Carmel, CA Ward Off Alzheimer’s And Dementia By Going To Bed Early

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One of the easiest ways to try and ward off Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia is by going to bed early, according to Sara Mednick,  professor of cognitive science at the University of California Irvine.  She tells AARP Th Magazine (April/May 2022, page 38) that we should all be in bed by 10:00 p.m.  “The earlier you get to sleep, the more slow-wave sleep you’ll get,†says professor Mednick, the author of The Power of the Down State.  Slow-wave Sleep connections between areas of the brain to create stronger memories.  However, SWS goes by the circadian clock and peters out at about 1:00 a.m.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my grandmother and my father had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There is a great group of people at the Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch who are there to help you.  They also have a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-272-3900.

MRI Studies Looking For Clues To Alzheimer’s And Dementia May Have Been Unreliable

A doctor and patient in a room with a laptop.


A study which was published in the journal Nature found that by studying M.R.I. data from about 50,000 people searching for clues between brain structure and complex psychological traits in groups with different numbers of subjects, thousands of patients must be included for the study to be reliably replicated.  This threw cold water on a number of recent studies done looking for clues in M.R.I.s to solve how diseases develop, looking at anything from autism to Alzheimer’s disease, because they typically only focused on a handful of M.R.I.s.  Researchers from The School of Medicine at Washington University, St. Louis and colleagues located elsewhere noted that researchers across the globe are increasingly using magnetic resonance imaging, or M.R.I., to try and find links between what is seen on an M.R.I. like cortical thickness or patterns of connection, and complicated psychological traits such as cognitive ability or mental-health conditions.  These brain-association studies are looking to unlock clues to what causes mental health and dementia.  The researchers concluded that studies done to date have been too small (many just had a few dozen participants) and suggested that there needed to be at least 1,000 participants for the studies to be considered valid.  This is problematic because M.R.I. machines typically cost about $1,000 per hour to operate.  Journals historically have preferred surprising correlations to findings of no correlation, a phenomenon known as publication bias.  “The paradoxical effect is that the answer that’s the most wrong gets published if you use a small sample,†said Nico Dosenback, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University, as well as an author of the Nature study.

Monterey, CA Ward Off Alzheimer’s And Dementia By Going To Bed Early

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One of the easiest ways to try and ward off Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia is by going to bed early, according to Sara Mednick, professor of cognitive science at the University of California Irvine.  She tells AARP The Magazine (April/May 2022, page 38) that we should all be in bed by 10:00 p.m.  “The earlier you get to sleep, the more slow-wave sleep you’ll get,†says professor Mednick, the author of The Power of the Down State.  Slow-wave Sleep connections between areas of the brain to create stronger memories.  However, SWS goes by the circadian clock and peters out at about 1:00 a.m.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my grandmother and my father had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There is a great group of people at the Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch who are there to help you.  They also have a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-272-3900.

Freedom, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours : $2 Per Hour More On Weekends

An older woman with a gray hair sitting in front of trees.


Freedom, CA  Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours : $2 Per Hour More On Weekends (Aptos, Ben Lomond,  Boulder Creek, Capitola, Davenport, Felton, Freedom, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel & Watsonville)

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade, and we are now expanding into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings.

https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

Carmel, CA TikTok Videos on Dementia And Alzheimer’s Caregivers Violate Privacy

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The Wall Street Journal today ran an article on family caregivers who post videos with a loved one who is suffering from dementia. It profiled Dan Salinger, who posted a video of his dad, who has dementia, trying to start his car. The video went viral with the two men arguing while 875K people watched. Dementia-related hashtags have amassed 2.8 billion views on TikTok, and are part of a growing category of posts related to medical conditions and disorders. I personally value my privacy and have warned friends and family members not to post about me on Social Media without my permission. Unfortunately, those with Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia can’t give informed consent. Think twice about posting about someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia on Social Media, particularly photos and videos. Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away. There are some great folks at the Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch that can help you deal with this devastating disease. They also have a 24-hour hotline at 800-272-3900. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Monterey, CA Biogen Abandoning Ship On New Alzheimer’s Drug Aduhelm

A woman looking out of the window at her home.


Following the shocking news that Medicare would not pay for the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm unless the patients are enrolled in a clinical trial—unusual for drugs which have been approved by the Food & Drug Administration—Biogen announced on May 4 that it would no longer market the drug and its CEO, Michel Vounatsos, will step down once a replacement is found for his position.  With very few health insurance companies willing to pay the annual $28,200 out of their own pocket, the drug will likely have little volume.  That’s a shame.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.   There are some great folks at the Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch that can help you deal with this devastating disease.  They also have a 24-hour hotline at 800-272-3900.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

 

Monterey, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus

A woman helping an older person with papers


Monterey, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA OR HHA Designation A Plus (Service Areas Are Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-Tierra, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Monterey, CA Daytime Sleeping A Red Flag For Alzheimer’s And Dementia

A woman looking out of the window at her home.


According to a new study by UC San Francisco, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, getting too much sleep during the day could be a sign of Alzheimer’s Disease or some other form of dementia.  For 14 years, researchers studied 1,401 seniors who had annual cognitive testing and wore a watchlike device that monitored their mobility.  Although some napping is normal for older adults, the study found that daytime naps of longer than one hour were associated with a 40% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s compared with those who napped less.  The study also found that the average duration of daytime naps increased with age for everyone, including healthy adults.  However, it doubled after a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and nearly tripled after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, May 2022, page 15).  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this horrible disease when they passed away.  There is a wonderful group of people at the Monterey Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch who can help you through this painful journey.  They also have a 24-hour hotline at 800-272-3900.

New Alzheimer’s Drug Could Hit The Market In 2024

A doctor and patient in a room with a laptop.


Biotech company Alzheon Inc. just raised $50 million in venture capital to complete clinical trials of an oral medication which will be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.  The drug will be tested in a late-stage Phase 3 clinical trial with 300 people.  If the study is successful, Alzheon expects to seek FDA approval for the drug in 2024.  Sadly, another recent drug to hit the market called Aduhelm by Biogen is not available for widespread use after Medicare said last week it would only cover the cost of the drug for patients enrolled in a clinical trial.