Category: Dementia
Vast majority of dementia patients don’t receive specialty diagnosis and care, study
One year after diagnosis, less than a quarter of patients had seen a dementia specialist. After five years, the percent of patients had only increased to 36%.
Memory and attention difficulties are often part of a normal life
Can’t remember what you came for? Don’t worry – you probably have a lot going on.
Common Medications Can Masquerade As Dementia In Seniors
1 in 4 older adults take anticholinergic drugs — a class of medications used to treat allergies, insomnia, leaky bladders, and other common disorders
No cure for Alzheimer’s in my lifetime
If you understand why there won’t be much headway on Alzheimer’s, you’ll also understand why medicine has been having fewer breakthroughs on major diseases.
States Push For Caregiver Tax Credits
The average caregiver spends $6,954 a year on out-of-pocket costs caring for a family member.
Seniors Aging In Place Turn To Devices And Helpers, But Unmet Needs Are Common
Nearly half of older adults with probable dementia or difficulty performing daily activities don’t get assistance from family, friends or paid caregivers
Watch Out for False Promises About So-Called Alzheimer’s Cures
FDA warns consumers to avoid unproven and potentially unsafe products sold as treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
Assisted Living’s Breakneck Growth Leaves Patient Safety Behind
Dementia care is the fastest-growing segment of assisted living. But facilities across the country are straining to deliver on their promises of attentive care
Care of people with dementia falls on family
Family members or other unpaid helpers provide long-term care to 83 percent of older adults in America.
UW researchers classify Alzheimer’s patients into 6 subgroups
Researchers at 19 institutions led by UW Medicine have classified Alzheimer’s patients into six subgroups with genetic differences. Their findings could open the way for personalized treatment.
Study hard and you might lower your chances of dementia
Lifestyle factors such as diet and fitness — and also learning — increase cognitive reserve. And a higher cognitive reserve can help stave off dementia.
Dementia And Guns: When Should Doctors Broach The Topic?
Why don’t doctors talk to patients about guns? Lack of time, being unsure what to say and believing patients won’t heed their advice.
Learning To Live Well With Dementia
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s but there are many things that can be done to make life better for people with dementia and their caregivers.
Number of ‘elder orphans’ grows
With increasing life expectancy and geographic mobility, the chance of aging without a partner or children is significant.
Unlocked And Loaded: Families Confront Dementia And Guns
There has been debate about how to prevent people with mental illness from acquiring guns. But what seniors with declining mental faculties who have guns?