Treading Dark Waters
— Ray Burow

News of the coronavirus is spreading across the world like, well, a virus. In the U.S., people are bombarded with warnings about the dangers of the disease, which has claimed more than 100 lives in China. Confirmed cases have reached 6,000 as of Wednesday. The numbers could go higher.

Earlier this week, Americans celebrated the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Of his many inspiring speeches, King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is probably the most recognizable, striking a chord for equality in the hearts of Americans. King stood before a crowd of…

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,…

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…

“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,…

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…

“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…

Some of us are still adjusting to writing 2019 on bank checks, and here we are knocking on the door of the holidays. The older we become, the faster the years seem to zoom by. Just yesterday, we were children dreaming of snow at Christmas and our parents were bracing…

Veterans Day has come and gone in the U.S. for another year. Proving that we’re a grateful nation, it was punctuated with speeches by dignitaries and pride-filled social media posts dedicated to the fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers who serve, or have served, in one of the branches of the…

In 1983, U.S. President Ronald Reagan designated November as National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Coincidentally, 11 years later, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The 40th U.S. president revealed his fate in a letter to the American people in 1994, writing: “I now begin the journey that will lead me…

Of the 5.8 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease, 5.6 million are age 65 or older. According to a 2009-2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the same demographic accounted for 15% of emergency room visits during that period. ER visits and hospital admissions…

Sadly, millions of people in the U.S. live with Alzheimer’s disease. Even sadder is that fewer than half of Alzheimer’s patients or their caregivers report being told of the diagnosis by a healthcare provider. An Alzheimer’s Association report from 2015 indicated that only 45 percent of people with Alzheimer’s…