Pebble Beach, CA Early Alzheimer’s Disease Is More Common Than One Might Think
Monterey, CA Caregiving For A Family Member Can Take A Team, Particularly If They Have Alzheimer’s
Providing caregiving for a family member can be physically and mentally exhausting, particularly if they have Alzheimer’s disease or some other sort of dementia. At least one in five Americans provides unpaid care to family members in the home, according to a 2020 National Alliance for Caregiving/AARP report. Fortunately, technology has increased the care options with free apps such as CareZone, Mediasafe and MyMeds which can reduce medication management safety issues. Wearable technology like Apple and Android smartwatches let the user take and send calls and texts from their wrist, with emergency communication, health tracking, alerts, fall detection and GPS tracking options. And the app market seems to change on almost a daily basis.
Carmel, 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 (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-tierra, Del Rey Oaks, 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.
Carmel, 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 (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-tierra, Del Rey Oaks, 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. Service areas include:
Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral de Tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Moss Landing, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Sand City, Seaside, Soledad and Watsonville
COVID-19 Can Cause Dementia For Those 60+
A new study which was published this week in the journal JAMA Neurology found that COVID-19 survivors over the age of 60 may face heightened risk of mild cognitive impairment, cognitive decline and even dementia. The study followed more than 1,400 COVID-19 survivors aged 60 or older and used their uninfected spouses as a control population. Participants were tested on their cognitive functions using a questionnaire and a telephone interview six months after their discharge and then again 12 months after being released from the hospital. At the end of the study, 12% showed cognitive impairment. Of that group, 3% had dementia and another 9% had mild cognitive issues. The researchers also said that 15% of those with severe COVID-19 developed dementia compared to just 1% amongst those who had a mild case of it.
Medicare Under Fire For Not Covering Most Claims For New Alzheimer’s Drug, Aduhelm
Drugmakers and patient advocacy groups are pushing back against a federal proposal to cut off most Medicare payments for a new drug from Biogen Inc. to treat Alzheimer’s, called Aduhelm. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last month proposed to limit coverage of the drug to patients enrolled in clinical trials which are sanctioned by the agency. The proposal would apply to similar drugs still in development and not yet approved that work by reducing amyloid protein in the brain. The high cost of the drug and questions over its efficacy are behind the decision of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Fountain Of Youth May Be Hiding In Common Prescription Drugs
For centuries, humans have searched for the Fountain of Youth. The latest search for longevity may arrive in pill form. Scientists are now trying to extrapolate life-prolonging experiments in animals to something which would work on a human being. Two leading candidates are metformin—a common diabetes treatment—and rapamycin, a drug currently used to prevent transplant patients from rejecting organs. There is also a new class of drugs called senolytics. These clear the body of senescent cells, old cells that stop dividing but don’t die. They accumulate in tissues throughout the body and damage healthy cells and have been linked to cognitive impairment. Let’s hope at least one of these works!
https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-you-fight-aging-scientists-are-testing-drugs-to-help-11641913275
Medicare Deals A Blow To Those Wanting To Take The New Alzheimer’s Drug Aduhelm
Medicare officials announced yesterday that coverage for the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm should be restricted to patients that are participating in approved clinical trials. After a thorough review of the scientific evidence and discussions with various stakeholders, their research team at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services concluded that there remain significant doubts as to whether the potential benefits of Aduhelm for patients outweigh the safety risk. Scientists are worried about side effects such as headaches, dizziness, falls and brain bleed.  The maker of the drug, Biogen, said that the decision “denies the daily burden of people living with Alzheimer’s disease†and that the clinical trial requirement “will exclude almost all patients who may benefit.â€
Future of New Alzheimer’s Drug, Aduhelm, Up To Medicare
Despite a recent price drop of roughly 50% for Aduhelm, the new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, it is still extremely expensive at $28K per year, and its future now lies in the hands of Medicare. They will meet this month to decide whether or not the government will cover this infusion drug for senior citizens. Because the vast majority of prescriptions for this drug are likely to be for those on Medicare, this will be a very important decision for Biogen, the manufacturer of the drug. Although the FDA has approved the drug, clinical trials showed the drug had significant safety risks and the benefit to patients is unclear. Therefore, its approval for Medicare reimbursement is anything but a shoe-in. Medicare almost always approves drugs which have received the stamp of approval of the FDA, but in this case it has not—researchers at Medicare have been studying the drug for over a month. “It’s truly unprecedented,†James Chambers, a researcher at the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health at Tufts Medical Center, told the Wall Street Journal.
Monterey, CA Tips For Warding Off Alzheimer’s Disease
Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandfather had Alzheimer’s disease when they passed away. It’s a terrible disease for which there is no cure. However, there are ways that you can try and keep the disease at bay including:
- Protect your heart – Four major risk factors directly relate to heart health: high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and smoking. Work towards keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low by eating a healthy diet.
- Exercise – According to Dr. Richard Isaacson, this can be the brain’s first defense against amyloid plaque. Try and get at least thirty minutes of exercise per day.
- Stay Socially and mentally active – Getting together with family and friends can be difficult during the COVID pandemic, but getting social stimulation is important, even if you have to do it over a zoom call.
- Avoid head injury – This is easier said than done, but studies have found that even mild head trauma can result in dementia. Wear a seatbelt, play sports safely and treat any head injury immediately.
- Treat depression, hearing loss, and substance abuse – Excessive alcohol consumption, hearing loss and depression all increase the risk for dementia.
Source: American Brain Foundation and Brain Life, the Academy of Neurology’s patient and caregiver magazine and website.
If you or a family member are struggling with Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementia, go talk to the good folks at the Alzheimer’s Association’s Monterey Chapter in Ryan Ranch. They also have a 24-hour hotline you can call at 1800-272-3900.
Price Slashed For New Alzheimer’s Drug
Biogen Inc. made a dramatic price cut on its new Alzheimer’s disease treatment called Aduhelm after the product launch got off to a slow start. It’s still expensive, even after the company cut the price of the drug almost in half, from a $56K annual cost to $28K. Aduhelm is the first new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in almost too decades. “Too many patients are not being offered the choice of Aduhelm due to financial considerations and are thus progressing beyond the point of benefitting from the first treatment to address an underlying pathology of Alzheimer’s disease,†said Biogen CEO Michel Vounatsos.