Columns

Should Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s Pitch in with Chores?

When my children were little, I would ask them to help me with the mundane but necessary tasks that came with everyday living. “Please do the dishes.” “Pick up your toys.” “Don’t forget to make your bed.” At the time, their dimpled, sometimes dirty, and pudgy little hands were far…

Small Gestures on Valentine’s Day Can Mean a Lot to Caregivers

Remember when pink and white tissue paper was all you needed for a successful Valentine’s Day? The only thing that was more fun than transforming a shoebox into a colorfully decorated mailbox was the anticipation of how many paper hearts would be stuffed into it by classmates. Valentine’s Day isn’t…

The Link Between Alzheimer’s Research and Black History

In the early 1900s, Dr. Alois Alzheimer discovered the disease that bears his name today. Alzheimer had observed an unusual disease in one of his patients, a woman in her 50s who had memory loss and was plagued by disorientation and hallucinations, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International. She succumbed…

Recreational Therapy Is Essential for Long-term Alzheimer’s Care

As the senior population increases, the need for long-term care also rises. Health Care Financing Review characterizes long-term care as “medical, personal, social, and psychological care over extended time periods.” In just 10 years, people 65 or older will account for one-fifth of the population in the United States,…

Digital BrainTest Helps in Early Detection of Cognitive Disorders

If you’re a frequent reader of Alzheimer’s News Today and my column, “Treading Dark Waters,” you are undoubtedly aware of how often we stress the importance of early detection as it applies to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. A disturbing perception Doctors sometimes fail to inform patients about a dementia…

Caregivers in Search of Christmas Spirit

“I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.” —Harlan Miller For many people, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. The hustle and bustle of shopping for the perfect present, the ringing of silver bells,…

Holiday Travel Is Possible in Early Stages of Alzheimer’s

A record number of people are expected to travel this holiday season. The travelers will undoubtedly include familial caregivers journeying with loved ones who have dementia. These are courageous individuals, perhaps seeking one last hurrah before Alzheimer’s disease prevents them from traveling to faraway destinations. Taking a trip with…

How to Prevent Alzheimer’s Patients from Wandering

“All that is gold does not glitter / Not all those who wander are lost / The old that is strong does not wither / Deep roots are not reached by the frost.” — J.R.R.Tolkien Why do people with Alzheimer’s disease wander? The tendency to wander in Alzheimer’s patients…