Monterey, CA Financial Mishaps Can Be Signs Of Dementia And Alzheimer’s Disease

A woman looking out of the window at her home.


I wrote previously on my blog about the Alzheimer’s Association’s list of “Causes and Risk Factors For Alzheimer’s Disease†and I saw a follow up article the New York Times posted today stating that financial mistakes may be an indication of dementia.  This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you have a relative who is in charge of a large amount of money who has early-onset dementia, this could be very dangerous.  In fact, they could lose everything.  The article did a deep dive into Maria Turner, who saw a red pick up truck she liked on eBay, clicked on a button and spent $20,000.  The next morning she woke up having no recollection of having bought the truck.  The experience scared Maria, a critical care nurse.  “I made a joke out of it, but it really disturbed me,†she told the NYT.  Six years later, at the age of only 53, she had to see a doctor after she had binged on everything from garden gnomes to shoes.  Doctors told her that imaging of her brain showed all of the hallmarks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative disease.  It could have been caused by injuries in her youth falling from horses, but doctors said there was evidence she was developing Alzheimer’s disease and frontal lobe dementia.  This is a sad story, but not a new one. Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/business/alzheimers-dementia-personal-finance.html

 

Monterey, CA Causes And Risk Factors For Alzheimer’s Disease

A woman with grey hair sitting in a chair.


I volunteered for years for our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association.  They are great people and they always have plenty of information and advice.  They recently published an article regarding Causes And Risk Factors For Alzheimer’s Disease which was eye opening.  Some risk factors like age, family history and genetics we just have to live with.  However, there are a number of lifestyle and wellness decisions that you make which can alter your risk for getting this disease.  Click on the link below to learn more.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers/causes-and-risk-factors?WT.mc_id=enews2021_04_29&utm_source=enews-aff-20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews-2021-04-29&utm_content=homeoffice&utm_term=Story2

Alzheimer’s Association Webinar May 4 : Advancing The Science

A close up of some blue and yellow cells


Join Dr. Heather Snyder, VP Medical and Scientific Relations, and Dr. Claire Sexton, Director of Scientific Programs & Outreach, for an Alzheimer’s Association Webinar to learn about the latest developments in Alzheimer’s and dementia science.  The talk will be on Tuesday May 4 from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.  To register, click on the link below.  You will then receive a zoom link on May 4.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeuC2yu4zSZL4YC32PMfzrUaVgerrl_lgZJJusFrojuoMJJFg/viewform

Monterey, CA Alzheimer’s Caregivers Need To Come Up With A Safety Plan

A woman and a nurse smiling for the camera.


The Alzheimer’s Association, always a good organization to get tips from when dealing with a loved one who has dementia, recently released a report about how important having a comprehensives safety plan becomes as the disease progresses.  Please click on the link below to get advice on the following topics:

Wandering;

Home Safety;

Dementia & Driving;

Medication Safety;

24/7 Wandering Support for a Safe Return;

Technology 101;

Travelling;

Preparing For Emergencies; and

Abuse

 

Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are great people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

 

https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/safety?WT.mc_id=enews2021_04_26&utm_source=enews-aff-20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews-2021-04-26&utm_content=homeoffice&utm_term=Story3

 

Link Between Gum Disease And Alzheimer’s

A purple background with the alzheimer 's association logo.


A study which was published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring found a correlation between gum disease and Alzheimer’s disease.  The study’s author explained that the mouth is home to both harmful bacteria that promote inflammation and healthy proactive bacterial.  Researchers found that people who have more harmful than healthy gum bacteria were more likely to also have a protein market for Alzheimer’s disease, known as amyloid beta, in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).  About 70% of seniors aged 65 and older have gum disease.

https://consumer.healthday.com/b-4-12-research-shows-links-between-gum-disease-and-alzheimers-2651849762.html?WT.mc_id=enews2021_04_25&utm_source=enews-aff-20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews-2021-04-25&utm_content=homeoffice&utm_term=Story1

Monterey, CA Alzheimer’s Victims Fare Better When They Have A Close Circle Of Friends

A woman looking out of the window at her home.


The Wall Street Journal recently ran a heart breaking story about two women, Abbe Merling and Judy Roder, who have been close friends for 30 years and now have had to revamp their relationship after Judy was diagnosed with dementia eight years ago.  Since then, Abbe has been by her side, taking her on roadtrips, weekend retreats and events at their temple.  More than 6 million Americans aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease, and many have to watch as their friends abandon them, unable to cope with the change in behavior of the one diagnosed with this disease.  That’s sad, as a 2019 study found that those with Alzheimer’s disease that have a close circle of friends have better cognition.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are great people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-importance-of-friendship-for-alzheimers-patients-11618846255

Dementia Caused By Sleep Deprivation

A doctor and patient looking at a book


Middle-age adults who sleep six or fewer hours a night may be at higher risk of developing dementia, according to a study which was published in the journal Nature Communications.  The study looked at people between the ages of 50 and 60 who regularly slept six hours or less per night  and found that they were more likely to develop dementia than those receiving seven hours of sleep per day or more.  Even after controlling for cardiac, metabolic and mental health issues, the study found that 50-year-olds who were sleeping six hours or less a night had a 22% higher risk of developing later in life, while 60-year-olds were 37% more likely to develop dementia.

Carmel, CA Tips For Warding Off Dementia And Alzheimer’s Disease

A purple square with the words " the end of alzheimer 's starts with me ".


Everyone wants to keep their brains working in full order as long as possible, and the key can be healthy living, getting the proper amount of exercise and social interaction.  The latter is easier said than done given the massive spreading of coronavirus.  Although board games can be fun, with COVID-19 many seniors are turning to video games.  According to an AARP survey, 44% of adults over the age of 50 played video games in 2019 versus 38% in 2016.  That’s 10 million more older gamers!  About a quarter of gamers play multiuser games, which can increase social interaction which will hopefully ward off early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are great people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

Monterey, CA Tips For Warding Off Dementia And Alzheimer’s Disease

A nurse is smiling next to an older woman.


Everyone wants to keep their brains working in full order as long as possible, and the key can be healthy living, getting the proper amount of exercise and social interaction.  The latter is easier said than done given the massive spreading of coronavirus.  Although board games can be fun, with COVID-19 many seniors are turning to video games.  According to an AARP survey, 44% of adults over the age of 50 played video games in 2019 versus 38% in 2016.  That’s 10 million more older gamers!  About a quarter of gamers play multiuser games, which can increase social interaction which will hopefully ward off early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are great people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

 

The History Of Family inHome Caregiving: Part 3 : Alzheimer’s

A man and woman standing next to each other.


Working in this industry really takes a toll on a person after a while and I have been working in this industry on and off for over twenty years. There is a lot of things that happen that surprises people that do not work as a caregiver or as a hands-on owner of a Home Care Organization like I have in Carmel, California. One such circumstance happened when I was working for a Skilled Nursing Facility on the Alzheimer’s wing (now it is call a memory ward). I was making my rounds in the early afternoon helping our patients with eating and getting cleaned up after lunch when all of a sudden, I heard a loud scream at the other end of the hall, so I took off to see what the commotion was. As I was walking fast down the hallway, I heard a thump as if someone fell to the floor. When I came around the corner and looked in the room, one of our patients was on top of her husband who had fallen to the floor. She was having a very violent episode and was attacking her husband and did not know who he was. I called for some help so we could stop her and get her back into bed and the nurse came in to give her some medication to calm her down. This might not seem so strange to those that know Alzheimer’s disease, but what made this surreal to me at the time was that his wife was only about 5’3†and weighed about 95 lbs. and the husband was a big man (about 6’2†and weighing about 190 lbs.), so to see him on the floor with her on top of him was a shock to me. After everything calmed down, I asked him what had happened. He said that he came into the room and gave her a kiss hello and then turned around to go open the window a little to get some fresh air. As he turned and approached the end of the bed, he heard her scream, by the time he turned around to see what was going on, she was standing on top of the bed at the end and jumped onto him causing him to lose his balance and fall down (fortunately no one was hurt) to the floor with her on top of him.  She just keep hitting him until we were able to remove her. I am amazed at the things that happen when a person that has Alzheimers disease acts out. As regular readers of my blog know, I took care of my Grandmother in my home in Carmel Valley (used to be Salinas, they keep changing our zip code) for 5 years. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when she was about 92 and there was times that she would go through stages of paranoia, screaming fits, trying to leave by calling cabs, and a variety of other acts that were very strange. The one thing that people that are working with family members, loved one, patients or clients, need to remember is that it is the disease that makes them act out in these strange ways. There are medications that can help. Once we were able to get Nana on a regimen of the correct medications and the correct doses, we were able to start having a better time, but it took a while to get there. Up until about the last month we were going out to dinners on Friday’s which she loved to do. She had her favorite places, some in Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Carmel Valley. So, for all of you family members that are taking care of a loved one that has Dementia or Alzheimers remember to take some respite, you need to take care of yourselves in order to be able to take care of your loved one.  It is not an easy task. The emotional, mental, and physical tasks take a lot out of a person and you will not be in the best shape for your family member or loved one if you do not take care of yourself also. There are companies like mine, Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey, that can come in and take care of your loved one from a few hours a day and up, so you can take that time off to regenerate your batteries and come back refreshed and start anew.  To learn more about myself and my company click here:

https://familyinhomecaregiving.com/the-history-of-family-inhome-caregiving-part-1-the-rocking-chair/

and here:

https://familyinhomecaregiving.com/the-history-of-family-inhome-caregiving-part-2-the-race-is-on/