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There were 226 new COVID-19 cases announced for Monterey County, bringing the total up to 40,463 and two new deaths. Nationwide, there were 126,842 new cases, for a total of 26.642 million. Deaths rose by 3,221 to 475,186. In California, there were 15,132 new cases for a total of 3.384 million, while deaths rose by 702 to 43,185. Please stay home and stay safe.
The San Francisco Chronicle had a great column with advice for those caring for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia. This can be a challenge with Adult Day Care Centers closed and little contact with the outside world. Recommendations from their experts include broadening your network to have a friend or family member help. This can release stress on the caregiver while giving some social interaction to the person you are caring for. In addition, try putting on some soothing music and get them outdoors. Fresh air and sunlight are good for the soul. Start out with a small walk, and increase it a bit every day. If you need someone to talk to, try the local branch of the Alzheimer’s Association which is located in Ryan Ranch. Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away, and Alzheimer’s Association was a great help. They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.
There were 133 new COVID-19 cases announced for Monterey County, bringing the total up to 40,237. In the early stages of the pandemic, Monterey was faring much better than the rest of the country. That’s not true anymore. 8.14% of the U.S. population has contracted COVID-19 versus 8.51% of Californians and 9.27% of Monterey County residents. That translates to Monterey over-indexing the country by 5% and 9% of California. The death rate, as a percentage of coronavirus diagnoses, now stands at 1.7%. Nationwide, there were 119,014 new cases, for a total of 26.642 million. Deaths rose by 5,206 (more than double the reported 2,198 from the day prior) to 453,965. In California, there were 12,516 new cases for a total of 3.369 million, while deaths rose by 566 to 42,483. Please stay home and stay safe.
Retired baby boomers are at a high risk of COVID-19, and marketers are using this as an opportunity to market more to older people who want to stay at home. Companies like Nestle SA, Colgate-Palmolive Co. and Danone SA are launching new products aimed at consumers who are increasingly saying they are interested in aging well, but staying at home. “We clearly see healthy aging, even more now with the COVID world, as a huge trend,” Danone CEO Emmanuel Faber said. The Activia yogurt maker recently launched a whey-protein product that they say aids muscles, joints and bones. Nestle launched a powdered milk aimed at older adults that it claims enhances mobility. Increasingly, the company has shifted its focus from making food and drink to aid the recovery of people in hospitals to helping people from being admitted in the first place. What a great mission.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/older-shoppers-are-the-hot-new-thing-for-consumer-brands-11612002644
Nobody likes to think about dying, but it is extremely important that you prepare for the inevitable by drawing up an Advanced Healthcare Directive, POLST, Living Trust and Will so that your wishes are carried out. Join experts at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP, on Monday, February 8 from 4-5:30 p.m. or on Tuesday, February 23, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Learn how to document your wishes, receive expert medical coaching and submit your documents. To register, click here www.chomp.org/planning.
Nobody likes to think about dying, but it is extremely important that you prepare for the inevitable by drawing up an Advanced Healthcare Directive, POLST, Living Trust and Will so that your wishes are carried out. Join experts at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP, on Monday, February 8 from 4-5:30 p.m. or on Tuesday, February 23, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Learn how to document your wishes, receive expert medical coaching and submit your documents. To register, click here www.chomp.org/planning.
Anthony Hopkins has the lead role in a film called “The Father” about a man who refused help as he slips deeper into Alzheimer’s disease. The film brings viewers inside the mind of the patient, allowing filmgoers to get inside the head of someone with dementia. “It can strike anyone at any moment,” notes Hopkins. Although he is in his 80’s, he said he is loving this stage of life. “The past five years have been extraordinarily lucky, and the best time my life,” he said. 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.
AARP The Magazine revealed that Tony Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease back in 2016 but it has not been revealed to the public until now because he wanted to continue to tour. He has performed publicly as recently as 2019 and even has concert dates scheduled for later this year, with the first one starting in March. I can see how he would want to continue performing as music does stimulate the brain. There have been studies of Alzheimer’s patients showing that when music is played their brains really perk up.
https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/celebrities/info-2021/tony-bennett-alzheimers.html
Although anyone can be a victim of the many scams that criminals are carrying out now, data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that consumers age 80 and older are far more likely to be scammed by phone and lose the most money, a median of $1,250. “Even if you do everything perfectly, you can still be susceptible to fraud,” Shameka Walker, a fraud and identity theft program manager at the FTC, told Kiplinger’s Retirement Report. Most scammers are hacking in to find your email address and hawking you products that you may have been searching for. Other popular scams are selling fake COVID-19 vaccines and PPE equipment to protect against the virus. Seniors living in Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach are particularly vulnerable as these crooks target high-income areas.
The Food & Drug Administration FDA is taking another look at aducanumab, a potential new drug for treating Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. The drug candidate will undergo an additional three months of review after a panel of experts in November recommended against approving the drug. Biogen and Eisai partnered on the development of the drug and delivered new data to the FDA, triggering the prolonged review time. An independent committee of experts had criticism of both the drug’s merits and the interpretation of data by FDA scientists. Biogen said the data from one clinical trial showed a slowing in cognitive decline compared to study participants who received a placebo. In the second clinical trial, the drug failed to show a benefit. However, Biogen says it is likely because fewer patients received the higher dosage. 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/fda-extends-review-of-biogen-eisais-alzheimers-drug-11611935425