Submitted by administrator on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 2:04pm
AlzCare was formed in December of 1998 to provide assisted living services to persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementia. Our purpose was clear from the beginning….to restore some of the quality of life that has been lost due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. AlzCare does this by offering residences that provide safety, security, dignity and independence in a setting that is better than home. According to Dr. Barry Reisburg, “The way we typically care for patients may be precisely the opposite of what they need.” This is especially true in traditional nursing and assisted living facilities that place their priorities in areas that do not have a positive impact on the needs of residents with Alzheimer’s.
AlzCare is committed to its mission of serving individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease in an intimate, home setting; generously staffed by well trained, compassionate and engaging caregivers. Each facility is licensed for no more than 16 to maintain a small, intimate setting in which staff, resident and family alike have the opportunity to form relationships that are a part of the therapeutic milieu of AlzCare.
Submitted by administrator on Mon, 05/07/2012 - 2:05pm
Alzheimer's Disease San Antonio Texas
Just in case you missed this bit of news, Amyvid has now been approved for use in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Amyvid is a radioactive drug that highlights plaque deposits in the brain, these plaques indicate the presence and progress of Alzheimer’s disease. Amyvid travels through the bloodstream and attaches itself to amyloid plaques are then able to be seen in a PET scan. The ability to diagnose Alzheimer’s by physical images, rather than interpreting symptoms, allows us to better monitor and diagnose this disease.
Making an early diagnosis of a disease which has unknown causes andno treatment is not necessarily cause for celebration. A patient may show signs of dementia due to a brain tumor, stroke, or other neurovascular disease. Using Amyvid to expose the presence of plaque deposits in the brain can potentially rule out these other diseases and put the blame on Alzheimer’s. But if plaque deposits are found, it may or may not be due to Alzheimer’s since autopsies of some healthy brains have shown plaque deposits too. When a patient is experiencing memory loss, confusion, impairment of reasoning ability, along with plaque deposits in the brain, the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s.
Providing this early diagnosis will open the doors to new trials for cures, and a better view of the treatments that slow onset. With Amyvid, we should be able to observe how our present “treatments” are working. This will hopefully lead to a better understanding of what is working, and how these things can be improved upon.
Submitted by administrator on Mon, 05/07/2012 - 1:52pm
Alzheimer's Disease Victoria Texas
According to the Memory and Aging Project at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, it appears that an increase in any regular physical activity, not just exercise, correlates with a decrease in the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. Something as simple as household chores can make a huge difference in mental preservation throughout the aging process. Study participants whose physical activity levels scored them in the bottom 10% of participants were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Keeping our bodies moving is crucial to mental health. Even simple activities like walking, cooking, or gardening can help.
During the study, 71 of the 716 study participants developed Alzheimer's. Study authors say this is the first study to use an objective measurement of all physical activity in addition to self-reports. Participants wore an actigraph on their wrists to assess levels of activity. The mean score for participants was 3.3 hours per week. Intensity of exercise also mattered: People in the bottom 10% of intensity of physical activity were almost three times as likely to develop Alzheimer's.
It appears that even simple daily movements help protect against Alzheimer’s, even if they are picked up later in life. Muscle activity increases neuron activation in the brain. This is good news for older populations; being “physically active” does not have to mean going to the gym, or picking up more strenuous activities. Many medical circumstances do not allow for this sort of activity. Rather than making excuses for what a person is unable to do, this study should push us all to do what we can, knowing there is benefit even in moderate levels of activity. No more excuses about limitations or the expense of a gym membership. Get busy!
Submitted by administrator on Mon, 05/07/2012 - 1:29pm
Alzheimer's Disease San Marcos Texas
Single Neuron observation has allowed for us to view the progress and development of Alzheimer’s disease. Using “Two-photon calcium imaging”, we are able to tangibly view the damage caused by the progression of Alzheimer’s. This ability to actually view the damage, rather than merely the ability to observe the behavioral implications of the damage is crucial in learning more about how Alzheimer’s works, and how it can be slowed/prevented/cured. Research recently conducted at Technical University Munich gives us a good look at how Alzheimer's effects the cerebral cortex where visual information is integrated.
“An important conclusion from this study is that the Alzheimer’s disease-related changes on all levels — including behavior, cortical circuit dysfunction and the density of amyloid plaques in diseased brains — progress in parallel in a distinct temporal order,” Konnerth said. “In the future, the identification of such stages in patients may help researchers pinpoint stage-specific and effective therapies, with reduced levels of side effects.”
Alzheimer’s is difficult to diagnose and monitor, as many of it’s symptoms can be easily confused with other illnesses. Also, Alzheimer’s disease is notorious for a slow onset. It is often difficult to know what a person with Alzheimer’s is still capable of doing. What level of independence remains safe? This can complement and aid in helping a caregiver make sound decisions regarding independence.
Submitted by administrator on Mon, 05/07/2012 - 10:32am
Alzheimer's Treatment Temple Texas
There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, and there is no "hard and fast" evidence that preventative measures can absolutely prevent the development of Alzheimer's Disease. However, the great news is that just about any measure taken as an effort to prevent Alzheimer's will provide benefits toward general health and longevity and will likely also prevent many other medical issues. Some of us will have genetic predisposition to developing certain illnesses of mind and/or body, but our susceptibility to the development of many of these illnesses can be greatly lessened if we are mindful to pursue positive social, physical, and mental goals.
Unfortunately, there's no concrete evidence that any protective step—be it brain games or dietary supplements—lowers the chances of Alzheimer's, according to a 2010 report by the National Institutes of Health. Although observational and animal studies show promise that the disease can be sidestepped, there's a lack of robust clinical studies involving humans, the gold standard in clinical research. "Can I say that exercise or diet will reduce your risk of Alzheimer's or delay onset so you get it at a later age? No, because we don't know for sure at this point," says Laurie Ryan, program director of Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials with the National Institute on Aging. "But the data we do have suggests that healthy living promotes healthy aging, which can only be good for you, even if it doesn't prevent or slow down onset."
Multiple recent studies are stressing the importance of maintaining meaningful and satisfying social interaction as a crucial element in health and wellness. In speaking and interacting with other people, specific areas of the brain are involved that need to be kept active. Dancing classes, or other activities that involve learning a new skill and socialization are incredibly beneficial in cognitive decline prevention. This compliments a healthy diet and exercise. We can't assure you that a healthier lifestyle will keep you from developing Alzheimer's, we can assure you that a healthier, active life does improve general health and happiness.
