RetirementHomes.com - alzheimer's

A look at mental illness in the elderly

aadmin — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:13:34 +0000

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States, and mental health advocacy groups across North America are using this month as an opportunity to educate and inform the general public about the widespread reality of mental illness.

And although mental illness does not discriminate by age, race, sex or income bracket, it does disproportionally affect seniors and the elderly more than other age groups. About 20 per cent of people aged 65 and older suffer from some kind of mental illness, according to data from the American Psychological Association.

Although the numbers are dramatic, mental illness is not a monolith. Rather, mental illness can take multiple forms, from Alzheimer’s Disease to depression, as well as a wide variety of types of dementia.

Here is a quick guide to the most prominent forms of mental illness among seniors:

Alzheimer’s Disease: With about five million sufferers in the United States, Alzheimer’s is also the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. The disease degenerates brain cells, and causes sufferers to become unable to perform simple daily tasks, and eventually it can be fatal. Alzheimer’s is strongly correlated to age, with about 95% of Americans with the disease are aged 65 and older.

Depression: As with Alzheimer’s Disease, depression affects people of all ages, but seniors and the elderly suffer disproportionally, and the risk for depression rises with advanced age. Suicide rates, which serves as a common yardstick for depression levels, is about twice the rate in the United States for people aged 75 and older, compared to younger Americans.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): Advanced age can typically be expected to affect certain changes in the human body – vision problems and slower movement, for example – some cognitive decline is also not unusual, and may not be anything to worry about. However, more advanced signs, such as consistent forgetfulness, may be a sign of MCI, which is not technically a form of dementia, but is still a condition that can cause difficulty and hardship among sufferers.

There are many other forms of mental illness and dementia where seniors face suffering, but according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the most important steps caregivers and family members of seniors – as well as older people themselves – are preventative. Although some diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, are not currently not known to be themselves preventable, physical and mental exercise, as well as regular medical checkups and seeking immediate medical attention at the sight of anything unusual, will be the best measures older people and their loved ones can take.

Tags:

Alzheimer

alzheimer's

dementia

elderly

Categories:

Music brings back Memories for Alzheimer's Patients

aadmin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:08:20 +0000

Music has permeated business settings for many years, especially the hospitality industry.

Designed music streams through restaurants and hotels to help clients relax, identify with brands, and reach for their pocket books.

Leanne Flask, from Austin, TX, has been in the vanguard of branded background music for over a decade. Now, her aural role has expanded into Co-founder, Chief Content Officer of Coro Health, where she develops streaming music for healthcare environments.

Under Flask's guidance, Coro Health's programs help stimulate cognition and alleviate depression in Alzheimer's patients. The programs are set up on streaming platforms through computers or recently launched apps for iPhone and iPad.

According to Flask, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) is the center for music, memories, and emotions. The MPFC is one of the last sections of the brain to degenerate in Alzheimer's and remains accessible to music's therapeutic effect.

Alzheimer's patients can lose familiarity with their families, but a song can facilitate the return of memory. Long-term patients with Alzheimer's will talk during familiar songs and recognize family members.

"Alzheimer's brings on stress and sadness for patient and family members," Flask said. "Interaction with family members becomes meaningful by playing a variety of designed music."

Flask’s initiation into music's healing effects began with studies in classical piano, oboe, and opera. She volunteered for a high school program for children with special needs, practicing her musical theater songs during supervision.

While sitting on the floor and singing, a non-communicative autistic boy approached her and crawled up on her lap, put his hands on her throat, and began humming with her. She realized that music was much more powerful than she’d thought.

"It plays in space, and makes us react on many levels."

As a business woman, she branched into branding and music and gained success in music design. But she returned home to Kansas to visit her mother who'd suffered an aneurysm.

“She used to play for me when I sang opera, so I sang for her,” said Flask. "She didn’t recognize anyone else but she recognized me and sang with me.”

Flask predicts that Coro Health's concept will gain wider acceptance in the aging community. “The technology of therapeutic music will evolve,” she said. “All that’s needed is a cell phone or a computer or a tablet.”

Creation of meaningfully designed music gives hope to people with Alzheimer's and their families.

Tags:

Categories:

Family and Personal Care

Senior Living

Legacy Gift Launches Ohio Memory Care Pavilion

aadmin — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:14:29 +0000

A $2 million “legacy gift” will help create a new assisted living memory care pavilion for Montefiore, a nursing facility for senior citizens in Beachwood, OH.

The gift comes courtesy of Steve Willensky and his wife, Judy Klein Willensky, members of The Park Synagogue. “I decided Montefiore was a great fit for me as I’m interested in senior aging issues,” Steve Willensky told Cleveland.com. “I felt Montefiore represented the best of what our community offers.”

The Willenskys, of Gates Mills, OH, said they felt attached to Montefiore from both an advisory and emotional standpoint. The new assisted living memory care pavilion has been named The Willensky Residence.

The Willenskys’ legacy gift positions Montefiore as a leader in senior health care and wellness services in Northeast Ohio, setting it apart with a greatly-needed service to continuum of care.

The pavilion includes specialized studio rooms and two suites with private bathroom and shower. Willensky said he and his wife were very much involved in the planning of the memory care pavilion.

The Willensky Residence comes equipped with a living room with bookshelves and a fireplace, a multi-sensory room for stimulation of the five senses, a beauty salon, a barber shop and a fully equipped laundry room. Outside and easily accessible, is a secure courtyard garden with a walking path and seating areas.

The Willensky Residence has set the benchmark for memory care in Assisted Living and Continuing Care across the USA.

Tags:

alzheimer's

alzheimer's care

assisted living facility

memory care

Categories:

Alzheimer's Care

Senior Living

11th Mild Cognitive Impairment Symposium

aadmin — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:04:36 +0000

The 11th Mild Cognitive Impairment Symposium will be held at The Wien Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Miami Florida, from January 19 to 20, 2013.

The 2nd Early Alzheimer's Diagnostic and Treatment Workshop and the 1st Early Alzheimer’s Public Educational Forum will be held during the Symposium.

The schedule is as follows:

11th Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Symposium (Saturday, January 19)
2nd Early Alzheimer’s Diagnostic and Treatment Workshop (Sunday morning, January 20)
1st Mount Sinai of Florida's Early Alzheimer's Public Educational Forum (Sunday afternoon, January 20)

The symposium's theme will be centered on the progression rates from normal to mild cognitive impairment and then to dementia.

SPEAKERS

1. David A. Bennett, MD is the Robert C. Borwell Professor of Neurological Sciences and director of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center.

2. Tammie Benzinger, MD, PhD focuses her research on translating advanced neuromagnetic resonance imaging techniques from small animal research in the Department of Radiology, to translational research in the Center for Clinical Imaging Research (CCIR), and into clinical practice.

3. Maria Carrillo, PhD, the Vice President, Medical and Scientific Affairs, at the Alzheimer's Association.

Many more clinical experts from across the USA will present at the conference.

There will be an ongoing poster session reviewed by the Program Committee.

As in 2012, this event will be held back to back with the 7th Human Amyloid Imaging (HAI) Conference, presented at the same venue between January 16-18, 2013.

Tags:

alzheimer's

alzheimer's care

alzheimer's disease.

Categories:

Senior Living Professionals

Upcoming Events

Is Safety for Seniors a Top Priority?

aadmin — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:07:09 +0000

On January 1, California will enact the the Silver Alert program., according to The Sacramento Bee. If a person age 65 or older with dementia or Alzheimer's disease is reported missing, local police can request the California Highway Patrol to issue a bulletin asking for public, news media and law enforcement departments to search for the person. An estimated 30 states already have Silver Alert programs in place.

In the next 20 years, the giant Baby Boomer generation will increase California's 65-plus population from 4.5 million to 9 million. Silver Alerts will sound when older people wander or drive away from their homes or nursing facilities – a common event among people with moderate to severe dementia.

Wandering elders can walk or drive for hours, even if they are feeble. They may not eat, may not be dressed for difficult weather conditions, and often fail to ask for help. Add on a need for medications and the situation could be dangerous. to the point of serious injury or death, according to the state legislative assembly.

Safety for Seniors

Ruth Gay of the Alzheimer's Association of Northern California was quoted: "When we think of the number of baby boomers out there, it is a train wreck in the making if we don't figure out ways to protect our seniors."

Sacramento city police officials stated that calls about missing adults are routinely solved in a timely manner, and are frequently based on miscommunication. City Police Detective Chris Bernacchi told the Bee: "Anything that will get more information to the public to assist us in locating a missing person is great."

Tags:

alzheimer's

alzheimer's care

alzheimer's disease.

Categories:

Family and Personal Care

Utah Symphony joins Alzheimer's Association to use music as therapy

aadmin — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:04:11 +0000

The Utah Symphony and the Utah Opera are partnering with the Alzheimer's Association to provide special programs to seniors suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and those who care for them. This is the first time the organizations have partnered together, and they will be hosting special programs throughout the month of May, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Though Alzheimer's affects memory, those with the disease are still able to enjoy music. Dr Norman Foster, professor of neurology at the University of Utah, told the source "It's important to realize that many cognitive and emotional abilities are spared and remain undamaged."

He stressed the importance of focusing on the abilities of those with Alzheimer's, rather than the things they cannot do.

The month of events is titled "Making Sense of Alzheimer's", aptly named as much of the programming is centered around heightening the senses of those with dementia. In addition to music, attendees of the events will receive chocolates, or touch and smell intricate costume pieces, according to the source.

The events are also an opportunity for the caregivers and family of those with the disease to connect with one another, as well as share in the music and experiences.

© Copyright

Tags:

Categories:

Good News for retirement living seniors: Social Security sites receive high ratings

aadmin — Fri, 07 May 2010 09:04:09 +0000

A new report shows that three of the online services offered by the U.S. government's Social Security website rank high when it comes to customer satisfaction. Both the online retirement estimator and the benefits application received a rating of 90, which is higher than the private sector's top scoring website, Netflix.

User friendly websites are a major benefit to seniors, whether they are adept at navigating the internet or not.

Michael J.

Asture, commissioner of Social Security, made a statement commending the office's performance. "The internet provides the public with the ability to conduct business at their convenience and at their own pace, without the need to take leave from work, travel to a field office, and wait to meet with an agency representative."

Asture also remarked that the sites allow Social Security employees to expediently process customer information.

For many seniors who are disabled or do not have viable transportation, the internet can be a very useful tool. The ability to access information and receive customer support via the web is a way for many to avoid the hassle and bureaucracy that inconvenience many retirement living seniors.

© Copyright

Tags:

retirement living seniors

Categories:

Love of learning key to long life for retirement living seniors

aadmin — Fri, 07 May 2010 06:04:09 +0000

Retirement living seniors who tend to shun pop culture news and the latest technological advances may want to consider giving the modern world another try.

According to Reuters, the key to a long and happy life may lie in embracing technology and current events. The news source reports that a recent study, which surveyed 100 centenarians, found that several retirement living seniors reported constant use of iPods and text messaging.

"If I could leave any message, never stop learning. Period. That's it," said Maurice Eisman, a centenarian who lives in Maryland, told the news source.

One surprising result of the survey is how much the 100-year-old participants kept up with pop culture. When asked who they would like to invite to dinner if given the chance, the most popular response was Betty White.

There are other ways to achieve longevity for those retirement living seniors who aren't able to adopt a technological way of living. Yahoo! Health advises people to eat healthy, drink clean water and practice tai chi in order to promote longevity.

© Copyright

Tags:

retirement living seniors

Categories:

Personality may affect chances of Alzheimer's Disease

aadmin — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:04:09 +0000

Most retirement living seniors are concerned about Alzheimer's Disease, but new research suggests that one's personality may have an effect on being diagnosed with the mental illness.

Psychologists at the University of Washington in St.

Louis conducted a study on 79 individuals between the ages of 44 and 88. The team performed MRIs on the volunteers and discovered a noticeable difference in brain matter between people who were considered neurotic and those who were even-tempered.

"There are lots of nonhuman animal studies that suggest that chronic stress is associated with deleterious effects on the brain, and this helped us form the hypothesis that we'd see similar effects in older adults," said Jonathan Jackson, the study's co-author.

However, the researchers also noted that it's the brain changes that may be influencing one's personality, and not the other way around.

"Right now, we can't disentangle those two," said co-author Denise Head.

Alzheimer's Disease remains one of the most serious mental illnesses amongst retirement living seniors. According to the Alzheimer's Association, over five million people are currently battling the illness in the United States.

© Copyright

Tags:

retirement living seniors

Categories:

Retirement living seniors set to fly solo around the world

aadmin — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:04:08 +0000

Some active living seniors set out to accomplish something new when they retire. Those who are passionate about writing a novel or running a marathon often discover they suddenly have the time to commit themselves to an exciting goal.

According to the New Straight Times, one retirement living senior has sky high aspirations for his golden years.

The news source reports that Captain William M.

Charney, a Vietnam War veteran, is planning on flying solo around the world. The 74-year-old active senior will attempt to circumnavigate the globe, but will be doing it without a time crunch.

"I am not racing against anything. This is a personal challenge and adventure for me as I am able to meet many people and see many world heritage sites. And what better way than to do it lying low level," he told the New Strait Times.

The first person to fly solo around the world was Wiley Post, who accomplished the task in 1933.

© Copyright

Tags:

retirement living seniors

Categories: