A ten year study has reversed the theory that aspirin can help prevent or slow Alzheimer’s disease. However, scientists did mention that it seemed like women with Alzheimer’s who took aspirin kept their speaking ability longer than those who didn’t.

Posted by on 04.28.2007 • Alzheimers Health News - Comments (0)

According to this ACTIVE study:

“This large trial found that community-dwelling seniors who received cognitive training had less of a decline in certain thinking skills than their peers who did not have training. The study addresses a very important hypothesis — that interventions can be designed to maintain cognitive function,” says NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. “The challenge now is to further examine these interventions and others to see how they can be employed in real-world settings.”

With findings like these, exercising our brains becomes very important. While brain exercises don’t stop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the study does show that they slow the progress of the diseases. So, how do we exercise our brains?

• Do logic, crossword and Sudoku puzzles - Just be sure you solve increasingly difficult puzzles as the years pass so you continue to challenge your brain.
• Play chess or checkers.
• Start a new hobby - exploring new hobbies often means learning new terminology, performing new tasks, etc.
• Send the kids (or grandkids) outside and take over the video game controllers for awhile. Simple games like Duck Hunt or Super Mario Brothers make me work on my reflexes and involve a bit of simple puzzle solving.
• Memorize your grocery list, a poem or a Bible verse. Not having success? Take a class on memory skills and put those skills to use.
• Hang out with kids. Sometimes, I can “feel the burn” from stretching my brain to include all those new ideas and ways of looking at things they come up with in a day.

Do you have any ideas for exercising our brains? Please post your tips!

Posted by on 04.22.2007 • Uncategorized - Comments (0)

Liz from Alzheimer’s Notes has put together a really nice list of resources for caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s from a distance. It can be done, but it is hard.
I have a friend who moved to the midwest and didn’t want to disturb her mom, who was settled into a nursing home on the east coast and seemed to really be doing well. It was hard for her to take care of her mom at such a distance and the rest of the family, who still lived near the nursing home, didn’t step in and help out. She flew out to check on her mom whenever there was a problem. Ultimately, I think she wished she would have moved her mom out to be nearer to her, especially when she slipped out of her room and fell down a half flight of stairs.

Does anyone have some tips to share on caring for a parent from a distance?

Posted by on 04.14.2007 • Caregiver Support - Comments (3)

The Alzheimer’s Association says that the funding for Alzheimer’s research for 2007 has been restored. Thanks to everyone who wrote to their representatives to let them know how much this research means to us!

If you haven’t gotten involved in the Alzheimer’s Advocate network yet and want to work to make sure the proposed 2008 budget cuts go the same way, here’s the link. Sometimes a simple email or handwritten letter to your congressperson can make a difference, especially if you tell how Alzheimer’s is affecting your family.

Posted by on 04.05.2007 • Alzheimers Health News - Comments (2)