This video shows the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease-  http://youtu.be/q1BkfV2h09g

None of us wants a call in the middle of night when we live time zones away from a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Your panic begins from the moment you hear the words and your mind races with questions. How bad is it? How quickly can I get there? Is anyone sitting with her or him? Can I afford the cost of flying there? Will it even matter to him or her if I go?

Being an Alzheimer’s caregiver from miles away is hard. Some people are fortunate enough to be able to rely on siblings, relatives or another parent. Others are less fortunate and don’t know where to turn.

Caregiving across miles or time zones, although difficult, can be done with careful preparation. Planning should be addressed when your loved one is initially diagnosed or whenever things are stable. It is a fact that you will be forced to deal with a crisis at some point and you will inevitably receive that dreaded phone call in the middle of the night.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could hang up the phone, scroll through your I-Phone or Blackberry and call ElderCare at Home and the Alzheimer’s Care Resource Center knowing that within the hour, a trusted, caring professional will be at your loved ones side and on the phone with you, addressing all of your questions and concerns?

For over 11 years we have helped hundreds of families just like yours. To learn more about how we can help you create a long term care plan that is best suited for your loved ones individual needs, and the unique needs of your family, call us at 800-209-4342. Whenever you reach out, we are here to help.

Elayne Forgie, President/CEO

Coach Broyles’ loves his wife, he explains the early onset in this informative video, watch it! What do you think?  We love reading your comments!

This is a fascinating article about a family considered the world’s largest family to experience Alzheimer’s Disease.  Could their experience lead to the prevention of Alzheimer’s?  To find out more about caregiving assistance available in Broward County, visit www.eldercareathome.org.

Alzheimer’s Stalks a Colombian Family

YARUMAL, Colombia — Tucked away on a steep street in this rough-hewn mountain town, an old woman found herself diapering her middle-age children.

For generations, the illness has tormented these and thousands of others among a sprawling group of relatives: the world’s largest family to experience Alzheimer’s disease. Now, the Colombian clan is center stage in a potentially groundbreaking assault on Alzheimer’s, a plan to see if giving treatment before dementia starts can lead to preventing Alzheimer’s altogether.

Read more from the New York Times HERE…

Keeping track of seniors with Alzheimer’s

The e-mail alert shouted its message: “Missing Person with Alzheimer’s. PLEASE HELP.” It was sent to Alzheimer’s Assn. chapters and to law enforcement officials within hours after an Orange County woman disappeared while on a short trip to visit a friend…

That story has a happy ending, but many confused seniors who become lost are never found again. The Alzheimer’s Assn. estimates that 60% of individuals with Alzheimer’s will wander at least once during the progression of the disease. Up to 70% of these individuals wander more than once, and up to several times. One study reported that nearly half of those not found within 24 hours die — usually from dehydration, exposure or injury.

Read more…

Visit www.eldercareathome.org for elder care assistance in the Broward County FL area.

Here is a great article for anyone who is caring for an aging loved one with Alzheimer’s.  Visit us at www.eldercareathome.org for help with a loved one in the area.

 Many Alzheimer’s Patients Find Comfort in Books

Familiar music can engage those with Alzheimer’s when almost nothing else can, researchers have shown. Now it appears that books written for these patients may have a similar effect.

Researchers have found in a number of studies that reading can improve a patient’s quality of life. The meanings of written sentences can be understood by — and prompt cogent responses from — even those who have difficulty handling verbal exchanges.

Caregivers may be surprised to learn that reading ability is not always destroyed by Alzheimer’s.

Read more…

Alzheimer’s Disease: Bad News and Good News

Seniors hoping to stay sharp in old age are bombarded with recommendations, from doing brainteasers to drinking red wine. But a recent review of research brings sobering news: Currently, there is no good evidence that any supplement, medication, diet or behavior change actually prevents Alzheimer’s or other age-related cognitive decline.

Such a grim verdict on a much-dreaded disease might seem like cause for despair. It’s not, say researchers.

“The bad news is we have nothing that’s been proven to prevent Alzheimer’s disease,” said Cynthia Carlsson, a professor and Alzheimer’s researcher at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, who was not on the panel that reviewed the research. “But the good news is we’re really at a tremendous point in understanding more about the disease causes.”

For instance, evidence is mounting to suggest Alzheimer’s damages the brain well before outward mental impairment shows up. So if doctors had tools to identify these pre-symptomatic individuals, they could start early treatments to help at least slow the mental slide.

Read more from agingcare.com…

Visit us at www.eldercareathome.org for caregiving help for an aging loved one in the Broward County FL area.

Older Americans Month 2010

Age Strong! Live Long!

May is Older Americans Month—a tradition dating back to 1963 to honor the legacies and ongoing contributions of older Americans and support them as they enter the next stage in life.

This year’s Older Americans Month theme—Age Strong! Live Long!—recognizes the diversity and vitality of today’s older Americans who span three generations. They have lived through wars and hard times, as well as periods of unprecedented prosperity. They pioneered new technologies in medicine, communications, and industry while spearheading a cultural revolution that won equal rights for minorities, women, and disabled Americans.

These remarkable achievements demonstrate the strength and character of older Americans, and underscore the debt of gratitude we owe to the generations that have given our society so much. But the contributions of older Americans are not only in the past.

Older Americans are living longer and are more active than ever before. And with the aging of the baby boomer generation—the largest in our nation’s history—America’s senior population is expected to number 71.5 million by 2030.

While keeping the growing population of older Americans healthy and active will increase the demand for senior services, what is remarkable is the extent to which older Americans themselves are supporting each other. As the new generations of seniors become better educated and more financially secure than their predecessors, they are spending more time making significant contributions in their communities through civic and volunteer opportunities.

In fact, older Americans are a core component of service delivery to seniors—embodying and modeling the drive to Age Strong! Live Long! They volunteer at group meal sites and deliver food to homebound seniors; they act as escorts and provide transportation for older adults who cannot drive; they help seniors with home repair, shopping and errands; and they provide vital counseling, information and referral services. Their energy and commitment reminds all Americans—not just senior citizens and their caregivers—to do their part to enhance the quality of life for older generations.

The annual commemoration of Older Americans Month is our opportunity to recognize the contributions of older citizens and join them in providing services and support that empower the elderly. Americans of all ages and backgrounds can volunteer with programs that improve health literacy, increase access to quality health services, offer food and nutrition services, provide financial and housing counseling, sponsor social activities and community engagement, and more.

Contact your local Area Agency on Aging by visiting http://www.eldercare.gov or calling 1-800-677-1116 to find out what you can do to strengthen services for older Americans, this month and all year round.

For caregiving help for an aging loved one in the West Palm Beach FL area, visit www.eldercareathome.org.

May is Stroke Awareness Month.  This is a great article with steps on how to prevent a stroke.  Visit us at www.eldercareathome.org for help with an aging loved one.

Prevent a stroke in 5 simple steps

(ARA) – Did you know that 80 percent of all strokes are preventable? That figure, from the National Stroke Association, illustrates just how important it is that you know the steps necessary to prevent a stroke from affecting your life. What might surprise you is that many of those steps are lifestyle suggestions you’ve heard before – they just have the added benefit of helping to ward off a stroke.

In honor of May being Stroke Awareness Month, Life Line Screening wants to share the list of lifestyle changes that can help aid in stroke prevention and to remind you that a preventive stroke screening can help you identify your particular risk factors. Knowing exactly how you can protect yourself from a stroke – which affects approximately 800,000 Americans each year – may inspire you to take action.

Many people are taking the steps to improve the quality of their lives. Even though the modifications can be difficult, the life-saving benefits they can offer are worth the effort. Only you can make the decision to take control of your wellness. Start with these simple steps:

Step 1. Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quitting is one of the most important things you can do to decrease your chances of a stroke. Puffing on tobacco sets the stage for a stroke in the following ways:

Why it’s important:

* Smoking is linked to an accumulation of plaque in your carotid arteries, which supply blood to your brain. Blockage in these arteries, including plaque, is the leading cause of stroke.

Carbon monoxide from smoking lowers the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry to your brain and makes your blood more likely to clot. Blood clots in an artery that supplies blood to your brain can trigger a stroke.

* Nicotine in the tobacco raises your blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to stroke.

If you smoke, talk to your doctor about medications and programs that can help you stop.

Step 2. Trim down. Being overweight is associated with many factors that raise your risk for a stroke.

Why it’s important:

* You’re more likely to have high cholesterol, which is an ingredient in plaque that can block your arteries. Blocked arteries are a risk factor for stroke.

* You’re more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The elevated levels of blood glucose, high cholesterol and increased blood pressure associated with diabetes can cause a stroke.

* You’re more likely to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to stroke.

Doctors typically determine whether patients are too heavy by their body mass index (BMI), which uses a formula combining your height and weight. Ideally, your BMI should be less than 25. Calculate your BMI online by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/index.htm.

Step 3. Get moving. If you don’t do much physical activity, you can develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, all of which increases your chance for a stroke.

Why it’s important:

* If you’re at a healthy weight, it’s still important to exercise regularly.

* If you’re overweight, exercising regularly will help you shed the extra pounds.

Exercising regularly means at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days. If you can’t do it all at once, it’s OK to break up your activity into smaller chunks.

Step 4. Prevent or control diabetes. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in your brain and elsewhere in your body. Besides being at a very high risk for a stroke, most people with diabetes die of some form of cardiovascular disease.

Why it’s important:

* If you have diabetes, maintaining your blood sugar levels through weight loss, physical activity and possibly by taking medications can help reduce your risk of stroke.

* If you don’t have diabetes, regular physical activity and keeping a healthy weight will help you avoid it. By getting a preventive health screening for diabetes, you can find out what your risks are for the disease.

Step 5. Eat a healthy diet. Loading up your plate with fruits, vegetables and grains and cutting down on foods high in sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat, is also an important component in a stroke-preventing lifestyle. As a rule, avoid fatty meats, full-fat dairy and baked snack foods containing partially hydrogenated oils. Keep your sodium consumption below 2,400 milligrams (or 1 teaspoon) per day. This daily amount includes all salt and sodium in your foods, not just salt you add.

Why it’s important:

* Following this type of diet will help you maintain a healthier blood pressure and lower cholesterol, which is necessary for stroke prevention.

Life Line Screening, the nation’s leading provider of preventive health screenings, encourages you to take a closer look at exactly how making these changes can help you prevent a stroke and live a healthier lifestyle for overall wellness.

Courtesy of ARAcontent