraphernalia

6 Have a small get together at home. Hire or have someone to assist the Alzheimers person

Also feel free to comment on your 4th of July activities with Alzheimers folks

Thanks again