New Nasal Spray Vaccine May Prevent Alzheimer’s

New Nasal Spray Vaccine May Prevent Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease, which affects one in eight Americans, is associated with vascular damage in the brain that causes many patients to succumb to strokes. Now, researchers led by Dr. Dan Frenkel, Tel Aviv U, are working on a vaccine that promises to protect against Alzheimer’s and stroke by repairing vascular damage in the brain, even when symptoms of the disease are present. The drug works by inducing “an immune response against amyloid proteins in the blood vessels," says Frenkel, who adds, "In early pre-clinical studies, we've found it can prevent both brain tissue damage and restore cognitive impairment.” Plus, the drug may prevent hemorrhagic strokes. The vaccine has been successfully tested on animals and Frenkel is hopeful that this new approach may lead to a cure.

Elderly victim draws sketches of suspects | abc7.com

Elderly victim draws sketches of suspects

Thursday, February 24, 2011

An elderly man who used to make a living drawing is helping police catch the suspects who robbed his Burbank home. (KABC Photo)

BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- An elderly man who used to make a living drawing is helping police catch the suspects who robbed his Burbank home.

The retired animation artist drew composite sketches of the suspects for the police to use in the case.
The victim said a man conned his way into his house on the 2200 block of North Valley Street by saying he wanted money for roof work last Friday.
Once inside, a woman joined him, and they rummaged through his belongings and demanded cash before leaving.
No one was hurt in the incident.
The male suspect was described as white, 30 to 40 years old, 6 feet and 220 pounds. He had short black hair and was balding, with a beard and mustache. He was last seen wearing a black and white striped sweatshirt and blue jeans.
The female suspect was described as a 30-year-old, 5 feet 1 inches, 120 pounds, with collar-length dirty blonde hair. She had blue eyes and was last seen wearing a white V-beck shirt and blue jeans.
The suspects fled in a newer model white two-door sporty-looking hatchback, with a chrome roof rack.
Anyone with information was urged to call Burbank police at (818) 238-3000.


Elderly victim draws sketches of suspects | abc7.com

Half of Alzheimer's cases misdiagnosed – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

February 23rd, 2011 Half of Alzheimer's cases misdiagnosed Roughly half of the people who are told they have Alzheimer's disease may in fact have other forms of dementia that produce similar symptoms, according to a new study. Doctors have known for some time that the confusion and memory loss caused by the brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's can also be caused by other types of brain changes, such as tissue damage stemming from strokes. The study suggests that it may be even harder than previously thought to identify the source of dementia while a patient is still alive, says lead researcher Lon White, M.D. Health.com: 25 signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease "There are at least five different kinds of important lesions which can produce a picture that looks like Alzheimer's," says White, a professor of geriatric medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. "Each of those five kinds of lesions is apparently driven by its own pathologic process, and having one doesn't protect you from having others. All are independent and all are increasing with age." White and his colleagues performed brain autopsies—the only surefire way of diagnosing Alzheimer's—on more than 400 elderly Japanese-American men. Only about half of those who had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's before death had the brain plaques that signal the disease. The dementia in the other half appeared to have been caused by abnormal protein deposits (known as Lewy bodies), stroke-related tissue death (microinfarcts), cell damage, or some combination thereof. The researchers have since completed another 400 or so autopsies with similar results, and will present their findings in April at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Unlike studies published in medical journals, these findings are still preliminary and have yet to be thoroughly vetted by other experts in the field. Health.com: 9 foods that may help save your memory An Alzheimer's misdiagnosis doesn't have immediate consequences for the patient because no treatments exist that can stop the steady progression of the disease. And the drugs that, in some people, help slow Alzheimer's or make it more tolerable appear to work for other types of dementia, White says. Patients and their families can nevertheless benefit from an early and accurate diagnosis. Ruling out other forms of dementia may help relatives plan for future care and determine their own risk for Alzheimer's, for instance. Accurately diagnosing Alzheimer's is even more critical for research on potential treatments. Without knowing precisely who has Alzheimer's, pharmaceutical companies that have been developing new drugs "are not going to be able to see a true assessment of how effective their drug is," White says. Health.com: Should I take medicine for Alzheimer's disease? Some promising advances in diagnosis have been made recently. A study published last year found that spinal fluid tests can predict Alzheimer's with a high degree of accuracy, and the Food and Drug Administration is currently weighing the approval of a brain scan that uses dye to highlight the plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's. The reliability of these methods needs to be confirmed, however. "Everybody knows we need to do a better job of diagnosing," says Maria Carrillo, Ph.D., the senior director of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer's Association, a research and advocacy organization based in Chicago. "We are all trying to make that diagnosis better, earlier, faster. All of those things are currently under way in terms of research study."

Half of Alzheimer's cases misdiagnosed – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

Father with dementia shoots caregiver daughter in the stomach | Mail Online

A 91-year-old man suffering from dementia has shot his caregiver daughter in the stomach as she helped him go to the bathroom.

Patricia Stafford Crull, 61, is now fighting for her life at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

She was helping her father, Freeman Stafford, with a handheld urinal at around 1am this morning when he shot her.

Investigators said there was no argument or anger. They believe Mr Stafford simply picked up the gun in a moment of confusion caused by his dementia.

Family members said Mr Stafford had served in the Army, where he had been an expert marksman during World War Two.

Mrs Crull, who lived with her father as his primary caregiver, managed to phone police and tell them she had been shot by her father.  She also told them he was suffering from dementia.

When police and emergency services arrived, Mr Stafford appeared to have no idea what he had done or that a shooting had even occurred.  A .22-calibre revolver was found in a shoebox by his bed. Family members told NewsChannel5.com that they didn't know Mr Stafford even still had the gun.  It had been given to him 25 years ago by his son. No one had seen it in seven years, they said.  He was taken to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation and treatment. Investigators say it is unlikely he will face charges.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359672/Father-dementia-shoots-caregiver-daughter-stomach.html#ixzz1EjPRQnpF

Father with dementia shoots caregiver daughter in the stomach | Mail Online

Speaking 2 languages may delay getting Alzheimer's

New studies suggest bilingual ability increases executive control in the brain, which could fight mental disease

iStockphoto/RapidEye

Mastering a second language can pump up your brain in ways that seem to delay getting Alzheimer's disease later on, scientists said Friday.

Never learned to habla or parlez? While the new research focuses mostly on the truly long-term bilingual, scientists say even people who tackle a new language later in life stand to gain.

The more proficient you become, the better, but "every little bit helps," said Ellen Bialystok, a psychology professor at York University in Toronto.

Much of the study of bilingualism has centered on babies, as scientists wondered why simply speaking to infants in two languages allows them to learn both in the time it takes most babies to learn one. Their brains seem to become more flexible, better able to multitask. As they grow up, their brains show better "executive control," a system key to higher functioning -- as Bialystok puts it, "the most important part of your mind."

But does that mental juggling while you're young translate into protection against cognitive decline when you're old?

Bialystok studied 450 Alzheimer's patients, all of whom showed the same degree of impairment at the time of diagnosis. Half are bilingual -- they've spoken two languages regularly for most of their lives. The rest are monolingual.

The bilingual patients had Alzheimer's symptoms and were diagnosed between four and five years later than the patients who spoke only one language, she told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Being bilingual does nothing to prevent Alzheimer's disease from striking. But once the disease does begin its silent attack, those years of robust executive control provide a buffer so that symptoms don't become apparent as quickly, Bialystok said.

"They've been able to cope with the disease," she said.

Her work supports an earlier study from other researchers that also found a protective effect.

What is it about being bilingual that enhances that all-important executive control system?

Both languages are essentially turned on all the time, but the brain learns to inhibit the one you don't need, said psychology professor Teresa Bajo of the University of Granada in Spain. That's pretty constant activity.

That's not the only area. University of British Columbia psychologist Janet Werker studies infants exposed to two languages from birth to see why they don't confuse the two, and says bilingual babies learn very early to pay attention better.

Werker tested babies in Spain who were growing up learning both Spanish and Catalan. She showed the babies videos of women speaking languages they'd never heard -- English and French -- but with the sound off. By measuring the tots' attention span, Werker concluded that babies could distinguish between English and French simply by watching the speakers' facial cues. It could have been the different lip shapes.

"It looks like French people are always kissing," she joked, while the English "th" sound evokes a distinctive lip-in-teeth shape.

Whatever the cues, monolingual babies couldn't tell the difference, Werker said Friday at the meeting.

But what if you weren't lucky enough to be raised bilingual? Scientists and educators know that it becomes far harder to learn a new language after puberty.

Partly that's because adults' brains are so bombarded with other demands that we don't give learning a new language the same attention that a young child does, Bialystok said.

At the University of Maryland, scientists are studying how to identify adults who would be good candidates to master a new language, and then what types of training are best. Having a pretty strong executive control system, like the lifelong bilinguals have, is among the good predictive factors, said Amy Weinberg, deputy director of the university's Center for Advanced Study of Language.

But people don't have to master a new language to benefit some, Bialystok said. Exercising your brain throughout life contributes to what's called cognitive reserve, the overall ability to withstand the declines of aging and disease. That's the basis of the use-it-or-lose-it advice from aging experts who also recommend such things as crossword puzzles to keep your brain nimble.

"If you start to learn at 40, 50, 60, you are certainly keeping your brain active," she said.

BY LAURAN NEERGAARD, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Speaking Two Languages May Delay Getting Alheimer's

How To Take Care Of An Abusive Elderly Parent | LIVESTRONG.COM

Overview

Taking care of an aging parent is a challenge but, when that parent is physically or mentally abusive, it can feel like an impossible task. According to the National Institute of Aging, Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is the loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning which interferes with a person's daily life and activities. Performing activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing, are difficult tasks elderly people may need help completing. When the person needing assistance is abusive, you need to know how to approach these tasks in a way that you and your parent remain safe.

Step 1

Determine what triggers your parent's abusive behavior. Some elderly people find it difficult to express their needs and wants, but if you can determine a pattern and reason for their anger, you may be able to deter the behavior by making changes in the environment.

Step 2

Speak to your parent's doctor to determine the underlying reason for abuse. According to the National Institute of Aging, approximately 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. This disease can cause aggressive behavior, which may be an explanation for the abuse your parent is exhibiting.

Step 3

Develop a support system for you and your parent. One-on-one counseling and support groups for caregivers can be a social, emotional and educational resource. Your parent may benefit from attending elderly support groups, adult day care and a care manager.

Step 4

Remind your parent of good memories that you share from the past. This could snap him out of the abuse and help him fall back into a parental role that is based on love. Some elderly people with dementia have short-term memory loss but retain long-term memory.

Step 5

Remain calm. Remember that you cannot control your parent. The only control you have is over your feelings and behavior. Keeping a calm demeanor is more likely to defuse a tense moment than reacting with anger.

Step 6

Change the subject. Redirect your parent when she becomes abusive. Boredom takes its toll on elderly people who have been active throughout their younger years. Providing activities or stimulating conversation can decrease anger and increase fulfillment in your parent.

How To Take Care Of An Abusive Elderly Parent | LIVESTRONG.COM

A Noteworthy Short Film "Ten Glorious Seconds"

 10 Glorious Seconds

Ten Glorious Seconds features Emmy-Award winning actor David Suchet (Hercule Poirot in the BAFTA-winning TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot), together with veteran British actors Paul Collard and Gabrielle Hamilton.

The film is a short drama about Albert. Living in his care room, he's in the late stages of Alzheimer's, and his use of language has been lost. His wife Josie is aware that time is running out for them and is desperate to connect again.

Albert doesn’t know her anymore. Yet he can still receive and return emotional signals. And although what Josie does and says seems not to have an obvious impact; her presence and support triggers a blazing search in Albert's memory for a connection.

Ten Glorious Seconds is directed by Simon Pitts and written by Carol Younghusband.
http://tengloriousseconds.com/

How Caregiving Couples Can Make It Work - AOL Health

Even the strongest relationships can be pushed to the brink when one or both members of a couple are caring for an elderly relative. Stress, lack of privacy, financial pressure, and simple exhaustion are common complaints of caregivers, as the results of Caring.com's recent caregiver survey make clear. Still, some couples find ways not only to cope with the challenges but to use the experience to strengthen their bonds.

What can caregivers do to protect and enhance their relationships? Caring.com consulted with experts, who point out that there are no magic bullets or easy answers. However, there are steps you can take to keep your marriage strongthroughout the caregiving experience:

Make Communication a Priority
Too often spouses fail to reach out to one another and talk about the many problems and conflicting feelings that arise in caregiving situations, say Drs. Charles and Elizabeth Schmitz, authors of the award-winning book "Golden Anniversaries: The Seven Secrets of Successful Marriage."

-- No matter how busy or difficult it gets, says Caring.com's Family Advisor, Carol O'Dell, it's essential to talk frequently with your partner, or misunderstandings and resentments are bound to fester. "We often have pictures in our own head about how things are going," says O'Dell, "but we don't always express them, and our partner may have very different expectations. That's when it's time to talk it through."

-- Therapist Bobbi Emel urges caregiving couples to meet regularly to talkabout practical matters, express their feelings -- and simply to vent. "It's important, for example, to have an understanding that it's okay to express your frustrations or convey how exhausting your week was," she says.

Emel, who works with caregivers in her practice in Palo Alto, California, points out that men in particular have a tendency to want to fix things, but sometimes the caregiver just needs to gripe -- and the other partner should do his or her best to listen. "Once both partners have had a chance to vent," says Emel, "try to get into a problem-solving mode. For example, if you need more time with your partner, suggest something concrete: 'Once a month I need you to take a weekend off from caring for your mother, so we can get away.'"

Get Outside Support
Experts agree that it's important to seek support -- both practical and emotional -- to ease the burden on your partner. O'Dell's elderly mother lived with her, her husband, and their three children during the last years of her life. "Don't let caregiving become the bone of contention in your marriage," she says, "and if you do have problems, seek help before it's too late."

What you can do:

-- Ask siblings and other family members to take over the caregiving for your relative for a weekend, so you and your partner can get away.

-- If a sibling lives far away and can't provide much daily assistance, find out if she can provide some financial help.

-- Join a caregiver support group so you'll have regular support and fellowship from others in the same situation. If you can't find a support group in your area, Emel suggests, start your own at a local senior center or care facility.

Keep Romance Alive
Make a concerted effort to keep the flame of your love affair alive with each other every day, the Schmitzs advise.

-- No matter how busy you are with caregiving and other responsibilities, experts stress the importance of creating a sanctuary for your marriage. This meanshaving dates and weekends away whenever you can.

-- It also means using small, daily moments for you and your partner to get back in touch. "We'd go for a bike ride around the block, or we'd take a shower together," O'Dell recalls. "Before my mother got really sick, I put a coffee pot in our bedroom so my husband and I could have morning coffee together, because once I opened that bedroom door and my mother knew I was awake, it was all over."

-- It's also important to take the time to pamper your partner. Everyone deserves and appreciates a little pampering -- whether you're the caregiver or the partner of a caregiver -- and small, caring gestures can be incredibly powerful. O'Dell recalls the time her husband washed her hair: "To have someone do something for you that you do for others -- it was wonderful. For five minutes, I could let down my shoulders and relax."

Find Ways To Celebrate -- and Recognize The Silver Linings
Caregiving experts agree that your attitude has a powerful influence on the quality of the caregiving experience and its impact on your marriage. "It's important, no matter how busy you are, not to lose the fun in life, the celebration," says O'Dell.

-- Honor each others' birthdays and holidays. This doesn't mean you need to make elaborate preparations. If you're pressed for time, pick up a cake at the grocery store and cook an easy dinner. And don't wait for the official holidays to celebrate. "If you're having a terrible day, see if you can turn it around," says O'Dell. "Sure, you're exhausted, but you can still grab candles, bubble bath, and a box of chocolates at the grocery store and make a night of it."

-- Create satisfying rituals. O'Dell is a firm believer in little rituals that brighten the tough and often tedious landscape of caregiving. "My husband and I have had a long standing 'date' on Sundays -- with the couch, a quilt, the newspaper, some pastries, a pot of coffee, and the CBS Sunday Morning show," she says. "This has been our tradition for years, and as long as we have this very sacred time, the rest of our crazy week seems doable."

-- Share an activity that your elderly relative enjoys. If your relative is very ill, she may not be able to do much -- but she still may enjoy taking a drive, watching a favorite movie together, or enjoying a special treat. O'Dell's mother, who had Alzheimer's, loved Dairy Queen, for example, so the family would frequently drive to one nearby and eat ice cream together in the car.

-- Look for the 'gifts'. Therapist Emel points out that as demanding as it is, caring for elderly relatives also carries important rewards. "I don't want to paint too rosy a picture, because caregiving is really, really hard," she says. "But I always encourage people to look for the gifts in any situation. Caregiving can be a gift if it helps you and your spouse work on and improve your communication skills and ultimately strengthen you marriage."

Make Sure You Have Backup Plans
In some instances, caregiving's toll on the relationship may simply be too high. "There may come a time when your spouse comes to you and says, 'I can't do this anymore,'" O'Dell explains. "If that's the case, you have to respect your partner's feelings."

Your spouse may not verbalize distress, says O'Dell. "He or she may come home later and later every night, or overeat, or drink too much. You need to pay attention, and you need to take it seriously."

That's why experts say it's essential that couples to go into the caregiving situation with their eyes wide open and have a few backup plans in place -- possible alternative living arrangements for the senior, for example -- in case things don't work out.

-- Explore alternatives by researching senior facilities in your area, and take the time to visit one or two that sound appropriate.

-- Find out if any of your siblings or other relatives would be able and willing to accommodate the senior, either for short stays or as a permanent alternative.

-- Make it clear to your siblings that while you're willing to care for your aging relative, you're not willing to sacrifice your marriage to do so. This means that you may need their support for both day-to-day care and to help you make alternative arrangements if it doesn't work out.

In some cases, a change in the caregiving arrangements may ease the situation -- but, says O'Dell, the bottom line is that your marriage comes first. "In the end," she states, "I don't recommend that people place caregiving above their marriage."

How Caregiving Couples Can Make It Work - AOL Health